On November 8, 2018 Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRB) reported third quarter 2018 financial results and provided an operational update (Press release, Seres Therapeutics, NOV 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234530954]).

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"Based on a growing body of promising clinical data and preclinical data from our laboratories and others, Seres has increased its strategic focus toward immunology and immuno-oncology, and we are very pleased to have hired Kevin Horgan, M.D., an expert in these key areas, as our new Chief Medical Officer. Kevin has led the development and approval of numerous important drugs, and he has an ideal background to drive the Company’s clinical programs forward," said Roger J. Pomerantz, M.D., President, CEO and Chairman of Seres. "Seres has also been working to expedite data read outs from the ongoing SER-109 clinical study for recurrent C. difficile infection, and the soon-to-be initiated SER-287 Phase 2b study for ulcerative colitis. In addition, Seres and our collaborators at MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy have taken significant steps to advance our SER-401 immuno-oncology program toward the clinic."

Recent Highlights and Events

SER-109 ECOSPOR III Phase 3 Study: Enrollment for ECOSPOR III remains ongoing with approximately 100 clinical sites open across the U.S. and Canada. Study enrollment has been impacted by the widespread availability of unapproved fecal microbiota transplantation. The Company is considering alternatives, including study design modification, to expedite the availability of clinical results. Based on ECOSPOR III screening to date, 38% of subjects screened have had a negative C. difficile toxin test, despite having a positive C. difficile PCR test. In agreement with recent clinical guidelines, these subjects were deemed to not have an active C. difficile infection and were not eligible for study inclusion. These data provide additional support for our important requirement of a positive toxin test implemented in ECOSPOR III, and suggest that C. difficile clinical studies relying on PCR-based testing alone may include a significant proportion of subjects without active disease.
New data supporting SER-109 activity presented at ID Week 2018 conference: SER-109 data from the completed Phase 2 study provided insights into the potential mechanism of action of microbiome therapeutics for C. difficile infection. Presented results showed that SER-109 administration led to changes in the metabolic products created by the microbiome, including higher concentrations of secondary bile acids thought to be inhibitory to C. difficile growth.
SER-287 development activity: The Company has made operational progress towards initiating a SER-287 Phase 2b clinical study in patients with active mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). To expedite the time and resources required to obtain top-line results from this study, the Company has modified the previously planned four-arm placebo-controlled study design into a smaller, three-arm study in approximately 200 patients that will include two different doses of SER-287, both following pretreatment with oral vancomycin, and a placebo arm. Seres has designed this study as a potentially pivotal trial, and the Company is awaiting feedback from the FDA on this final study design.

Based on modification to the Nestlé Health Science collaboration agreement, Seres now expects to receive $40 million in milestone payments from Nestlé Health Science following initiation of the SER-287 Phase 2b study. Because the SER-287 Phase 2b study could serve as a pivotal trial, the parties agreed that at initiation of the SER-287 Phase 2b study Seres would receive $40 million in contractual payments corresponding to both the Phase 2 milestone and a payment of the Phase 3 milestone.
SER-401 immuno-oncology development activity: In collaboration with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and MD Anderson Cancer Center, Seres is continuing activities to prepare the evaluation of the potential for SER-401 to augment checkpoint inhibitor response in patients with metastatic melanoma.
New Chief Medical Officer: Seres appointed Kevin Horgan, M.D., as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Horgan will lead Seres’ clinical development, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and medical affairs functions, and report directly to Dr. Pomerantz. He succeeds Seres’ outgoing Chief Medical Officer, Michele Trucksis, Ph.D., M.D., who will continue to provide clinical consulting services to the Company. Over a three-decade academic and industry career, Dr. Horgan has contributed to the development and approval of multiple therapeutics across immunology and oncology indications. Most recently, Dr. Horgan was Vice President of Clinical Development at AstraZeneca where he led the development of combination immuno-oncology programs. Dr. Horgan earned his medical degree from University College Cork in Ireland and did his medical residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Financial Results

Seres reported a net loss of $21.9 million for the third quarter of 2018, as compared to a net loss of $6.9 million for the same period in 2017. The third quarter net loss was driven primarily by clinical and development expenses, personnel expenses, and ongoing development of the Company’s microbiome therapeutics platform. The third quarter net loss figure was inclusive of $9.1 million in recognized revenue primarily associated with the Company’s collaboration with Nestlé Health Science.

Research and development expenses for the third quarter were $23.7 million, as compared to $22.2 million for the same period in 2017. The research and development expenses were primarily related to Seres’ microbiome therapeutics platform, the clinical development of SER-109, SER-262 and SER-287, as well as the Company’s SER-301, SER-155 and immuno-oncology preclinical programs.

General and administrative expenses for the third quarter were $7.6 million, as compared to $8.1 million for the same period in the prior year. General and administrative expenses were primarily due to headcount, professional fees, and facility costs.

The decrease in cash, cash equivalents and investments balance during the quarter was $23.2 million. Seres ended the third quarter with approximately $72.9 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments. Current resources, that do not include $40 million of milestone payments that the Company expects to receive following the initiation of the SER-287 Phase 2b study, are expected to fund the Company into the second quarter of 2019.

Conference Call Information

Seres’ management will host a conference call today, November 8, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. ET. To access the conference call, please dial 844-277-9450 (domestic) or 336-525-7139 (international) and reference the conference ID number 9877087. Accompanying slides will be made available on the Seres website prior to the call. To join the live webcast, please visit the "Investors and Media" section of the Seres website at www.serestherapeutics.com.

A webcast replay will be available on the Seres website beginning approximately two hours after the event and will be archived for at least 21 days.