Harbour BioMed Appoints Youchen Chen as Chief Financial Officer

On April 9, 2025 Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on immunology and oncology, reported the appointment of Youchen (YC) Chen as Chief Financial Officer (Press release, Harbour BioMed, APR 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234651858]). YC will be based in Shanghai and Hong Kong SAR, and report directly to Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Harbour BioMed.

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!

Since joining Harbour BioMed in 2023, YC has taken on increasing responsibilities across Investor Relations, Corporate Development, Business Development, and Finance. His strategic vision and collaborative leadership have significantly contributed to key strategic transactions, global partnerships and alliances, as well as global financial management and operations. In his new role, YC will continue to leverage his expertise to further enhance shareholder value and guide Harbour BioMed through its next phase of strategic development.

Before joining Harbour BioMed, YC served as Chief Financial Officer at a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical startup. He was previously Vice President at Credit Suisse China Investment Banking and Capital Market team, advising healthcare and technology companies in Greater China on strategic and financing transactions. Prior to Credit Suisse, YC held multiple roles as Head of Corporate Finance at Yidu Tech (2158.HK) and Audit Assistant Manager at KPMG.

Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Harbour BioMed, commented: "YC has brought a strong strategic mindset and deep financial expertise to Harbour BioMed. His ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive value creation has made a significant impact across the organization. I’m confident that in his new role as Chief Financial Officer, he will continue to strengthen our financial foundation and support our long-term growth."

Youchen Chen, Chief Financial Officer of Harbour BioMed, added: "I’m honored to take on the role of Chief Financial Officer at Harbour BioMed. It’s been a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and visionary team. I look forward to continuing our efforts to advance the company’s strategic objectives, deliver value to our stakeholders, and support our mission of transforming innovation into impactful therapies."

YC holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Fudan University and an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. He is also currently pursuing an advanced degree at Harvard Medical School.

European Commission Approved Subcutaneous DARZALEX® (daratumumab)-based Quadruplet Regimen for the Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma, Regardless of Transplant Eligibility

On April 9, 2025 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) (Halozyme) reported that Janssen-Cilag International NV, a Johnson & Johnson company, received European Commission (EC) approval for an indication extension of DARZALEX (daratumumab) subcutaneous (SC) co-formulated with ENHANZE in the frontline setting (Press release, Halozyme, APR 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234651857]). The approval is for daratumumab SC in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (daratumumab-VRd) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.1

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

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

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"The continued expansion of DARZALEX delivered subcutaneously with ENHANZE into additional settings highlights its status as a cornerstone of therapy for multiple myeloma," said Dr. Helen Torley, President and CEO of Halozyme. "This approval means that newly diagnosed patients can receive daratumumab subcutaneous plus VRd and avoid the need for lengthy IV infusions."

This approval follows the indication extension approval for daratumumab-VRd in October 2024, for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant, based on the results from the Phase 3 PERSEUS (NCT03652064) study. The study evaluated this daratumumab SC-based quadruplet regimen for induction and consolidation therapy, followed by daratumumab SC and lenalidomide maintenance.2,3

1 European Medicines Agency. DARZALEX (daratumumab) Summary of Product Characteristics. April 2025.

2 Rodríguez-Otero P, et al. Daratumumab (DARA) + bortezomib/lenalidomide/dexamethasone (VRd) in transplant-eligible (TE) patients (pts) with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM): Analysis of minimal residual disease (MRD) in the PERSEUS trial. 2024 American Society for Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. June 3, 2024.

3 Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine EMEA. DARZALEX (daratumumab)-SC based quadruplet regimen approved by the European Commission for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are transplant-eligible. Available at: View Source Last accessed: April 2025.

Tempest Announces Plan to Explore Strategic Alternatives to Advance Promising Pipeline of Clinical Oncology Assets and Maximize Stockholder Value

On April 9, 2025 Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPST), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-classi targeted and immune-mediated therapeutics to fight cancer, reported that the company plans to explore a full range of strategic alternatives to advance its promising clinical stage programs and maximize stockholder value (Press release, Tempest Therapeutics, APR 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234651856]). Strategic alternatives under consideration may include, but are not limited to, mergers, acquisition, partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements or other strategic transactions. The company has retained MTS Health Partners, L.P., an internationally recognized financial advisor with substantial experience in the biotechnology industry, to support it with the strategic evaluation process.

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!

