On October 23, 2017 Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL) reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2017 (Press release, Vical, OCT 23, 2017, View Source [SID1234521088]). Net loss for the third quarter of 2017 was $3.1 million, or $0.27 per share, compared with a net loss of $2.5 million, or $0.24 per share, for the third quarter of 2016. Revenues for the third quarter of 2017 were $3.2 million, compared with revenues of $2.6 million for the third quarter of 2016, reflecting revenues from Astellas Pharma Inc. for services performed under ASP0113 collaborative agreements.
Vical had cash and investments of $35.2 million at September 30, 2017. The Company’s cash burn for the first nine months of 2017 was $6.9 million, which was consistent with the Company’s full year guidance of between $8 million and $11 million.
Program updates include:
ASP0113 CMV Therapeutic Vaccine
The multinational Phase 3 registration trial in HCT recipients completed enrollment in September 2016 with a total of 515 patients. As recently announced, the last patient completed their final assessment in the one year follow-up period in September 2017. The primary endpoint of the trial is a composite of overall mortality and CMV end organ disease which will be assessed one year after transplantation. Astellas expects top-line data to be available in the first quarter of 2018. Vical and Astellas continue to make progress towards a potential Biologics License Application filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Assuming a successful trial outcome, Astellas would seek to commercialize ASP0113 in North America, Europe, and Asia.
VCL-HB01 HSV-2 Therapeutic Vaccine
Vical is developing the HSV-2 therapeutic vaccine, VCL-HB01, to treat patients with symptomatic genital herpes infection. The vaccine is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in healthy adult subjects, 18 to 50 years of age who are randomized 2:1 to receive either vaccine or placebo. Recruitment of 261 subjects at 15 U.S. clinical sites was completed in April 2017 and 4-dose vaccination series was completed in July 2017. Following the 4th vaccination, each subject entered a 12-month surveillance period during which each new lesion recurrence is assessed in the clinic by the investigator. Once all subjects have completed a minimum of 9-months of surveillance, the primary endpoint of annualized recurrence rate will be calculated based on those recurrences that are both clinically- and virologically-confirmed. This endpoint provides important information on the number of recurrences over time in this chronic disease setting and is clinically meaningful for both patients and treating physicians. Vical remains on target to deliver top-line results during the second quarter of 2018.
VL-2397 Antifungal
Vical is developing its novel antifungal, VL-2397, for the treatment of patients with invasive fungal infections. The FDA has advised that VL‑2397 would be eligible for a Limited Use Indication (LUI) approval for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis, assuming a successful outcome of a single Phase 2 trial carried out in accordance with a protocol and statistical analysis plan consistent with the Agency’s advice. The final determination whether the drug is approvable will be made by FDA after review of all relevant data. The Company intends to initiate a Phase 2 trial of VL-2397 for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in the fourth quarter of 2017. In addition, the FDA has granted Vical Qualified Infectious Disease Product, Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations to VL-2397 for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis.
Vical will conduct a conference call and webcast today, October 23, at noon Eastern Time, to discuss the Company’s financial results and program updates with invited participants. The call and webcast are open on a listen-only basis to any interested parties. To listen to the conference call, dial in approximately ten minutes before the scheduled call to (719)457-2619 (preferred), or (888)349-9582 (toll-free), and reference confirmation code 3889356. A replay of the call will be available for 48 hours beginning about two hours after the call. To listen to the replay, dial (719)457-0820 (preferred) or (888)203-1112 (toll-free) and enter replay passcode 3889356. The webcast will also be available live and archived through the events page at www.vical.com. For further information, contact Vical’s Investor Relations department by phone at (858)646-1127 or by e-mail at [email protected].