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Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2018 Results

On May 10, 2018 Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Eagle" or "the Company") (Nasdaq: EGRX) reported its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Eagle Pharmaceuticals, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526420]). Highlights of and subsequent to the first quarter of 2018 include:

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Business and Recent Highlights:

Eagle requested final U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its tentatively approved ready-to-dilute bendamustine hydrochloride 500ml solution; launch to be scheduled upon approval;
RYANODEX for EHS clinical trial planned for August 17 – 23, 2018 during the Hajj pilgrimage;
Eagle’s vasopressin injection 1ml abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) accepted for filing by the FDA in April 2018; Eagle believes it is first-to-file;
Eagle continued to advance RYANODEX in the treatment of nerve agent exposure; Eagle expects to meet again shortly with officials from the U.S. Military to formalize the clinical and regulatory plans;
Oral arguments in the litigation to resolve Eagle’s orphan drug exclusivity for BENDEKA were held in Washington D.C. on May 4, 2018;
United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a third patent (9,925,263) in the Eagle Biologics family of patents in March 2018; and
Eagle completed enrollment in the fulvestrant clinical study in February 2018 with study results anticipated in the fall of 2018.
Financial Highlights:

First Quarter 2018

Total revenue for the first quarter of 2018 was $46.6 million, compared to $76.8 million in the first quarter of 2017 (which included $25.0 million in license and other income);
Q1 2018 income before income tax provision was $1.7 million compared to $32.7 million in Q1 2017;
Q1 2018 net income was $2.6 million, or $0.18 per basic and $0.17 per diluted share, compared to net income of $22.9 million, or $1.50 per basic and $1.42 per diluted share in Q1 2017;
Q1 2018 Adjusted Non-GAAP net income was $8.2 million, or $0.55 per basic and $0.53 per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Non-GAAP net income of $26.5 million, or $1.74 per basic and $1.64 per diluted share in Q1 2017;
During Q1 2018, Eagle purchased an additional $7 million of Eagle common stock as part of its share buyback program; since August 2016, Eagle has repurchased $88 million of Eagle common stock;
Settled $48 million in potential Arsia milestone obligations in exchange for $15 million in cash; and
Cash and cash equivalents were $95.7 million, accounts receivable was $53.4 million, and debt was $48.8 million as of March 31, 2018.
Reiterating 2018 Expense Guidance:
R&D expense is expected to be in the range of $46 – $50 million ($40 – $44 million on a non-GAAP basis)
SG&A expense is expected to be in the range of $61 – $64 million ($44 – $47 million on a non-GAAP basis)
"We expect multiple catalysts to drive growth and build long-term value at Eagle. This includes expanding our existing bendamustine and RYANODEX portfolios by taking advantage of product and label expansion opportunities, as well as protecting the franchises with our robust patent estate and exclusivity. We believe that advancing several of our late-stage opportunities targeting attractive new markets will open additional paths for growth and profitability for years to come," stated Scott Tarriff, Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Pharmaceuticals.

"We have decided to launch our tentatively approved bendamustine hydrochloride 500ml solution, subject to receipt of final approval from the FDA, which we have recently requested. We believe that we are uniquely positioned to fill a need with the segment of the population that requires an alternative to TREANDA, but at a lower price point to BENDEKA. Over time, this would provide us with more control over our revenue growth and allow us to better manage our business. We continue to believe BENDEKA is a tremendous product with many patient and caregiver benefits. Teva is doing a very good job for us and we are pleased with their accomplishments. We view the launch of a "big bag" formulation as complementary, enabling us to provide additional value to a cost-conscious segment of the market, while at the same time allowing Eagle to increase profitability," added Tarriff.

"We also look forward to advancing RYANODEX for EHS with another clinical study at the Hajj in August of this year, adding to the positive data we have already collected. Our fulvestrant study is now fully underway with results anticipated later this year. In addition, with what we believe is a first-to-file ANDA submission for vasopressin accepted for filing, as well as our progress on a second ANDA product, we are excited about these added opportunities to create value for patients and shareholders," concluded Tarriff.

First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Total revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $46.6 million, as compared to $76.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 (which included a $25 million milestone payment from Teva).

