On May 6, 2020 Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: BCYC), a biotechnology company pioneering a new and differentiated class of therapeutics based on its proprietary bicyclic peptide (Bicycles) technology, reported that management will present at the Bank of America 2020 Health Care Conference on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. ET (Press release, Bicycle Therapeutics, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557082]). The conference will be held in a virtual meeting format.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

A live webcast of the presentation will be accessible in the Investors & Media section of Bicycle’s website at www.bicycletherapeutics.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for 60 days following the presentation date.

On May 6, 2020 Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the action date by three months for the biologics license application (BLA) for lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma after at least two prior therapies (Press release, Bristol-Myers Squibb, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557081]). The new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date set by the FDA is November 16, 2020.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Subsequent to the submission and acceptance of the BLA and upon FDA request, the company submitted additional information to the FDA, which was deemed to constitute a major amendment to the application and will require additional time for FDA review. The company will work closely with the FDA to support the continued review of the BLA for liso-cel and is committed to bringing this therapy to patients.

For Holders of Contingent Value Rights (CVR), Ticker BMY-RT

U.S. FDA approval of liso-cel by December 31, 2020 is one of the required remaining milestones of the Contingent Value Rights issued upon the close of the Celgene acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2019. The other is U.S. FDA approval of Idecabtagene Vicleucel (ide-cel) by March 31, 2021.

The company is committed to working with FDA to progress both applications and achieve the remaining regulatory milestones required by the CVR.

About Lisocabtagene Maraleucel (liso-cel)

Liso-cel is an investigational chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy designed to target CD19, which is a surface glycoprotein expressed during normal B-cell development and maintained following malignant transformation of B cells. Liso-cel aims to target CD19-expressing cells through a CAR construct that includes an anti-CD19 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) targeting domain for antigen specificity, a transmembrane domain, a 4-1BB costimulatory domain hypothesized to increase T-cell proliferation and persistence, and a CD3-zeta T-cell activation domain. The defined composition of CAR-positive viable T-cells (consisting of CD8 and CD4 components) in liso-cel may reduce product variability; however, the clinical significance of defined composition is unknown.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Advancing Cancer Research

At Bristol Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. The goal of our cancer research is to increase patients’ quality of life, long-term survival and make cure a possibility. We harness our deep scientific experience, cutting-edge technologies and discovery platforms to discover, develop and deliver novel treatments for patients.

Building upon our transformative work and legacy in hematology and Immuno-Oncology that has changed survival expectations for many cancers, our researchers are advancing a deep and diverse pipeline across multiple modalities. In the field of immune cell therapy, this includes registrational CAR T cell agents for numerous diseases, and a growing early-stage pipeline that expands cell and gene therapy targets, and technologies. We are developing cancer treatments directed at key biological pathways using our protein homeostasis platform, a research capability that has been the basis of our approved therapies for multiple myeloma and several promising compounds in early- to mid-stage development. Our scientists are targeting different immune system pathways to address interactions between tumors, the microenvironment and the immune system to further expand upon the progress we have made and help more patients respond to treatment. Combining these approaches is key to delivering new options for the treatment of cancer and addressing the growing issue of resistance to immunotherapy. We source innovation internally, and in collaboration with academia, government, advocacy groups and biotechnology companies, to help make the promise of transformational medicines a reality for patients.

On May 6, 2020 LabCorp (NYSE: LH) reported that members of the executive management team will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the Bank of America Securities 2020 Health Care Conference on Wednesday, May 13, at 10:20 a.m. ET (Press release, LabCorp, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557080]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available via the company website at www.LabCorp.com and archived for replay.

On May 6, 2020 Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNCE), a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers, reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 and provided a corporate update (Press release, Jounce Therapeutics, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557079]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"The start to 2020 has been marked by unprecedented times as the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been felt globally. Through this challenging environment, Jounce remains committed to driving our novel science forward as we work hard to bring long-lasting benefit to cancer patients with critical unmet needs and I am proud of our team’s strength and commitment during this time," said Richard Murray, Ph.D., chief executive officer and president of Jounce Therapeutics. "Though both the enrollment of the EMERGE Phase 2 trial and initiation of the SELECT Phase 2 trial have been modestly impacted by COVID-19, we are dedicated to the continued advancement of vopratelimab while simultaneously keeping the safety of our patients, employees and clinical collaborators at the forefront of our work. We look forward to executing on our milestones as we work diligently to progress our pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs."

Pipeline Update:
Clinical Programs: Vopratelimab and JTX-4014
Jounce currently expects a modest delay of approximately 2 to 3 months to both EMERGE interim analysis and initiation of the SELECT clinical trial due to COVID-19.

Phase 2 EMERGE trial interim analysis data: EMERGE trial enrollment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on or after both a platinum-based regimen and a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor is expected to be complete mid-year 2020, and per protocol, will include at least 18 weeks of clinical plus biomarker data from all evaluable patients. The interim analysis will be conducted approximately 6 months after the last patient is enrolled and as such has shifted into early 2021.
Phase 2 SELECT trial initiation: Preparations continue for the initiation of the randomized SELECT trial to evaluate vopratelimab in combination with JTX-4014, a PD-1 inhibitor, versus JTX-4014 alone, in PD-1 inhibitor naive TISvopra biomarker selected patients in second line NSCLC. Jounce expects to enroll approximately 75 patients, outside the U.S. Despite the approximate 2 to 3 month delay to initiate the trial due to COVID-19, Jounce still expects to report clinical data in 2021.
Identified TISvopra predictive biomarker for Phase 2 SELECT trial: In February 2020, Jounce presented new data identifying the predictive biomarker associated with vopratelimab patient selection, known as TISvopra, a baseline RNA signature with a threshold optimized for the prediction of the emergence of ICOS hi CD4 T cells which is expected to predict for both vopratelimab and PD-1 activity.
Pre-Clinical Program: JTX-1811

Announced CCR8 as the JTX-1811 target: CCR8 is a chemokine receptor enriched on intra-tumoral T regulatory cells. CCR8 was one of Jounce’s top choices of T regulatory targets stemming from its systematic interrogation of the tumor microenvironment using its discovery engine. JTX-1811, the next potential first-in-class development program, is a monoclonal antibody designed to selectively deplete immuno-suppressive T regulatory cells. When JTX-1811 binds to CCR8, it targets the T regulatory cells for depletion by enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Jounce will present new preclinical data at the second portion of the virtual 2020 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting being held June 22-24 and expects to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the first half of 2021.
Corporate Update:

COVID-19 and Jounce operations: Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Jounce has taken key precautions in line with guidance from public health officials to ensure the health and safety of its employees, patients enrolled in clinical trials, investigators and clinical collaborators. Critical research lab work continues on site, while non-laboratory employees are working remotely.
First Quarter 2020 Financial Results:

Cash position: As of March 31, 2020, cash, cash equivalents and investments were $148.6 million, compared to $170.4 million as of December 31, 2019. The decrease in cash, cash equivalents and investments was primarily due to operating expenses incurred during the period.
License and collaboration revenue: We did not recognize any license and collaboration revenue in the first quarter of 2020. License and collaboration revenue recognized during the first quarter of 2019 was comprised solely of non-cash revenue recognition related to the original strategic collaboration with Celgene which ended in July 2019.
Research and development expenses: Research and development expenses were $19.6 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared to $17.3 million for the same period in 2019. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily due to increased external clinical and regulatory costs associated with the EMERGE and SELECT clinical trials and increased employee compensation costs, partially offset by decreased IND-enabling expenses.
General and administrative expenses: General and administrative expenses were $7.5 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared to $7.2 million for the same period in 2019. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to increased professional service fees.
Net loss: Net loss was $26.4 million for the first quarter of 2020, resulting in basic and diluted net loss per share of $0.78. Net loss was $12.4 million for the same period in 2019, resulting in a basic and diluted net loss per share of $0.38. The increase in net loss and net loss per share was primarily attributable to a decrease in license and collaboration revenue and an increase in operating expenses.
Financial Guidance:
Based on its current operating and development plans, Jounce continues to expect gross cash burn on operating expenses and capital expenditures for the full year 2020 to be approximately $80.0 million to $95.0 million.

Given the strength of its balance sheet, Jounce expects its existing cash, cash equivalents and investments to be sufficient to enable the funding of its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through the end of 2021.

Conference Call and Webcast Information:
Jounce Therapeutics will host a live conference call and webcast today at 8:00 a.m. ET. To access the conference call, please dial (866) 916-3380 (domestic) or (210) 874-7772 (international) and refer to conference ID 4044098. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors and Media section of Jounce’s website at www.jouncetx.com. The webcast will be archived and made available for replay on Jounce’s website approximately two hours after the call and will be available for 30 days.

On May 6, 2020 Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and highlighted recent corporate updates (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557078]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Recent Corporate Updates

Pain Management Franchise

New Drug Application for HTX-011: In September 2019, Heron resubmitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for HTX-011, an investigational agent for the management of postoperative pain. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date is June 26, 2020.

