Cellectis Provides Business Update and Reports 4th Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results

On March 4, 2021 Cellectis (Euronext Growth: ALCLS; Nasdaq: CLLS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies based on allogeneic gene-edited CAR T-cells (UCART), reported its results for the fourth quarter of 2020, and full year ending December 31, 2020 (Press release, Cellectis, MAR 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234576094]).

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!

Cellectis will hold a conference call for investors on Friday, March 5, 2021 at 8:00 AM EST / 2:00 PM CET. The call will include the Company’s fourth quarter results, year-end results, and an update on business activities.

The live dial-in information for the conference call is:
US & Canada only: +1 877-407-3104

International: +1 201-493-6792

In addition, a replay of the call will be available until March 19th, by calling +1 877-660-6853 (Toll Free US & Canada); +1 201-612-7415 (Toll Free International).

Conference ID: 13716471

"2020 was a challenging but very fruitful year for Cellectis," said Dr. André Choulika, Chief Executive Officer of Cellectis. "We moved forward with our three Cellectis-sponsored clinical studies, and shared preliminary results for our BALLI-01 study at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper). AMELI-01 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid lymphomia (r/r AML) and BALLI-01 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r B-ALL) are enrolling patients at dose level 2 with FCA (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and alemtuzumab) lymphodepletion regimen. Our MELANI-01 clinical study for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (r/r MM) has restarted patient enrollment. We are planning to share selected updated interim data in 2021."

"In connection with the completion of our manufacturing facilities in Raleigh, NC and Paris, FR, and the ongoing expansion of our clinical trials and product candidate pipeline, we expanded the level of expertise within our general management, clinical, and global manufacturing teams, hiring renowned biopharma industry experts. We are well positioned on all fronts moving into 2021 and beyond, and are determined to start this year exactly how we finished out the last; determined and committed to serve patients with unmet medical needs," Dr. Choulika continued.

"As we anticipate our manufacturing facilities becoming fully functional in 2021, we are on track to achieve manufacturing autonomy from buffers to starting materials to the production of UCART products for clinical and commercial supply, a significant milestone towards becoming a fully bio-pharmaceutical company. We are excited for our manufacturing facilities to give Cellectis the potential to support our ongoing and future clinical studies, allowing strong clinical execution in the coming years."

Fourth Quarter 2020 and Recent Highlights

Proprietary Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Development Programs

Cellectis announced on November 4, 2020 the release of two abstracts at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2020 Annual Meeting, one oral presentation of preliminary data from its BALLI-01 clinical trial and one Trials in Progress poster presentation of its AMELI-01 clinical trial.

Cellectis’ first clinical data reported at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) 2020 Oral presentation; BALLI-01 investigating UCART22 product candidate in r/r B-ALL

Preliminary results from Cellectis’ dose escalation Phase 1 BALLI-01 study of UCART22 product candidate in relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r B-ALL) were presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. This is the first publicly released data from Cellectis’ BALLI-01 clinical trial.

As of the November 2, 2020 data cutoff, 7 patients were enrolled, and 5 patients received UCART22 after fludarabine/cyclophosphamide preconditioning. One patient failed screening and one patient was discontinued prior to the administration of UCART22 due to an adverse event related to the lymphodepletion regimen.

No patient experienced a DLT, ICANS, GvHD, or an adverse event of special interest (AESI). No UCART22-related Grade 3 or higher adverse events (AE) or serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported. Two patients experienced a Grade 1 cytokine release syndrome, or CRS, and one patient experienced Grade 2 CRS. Three patients experienced four treatment-emergent SAEs not related to UCART22 treatment. No patient discontinued treatment due to a UCART22-related treatment-emergent adverse event. Two patients in Dose Level 1 achieved an objective response of complete remission with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi) at Day 28, one of which attained a complete remission (CR) at Day 42 and received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant after subsequent therapy with inotuzumab. One patient in Dose Level 2 with refractory disease did achieve a noteworthy reduction in bone marrow blasts (60% at screening, 16% at Day-1, 65% at Day 14, down to 13% at Day 28) after treatment with UCART22, but then progressed. Host lymphocyte reconstitution was observed in all patients within the DLT period (range Day 9-Day 28). Correlative analysis of UCART cell expansion and persistence is ongoing. UCART22 demonstrated preliminary signs of activity at low dose levels with fludarabine/cyclophosphamide (FC) lymphodepletion regimen, without unexpected nor significant treatment-related toxicities. Host immune recovery was observed early, supporting activation of the addition of alemtuzumab to the FC lymphodepletion regimen which is expected to result in a deeper and more sustained cell depletion.

ASH 2020 Poster Presentation: AMELI-01 investigating UCART123 product candidate in R/R AML

AMELI-01 is a Phase 1, multi-center clinical study of Cellectis’ UCART123 product candidate designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary anti-leukemia activity of UCART123 cells in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML).

Additional objectives include the determination of the maximum tolerated dose or suitable lower dose for expansion; characterization of the expansion, trafficking and persistence of UCART123 cells; assessment of cytokine, chemokine and C-reactive protein expression after UCART123 cell infusion; and assessment of immune cell depletion, reconstitution and immune response.

MELANI-01 clinical trial in r/r MM patients – clinical hold lifted

The MELANI-01 clinical study is a Phase 1, multicenter clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety, expansion, persistence and clinical activities of UCARTCS1 in patients with r/r MM. On November 17, 2020, Cellectis announced that the FDA lifted the clinical hold on the Phase 1 MELANI-01 trial evaluating the UCARTCS1 product candidate in patients with r/r MM.

