On August 7, 2025 Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACRS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel product candidates for immuno-inflammatory diseases, reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2025 and provided a corporate update (Press release, Aclaris Therapeutics, AUG 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234654959]).

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"Aclaris is in a period of strong execution throughout the business as we advance our innovative therapies toward our goal of improving therapeutic options for patients with certain I&I diseases," stated Dr. Neal Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board of Directors of Aclaris. "For example, the results from the single arm Phase 2a clinical trial of our ITK/JAK3 inhibitor ATI-2138 represent a significant achievement for our ITK franchise by both confirming the strong tolerability profile and mechanism of ATI-2138 in AD ahead of our planned alopecia areata clinical trial and validating ITK as an important therapeutic target. Importantly, with an expected cash runway that funds our operations into the second half of 2028, we have sufficient capital to execute our strategic plan. We are also exploring additional non-dilutive opportunities to extend our cash runway even further."

Second Quarter 2025 Highlights and Recent Updates

Pipeline:

Achieved Primary and Key Secondary Endpoints in Phase 2a Trial of ATI-2138, a Potent and Selective Investigational Inhibitor of ITK and JAK3: Positive results from this open-label, single arm trial further confirmed the favorable tolerability profile of ATI-2138, demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements from baseline in assessments of disease severity in patients with moderate-to-severe AD receiving low doses of ATI-2138, and validated ITK as a therapeutic target. Overall, these results provide evidence that the contribution of ITK may enable ATI-2138, even at low doses, to achieve efficacy results comparable to approved JAK inhibitors in moderate-to-severe AD, but with improved tolerability and without the significant safety risks typically associated with JAK inhibition. (press release here)
Initiated Dosing in Phase 2 Trial of Potential Best-in-Class Investigational Anti-TSLP Monoclonal Antibody Bosakitug: Patient dosing is ongoing in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled global Phase 2 trial designed to evaluate bosakitug in approximately ninety (90) patients with moderate-to-severe AD. The Company expects to provide top line results in the second half of 2026. (press release here)
Initiated Dosing in Phase 1a/1b Program for Potential Best-in-Class Investigational Bispecific Anti-TSLP/IL-4R Antibody ATI-052: Dosing is ongoing in the randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 1a portion, designed to evaluate single and multiple ascending doses of ATI-052 in healthy adults. The Phase 1b proof-of-concept portion in up to two indications is expected to follow the Phase 1a portion. Aclaris expects to complete the Phase 1a portion by year-end 2025 and provide top line results in early 2026, followed by top line results from the Phase 1b portion in the second half of 2026. (press release here)

Corporate:

Strong Cash Runway Funds the Company’s Planned Operations into the Second Half of 2028: The Company is assessing potential non-dilutive opportunities to extend the cash runway further.
Provided Update on Senior Leadership: Roland Kolbeck, Ph.D. has been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer, replacing Joe Monahan, Ph.D. who will remain with the Company as Special Scientific Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer through the first quarter of 2026 as part of his planned retirement. (press release here)
Financial Results

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of June 30, 2025, Aclaris had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $180.9 million compared to $203.9 million as of December 31, 2024. The Company believes that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its operations into the second half of 2028, without giving effect to any potential business development transactions or financing activities.

Second Quarter 2025 and Year-to-Date 2025

Net loss was $15.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $11.0 million for the second quarter of 2024. Net loss was $30.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $27.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024.

Total revenue was $1.8 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $2.8 million for the second quarter of 2024. Total revenue was $3.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $5.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease for both comparison periods was primarily driven by the sale of a portion of royalty payments under the Company’s agreement with Eli Lilly and Company to OCM IP Healthcare Portfolio IP, an investment vehicle for Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), in July 2024.

