Sanofi: Libtayo® (cemiplimab) approved by the European Commission for first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with ?50% PD-L1 expression

On June 25, 2021 Sanofi and Regeneron reported that The European Commission (EC) has approved its PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo (cemiplimab) for the first-line treatment of adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumor cells have ≥50% PD-L1 expression and no EGFR, ALK or ROS1 aberrations (Press release, Sanofi, JUN 25, 2021, View Source [SID1234584365]). Patients must have metastatic NSCLC or locally advanced NSCLC and not be a candidate for definitive chemoradiation.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Libtayo is now approved for three advanced cancers in the European Union. The EC also approved Libtayo in advanced basal cell carcinoma, the first treatment to be indicated for those patients who have progressed on or are intolerant to a hedgehog pathway inhibitor (HHI). In 2019, Libtayo was approved by the EC as the first treatment for adults with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. Across all of its approved indications, Libtayo had a generally consistent safety profile. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue during or after treatment with Libtayo.

"We are confident that Libtayo has the potential to become an important treatment option for patients in the European Union and thank all the investigators, patients and their families who helped us reach this milestone," said Peter C. Adamson, M.D., Global Development Head, Oncology at Sanofi. "We are anticipating results from our ongoing Phase 3 trial of Libtayo plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and remain committed to studying Libtayo in additional cancer settings where there is the potential to improve the outcome for patients."

The EC approval in advanced NSCLC is based on data from a global Phase 3 trial that enrolled 710 patients from 24 countries. The trial, which was one of the largest for a PD-1 inhibitor in advanced NSCLC, was designed to be more reflective of clinical practice by including challenging-to-treat and often underrepresented disease characteristics. Among those enrolled, 12% had pre-treated and clinically stable brain metastases, 44% had squamous cell histology and 16% had locally advanced NSCLC that was not a candidate for definitive chemoradiation. Furthermore, patients whose disease progressed in the trial were able to change their therapy: those assigned to chemotherapy could crossover to Libtayo treatment, while those assigned to Libtayo monotherapy could continue Libtayo treatment and add four cycles of chemotherapy.

In the overall study population, Libtayo significantly reduced the risk of death by 32% and extended median overall survival (OS) by 8 months compared to chemotherapy, even with 74% of patients crossing over to Libtayo following disease progression on chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53-0.87; p=0.0022). The median OS was 22 months for Libtayo (range: 18 months to not evaluable) and 14 months for chemotherapy (range: 12 to 19 months). A prespecified analysis of data from patients whose cancers had PD-L1 expression ≥50% (n=563) based on a validated assay was also conducted. As published in The Lancet, Libtayo reduced the risk of death by 43% for patients in this population; median OS was not reached for Libtayo (95% CI: 18 months to not evaluable) and was 14 months for chemotherapy (95% CI: 11 to 18 months).

In the Phase 3 trial, safety was assessed in 697 patients, with a duration of exposure of 27 weeks (range: 9 days to 115 weeks) for the Libtayo group and 18 weeks (range: 18 days to 87 weeks) for the chemotherapy group. Serious adverse reactions (AEs) in at least 2% of patients were pneumonia (5% Libtayo, 6% chemotherapy) and pneumonitis (2% Libtayo, 0% chemotherapy). Treatment was permanently discontinued due to AEs in 6% of Libtayo patients; AEs resulting in permanent discontinuation in at least 2 patients were pneumonitis, pneumonia, ischemic stroke and increased aspartate aminotransferase. No new Libtayo safety signals were observed.

"Libtayo has demonstrated a highly significant improvement in overall survival compared to chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with high PD-L1 expression and a variety of challenging-to-treat disease characteristics," said Israel Lowy, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Translational and Clinical Sciences, Oncology at Regeneron. "Beyond the primary analysis, we continue to conduct post-hoc analyses of our Phase 3 trial with the goal of informing treatment in this patient population."

About the Phase 3 Trial in Advanced NSCLC

EMPOWER-Lung 1 was an open-label, randomized, multi-center Phase 3 trial designed to investigate Libtayo monotherapy compared to platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC who tested positive for PD-L1 in ≥50% of tumor cells and had no EGFR, ALK or ROS1 aberrations. PD-L1 expression was confirmed using the Agilent Dako PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx kit.

The trial randomized 710 patients 1:1 who had either previously untreated metastatic NSCLC (stage IV) or locally advanced NSCLC (stage IIIB/C) who were not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation or who had progressed after treatment with definitive chemoradiation. Those receiving Libtayo were intravenously administered 350 mg dose every three weeks for up to 108 weeks, while those receiving chemotherapy received an investigator-selected, platinum-doublet chemotherapy regimen for four to six cycles (with or without maintenance pemetrexed chemotherapy).