Contract Manufacturing Site for HTX-011: In February 2020, Heron announced that the contract manufacturing site used to manufacture HTX-011 has been reinspected by the FDA with no Form 483 observations issued and with a recommendation by the FDA inspector for approval of the site. Heron has not been informed of any other manufacturing concerns.

Marketing Authorisation Application for HTX-011 in the European Union: In March 2019, Heron’s Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for review under the Centralised Procedure. The medical device certification required for approval in the European Union (EU) for the custom Luer lock applicator developed for application of HTX-011 without a needle was delayed. An opinion from the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) is now anticipated in the second half of 2020.

New Drug Submission for HTX-011 in Canada: In December 2019, Heron’s New Drug Submission (NDS) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was granted Priority Review status and accepted by Health Canada. Health Canada’s Priority Review status provides an accelerated 6-month review target for the NDS. Heron received the Certificate of Registration for the custom Luer lock applicator issued under the Medical Devices Single Audit Program for the medical device license in Canada. A decision by Health Canada on the NDS is anticipated in the third quarter of 2020.

CINV Franchise

CINV Net Product Sales: For the three months ended March 31, 2020, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) franchise net product sales were $25.4 million, compared to $31.6 million for the same period in 2019.

CINVANTI Net Product Sales: Net product sales of CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $25.2 million, compared to $28.0 million for the same period in 2019. Heron expects the impact of the generic arbitrage to be resolved in 2020, with a return to growth in 2021 and beyond.

SUSTOL Net Product Sales: Net product sales of SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $0.2 million, compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2019. On October 1, 2019, the Company discontinued all discounting of SUSTOL, which resulted in significantly lower SUSTOL net product sales. Heron expects SUSTOL to return to growth in 2021 and beyond.

2020 Net Product Sales Guidance: Heron expects 2020 net product sales for the CINV franchise of $70 million to $80 million and the CINV franchise to return to growth in 2021 and beyond.

"We are encouraged by a recent communication with the FDA where they indicated that they continue on schedule with their review of the NDA for HTX-011, with a PDUFA date of June 26, 2020," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "For the CINV franchise, our customers are benefiting from the administration of CINVANTI by 2-minute IV push, an important product advantage compared to competitive products, which has led to strong first-quarter net product sales of $25.4 million."

Financial Results

Net product sales for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $25.4 million, compared to $31.6 million for the same period in 2019.

Heron’s net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $51.6 million, or $0.57 per share, compared to $63.0 million, or $0.80 per share, for the same period in 2019. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $12.0 million, compared to $17.9 million for the same period in 2019.

As of March 31, 2020, Heron had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $356.3 million, compared to $391.0 million as of December 31, 2019. Net cash used for operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $32.9 million, compared to $49.0 million for the same period in 2019. Heron expects that its current cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operations into 2022.

About HTX-011 for Postoperative Pain

HTX-011, an investigational non-opioid, is a dual-acting, fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine with a low dose of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. It is the first and only extended-release local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and opioid use through 72 hours compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control. HTX-011 was granted Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the fourth quarter of 2017 and Breakthrough Therapy designation in the second quarter of 2018. Heron submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for HTX-011 in October of 2018 and received Priority Review designation in December of 2018. A Complete Response Letter (CRL) was received from the FDA regarding the NDA for HTX-011 on April 30, 2019 relating to chemistry, manufacturing and controls and non-clinical information. No issues related to clinical efficacy or safety were noted. Heron resubmitted an NDA to the FDA for HTX-011 in September 2019. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date is June 26, 2020. A Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for HTX-011 was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in March 2019 for review under the Centralised Procedure. Heron’s New Drug Submission (NDS) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was granted Priority Review status by Health Canada in October 2019 and accepted by Health Canada in November 2019.

About CINVANTI (Aprepitant) Injectable Emulsion

CINVANTI, in combination with other antiemetic agents, is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin as a single-dose regimen, delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC) as a single-dose regimen, and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of MEC as a 3-day regimen. CINVANTI is an IV formulation of aprepitant, a substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist (RA). CINVANTI is the first IV formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is the only single-agent NK1 RA to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy). The FDA-approved dosing administration included in the United States prescribing information for CINVANTI is a 30-minute IV infusion or a 2-minute IV injection.

About SUSTOL (Granisetron) Extended-Release Injection

SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that utilizes Heron’s Biochronomer drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL’s efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL’s efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy).