On February 29, 2016 Juno Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:JUNO), a biopharmaceutical company focused on re-engaging the body’s immune system to revolutionize the treatment of cancer, reported business highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 (Press release, Juno, FEB 29, 2016, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2144320 [SID:1234509281]).

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"2015 was a year of significant progress for our clinical pipeline with encouraging data from our most advanced pipeline candidates, particularly in B cell malignancies. We are preparing for our first potential launch in r/r adult ALL as early as 2017, which if successful, creates the opportunity to change the current standard of care," said Hans Bishop, Juno’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "We also made significant advances in building our capabilities to support our goal of developing best-in-class CAR and TCR therapies. We look forward to a strong 2016 as we leverage these capabilities, our pipeline, and our people to create value for patients and shareholders."

2015 and Recent Corporate Highlights

CD19 Portfolio – Significant advances with Juno’s CD19-directed portfolio across B cell malignancies including relapsed/refractory (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL):

ALL – The Phase II ROCKET trial for JCAR015, a CD19-directed CAR T cell product candidate, continues to enroll adult r/r ALL patients in a potential U.S. registration trial that could lead to product approval as early as 2017. Data in 32 patients with pediatric r/r ALL with JCAR017 are encouraging, with a 91% complete remission (CR) rate, all of which are a complete molecular remission (CmR) as measured by flow cytometry, as presented at the 4th International Conference on Immunotherapy in Pediatric Oncology in September 2015. At the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) meeting in December 2015 (ASH 2015), investigators presented data for JCAR014 in adult r/r ALL showing that improved cell persistence, using the pre-conditioning regimen Juno plans to use going forward, led to deeper remissions and better duration of response, with 17/17 (100%) adult patients achieving a CR and a CmR.

NHL – Juno began enrollment of a multi-center Phase I trial for JCAR017 in r/r NHL and expects enrollment to continue through 2016. Investigators reported data at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2015 from the ongoing Phase I trial for JCAR014 in r/r NHL, and using the dose and pre-conditioning regimen Juno plans to study further, 7/11 patients (64%) of patients achieved a complete response, including 6/8 (75%) of patients with the diffuse large B cell (DLBCL) sub-type of NHL. No patient with a complete response had progressed (range of 2–9 months) as of the data cut-off date. Enrollment in this study continues, and Juno expects to have greater numbers of patients and longer duration of follow-up in 2016.

An IND for a combination trial of JCAR014 and MedImmune’s investigational programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab, cleared the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late 2015, and Juno expects to enroll patients through 2016. Juno also expects to begin a Phase I trial for its CD19/4-1BB ligand armored CAR in 2016.

CLL – Investigators presented data at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2015 of JCAR014 in r/r CLL in patients previously treated with ibrutinib. All 7 patients treated with JCAR014 using the pre-conditioning regimen Juno plans to use going forward had a response, with 4/7 (57%) having a complete response. No patient achieving a response had progressed (range 2-14 months) as of the data cut-off date. Enrollment in this study continues, and Juno expects to have greater numbers of patients and longer duration of follow-up in 2016.
The safety profile across the CD19 portfolio remains consistent with what has been previously reported, with cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity the most common severe drug-related side effects. JCAR015, JCAR017, and JCAR014 are investigational product candidates and their safety and efficacy have not been established.

JCAR018 – This CD22-directed, fully human CAR T cell product candidate provides an opportunity to treat or prevent CD19-negative relapses. JCAR018 recently reached its first clinical milestone in a Phase I trial being run at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in pediatric and young adult r/r ALL patients, which triggered a payment to Opus Bio in the first quarter of 2016 of 408,068 shares of Juno stock. Investigators presented interim data from this ongoing study at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2015, and Juno expects additional data to be presented from this trial later in 2016. In combination with CD19-directed CARs, CD22-directed CAR T treatment has the potential to meaningfully increase the percentage of ALL patients that experience long-term remissions.

Completed construction of the Juno manufacturing plant in Bothell, WA in 2015. Juno expects to begin supplying the vast majority of the clinical trial material for the ROCKET trial from this facility before the end of the first quarter of 2016 and bring production of other product candidates to this facility in 2016.

Juno began trials for solid tumor product candidates against four different targets in 2015 and early 2016 – JCAR024 (ROR-1-directed CAR T), JCAR020 (MUC-16-directed armored CAR T engineered to secrete IL-12), JCAR023 (L1-CAM-directed CAR T), and JTCR016 (WT-1- directed TCR). These trials explore treatment across a variety of solid organ tumor settings with data expected over the next 6-18 months.