The primary endpoints were OS and progression-free survival, and secondary endpoints included objective response rate, duration of response and quality of life. In 2020, the trial was stopped early due to a significant improvement in OS.

About Libtayo

Libtayo is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint receptor PD-1 on T-cells. By binding to PD-1, Libtayo has been shown to block cancer cells from using the PD-1 pathway to suppress T-cell activation.

The extensive clinical program for Libtayo is focused on difficult-to-treat cancers. Current clinical development programs include Libtayo in combination with chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC irrespective of PD-L1 expression and Libtayo monotherapy for advanced cervical cancer. Libtayo is also being investigated in combination with either conventional or novel therapeutic approaches for other solid tumors and blood cancers. These potential uses are investigational, and their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority.

The generic name for Libtayo in its approved U.S. indications is cemiplimab-rwlc, with rwlc as the suffix designated in accordance with Nonproprietary Naming of Biological Products Guidance for Industry issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Libtayo is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement.

Libtayo® (cemiplimab) Approved by the European Commission as the First Immunotherapy Indicated for Patients with Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma

On June 25, 2021 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi reported that the European Commission (EC) has approved the PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo (cemiplimab) to treat adults with locally advanced or metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) who have progressed on or are intolerant to a hedgehog pathway inhibitor (HHI) (Press release, Regeneron, JUN 25, 2021, View Source [SID1234584366]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

BCC is the most common type of skin cancer worldwide, representing up to 80% of non-melanoma skin cancers, and incidence is increasing across many European countries. While the large majority of BCCs are caught early and easily cured with surgery and/or radiation, a small proportion of cases can develop into advanced BCC and penetrate deeper into surrounding tissues (locally advanced) or spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), becoming more difficult to treat.

"Libtayo is the first immunotherapy to show a clinical benefit in patients with advanced BCC after HHI therapy in a pivotal trial, and with this first-in-class approval has the potential to transform treatment for patients in Europe whose cancer has progressed despite HHI treatment," said Israel Lowy, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Translational and Clinical Sciences, Oncology at Regeneron. "We look forward to continuing to investigate this medicine in additional settings, with the goal of helping more patients with difficult-to-treat cancers around the world."

Libtayo is now approved for three advanced cancers in the European Union, following the EC’s concurrent approval of Libtayo for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumor cells have ≥50% PD-L1 expression and no EGFR, ALK or ROS1 aberrations. In 2019, Libtayo was approved by the EC as the first treatment for adults with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. Across all of its approved indications, Libtayo had a generally consistent safety profile. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue during or after treatment with Libtayo.

The EC approval in BCC is based on data from the largest prospective clinical trial (n=119) in patients with advanced BCC previously treated with an HHI to date. Libtayo-treated patients with locally advanced BCC experienced an objective response rate (ORR) of 32% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22-43) (25% partial response, 7% complete response) by independent central review. Libtayo-treated patients with metastatic BCC demonstrated an ORR of 29% (95% CI: 15-46) (26% partial response, 3% complete response) by investigator assessment. In addition, approximately 90% of patients across both groups had a duration of response (DOR) of 6 months or longer per Kaplan Meier estimates, and the median DOR has not been reached for either group. Median duration of follow-up was 16 months for locally advanced BCC and 9 months for metastatic BCC.

Safety was assessed in 816 patients across all four Libtayo monotherapy pivotal trials in its approved indications. Adverse events were serious in 30% of patients and led to permanent discontinuation in 8% of patients. Immune–related adverse reactions occurred in 22% of patients and led to permanent discontinuation in 4% of patients. The most common immune-related adverse reactions were hypothyroidism (8%), hyperthyroidism (3%), pneumonitis (3%), hepatitis (2%), colitis (2%) and immune-related skin adverse reactions (2%).

"Since its launch in Europe just two years ago, Libtayo has redefined the standard of care for advanced CSCC and has the potential to do the same in advanced BCC," said Peter C. Adamson, M.D., Global Development Head, Oncology at Sanofi. "Together with Regeneron, we’re committed to addressing gaps in the treatment of advanced forms of non-melanoma skin cancer."

About the Phase 2 Trial in Advanced BCC

The EC approval was based on data from an ongoing open-label, multi-center, non-randomized Phase 2 trial of patients with unresectable locally advanced BCC or metastatic BCC (nodal or distant). Patients in both cohorts had either progressed on HHI therapy, had not had an objective response after nine months on HHI therapy, or were intolerant of prior HHI therapy. The primary efficacy endpoint was confirmed ORR, and a key secondary endpoint was DOR, assessed by independent central review.

About Libtayo

Libtayo is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint receptor PD-1 on T-cells. By binding to PD-1, Libtayo has been shown to block cancer cells from using the PD-1 pathway to suppress T-cell activation.

The recommended dose of Libtayo is 350 mg administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every three weeks, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Libtayo is available as a single-dose 350 mg vial. No PD-L1 or tumor mutational burden (TMB) testing is required before starting treatment with Libtayo for advanced BCC.

The extensive clinical program for Libtayo is focused on difficult-to-treat cancers. Current clinical development programs include Libtayo in combination with chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC irrespective of PD-L1 expression and Libtayo monotherapy for advanced cervical cancer. Libtayo is also being investigated in combination with either conventional or novel therapeutic approaches for other solid tumors and blood cancers. These potential uses are investigational, and their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by any regulatory authority.

The generic name for Libtayo in its approved U.S. indications is cemiplimab-rwlc, with rwlc as the suffix designated in accordance with Nonproprietary Naming of Biological Products Guidance for Industry issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Libtayo is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement.

About Regeneron’s VelocImmune Technology

Regeneron’s VelocImmune technology utilizes a proprietary genetically engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically humanized immune system to produce optimized fully human antibodies. When Regeneron’s President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos was a graduate student with his mentor Frederick W. Alt in 1985, they were the first to envision making such a genetically humanized mouse, and Regeneron has spent decades inventing and developing VelocImmune and related VelociSuite technologies. Dr. Yancopoulos and his team have used VelocImmune technology to create approximately a quarter of all original, FDA-approved fully human monoclonal antibodies currently available. This includes REGEN–COV (casirivimab and imdevimab), Dupixent (dupilumab), Libtayo (cemiplimab-rwlc), Praluent (alirocumab), Kevzara (sarilumab), Evkeeza (evinacumab-dgnb) and Inmazeb (atoltivimab, maftivimab and odesivimab-ebgn).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR U.S. PATIENTS

What is Libtayo?

Libtayo is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) that has spread or cannot be cured by surgery or radiation.

Libtayo is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma that cannot be removed by surgery (locally advanced BCC) and have received treatment with an HHI, or cannot receive treatment with an HHI.

Libtayo is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma that has spread (metastatic BCC) and have received treatment with a hedgehog pathway inhibitor (HHI), or cannot receive treatment with an HHI. This use is approved based on how many patients responded to treatment and how long they responded. Studies are ongoing to provide additional information about clinical benefit.

Libtayo is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Libtayo may be used as your first treatment when your lung cancer has not spread outside your chest (locally advanced lung cancer) and you cannot have surgery or chemotherapy with radiation, or your lung cancer has spread to other areas of your body (metastatic lung cancer), and your tumor tests positive for high "PD-L1" and your tumor does not have an abnormal "EGFR", "ALK "or "ROS1" gene.

It is not known if Libtayo is safe and effective in children.

What is the most important information I should know about Libtayo?

Libtayo is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. Libtayo can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worsening signs or symptoms, including:

Lung problems: cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
Intestinal problems: diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual, stools that are black, tarry, sticky or have blood or mucus, or severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness
Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), dark urine (tea colored), or bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
Hormone gland problems: headache that will not go away or unusual headaches, eye sensitivity to light, eye problems, rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, urinating more often than usual, hair loss, feeling cold, constipation, your voice gets deeper, dizziness or fainting, or changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness
Kidney problems: decrease in your amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, or loss of appetite
Skin problems: rash, itching, skin blistering or peeling, painful sores or ulcers in mouth or nose, throat, or genital area, fever or flu-like symptoms, or swollen lymph nodes
Problems can also happen in other organs and tissues. These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with Libtayo. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening signs or symptoms, which may include: chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath or swelling of ankles, confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems, tingling or numbness of the arms or legs, double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eyesight, persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, low red blood cells, or bruising
Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include: nausea, chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, feel like passing out, fever, back or neck pain, or facial swelling
Rejection of a transplanted organ. Your healthcare provider should tell you what signs and symptoms you should report and monitor you, depending on the type of organ transplant that you have had.
Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with Libtayo. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these complications.
Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with Libtayo. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may also need to delay or completely stop treatment with Libtayo if you have severe side effects.

Before you receive Libtayo, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus
have received an organ transplant
have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)
have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Libtayo can harm your unborn baby
Females who are able to become pregnant:
Your healthcare provider will give you a pregnancy test before you start treatment.
You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for at least 4 months after your last dose of Libtayo. Talk with your healthcare provider about birth control methods that you can use during this time.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with Libtayo.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Libtayo passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 4 months after the last dose of Libtayo.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over- the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of Libtayo include muscle or bone pain, tiredness, rash, and diarrhea. These are not all the possible side effects of Libtayo. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi at 1-877-542-8296.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.