Cellectis worked closely with the FDA during this period to address the agency’s requests. Cellectis continues to work with the clinical site staff and investigators to efficiently obtain the required local approvals to reopen the trial and resume patient enrollment.

Partnered Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Development Programs

UCART19, ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A (targeting CD19) are being jointly developed under a collaboration agreement between Servier and Allogene based on an exclusive license granted by Cellectis to Servier. UCART19, ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A use Cellectis technologies. Servier grants to Allogene exclusive rights to UCART19, ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A in the U.S. while Servier retains exclusive rights for all other countries.

BCMA and CD70 are CAR targets exclusively licensed by Cellectis. ALLO-715 (targeting BCMA) and ALLO-316 (targeting CD70) utilize TALEN gene-editing technology pioneered and owned by Cellectis. Allogene has an exclusive license to the Cellectis technology for allogeneic products directed at the BCMA and CD70 targets. Allogene holds global development and commercial rights for these investigational candidates.

ALLO-715 in relapsed/refractory Multiple Myeloma

In December 2020, Allogene Therapeutics announced positive initial results from its Phase 1 UNIVERSAL clinical study of ALLO-715 in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (r/r MM). Data were presented at an oral session of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) annual meeting. This study utilizes ALLO-647, Allogene’s anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (mAb), as a part of its differentiated lymphodepletion regimen.

As of the October 30, 2020 data cutoff, 35 patients were enrolled with 31 patients evaluable for safety and 26 patients evaluable for efficacy. ALLO-715 in combination with the lymphodepletion regimens, each including ALLO-647, were well tolerated with no graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) observed. Grade 1 and Grade 2 cytokine release syndrome, or CRS, was reported in 14 patients (45%) and was manageable with standard therapies. Infection events of Grade 3 of higher in the trial reported in 5 patients (16%) was similar to what has been reported in other advanced multiple myeloma studies. Adverse events of Grade 3 or higher, reported as serious adverse events, occurred in 19% of patients. A single Grade 5 event related to progressive myeloma and the cyclophosphamide and ALLO-647 conditioning regimen was reported. At dose level 3 of ALLO-715 (320M cells) within the FCA lymphodepletion regimen, 6 of 10 (60%) patients achieved an overall response rate (ORR) and 4 of 10 (40%) patients achieved a very good partial response (VGPR) or better (VGPR+). A minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment was completed in five of the six patients achieving VGPR+ across all cohorts and all lymphodepletion regimens, and all achieved an MRD negative status. With a median follow-up for efficacy of 3.2 months, 6 of 9 (67%) responding patients treated at dose level 3 (320M cells) or dose level 4 (480M cells) of ALLO-715 remain in response as of the October 2020 data cutoff.

In December 2020, Allogene announced that the FDA had approved the IND for ALLO-715 in combination with nirogacestat, a SpringWorks Therapeutics’ investigational gamma secretase inhibitor, in patients with r/r MM.

ALLO-501 and ALLO-501A in relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

In February 2020, Allogene announced that the FDA had approved the IND for a Phase 1 clinical study for ALLO-501A, in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), the ALPHA2 study. ALLO-501A was created to eliminate the rituximab recognition domains in ALLO-501, allowing for use in a broader patient population, including those NHL patients with recent rituximab exposure.

In May 2020, Allogene, in collaboration with Servier, reported results from the ALPHA study, a Phase 1 clinical study for ALLO-501 in relapsed or refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting. This study utilizes ALLO-647, Allogene’s anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (mAb), as a part of its differentiated lymphodepletion regimen.

As of the May 2020 data cutoff, 22 patients were evaluable for safety and 19 patients were evaluable for efficacy with at least one month tumor assessment. ALLO-501 in combination with the lymphodepletion regimen of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and ALLO-647 was well tolerated, with no dose-limiting toxicities, graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) or immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) observed. Cytokine release syndrome, or CRS, occurred in seven (32%) of the patients, was mainly mild to moderate in severity, manageable with standard recommendations, and all events resolved within a maximum of seven days. Four patients (18%) experienced serious adverse events ("SAEs"): one patient had Grade 2 pyrexia and Grade 2 cytomegalovirus ("CMV") reactivation which resolved in two days and six days, respectively; one patient had Grade 3 rotavirus infection and Grade 3 hypokalemia which resolved in 15 days and two days, respectively; one patient had Grade 3 febrile neutropenia and Grade 3 hypotension which each resolved in two days; and one patient had a Grade 3 upper GI hemorrhage which resolved in one day and Grade 3 CMV reactivation which resolved in 25 days. Across all dose levels, seven complete responses (CR) and five partial responses (PR) were observed for an overall response rate (ORR) of 63% and CR rate of 37%. With a median follow-up of 3.8 months, nine of twelve (75%) responder patients remain in response as of the May 2020 data cutoff. Higher dose ALLO-647 were associated with higher CR rates, deeper lymphodepletion and delayed host T cell recovery. Within the overall efficacy analysis, higher response rates were observed in CAR-T naïve patients, with an ORR of 75% and CR rate of 44%. Allogene has reported that it is continuing the ALPHA Study to further explore and optimize the lymphodepletion regimen and treatment.