Research and development (R&D) expenses were $11.4 million and $23.0 million for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to $8.8 million and $18.6 million for the corresponding prior year periods. The increases were primarily driven by product candidate manufacturing costs, preclinical development activities, and clinical development expenses associated with the Phase 2 trial in AD for bosakitug and the Phase 1a/1b program for ATI-052. For the six-month comparison period, clinical development expenses associated with the Phase 2a trial in AD for ATI-2138 also contributed to the increase. The increases were partially offset by a reduction in development expenses for zunsemetinib for both comparison periods.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $5.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to $4.8 million for the corresponding prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by higher personnel expenses as a result of higher headcount. G&A expenses were $11.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $11.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily driven by lower personnel expenses as a result of lower termination benefits.

Revaluation of contingent consideration resulted in a $1.5 million charge for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 compared to a $0.2 million charge for the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to changes to the probability of success for certain product candidates and lower discount rates resulting from changes in credit spreads being applied to potential payments during the quarter ended June 30, 2025. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, revaluation of contingent consideration resulted in a charge of $1.8 million compared to $3.0 million for the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to changes in estimated sales levels and changes to the probability of success for certain product candidates during the six months ended June 30, 2024.

On August 7, 2025 FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) reported positive feedback from its Type C meeting with the FDA, supporting the advancement of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in patients with LR-MDS and high RBC transfusion burden, based on a post-hoc subgroup analysis from the MATTERHORN Phase 3 trial (Press release, FibroGen, AUG 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234654975]).

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"We are very pleased with the feedback we received from the FDA regarding roxadustat in patients with LR-MDS and anemia with high transfusion burden. This indication, despite recent approvals, still represents a patient population with significant unmet need," said Thane Wettig, Chief Executive Officer of FibroGen. "We believe roxadustat’s differentiated mechanism of action, favorable tolerability profile, and oral route of administration can potentially be an important addition to the treatment options for patients with high transfusion burden. We are starting preparations for the Phase 3 trial, while evaluating internal development and potential partnership opportunities for this late-stage program. We plan to submit the Phase 3 trial protocol to the FDA in the fourth quarter of this year."

"Anemia is a major cause of morbidity and complications in patients with LR-MDS, especially those with high transfusion burden, and is often associated with poor quality of life and shortened survival. While we have recent approvals of injectable drugs for this indication, there is a significant unmet need for novel, effective oral agents for this patient population," added Amer Zeidan, M.B.B.S, M.H.S., Professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematologic Malignancies at Yale Cancer Center, and the global principal investigator of the planned Phase 3 study. "Roxadustat has already shown promising efficacy in this group of patients in the post-hoc analysis of the MATTERHORN study, and I am glad we have agreed on a pathway with the regulators to explore the full potential of roxadustat in the upcoming Phase 3 trial. I am excited by the prospect of roxadustat potentially becoming a novel, safe, convenient, and effective therapy for LR-MDS patients with high transfusion burden."

FibroGen requested the Type C meeting based on the findings of a post-hoc analysis of data from the Phase 3 MATTERHORN trial of roxadustat in anemia-associated with LR-MDS. In patients with high RBC transfusion burden at baseline (≥4 units over 8 weeks1), a pronounced treatment effect was observed: 36% (8/22) of patients achieved transfusion independence (TI) for ≥ 56 days on roxadustat vs 7% (1/15) of patients on placebo within 28 weeks (nominal p-value of 0.041).

The planned Phase 3 trial will assess the safety and efficacy of roxadustat in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design in approximately 200 patients with LR-MDS. Alignment was reached with the FDA on the patient population (patients requiring ≥ 4 pRBC units in two consecutive 8-week periods prior to randomization, who are refractory to, intolerant to, or ineligible for prior erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) therapy), dose regimen, as well as management of potential thrombotic risk through eligibility and dose modification and discontinuation criteria. As the primary endpoint for the study, the Company is considering either 8-week or 16-week RBC TI.

FibroGen plans to submit the full Phase 3 protocol to the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2025.

