Rgenta Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of IND Application for RGT-61159, an Oral Small Molecule RNA Modulator Designed to Halt Disease-Driver MYB Production in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) and Colorectal Cancer (CRC)

On July 10, 2024 Rgenta Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering the development of a new class of oral small molecules targeting RNA and RNA regulation for oncology and neurological disorders, reported the clearance of its Investigational New Drug application (IND) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for RGT-61159, which is being developed for the potential treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), colorectal cancer (CRC) and other solid tumors as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (Press release, Rgenta Therapeutics, JUL 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234644778]).

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"Clearance of our first IND application is a significant milestone in Rgenta’s mission to develop oral, small molecule RNA-targeting medicines to treat previously incurable diseases," said Simon Xi, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Rgenta. "We look forward to initiating clinical studies of RGT-61159 with a first-in-human Phase1a/1b clinical study in adults with ACC and CRC to potentially provide a new therapeutic option for patients with these difficult-to-treat cancers."

"Development of small molecule drugs targeting oncogenic drivers such as MYB, has proven challenging in the past," said Travis Wager, Ph.D., co-founder, president and chief scientific officer. "RGT-61159 demonstrates potent inhibition of oncogenic MYB protein production and significant inhibition of tumor growth at tolerated doses in preclinical models of ACC and other cancers, and we are excited to move this novel therapeutic into clinical evaluation."

About RGT-61159
RGT-61159 is an orally available small molecule designed to specifically modulate splicing of the transcription factor MYB resulting in the inhibition of oncogenic MYB protein production, which has the potential to inhibit proliferation or induce cell death of cancer cells that overexpress MYB protein. MYB acts as a master regulator of cell proliferation differentiation processes and its aberrant expression has been demonstrated in multiple forms of human cancer including adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), acute myeloid leukemias (AML), T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL), colorectal cancer (CRC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and breast cancer. Additional information on the planned Phase 1a/1b clinical trial can be accessed at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06462183).

About Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC)
It is estimated that approximately 200,000 people are living with ACC throughout the world including 11,000 in the US. While it is a rare cancer, ACC is the second most common cancer type arising in the salivary gland and is an aggressive malignancy with a tendency to infiltrate surrounding nerves and metastasize to distant sites. Overactivation of the MYB oncogene has been described as a hallmark of ACC and is noted in over 90% of ACC. Treatment for ACC is extremely challenging and may include surgery and/or radiation, which often fails to control local tumor recurrence and distant metastases. There are no effective targeted therapies available for patients with recurrent and/or metastatic disease. There is thus an unmet medical need for new therapeutic targets and treatment strategies for patients with this fatal cancer.

About Colorectal Cancer (CRC)
CRC is the third most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022, more than 1.9 million cases of CRC were diagnosed. Despite the improved early detection of CRC and the recent success of targeted therapeutics, approximately 15%-30% of patients present with metastases and 20%-50% of patients with initially localized disease will develop metastases. Patients with relapsed or refractory CRC who have exhausted all the available standard of care therapy options, have a very poor prognosis. MYB is significantly overexpressed in 80-85% of CRC and has been frequently found to be a predictive biomarker of tumor aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Developing novel therapies to treat patients with metastatic CRC remains a major unmet medical need.

Granza Bio Raises $7M+ Seed Funding to Advance the Delivery of Cancer Treatment and Genetic Medicines

On July 10, 2024 Therapeutic delivery platform Granza Bio reported the closing of its oversubscribed $7.14M Seed led by Felicis and Refactor, along with Y Combinator and notable angel investors (Press release, Granza Bio, JUL 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234644777]).

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Founded in 2024 by a team of cancer and immunology researchers at the University of Oxford, Granza Bio utilizes the discovery of "attack particles," a powerful suite of weapons in the immune system’s arsenal that can fight diseases such as cancers, autoimmunity and infections.

"With attack particles, we discovered a new feature of the immune system that has the potential to transform the therapeutic landscape. They offer the power of cellular therapies with the off-the-shelf ease of antibody-based drugs," said Granza Bio co-founder Michael Dustin, Professor of Molecular Immunology at Oxford.