Entered into a ten-year collaboration with Celgene to leverage T cell therapeutic strategies with an initial focus on CAR T and TCR therapies. Celgene gained the option to commercialize Juno programs outside North America and China and to co-promote certain programs globally. Juno has gained the option to co-develop, co-promote, and share profits with respect to select Celgene programs. In connection with the collaboration and stock purchase agreement, Juno received $1.0 billion.

Completed three acquisitions, which substantially increased Juno’s capabilities, including:

AbVitro, a leading next-generation single cell sequencing platform company that will augment Juno’s capabilities to create best-in-class engineered T cells against a broad array of cancer targets, including significantly improving the speed of generating TCR binders, while also enabling comprehensive profiling of functional immune repertoires with cancer tissues. Juno and Celgene have agreed in principle to enter an agreement to license Celgene a subset of the acquired technology and grant Celgene options to certain related potential product rights emanating from the acquired technology.

X-Body, Inc., an innovative discovery platform that interrogates the human antibody repertoire, rapidly selecting fully-human antibodies and single-chain variable fragments (scFv’s) with desired characteristics, even against difficult targets. Fully-human scFv’s have a lower risk of generating an immune response in the patient, which may allow Juno’s CAR T cell therapies to persist longer and generate a greater clinical benefit.

Stage Cell Therapeutics GmbH, a leading research-based company with transformative, fully reversible cell selection and activation capabilities as well as next-generation automation technologies for manufacturing. These capabilities and technology have the potential to help Juno make better therapies for patients and make them more broadly accessible with improved manufacturing capabilities.

Completed a number of licensing transactions to expand Juno’s research and development capabilities, including:

Fate Therapeutics: to identify and use small molecules with a goal of creating improved, next-generation CAR T and TCR products by modulating cell signaling pathways;

Editas: to use Editas’ genome editing technologies, including CRISPR/Cas9, in creating improved, next-generation CAR T and TCR products through gene editing; and

MedImmune: to support Juno’s trial combining JCAR014 and MedImmune’s anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab. This is the first trial to combine a CAR T cell therapy with a checkpoint inhibitor.

Reached a favorable settlement that resolved litigation with the University of Pennsylvania and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation regarding Juno’s exclusive patent license from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Settlement terms included an initial $12.3 million payment to Juno as well as potential future milestone and royalty payments to Juno from Novartis’ CD19-directed CAR T cell products using a 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain.

Built key capabilities and hired key talent, including the appointments of Robert Azelby as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer and Hyam I. Levitsky, M.D. as Executive Vice President, Research and Chief Scientific Officer. As part of Juno’s ongoing organizational growth, Mark Frohlich, M.D. will transition to the role of Executive Vice President of Portfolio Strategy and Robin Andrulevich has been promoted to Senior Vice President of People.

Fourth Quarter and 2015 Financial Results
Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of December 31, 2015 were $1.22 billion compared to $474 million as of December 31, 2014. In the third quarter of 2015, Juno sold 9,137,672 shares of its common stock and certain future stock purchase rights to Celgene for $93.00 per share resulting in proceeds of $850 million and received a cash payment of $150 million in connection with the collaboration agreement.

Cash Burn: Excluding cash inflows and outflows from business development activities and litigation, cash burn for 2015 was $147.8 million, consistent with guidance of $125.0 million to $150.0 million. Cash burn for 2015 was comprised of net cash used in operations of $119.6 million associated with the growth of Juno’s operations, including advancing Juno’s programs and headcount growth, and $28.2 million related to the build out of Juno’s manufacturing facility and purchase of general lab equipment. Cash burn for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $51.4 million and included cash used in operations of $46.6 million related to the growth of Juno’s operations, including headcount growth, and $4.8 million in capital expenditures.

Revenue: Revenue was $4.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2015 and $18.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. The fourth quarter included $3.8 million recognized in connection with the Celgene collaboration agreement.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, inclusive of non-cash expenses and computed in accordance with GAAP, were $75.6 million and $205.2 million, respectively, compared to $182.1 million and $204.5 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2014, respectively.

Research and development expenses increased in 2015 compared to 2014 due to increased expenses associated with expanding Juno’s enrollment in clinical trials and overall investment in research and development capabilities, headcount growth, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, and advancing programs at Juno’s founding institutions.

Research and development expenses decreased in the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014 due to lower expenses associated with the acquisition of technology.

The expense related to the success payment liability for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 was $34.3 million and $51.6 million, respectively, compared to $83.5 million and $84.9 million for the same periods in 2014. The decrease in the expense related to the success payment liability in 2015 compared to 2014 is primarily due to the decline in Juno’s stock price as of December 31, 2015 compared to December 31, 2014. In December 2015, success payment obligations to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) were triggered in the amount of $75.0 million, less indirect cost offsets of $3.3 million, and to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) of $10.0 million, less indirect cost offsets that will be determined at the time of payment to MSK in March 2016. Juno elected to make the payment to FHCRC in shares of Juno common stock, and thereby issued 1,601,085 shares of Juno common stock to FHCRC in December 2015. The success payment obligation to MSK is required to be paid, in cash or shares of Juno common stock at Juno’s election, on March 18, 2016.

Non-GAAP R&D Expenses: Non-GAAP research and development expenses for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 were $41.1 million and $116.5 million, respectively. Non-GAAP research and development expenses include $3.6 million and $10.9 million of stock-based compensation expense for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively. Non-GAAP research and development expenses in 2015 exclude the following:

An expense of $34.3 million and $51.6 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively, associated with the change in estimated value and elapsed service period for Juno’s potential success payment liabilities to FHCRC and MSK, as well as the success payments achieved in 2015.

Upfront payments under the Editas and Fate Therapeutics license agreements of $30.8 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015.

Non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $1.4 million and $6.2 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively, related to a 2013 restricted stock award to a co-founding director that became a consultant upon his departure from Juno’s board of directors in 2014.

The change of $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 in the estimated fair value of the contingent consideration recorded in connection with the Stage and X-Body acquisitions.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses on a GAAP basis for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 were $16.0 million and $51.1 million, respectively, compared with $6.1 million and $19.5 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2014, respectively. The increase of $9.9 million and $31.6 million for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively, was primarily due to increased personnel expenses, including non-cash stock-based compensation expense, costs associated with the Stage, X-Body, Celgene, Fate Therapeutics, Editas, and other business development transactions, an increase in patent and corporate legal fees, costs incurred to support expansion of the company, and costs associated with being a public company. General and administrative expenses include $5.4 million and $14.9 million of stock-based compensation expense for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively.

GAAP Net Loss Attributable to Common Stockholders: Net loss attributable to common stockholders for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 was $85.2 million, or $0.89 per share, and $239.4 million, or $2.72 per share, respectively. This compares to $191.9 million, or $13.68 per share, and $310.9 million, or $36.82 per share, respectively, for the same periods in 2014.

Non-GAAP Net Loss Attributable to Common Stockholders: Non-GAAP net loss attributable to common stockholders for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015 was $50.7 million, or $0.53 per share, and $150.7 million, or $1.72 per share, respectively.

A reconciliation of GAAP net loss to non-GAAP net loss is presented below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

2016 Financial Guidance
Juno expects 2016 cash burn, excluding cash inflows or outflows from business development activities and including the assumption that Celgene exercises its CD19 opt-in rights, to be between $220 million and $250 million.
Operating burn estimated to be between $170 million and $195 million.

Capital expenditures estimated to be between $40 million and $55 million, the vast majority of which are related to one-time infrastructure build-outs.

On February 29, 2016 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2015, which included a fourth quarter increase in royalty revenue of 136 percent from the prior year period and net income of $4.3 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss in the fourth quarter of 2014 of $5.3 million, or $0.04 per share (Press release, Halozyme, FEB 29, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509280]). For the full year, total revenue increased 79 percent to $135.1 million compared to $75.3 million in the prior year.

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"We closed 2015 with record progress across both pillars of our strategy and enter 2016 with strong momentum," said Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer. "In our oncology pillar, an investigational device exemption was submitted to the FDA earlier this month by our partner Ventana for the PEGPH20 companion diagnostic test. We remain on track to dose the first patient in March in our Phase 3 study in pancreatic cancer patients. We are also continuing to evaluate the dose of PEGPH20 in our lung and gastric cancer trials and are preparing for the initiation of the breast cancer trial with our clinical partner Eisai.

"At the same time, our ENHANZE platform continues to generate more value than any other time in company history. With royalty revenue growth in the fourth quarter, a newly signed licensing and collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly and four co-formulated products in the clinic, our ENHANZE platform remains a clear differentiator in any market environment."

Fourth Quarter 2015 Highlights and Subsequent Events include:

Submitting an investigational device exemption to the FDA for the companion diagnostic test developed with Ventana to prospectively identify patients with high levels of hyaluronan, or HA.

Remaining on track to dose first patient in HALO-301 | Pancreatic study in March 2016, a Phase 3 study to explore PEGPH20 with gemcitabine and ABRAXANE (nab-paclitaxel) in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients at approximately 200 sites in 20 countries located in North America, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific.

Closing enrollment in HALO-202 | Pancreatic study with 133 patients in Stage 2 (total 279 patients enrolled), the company remains blinded to the efficacy results and continues to project mature progression-free survival data and overall response rate data in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Continuing to explore the pan-tumor potential of PEGPH20, the company made progress towards identifying the maximum tolerated dose of PEGPH20 in its phase 1b/2 PRIMAL study of PEGPH20 plus docetaxel in lung cancer patients, and Phase 1b study of PEGPH20 plus KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in lung and gastric cancer patients. In addition, Halozyme expects to initiate the study of PEGPH20 plus eribulin in HER2 negative breast cancer patients through a clinical collaboration with Eisai in the second quarter of 2016.

Signing the company’s sixth collaboration and licensing agreement for Halozyme’s proprietary ENHANZE technology platform with Eli Lilly for up to five targets, each with potential milestone payments of $160 million. The agreement resulted in a $25 million upfront license fee to Halozyme that was recorded in the fourth quarter.

Earlier this month, dosing the first subject in Pfizer’s Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of bococizumab, an investigational PCSK9 inhibitor developed by Pfizer, Inc. using Halozyme’s ENHANZE platform. The initiation of the clinical trial triggered a $1 million milestone payment to Halozyme under the collaboration and license agreement between Halozyme and Pfizer entered into in 2012.

In January, dosing the first subject in AbbVie’s Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety and pharmacokinetics of adalimumab (HUMIRA) with Halozyme’s ENHANZE platform, resulting in a $5 million milestone payment under the collaboration and license agreement between Halozyme and AbbVie entered into in June of 2015.

In the fourth quarter, dosing the first subjects in Pfizer’s Phase 1 clinical trial of rivipansel and Janssen’s Phase 1b clinical trial of daratumumab with Halozyme’s ENHANZE platform.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Financial Highlights

Revenue for the fourth quarter was $52.2 million, compared to $30.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2014, driven primarily by the upfront license fee from Eli Lilly and royalties from partner sales of Herceptin SC, MabThera SC and HyQvia. Revenue for the quarter included $9.5 million in royalties, $9.3 million in sales of bulk rHuPH20 for use in manufacturing collaboration products and $4.3 million in HYLENEX recombinant (hyaluronidase human injection) product sales. Revenue for the full year was $135.1 million compared to $75.3 million in the previous year.

Research and development expenses for the fourth quarter were $27.7 million, compared to $19.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. The planned increases were primarily due to expenses for preclinical and clinical support of PEGPH20.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter were $10.6 million, compared to $8.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. The increase was primarily due to an increase in personnel expenses, including stock compensation, for the period.

Net income for the fourth quarter was $4.3 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss in the fourth quarter of 2014 of $5.3 million, or $0.04 per share. The net loss for the full year totaled $32.2 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to a net loss of $68.4 million, or $0.56 per share, for 2014.

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $108.3 million at Dec. 31, compared to $123.7 million at Sept. 30, 2015. Net cash burn during 2015 was approximately $27.3 million.

Financial Outlook for 2016
For the full year 2016, the company maintains its previously announced guidance of:

Net revenues to be in the range of $110 million to $125 million;

Operating expenses to be in the range of $240 million to $260 million;

Cash Flow to be in the range of $35 million to $55 million; and

Year-end cash balance of $140 million to $160 million.

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On February 29, 2016 Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2015 and provided an overview of key 2016 corporate objectives and clinical development milestones (Press release, Exelixis, FEB 29, 2016, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2144335 [SID:1234509278]).

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Corporate Updates and Key Priorities for 2016

In 2016, Exelixis will continue to focus its development efforts and financial resources on the opportunities for cabozantinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With regulatory applications under review for advanced RCC in the United States and European Union (EU), Exelixis is actively preparing for the potential commercialization of cabozantinib as a treatment for patients with advanced RCC and will soon be launch-ready for this indication should a positive regulatory decision come in the United States.

At the same time, Exelixis is working with its partner Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to co-promote COTELLICTM (cobimetinib) in the United States. COTELLIC received U.S. approval in November 2015 as a treatment for patients with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation-positive advanced melanoma, in combination with vemurafenib, also known as Zelboraf. Exelixis is entitled to an initial equal share of U.S. profits and losses, which will decrease as sales increase, and currently shares equally in U.S. marketing and commercialization costs. COTELLIC is also approved in the EU, Canada and Switzerland, and Exelixis will receive low double-digit royalties based upon sales outside the United States.

Cabozantinib Highlights

METEOR Trial of Cabozantinib in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Delivers Positive Overall Survival Results. On February 1, 2016, Exelixis announced that a second interim analysis for overall survival (OS), a secondary endpoint of the METEOR pivotal trial, showed a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful increase in OS for patients randomized to cabozantinib as compared to everolimus. As a result, among all the existing agents evaluated in large pivotal trials in patients with advanced RCC, including nivolumab, cabozantinib is the first and only therapy to unequivocally demonstrate robust and statistically-significant improvements in all three key efficacy parameters of OS, progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR). Exelixis has shared these data with U.S. and EU regulators and intends to present the results at a major medical meeting this year.

Additional Positive Data Presented from Subgroup Analyses from METEOR Trial. In January 2016, Exelixis announced positive results from subgroup analyses of the METEOR trial. This analysis contributed important details to the previously-released results conducted at the time of primary endpoint, demonstrating that the PFS and ORR benefits derived from cabozantinib treatment were consistent across various prespecified and post-hoc analysis subgroups. Importantly, observed benefits were independent of the location and number of organ metastases, tumor burden, the type, duration and number of prior VEGF receptor TKI therapies, and prior PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. These data were presented on January 9, 2016 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2016 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, CA.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Accepts Filing for Advanced RCC, Grants Priority Review, and Assigns Action Date. In late January 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed Exelixis’ New Drug Application (NDA) for cabozantinib as a treatment for patients with advanced RCC who have received one prior therapy to be sufficiently complete to permit a substantial review. The FDA also granted Priority Review designation to the filing and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date of June 22, 2016. The NDA was considered filed on February 20, 2016, sixty days following submission.

European Medicines Agency Validates Advanced RCC Regulatory Filing, Grants Accelerated Assessment. On January 28, 2016, Exelixis announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted for review the company’s Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for cabozantinib as a treatment for patients with advanced RCC who have received one prior therapy. With accelerated assessment, the MAA is eligible for a 150-day review, versus the standard 210 days (excluding clock stops when information is requested by the EMA).

Enrollment in CELESTIAL Continues; Data Anticipated in 2017. Exelixis continues to make progress in enrollment in CELESTIAL, a phase 3 pivotal trial comparing cabozantinib to placebo in patients with advanced HCC who have previously been treated with sorafenib. The study was initiated in September 2013. The trial is designed to enroll 760 patients at approximately 200 sites. Patients are being randomized 2:1 to receive 60 mg of cabozantinib daily or placebo. The primary endpoint for CELESTIAL is OS, and the secondary endpoints include PFS and ORR. Exelixis continues to anticipate top-line results from CELESTIAL in 2017. At this time, there is no approved treatment for HCC patients who progress following sorafenib treatment, the current standard of care.

Broad Cabozantinib Development Program Continues to Expand through NCI and Independent Investigators. While Exelixis pursues cabozantinib’s late-stage development in advanced RCC and advanced HCC, earlier-stage investigation continues through the company’s collaboration with the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (NCI-CTEP), and its ongoing Investigator-Sponsored Trial (IST) program. Through these two programs, there are more than 45 ongoing or planned studies including trials in advanced RCC, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and endometrial cancer. Results are expected from the following clinical studies this year:

CABOSUN, the randomized phase 2 trial comparing cabozantinib to sunitinib in the treatment of first-line intermediate or poor risk RCC patients, which completed enrollment in early 2015. CABOSUN is being conducted by The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology as part of Exelixis’ collaboration with the NCI-CTEP;
A phase 1b trial of cabozantinib plus nivolumab alone, or in combination with ipilimumab, in patients with genitourinary tumors, including bladder cancer and RCC; and
A phase 2 trial evaluating single agent cabozantinib in recurrent endometrial cancer.
Cobimetinib Highlights

Regulatory Approvals for COTELLIC Granted in the United States, European Union and Canada. In November 2015, Exelixis announced that the FDA approved COTELLIC as a treatment for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation, in combination with vemurafenib.

Also that month, Exelixis announced that the European Commission approved COTELLIC for use in combination with vemurafenib for the treatment of adult patients in the EU with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. Additionally, in February 2016, Health Canada approved COTELLIC in combination with vemurafenib for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation.

Positive Overall Survival Data for COTELLIC in Combination with Vemurafenib in Advanced Melanoma. In October 2015, Exelixis announced that the phase 3 coBRIM trial of COTELLIC in combination with vemurafenib met its secondary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful increase in OS for patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma carrying the BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. These data were the subject of a presentation at the Society for Melanoma Research 2015 Congress.

2016 Financial Guidance

The Company anticipates that operating expenses for the full year 2016 will be between $240 million and $270 million, including approximately $30 million of non-cash items related to stock-based compensation expense.

