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NightHawk Biosciences Provides First Quarter 2022 Business Update

On May 16, 2022 NightHawk Biosciences (NYSE American: NHWK), a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company focused on developing first-in-class therapies to modulate the immune system, reported that strategic, financial, and operational updates for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (Press release, NightHawk Biosciences, MAY 16, 2022, View Source [SID1234614644]).

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Jeff Wolf, Chief Executive Officer of NightHawk, commented, "We are extremely proud of the progress we have made this quarter to transition NightHawk into a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company. On the business front, this month we announced the name change to NightHawk Biosciences to better reflect our evolution towards a fully integrated ecosystem that enables more rapid delivery of medical innovations with increased quality and efficiency. The NightHawk ecosystem includes an expanded development pipeline and enhanced manufacturing capabilities around five key subsidiaries: Skunkworx Bio, Heat Biologics, Pelican Therapeutics, Elusys Therapeutics and Scorpion Biological Services."

"Moreover, we recently closed the strategic acquisition of Elusys Therapeutics (Elusys), which significantly expands our foothold in the biodefense space. The addition of Elusys’ ANTHIM, a treatment for inhalation anthrax, complements our infectious disease product portfolio, which includes our RapidVax platform, which is designed to target emerging biological threats. Shortly after the completion of the Elusys acquisition, we finalized our first international contract with the Canadian government to deliver ANTHIM to their national stockpile. We are now pursuing additional opportunities to expand ANTHIM distribution abroad."

"At the same time, we continue to expand our biomanufacturing and bioanalytic capabilities. We recently unveiled plans for a new 500,000 square foot commercial/biodefense biomanufacturing facility in Manhattan, Kansas. In addition to servicing our own product pipeline, we plan to operate as a full-service Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) to support other biopharma companies. Moreover, we remain on track for the grand opening of our San Antonio facility in Q2/22."

Mr. Wolf added, "The NightHawk ecosystem is truly unique among small biopharmaceutical companies. We look forward to providing further updates on our progress later this year."

First Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Recognized $0.2 million of grant revenue for qualified expenditures under the CPRIT grant for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to $0.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The decrease in grant revenue in the current-year period primarily reflects the expected timing of completion of deliveries under the current phase of the contracts. As of March 31, 2022, we had a grant receivable balance of $1.5 million for CPRIT proceeds not yet received but for which the costs had been incurred or the conditions of the award had been met. We continue our efforts to secure future non-dilutive grant funding to subsidize ongoing research and development costs.
Research and development expenses were $3.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase was primarily due to regulatory consulting and investigator site payments for the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial for HS-130 as well as unallocated research expenses related to personnel costs, including stock-based compensation from stock awards.
General and administrative expense was $3.8 million and $4.8 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. The decrease was due to a decrease in stock-based compensation expense of $2.0 million, partially offset by increased personnel costs of $0.2 million, and increases of $0.3 million for consulting and other professional expenses to manage the business.
Net loss attributable to NightHawk Biosciences was approximately $8.1 million, or ($0.32) per basic and diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to a net loss of approximately $7.5 million, or ($0.31) per basic and diluted share for the three months ended March 31, 2021.
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $84.1 million in cash, cash equivalents and short term investments.

CNS Pharmaceuticals Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update

On May 16, 2022 CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) ("CNS" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers in the brain and central nervous system, reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 and provided a clinical update of its anti-cancer drug candidates currently in development for the treatment of primary and metastatic brain and CNS cancer (Press release, CNS Pharmaceuticals, MAY 16, 2022, View Source [SID1234614643]).

"Since the start of 2022, we have significantly expanded our international presence with clinical approvals in Spain, France and Switzerland received for our potentially pivotal study of Berubicin for the treatment of GBM. Once again our team demonstrated its operational, clinical and regulatory expertise this quarter. These efforts enable us to continue building momentum with patient enrollment – the cornerstone of any successful drug development program. The unmet need in GBM is enormous and knows no geographic borders and this critically important and state of the art trial will, most importantly, advance a much needed potential treatment option to patients. We have been and remain laser focused on executing on all of our operational efforts and look forward to an exciting year ahead," commented John Climaco, CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals.