Prescient Therapeutics reaches a major CAR-T manufacturing milestone

On June 25, 2021 Prescient Therapeutics Limited (ASX:PTX) reported that it has successfully completed the manufacturing and delivery of crucial components for its unique, next-generation OmniCAR platform (Press release, Prescient Therapeutics, JUN 25, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prescient-therapeutics-reaches-a-major-car-t-manufacturing-milestone [SID1234584383]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The two novel components of the OmniCAR platform are: the SpyTagged binders and CAR-T cells expressing SpyCatcher. Notably, the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system is a crucial technology for binding of proteins. SpyCatcher is a genetically encoded protein, which reacts with SpyTag, a peptide of 13 amino acids, forming a bond between the two.

WATCH NOW: Expert Talks With Mr Steven Yatomi Clarke, CEO and Managing Director of Prescient Therapeutics

Delivery of binders and lentiviral vectors
The Company disclosed that a range of binders against various cancer targets, including CLL-1, CD33, EGFRviii, and Her2, have been manufactured by a US-based antibody manufacturer. More importantly, Prescient has incorporated SpyTag into these binders for the Company’s three next-gen CAR-T programs. SpyTag is necessary for covalent binding to immune cells (for instance, T-cells) in the OmniCAR system.

Source: PTX Update, 24 June 2021

Besides binders, Prescient has also obtained the delivery of lentiviral vectors. Lentiviral vectors are viruses which are used as gene delivery vehicle as they help in inserting, tweaking, or deleting a particular gene in a cell or organism.

As highlighted by PTX, lentiviral vectors are a rate-limiting step in CAR-T production and will be used to produce CAR-T cells expressing SpyCatcher.

Together, the SpyTagged binders and SpyCatcher CAR-T cells establish the basis for Prescient’s unique, modular OmniCAR platform.

The binders and lentiviral vectors have been delivered to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, or Peter Mac, in Melbourne for construct assessment as well as in vivo and in vitro development.

Abbott Hosts Conference Call for Second-Quarter Earnings

On June 25, 2021 Abbott (NYSE: ABT) reported that it will announce its second-quarter 2021 financial results on Thursday, July 22, 2021, before the market opens (Press release, Abbott, JUN 25, 2021, View Source [SID1234584349]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The announcement will be followed by a live webcast of the earnings conference call at 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern), and will be accessible through Abbott’s Investor Relations website at www.abbottinvestor.com. An archived edition of the call will be available later that day.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

On June 25, 2021, Moleculin Biotech, Inc. ("Moleculin" or "Company"), repored that it entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the "Agreement") with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (the "Agent") (Filing, 8-K, Moleculin, JUN 25, 2021, View Source [SID1234584385]). Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, the Company may sell from time to time through the Agent shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share ("Common Stock"), with an aggregate sales price of up to $50.0 million (the "Shares") .

Any sales of Shares pursuant to the Agreement will be made under the Company’s effective "shelf" registration statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-3 (File No. 333-256627), which became effective on June 11, 2021, and the related prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on June 25, 2021.

Under the Agreement, the Company may sell Shares through the Agent by any method that is deemed an "at the market offering" as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").

Sales of the Shares, if any, may be made at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, subject to such other terms as may be agreed upon at the time of sale, including a minimum sales price that may be stipulated by the Company’s Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. The Company or the Agent, under certain circumstances and upon notice to the other, may suspend the offering of the Shares under the Agreement. The offering of the Shares pursuant to the Agreement will terminate upon the sale of Shares in an aggregate offering amount equal to $50.0 million, or sooner if either the Company or the Agent terminate the Agreement pursuant to its terms.

The Company will pay a commission to the Agent of 3.0% of the gross proceeds of the sale of the Shares sold under the Agreement and reimburse the Agent for certain expenses. The Company has also provided the Agent with customary indemnification rights. The Company is not obligated to make any sales of Common Stock under the Agreement.

The foregoing description of the Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The Agreement is also incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.

A copy of the opinion of Schiff Hardin LLP relating to the legality of the shares of Common Stock issuable under the Agreement is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is also incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.