UCART19 in pediatric and adult relapsed/refractory B-ALL
In December 2020, Servier published, in the Lancet journal, pooled results of the UCART19 clinical studies: one in adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), referred to as the CALM study, and one in pediatric ALL, referred to as the PALL study. Between June 2016 and October 2018, seven children and 14 adults were enrolled in the two studies and received UCART19. Cytokine release syndrome, or CRS, was the most common adverse event and was observed in 19 patients (91%); three (14%) of whom had grade 3 or 4 CRS. Other adverse events were grade 1 or 2 neurotoxicity in eight patients (38%), grade 1 acute skin graft-versus-host disease, or GvHD, in two patients (10%), and grade 4 prolonged cytopenia in six patients (32%). Two treatment-related deaths occurred; one caused by neutropenic sepsis in a patient with concurrent CRS and one from pulmonary hemorrhage in a patient with persistent cytopenia. 14 (67%) of 21 patients had a complete response (CR) or complete response with incomplete (Cri) hematological recovery 28 days after infusion. Patients not receiving alemtuzumab (n=4) showed no UCART19 expansion or antileukemic activity. The median duration of response was 4.1 months with ten (71%) of 14 responders proceeding to a subsequent allogeneic stem-cell transplant. Progression-free survival at 6 months was 27%, and overall survival was 55%. According to the article, these two studies show, for the first time, the feasibility of using allogeneic, genome-edited CAR T cells to treat patients with aggressive leukemia. UCART19 exhibited in-vivo expansion and antileukemic activity with a manageable safety profile in heavily pretreated pediatric and adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The PALL study and the CALM study are now completed with no additional patients planned for enrollment. All patients will continue the long-term follow-up study as planned. Servier and its development partner Allogene are reviewing the development strategy.

ALLO-316 in advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma

In December 2020, Allogene announced that the FDA had approved the IND for a Phase 1 clinical study for ALLO-316, in advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

New Partnerships

Cytovia Theraputics

In February 2021, Cellectis announced a strategic research and development collaboration with Cytovia Therapeutics to develop TALEN gene-edited iPSC-derived Natural Killer (NK) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-NK cells.

As per the Cytovia Agreement, Cellectis is eligible to receive an equity stake of $15 million in Cytovia stock or an upfront cash payment of $15 million if certain conditions are not met by December 31, 2021. Cellectis also received an option to participate in certain future financing rounds by Cytovia. In addition to this financial consideration, the Cytovia Agreement provides for aggregate additional payment of up to $760 million of development, regulatory and sales milestones from Cytovia to Cellectis. Cellectis will also receive single-digit royalty payments on the net sales of the partnered products commercialized by Cytovia.

Cellectis will develop custom TALEN, which Cytovia will use to edit iPSCs to derive in NK and CAR-NK cells for therapeutic use in several cancer indications. Cytovia will be responsible for the differentiation and expansion of the gene-edited iPSC master cell bank into NK cells and will conduct the pre-clinical evaluation, clinical development, and commercialization of the mutually-agreed-upon selected therapeutic candidates. Cellectis is granting Cytovia a worldwide license to its TALEN gene-editing technology, enabling Cytovia to modify NK cells addressing multiple gene targets for therapeutic use in several cancer indications.

Iovance Biotherapeutics

On December 30, 2019, Cellectis and Iovance Biotherapeutics entered into a research collaboration and exclusive worldwide license agreement whereby Cellectis grants Iovance an exclusive license under certain TALEN technology in order to develop tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) that have been genetically edited to create more potent cancer therapeutics. This license enables Iovance Biotherapeutics’ use of TALEN technology, addressing multiple gene targets to modify TIL for therapeutic use in several cancer indications. Financial terms of the license include development, regulatory and sales milestone payments from Iovance Biotherapeutics to Cellectis, as well as royalty payments based on net sales of TALEN-modified TIL products.

2020 Corporate Updates

New Appointments

Board Appointment:

In November 2020, Jean-Pierre Garnier, M.D. was appointed non-executive Chairman of the board of directors to work hand in hand with André Choulika, Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Garnier currently serves as Chairman of the board of directors of Carmat, as a director of Radius Therapeutics, and as lead director of Carrier Global Corp.

Most recently, Dr. Garnier was Chairman of Idorsia, a public bio-technology company based in. Switzerland and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX), which was spun off of Actelion LTD with a billion-dollar investment from Johnson & Johnson (J&J). Previous to his tenure at Idorsia, he was Chairman of Actelion Ltd., a Swiss pharmaceuticals and bio-technology company. In 2017, Actelion LTD was sold for $30 billion to J&J. Dr. Garnier holds an MS in pharmaceutical science and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the Louis Pasteur University of Strasbourg, France. He subsequently earned his MBA at Stanford University, California, as a Fulbright Scholar.

Human Resources:

Kyung Nam-Wortman joined Cellectis in November 2020 as Cellectis’ Chief Human Resources Officer. Ms. Nam-Wortman, who is based in Cellectis’ New York office joined the Company’s executive committee. In her new role at Cellectis, Ms. Nam-Wortman works closely with Cellectis CEO Dr. André Choulika and the executive management team to ensure that the Company advances its roadmap through the recruitment and retention of top talent, working to enhance Cellectis’ dynamic and inclusive culture, while optimizing the Company’s human resources function.

Ms. Nam-Wortman joined Cellectis from Achillion (recently acquired by Alexion in January 2020) where she served as Senior Vice President, Head of Human Resources, Head of Information Technology, Facilities and Internal Communications. At Achillion, she was responsible for leading the strategic and operational components of the aforementioned functions. In addition to her experience in biotech/biopharma, Ms. Nam-Wortman has 14 years of experience in the consulting industry focused on strategic and organization change management from Delta Consulting Group and IBM.

Clinical Development Appointments:

In April 2020, Carrie Brownstein, M.D., was appointed to the role of Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Brownstein leads clinical research and development, and is responsible for the development and execution of the integrated development strategy of Cellectis’ proprietary programs. Dr. Brownstein is based in the Cellectis New York office, and joined the Company’s executive committee.

Mark Frattini, M.D., Ph.D., joined Cellectis from Celgene/BMS in August 2020 as Senior Vice President of Clinical Sciences. In his new role, Dr. Frattini is responsible for Cellectis’ clinical leadership, including clinical strategy and execution of the Company’s current product candidates. Dr. Frattini also serves as a core member of the senior clinical team, under the leadership of Cellectis’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brownstein, and manages a team of physicians and clinical scientists.

Manufacturing/Technical Operations:

Steve Doares, Ph.D., joined Cellectis from Biogen in July 2020 as Senior Vice President, US Manufacturing and Site Head of the Raleigh, North Carolina manufacturing facility. Dr. Doares is responsible for the deployment of Cellectis’ proprietary state-of-the-art gene-editing cell manufacturing facility in Raleigh, which is being constructed to produce Cellectis’ current immune-oncology UCART product candidates for clinical and commercial supplies.

In May 2020, Leopold Bertea, Ph.D., was appointed to the role of Senior Vice President of Europe Technical Operations. He is responsible for ensuring execution across Technical Operations functions, including process development, analytical development, external supply, and the GMP Paris manufacturing facility that supports the development and production of Cellectis’ proprietary product candidates.

Dr. Bertea and Dr. Doares are jointly leading Cellectis’ technical operations, and succeed Bill
Monteith, who left the Company on August 6, 2020 to pursue other opportunities. Both joined the executive committee of the Company.

GMP Manufacturing

Construction of Cellectis’ in-house manufacturing facility in Paris is now complete. The 14,000 square foot manufacturing facility is designed to produce Cellectis’ critical raw and starting material supplies for UCART clinical studies and commercial products. GMP production has started on the Paris site in Q4 2020.

Cellectis’ in-house manufacturing facility in Raleigh remains on track for its anticipated go-live date
for the production of UCART product candidates in 2021. The 82,000 square foot commercial-scale manufacturing facility is designed to provide GMP manufacturing for clinical supplies and commercial manufacturing upon regulatory approval.

Intellectual Property:

In March 2020, Cellectis announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had granted to the Company a new patent covering methods of preparing allogeneic T-cells for immunotherapy with CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This patent US10,584,352 claims "a method of preparing and administering T-cells for immunotherapy comprising the steps of: (a) providing primary human T-cells from a donor, (b) genetically modifying the primary human T-cells to eliminate expression of the T-cell receptor (TCR), comprising expressing in the cells (i) a Cas9 endonuclease fused to a nuclear localization signal (NLS), and (ii) a guide RNA that directs said endonuclease to at least one targeted locus encoding the TCR in the T-cell genome, (c) expanding the genetically modified T-cells, and (d) administering at least 10,000 of the expanded genetically modified T-cells to a patient."

In January 2020, Cellectis was also granted European Patent EP3116902, which claims "a method for preparing an engineered T-cell comprising the steps of (a), inhibiting the expression of beta 2-microglobulin (2M) and/of class II major histocompatibility complex transactivator (CIITA) in a T-cell that has been provided; and (b) inactivating at least one gene encoding a component of the T-cell receptor (TCR) in said T-cell; and (c) introducing into said T-cell an exogenous nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) directed against at least one antigen expressed at the surface of a malignant or infected cell."

Scientific Publications

In January 2020, Cellectis announced the publication of a review titled "Off-the-shelf’ allogeneic CAR T cells: development and challenges" in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery by Prof. Stéphane Depil, Dr. Philippe Duchateau, Prof. Stephan Grupp, Prof. Ghulam Mufti and Dr. Laurent Poirot. The authors review the opportunities and challenges presented by universal allogeneic CAR T-cell therapies, such as the potential of taking T-cells from a healthy donor instead of using patient-derived cells and the challenge that graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) could potentially poses during treatment.

In June 2020, Cellectis published a new research paper in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. This article describes an innovative and easy-to-implement procedure which will streamline the manufacturing of allogeneic ‘off-the-shelf’ CAR T-cell therapies.

The methodology described in this article defines a novel non-mechanical purification strategy to generate TCRαβ negative (allogeneic) cells for CAR T-cell therapies. With an early and transient expression of an anti-CD3 CAR in the engineered donor T-cells, Cellectis programed these cells to self-eliminate the remaining TCR+ cell population and obtained an ultrapure TCRαβ(-) population (up to 99.9%) at the end of the CAR-T production.

Financial Results

The condensed consolidated financial statements of Cellectis, which consolidate the results of Calyxt, Inc. of which Cellectis is a 64.7% (as of December 31, 2020) stockholder, have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("GAAP").

We present certain financial metrics broken out between our two reportable segments – Therapeutics and Plants – in the appendices of this Q4 2020 and Full Year 2020 financial results press release.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results

Cash: As of December 31, 2020, Cellectis, including Calyxt, had $274 million in consolidated cash, cash equivalents, current financial assets, and restricted cash of which $244 million are attributable to Cellectis on a stand-alone basis. This compares to $364 million in consolidated cash, cash equivalents, current financial assets and restricted cash as of December 31, 2019 of which $304 million was attributable to Cellectis on a stand-alone basis. This net decrease of $90 million primarily reflects (i) $28 million of proceeds received from Servier in connection with the March 2020 amendment to the License, Development and Commercialization Agreement and (ii) a $21 million of principal amount of a loan from a bank syndicate in the form of a state-guaranteed loan (Prêt Garanti par l’Etat) (the "PGE"), (iii) $8 million of net proceeds received from Calyxt’s follow-on offering on October 20, 2020, excluding 1,250,000 shares of Calyxt common stock that Cellectis purchased for a purchase price of $5.0 million and $1.0 million of placement agent fees and other offering expenses and (iv) $9 million of favorable FOREX impact which was offset by (v) $112 million of net cash flows used in operating, investing and lease financing activities of Cellectis, and (vi) $44 million of net cash flows used in operating and capital expenditures activities of Calyxt. We believe that the consolidated cash, cash equivalents, current financial assets and restricted cash positions of Cellectis and Calyxt as of December 31, 2020 will be sufficient to fund the two companies’ operations into late 2022.