"Notwithstanding the positive randomized data set from the amezalpat Phase 2 and its blockbuster potential in first-line HCC, as well as the potential of TPST-1495 as it moves towards a Phase 2 in FAP, the capital markets have been unavailable to support the next stage of advancement," said Stephen Brady, president and chief executive officer of Tempest. "We are initiating a process to explore alternatives available to the company to maximize stockholder value, which include finding a strategic partner with the resources to develop what we believe are potentially life-saving therapies for patients in need. Given the positive data and commercial potential with this pipeline, as well as the clearance from FDA on the lead program’s pivotal study, we believe this is a rare opportunity for a partner."

The company has not set a timetable for completion of the process for evaluating strategic alternatives and does not intend to disclose further developments or guidance on the status of its programs or the process for evaluating strategic alternatives unless and until it is determined that further disclosure is appropriate or necessary. No agreement providing for any transaction has been reached and there can be no assurances that any transaction will result from the process for evaluating strategic alternatives. If the process for evaluating strategic alternatives results in an agreement regarding a transaction, there can be no assurances that any transaction will be completed.

Program Milestones and Status

Amezalpat (TPST-1120) (clinical PPARα antagonist):

Granted both Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for amezalpat for the treatment of patients with HCC.
Received a "Study May Proceed" letter from the FDA to evaluate amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ) and bevacizumab (Avastin), the current standard of care for unresectable or metastatic HCC, in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic HCC.
Announced an agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) to advance the evaluation of amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab into a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic HCC.
Announced positive feedback from the end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA for amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab to treat first-line unresectable or metastatic HCC.
Reported new positive survival data from the ongoing global randomized Phase 1b/2 clinical study demonstrating that amezalpat delivered a six-month improvement in median overall survival (OS) when combined with atezolizumab and bevacizumab in comparison to atezolizumab and bevacizumab alone, the standard of care, in the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic HCC.
Published positive data from the Phase 1 trial of amezalpat in patients with advanced solid tumors in the Journal of Cancer Research Communications. Data showed that amezalpat demonstrated clinical activity, including tumor shrinkage, even in PD-1 inhibitor-refractory and immune-compromised cancers. These data complement the positive Phase 1b/2 data reported in October 2023 and June 2024 from a global randomized study of amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab in first-line patients with advanced HCC.
Reported new preclinical data at the 2024 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting demonstrating that amezalpat reduced kidney cancer growth as a monotherapy, while also showing increased inhibition when combined with frontline chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
TPST-1495 (clinical dual EP2/4 prostaglandin receptor antagonist):

Granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA for TPST-1495 for the treatment of patients with FAP.
Received a "Study May Proceed" letter from the FDA to evaluate TPST-1495 in a Phase 2 trial for the treatment of FAP.
About Amezalpat (TPST-1120)

Amezalpat is an oral, small molecule, selective PPAR⍺ antagonist. Data suggest that amezalpat treats cancer by targeting tumor cells directly and by modulating immune suppressive cells and angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. In an ongoing global randomized Phase 1b/2 study of amezalpat in combination with atezolizumab and bevacizumab in first-line patients with advanced HCC, the amezalpat arm showed clinical superiority across multiple study endpoints, including overall survival in both the entire population and key subpopulations, when compared to atezolizumab and bevacizumab alone, the standard of care. These randomized data were supported by additional positive results observed in the Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with heavily pretreated advanced solid tumors, including renal cell carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.

About TPST-1495

TPST-1495 is a novel, highly selective and potent EP2-EP4 dual antagonist designed to block the cancer-promoting EP2 and EP4 receptors in the prostaglandin (PGE2) pathway, while sparing the homologous but differentially active EP1 and EP3 receptors. PGE2 signaling through EP2 and EP4 has been observed to enhance tumor progression through the stimulation of tumor proliferation, enhanced angiogenesis and suppression of immune function in the tumor microenvironment. The Phase 2 study of TPST-1495 in patients with FAP is expected to begin in 2025 under the auspices of the Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Network and funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Division of Cancer Prevention.

Theratechnologies Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter 2025 and Reviews Key Achievements

On April 9, 2025 Theratechnologies Inc. ("Theratechnologies" or the "Company") (TSX: TH) (NASDAQ: THTX), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, reported business highlights and financial results for the first quarter 2025, ended February 28, 2025. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated (Press release, Theratechnologies, APR 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234651855]).

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!