However, the team realized they lacked an effective delivery system for packaging and delivering attack particles to specific tissues.

To solve this problem, Granza Bio’s platform offers a unique delivery system that focuses on three key areas:

1) The ability to deliver a variety of cargo types (such as RNAs, proteins, and attack particles)
2) The ability to deliver to a range of tissue sites
3) Overcoming immunological activation triggered by the delivery vehicle

"We are developing a series of precision delivery shells that can encompass and direct any therapeutic cargo to the correct destination in our body. This work will be fundamental for turning promising discoveries in genetic medicine and cancer therapeutics into impactful treatments for patients," said Granza co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ashwin Nandakumar.

"Through the development of a comprehensive library of engineered shells, we aim to tackle the challenges of tropism, immunogenicity, and stability head-on. Our strength lies in the interdisciplinary nature of our team, spanning fundamental immunology to industrial manufacturing and scale-up processes. This is a pivotal moment for the field of drug delivery therapeutics and we are at the forefront of this transformation," said Dr. Ashwin Jainarayanan, Granza Bio’s Chief Scientific Officer.

Dr. Nandakumar, CEO, holds a PhD in Oncology, has previously set up clinical trials, and brings oncology start-up experience. Dr. Jainarayanan, CSO, is a PhD in Interdisciplinary Bioscience and was recently selected as a Schmidt Science Fellow. Prof. Dustin is also the director of research at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology at Oxford.

"The immune system is nature’s most powerful mechanism for biological remediation. By improving the delivery and specificity of naturally occurring attack particles, Granza Bio can unlock a new world of capabilities for oncological and immunological diseases," said Tobi Coker, Deal Partner at Felicis. "Granza encompasses a unique combination of significant scientific advancements, a founding team with complementary skills, and deep domain expertise. We are thrilled to be working with them."

"I focus on finding technical founders who are experts in their fields and are magnets for customers, talent, and investors. Both Ashwins really fit that perfectly, in my opinion, as they build a better delivery mechanism for a variety of therapeutics," said Zal Bilimoria, founding partner at Refactor.

The investment round also includes participation from other investors including Metaplanet, Zeno Ventures, Ritual Capital, Pioneer Fund, Oxford Angel Fund, and North South Ventures. Notable angels joined the round including Richard Aberman (former YC Visiting Group Partner), JJ Fliegelman (former YC Visiting Group Partner), Eric Migicovsky (former YC Group Partner), Eric Eldon (former editor of TechCrunch), Eli Brown (founder, Guilded), Eoghan Mccabe (founder, Intercom), Benjamin Bryant (co-founder, Earbits), Yotam Rosenbaum (co-founder, Earbits), Will Olsen (co-founder, Engage Bio) and Joel Meyer.

Lantern Pharma Achieves Key Milestone Towards Development of Molecular Diagnostic for use in Oncology Clinical Trials for Patient Selection and Stratification with Drug Candidate LP-184

On July 10, 2024 Lantern Pharma (NASDAQ: LTRN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to transform the cost, pace, and timeline of oncology drug discovery and development, reported a significant advancement towards the development of a diagnostic for its drug candidate LP-184 (Press release, Lantern Pharma, JUL 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234644776]). The diagnostic is currently based on qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) technology and is focused on quantifying the amount of PTGR1 RNA in patient tumor samples to assess the potential for sensitivity to Lantern’s drug candidate LP-184. The company plans to further develop and validate the assay for its use as a potential tool for patient selection in later stage clinical trials across a broad range of solid tumors that have shown sensitivity to LP-184.

