On March 1, 2021 Morphic Therapeutic (Nasdaq: MORF), a biopharmaceutical company developing a new generation of oral integrin therapies for the treatment of serious chronic diseases, reported corporate highlights and financial results for the full year 2020 (Press release, Morphic Therapeutic, MAR 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234575814]).

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2020 and Recent Corporate Highlights

Filed first IND of an oral integrin drug candidate, MORF-057, generated by Morphic’s MInT Platform and initiated first clinical study of MORF-057 in healthy volunteers in Phase 1 clinical trial of oral IBD candidate, MORF-057, after acceptance of IND by Food and Drug Administration
Announced positive preliminary results from Phase 1 single ascending dose portion of MORF-057 Phase 1 clinical trial including:
MORF-057 well tolerated in all five dose cohorts ranging from 25 mg to 400 mg
MORF-057 achieved greater than 95% mean receptor occupancy of α4β7 at the three highest dose levels
Phase 1 multiple ascending dose and food effect trials ongoing with full data anticipated to be presented mid-year 2021
Received $20 million payment upon AbbVie exercise of a license option under the companies’ research and development collaboration agreement to develop Morphic’s αvβ6 integrin inhibitors, including the compounds MORF-720 and MORF-627
Expanded research and development collaboration with Janssen through a third integrin program
Presented promising preclinical data supporting MORF-057 as an oral integrin targeting α4β7 at UEG Week 2020, Digestive Disease Week 2020, European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO)
Advanced novel integrin-targeted candidates generated by the MInT Platform against integrins αvβ1 and αvβ8 for the treatment of fibrosis and cancer
Ended the year with $228.3 million in cash and equivalents and marketable securities, providing runway into 2023
"The past year challenged how we work and live but the Morphic team came together to drive tremendous advances in the creation of oral integrin therapies. Most notably in 2020, our lead oral candidate in IBD, MORF-057, completed preclinical testing with strong proof-of-concept and entered the clinic. In an important milestone for Morphic, we have already delivered positive preliminary results from the MORF-057 Phase 1 trial. The data show a favorable tolerability profile as well as strong pharmacodynamic data that suggest α4β7 inhibition may be on par with the approved intravenous blockbuster, vedolizumab. Further, we expanded our strategic collaborations with AbbVie and Janssen to explore a broader scope of integrin drug targets and potentially boost our partnered pipeline," commented Praveen Tipirneni, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Morphic Therapeutic. "In the year ahead, with a strong financial base, we are able to focus on advancing the clinical development of MORF-057 and our promising preclinical programs targeting αvβ1 and αvβ8, as well as continuing to expand the MInT Platform that generates this pipeline of novel integrin therapeutic candidates."

Financial Results for the Full Year 2020

Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2020, was $45.0 million or $1.47 per share compared to a net loss of $43.3 million or $2.69 per share
Revenue was $44.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $17.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase was mainly due to AbbVie’s option exercise on our αvβ6 integrin inhibitor program in the third quarter of 2020 for $20 million
Research and development expenses were $73.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to $53.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to higher development and manufacturing costs associated with our lead product candidates, MORF-057 and MORF-720, as well as increased personnel-related costs to support continued progress with the company’s pipeline
General and administrative expenses were $18.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to $10.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to increased headcount and higher professional and consulting fees associated with ongoing business activities and Morphic’s operating as a public company
As of December 31, 2020, Morphic had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $228.3 million, compared to $237.0 million as of December 31, 2019. Morphic believes its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2020, will be sufficient to fund operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into 2023.

On March 1, 2021 Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic cell therapies for unmet medical needs, reported that it will report its fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial and operating results on Thursday, March 11, 2021, following the close of the U.S. financial markets (Press release, Lineage Cell Therapeutics, MAR 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234575813]). Lineage management will also host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, March 11, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time/1:30 p.m. Pacific Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial and operating results and to provide a business update.

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Interested parties may access the conference call by dialing (866) 888-8633 from the U.S. and Canada and (636) 812-6629 from elsewhere outside the U.S. and Canada and should request the "Lineage Cell Therapeutics Call". A live webcast of the conference call will be available online in the Investors section of Lineage’s website. A replay of the webcast will be available on Lineage’s website for 30 days and a telephone replay will be available through March 19, 2021, by dialing (855) 859-2056 from the U.S. and Canada and (404) 537-3406 from elsewhere outside the U.S. and Canada and entering conference ID number 4176568.