First-Quarter 2025 Revenues
(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

Three Months Ended Change
February 28,
2025 February 29,
2024
EGRIFTA SV net sales 13,880 9,586 44.8 %
Trogarzo net sales 5,167 6,661 (22.4 %)
Revenue 19,047 16,247 17.2 %

"We are extremely pleased to have ended our fiscal first quarter in a strong position with total revenue of $19 million, representing 17% growth year-over-year, a net profit of $117,000, and positive adjusted EBITDA1 of $2.3 million. While this number is mainly related to reloading the pipeline following an end to the temporary supply disruption, the fundamentals of the business and specifically demand for EGRIFTA SV remains very strong," said Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our HIV portfolio led by the EGRIFTA franchise will continue to remain our engine of growth for years with the recent approval of EGRIFTA WR which will drive further adoption and adherence."

____________________________
1 This is a non-IFRS measure. See "non-IFRS and non-U.S. GAAP measure" below

Recent Company Highlights

Theratechnologies Receives FDA Approval for EGRIFTA WR (Tesamorelin F8) to Treat Excess Visceral Abdominal Fat in Adults with HIV and Lipodystrophy

On March 25, 2025, the Company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the F8 formulation of tesamorelin for injection. The Company will commercialize the new formulation under the tradename EGRIFTA WR.

Tesamorelin for injection is the only medication approved in the U.S. for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV who have lipodystrophy. The new formulation, EGRIFTA WR, is a daily injectable but only needs weekly reconstitution. It requires less than half the administration volume as the current F4 formulation, sold in the U.S. as EGRIFTA SV, which is reconstituted daily.

EGRIFTA WR will be supplied as four single-patient-use vials, each containing 11.6 mg of tesamorelin, sufficient for seven doses. The daily dose is 1.28 mg (0.16 mL of the reconstituted solution) injected subcutaneously. The product can be stored at room temperature (20° to 25° C [68° to 77° F]) before and after reconstitution.

Remediation to Temporary Supply Disruption for EGRIFTA SV

On January 9, 2025, the Company announced a temporary supply disruption for EGRIFTA SV caused by an unexpected voluntary shutdown of the Company’s contract manufacturer’s facility in 2024 following an inspection by the FDA. The manufacturer has resumed manufacturing of EGRIFTA SV in November 2024. In order to resume distribution of EGRIFTA SV, the Company was required to file a PAS with the FDA describing the changes made by its manufacturer. The Company filed the PAS and the PDUFA goal date has been set to April 18, 2025.

Upon resuming distribution of EGRIFTA SV to its distributor on February 14, 2025, the Company received large orders until the end of its first quarter to rebuild inventories at both McKesson and in our specialty pharmacy network, with some pharmacies ordering larger than usual quantities. This will result in a longer drawdown than usual, and should have an impact on Q2 revenues while pharmacy inventories revert to normal levels. Considering that patients were off treatment for 6 to 7 weeks, we estimate that the drug shortage will have a one-time impact of $10 to $12 million on revenues for the 2025 fiscal year.

Approval of Prior Approval Supplement for EGRIFTA SV sBLA by the FDA

On April 7, 2025, the Company announced the FDA approved the Company’s PAS for EGRIFTA SV. Approval of the PAS removes any regulatory requirement for discretionary product release, thereby allowing Theratechnologies to resume regular distribution of EGRIFTA SV.

Theratechnologies CROI Presentation Highlights Limitations of Using BMI to Assess Cardiovascular (CV) Risk in People with HIV

On March 12, 2025, the Company announced that it presented data highlighting the limitations of using body mass index (BMI) alone in assessing cardiovascular (CV) risk in people with HIV (PWH). The study underscores the need to incorporate screening for excess visceral abdominal fat (EVAF) to better identify PWH at risk of CV disease.

Theratechnologies Presents Encouraging Virologic Suppression Data from the PROMISE-US Trial of Ibalizumab at CROI

On March 12, 2025, the Company announced that it presented data from a real-world, observational, registry study demonstrating the efficacy and safety of ibalizumab in reducing HIV RNA to undetectable levels in heavily treatment-experienced (HTE) patients with multidrug resistant HIV.

2025 Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Guidance

As a result of the supply disruption of EGRIFTA SV during the first quarter of 2025 described above (see "Recent Highlights – Remediation to Temporary Supply Disruption for EGRIFTA SV") resulting in a one-time loss of 6 to 7 weeks of sales ($10 to $12 million), and taking into account the approval of EGRIFTA WR, we estimate FY2025 revenue to be in the range of $80 million to $83 million while we anticipate Adjusted EBITDA, a non-IFRS measure, to be between $10 and $12 million for the same period.

Summary of 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-month period ended February 28, 2025, which have been prepared in accordance with 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 SEDAR+ 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.

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Revenue
Consolidated revenue for the three months ended February 28, 2025, amounted to $19,047,000 compared to $16,247,000 for the same period last year, representing an increase of 17.2%.

For the first quarter of Fiscal 2025, sales of EGRIFTA SV reached $13,880,000 compared to $9,586,000 in the first quarter of the prior year, representing an increase of 44.8%. Higher sales of EGRIFTA SV were mostly the result of higher unit sales (+24.0%), a higher selling price (+6.7%) and the remainder of the difference is explained by lower government chargebacks, rebates and others. The increase in unit sales of EGRIFTA SV in 2025 were mostly due to the rebuilding of distributor and pharmacy inventories following the supply disruption of EGRIFTA SV in the first quarter of 2025. On February 13, 2025, the FDA authorized the release of two batches of EGRIFTA SV and the Company recorded sales of EGRIFTA SV during the last two weeks of February 2025. In the first quarter of 2024 sales of EGRIFTA SV were negatively affected by inventory drawdowns at the specialty pharmacy level.

In the first quarter of Fiscal 2025, Trogarzo sales amounted to $5,167,000 compared to $6,661,000 for the same quarter of 2024, representing a decrease of 22.4%. Lower sales of Trogarzo were mostly due to lower unit sales (-17.5%), which were offset by a higher selling price (+2.9%). The remainder of the decrease is explained by higher government rebates, chargebacks and others. Trogarzo unit sales in the first quarter of 2025 were down mostly as a result of the entry of new competitors in the market in the past few years.

Cost of Goods Sold
In the first quarter of Fiscal 2025, cost of goods sold was $3,483,000 compared to $5,284,000 for the same period in Fiscal 2024.

Three months
ended February
Feb. 28, 2025 Feb. 29 2024
($000s) % of
Revenue ($000s) % of
Revenue
EGRIFTA SV 808 5.8 % 1,887 19.7 %
Trogarzo 2,675 51.8 % 3,397 51.0 %
Total 3,483 18.3 % 5,284 32.5 %

For the three-month period ended February 28, 2025, EGRIFTA SV cost of goods sold was reduced by the reversal of an inventory provision ($713,000) related to the manufacturing of batches of F8 Formulation recorded prior to approval of the F8 Formulation by the FDA. In the first quarter of 2024, cost of goods sold was increased by this inventory provision ($837,000). The percentage of revenue for EGRIFTA SV excluding these provision changes is comparable for the first quarter of 2025 and 2024. Trogarzo cost of goods sold 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-month period ended February 28, 2025 amounted to $2,969,000 compared to $3,752,000 in the comparable period of Fiscal 2024, a decrease of 21.2%. The decrease during the first quarter of Fiscal 2025 was largely due to lower spending on life-cycle management projects as well as lower activity in our oncology program, as well as the recognition of non-refundable federal tax credits.

R&D expenses
(in thousands of dollars)

Three months
ended
Feb. 28
2025 Feb. 29
2024 %
change
Oncology
Laboratory research
and personnel 32 333 -90%
Pharmaceutical
product development 48 113 -58%
Phase 1 clinical trial 85 389 -78%
Medical projects and education 206 226 -9%
Salaries, benefits and expenses 1,442 1,343 8%
Regulatory activities 457 431 6%
Trogarzo IM formulation - 20 -100%
Tesamorelin formulation development 572 604 -5%
F8 human factor studies (10) 2 -%
European activities 11 2 450%
Travel, consultants, patents, options, others 320 303 2%
Restructuring costs - 18 -100%
Tax credits (194) (32) 506%
Total 2,969 3,752 -21%

Selling Expenses
Selling expenses in the three-month period ended February 28, 2025, amounted to $6,470,000 compared to $5,701,000 in the comparable period of Fiscal 2024 or an increase of 13.5%. Higher selling expenses are mostly due to higher compensation expense versus last year, due to lower vacancies and hiring related to market preparation for the Ionis in-licensed products.