The above disclosure shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities discussed herein, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation, or sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

Lincoln Park Capital Agreement

On June 25, 2021, the Company entered into a purchase agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC ("Lincoln Park"), pursuant to which Lincoln Park has committed to purchase up to $20.0 million of shares (the "Purchase Shares") of Common Stock. Concurrently with entering into the Purchase Agreement, the Company also entered into a registration rights agreement with Lincoln Park, pursuant to which it agreed to take certain actions relating to the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of the total amount of Common Stock issuable and available for issuance and sale as Shares (defined below) under the Purchase Agreement (the "Registration Rights Agreement").

Offers and sales of Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement are being made under the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-256627), which became effective on June 11, 2021, and the prospectus supplement related thereto and the accompanying prospectus, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on June 25, 2021.

Beginning on the Commencement Date (as defined below) and thereafter, the Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to present Lincoln Park with a purchase notice (a "Regular Purchase Notice"), directing Lincoln Park to purchase up to 75,000 Purchase Shares (the "Regular Purchase Amount") (a "Regular Purchase"). The Regular Purchase Amount may be increased to up to 100,000 shares if the closing sale price of the Common Stock is not below $4.00 per share, and to up to 150,000 shares if the closing sale price of the Common Stock is not below $5.00 per share. The Company and Lincoln Park may mutually agree to increase the Regular Purchase Amount.

The Purchase Agreement provides for a purchase price per Purchase Share for each Regular Purchase (the "Purchase Price") equal to the lesser of:

• the lowest sale price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the purchase date of such shares; and

• the average of the three lowest closing sale prices for the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market during the ten consecutive business days ending on the business day immediately preceding the purchase date of such shares.

The purchase price of Regular Purchases, Accelerated Purchases and Additional Accelerated Purchases and the minimum closing sale price for a Regular Purchase will be adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction occurring during the business days used to compute the purchase price.

The Company issued 107,788 shares of Common Stock to Lincoln Park as a commitment fee in connection with entering into the Purchase Agreement and may issue an additional 53,893 shares pro-rata when and if Lincoln Park purchases (at the Company’s discretion) the $20,000,000 aggregate commitment (the "Commitment Shares" and together with the Purchase Shares, the "Shares").

The aggregate number of Shares that the Company can issue to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement may in no case exceed 5,686,041 Shares (subject to proportional adjustments for stock splits, reverse stock splits and similar events as described above), which number of Shares is equal to 19.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement (the "Exchange Cap"), unless (i) stockholder approval is obtained to issue shares of Common Stock in excess of the Exchange Cap, in which case the Exchange Cap will no longer apply, or (ii) the average price of all sales of Purchase Shares to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement equals or exceeds the lower of (i) the Nasdaq official closing price immediately preceding the execution of the Purchase Agreement or (ii) the arithmetic average of the five Nasdaq official closing prices for the Common Stock immediately preceding the execution of the Purchase Agreement, plus an incremental amount to take into account the issuance of the Commitment Shares to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement, such that the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement are exempt from the Exchange Cap limitation under applicable Nasdaq rules. In any event, the Purchase Agreement specifically provides that we may not issue or sell any shares of our Common Stock under the Purchase Agreement if such issuance or sale would breach any applicable rules or regulations of the Nasdaq.

The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties, covenants, closing conditions and indemnification and termination provisions. Sales under the Purchase Agreement may commence only after certain conditions have been satisfied (the date on which all requisite conditions have been satisfied, the "Commencement Date"), which conditions include the delivery to Lincoln Park of a prospectus supplement covering the shares of Common Stock issued or sold by the Company to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement, the filing with The Nasdaq Stock Market of a Listing of Additional Shares notification with respect to the Shares and Nasdaq having raised no objection to the consummation of transactions contemplated under the Purchase Agreement, and the receipt by Lincoln Park of a customary opinion of counsel and other certificates and closing documents.

The Purchase Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time, at its sole discretion, without any cost or penalty, by giving one business day notice to Lincoln Park to terminate the Purchase Agreement. Lincoln Park has covenanted not to cause or engage in any manner whatsoever, any direct or indirect short selling or hedging of the Common Stock. Although the Company has agreed to reimburse Lincoln Park for a limited portion of the fees it incurred in connection with the Purchase Agreement, the Company did not pay any additional amounts to reimburse or otherwise compensate Lincoln Park in connection with the transaction, other than the issuance of the Commitment Shares.

There are no limitations on use of proceeds, financial or business covenants, restrictions on future financings (other than restrictions on the Company’s ability to enter into variable rate transactions described in the Purchase Agreement), rights of first refusal, participation rights, penalties or liquidated damages in the Purchase Agreement. The Company may deliver Purchase Notices under the Purchase Agreement, subject to market conditions, and in light of its capital needs from time to time and under the limitations contained in the Purchase Agreement. Any proceeds that the Company receives under the Purchase Agreement are expected to be used for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!