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Lantern has successfully confirmed PTGR1 as a key biomarker that it intends to use to optimize patient selection based on potential tumor sensitivity to the drug candidate LP-184. LP-184 is a precision oncology drug candidate with the potential to address multiple solid tumors. This confirmation marks a crucial step towards the development of a companion diagnostic and potential stratification tool to assist with targeted patient selection. Lantern plans on further validations and development of the assay using qRT-PCR and partnering with central labs and cancer centers for eventual use in patient selection and stratification. In a key publication on the utility and value of biomarkers in oncology trials among some of the most common cancers, titled Does biomarker use in oncology improve clinical trial failure risk? A large‐scale analysis by Parker, et al., 2021 in Cancer Medicine found success of clinical trials to be significantly correlated to the incorporation of biomarkers. In particular, the Parker, et al. publication stated that:

"…Our overall analysis of these four cancers, independent of indication, revealed a fivefold benefit of hazard ratios from the Markov models, suggesting a substantial benefit from biomarker use. The hazard ratio analysis of the Markov biomarker models examined how likely clinical trial success was associated with biomarker use versus no biomarker use. Hazard ratios indicated that for biomarker‐based drugs clinical trial success was largest for breast cancer (12‐fold) followed by melanoma (eightfold) and lung cancer (sevenfold) …Our data provide the most extensive look at biomarker use to date in oncology, with an advanced statistical method. Our findings indicate that biomarkers provide a statistically significant benefit, despite the fact our study includes biomarkers not yet FDA approved."

By incorporating the PTGR1 biomarker into LP-184’s development strategy, Lantern Pharma is aligning with best practices in precision medicine and aiming to increase the likelihood of successful clinical outcomes in future clinical trials. PTGR1 levels have been measured to be higher in certain cancer cells than in normal cells, and Lantern is leveraging this biological activity to target the cancer indications believed most likely to respond to drug candidate LP-184. In the October 2023 paper in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Lantern along with collaborators from Fox Chase Cancer Center published clear evidence that higher potency of LP-184 (measured in IC50 values) was directly correlated with higher expressions of PTGR1 and that cancer cell lines that did not have PTGR1 expression remained stable in the presence of LP-184 (see figure 1).

"This milestone represents a significant leap forward in our precision oncology approach and in ensuring that we enrich our future LP-184 clinical trials with the patients we believe will be most likely to benefit," said Panna Sharma, CEO of Lantern Pharma. "By working to develop a companion diagnostic for LP-184, we’re not just advancing a drug candidate; we’re paving the way for more personalized and effective cancer treatments for patients that have the highest likelihood of benefitting from the therapy. The planned use of biomarkers like PTGR1 in our clinical trials exemplifies our commitment to data-driven, patient-centric drug development."

These steps toward development of this companion diagnostic align with Lantern Pharma’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology in drug development. By combining AI-driven insights with advanced diagnostic tools, the company aims to accelerate the drug development process and improve patient outcomes.

Lantern Pharma plans to implement this assay in upcoming clinical trials for LP-184, potentially streamlining the development process and increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes. LP-184— a novel therapeutic in clinical development for the potential treatment of malignant gliomas, pancreatic cancer, and atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (ATRT)— has also been granted an Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA, along with a Rare Pediatric Disease Designation.

Purple Biotech to Host Virtual KOL Event to Discuss Positive Interim Results from Phase 2 Pancreatic Cancer Study with CM24 on July 11, 2024

On July 10, 2024 Purple Biotech Ltd. ("Purple Biotech" or "the Company") (NASDAQ/TASE: PPBT), a clinical-stage company developing first-in-class oncology therapies that overcome tumor immune evasion and drug resistance, reported further details on its virtual key opinion leader (KOL) event on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 10:30 AM ET (Press release, Purple Biotech, JUL 10, 2024, View Source;id=312421&p=2331411&I=1206939-c7Z3G6f3m8 [SID1234644775]).

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The event will feature Michael Cecchini, MD (Yale School of Medicine) and E. Gabriela Chiorean, MD, FASCO (University of Washington School of Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center), who will discuss the positive interim data from the Phase 2 study of CM24, in combination with Bristol Myers Squibb’s immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab and standard of care chemotherapy, in second-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

The event will also focus on data reported at the 2024 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting demonstrating reduced risk of death and progression, prolongation of OS and progression free survival (PFS), higher objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and decreasing CA19-9 levels in the CM24+Nivolumab+Nal-IRI/5FU/LV arm and the new exploratory biomarker data suggesting that baseline serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) may be a predictive biomarker for the treatment effect of CM24-nivolumab therapy on overall survival. CM24 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interactions of CEACAM1, a protein expressed on tumor and immune cells, and is a part of the Neutrophils Extra Cellular Traps (NETs), involved in tumor immune evasion and survival through multiple pathways.

Management will discuss Purple Biotech plans for CM24.

A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.

About Michael Cecchini, MD

Michael Cecchini, MD is an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Medical Oncology) at the Yale Cancer Center in the Yale University School of Medicine. He is a board-certified medical oncologist that specializes in the treatment of patients with advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. His research is focused on early phase clinical trials to develop novel therapies that are biomarker driven for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers. Furthermore, he performs translational research to better understand the relationship between DNA damage and the immune response to develop new biomarkers and treatment combinations for patients with advanced GI cancers. Dr. Cecchini is also the co-director of the Colorectal Cancer Program in the Yale Center for GI Cancers and is also a member of the National Cancer Institute Colon Task Force. Dr. Cecchini has served as an investigator on numerous clinical trials and has authored multiple manuscripts evaluating novel treatment combinations in advanced cancer.

About E. Gabriela Chiorean, MD, FASCO

E. Gabriela Chiorean, MD, FASCO is a GI and Phase I Medical Oncologist, Professor of Medicine at University of Washington (UW) Division of Medical Oncology, and Professor in the Clinical Research Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) in Seattle, WA. Dr. Chiorean is the Medical and Clinical Research Director of the UW/Fred Hutch Gastrointestinal Oncology Program, and Deputy Co-Director of the Fred Hutch Pancreatic Cancer Program. She is Vice-Chair of the GI Cancers Committee for the NCI Southwest Oncology Cooperative Group (SWOG) Cancer Research Network, and member of the NCI Gastrointestinal Cancers Steering Committee (GISC) Pancreatic Cancer Task Force. She is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines Panel for Pancreatic Cancers, and leader of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Ampullary Cancers. She is the chair of the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Plenary Series for GI Cancers, chaired multiple ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Scientific Committees for GI Cancers and Developmental Therapeutics, and co-chaired the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) international expert panel for Late-Stage Colorectal Cancer Guidelines. Dr Chiorean has authored over 100 peer reviewed research publications in journals such as Science, New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, JAMA Oncology and Annals of Oncology. Dr. Chiorean’s clinical and translational research interests for pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers are focused on biomarker driven precision oncology, adoptive cellular immunotherapies, and novel therapeutics.

Theratechnologies Reports Financial Results and Announces Positive Net Income for Second Quarter 2024

On July 10, 2024 Theratechnologies Inc. ("Theratechnologies" or the "Company") (TSX: TH) (NASDAQ: THTX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies, reported business highlights and financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 ended May 31, 2024 (Q2 2024) (Press release, Theratechnologies, JUL 10, 2024, View Source [SID1234644774]). All figures are in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Revenue for Q2 2024 and First Half Fiscal 2024
(in thousands of dollars)

Three months
ended May 31 %
change Six months ended May 31 % change
2024 2023 2024 2023
EGRIFTA SV net sales 16,200 10,853 49.3% 25,786 23,564 9.4%
Trogarzo net sales 5,817 6,696 (13.1%) 12,478 13,893 (10.2%)
Revenue 22,017 17,549 25.5% 38,264 37,457 2.2%

"I am pleased to wrap up this very strong second quarter with $22 million in revenue, $1 million in net income and $5.5 million in Adjusted EBITDA," said Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer at Theratechnologies. "At this halfway mark of our fiscal year, we can reaffirm our full year 2024 guidance of revenues between $87 and $90 million and an Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $13 to $15 million. EGRIFTA SV remains our priority brand, with key performance metrics showing consistent growth and continued strong gross margins. Moving forward we expect sales to align with patient demand, now that inventory levels have returned to normal. We continue to demonstrate strength on the bottom-line with our fourth straight quarter of near-flat-to-positive Adjusted EBITDA. In fact, for the first time in the Company’s recent history, we recorded a positive net income marking the beginning of a new and profitable journey for Theratechnologies.

"Regarding our pipeline, we are still addressing questions from the FDA on the tesamorelin F8 sBLA following our Type A meeting earlier this year. The FDA has confirmed a four-month review. In oncology, we continue to be focused on generating results from Part 3 of our Phase 1 clinical trial of sudocetaxel zendusortide in advanced ovarian cancer. I am pleased to confirm that we have fully recruited for the second cohort of the study, with six patients already having completed the first treatment cycle at the higher dose of 2.5 mg/kg and evaluable for safety. In parallel, we have advanced three additional peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) using the same payloads as antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) technology, such as exatecan. We continue to engage with interested parties to further fund the development of our lead PDC candidate and SORT1+ TechnologyTM platform."

Recent Highlights:

Reorganization of Preclinical Oncology Research Activities

On March 22, 2024, the Company announced that it would phase down its preclinical oncology research activities while continuing to conduct its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of sudocetaxel zendusortide in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. The phasing down of preclinical research activities is aligned with the Company’s business strategy to focus on its commercial business and generating positive Adjusted EBITDA and positive net income. As a result, for the three and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, $336,000 was recorded in charges related to severance and other expenses and a charge of approximately $200,000 is expected to be recorded in the second half of 2024. In addition, the Company recorded in the three and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, $766,000 in accelerated depreciation on equipment in research and development expenses.

Sudocetaxel Zendusortide Presentation at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2024 Demonstrates Signs of Long-Term Efficacy and Manageable Safety Profile in Patients with Solid Tumors

At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) annual meeting, the Company presented Phase 1 data from Parts 1 and 2 of the clinical trial with its lead investigational PDC candidate sudocetaxel zendusortide demonstrating signs of long-term efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with solid tumors.

Study results suggest a unique, multimodal mechanism of action for sudocetaxel zendusortide that are distinct from other cancer therapeutics, including induction of immune cell infiltration even in "cold" tumor models, inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry, targeting of chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells, and activation of the cGAS/STING immune pathway. Additionally, investigators observed an early efficacy signal primarily in female cancers (ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, triple-negative breast cancer [TNBC]), with seven of 16 participants (44%) achieving a clinical benefit (complete response + partial response + stable disease), as confirmed via Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1.

Theratechnologies Reports on its Annual Meeting of Shareholders

At its annual meeting of shareholders held on May 9, 2024, shareholders proceeded to elect its candidates to the Company’s Board of Directors for a one-year term and appointed KPMG LLP as the Company’s auditors for the current fiscal year. All candidates proposed for the position of director were elected, including recently appointed Directors Elina Tea and Jordan Zwick. Frank Holler will now act as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Fiscal 2024 Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Guidance

The Company’s anticipated Fiscal 2024 revenue guidance range is confirmed between $87 million and $90 million, or growth of the commercial portfolio in the range of 6.4% and 10.0%, as compared to the 2023 fiscal year results. Theratechnologies anticipates Adjusted EBITDA, a non-IFRS measure, to be between $13 and $15 million for Fiscal 2024.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2024 Financial Results

The financial results presented in this press release are taken from the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") and interim consolidated financial statements ("Interim Financial Statements") for the three- and six month periods ended May 31, 2024 ("Second Quarter Fiscal 2024") which have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting Standard ("IAS") 34, Interim Financial Reporting of International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB"). The MD&A and the Interim Financial Statements can be found at www.sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at www.sec.gov and at www.theratech.com. Unless specified otherwise, all capitalized terms have the meaning ascribed thereto in our MD&A.

Second Quarter Fiscal 2024 Financial Results

For the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, consolidated revenue was $22,017,000 and $38,264,000, compared to $17,549,000 and $37,457,000 for the same periods ended May 31, 2023, representing year-over-year increases of 25.5% for the second quarter and 2.2% for the first half of the Fiscal 2024.

For the second quarter of Fiscal 2024, net sales of EGRIFTA SV were $16,200,000 compared to $10,853,000 in the second quarter of fiscal 2023, representing an increase of 49.3% year-over-year. Stronger sales of EGRIFTA SV in the second quarter were mostly the result of strong demand for the product, combined with weaker than usual sales in Q2 of last year stemming from drawdowns in inventory early in the second quarter of 2023. Net sales for the six-month period ended May 31, 2024, which amounted to $25,786,000 compared to $23,564,000 in the same period in 2023, representing growth of 9.4%.

Trogarzo net sales in the second quarter of Fiscal 2024 amounted to $5,817,000 compared to $6,696,000 for the same quarter of 2023, representing a decrease of 13.1% year-over-year. Lower sales of Trogarzo were mostly due to competitive pressures in the multi-drug resistant segment of the HIV-1 market, where Trogarzo remains an important part of the treatment arsenal but has lost market share to market leaders in the segment.

For the six-month period ended May 31, 2024, Trogarzo net sales were $12,478,000 compared to $13,893,000 in the same period in 2023.

Cost of Sales

For the three- and six-months ended May 31, 2024, cost of sales was $4,547,000 and $9,831,000 compared to $4,909,000 and $9,602,000 for the same periods in fiscal 2023.

Cost of Sales

Three months
ended May 31 Six months
ended May 31
2024 2023 2024 2023
($000s) % of Revenue ($000s) % of Revenue ($000s) % of Revenue ($000s) % of Revenue
EGRIFTA SV 1,549 9.6% 1,187 10.9% 3,436 13.3% 2,226 9.4%
Trogarzo 2,998 51.5% 3,722 55.6% 6,395 51.2% 7,376 53.0%
Total 4,547 20.7% 4,909 28.0% 9,831 25.7% 9,602 25.6%

For the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, EGRIFTA SV cost of sales was affected by a $251,000 and $1,088,000 provision related to the manufacturing of a batch of F8 formulation of tesamorelin, as the F8 formulation has not yet been approved by the FDA for commercialization. Trogarzo cost of sales is contractually established at 52% of net sales, subject to periodic adjustment for returns or other factors.

R&D Expenses

R&D expenses in the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, amounted to $4,725,000 and $8,477,000 compared to $10,389,000 and $19,745,000 in the comparable periods of fiscal 2023. R&D expenses in the three-month period ended May 31, 2024, include the accelerated depreciation ($766,000) of equipment used as part of the preclinical oncology research activities, following the decision to cease early-stage R&D activities.

R&D expenses

(in thousands of dollars)

Three months
ended May 31 Six months
ended May 31
2024 2023 % change 2024 2023 % change
Oncology
Laboratory research
and personnel 1,033* 475 117% 1,366* 988 38%
Pharmaceutical
product development 44 3,394 -99% 157 4,343 -96%
Phase 1 clinical trial 588 482 22% 977 1,602 -39%
Medical projects and education 278 1,081 -74% 504 2,382 -79%
Salaries, benefits and expenses 1,271 2,491 -49% 2,614 5,121 -49%
Regulatory activities 376 415 -9% 807 798 1%
Trogarzo IM formulation 6 320 -98% 26 850 -97%
Tesamorelin formulation development 448 379 18% 1,052 1,108 -5%
F8 human factor studies 5 454 -99 7 613 -99%
Pen injector - 44 - - 339 -
European activities 50 113 -56% 52 339 -85%
Travel, consultants, patents, options, others 308 741 -58% 579 1,262 -54%
Restructuring costs 318 - - 336 - -
Total 4,725 10,389 -55% 8,477 19,745 -57%
*Including accelerated depreciation ($766,000) of equipment used in the oncology program, following the decision to cease R&D activities related to the oncology program.

R&D expenses in the second quarter of 2023 were negatively impacted by a provision of $3,042,000 related to sudocetaxel zendusortide material which could expire before the Company is able to use it in its clinical program. Theratechnologies recorded no such provision in the second quarter of 2024.

Selling Expenses

Selling expenses decreased to $6,367,000 and $12,068,000 for the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, compared to $6,479,000 and $13,293,000 for the same periods last year. The decrease in selling expenses in the six-month period ended May 31, 2024, is due in large part to tighter expense control in commercialization activities. Spending in the second quarter of Fiscal 2024 has stabilized following the completion of cost-cutting measures implemented in Fiscal 2023.