Clinical Programs Update

Berubicin – Novel anthracycline

CNS’ lead product candidate, Berubicin, is a novel anthracycline and the first anthracycline to appear to cross the blood-brain barrier. Berubicin is currently being evaluated in a potentially pivotal global study evaluating its efficacy and safety in the treatment of GBM. The potentially pivotal global trial is an adaptive, multicenter, open-label, randomized and controlled study in adult patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (WHO Grade IV) after failure of standard first-line therapy. Approximately 243 patients with GBM after failure of standard first line therapy will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive Berubicin or lomustine for the evaluation of Overall Survival, the primary endpoint of the study. Overall Survival is a rigorous endpoint that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized as a basis for approval of oncology drugs when a statistically significant improvement can be shown relative to a randomized control arm.

A pre-planned, non-binding futility analysis will be performed after approximately 30 to 50% of all planned patients have completed the primary endpoint at 6 months. This review will include additional evaluation of safety as well as secondary efficacy endpoints. Enrollment will not be paused during this interim analysis.

The FDA recently granted CNS Pharmaceuticals Fast Track Designation for Berubicin which enables more frequent interactions with the FDA to expedite the development and review process. As previously announced, the Company also received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA which may provide seven years of marketing exclusivity upon approval of an NDA.

For more information about the potentially pivotal Berubicin trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov and reference identifier NCT04762069.

Upcoming Milestones

Continue to expand potentially pivotal study to evaluate efficacy of Berubicin in the treatment of adult GBM into additional countries;
Interim analysis of the trial when 30-50% of the total expected patients have been on study for 6 months (expected during first half of 2023); and
Complete enrollment in potentially pivotal clinical trial for GBM.
WP1244 Portfolio – Novel class of DNA-binding agents

The Company continues to advance the development of its WP1244 drug technology portfolio, which utilizes anthracycline and distamycin-based scaffolds to create small molecule agents and is believed to be 500x more potent than daunorubicin in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. Preclinical studies of WP1244 demonstrated high uptake in the brain with antitumor activity. The Company’s development work has produced a new mesylate salt of WP1244, now identified as WP1874. The enhanced solubility of this salt may increase its ability to be formulated for use in an IV infusion, while maintaining similar potency and toxicity characteristics. Going forward, WP1874 will be the primary focus in our development efforts of the WP1244 portfolio. CNS Pharmaceuticals is also evaluating the use of WP1244/WP1874 in the treatment of other primary brain and central nervous system cancers, as well as cancers metastatic to the brain including pancreatic, ovarian, and lymphomas.

Upcoming Milestones

File IND in 2023.
Summary of Financial Results for the First Quarter 2022

The net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was approximately $2.8 million compared to approximately $3.6 million for the comparable period in 2021. The change in net loss is primarily attributable to increased drug manufacturing activities in 2021 in preparation for the commencement of the Company’s clinical trials as well as the timing of annual employee incentive compensation, partially offset by an increase in contract research organization expenses as we are now actively conducting the trial of Berubicin.

The Company reported Research and development expenses of $1.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to approximately $2.2 million for the comparable period in 2021. The change in net loss is primarily attributable to increased drug manufacturing activities in 2021 in preparation for the commencement of the Company’s clinical trials, as well as by the payment of annual employee incentive compensation during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and not having been paid by March 31, 2022, offset by an increase in expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2022 related to contract research organization (CRO) activites in conducting our trial of Berubicin.

General and administrative expense was approximately $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to approximately $1.4 million for the comparable period in 2021. This change is primarily due to the payment of annual employee incentive compensation during the three months ended March 31, 2021 and not having been paid by March 31, 2022.

As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash of approximately $12.4 million and working capital of approximately $13.7 million. In early January 2022, the Company completed an offering of common stock and warrants for gross proceeds of $11.5 million. The Company’s current expectation is that the cash on hand and the proceeds from the offering during January is sufficient to fund our operations into the first quarter of 2023. The timing and costs of clinical trials are difficult to predict and trial plans may change in response to evolving circumstances and as such the foregoing estimates may prove to be inaccurate.

IO Biotech Announces First Quarter Results for 2022

On May 16, 2022 IO Biotech (Nasdaq: IOBT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, immune-modulating cancer therapies based on its T-win technology platform, reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 (Press release, IO Biotech, MAY 16, 2022, View Source [SID1234614642]).

