On May 6, 2020 Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and highlighted recent corporate updates (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, MAY 6, 2020, View Source [SID1234557078]).
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Recent Corporate Updates
Pain Management Franchise
New Drug Application for HTX-011: In September 2019, Heron resubmitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for HTX-011, an investigational agent for the management of postoperative pain. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date is June 26, 2020.
Contract Manufacturing Site for HTX-011: In February 2020, Heron announced that the contract manufacturing site used to manufacture HTX-011 has been reinspected by the FDA with no Form 483 observations issued and with a recommendation by the FDA inspector for approval of the site. Heron has not been informed of any other manufacturing concerns.
Marketing Authorisation Application for HTX-011 in the European Union: In March 2019, Heron’s Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for review under the Centralised Procedure. The medical device certification required for approval in the European Union (EU) for the custom Luer lock applicator developed for application of HTX-011 without a needle was delayed. An opinion from the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) is now anticipated in the second half of 2020.
New Drug Submission for HTX-011 in Canada: In December 2019, Heron’s New Drug Submission (NDS) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was granted Priority Review status and accepted by Health Canada. Health Canada’s Priority Review status provides an accelerated 6-month review target for the NDS. Heron received the Certificate of Registration for the custom Luer lock applicator issued under the Medical Devices Single Audit Program for the medical device license in Canada. A decision by Health Canada on the NDS is anticipated in the third quarter of 2020.
CINV Franchise
CINV Net Product Sales: For the three months ended March 31, 2020, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) franchise net product sales were $25.4 million, compared to $31.6 million for the same period in 2019.
CINVANTI Net Product Sales: Net product sales of CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $25.2 million, compared to $28.0 million for the same period in 2019. Heron expects the impact of the generic arbitrage to be resolved in 2020, with a return to growth in 2021 and beyond.
SUSTOL Net Product Sales: Net product sales of SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $0.2 million, compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2019. On October 1, 2019, the Company discontinued all discounting of SUSTOL, which resulted in significantly lower SUSTOL net product sales. Heron expects SUSTOL to return to growth in 2021 and beyond.
2020 Net Product Sales Guidance: Heron expects 2020 net product sales for the CINV franchise of $70 million to $80 million and the CINV franchise to return to growth in 2021 and beyond.
"We are encouraged by a recent communication with the FDA where they indicated that they continue on schedule with their review of the NDA for HTX-011, with a PDUFA date of June 26, 2020," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "For the CINV franchise, our customers are benefiting from the administration of CINVANTI by 2-minute IV push, an important product advantage compared to competitive products, which has led to strong first-quarter net product sales of $25.4 million."
Financial Results
Net product sales for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $25.4 million, compared to $31.6 million for the same period in 2019.
Heron’s net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $51.6 million, or $0.57 per share, compared to $63.0 million, or $0.80 per share, for the same period in 2019. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $12.0 million, compared to $17.9 million for the same period in 2019.
As of March 31, 2020, Heron had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $356.3 million, compared to $391.0 million as of December 31, 2019. Net cash used for operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $32.9 million, compared to $49.0 million for the same period in 2019. Heron expects that its current cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operations into 2022.
About HTX-011 for Postoperative Pain
HTX-011, an investigational non-opioid, is a dual-acting, fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine with a low dose of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. It is the first and only extended-release local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and opioid use through 72 hours compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control. HTX-011 was granted Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the fourth quarter of 2017 and Breakthrough Therapy designation in the second quarter of 2018. Heron submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for HTX-011 in October of 2018 and received Priority Review designation in December of 2018. A Complete Response Letter (CRL) was received from the FDA regarding the NDA for HTX-011 on April 30, 2019 relating to chemistry, manufacturing and controls and non-clinical information. No issues related to clinical efficacy or safety were noted. Heron resubmitted an NDA to the FDA for HTX-011 in September 2019. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date is June 26, 2020. A Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for HTX-011 was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in March 2019 for review under the Centralised Procedure. Heron’s New Drug Submission (NDS) for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain was granted Priority Review status by Health Canada in October 2019 and accepted by Health Canada in November 2019.
About CINVANTI (Aprepitant) Injectable Emulsion
CINVANTI, in combination with other antiemetic agents, is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin as a single-dose regimen, delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC) as a single-dose regimen, and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of MEC as a 3-day regimen. CINVANTI is an IV formulation of aprepitant, a substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist (RA). CINVANTI is the first IV formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is the only single-agent NK1 RA to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy). The FDA-approved dosing administration included in the United States prescribing information for CINVANTI is a 30-minute IV infusion or a 2-minute IV injection.
About SUSTOL (Granisetron) Extended-Release Injection
SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that utilizes Heron’s Biochronomer drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL’s efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL’s efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy).