On August 19, 2021 TScan Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TCRX) (TScan or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cell therapies (TCR-T) for the treatment of patients with cancer, reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, highlighted recent program progress, and outlined key upcoming milestones (Press release, TScan Therapeutics, AUG 19, 2021, View Source [SID1234586755]).
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"TScan achieved significant milestones this quarter, including the completion of our IPO that provided additional capital to execute on our long-term goals of advancing transformational TCR-T therapies for patients," said David Southwell, Chief Executive Officer and President at TScan. "We are on track in advancing our early-stage pipeline of liquid and solid tumor TCR-T therapy candidates to the clinic. Specifically, we plan to complete IND-enabling studies for our lead liquid tumor candidates, TSC-100 and TSC-101, and submit IND applications to the FDA during the fourth quarter. Additionally, we continue to progress our solid tumor program with the ongoing discovery of novel shared T cell targets and are advancing our TSC-200 series candidates against four targets with a goal to treat patients with multiplexed therapy."
Second Quarter 2021 and Recent Business Highlights
Financial and Corporate
In July 2021, TScan completed its initial public offering (IPO), raising $100 million in aggregate gross proceeds, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, and began trading on The Nasdaq Global Market. The IPO followed the closing of a Series C preferred stock financing of $100 million in gross proceeds in January 2021.
In July 2021, Gavin MacBeath, Ph.D., TScan’s Chief Scientific Officer, presented findings from TScan’s work to discover the targets of T cells in recovering COVID-19 patients at the Cell-Mediated Therapies for Infectious Disease Summit. The presentation also featured in vitro data comparing several polyepitope T-cell vaccine candidates based on the Company’s novel T cell target discoveries.
In May 2021, TScan appointed Brian M. Silver as Chief Financial Officer, and Gabriela Gruia M.D., to its Board of Directors. Mr. Silver brings more than 25 years of diverse strategic and financial experience within the healthcare and investment banking sectors to TScan, including as a managing director in the healthcare group of Morgan Stanley, as a partner at Perella Weinberg Partners, and his most recent role as Chief Financial Officer at Freeline Therapeutics. Dr. Gruia is a seasoned oncology drug development executive with more than 25 years of global regulatory and research experience, including her prior role as Senior Vice President and Head of Regulatory Affairs for Novartis Oncology. TScan also named Timothy Barberich, the founder and former Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Sepracor Inc., as Chair of TScan’s Board of Directors.
Upcoming Expected Milestones and Key Priorities
Liquid Tumor Programs: TScan’s two lead liquid tumor TCR-T therapy candidates, TSC-100 and TSC-101, are designed to target HA-1 and HA-2, respectively, and treat patients with hematological malignancies who are undergoing allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Present additional preclinical data of TSC-100 and TSC-101 during the fourth quarter of 2021.
Complete Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies and submit IND applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TSC-100 and TSC-101 during the fourth quarter 2021.
Initiate clinical trials for TSC-100 and TSC-101 in the first half of 2022 with initial top-line data expected in the second half of 2022.
Solid Tumor Programs: TScan’s TSC-200 series of TCR-T therapy candidates include a combination of known targets, such as HPV16 for TSC-200 and PRAME for TSC-203, as well as targets that are novel antigens for TCR-T therapy, such as for TSC-201 and TSC-202.
Present additional preclinical data of TSC-200 series during the first half of 2022.
Complete three IND-enabling studies for TSC-200 series and submit subsequent IND applications to FDA during the second half of 2022. A fourth IND is also planned for the first half of 2023.
Infectious Disease Program
Continue research into potential second generation COVID-19 vaccine constructs utilizing TScan’s novel T cell target discoveries.
Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results
As of June 30, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents totaling $106.2 million, which excludes gross proceeds of $100 million from the IPO. Based on the Company’s current operating plan, TScan expects that cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2021, combined with the proceeds from the IPO, will enable it to fund its operating expenses into 2024.
Research and development expenses for the second quarter 2021 were $10.8 million, compared to $4.5 million for the second quarter 2020.
General and administrative expenses for the second quarter 2021 were $2.7 million, compared to $1.1 million for the second quarter 2020.
Net loss for the second quarter 2021 was $10.7 million or $7.69 per common share compared to a net loss of $5.6 million or $6.18 per common share for the second quarter 2020. Net loss per share was calculated using 1.3 million weighted average common shares and 0.9 million weighted average common shares outstanding for the second quarter of 2021 and 2020, respectively, both of which periods exclude the conversion of preferred shares and the issuance of new shares of common stock in the IPO.
On July 20, 2021, the Company issued 6,666,667 shares of common stock in the IPO, raising gross proceeds of $100 million, and bringing the total shares outstanding to 23,965,724, which consists of 18,822,590 shares of voting common stock and 5,143,134 shares of non-voting common stock.