"During our first quarter and in recent weeks we continued to advance our promising pipeline of immune-modulating cancer therapies, highlighted by the initiation of our IOB-022 / KN-D38 Phase 2 Trial," said Mai-Britt Zocca, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of IO Biotech. "This trial will evaluate IOB102-103 with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in previously untreated patients with three different tumor types in the first line setting, and we look forward to expanding our data set in these additional indications. We were also pleased to see the presentation of updated efficacy data and subgroup analyses from our MM1636 Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating IO102-IO103 as investigational agents in metastatic melanoma at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting in April. These data further demonstrate the three-year survival probability of 73% for 3% for IO102-IO103 in combination with nivolumab for these patients, and we are encouraged by the clinical activity demonstrated in this trial. As previously disclosed, we expect to provide guidance regarding the timing for the interim readout for our IOB-013/KN-D18 Phase 3 trial towards the middle of this year. We believe our platform and product candidates may represent a paradigm shift in the management of cancer, and with a solid balance sheet we have a substantial cash runway to carry us through multiple data readouts into mid-2024."

Highlights for First Quarter 2022 and Recent Weeks

Hosted Part 1 of Key Opinion Leader Webinar Series: A New Way to Kill Tumors–IO102-IO103 Phase 3 Trial in Combination with Anti-PD-1 in Advanced Melanoma
Announced initiation and dosing of first patient in Phase 2 IOB-022 / KN-D38 trial (NCT05077709)
New data from MM1636 Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial presented at 2022 AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting
Three-year Survival Probability of 73%
Subgroup analyses including patients with poor prognosis
David V. Smith Appointed to Board of Directors
First Quarter Financial Results

Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $17.2 million, compared to $3.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.
Research and development expenses were $10.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $2.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase of $7.5 million was primarily related to an increase in costs for chemistry, manufacturing and control, or CMC, activities of $2.3 million, an increase in personnel costs of $2.4 million primarily related to an increase in headcount and related recruiting costs and an increase in clinical trial-related activities for our IO102-IO103 product candidate, including the completion of our Phase 1/2 clinical studies, of $2.4 million.
General and administrative expenses were $6.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The increase of $5.7 million was primarily related to an increase in professional services of $1.4 million related primarily to corporate legal fees and audit and tax fees and other consulting costs in support of our growth as well as an increase in personnel costs of $1.6 million primarily related to an increase in headcount and related recruiting costs and an increase in consultants and other costs of $2.7 million.
Cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2022 were $187.9 million, compared to $211.5 million at December 31, 2021. Cash on hand is expected to support operations through anticipated data readouts into mid-2024.
About the IOB-013 / KN-D18 Clinical Trial

IOB-013 / KN-D18 (Clinical Trials.gov: NCT05155254) is an open label, randomized Phase 3 clinical trial being conducted in collaboration with Merck of IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone in patients with previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic (advanced) melanoma. Target enrollment will be 300 patients from centers spread across Europe, Australia, and the United States. Biomarker analyses will also be conducted. IO Biotech will sponsor the Phase 3 trial and Merck will supply pembrolizumab. IO Biotech maintains global commercial rights to IO102-IO103.

About IOB-022 / KN-D38

IOB-022 / KN-D38 is a non-comparative, open label trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab in each of the following first-line indications: NSCLC, SCCHN, and mUBC. The clinical trial will be sponsored by IO Biotech and conducted in collaboration with Merck. IO Biotech maintains global commercial rights to IO102-IO103.

About IO102-IO103

IO102-IO103 is an investigational cancer immunotherapy designed to target the immunosuppressive mechanisms mediated by the key immunosuppressive proteins indoleamine 2,3-dehydrogenase (IDO) and PD-L1.

Terns Pharmaceuticals Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Business Updates

On May 16, 2022 Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Terns" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: TERN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a portfolio of small-molecule single-agent and combination therapy candidates to address serious diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), obesity and cancer, reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 and business updates (Press release, Terns Pharmaceuticals, MAY 16, 2022, View Source [SID1234614641]).