"Exelixis began 2016 with significant momentum as a result of the major milestones that occurred during and shortly after the fourth quarter," said Michael M. Morrissey, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Exelixis. "Most notably, we now have a more complete picture of cabozantinib’s clinical activity and potential in advanced renal cell carcinoma, a patient population greatly in need of new treatment options. With the announcement of positive overall survival data earlier this month, cabozantinib is now the only therapy to demonstrate in a phase 3 trial statistically significant improvements as compared to an active comparator, everolimus, in the three key efficacy parameters of overall survival, progression-free survival, and objective response rate in previously-treated patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. As regulators continue to review our submitted applications, we are on track to be commercially ready in the United States by April 1, should we receive a regulatory decision in advance of the June 22 PDUFA date. And finally, with this afternoon’s announcement, in Ipsen we now have the ideal partner to maximize the potential for cabozantinib to have a positive impact on the treatment of cancer on a global basis."

"Our second Exelixis-discovered compound, cobimetinib, also saw numerous milestones in the fourth quarter, including regulatory approval in the United States and European Union, as well as the presentation of overall survival results in advanced melanoma. Approval in Canada was also obtained this month. The collective progress in advancing both of these compounds sets the company up for an impactful year, and we remain grateful for the support of our stakeholders as we continue to make progress in our mission to meaningfully improve the care and outcomes for people with cancer."

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Financial Results

Net revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 were $9.9 million, and consisted almost entirely of net product revenue from the sale of COMETRIQ. This is compared to $7.4 million for the comparable period in 2014.

For the year ended December 31, 2015, net revenues were $37.2 million, compared to $25.1 million for the comparable period in 2014. Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2015 included $3.0 million of contract revenues for a milestone payment received from Merck in the third quarter of 2015 related to their worldwide license of our PI3K-delta program as well as the net product revenue related to the sale of COMETRIQ.

Research and development expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 were $23.5 million, compared to $39.7 million for the comparable period in 2014; and for the year ended December 31, 2015 were $96.4 million, compared to $189.1 million for the comparable period in 2014. The decreases for both the quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 were primarily related to a net decrease in clinical trial costs related to COMET, the Company’s phase 3 trial in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and METEOR, the Company’s phase 3 trial in advanced RCC, and to a lesser degree, decreases in personnel related expenses resulting from an overall reduction in headcount. Those decreases were partially offset by an increase in stock-based compensation expense for performance-based stock-options tied to the positive top-line data received from the METEOR trial and the anticipated acceptance of our NDA filing with the FDA.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 were $17.1 million, compared to $9.8 million for the comparable period in 2014; and for the year ended December 31, 2015 were $57.3 million, compared to $50.8 million for the comparable period in 2014. The increases for both the quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 were primarily related to stock-based compensation expense due to the vesting of performance-based stock-options as a result of the positive top-line data received from the METEOR trial and the anticipated acceptance of our NDA filing with the FDA and higher marking expenses. Our 2015 selling, general and administrative expenses include a portion of COTELLIC commercialization expenses allocated to the collaboration which are under discussion between Exelixis and Genentech.

The overall selling, general and administrative expenses increases were partially offset by a decrease in facilities costs and consulting and outside services. For the year ended December 31, 2015, there were also decreases in personnel related expenses resulting from an overall reduction in headcount and patent defense costs as compared to the comparable period in 2014.

Other income (expense), net for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 was a net expense of ($12.0) million compared to ($11.9) million for the comparable period in 2014. Other income (expense), net for the year ended December 31, 2015 was a net expense of ($48.3) million compared to $(44.3) million for the comparable period in 2014. The net expense is comprised primarily of interest expense which includes $7.1 million and $28.9 million, respectively of non-cash expense related to the accretion of the discounts on both the 4.25% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2019 and the Company’s indebtedness under the Deerfield Notes for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2015, as compared to $7.7 million and $29.5 million for the comparable periods in 2014.

Net loss for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 was ($43.6) million, or ($0.19) per share, basic, compared to ($58.0) million, or ($0.30) per share, basic, for the comparable period in 2014. Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2015 was ($169.7) million, or ($0.81) per share, basic, compared to ($268.5) million, or $(1.38) per share, basic, for the comparable period in 2014. The decreases in net loss for both the quarter and year were primarily due to decreases in research and development expenses and an increase in net revenues, partially offset by an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Cash and cash equivalents, short- and long-term investments and short- and long-term restricted cash and investments totaled $253.3 million at December 31, 2015 compared to $242.8 million at December 31, 2014.

On February 29, 2016 PharmaMar reported its Full Year 2015 financial results. The Group’s revenues totalled €193.8 million in 2015, the highest ever top-line reading and an increase of 11% with respect to 2014 (Press release, PharmaMar, FEB 29, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509271]). This figure was boosted by 15% growth in net sales of Yondelis, to €88.4 million in 2015, the best year for Yondelis sales since the drug was approved in 2007. Overall, the group’s biopharmaceutical area ended 2015 with €94.6 million in net sales, a 15% year-on-year increase.

