On May 14, 2025 Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYCC, NASDAQ: CYCCP; "Cyclacel" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines, reported its first quarter financial results and provided a business update (Press release, Cyclacel, MAY 14, 2025, View Source [SID1234653165]).

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"As part of the Company’s efforts to reduce operating costs it has determined to focus on the development of the plogosertib ("plogo") clinical program only. Accordingly, on March 10, 2025, the Company repurchased certain assets related to plogo from Cyclacel Limited for approximately $0.3 million in cash, to allow us to continue our efforts on developing an alternative salt, oral formulation of plogosertib with improved bioavailability," said Datuk Dr. Doris Wong, Chief Executive Officer. "Cyclacel Limited’s other drug development program, fadraciclib, is being marketed for sale by that entity’s liquidator in the U.K. pursuant to creditors voluntary liquidation of Cyclacel Limited announced in the London Gazette on January 31, 2025."

"Upon the commencement of the liquidation of Cyclacel Limited, the Company lost operational and strategic control over Cyclacel Limited and thus its financial results have been deconsolidated from the Company effective January 31, 2025; as a result, the Company anticipates a significant decrease to research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2025 as we focus on plogo and have no further expenditures related to fadraciclib," said Kiu Cu Seng, Chief Financial Officer. "The deconsolidated of our former subsidiary, Cyclacel Limited, resulted in a gain on deconsolidation, and thus an increase in stockholders’ equity of approximately $5.0 million, which we have reported in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2025."

Due to the current difficult economic environment and our lack of funding to implement our business plan, we have begun to analyze strategic alternatives available to the Company to continue as a going concern. Such alternatives include raising additional debt or equity financing or consummating a merger or acquisition with a partner that may involve a change in our business plan. As a result, the Company entered into an Exchange Agreement with FITTERS Diversified Berhad on April 6, 2205, to exchange all of the ordinary shares owned by FITTERS in exchange for approximately 19.99% of the Company’s common stock to acquire FITTERS’ wholly-owned subsidiary, Fitters Sdn. Bhd., a Malaysia-based private limited company specializing in supplying, and trading various protective and fire safety equipment.

Financial Highlights

As of March 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents totaled $3.5 million, compared to $3.2 million as of December 31, 2024.

Net cash used in operating activities was $3.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025,. The Company estimates that its current cash resources will fund planned programs into the second quarter of 2025.

Research and development expenses were $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to $2.8 million for the same period in 2024. Expenditure for the transcriptional regulation program ceased as a result of the Company’s UK subsidiary, Cyclacel Limited, being liquidated on January 24, 2025. Research and development expenses relating to plogosertib decreased by $0.6 million relative to the respective comparative period whilst we continue to explore and develop an alternative salt, oral formulation with improved bioavailability.

General and administrative expenses increased by approximately $2.6 million from $1.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 to $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, due to several one-time costs associated with the change of control of the Company; primarily stock compensation expense of $1.4 million, D&O insurance costs of $0.7 million, compensation expense of $0.3 million and legal costs of $0.1 million.

Total other (expense) income, net, for the three months and year ended March 31, 2025, were $5.0 million, compared to $0.1 million for the same period of the previous year, primarily due to a $5.0 million gain on deconsolidation of the UK subsidiary.

United Kingdom research & development tax credits for the three months ended March 31, 2024, were $1.4 million. There were no research and development tax credits for the three months ended March 31, 2025, following the liquidation of the UK subsidiary and the subsequent loss of eligibility for recoverable tax credits as a result thereof.

Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2025, was $0.1 million (including stock-based compensation expense of $1.6 million), compared to $2.9 million (including stock-based compensation expense of $0.2 million) for the same period in 2024.