Revenues and Other Income: Consolidated revenues and other income were $16 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to $6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2019. Consolidated revenues and other income were $83 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $23 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. 72% of consolidated revenues and other income was attributable to Cellectis in the Full Year of 2020. This increase between the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was mainly attributable to the $28 million upfront payment received from Servier in March 2020 and the recognition of $19 million of other previously received upfront and milestone payments on the five released targets based on the March 2020 amendment of the License, Development and Commercialization Agreement signed with Servier. The remaining increase was explained primarily by higher high oleic soybean meal revenues at Calyxt.

Cost of Revenues: Consolidated cost of revenues were $19 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to $6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2019. Consolidated cost of revenues was $36 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $11 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. This increase was primarily explained by the cost of products sold during the period by Calyxt.

R&D Expenses: Consolidated R&D expenses were $23 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to $30 million for the three months ended December 31, 2019. Consolidated R&D expenses were $87 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $92 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. 89% of consolidated R&D expenses was attributable to Cellectis in the Full Year of 2020. The $5 million decrease between the Full Year of 2020 and 2019 was primarily attributable to (i) lower social charges on stock option grants and non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of respectively $1 million and $4 million and (ii) lower purchases, external expenses, and other expenses of $8 million, partially offset by(iv) higher employee expenses of $9 million.

SG&A Expenses: Consolidated SG&A expenses were $12 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to $9 million for the three months ended December 31, 2019. Consolidated SG&A expenses were $44 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $43 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. 51% of consolidated SG&A expenses was attributable to Cellectis in the Full Year of 2020. The $1 million increase was attributable to (i) higher employee expenses of $3 million and (ii) higher purchases, external expenses, and other expenses of $4 million which was partially offset by (iii) lower non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of $6 million.

Net Income (loss) Attributable to Shareholders of Cellectis: The consolidated net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis was $41 million (or $0.95 per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2020, of which $34 million was attributed to Cellectis, compared to $37 million (or $0.88 per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2019, of which $29 million was attributed to Cellectis. The consolidated net loss attributable to Shareholders of Cellectis was $81 million (or $1.91 per share) for the year ended December 31, 2020, of which $54 million loss was attributed to Cellectis, compared to a loss of $102 million (or $2.41 per share) for the year ended December 31, 2019, of which $75 million was attributable to Cellectis. This $18 million decrease in net loss between Full Year 2020 and 2019 was primarily driven by a significant increase in revenues of $59 million which was partially offset by an increase in operating expenses of $21 million and a decrease in net financial gains of $20 million.

Adjusted Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Shareholders of Cellectis:
The consolidated adjusted net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis was $38 million (or $0.88 per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2020, of which $31 million is attributed to Cellectis, compared to a net loss of $31 million (or $0.73 per share) for the three months ended December 31, 2019, of which $25 million was attributed to Cellectis. The consolidated adjusted net loss attributable to Shareholders of Cellectis was $67 million (or $1.57 per share) for the year ended December 31, 2020, of which $44 million loss was attributable to Cellectis, compared to a loss of $79 million (or $1.86 loss per share) for the year ended December 31, 2019, of which $60 million was attributable to Cellectis. Please see "Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis to adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis.

We currently foresee focusing our cash spending at Cellectis for the Full Year of 2021 in the following areas:

Supporting the development of our deep pipeline of product candidates, including the manufacturing and clinical trial expenses of UCART123, UCART22, UCARTCS1 and new product candidates, and
Operating our state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities in Paris, France, and Raleigh, NC; and
Continuing strengthening our manufacturing and clinical departments, including hiring talented personnel.

ERYTECH to Host Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Conference Call and Business Update

On March 4, 2021 ERYTECH Pharma (Nasdaq & Euronext: ERYP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies by encapsulating therapeutic drug substances inside red blood cells, reported that it will host its fourth quarter and full year 2020 conference call and webcast on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at 2:30 PM CET/8:30 AM ET to discuss operational highlights (Press release, ERYtech Pharma, MAR 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234576093]).

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!

DURECT Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results and Update of Programs

On March 4, 2021 DURECT Corporation (Nasdaq: DRRX) reported financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2020 and provided a corporate update (Press release, DURECT, MAR 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234576092]).

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!

"We have achieved a number of important milestones over the past few months, most significantly, initiating dosing in the DUR-928 AHFIRM trial in patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) and obtaining Fast Track Designation for that indication," stated James E. Brown, D.V.M., President and CEO of DURECT. "We also obtained FDA approval for POSIMIR and took steps to strengthen our financial position, our board and our management team as we advance the development of DUR-928, a potentially life-saving therapy for patients with severe AH."