Research and development expenses increased to $17.3 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $7.5 million in the first quarter of 2017, largely due to external clinical costs associated with the fulvestrant clinical study, which completed randomization of 600 subjects during the first quarter of 2018. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, R&D expense during the first quarter of 2018 was $15.0 million.

SG&A expenses decreased to $15.2 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to $18.6 million in the first quarter of 2017. The decrease was due to the expiration of the Spectrum co-promotion agreement at the end of June 2017, as well as a reduction in marketing expenses. These reductions were partially offset by the increase in personnel-related expenses associated with the expansion of our sales force during the second quarter of 2017. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, first quarter 2018 SG&A expense was $10.5 million.

Net income for the first quarter of 2018 was $2.6 million, or $0.18 per basic and $0.17 per diluted share, compared to net income of $22.9 million, or $1.50 per basic and $1.42 per diluted share in the three months ended March 31, 2017, due to the factors discussed above.

Adjusted Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2018 was $8.2 million, or $0.55 per basic and $0.53 per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Non-GAAP net income of $26.5 million or $1.74 per basic and $1.64 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2017. For a full reconciliation of Adjusted Non-GAAP net income to the most comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the tables at the end of this press release.

Liquidity

As of March 31, 2018, the Company had $95.7 million in cash and cash equivalents and $53.4 million in net accounts receivable, $42 million of which was due from Teva. The Company had $48.8 million in outstanding debt.

We purchased $7 million of Eagle common stock as part of our expanded $100 million share buyback program. Since August 2016, we have repurchased $88 million of our common stock. During the first quarter of 2018, we paid $15 million in cash to settle the Arsia milestones.

2018 Expense Guidance

2018 R&D expense is expected to be in the range of $46 – $50 million. This reflects ongoing expenses for (i) the enrollment of fulvestrant and RYANODEX for EHS clinical trials; (ii) API outlays for the fulvestrant and vasopressin programs; and (iii) additional preclinical assays for the RYANODEX nerve agent program. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, R&D expense is expected to be in the range of $40 – $44 million.

2018 SG&A expense is expected to be in the range of $61 – $64 million. Excluding stock-based compensation and other non-cash and non-recurring items, SG&A expense is expected to be in the range of $44 – $47 million.

Sierra Oncology Reports First Quarter Results

On May 10,2018 Sierra Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRRA), a clinical stage drug development company focused on advancing next generation DNA Damage Response (DDR) therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer, reported its financial and operational results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Sierra Oncology, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526417]).

"In late February 2018, we provided a comprehensive update on the development program for our Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitor, SRA737. We also announced planned amendments to our SRA737 Monotherapy Phase 1/2 trial that are now being implemented, which include expanding the overall size of the trial and adding a sixth cohort targeting CCNE1-driven high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). This cohort is of high interest to us given mounting evidence for the role that CCNE1 amplification has in driving replication stress in cancer and the corresponding reliance on Chk1 in order to manage this replication stress. Analogous to poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, which first exhibited robust activity in patients harboring BRCA mutations, emerging evidence suggests that Chk1 inhibitors such as SRA737 may prove effective in defined genetic backgrounds of high replication stress, such as CCNE1 amplification," said Dr. Nick Glover, President and CEO of Sierra Oncology. "We are also pleased to report that we have advanced our Phase 1/2 Low-Dose Gemcitabine Combination trial into the Cohort Expansion Phase 2 portion, which is targeting enrollment of 80 genetically-selected patients across four indications, with a comparable biological orientation based on both exogenous (low-dose gemcitabine) and intrinsic genetic drivers of replication stress. An update from this trial and preliminary data from the Monotherapy trial are anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2018."

During the first quarter, Sierra reported signing a supply agreement with Janssen Research & Development, LLC pursuant to which they will supply TESARO’s ZEJULA (niraparib), an orally administered PARP inhibitor, facilitating the initiation of a combination trial of niraparib with SRA737 in patients with prostate cancer in the fourth quarter of 2018. The trial is to be led by Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research, Head of the Division of Clinical Studies and Professor in Experimental Cancer Medicine at The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Sierra presented preclinical results for SRA737, including late-breaking data, in two posters at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting, demonstrating that SRA737 has anti-tumor activity across a broad range of settings, including as monotherapy in aggressive CCNE1-driven HGSOC patient-derived xenografts and in combination with a PARP inhibitor in tumor cells that have acquired resistance to PARP inhibitors and/or platinum therapy.

Sierra is also currently designing a clinical study evaluating SRA737 in combination with immuno-oncology agents, which potentially could be submitted to regulatory authorities in the fourth quarter of 2018.

In addition to SRA737, Sierra is also advancing SRA141, a potent, selective, orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of cell division cycle 7 kinase (Cdc7). SRA141 is currently undergoing preclinical research in preparation for an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expected in the second half of 2018.

First Quarter 2018 Financial Results (all amounts reported in U.S. currency)
Research and development expenses were $8.3 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $8.0 million for the first quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $1.7 million in clinical trial costs partially offset by decreases of $0.9 million in third-party manufacturing costs related to SRA737 and SRA141, and $0.5 million in research, preclinical and other support costs. Research and development expenses included non-cash stock-based compensation of $1.0 million for both the first quarter of 2018 and of 2017.

General and administrative expenses were $3.4 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $3.1 million for the first quarter of 2017. This increase was primarily due to an increase in personnel-related costs and professional fees. General and administrative expenses included non-cash stock-based compensation of $0.5 million for both the first quarter of 2018 and of 2017.

Net loss was $11.5 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared with a net loss of $11.1 million for the first quarter of 2017.

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $133.8 million as of March 31, 2018, compared to $100.3 million as of December 31, 2017. This increase was due to an underwritten public offering of 21,850,000 shares of common stock in March 2018, pursuant to which the company raised net proceeds of $46.0 million, net of underwriting discounts, commissions and offering expenses. The company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund current operating plans through approximately mid-2020. At March 31, 2018, there were 74,309,681 shares of common stock issued and outstanding and stock options to purchase 10,202,831 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

Karyopharm Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results and Highlights Recent Progress

On May 10, 2018 Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:KPTI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, reported financial results for the first quarter 2018 and provided an overview of recent accomplishments and clinical development plans for selinexor, its lead, novel, oral SINE compound, eltanexor, its second-generation oral SINE compound, and KPT-9274 its novel, oral, dual inhibitor of PAK4 and NAMPT (Press release, Karyopharm, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526416]).

"The positive top-line data recently reported from the Phase 2b STORM study evaluating selinexor in patients with penta-refractory myeloma are an important step forward toward the approval of selinexor," said Michael G. Kauffman, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Karyopharm. "Our progress is further enabled by the successful completion of a $155.3 million equity financing and the receipt of Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for selinexor for the treatment of patients with penta-refractory multiple myeloma. We look forward to submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA during the second half of 2018, with a request for accelerated approval for selinexor in penta-refractory myeloma, followed thereafter by a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) submission to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in early 2019, with a request for conditional approval in the same indication."

First Quarter 2018 and Recent Events

Selinexor in Multiple Myeloma

Reported Positive Top-line Data from the Phase 2b STORM Study Expansion in Patients with Penta-Refractory Myeloma. Last week, Karyopharm reported positive top-line results from the Phase 2b STORM study evaluating selinexor in heavily pretreated patients with refractory multiple myeloma. For the STORM study’s primary objective, oral selinexor achieved a 25.4% ORR, which included two stringent complete responses (CRs) and 29 partial (PRs) or very good partial responses (VGPRs). One of the stringent CRs was negative for minimal residual disease (MRD), highly significant in this penta-refractory population. The median DOR, a key secondary objective, was 4.4 months. Oral selinexor demonstrated a predictable and manageable tolerability profile. Safety results were consistent with those previously reported from Part 1 of this study and from other selinexor studies and no new safety signals were identified. Karyopharm plans to submit detailed STORM study results for presentation at an upcoming medical oncology meeting.

Selinexor Receives Fast Track Designation from FDA for the Treatment of Patients with Penta-Refractory Myeloma. In addition to Orphan Drug Designation, selinexor was recently granted Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with penta-refractory multiple myeloma. The FDA’s stated indication is consistent with the design of Karyopharm’s Phase 2b STORM study.

