On August 9, 2018 Fortress Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FBIO) ("Fortress"), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to acquiring, developing and commercializing novel pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, reported financial results and recent corporate highlights for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018 (Press release, Fortress Biotech, AUG 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234528835]).

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!

Lindsay A. Rosenwald, M.D., Fortress’ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "During the second quarter, our Fortress Company subsidiaries reported significant value-driving milestones, including positive Phase 3 data from Avenue Therapeutics’ IV tramadol, which, if approved, would be the only Schedule IV intravenous opioid in the U.S. and could replace highly addictive Schedule II narcotics in many patients with moderate to moderately severe postoperative pain. Additionally, Cyprium Therapeutics was granted FDA Fast Track Designation for its CUTX-101 Copper Histidinate injection in patients with Menkes disease, a rare pediatric disease with no FDA-approved treatments. Also during the quarter, Mustang Bio expanded its infrastructure with the launch of a proprietary 27,000 sq. ft. CAR T cell manufacturing facility that will enable us to oversee product safety from needle-to-needle and help improve supply chain efficiencies from clinical development into commercialization."

Dr. Rosenwald continued, "We believe in the value proposition represented by our company and strive to protect the best interests of our shareholders and those of our subsidiaries. As we continue to build long-term value, our novel and efficient business model provides benefits for all stakeholders and offers unique synergies not typical of traditional biopharma companies."

Financial Results:

·As of June 30, 2018, Fortress’ consolidated cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments (certificates of deposit), cash deposits with clearing organizations and restricted cash totaled $151.8 million, compared to $168.3 million as of December 31, 2017, a decrease of $16.5 million year-to-date.
·Net revenue totaled $63.8 million for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $50.7 million for the second quarter of 2017. Total revenue as of June 30, 2018, includes $6.8 million of Fortress revenue, primarily from the sale of Journey Medical Corporation products, and $57.0 million of revenue from National Holdings Corporation1 ("National Holdings"). Total revenue as of June 30, 2017, included $4.4 million of Fortress revenue and $46.3 million of revenue from National Holdings.
·Research and development expenses were $17.5 million for the second quarter of 2018, of which $15.1 million was related to Fortress Companies. This compares to $11.7 million for the second quarter of 2017, of which $9.5 million was related to Fortress Companies. Non-cash, stock-based compensation expenses included in research and development were $0.8 million for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2017.
Research and development expenses from license acquisitions were nominal for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $1.8 million for the second quarter of 2017.
·General and administrative expenses were $13.1 million for the second quarter of 2018, of which $7.7 million was related to Fortress Companies. This compares to $11.1 million for the second quarter of 2017, of which $6.6 million was related to Fortress Companies. Non-cash, stock-based compensation expenses included in general and administrative expenses were $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $2.2 million for the second quarter of 2017.
·National Holdings’ operating expenses totaled $56.2 million for the second quarter of 2018, compared to $48.4 million for the second quarter of 2017.
·Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $21.6 million, or $0.50 per share, for the second quarter of 2018, compared to a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $17.4 million, or $0.43 per share, for the second quarter of 2017. For the first six months of 2018, net loss was $42.6 million or $0.99 per share, compared to $29.3 million or $0.73 per share in the first six months of 2017.

1Fortress acquired approximately 56 percent of National Holdings in September 2016.

Recent Fortress and Fortress Company Highlights:

Fortress Biotech, Inc.

·In June 2018, data from a Phase 1 trial evaluating Fortress’ CNDO-109-activated allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients were published in the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. The data demonstrated that CNDO-109-activated NK cells are safe, well tolerated and may be capable of extending complete remissions in high-risk AML patients.

Aevitas Therapeutics, Inc.

·In August 2018, Aevitas announced that it entered a sponsored research agreement with the laboratory of Wenchao Song, Ph.D., at the University of Pennsylvania to evaluate Aevitas’ adeno-associated virus ("AAV") gene therapy technology in Penn’s proprietary animal models of complement-mediated diseases.

Avenue Therapeutics, Inc.

·In May 2018, Avenue announced that its first pivotal Phase 3 trial of IV tramadol achieved the primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in Sum of Pain Intensity Difference over 48 hours (SPID48) compared to placebo in patients with moderate to moderately severe postoperative pain following bunionectomy surgery. In addition, the trial met its key secondary endpoints and demonstrated a clear dose response. Avenue plans to initiate a second pivotal Phase 3 trial of IV tramadol in patients following abdominoplasty surgery in the second half of 2018.

Caelum Biosciences, Inc.

·In June 2018, Caelum announced a complete analysis of cardiac data from a Phase 1b trial of CAEL-101 (mAb 11-1F4) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory amyloid light chain ("AL") amyloidosis demonstrating CAEL-101’s potential to improve myocardial function as assessed by global longitudinal strain and generate a sustained decrease in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in AL amyloidosis patients experiencing cardiac involvement. The data were presented by Columbia University at the American Society of Echocardiography 29th Annual Scientific Sessions.

Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc.

·In April 2018, preclinical data was presented on Checkpoint’s BET inhibitor, CK-103, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. CK-103 demonstrated combinatorial effects in an in vivo model with anti-PD-1 antibodies, which may support the development of CK-103 as an anti-cancer agent alone and in combination with Checkpoint’s anti-PD-L1 antibody CK-301.

Cyprium Therapeutics, Inc.

·In July 2018, Cyprium announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track Designation to CUTX-101, a product candidate for patients diagnosed with classic Menkes disease who have not demonstrated significant clinical progression.

Mustang Bio, Inc.

·In May 2018, Mustang announced the publication of preclinical data in JCI Insight demonstrating that glioblastoma-targeted CD4+ CAR T cells mediate superior antitumor activity over CD8+ CAR T cells. The data, published by research partner City of Hope, will be applied in the ongoing Phase 1 trial of Mustang’s IL13Rα2-specific CAR T MB-101 in glioblastoma.
·In June 2018, Mustang opened a proprietary CAR T cell therapy manufacturing facility at UMass Medicine Science Park in Worcester, Mass. The facility will support the clinical development and commercialization of Mustang’s CAR T product candidates and enable proprietary cell therapy research.
·Also in June 2018, Mustang was added to the Russell 2000, 3000 and Microcap Indexes.
·In July 2018, Mustang completed a pre-Investigational New Drug (pre-IND) meeting with the FDA for MB-102 (CD123 CAR T). Based on the meeting, Mustang expects to file an IND in the fourth quarter of 2018 to support a Phase 1/2 trial of MB-102 in AML, blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.