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Net sales in the consumer chemicals segment also expanded, by 3% to €67.3 million, in 2015.

Other revenues, which include licence fees, royalties and other service charges, amounted to €31.8 million in 2015, an 18% increase with respect to 2014.

Research and development expenditure increased by 21% in 2015 to €63.5 million (€52.4 million in 2014). R&D spending was focused mainly in oncology, principally for clinical development of PM1183. PharmaMar is currently conducting pre-clinical and clinical trials with this molecule in a number of solid tumour indications, including a Phase III registration trial in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, recruitment for which commenced in the second half of the 2015. The company also plans to start another pivotal Phase III trial with PM1183 in 2016 in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

As a result, PharmaMar group EBITDA amounted to €19.4 million in 2015 (vs. €25.7 million in 2014) and net profit amounted to €6.5 million (€13 million in 2014). 2 During the year, the Company refinanced over €30 million of short-term debt, which improved its debt structure and released funds to continue investing in R&D. At 31 December 2015, net debt amounted to €46.9 million, compared with €54.8 million at the end of 2014.

On February 29, 2016 NewLink Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ:NLNK), a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of discovering, developing and commercializing novel immuno-oncology product candidates, including both cellular immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitor programs, to improve the lives of patients with cancer, reported business highlights and consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended 2015. NewLink Genetics also outlined key 2016 business priorities related to the clinical development programs for the company’s immuno-oncology pipeline (Press release, NewLink Genetics, FEB 29, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509269]).

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"During 2015, we made advances across multiple immuno-oncology clinical programs," said Charles J. Link, Jr., M.D., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer. "In 2016, we look forward to reporting top-line results of algenpantucel-L in the IMPRESS trial for patients with resected pancreatic cancer as well as fundamental validation of our IDO pathway inhibitor programs."

2015 Highlights

Reported continued progress of the pivotal, Phase 3 IMmunotherapy for Pancreatic RESectable cancer Study (IMPRESS) trial of algenpantucel-L, for patients with resected pancreatic cancer.

Attracted top biotechnology talent to support increasing manufacturing capacities, the pre-commercialization efforts related to algenpantucel-L, and the expansion of clinical trial programs.

Completed enrollment in the Pancreatic Immunotherapy with algenpantucel-L for Locally Advanced Non-Resectable Cancer (PILLAR) trial of algenpantucel-L for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Presented Phase 1b/2 clinical data of indoximod in combination with temozolomide for patients with refractory malignant brain tumors at the Society of Neuro-Oncology Meeting, demonstrating evidence of clinical activity.

Completed enrollment in a randomized, Phase 2 trial with indoximod for patients with metastatic breast cancer and presented preliminary safety data at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Presented with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, results from a Phase 1 study of GDC-0919 at ESMO (Free ESMO Whitepaper)/ECC. In addition, a Phase 1b, open-label, dose-escalation study of the safety and pharmacology of GDC-0919 in combination with atezolizumab for patients with advanced solid tumors began enrollment.

Added additional commercial oncology and clinical expertise to the board with the appointment of Mr. Paolo Pucci and Dr. Nicholas Vahanian.

Analysis of interim data from a Phase 3 ring vaccination trial in Guinea was published in the July 31st issue of The Lancet. NewLink Genetics was awarded an additional $30.5 million in government funding to support the scale-up of manufacturing for the Ebola vaccine candidate, rVSV-ZEBOV, and other vaccine development initiatives.

Finished 2015 with $197.8 million in cash and equivalents.

"In 2016, we anticipate significant progress toward milestones in our HyperAcute Cellular Immunotherapy and IDO pathway inhibitor programs," said Nicholas Vahanian, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer. "We are building an experienced oncology commercial team in anticipation of filing, registration, and product launch of algenpantucel-L. If approved, algenpantucel-L would be the first FDA-approved drug for patients with resected pancreatic cancer."

Anticipated Highlights in 2016

Top-line results of the pivotal, Phase 3 registration IMPRESS study for patients with resected pancreatic cancer expected this year.

Update on the timing of results in the PILLAR study for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Report on additional clinical progress from the proprietary indoximod program in multiple indications in the following Phase 2 trials:

Indoximod and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Indoximod and ipilimumab or PD-1 inhibitors for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Indoximod and temozolomide for patients with refractory malignant brain tumors.

Indoximod and docetaxel or paclitaxel for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Accelerate enrollment in a triple combination trial of tergenpumatucel-L, indoximod and docetaxel for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Update on the clinical progress of GDC-0919 combinations for patients with solid tumors by Genentech.

Update on progress and funding for the Zika vaccine program.