About Myelodysplastic Syndromes Anemia
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of disorders characterized by dysfunctional progenitor blood cells and stem cells, resulting in chronic anemia in most patients. Annual incidence rates of MDS are estimated to be 4.9/100,000 adults in the U.S, thereof 77% are considered lower-risk MDS. Approximately 80% of patients with MDS have anemia at the time of diagnosis, and around 60% of patients with MDS will experience severe anemia (hemoglobin <8 g/dL) at some point during the course of their disease. Anemia in patients with MDS is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular complications and the need for blood transfusion. Approximately 50% of patients with MDS require regular red blood cell transfusions. Transfusion dependent MDS patients suffer higher rates of cardiac events, infections, and iron overload with the related complications. In addition, anemia frequently leads to significant fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and decreased quality of life. Today, patients are routinely treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), luspatercept, imetelstat, or lenalidomide in lower-risk MDS with isolated del(5q), and hypomethylating agents (HMAs) in higher-risk disease. Only 35-40% of patients respond to current treatments and the durability of response is short. Moreover, these treatments are challenging to dose-calibrate and can only be administered via subcutaneous injection or through IV infusion. There remains a high unmet need for the treatment of anemia associated with MDS, and new strategies that provide durable response and the convenience of oral administration are highly desired in managing patients with MDS.

About Roxadustat
Roxadustat, an oral medication, is the first in a new class of medicines comprising HIF-PH inhibitors that promote erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production, through increased endogenous production of erythropoietin, improved iron absorption and mobilization, and downregulation of hepcidin. Roxadustat is in clinical development for chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) and a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) has been accepted by the China Health Authority.

Roxadustat is approved in China, Europe, Japan, and numerous other countries for the treatment of anemia of CKD in adult patients on dialysis (DD) and not on dialysis (NDD). FibroGen has the sole rights to roxadustat in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and in all markets not held by AstraZeneca or licensed to Astellas. Astellas and FibroGen are collaborating on the commercialization of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in territories including Japan, Europe, Turkey, Russia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, and South Africa.

On August 7, 2025 Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 (Press release, Nektar Therapeutics, AUG 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234654991]).

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Cash and investments in marketable securities on June 30, 2025 were $175.9 million as compared to $269.1 million on December 31, 2024. Nektar’s cash and marketable securities at June 30, 2025 do not include $107.5 million of approximate net proceeds from the secondary offering closed on July 2, 2025. With the net proceeds from the secondary offering, we expect our cash and investments in marketable securities to support our operations into the first quarter of 2027.

"This quarter, we announced transformative data for rezpegaldesleukin from the Phase 2b study in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis," said Howard W. Robin, President and CEO of Nektar. "The 16-week induction data demonstrated that rezpegaldesleukin resulted in a rapid onset of EASI response and itch relief and showcased the advantage of a broad-based Treg mechanism over other mechanistic approaches in development to treat atopic dermatitis. We look forward to seeing the effect of continued treatment with rezpegaldesleukin when we report the 52-week data in early 2026. In alopecia areata, we will report the data from a separate Phase 2b study in December of this year. We believe the data from both randomized studies will demonstrate the potential of rezpegaldesleukin to provide a new treatment paradigm for patients with chronic and serious diseases that significantly impact quality of life. As a first-in-class, T regulatory cell biologic, rezpegaldesleukin is poised to become an important novel mechanism to treat millions of patients with autoimmune disorders."

"We are proceeding in our IND-enabling studies for our next T reg program, NKTR-0165, which targets the TNFR2 receptor to stimulate tissue-specific T regulatory cells," continued Robin. "Our goal is to advance NKTR-0165 into the clinic in 2026. Finally, we are making significant progress on advancing preclinical studies with a new bispecific antibody, NKTR-0166, which combines the TNFR2 epitope with a validated antibody target."

Summary of Financial Results

Revenue in the second quarter of 2025 was $11.2 million as compared to $23.5 million in the second quarter of 2024. Revenue for the first half of 2025 was $21.6 million as compared to $45.1 million in the first half of 2024. Revenue has decreased year over year because we no longer recognize product sales due to the sale of the Huntsville manufacturing facility in December 2024.

Total operating costs and expenses in the second quarter of 2025 were $47.4 million as compared to $73.3 million in the second quarter of 2024. Total operating costs and expenses in the first half of 2025 were $102.4 million as compared to $130.3 million in the first half of 2024. Operating costs and expenses for the first half of 2025 decreased due to the elimination of cost of goods sold following the sale of the Huntsville manufacturing facility, as well as a decrease in restructuring and impairment charges.

