On May 9, 2019 Immunomedics, Inc., (NASDAQ: IMMU) ("Immunomedics" or the "Company"), a leading biopharmaceutical company in the area of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), reported financial results for the first quarter of 2019 (Press release, Immunomedics, MAY 9, 2019, View Source [SID1234536076]). Please refer to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for more details on the Company’s financial results.
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"We have made meaningful progress in all business areas during the past three months. Significantly, we have received clarity from the FDA on the CRL and plan to resubmit the BLA in early fourth quarter of 2019. In the meantime, our salesforce is working closely with Janssen Biotech Inc. to co-promote Balversa, allowing our team to further build on its extensive experience in the oncology community. To enhance shareholder value and to continue on our path to becoming a global biopharmaceutical company, we are partnering with China-based Everest Medicines to develop and commercialize sacituzumab govitecan in Greater China, the world’s fastest growing pharmaceutical market. Finally, we have launched the registrational Phase 3 TROPICS-02 study in late-line HR+/HER2 metastatic breast cancer to potentially address a large unmet market," said Behzad Aghazadeh, Executive Chairman of Immunomedics.
The randomized global TROPICS-02 study is expected to enroll approximately 400 patients with hormonal receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2–) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) who have failed at least two prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease. Patients are randomized to receive either sacituzumab govitecan or physician’s choice of eribulin, capecitabine, gemcitabine or vinorelbine.
The primary endpoint will be progression-free survival with overall survival serving as secondary endpoint. The protocol also allows for an interim analysis of overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR), the results of which could support a potential accelerated approval submission.
Recent Company Highlights
Phase 2 data with sacituzumab govitecan in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.1
The Company’s sales force is co-promoting Balversa (erdafitinib) in the U.S. with Janssen Biotech Inc. until the end of March 2020. Should sacituzumab govitecan be approved for mTNBC in the U.S. before that time, Immunomedics is only required to support Balversa in second position detail.
The Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with Everest Medicines, the largest single-asset in-licensing deal for regional China to-date, to support development, registration, and commercialization of sacituzumab govitecan for key cancer indications in Greater China, South Korea and certain Southeast Asian countries. The Company will receive a $65 million upfront payment and an additional $60 million based on the FDA approval of sacituzumab govitecan in mTNBC in the U.S., and has the potential to receive an additional $710 million, if certain milestones are achieved.
The Company met with the FDA to discuss issues raised in the Complete Response Letter (CRL) it received in January 2019. After receiving clarity from the regulatory agency, the Company plans to resubmit its Biologics License Application in early fourth quarter of 2019 seeking the approval of sacituzumab govitecan for the treatment of patients with mTNBC who have received two prior therapies for metastatic disease.
A registrational Phase 3 TROPICS-02 study of sacituzumab govitecan was launched in late-line HR+/HER2‒ mBC. This study could support a potential accelerated approval submission with interim results of ORR and DoR.
Results for the First Quarter of 2019
The Company had no revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019, due primarily to the discontinued sale of LeukoScan during the quarter ended March 31, 2018 in order for the Company to focus on its ADC business. Revenues in the comparable quarter ended March 31, 2018, were approximately $0.5 million.
Total costs and expenses were $79.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $38.1 million for the comparable quarter ended March 31, 2018, due primarily to a $29.3 million increase in research and development expenses, a $6.7 million increase in general and administrative expenses, and a $5.5 million increase in sales and marketing expenses. Most of these increases were attributable to activities related to preparations for the potential approval and commercial launch of sacituzumab govitecan for patients with at least two prior lines of treatment for metastatic TNBC in the United States, and to expanded clinical development of sacituzumab govitecan into other indications.
The Company had no non-cash income or expense for the three months ending March 31, 2019, compared to a $9.8 million non-cash gain for the comparable quarter ended March 31, 2018, due to a decrease in the fair value of outstanding warrants. There were no warrants outstanding as of March 31, 2019.
Interest expense was $10.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $10.9 million for the comparable quarter March 31, 2018. The decrease was due primarily to changes in the fair value of our debt balances as a result of the agreement with RPI Finance Trust.
Net loss attributable to stockholders was $87.3 million, or $0.46 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $35.5 million, or $0.21 per share, for the comparable quarter ended March 31, 2018.
As of March 31, 2019, the Company had $442.7 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, which it believes is adequate to support its clinical development plan for sacituzumab govitecan; further build its clinical and manufacturing infrastructure and fund its operations through 2020.
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and live audio webcast today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss first quarter 2019 financial results and provide a corporate update. To access the conference call, please dial (877) 303-2523 or (253) 237-1755 using the Conference ID 5357619. The conference call will be webcast via the Investors page on the Company’s website at View Source Approximately two hours following the live event, a webcast replay of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website for approximately 30 days.
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