On August 11, 2025 Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SANA), a company focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines, reported financial results and business highlights for the second quarter 2025 (Press release, Sana Biotechnology, AUG 11, 2025, View Source [SID1234655076]).
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"We are pleased with the progress with the type 1 diabetes program, including recent FDA feedback on our HIP-edited GMP master cell bank and non-clinical testing plan for SC451, positive UP421 6-month clinical results presented at an invited talk at the American Diabetes Association Annual Meeting and World Transplant Congress 2025, and UP421 3-month clinical results published in the New England Journal of Medicine," said Steve Harr, Sana’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "Type 1 diabetes affects over 9 million people worldwide, and we are positioned to deliver on our goal of a broadly accessible single treatment with no immunosuppression leading to long-term normal blood glucose without exogenous insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes. We expect to file the IND for SC451 as early as next year, and we also look forward to continuing progress in the rest of our pipeline. We have raised over $100 million in new capital since the end of the second quarter, strengthening our balance sheet and allowing us to continue to invest appropriately in moving our pipeline forward."
Recent Corporate Highlights
Announced positive results from an investigator-sponsored, first-in-human study transplanting UP421, an allogeneic primary islet cell therapy engineered with hypoimmune platform (HIP) technology, into a patient with type 1 diabetes without the use of any immunosuppression.
UP421 is a primary human HIP-modified pancreatic islet cell therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes. The goal of this investigator-sponsored trial is to understand safety, immune evasion, islet cell survival, and beta cell function, as measured by C-peptide production, of HIP-modified pancreatic islet cells transplanted into type 1 diabetes patients without the use of any immunosuppression. The trial is being conducted under a clinical trial authorization at Uppsala University Hospital with Dr. Per-Ola Carlsson as the principal investigator.
Results of the study through 6 months after cell transplantation demonstrate the survival and function of pancreatic beta cells as measured by the presence of circulating C-peptide, a biomarker indicating that transplanted beta cells are producing insulin. C-peptide levels also increase with a mixed meal tolerance test during testing at these timepoints, consistent with insulin secretion in response to a meal. 12-week PET-MRI scanning also demonstrated islet cells at the transplant site. The study identified no safety issues, and the HIP-modified islet cells evaded immune detection.
Announced that the New England Journal of Medicine published a journal article titled "Survival of Transplanted Allogeneic Beta Cells with No Immunosuppression" (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2503822). The article discusses 12-week results from this study.
Sana and Uppsala University Hospital presented 6-month data at the 85th Annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions and the World Transplant Congress 2025, and expect to report additional data from the IST, including longer-term follow-up, as the year progresses.
Advancing our pipeline across multiple indications and modalities:
Type 1 Diabetes – The clinical study of gene-modified primary islet cells (UP421) continues to evaluate safety, survival, and function of these cells. Sana continues pre-clinical development of SC451, an O-negative, HIP-modified, iPSC-derived pancreatic islet cell therapy, and a recent FDA INTERACT meeting increases our confidence in moving forward with our HIP-edited master cell bank for GMP manufacturing and our non-clinical testing plan.
Sana expects to file an IND for SC451 as early as 2026.
Allogeneic CAR T cells – Sana is enrolling patients in both the GLEAM and VIVID trials and expects to share data in 2025.
The GLEAM trial is a Phase 1 study evaluating SC291, a HIP-modified CD19-directed allogeneic CAR T cell therapy, in patients with B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, including refractory systemic lupus erythematosus and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. The VIVID trial is a Phase 1 study evaluating SC262, a HIP-modified CD22-directed allogeneic CAR T cell therapy, in patients with relapsed and/or refractory B-cell malignancies who have received prior CD19-directed CAR T therapy.
In vivo CAR T cells – SG299, which uses our fusogen platform, allows for cell-specific, in vivo delivery of various payloads. SG299 is a CD8-targeted fusosome that delivers to CD8+ T cells the genetic material to make CD19-directed CAR T cells while avoiding potentially troublesome delivery to areas such as the liver and gonadal tissue. Sana shared data showing that an SG299 surrogate with another component can lead to deep B-cell depletion in non-human primates without the use of any lymphodepleting chemotherapy. Sana expects to file an IND for SG299 as early as 2026, and we look forward to developing it in a range of B-cell cancers and B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases.
Raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $105 million from sales of common stock through Sana’s at-the-market offering facility (ATM) and equity financing in July and August 2025; expected cash runway into the second half of 2026
Closed public offering in August 2025 of 20.9 million shares of Sana’s common stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase 1.5 million shares of Sana’s common stock. The gross proceeds from this offering were $75.0 million before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
Raised gross proceeds of $29.5 million in July and August 2025 from sales of common stock through Sana’s ATM.
Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results
GAAP Results
Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of June 30, 2025 were $72.7 million compared to $152.5 million as of December 31, 2024. The decrease of $79.8 million was primarily driven by cash used in operations of $81.8 million.
Research and Development Expenses: For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, research and development expenses, inclusive of non-cash expenses, were $29.8 million and $67.0 million, respectively, compared to $60.9 million and $117.3 million for the same periods in 2024.The decreases of $31.1 million and $50.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to the same periods in 2024, respectively, were primarily due to lower research, laboratory, and clinical development costs related to the portfolio prioritization announced in the fourth quarter of 2024, lower personnel-related, costs, including non-cash stock-based compensation, a decrease in facility and other allocated costs primarily due to the portfolio prioritization announced in the fourth quarter of 2024, and lower third-party manufacturing costs. Research and development expenses include non-cash stock-based compensation of $4.2 million and $8.8 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and $7.1 million and $13.0 million for the same periods in 2024.
Research and Development Related Success Payments and Contingent Consideration: For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, Sana recognized non-cash expenses of $10.3 million and $12.2 million, respectively, compared to a non-cash gain of $27.9 million and a non-cash expense of $10.1 million for the same periods in 2024, in connection with the change in the estimated fair value of the success payment liabilities and contingent consideration in aggregate. The value of these potential liabilities fluctuates significantly with changes in Sana’s market capitalization and stock price.
General and Administrative Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, inclusive of non-cash expenses, were $10.3 million and $21.8 million, respectively, compared to $16.4 million and $32.7 million for the same periods in 2024. The decreases of $6.1 million and $10.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to the same periods in 2024 were primarily due to lower personnel-related costs, including non-cash stock-based compensation, due to a decrease in headcount in connection with the portfolio prioritization announced in the fourth quarter of 2024, and decreased legal and consulting fees. General and administrative expenses include non-cash stock-based compensation of $2.4 million and $4.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to $4.3 million and $7.5 million for the same periods in 2024.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, non-cash impairment of long-lived assets was $44.6 million, compared to zero for the same periods in 2024. The non-cash impairment was primarily related to Sana’s manufacturing facility in Bothell, Washington and certain laboratory and office space in Seattle, Washington. Because of the increased availability of manufacturing capacity at third-party contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) for cell and gene therapy products as well as progress in understanding our near-term manufacturing needs, we expect to use CDMOs to meet our manufacturing needs at present and have suspended further build-out of our internal manufacturing capabilities.
Net Loss: Net loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was $93.8 million, or $0.39 per share, and $143.2 million, or $0.60 per share, respectively, compared to $50.3 million, or $0.21 per share, and $157.8 million, or $0.70 per share, for the same periods in 2024.
Non-GAAP Measures
Non-GAAP Operating Cash Burn: Non-GAAP operating cash burn for the six months ended June 30, 2025 was $79.0 million compared to $104.6 million for the same period in 2024. Non-GAAP operating cash burn is the decrease in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, excluding cash inflows from financing activities, costs related to the portfolio prioritization in the fourth quarter of 2024 that were paid in 2025, and the purchase of property and equipment.
Non-GAAP Net Loss: Non-GAAP net loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 was $38.9 million, or $0.16 per share, and $86.4 million, or $0.36 per share, respectively, compared to $74.2 million, or $0.32 per share, and $143.6 million, or $0.64 per share, for the same periods in 2024. Non-GAAP net loss excludes non-cash expenses and gains related to the change in the estimated fair value of contingent consideration and success payment liabilities, and non-cash impairment losses recorded in 2025.