Accomplishments since last earnings call:

Initiated patient dosing in the Phase 2b AHFIRM clinical study of DUR-928 in severe AH
DUR-928 was granted FDA Fast Track Designation for the treatment of AH
FDA approval of POSIMIR in adults to produce post-surgical analgesia for up to 72 hours following Arthroscopic Subacromial Decompression
Presented additional Safety Data and Efficacy Signals from the Phase 1b NASH trial at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience 2020
Appointment of two highly experienced biopharmaceutical board members
Sale of the LACTEL Absorbable Polymers product line to Evonik for $15 million in cash
Further strengthened our financial position by raising $47.8 million in equity since December 31, 2020
Financial highlights for Q4 and full year 2020:

On December 31, 2020, the Company completed the sale of its LACTEL Absorbable Polymers product line to Evonik Corporation for $15 million in cash, resulting in a gain of approximately $12.8 million which is reflected in net income and net loss for three and twelve months ended December 31, 2020, respectively. As a result of the sale, the operating results from our LACTEL product line have been excluded from continuing operations and presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) and Condensed Balance Sheets for all periods presented.
Total revenues were $2.2 million and net income was $4.4 million for the three months ended December 31, 2020 as compared to total revenues of $9.0 million and net loss of $4.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2019. Total revenues were $30.1 million and net loss was $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to total revenues of $25.1 million and net loss of $20.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
At December 31, 2020, cash, cash held in escrow and investments were $56.9 million, compared to cash and investments of $64.8 million at December 31, 2019. In Q1 2021, DURECT raised net proceeds of $47.8 million from an underwritten public offering and other sales of equity. Debt at December 31, 2020 was $20.8 million, compared to $20.3 million at December 31, 2019.
Major activities in 2021:

Ramping up clinical trial sites and enrollment in the Phase 2b AHFIRM trial of DUR-928 in severe AH
Initiating ex-US dosing in the AHFIRM trial
Commercial partnership discussions for POSIMIR, and potential subsequent commercial launch
Publication of the DUR-928 mechanism of action in a peer-reviewed journal
Determining next steps in NASH
Potential new license and collaboration agreements
Update on Selected Programs and Transactions:

Epigenetic Regulator Program. DUR-928, the lead product candidate in the Company’s Epigenetic Regulator Program, is an endogenous, orally bioavailable, first-in-class small molecule, which may have broad applicability in acute organ injuries such as alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) as well as in chronic liver diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Clinical Development

Alcoholic Hepatitis (AH)

We have begun dosing in our Phase 2b study in subjects with severe acute AH to evaluate saFety and effIcacy of DUR-928 treatMent (AHFIRM). AHFIRM is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, international, multi-center Phase 2b study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DUR-928 in approximately 300 patients with severe AH. The study is comprised of three arms targeting approximately 100 patients each: (1) Placebo plus standard of care (SOC, which may include the use of methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid, at the discretion of the treating physician); (2) DUR-928 (30 mg); and (3) DUR-928 (90 mg). Patients receive an intravenous (IV) dose of DUR-928 or placebo (sterile water) on day 1 and a second IV dose on day 4 if they are still hospitalized. The primary outcome measure is 90-day survival rate for patients treated with DUR-928 compared to those treated with placebo plus SOC. Secondary endpoints include 28-day survival, the rate of adverse events, Lille and MELD (prognostic scores), and time in the intensive care unit. We are targeting 40-50 clinical trial sites in the US, Europe and Australia.
Given the high mortality rate in severe AH patients and the absence of an approved therapeutic, we believe demonstration of a robust survival benefit in the AHFIRM trial may support an NDA filing.
During 2019, we completed a Phase 2a clinical trial of DUR-928 in patients with AH. All 19 patients treated with DUR-928 survived the 28-day follow-up period, 74% of patients (14/19) were discharged in ≤ 4 days after receiving a single dose of DUR-928, and there were no drug-related serious adverse events.
Reflecting the life-threatening nature of AH and the lack of therapeutic options for this devastating condition, the FDA recently granted DUR-928 Fast Track Designation for the treatment of AH. The FDA grants Fast Track Designation to facilitate development and expedite the review of therapies with the potential to treat a serious condition where there is an unmet medical need. A therapeutic that receives Fast Track Designation can benefit from early and frequent communication with the agency in addition to a rolling submission of the marketing application, with the objective of getting important new therapies to patients more quickly.
Alcohol-associated hepatitis (also called alcoholic hepatitis or AH) is an acute form of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) associated with long-term heavy intake of alcohol, and often occurs after a recent period of increased alcohol consumption. AH is typically characterized by a recent onset of jaundice and hepatic failure. According to the most recent data provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there were over 122,000 hospitalizations for patients with AH in 2017. The cost per AH patient is estimated at over $50,000 in the first year. ALD is one of the leading causes of liver transplants in the U.S., costing over $875,000 per patient. An analysis of 77 studies published between 1971 and 2016, which included data from a total of 8,184 patients, showed the average overall mortality from AH was 26% at 28 days and 29% at 90 days after admission.
Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)

In May 2020, we reported positive topline results from a Phase 1b randomized and open-label clinical study conducted in the U.S. to evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics and signals of biological activity (including clinical chemistry and biomarkers as well as liver fat content and liver stiffness by imaging) of DUR-928 in NASH patients with stage 1-3 fibrosis. In this 65-patient study, reductions from baseline (pre-treatment) levels were seen in liver enzymes, liver stiffness as measured by imaging, serum lipids and biomarkers. Many of these reductions were statistically significant and DUR-928 was well tolerated at all three doses evaluated.
Additional results, including biomarker data, were presented through a poster at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience 2020 held November 13-16, 2020.
COVID-19

Since we initiated our clinical trial of DUR-928 in patients with COVID-19, several vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 have been approved and are being deployed worldwide. Treatment regimens for patients with COVID-19 have also evolved, the disease landscape has changed and additional therapies have entered clinical trials. Consequently, there have been a limited number of patients eligible or willing to enroll in our trial, and we have elected to discontinue the trial. The people and resources that were supporting the COVID-19 trial are now being redirected to support the AHFIRM trial.