The amortization of the intangible asset value for the EGRIFTA SV and Trogarzo commercialization rights is also included in selling expenses. As such, the Company recorded amortization expense of $360,000 and $720,000 for the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, compared to $739,000 and $1,478,000 in the same periods of Fiscal 2023.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses in the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, amounted to $3,090,000 and $6,846,000 compared to $3,716,000 and $8,168,000 reported in the comparable periods of fiscal 2023. The decrease in General and Administrative expenses is largely due to the implementation of cost-cutting measures announced in Fiscal 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA was $5,459,000 for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 and $5,212,000 for the six-month period ended May 31, 2024, compared to $(6,140,000) and $(10,032,000) for the same periods of Fiscal 2023. See "Non-IFRS and Non-US-GAAP Measure" above and see "Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA" below for a reconciliation to Net Loss for the relevant periods.

Net Finance Costs

Net finance costs for the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, were $2,183,000 and $4,308,000 compared to $1,943,000 and $6,883,000 for the comparable periods of Fiscal 2023. Net finance costs in the second quarter of Fiscal 2024 included interest of $2,313,000, versus $1,874,000 in the second quarter of Fiscal 2023. Net finance costs in the six-month period ended May 31, 2024, included interest of $4,587,000 versus $3,658,000 in the six-month period of Fiscal 2023. During the six-month period ended on May 31, 2023, net finance costs were also impacted by the loss on debt modification of $2,650,000 related to the issuance of common share purchase warrants (the "Marathon Warrants") issued in connection with the amendments to the credit agreement entered into with affiliates of Marathon Asset Management (the "Credit Agreement").

Net finance costs for the three- and six-month periods ended May 31, 2024, also included accretion expense of $382,000 and $756,000, compared to $609,000 and $1,142,000 for the comparable periods in 2023.

Net Income (Loss)

As a result of stronger revenues and the tight management of expenses over the past year, net income for the second quarter ended May 31, 2024, amounted to $987,000 compared to a net loss of $10,013,000. For the six-month periods ended May 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recorded net losses of $3,494,000 and $20,456,000, respectively.

Financial Position, Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity and Going Concern

As part of the preparation of the Interim Financial Statements, management is responsible for identifying any event or situation that may cast doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

As of the issuance date of the Interim Financial Statements, the Company expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents as of May 31, 2024, together with cash generated from its existing operations will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and debt obligations requirements for at least the next 12 months from the issuance date of the Interim Financial Statements. Considering the recent actions of the Company, material uncertainty that raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern was alleviated effective from these second quarter interim financial statements.

In an effort to reach sustainable profitability, the Company has undertaken a number of measures to rationalize its operations, including a decrease in research and development expenses and has established a new operating structure focused on its commercial business (including, for example as described in note 6 (a) of the Interim Financial Statements). For the three-month ended May 31, 2024, the Company generated a net profit of $987,000 (2023-net loss of $10,013,000) and had negative cash flows from operating activities of $290,000 (2023- negative $3,562,000). As at May 31, 2024, cash, bonds and money market funds amounted to $36,028,000.

The Company’s Loan Facility contains various covenants, including minimum liquidity covenants whereby the Company needs to maintain significant cash, cash equivalent and eligible short-term investments balances in specified accounts, which restricts the management of the Company’s liquidity (refer to Note 7 of the Interim Financial Statements). As at May 31, 2024, the material covenants of the Marathon Credit Agreement, as amended, include: (i) minimum liquidity requirements to be between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000, based on the Marathon adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the Marathon Credit Agreement, the "Marathon Adjusted EBITDA") targets over the most recently ended four fiscal quarters; and, (ii) minimum Marathon Adjusted EBITDA targets over the most recently ended four fiscal quarters. The breach of a covenant provides the lender with the ability to demand immediate repayment of the Loan Facility and makes available to the lender the collateralized assets, which includes substantially all cash, cash equivalents and money market funds which are subject to control agreements. The Company does not currently have other committed sources of financing available to it.

The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least, but not limited to, 12 months from May 31, 2024, involves significant judgement and is dependent on the adherence to the conditions of the Marathon Credit Agreement or to obtain the support of the lender (including possible waivers and amendments, if necessary), on increasing its EGRIFTA SV revenues and the continuing management of its expenses in order to meet or exceed the Marathon Adjusted EBITDA target and generate sufficient positive operating cash flows.

The Interim Financial Statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, which assumes the Company will continue its operations in the foreseeable future and will be able to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business.

Analysis of cash flows

The Company ended the second quarter of Fiscal 2024 with $36,028,000 in cash, bonds and money market funds. Available cash is invested in highly liquid fixed income instruments including governmental and municipal bonds, and money market funds.

For the three-month period ended May 31, 2024, cash generated by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities improved to $2,616,000, compared to a cash usage of $8,205,000 in the comparable period of Fiscal 2023, or an improvement of $10,821,000.

In the second quarter of Fiscal 2024, changes in operating assets and liabilities had a negative impact on cash flow of $2,906,000 (2023-positive impact of $4,643,000). These changes included positive impacts from a decrease in inventories ($769,000), lower prepaid expenses and deposits ($473,000) and higher provisions ($524,000), and also include a negative impact from higher accounts receivable ($2,858,000) and lower accounts payable ($1,781,000).

During the second quarter of Fiscal 2024, cash used by investing activities amounted to $639,000, and financing activities used $137,000 in cash, mostly related to payment of the second milestone to TaiMed Biologics related to the approval of the IV push method of administration of Trogarzo ($1,500,000), which was offset by the sale of bonds ($1,363,000).

Non-IFRS and Non-U.S. GAAP Measure

The information presented in this press release includes a measure that is not determined in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") or U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP"), being the term "Adjusted EBITDA". "Adjusted EBITDA" is used by the Corporation as an indicator of financial performance and is obtained by adding to net profit or loss, finance income and costs, depreciation and amortization, income taxes, share-based compensation from stock options, and certain write-downs (or related reversals) of inventories. "Adjusted EBITDA" excludes the effects of items that primarily reflect the impact of long-term investment and financing decisions rather than the results of day-to-day operations. The Corporation believes that this measure can be a useful indicator of its operational performance from one period to another. The Corporation uses this non-IFRS measure to make financial, strategic and operating decisions. Adjusted EBITDA is not a standardized financial measure under the financial reporting framework used to prepare the financial statements of the Corporation to which the measure relates and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. The Corporation has reinstated its use of Adjusted EBITDA starting this quarter and has included Adjusted EBITDA for the comparative period. A quantitative reconciliation of the Adjusted EBITDA is presented in the table below:

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA

(In thousands of dollars)

Three-month periods ended
May 31

Six-month periods ended
May 31


2024

2023 2024 2023
Net income (loss) 987 (10,013) (3,494) (20,456)

Add :

Depreciation and amortization2 1,262 932 1,779 1,871

Net Finance costs3 2,183 1,943 4,308 6,883

Income taxes 118 126 228 222

Share-based compensation 340 702 967 1,278

Inventory provision4 251 170 1,088 170

Restructuring costs 318 - 336 -

Adjusted EBITDA 5,459 (6,140) 5,212 (10,032)

Conference Call Details

The call will be held on Wednesday, July 10 at 8:30 a.m. ET and will be hosted by Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer. He will be joined by other members of the management team, including Philippe Dubuc, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Christian Marsolais, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer and John Leasure, Global Commercial Officer who will be available to answer questions from participants following prepared remarks.

Participants are encouraged to join the call at least ten minutes in advance to secure access. Conference call dial-in and replay information can be found below.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION
Conference Call Date July 10, 2024
Conference Call Time 8:30 a.m. ET
Webcast link View Source

Dial in 1-888-513-4119 (toll free) or 1-412-902-6615 (international)
Access Code 0474907
CONFERENCE CALL REPLAY
Toll Free 1-877-344-7529 (US) / 1-855-669-9658 (Canada)
International Toll 1-412-317-0088
Replay Access Code 4477930
Replay End Date July 17, 2024
To access the replay using an international dial-in number, please select this link:
View Source

An archived webcast will also be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website under ‘Past Events’.