On Track to Submit NDA for Selinexor in Penta-Refractory Myeloma. Karyopharm plans to submit an NDA to the FDA during the second half of 2018, with a request for accelerated approval for oral selinexor as a new treatment for patients with penta-refractory multiple myeloma. The Company also plans to submit an MAA to the EMA in early 2019 with a request for conditional approval for selinexor in the same indication.

Pivotal Phase 3 BOSTON Study Underway. Karyopharm’s pivotal, randomized Phase 3 BOSTON study is now well underway and enrolling patients in 14 countries globally. BOSTON is evaluating 100mg of selinexor dosed once weekly in combination with the proteasome inhibitor Velcade (once weekly) and dexamethasone (SVd), compared to standard twice weekly Velcade and low-dose dexamethasone (Vd) in patients with multiple myeloma who have had one to three prior lines of therapy. The primary endpoints of the study are progression free survival and overall response rate. Assuming a positive outcome, the data from the BOSTON study will be used to support regulatory submissions to the FDA and EMA for full approvals. The Company expects to enroll approximately 360 patients at over 100 clinical sites internationally and expects to complete enrollment by the end of 2018, with top-line data anticipated in 2019.
Selinexor in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)

Ongoing Phase 2b SADAL Study in DLBCL. Karyopharm is also investigating oral selinexor as a single-agent for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL. The SADAL study is expected to enroll up to a total of 130 patients in the single-arm cohort evaluating single-agent selinexor dosed 60mg twice weekly in patients who received two or more lines of prior therapy. Karyopharm plans to report top-line results by the end of 2018, and assuming a positive outcome, the Company intends to use the data from the SADAL study to support a request for accelerated approval from the FDA and conditional approval from the EMA for oral selinexor in this relapsed/refractory DLBCL patient population.
Selinexor in Solid Tumors

Phase 3 Portion of the Phase 2/3 SEAL Study in Liposarcoma Underway. Karyopharm previously reported positive results from the Phase 2 portion of the blinded, randomized Phase 2/3 SEAL study evaluating single-agent selinexor versus placebo in patients with previously treated, advanced unresectable dedifferentiated liposarcoma. The Phase 3 portion is underway and, assuming a positive outcome on the primary end point of progression free survival, the Company intends to use the data from the SEAL study to support an NDA and an MAA submission for oral selinexor for patients with advanced unresectable dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Top-line data from the Phase 3 portion of the SEAL study are anticipated by the end of 2019.

Ongoing Investigator Sponsored Phase 2/3 Trial as Maintenance Therapy in Endometrial Cancer Underway. A randomized Phase 2/3 study of selinexor versus placebo as maintenance therapy in patients with one or two prior platinum-based treatments for advanced endometrial cancer lead by Dr. Ignace Vergote, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, is currently ongoing.
AACR 2018

Eight Preclinical Data Posters Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting. In March 2018, eight posters were presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2018 which featured preclinical data for selinexor, eltanexor and KPT-9274. Collectively, these data continue to provide important insights that Karyopharm believes will help guide the future clinical development of all three product candidates across a wide range of malignancies, including ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers and neuroblastoma.
Corporate and Financial

Strengthened the Balance Sheet with a Public Equity Offering. On May 7, 2018, Karyopharm completed an underwritten public offering of 10,525,424 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $14.75 per share. The gross proceeds to Karyopharm from the offering were $155.3 million. After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses the net proceeds were $145.6 million.

Biogen’s Acquisition of KPT-350 for the Treatment of Neurological and Neurodegenerative Diseases. In January 2018, Karyopharm announced its entry into an agreement with Biogen for Biogen’s acquisition of Karyopharm’s investigational oral SINE compound KPT-350 targeting certain neurological and neurodegenerative conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The transaction carries a total deal value of up to $217 million, plus royalties.
First Quarter Ended March 31, 2018 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and investments as of March 31, 2018, including restricted cash, totaled $141.5 million, compared to $176.4 million as of December 31, 2017.