R&D expense in the second quarter of 2025 was $29.9 million as compared to $29.7 million for the second quarter of 2024. R&D expense in the first half of 2025 was $60.4 million as compared to $57.1 million for the first half of 2024. R&D expense increased for the first half of 2025 primarily due to an increase in expenses for the development of rezpegaldesleukin and NKTR-0165, partially offset by a decrease in expense for the development of NKTR-255.

G&A expense was $17.1 million in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to $20.5 million in the second quarter of 2024. G&A expense was $41.4 million in the first half of 2025 as compared to $40.7 million in the first half of 2024. G&A expense increased slightly in the first half of 2025 due to an increase in legal expenses, partially offset by decreases in facilities and stock-based compensation expenses.

Non-cash restructuring and impairment charges were not material in the second quarter and first half of 2025. Non-cash restructuring and impairment charges in the second quarter of 2024 were $13.3 million and $14.3 million in the first half of 2024. These non-cash charges were related to the declining San Francisco commercial real estate market and real estate lease obligations held by Nektar.

In the first quarter of 2025, we began accounting for our investment in the new portfolio company, Gannet BioChem, under the equity method of accounting which calculates our gain or loss based on the change in our share of Gannet BioChem’s equity each quarter. This resulted in non-cash losses from the equity method investment of $2.4 million in the second quarter of 2025 and $6.8 million in the first half of 2025.

Net loss for the second quarter of 2025 was $41.6 million or $2.95 basic and diluted loss per share as compared to a net loss of $52.4 million or $3.761 basic and diluted loss per share in the second quarter of 2024. Net loss in the first half of 2025 was $92.5 million or $6.57 basic and diluted loss per share as compared to a net loss of $89.2 million or $6.631 basic and diluted loss per share in the first half of 2024. Excluding the $2.4 million and $6.8 million non-cash loss from our equity method investment in Gannet BioChem, net loss, on a non-GAAP basis, for the second quarter and first half of 2025 were $39.2 million and $85.6 million, respectively, or $2.78 and $6.08 basic and diluted loss per share, respectively.

Recent Business Highlights

● In July of 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation for rezpegaldesleukin for the treatment of severe-to-very severe alopecia areata (AA) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 40 kilograms.

● In July of 2025, Nektar announced the successful closing of a public offering of its common stock including the full exercise of underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, raising $115 million in gross proceeds.

● In June of 2025, Nektar announced that the REZOLVE-AD study achieved statistical significance on the primary endpoint at week 16 for mean percent change in EASI score from baseline for all rezpegaldesleukin arms versus placebo and achieved statistical significance for key secondary endpoints at week 16, including EASI-75, EASI-90, Itch NRS, vIGA-AD and BSA. The rapid onset of EASI reduction and magnitude of itch improvement show potential differentiation of this novel regulatory T-cell mechanism as a first and best-in-class immune-modulator.

● In June of 2025, Nektar collaborators at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center presented oral data for NKTR-255 as adjunctive treatment to cell therapy at the 30th Annual European Hematological Association (EHA) (Free EHA Whitepaper) Congress entitled, "Enhanced CAR T-cell Expansion and Durable Complete Responses with NKTR-255 Plus Lisocabtagene Maraleucel in Relapsed/Refractory Large B-cell Lymphoma."

Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Nektar management will host a conference call to review the results beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time/2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on August 7, 2025.

This press release and live audio-only webcast of the conference call can be accessed through a link that is posted on the Home Page and Investors section of the Nektar website: View Source The web broadcast of the conference call will be available for replay through September 8, 2025.

To access the conference call by phone, please pre-register at Nektar Earnings Call Registration. All registrants will receive dial-in information and a PIN allowing them to access the live call.

On August 7, 2025 Senhwa Biosciences, Inc. (TPEx: 6492), a new drug development company focusing on first-in-class therapeutics for oncology, rare diseases, and infectious diseases, reported that US National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsors Senhwa’s second program IND has been submitted to US FDA for clinical trial targeting MYC-aberrant lymphoma (Press release, Senhwa Biosciences, AUG 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234655010]). Following the initiation of the first trial using CX-5461 as a monotherapy in advanced solid tumors, the IND-submission of the second trial marks a milestone in the development of CX-5461.

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With sponsorship from the NCI, this program significantly reduces Senhwa’s clinical development expenditures, easing its R&D financial demands while enhancing the overall project value and commercialization potential—a major positive for the company’s future growth.

A Globally Innovative G4-Targeting Mechanism Against Hard-to-Treat MYC-Driven Lymphomas – 30% of Cancers Involve MYC Mutation

MYC is a critical oncogene, with approximately 28% of cancer patients exhibiting gene amplification or mutation, including in lung, breast, liver cancers, and lymphomas. The MYC protein drives cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis suppression, playing a key role in multiple malignancies. CX-5461, developed by Senhwa, precisely stabilizes the G-quadruplex (G4) structures in DNA within cancer cells, suppressing MYC gene expression and effectively disrupting tumor growth pathways.

Preclinical research has demonstrated that CX-5461 exhibits strong inhibitory effects against MYC-overexpressing tumors, highlighting its potential as a next-generation targeted cancer therapy—especially promising for difficult-to-treat lymphomas.

With NCI Sponsorship Significantly Reduces R&D Costs

The clinical trial program is fully led and partially funded by the NCI, covering clinical trial design, operational personnel, trial sites, regulatory, and data management resources. According to Senhwa’s internal estimates, this sponsorship could reduce Senhwa’s clinical development expenditures, easing its R&D financial costs, enhancing development efficiency and accelerating commercialization progress.

Substantial Market Potential for B-cell Lymphomas – Global Annual Sales Expected to Surpass USD 10 Billion

According to BioSpace market data, global sales of B-cell lymphoma therapies reached USD 4.9 billion in 2024 and are projected to grow to USD 8.9 billion by 2035, with a steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.79%. There is particularly strong demand for novel targeted therapies for relapsed and refractory lymphoma patients, revealing a significant market gap.

With its unique mechanism and precision medicine potential, Senhwa’s CX-5461 is well-positioned to enter the high-value niche market upon successful progression into late-stage clinical trials and potential regulatory approval, offering substantial commercial value.

CX-5461: The World’s First and Most Advanced G4-Quadruplex Stabilizer for Cancer Treatment

CX-5461 is the world’s first and most advanced anti-cancer investigational drug targeting G-quadruplex DNA structures. It specifically modulates the expression of key oncogenes like MYC, thereby inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and survival. The upcoming NCI-sponsored will evaluate CX-5461 dose optimization and treatment efficacy in Patients with MYC-aberrant, specific subtypes of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma who have received at least one prior line of therapy and have no other available treatment options, aiming to address critical unmet medical needs with a potentially breakthrough therapeutic solution.

On August 7, 2025 LaNova Medicines Ltd. reported that its internally developed CEACAM5/4-1BB bispecific antibody, LM-24C5, has received approval from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China to initiate a Phase II clinical trial (Press release, LaNova Medicines, AUG 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234656022]). The trial will evaluate LM-24C5 in combination with other anti-tumor agents in patients with CEACAM5-positive advanced solid tumors.

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CEACAM5 (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5) is highly expressed in various solid tumors—including non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer—making it a promising target for cancer therapy[1]. LM-24C5 is a conditionally activated bispecific antibody engineered using LaNova’s proprietary 4-1BB agonist platform. It is designed to simultaneously bind CEACAM5 on tumor cells and 4-1BB on immune cells, thereby directing and activating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment while minimizing off-target immune activation and associated systemic toxicities.

Preclinical studies have demonstrated that LM-24C5 can induce durable anti-tumor immune memory and exhibits synergistic effects when used in combination with other immunotherapeutic agents. These results support its potential to become a first-in-class immunotherapy.

LM-24C5 is currently in Phase I/II clinical development in the United States.