General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of Fiscal 2025 amounted to $4,230,000, compared to $3,756,000 reported in the same period of Fiscal 2024, representing an increase of 12.6%. The increase is a result of higher compensation expenses and professional fees.

Net Finance Costs
Net finance costs for the three-month period ended February 28, 2025, were $1,471,000 compared to $2,125,000 in the same period last year. The decrease in net finance cost is mostly due to lower interest expense on long-term debt ($1,268,000) and lower accretion expense, write-off and amortization of deferred financing costs ($255,000). These declines in finance costs were offset by a loss on financial instruments carried at fair value ($450,000) and by lower interest income ($563,000). Interest on long-term debt was $1,006,000 in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $2,274,000 in 2024, reflecting the lower interest rates and lower long-term debt outstanding on the Company’s new credit facilities.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was $2,321,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 compared to $(247,000) for the same period of 2024. The improvement is mainly due to the higher revenue in the first quarter of 2025. See "Non-IFRS and Non-US-GAAP Measure" above and see "Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA" below for a reconciliation to Net Profit (loss) for the relevant periods.

Income Tax Expense
Income tax expense amounted to $307,000, versus $110,000 in the same period last year. The increase in the first quarter of 2025 over the same period of 2024 is attributable to the higher net fiscal income generated by our operations. The Company recorded Canadian federal non-refundable tax credits in the three-month period ended February 28, 2025 ($194,000) against research and development expenses, which largely offsets the Canadian federal income tax payable.

Net Profit
Taking into account the revenue and expense variations described above, we recorded a net profit of $117,000, or $0.00 per share, in the first quarter of Fiscal 2025, as compared to a loss of $4,481,000, or a loss of $0.10 per share, recorded in the first quarter of Fiscal 2024.

Financial Position, Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity and future operations

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 these interim financial statements, the Company expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents as of February 28, 2025, 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 these 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 first quarter interim financial statements.

For the three-month period ended February 28, 2025, the Company generated a net profit of $117,000 (2024- net loss of $4,481,000) and had negative cash flows from operating activities of $9,744,000 (2024- $1,708,000). As at February 28, 2025, cash amounted to $3,905,000, working capital (current assets less current liabilities) amounted to $2,668,000 and the accumulated deficit was $416,770,000. The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern requires the Company to continue to achieve positive cash flows through revenues generation and managing expenses and meet the covenants of the TD Credit Agreement and the IQ Credit Agreement at all times, which require testing on a quarterly basis.

On January 9, 2025, the Company announced a temporary supply disruption for EGRIFTA SV caused by an unexpected voluntary shutdown of the Company’s contract manufacturer’s facility in the third quarter of 2024 following an inspection by the US Food and Drug Administration. The manufacturer has resumed manufacturing of EGRIFTA SV, in November 2024. In order to resume distribution of EGRIFTA SV, the Company was required to file a PAS with the FDA describing the changes made by its manufacturer. The Company filed the PAS on December 18, 2024.

On February 13, 2025, the FDA, via its Drug Shortage Staff (DSS), indicated that it would allow the Company to sell and distribute newly manufactured batches of EGRIFTA SV while the review of the PAS is ongoing, thereby allowing the Company to sell two manufactured batches of EGRIFTA SV, representing up to six months of patient supply. Distribution of the product has resumed on February 14, 2025. The Company has already manufactured two additional batches, and a new batch is currently scheduled for production in July 2025.

On March 25, 2025, the FDA has approved the Company’s supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the F8 formulation of tesamorelin for injection. The Company will commercialize the new formulation under the tradename EGRIFTA WR. The Company plans to launch EGRIFTA WR in the third quarter of 2025.

On April 7, 2025, the FDA approved the PAS, allowing the Company to continue releasing EGRIFTA SV to the market without further authorization from the FDA.

The Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least, but not limited to, 12 months from February 28, 2025 involves significant judgement and is dependent on continued generation of revenues including a timely transition from EGRIFTA SV to EGRIFTA WR in order to be able to meet the Adjusted EBITDA covenants

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

We ended the first quarter of fiscal 2025 with $4,548,000 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 February 28, 2025, cash generated by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities improved to $2,457,000, compared to a use of $3,129,000 in the comparable period of Fiscal 2024.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, changes in operating assets and liabilities had a negative impact on cash flow of $12,201,000 (2024-positive impact of $1,421,000). These changes included a negative impact from higher accounts receivable ($6,773,000), mostly due to the concentration of EGRIFTA SV sales in the last two weeks of the quarter. Also having a negative impact were lower accounts payable ($3,948,000), higher prepaid expenses and deposits ($804,000) and higher inventories ($1,580,000). These changes were offset by positive impacts from higher provisions ($870,000).