"The Terns team has continued to advance our pipeline with the opening of our combination therapy IND for NASH and the commencement of key IND-enabling activities in our GLP-1 program in obesity, along with the initiation of a clinical trial for TERN-701 in chronic myeloid leukemia by Hansoh, our development partner in China," said Senthil Sundaram, chief executive officer at Terns. "As we continue this momentum across our diverse pipeline, we remain committed to a prudent approach to funding our operations. Following a strategic review of our pipeline, we have decided to focus our resources on advancing our most promising pipeline candidates: (1) TERN-501, including combination therapy development with TERN-101, (2) TERN-601, our oral, small-molecule GLP-1 candidate, and (3) supporting our partner’s clinical development of TERN-701 for CML in China. This decision extends our expected cash runway into 2025, enabling key expected clinical trial readouts across three indications for TERN-501, TERN-601, and TERN-701 during that time period."

Recent Developments and Anticipated Milestones

TERN-501: Thyroid hormone receptor-beta (THR-β) agonist for NASH

TERN-501 is a THR-β agonist with high metabolic stability, enhanced liver distribution and greater selectivity for THR-β compared to other THR-β agonists in development
Investigational new drug (IND) application for Terns’ NASH combination therapy program was opened in April 2022, supporting the planned Phase 2a clinical trial of TERN-501 as monotherapy and in combination with TERN-101 (Terns’ liver-distributed farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist), as well as future studies of other combination therapy regimens
The Phase 2a trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in noncirrhotic NASH patients using a factorial design including both monotherapy and combination arms of TERN-501 and TERN-101
The trial is expected to enroll approximately 140 adult patients with elevated body mass index (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and NASH with fibrosis, but not cirrhosis, based on prior liver biopsy and/or imaging and clinical criteria
All patients must have liver fat content measured by magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) of ≥10%, MRI corrected T1 (cT1) relaxation time of ≥ 800 msec, and meet other inclusion and exclusion criteria
The trial includes a 12-week treatment period and a 4-week follow-up period
The primary endpoint will be the relative change from baseline in MRI-PDFF at Week 12 for TERN-501 monotherapy compared with placebo
Secondary endpoints include assessment of changes in MRI-PDFF (combination vs. placebo) and cT1 (TERN-501 monotherapy vs. placebo as well as 501+101 combination vs. placebo)
IND has been opened in the United States; Phase 2a trial has been initiated with screening expected to start in June 2022, and top-line data expected in the second half of 2023
TERN-601: Oral, small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist for obesity

TERN-601 is an oral small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor, or GLP-1R, agonist for the treatment of obesity
Terns screened more than 20,000 molecular permutations through its proprietary quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) model to identify suitable small-molecule scaffolds with potentially improved properties relative to other GLP-1-based approaches
Terns has identified structures believed to be suitable for oral administration as a single-agent or in combination with other drug candidates within its pipeline
IND-enabling activities for TERN-601, Terns’ lead GLP-1R development candidate, are underway with the goal of initiating a first-in-human clinical trial in 2023
The Phase 1 clinical program for TERN-601 is expected to include a single ascending dose trial in healthy volunteers and a multiple ascending dose proof-of-concept trial assessing potential endpoints such as body weight and HbA1c
TERN-701: Oral, allosteric BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for chronic myeloid leukemia

TERN-701 is Terns’ proprietary, allosteric BCR-ABL TKI, designed to target the ABL myristoyl pocket, which is in development for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a form of cancer that begins in the bone marrow
TERN-701 was designed with the goal of achieving improved tumor suppression against a broader range of mutations, an enhanced pharmacokinetic profile with an increased half-life and simplified dosing compared to the only available allosteric BCR-ABL TKI, recently approved by the FDA
TERN-701 is out-licensed to Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited for development in the greater China region (referred to as HS-10382 by Hansoh); Terns retains all worldwide development and commercialization rights outside of greater China, as well as access to data generated by Hansoh in China
A Phase 1 trial of TERN-701 in CML patients in China has been initiated by Hansoh, with patient dosing currently underway; Hansoh is responsible for all development and commercialization-related activities in greater China
Terns plans to explore options for the development and commercialization of TERN-701 outside of greater China, including additional strategic partnerships
TERN-201: Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) inhibitor