On March 1, 2021 IMV Inc. ("IMV" or the "Corporation") (Nasdaq: IMV; TSX: IMV), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of cancer immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases, reported that IMV’s executive management team will be participating at the H.C. Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference which will be held virtually on March 9-10 (Press release, IMV, MAR 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234575812]).

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H.C. Wainwright Global Life Sciences Conference

Presentation availability time: Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 7:00 AM Eastern Time

A link to this presentation will be available under "Events, Webcasts and Presentations" in the investors section of IMV’s website at the above-mentioned time and for approximately 30 days thereafter.

On March 1, 2021 Genmab reported the initiation of a share buy-back program to mitigate dilution from warrant exercises and to honor our commitments under our Restricted Stock Units program (Press release, Genmab, MAR 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234575811]).

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The share buy-back program is expected to be completed no later than June 30, 2021 and comprises up to 200,000 shares.

The following transactions were executed under the program from February 24, 2021 to February 26, 2021:

No. of shares Average price (DKK) Total value (DKK)
Accumulated through last announcement n/a
February 24, 2021 3,500 2,179.41 7,627,935
February 25, 2021 3,000 2,137.63 6,412,890
February 26, 2021 3,500 2,106,88 7,374,080

Accumulated under the program 10,000 21,414,905
Details of each transaction are included as an appendix to this announcement.

Following these transactions, Genmab holds 112,977 shares as treasury shares, corresponding to 0.17% of the total share capital and voting rights.

The share buy-back program is undertaken in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (‘MAR’) and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, also referred to as the "Safe Harbour Regulation." Further details on the terms of the share buy-back program can be found in our company announcement no. 11 dated February 23, 2021.

On March 1, 2021 Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism to treat cancer and genetically defined diseases, reported that it has submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TIBSOVO (ivosidenib tablets) as a potential treatment for patients with previously treated isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutated cholangiocarcinoma (Press release, Agios Pharmaceuticals, MAR 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234575810]). Agios has requested priority review for the application, which, if granted, could result in a six-month review process.

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"Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare, aggressive cancer with limited effective therapies, and patients are in desperate need of new treatment options – particularly those who experience disease progression after chemotherapy," said Chris Bowden, M.D., chief medical officer at Agios. "We are proud of the work we have done on behalf of these patients and look forward to working closely with the FDA during the review of the first oral therapy targeting an IDH1 mutation for patients with previously treated IDH1-mutated cholangiocarcinoma."

The sNDA submission is supported by data from the ClarIDHy study, the first and only randomized Phase 3 trial for previously treated IDH1-mutated cholangiocarcinoma. Data from the study were previously presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper), held in September 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, and published in The Lancet Oncology on May 13, 2020. A final analysis of the data was featured in an oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GI) on January 17, 2021.

About Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare, aggressive cancer of the bile ducts within and outside of the liver. IDH1 mutations occur in approximately 13% of cholangiocarcinoma cases and are not associated with prognosis. There are no approved systemic therapies for IDH1-mutated cholangiocarcinoma and limited chemotherapy options are available in the advanced setting. Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy is often recommended for newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic disease.

About TIBSOVO (ivosidenib tablets)
TIBSOVO is indicated for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test in:

Adult patients with newly-diagnosed AML who are ≥75 years old or who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy.
Adult patients with relapsed or refractory AML.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: DIFFERENTIATION SYNDROME

Patients treated with TIBSOVO have experienced symptoms of differentiation syndrome, which can be fatal if not treated. Symptoms may include fever, dyspnea, hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates, pleural or pericardial effusions, rapid weight gain or peripheral edema, hypotension, and hepatic, renal, or multi-organ dysfunction. If differentiation syndrome is suspected, initiate corticosteroid therapy and hemodynamic monitoring until symptom resolution.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Differentiation Syndrome: See Boxed WARNING. In the clinical trial, 25% (7/28) of patients with newly diagnosed AML and 19% (34/179) of patients with relapsed or refractory AML treated with TIBSOVO experienced differentiation syndrome. Differentiation syndrome is associated with rapid proliferation and differentiation of myeloid cells and may be life-threatening or fatal if not treated. Symptoms of differentiation syndrome in patients treated with TIBSOVO included noninfectious leukocytosis, peripheral edema, pyrexia, dyspnea, pleural effusion, hypotension, hypoxia, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, pericardial effusion, rash, fluid overload, tumor lysis syndrome, and creatinine increased. Of the 7 patients with newly diagnosed AML who experienced differentiation syndrome, 6 (86%) patients recovered. Of the 34 patients with relapsed or refractory AML who experienced differentiation syndrome, 27 (79%) patients recovered after treatment or after dose interruption of TIBSOVO. Differentiation syndrome occurred as early as 1 day and up to 3 months after TIBSOVO initiation and has been observed with or without concomitant leukocytosis.