On May 7, 2018, Karyopharm completed an underwritten public offering of 10,525,424 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $14.75 per share. The gross proceeds to Karyopharm from the offering were $155.3 million. After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses the net proceeds were $145.6 million.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, Karyopharm recognized $10.0 million in revenue, compared to $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The increase in revenue was the result of the upfront payment received from the asset sale of KPT-350 to Biogen in January 2018.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, research and development expense was $41.3 million compared to $24.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, general and administrative expense was $7.6 million compared to $6.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Karyopharm reported a net loss of $38.5 million, or $0.78 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to a net loss of $29.9 million, or $0.71 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. Net loss includes stock-based compensation expense of $4.2 million and $5.9 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2018 and March 31, 2017, respectively.

Financial Outlook

Karyopharm expects its operating cash burn, including research and development and general and administrative expenses, for the year ending December 31, 2018 to be in the range of $175 to 185 million. Based on current operating plans, Karyopharm expects that its existing cash, cash equivalents and investments will be sufficient to fund its operations into the third quarter of 2019. These plans include the continued clinical development of selinexor in the Company’s lead indications with a focus on filing an NDA with the FDA requesting accelerated approval in multiple myeloma during 2018 and preparing the commercial infrastructure and hiring a sales force for the potential launch of selinexor in the U.S. Additional key milestones expected in 2018 include preparing for a potential MAA submission to the EMA requesting conditional approval for selinexor in multiple myeloma, topline data from the SADAL study and completion of enrollment in the Phase 3 BOSTON study.

Further Information About Potential Accelerated Approval for Selinexor in Multiple Myeloma

The FDA instituted its Accelerated Approval Program to allow for expedited approval of drugs that treat serious conditions and that fill an unmet medical need based on a surrogate endpoint or an intermediate clinical endpoint thought to predict clinical benefit, like ORR. Accelerated approval is available only for drugs that provide a meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing treatments at the time of consideration of the application for accelerated approval, which the FDA has recently reiterated in its feedback to the Company. Particularly in disease areas with multiple available and potential new therapies, such as multiple myeloma, accelerated approval carries a high regulatory threshold. Consistent with its general guidance, the FDA has noted to the Company its preference for randomized studies geared toward full approval, which the Company has undertaken with the pivotal, Phase 3 BOSTON study, and has reminded the Company that accelerated approval requires patients to have exhausted approved therapies. The Company recently received Fast Track designation for selinexor for the treatment of patients with penta-refractory myeloma from the FDA, which is available to therapeutics treating an unmet medical need in a serious condition. In light of this recognition that the STORM patient population represents an unmet medical need and the positive top-line data reported previously, the Company believes that the STORM study should support its request to the FDA for accelerated approval.

Conference Call Information

Karyopharm will host a conference call today, Thursday, May 10, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, to discuss the first quarter 2018 financial results, recent accomplishments, clinical developments and business plans. To access the conference call, please dial (855) 437-4406 (local) or (484) 756-4292 (international) at least 10 minutes prior to the start time and refer to conference ID 6798355. A live audio webcast of the call will be available under "Events & Presentations" in the Investor section of the Company’s website, View Source An archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website approximately two hours after the event.

Histogenics Corporation Announces First Quarter 2018 Financial and Operating Results

On May 10, 2018 Histogenics Corporation (Histogenics) (Nasdaq:HSGX), a leader in the development of restorative cell therapies (RCTs) that may offer rapid-onset pain relief and restored function, reported its financial and operational results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Histogenics, MAY 10, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2348368 [SID1234526415]).

"The preparation for top-line data and the NeoCart Biologics License Application for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration remained a key focus for Histogenics in the first quarter of 2018, and we are on track to achieve these important milestones in the third quarter," said Adam Gridley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Histogenics. "We are also actively supporting MEDINET, our NeoCart development and commercialization partner in Japan, as they prepare for the initiation of the planned confirmatory trial in Japan in the second half of 2018. We also continue to work with our surgeon investigators on our commercialization plans in both the U.S. and Japanese markets, and are pursuing additional NeoCart licensing and partnership opportunities in other major international markets. Our objective is to make NeoCart available to as many patients as possible with a goal of maximizing the clinical and commercial value of this innovative, restorative cell therapy that treats pain at the source," continued Mr. Gridley.

First Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights

Release of NeoCart top-line Phase 3 Data and Submission of Biologics License Application on Track for Third Quarter 2018: Histogenics expects to report top-line data from its 249-patient Phase 3 randomized, controlled clinical trial of NeoCart in the third quarter of 2018. The trial is designed to show superiority of NeoCart at one year after treatment as compared to microfracture, the current standard of care. The trial will follow patients for three years and is being conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment with the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Development of Additional NeoCart Biomechanical Data to Support Potential Commercialization: As part of their Sponsored Research Agreement, Histogenics and Cornell University (Cornell) continue to build upon the robust body of evidence related to the biomechanical properties of NeoCart, with additional data that were presented at the Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting in March 2018. The body of data is intended to provide additional mechanism of action and physical competence information to regulatory agencies and clinicians regarding the potential performance advantages of NeoCart when compared to other treatment alternatives. Furthermore, Histogenics and Cornell are working together in related areas including the novel testing and three-dimensional printing of cartilage tissue. Histogenics believes this work may have significant utility in identifying and supporting additional future product opportunities including the automation of certain aspects of the NeoCart manufacturing process.

Expansion and Enhancement of Board of Directors: In April 2018, Susan Washer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC) joined Histogenics’ Board of Directors. Ms. Washer has served as CEO of AGTC, a company developing genetic therapies to treat patients with rare inherited conditions, since 2002. She also serves on the boards of Biotechnology Innovation Organization and the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine.

Receipt of MEDINET Licensing Agreement Proceeds and Completion of Financing: Histogenics received a $10 million up-front payment from MEDINET Co., Ltd. (MEDINET) pursuant to the terms of the license agreement with MEDINET for the development and commercialization of NeoCart in Japan. In addition, Histogenics successfully completed a registered direct offering of common stock in January 2018 that raised proceeds of $5.7 million, after deducting underwriter’s discounts and commissions, and expenses related to the offering.
Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2018

Loss from operations was $(6.1) million in the first quarter of 2018, compared to $(6.8) million in the first quarter of 2017. The decrease in operating expenses was driven by a reduction in research and development expenses which was partially offset by an increase in general and administrative expenses.

Research and development expenses were $3.3 million in the first quarter of 2018, compared to $4.5 million in the first quarter of 2017. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in costs related to the NeoCart Phase 3 clinical trial, for which enrollment was completed in June 2017. General and administrative expenses were $2.8 million in the first quarter of 2018, compared to $2.3 million in the first quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily due to increases in salaries and consulting expenses related to increased activities to support the potential commercialization of NeoCart.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $(14.4) million in the first quarter of 2018, or $(0.52) per share, compared to $(5.8) million, or $(0.27) per share, in the first quarter of 2017. The increase in net loss attributable to common stockholders is primarily due to the conversion of convertible preferred stock into common stock and an increase in expense related to the fair value of the warrant liability which was partially offset by lower operating expenses.

As of March 31, 2018, Histogenics had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $15.5 million, compared to $8.0 million at December 31, 2017. Histogenics believes its current cash position will be sufficient to fund its operations into the fourth quarter of 2018.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Histogenics management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. EDT. A question-and-answer session will follow Histogenics’ remarks. To participate on the live call, please dial (877) 930-8064 (domestic) or (253) 336-8040 (international) and provide the conference ID "8376199" five to ten minutes before the start of the call.

To access a live audio webcast of the presentation on the "Investor Relations" page of the Histogenics website, please click here. A replay of the webcast will be archived on Histogenics’ website for approximately 45 days following the presentation.

Roche provides update on Phase III study of Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and Cotellic (cobimetinib) in people with heavily pre-treated locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer

On May 10, 2018 Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) reported that the Phase III IMblaze370 study evaluating the combination of Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and Cotellic (cobimetinib) did not meet its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) compared to regorafenib (Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526414]). The study evaluated the combination in people with difficult-to-treat, locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) whose disease progressed or who were intolerant to at least two systemic chemotherapy regimens.

More than 95% of patients in IMblaze370 have microsatellite stable (MSS) tumours and based on the available data, checkpoint inhibitors as monotherapy have not demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy in MSS mCRC. The results from IMblaze370 were consistent with this prior monotherapy experience, showing that treatment with Tecentriq alone did not provide a meaningful clinical benefit compared to regorafenib in this patient population.

Safety for the combination of Tecentriq and Cotellic appeared to be consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual medicines, and no new safety signals were identified with the combination. The results from IMblaze370 will be further examined and presented at an upcoming medical meeting.

"While these results are not what we hoped for, we remain committed to applying our deep experience to develop medicines that will improve outcomes for people living with gastrointestinal cancers," said Sandra Horning, MD, Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. "In particular, we have a number of studies evaluating medicines in colorectal cancer that could play an important role in the treatment of people with this disease in the future."

Roche has an extensive clinical trial development program for Tecentriq, with more than 50 studies ongoing, including multiple Phase III studies across lung, kidney, skin, breast, colorectal, prostate, ovarian, bladder, blood, liver and head and neck cancers. This includes studies evaluating Tecentriq both alone and in combination with other medicines.

About the IMblaze370 study
IMblaze370 is a Phase III, multi-centre, open-label, three-arm, randomised study in people with difficult-to-treat locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer who have received at least two prior regimens of chemotherapy for metastatic disease. The study compares regorafenib, a standard of care therapy in this setting, to Cotellic plus Tecentriq and Tecentriq monotherapy. The study enrolled 363 people who were randomised (2:1:1) to receive:

Tecentriq plus Cotellic, or
Tecentriq, or
regorafenib (control arm)
People in the combination arm received Cotellic on days 1 to 21 plus Tecentriq on day 1 and day 15 in a
28-day cycle, until loss of clinical benefit. People in the monotherapy arm received Tecentriq on day 1 of each
21-day cycle, until loss of clinical benefit. People in the control arm received regorafenib on days 1 to 21 in a
28-day cycle, until loss of clinical benefit. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Key secondary endpoints include progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR).

About colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is caused by the abnormal growth of epithelial cells which form the lining of the colon or rectum. It is the third most common cancer in the world and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death.1 In 2012, approximately 1.4 million new cases of the disease were diagnosed globally and 694,000 deaths were caused by the disease.1 Although advances in screening have reduced mortality for CRC, 20% of people with CRC have metastatic disease at initial diagnosis.2,3

About the Tecentriq and Cotellic combination
Based on our pre-clinical data and Phase Ib data there was a strong scientific rationale to support the further investigation of the combination of Tecentriq and Cotellic. The IMblaze370 data will be further examined in order to better understand the results and presented at an upcoming medical meeting. Roche is continuing to investigate the Tecentriq and Cotellic combination in other tumour types, including the IMspire150 and IMspire170 studies in melanoma.

About Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
TECENTRIQ is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. TECENTRIQ is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, TECENTRIQ may enable the re-activation of T cells. TECENTRIQ may also affect normal cells.

About Cotellic (combimetinib)
Cotellic is a prescription medicine used with Zelboraf for the treatment of people with a type of skin cancer called melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery and has a certain type of abnormal BRAF gene. Cotellic is not used to treat melanoma with a normal BRAF gene. Cotellic was discovered by Exelixis Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) and was developed by Roche in collaboration with Exelixis. Cotellic is also being investigated in combination with several in several tumour types such as non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma and colorectal cancer.

About Roche in cancer immunotherapy
For more than 50 years, Roche has been developing medicines with the goal to redefine treatment in oncology. Today, we’re investing more than ever in our effort to bring innovative treatment options that help a person’s own immune system fight cancer.

By applying our seminal research in immune tumour profiling within the framework of the Roche-devised cancer immunity cycle, we are accelerating and expanding the transformative benefits with Tecentriq to a greater number of people living with cancer. Our cancer immunotherapy development programme takes a comprehensive approach in pursuing the goal of restoring cancer immunity to improve outcomes for patients.

To learn more about the Roche approach to cancer immunotherapy please follow this link:
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