POSIMIR (bupivacaine solution)

In February 2021, POSIMIR was granted U.S. FDA approval in adults for administration into the subacromial space under direct arthroscopic visualization to produce post-surgical analgesia for up to 72 hours following arthroscopic subacromial decompression. POSIMIR is the only approved sustained-release bupivacaine product indicated for up to 72 hours of post-surgical analgesia from a single application.
The approval was based on positive data from a randomized, multicenter, assessor-blinded, placebo–controlled clinical trial in patients undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompression surgery with an intact rotator cuff. The primary outcome measures were mean pain intensity and total opioid rescue analgesia administered, both evaluated over the first 72 hours after surgery versus placebo. POSIMIR demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in both primary outcome measures: a 1.3 point, or 20%, reduction in mean pain intensity on a 0-10 point pain scale (p=0.01), and a 67% reduction in I.V. morphine-equivalent rescue opioid use, from a median of 12 mg in the placebo group to 4 mg in the POSIMIR group (p=0.01). In connection with this approval, the Company or its licensee, will be required to conduct two postmarketing non-clinical studies. Full Prescribing Information, including the Boxed Warning, is available at www.POSIMIR.com
DURECT is in discussions with potential partners regarding the licensing of commercialization rights to POSIMIR, for which DURECT currently holds worldwide rights.
Subacromial decompression is a type of shoulder surgery used to treat impingement syndrome, a common repetitive-use injury that causes pain when the arm is raised over the head. The procedure is typically performed arthroscopically, meaning that several small incisions are made in the skin and muscle of the shoulder through which a camera lens (arthroscope) and surgical instruments are inserted during surgery. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression is generally considered outpatient surgery, and most patients go home within a few hours of surgery. The recovery period may extend from weeks to months, but the most intense pain typically occurs during the first 3 days after surgery and is often managed with oral opioids. There are over 600,000 surgeries involving arthroscopic subacromial decompression performed each year in the U.S.
Sale of LACTEL Absorbable Polymers product line

In December 2020, we sold our LACTEL product line to Evonik for $15 million in cash. The gain from this sale was approximately $12.8 million. This transaction is part of our effort to focus on epigenetic regulation and the development of DUR-928.
The $15 million of cash was held in escrow as of December 31, 2020 and was released to DURECT’s bank account in January 2021.
Important additions to our team

In November 2020, we appointed Dr. Norman Sussman as our Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Sussman is a renowned hepatologist with extensive clinical experience and expertise in the liver disease field. He brings over 30 years of clinical research and development experience in academia and industry and a proven track record in clinical research of liver diseases.
In January 2021, we appointed two new members to our board of directors. Gail J. Maderis, MBA, and Mohammad Azab, MD, MSc, MBA, are industry veterans with extensive drug development, clinical research and medical affairs experience.
Strengthening our financial position

In Q1 2021, DURECT raised net proceeds of $47.8 million from an underwritten public offering and other sales of equity.

Earnings Conference Call
We will host a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time/1:30 p.m. Pacific Time to discuss fourth quarter 2020 results and provide a corporate update:

Thursday, March 4 @ 4:30pm Eastern Time / 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time

A live audio webcast of the presentation will be also available by accessing DURECT’s homepage at www.durect.com and clicking "Investors." If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived on DURECT’s website under "Event Calendar" in the "Investors" section.

Cancer Genetics to Present at the H.C. Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference

On March 4, 2021 Cancer Genetics, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq: CGIX), an emerging leader in novel drug discovery techniques, reported that Jay Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, will present at H.C. Wainwright’s Global Life Sciences Conference (Press release, Cancer Genetics, MAR 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234576091]). The event is being held virtually from March 9-10, 2021.

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!

Conference Date: March 9-10, 2021 (Tuesday-Wednesday)
On-Demand Starts: 7:00 am ET – Tuesday, March 9, 2021
On-Demand Ends 7:00 pm ET- Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Registration: View Source
Mr. Roberts will highlight the Company’s recent transformational business strategy, including the Company’s proposed merger with StemoniX, Inc., and elaborate on the broader going- forward corporate vision.

If you are an institutional investor and would like to attend the Company’s presentation, please click on the following link (View Source) to register for the H.C. Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference. Once your registration is confirmed, you will be prompted to log into the conference website and will be able to request a one-on-one meeting with the Company.

Cancer Genetics will also be available for virtual outside 1:1 meetings both during and after the H.C. Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference. Please contact Jennifer K. Zimmons, Ph.D. [email protected] 917.214.3514 for scheduling.

NGM Bio Provides Business Highlights and Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results

On March 4, 2021 NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (NGM) (Nasdaq: NGM), a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing transformative therapeutics for patients, reported financial results for the periods ending December 31, 2020 (Press release, NGM Biopharmaceuticals, MAR 4, 2021, View Source [SID1234576090]).

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!

"Our vision at NGM is to build an iconic biologic therapeutics company that delivers transformative medicines for patients. Our team made notable progress across multiple fronts in 2020: presenting aldafermin Cohort 4 data and NGM621 first-in-human data at major medical conferences, advancing multiple programs into Phase 2 clinical testing and announcing the expansion of our oncology portfolio including the nomination of two immuno-oncology candidates," said David J. Woodhouse, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at NGM. "Behind every disease name and statistic, whether it is NASH, cancer-related cachexia, geographic atrophy or solid tumor cancers, are countless individuals who are hoping for better treatment options, all of whom fuel our motivation and mission to improve human health."

Key Fourth Quarter and Recent Highlights

Liver and metabolic diseases

•Anticipate reporting topline data from the Phase 2b ALPINE 2/3 study of aldafermin in patients with NASH in second quarter 2021. ALPINE 2/3 is a Phase 2b clinical study of aldafermin in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH and liver fibrosis stage 2 or 3 (F2-F3). The 24-week study is assessing the efficacy, safety and tolerability of 0.3 mg, 1 mg and 3 mg doses of aldafermin compared to placebo. The primary objective of the ALPINE 2/3 study is to evaluate a dose response showing an improvement in liver fibrosis by ≥ 1 stage with no worsening of steatohepatitis at week 24.
•Continued enrollment in Phase 2b ALPINE 4 study of aldafermin in patients with NASH with liver fibrosis stage 4 (F4) and well-compensated cirrhosis. NGM continued enrollment in the Phase 2b ALPINE 4 clinical study of aldafermin in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH with F4 liver fibrosis and well-compensated cirrhosis. The 48-week study is designed to enroll approximately 160 patients and will assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of 0.3 mg, 1 mg and 3 mg doses of aldafermin compared to placebo. The primary objective of ALPINE 4 is to evaluate a dose response showing an improvement in liver fibrosis by > 1 stage with no worsening of steatohepatitis at week 48.
•Presented data from 24-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study (Cohort 4) of aldafermin in NASH patients at AASLD The Liver Meeting. Cohort 4 demonstrated statistically significant dual activity in fibrosis improvement and NASH resolution in patients with F2 and F3 liver fibrosis. Analysis of Cohort 4 data at AASLD also showed that 30% of patients with more advanced F3 liver fibrosis treated with aldafermin 1 mg achieved fibrosis improvement >1 stage without worsening of NASH compared to 0% in the placebo arm. In Cohort 4, aldafermin continued to demonstrate a favorable tolerability profile. Cohort 4 was the final reported cohort from NGM’s adaptive Phase 2 clinical study of aldafermin in NASH and the results observed in Cohort 4 were consistent with data from the three previous cohorts.
•Merck initiated Phase 2b study of MK-3655 (formerly NGM313) in patients with NASH with F2-F3 liver fibrosis. In November, Merck initiated a global Phase 2b multicenter, randomized, double-blind study of MK-3655 in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH. The 52-week study is designed to enroll approximately 320 patients and will assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of 50 mg, 100 mg and 300 mg doses of MK-3655 administered every 4 weeks compared to placebo in patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH and F2-F3 liver fibrosis. The primary objective of the Phase 2b study is NASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis after 52 weeks. Merck licensed MK-3655 following NGM’s completion of a proof-of-concept study.
Retinal diseases

•Continued enrollment in Phase 2 CATALINA study of NGM621 in patients with Geographic Atrophy (GA). NGM continued enrollment in the Phase 2 CATALINA study, a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal (IVT) injections of NGM621 every four weeks or every eight weeks in patients with GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration. The primary endpoint is the rate of change in GA lesion area, as measured by fundus autofluorescence imaging over 52 weeks of treatment.
•Presented Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetics data for NGM621 in patients with GA at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2020 Virtual. Single and multiple IVT injections of NGM621 appeared safe and well tolerated in this first-in-human study, with no patients experiencing serious adverse events, drug-related AEs, endophthalmitis, intraocular inflammation or choroidal neovascularization. The serum PK of NGM621 was linear and dose-proportional.
Cancer

•Completed enrollment in the Phase 1a/1b dose-finding study of NGM120 in patients with cancer in November 2020. NGM completed enrollment in the Phase 1a/1b dose-finding trial to assess NGM120’s effect on cancer-related cachexia and cancer. This Phase 1a/1b study was conducted in two cohorts: a Phase 1a cohort evaluating NGM120 as a monotherapy in patients with select advanced solid tumors and a Phase 1b cohort evaluating NGM120 in combination with gemcitabine and Abraxane (paclitaxel protein bound) in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
•Initiated placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept expansion of Phase 1b dose-finding study of NGM120 as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer in January 2021. NGM initiated a multi-center, randomized, single-blind (sponsor unblinded), placebo-controlled expansion of the ongoing Phase 1a/1b study to evaluate NGM120 in combination with gemcitabine and Abraxane as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
•Announced two new oncology clinical candidates, NGM707 and NGM438, in fourth quarter 2020. NGM707 is a dual antagonist antibody that inhibits Immunoglobulin-like transcript 2 (ILT2) and Immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4). NGM438 is an antagonist antibody that inhibits Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 1 (LAIR1).
Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results

•NGM reported a net loss of $28.0 million and $102.5 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, compared to a net loss of $15.9 million and $42.8 million for the corresponding periods in 2019.
•Related party revenue from our collaboration with Merck was $19.8 million and $87.4 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, compared to $31.1 million and $103.5 million for the corresponding periods in 2019. The decrease in related party revenue of $16.1 million in 2020 was primarily attributable to a decrease in the recognition of the initial upfront payment received from Merck in 2015 that was included in the transaction price and fully recognized by March 2020.
•Research and development, or R&D, expenses were $40.1 million and $164.0 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, compared to $42.0 million and $129.3 million for the corresponding periods in 2019. R&D expenses increased $34.7 million in 2020, primarily due to an increase in external expenses driven by our manufacturing activities and ongoing clinical trials of aldafermin, NGM621, NGM120 and NGM395 and an increase in costs associated with pre-clinical IND-enabling studies for NGM707 and NGM438. The increase in R&D expenses in 2020 also included an increase in personnel-related expenses partially offset by a decrease in unallocated R&D expenses related to multiple R&D programs.
•General and administrative expenses were $7.4 million and $27.2 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020, respectively, compared to $6.4 million and $23.6 million for the corresponding periods in 2019. The $3.6 million increase in general and administrative expenses in 2020 was primarily attributable to increases in personnel-related expenses driven by increased headcount, as well as external expenses to support our operations as a public company.
•Cash, cash equivalents and short-term marketable securities were $295.2 million as of December 31, 2020, compared to $344.5 million as of December 31, 2019.