If differentiation syndrome is suspected, initiate dexamethasone 10 mg IV every 12 hours (or an equivalent dose of an alternative oral or IV corticosteroid) and hemodynamic monitoring until improvement. If concomitant noninfectious leukocytosis is observed, initiate treatment with hydroxyurea or leukapheresis, as clinically indicated. Taper corticosteroids and hydroxyurea after resolution of symptoms and administer corticosteroids for a minimum of 3 days. Symptoms of differentiation syndrome may recur with premature discontinuation of corticosteroid and/or hydroxyurea treatment. If severe signs and/or symptoms persist for more than 48 hours after initiation of corticosteroids, interrupt TIBSOVO until signs and symptoms are no longer severe.

QTc Interval Prolongation: Patients treated with TIBSOVO can develop QT (QTc) prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias. One patient developed ventricular fibrillation attributed to TIBSOVO. Concomitant use of TIBSOVO with drugs known to prolong the QTc interval (e.g., anti-arrhythmic medicines, fluoroquinolones, triazole anti-fungals, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists) and CYP3A4 inhibitors may increase the risk of QTc interval prolongation. Conduct monitoring of electrocardiograms (ECGs) and electrolytes. In patients with congenital long QTc syndrome, congestive heart failure, or electrolyte abnormalities, or in those who are taking medications known to prolong the QTc interval, more frequent monitoring may be necessary.

Interrupt TIBSOVO if QTc increases to greater than 480 msec and less than 500 msec. Interrupt and reduce TIBSOVO if QTc increases to greater than 500 msec. Permanently discontinue TIBSOVO in patients who develop QTc interval prolongation with signs or symptoms of life-threatening arrhythmia.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Guillain-Barré syndrome occurred in <1% (2/258) of AML patients treated with TIBSOVO in the clinical study. Monitor patients taking TIBSOVO for onset of new signs or symptoms of motor and/or sensory neuropathy such as unilateral or bilateral weakness, sensory alterations, paresthesias, or difficulty breathing. Permanently discontinue TIBSOVO in patients who are diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions including laboratory abnormalities (≥20%) were hemoglobin decreased (60%), fatigue (43%), arthralgia (39%), calcium decreased (39%), sodium decreased (39%), leukocytosis (38%), diarrhea (37%), magnesium decreased (36%), edema (34%), nausea (33%), dyspnea (32%), uric acid increased (32%), potassium decreased (32%), alkaline phosphatase increased (30%), mucositis (28%), aspartate aminotransferase increased (27%), phosphatase decreased (25%), electrocardiogram QT prolonged (24%), rash (24%), creatinine increased (24%), cough (23%), decreased appetite (22%), myalgia (21%), constipation (20%), and pyrexia (20%).
In patients with newly diagnosed AML, the most frequently reported Grade ≥3 adverse reactions (≥5%) were fatigue (14%), differentiation syndrome (11%), electrocardiogram QT prolonged (11%), diarrhea (7%), nausea (7%), and leukocytosis (7%). Serious adverse reactions (≥5%) were differentiation syndrome (18%), electrocardiogram QT prolonged (7%), and fatigue (7%). There was one case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).
In patients with relapsed or refractory AML, the most frequently reported Grade ≥3 adverse reactions (≥5%) were differentiation syndrome (13%), electrocardiogram QT prolonged (10%), dyspnea (9%), leukocytosis (8%), and tumor lysis syndrome (6%). Serious adverse reactions (≥5%) were differentiation syndrome (10%), leukocytosis (10%), and electrocardiogram QT prolonged (7%). There was one case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
DRUG INTERACTIONS

Strong or Moderate CYP3A4 Inhibitors: Reduce TIBSOVO dose with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Monitor patients for increased risk of QTc interval prolongation.
Strong CYP3A4 Inducers: Avoid concomitant use with TIBSOVO.
Sensitive CYP3A4 Substrates: Avoid concomitant use with TIBSOVO.
QTc Prolonging Drugs: Avoid concomitant use with TIBSOVO. If co-administration is unavoidable, monitor patients for increased risk of QTc interval prolongation.

LACTATION
Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for adverse reactions in breastfed children, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with TIBSOVO and for at least 1 month after the last dose.