During the first quarter of 2025, cash used by operating activities amounted to $9,744,000, compared to cash provided by operating of $1,708,000 in the first quarter of 2024.

During the first quarter of 2025, cash provided by financing activities was $4,665,000, which included proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt of $5,000,000 from the Revolver, while investing activities used $6,902,000, and included a $10,000,000 upfront payment to Ionis, while the sale of bonds and money market funds generated proceeds of $3,202,000.

Outstanding Securities Data

As at April 8, 2025, the number of common shares issued and outstanding was 45,980,019. We also had 5,000,000 Marathon Warrants issued and outstanding, exercisable into 1,250,000 common shares, 5,643,759 options granted under our stock option plan and 3,381,816 Exchangeable Subscription Receipts.

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA
(In thousands of U.S. dollars)

Three-month periods ended February
28, 2025 29, 2024
Net profit (loss) 229 (4,481 )
Add :
Depreciation and amortization2 491 517
Net Finance costs3 1,471 2,125
Income taxes 307 110
Restructuring costs - 18
Inventory provision4 (713 ) 837
Share-based compensation 536 627
Adjusted EBITDA 2,321 (247 )
____________________________
2 Includes depreciation of property and equipment, amortization of intangible, other assets and right-of-use assets.
3 Includes all finance income and finance costs consisting of: Foreign exchange, interest income, accretion expense, write-off and amortization of deferred financing costs, interest expense, gain or loss on financial instruments carried at fair value and loss on debt modifications and repayment and gain on lease termination and other.
4 Inventory provision pending marketing approval of the F8 Formulation in Q1 2024 and reversal of such provision in Q1 2025 following approval of the F8 Formulation on March 25, 2025.

Conference Call Details

The conference call will be held at 8:30 a.m. (ET) on April 9, 2025, to discuss the results and recent business updates.

The call will be hosted by Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer, who 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. They 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 April 9, 2025
Conference Call Time 8:30 a.m. ET
Webcast link View Source
Dial in 1-877-513-4119 (toll free) or 1-412-902-6615 (international)
Access Code 2419339
CONFERENCE CALL REPLAY
Toll Free 1-877-344-7529 (US) / 1-855-669-9658 (Canada)
International Toll 1-412-317-0088
Replay Access Code 5058651
Replay End Date April 16, 2025
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’.

Phio Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Safety Monitoring Committee Recommendation to Advance INTASYL® PH-762 Skin Cancer Study to Fourth Dose Escalation Cohort

On April 9, 2025 Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Nasdaq: PHIO) is a clinical-stage siRNA biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics using its proprietary INTASYL siRNA gene silencing technology to eliminate cancer, reported that the Safety Monitoring Committee (SMC) recommended dose escalation in Phio’s Phase 1b clinical trial (NCT 06014086) for Phio’s lead product candidate, PH-762 (Press release, Phio Pharmaceuticals, APR 9, 2025, View Source [SID1234651854]).

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!

Phio’s Phase 1b clinical trial is a multi-center, dose-escalating trial designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of neoadjuvant use of intratumoral PH-762 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, or Merkel cell carcinoma. This trial assesses the tumor response and determines the recommended dose for further study of PH-762. In the third cohort of this trial, three patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. For these patients, injections were well tolerated with no serious adverse events and there were no dose-limiting toxicities. Pathology results related to efficacy of PH-762 in the third cohort are forthcoming.

"We are impressed with the continuing safety profile of PH-762 having now progressed through the first 3 escalating doses," said Mary Spellman, MD, Phio’s acting Chief Medical Officer.

Previously, seven patients diagnosed with cutaneous carcinomas were treated in dose cohorts 1 and 2. The second cohort enrolled a total of 4 patients who were diagnosed with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. At Day 36 (tumor excision) in the second cohort, two patients had a complete response (100% tumor clearance), and one patient had a partial response (90% clearance). All three patients in cohort 1 and one patient in cohort 2 maintained stable disease.

"We are optimistic that the clinical trial will continue to demonstrate that PH-762 may present a viable non-surgical alternative to existing modes of therapy for skin cancer" said Robert Bitterman, President and CEO of Phio Pharmaceuticals.