Terns reported top-line results from Part 1 of the Phase 1b AVIATION Trial in March 2022
Part 1 of the AVIATION Trial met the primary safety endpoint: TERN-201 10 mg administered once daily to NASH patients was generally safe and well-tolerated with no meaningful changes in exploratory serum or imaging NASH biomarkers, including cT1
Further spend for TERN-201 in NASH has primarily been limited to the completion of Part 2 (20 mg dose) of the ongoing AVIATION Trial with results expected in 4Q 2022; Terns plans to evaluate all AVIATION data at that point to inform next steps for clinical development in NASH or other indications where VAP-1 is implicated
Business Update

Terns completed a proactive and financially disciplined review of the Company’s operations, resulting in the prioritization of resources towards development activities related to TERN-501 (including the planned Phase 2a clinical trial of TERN-501 as monotherapy and in combination with TERN-101) and the GLP-1R agonist program, including TERN-601, and supporting Hansoh’s clinical development of TERN-701 for CML in China
As a result of these decisions, Terns anticipates existing cash to be sufficient to fund operations into 2025, including three expected clinical trial readouts for three product candidates across three indications during that time period
Upcoming Investor Events

Terns will present at the UBS Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, May 23, 2022 at 8:30am ET. A live webcast of the event will be available on the investor relations page of the Terns Pharmaceuticals website at View Source A replay of the webcast will be archived on Terns’ website for 30 days following the presentation
First Quarter 2022 Financial Results

Cash Position: As of March 31, 2022, cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $151.3 million, as compared with $166.0 million as of December 31, 2021. Based on its current operating plan, Terns expects these funds will be sufficient to support its planned operating expenses into 2025.
Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses were $8.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, as compared with $8.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.
General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses were $5.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, as compared with $4.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.
Net Loss: Net loss was $13.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, as compared with $13.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Scholar Rock Reports First Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Updates Strategic Priorities

On May 16, 2022 Scholar Rock (NASDAQ: SRRK), a Phase 3 clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of serious diseases in which protein growth factors play a fundamental role, reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (Press release, Scholar Rock, MAY 16, 2022, View Source [SID1234614640]).

Business Strategy & Update

Prioritize R&D Activities to Support Progression and Completion of the Apitegromab Phase 3 SAPPHIRE Trial in Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Scholar Rock is focusing its expertise in inhibiting the activation of latent growth factors on completing the Phase 2 TOPAZ extension clinical trial and the Phase 3 SAPPHIRE clinical trial, both of which are evaluating the potential of apitegromab to address motor function impairments in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The SRK-181 program for the treatment of patients with solid tumors showing primary resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy remains a priority with strategic value. While investment in the existing scientific platform continues, the Company is narrowing the scope of discovery programs it expects to pursue.
Focused Strategy to Increase Operational Efficiency, Reduce Cash Burn and Extend Runway. The Company reported a restructuring of its business to prioritize and focus on its clinical stage assets resulting in a reduction to its workforce by approximately 25%, in addition to the curtailment of previously planned hiring. The reduction in operating expenses relates to general and administrative spend and research activities related to earlier stage programs. In conjunction with the pipeline prioritization, these changes are expected to extend the cash runway into the fourth quarter of 2023.
"We are highly confident in the transformative potential of apitegromab based upon the Phase 2 TOPAZ data we have released to date. We look forward to presenting two-year extension trial data in the coming weeks," said Nagesh Mahanthappa, Ph.D., Founding Chief Executive Officer of Scholar Rock. "Based upon the strength of the data released to date and our commitment to the SMA community, this narrower focus and associated headcount reduction is necessary to execute our core mission — completing the Phase 3 SAPPHIRE trial to bring apitegromab, our highly innovative therapeutic candidate, to patients suffering with this devastating disease."

Dr. Mahanthappa continued, "Parting with employees who have dedicated their talent and expertise to evolving a scientific platform into a Phase 3-stage company is very difficult, and we are extremely grateful for their contributions to our mission to support patients and help position us to potentially deliver the next big innovation to patients with SMA."

Changes to Development Leadership

The Company also announced today that Yung Chyung, M.D. has decided to step down as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to explore new career opportunities, including his interest in global health. Dr. Chyung will remain with Scholar Rock through June 30 to work with the executive team and the development organization on a transition plan, and a retained search for a new CMO is ongoing.

"I am incredibly proud of the progress we’ve achieved to date at Scholar Rock and am humbled to have served alongside the amazing and talented employees across the company," said Dr. Chyung. "I am enthusiastic about the potential of apitegromab and SRK-181 to transform the lives of individuals impacted by serious diseases. With operational momentum continuing to build and the outstanding, high performing teams in place, I feel this is an appropriate time for me to explore my other long-term career interests, such as global health."

"The Board and I sincerely thank Yung for his ingenuity and leadership over the years, which have brought the apitegromab program forward through a successful Phase 2 proof-of-concept study and now into Phase 3, creating hope for patients and families suffering from SMA that muscle-directed therapy could have the potential to make a meaningful impact on their lives," said Dr. Mahanthappa. "While the search for a new CMO is a top priority and we are committed to identifying a medical leader with a strong track record in late-stage drug development and product launch, the significant depth of talent in our development team allows us to continue to build momentum in the SAPPHIRE pivotal and Phase 1 DRAGON proof-of-concept clinical trials without disruption."

Pipeline Updates

Apitegromab is a selective inhibitor of myostatin activation being developed as the potential first muscle-directed therapy for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Enrollment Ongoing for Phase 3 SAPPHIRE Clinical Trial Evaluating Apitegromab in Patients with Non-Ambulatory Type 2 and 3 SMA. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 SAPPHIRE clinical trial is evaluating apitegromab for patients on either nusinersen or risdiplam. The clinical trial design plans for approximately 156 patients aged 2-12 years old with non-ambulatory Type 2 and 3 SMA to be enrolled in the main efficacy population.
Clinical Data from the Phase 2 TOPAZ 24-Month Extension Trial to be Presented at Cure SMA Annual Meeting in June.
Data from the Phase 2 TOPAZ Trial Presented at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinical & Scientific Conference and the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in March, as well as the European Paediatric Neurology Society Congress in April.
SRK-181 is a selective inhibitor of latent TGFβ1 activation being developed with the aim of overcoming primary resistance to and increasing the number of patients who may benefit from checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Enrollment Ongoing for Part B of the Phase 1 DRAGON POC Clinical Trial for SRK-181. Part B consists of multiple proof-of-concept cohorts focused upon evaluating the ability of SRK-181 to overcome primary resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Each cohort will enroll up to 40 patients with various solid tumors, including urothelial carcinoma (UC), cutaneous melanoma (MEL), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and other solid tumors. The biomarker strategy in part B of DRAGON will explore early signs of SRK-181 activity, including target engagement and pathway modulation. This will include measuring effects on both circulating and tumor immune contexture, such as CD8+ T cell infiltration and reductions in myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) populations as well as analysis of TGFβ-related pathway signaling. Initial evidence of drug activity and safety data are anticipated in 2022.
First Quarter 2022 Financial Results

For the quarter ended March 31, 2022, net loss was $8.0 million or $0.21 per share compared to a net loss of $27.7 million or $0.76 per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Revenue was $33.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to $4.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and was related to the Gilead fibrosis-focused research collaboration, which was executed in December 2018 and concluded in December 2021.
Research and development expense was $29.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to $22.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The increase year-over-year primarily reflects increased clinical costs associated with apitegromab and higher personnel costs. The Company expects research expenses to decline beginning in the third quarter of 2022 due to the portfolio updates and workforce reduction announced today.
General and administrative expense was $10.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to $9.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. The increase year-over-year was primarily attributed to higher personnel costs. As a result of our reduction in force, we expect our employee-related expenses to decline in the second half of the year as compared to the first half of 2022.
As of March 31, 2022, Scholar Rock had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities of approximately $210 million. The Company expects that the updates and changes announced today will fund its anticipated operating and capital expenditure requirements into the fourth quarter of 2023.
"While we have paused many of our discovery programs, we are continuing to progress selected pre-clinical programs which best exemplify the value of our platform. As a platform company, business development remains an important part of our strategy and we continue to explore partnerships for these programs which could be a source of non-dilutive capital in the future," said Ted Myles, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Scholar Rock. "Our streamlined focus and structure allow us to channel the majority of our resources to supporting the SAPPHIRE trial and SRK-181, which we believe are key near- and long-term value drivers."