"The investments we made in 2015 advanced our pipeline of drug candidates, expanded our manufacturing capacity, and developed our pre-commercial sales and marketing infrastructure," said Jack Henneman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "NewLink Genetics enters 2016 in strong financial condition, positioned to support its strategic objectives of launching its lead product candidate and becoming a commercial biopharmaceutical company," added Mr. Henneman.

Financial Results

Cash Position: NewLink Genetics ended the year on December 31, 2015, with cash, cash equivalents, and certificates of deposit totaling $197.8 million compared to $202.8 million for the year ending December 31, 2014. The decrease was attributable primarily due to the increased expenses for R&D and pre-commercialization development, offset by amounts received under government contracts and the $20.0 million milestone payment from Merck in February 2015. The Company’s cash position is sufficient to fund current operations in the near and medium term.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $14.8 million and $71.4 million in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 compared to $11.9 million and $35.7 million during the comparable periods in 2014. The increase is primarily due to clinical trial expenses related to NewLink Genetics’ broad pipeline of product candidates, as well as expenses for manufacturing and research related to the Ebola vaccine candidate. The majority of the Ebola-related expenses are subject to reimbursement under government contracts.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses in the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 were $7.7 million and $30.7 million compared to $8.3 million and $19.3 million during the comparable periods in 2014. The decrease from the quarter ended December 31, 2014 was primarily attributable to higher legal and consulting fees incurred in the fourth quarter of 2014 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2015. The increase from the year ended December 31, 2014 was primarily due to higher personnel-related costs as we prepare for potential commercialization, along with increases in share-based compensation expense, consulting and legal fees, travel expenses, and medical affairs and marketing.

Net Income/Loss: NewLink Genetics reported a net loss of $21.6 million or a $0.75 loss per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2015 and a net loss of $40.4 million or a $1.41 loss per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2015, compared to net income of $120.0 million or $3.83 earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2014 and net income of $96.0 million or $3.09 earnings per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2014.

NewLink Genetics ended 2015 with 28,814,142 shares outstanding.

Conference Call and Webcast Details

The Company has scheduled a conference call and webcast for 8:30 a.m. ET today to discuss the results and to give an update on clinical and business development activities. NewLink Genetics’ senior management team will host the call, which will be open to all listeners. There will also be a question and answer session following the prepared remarks.

Access to the live conference call is available by dialing (855) 469-0612 (U.S.) or (484) 756-4268 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will be webcast live and a link to the webcast can be accessed through the NewLink Genetics website at www.NewLinkGenetics.com in the "Investors & Media" section under "Events and Presentations." To ensure a timely connection, it is recommended that users register at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled webcast. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and using the passcode 46732006. The replay will be available for two weeks from the date of the call.

HyperAcute Cellular Immunotherapies

A unique, tumor-specific product candidates that take advantage of a pre-existing human immune response to initiate a powerful cascade, potentially educating the body’s natural defenses to identify and destroy cancer cells. Unlike other immuno-oncology products, HyperAcute Cellular Immunotherapies do not require patient tissue or cancer cells and are designed to be easy to administer. HyperAcute Cellular Immunotherapies use allogeneic (disease-specific, not patient-specific), tumor-specific human cell lines that have been modified to express alpha-gal. Intact, whole cells are used rather than cell fragments or purified proteins, which we believe results in the stimulation of a more powerful immune response. The company’s most advanced clinical program utilizing this technology is for patients with pancreatic cancer. Additionally, there are on-going clinical development programs and data on induced immune responses targeting non-small-cell lung cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer and renal cancer.

Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase (IDO) Checkpoint Inhibitors

The indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) pathway regulates immune response by suppressing T cell function and enabling local tumor immune escape. NewLink Genetics is researching two IDO pathway inhibitors, GDC-0919 (in partnership with Genentech) and indoximod, both small-molecule product candidates that have the potential to disrupt mechanisms by which tumors evade the immune system. NewLink Genetics’ indoximod and GDC-0919 each have a distinct mechanism of action within the IDO pathway and are in Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials for a range of cancers, including breast cancer, melanoma, and other solid tumors.

Ebola Vaccine Program with Merck

NewLink Genetics is also working to address infectious diseases, such as Ebola and Zika. The Ebola vaccine candidate rVSV-ZEBOV (licensed to Merck & Co.) received the Best Prophylactic Vaccine award at the 15th Annual World Vaccine Congress on April 8, 2015, in Washington, DC. Interim results of a study in Guinea featured in the July issue of The Lancet showed potential efficacy with potential for both pre- and post-exposure use. NewLink Genetics and Merck received the Best Vaccine License award, which recognizes the business partnership with the greatest potential for success in bringing innovative medicines to market. rVSV-ZEBOV was originally developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and was subsequently licensed to a wholly-owned subsidiary of NewLink Genetics.