On August 14, 2024 Celcuity Inc. (Nasdaq: CELC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pursuing development of targeted therapies for oncology, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 and other recent business developments (Press release, Celcuity, AUG 14, 2024, View Source [SID1234645893]).

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"We made significant strides advancing the clinical development of gedatolisib this quarter. Overall enrollment in VIKTORIA-1 remains robust and on-track relative to our previous projections," said Brian Sullivan, CEO and co-founder of Celcuity. "We also initiated efforts to launch VIKTORIA-2, a Phase 3 study to evaluate gedatolisib as a first-line treatment option for patients with HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer."

"In our VIKTORIA-1 study, while overall enrollment is on track, the proportion of patients who have PIK3CA wild-type tumors, versus those with PIK3CA mutations, has recently shifted lower than our original estimates. As a result, we expect to reach the enrollment target for the PIK3CA wild-type cohort in the fourth quarter, rather than the third quarter, as we originally forecasted. In light of this, we expect topline data for the PIK3CA WT cohort to shift to sometime between late Q4 2024 and Q1 2025."

Second Quarter 2024 Business Highlights and Other Recent Developments

● The VIKTORIA-1 Phase 3 trial expects to provide topline data for the PIK3CA wild-type cohort in late Q4 2024 or Q1 2025 and for the PIK3CA mutant cohort in the first half of 2025.

○ VIKTORIA-1 is evaluating gedatolisib in combination with fulvestrant with and without palbociclib in adults with HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer who have received prior treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor.
○ Enrollment of the PIK3CA wild-type cohort is more than 80% complete and expected to reach the enrollment target during Q4 2024. The PIK3CA wild-type cohort represents approximately 60% of the total patients enrolled to date in VIKTORIA-1.

● In May, the Company announced its plan to initiate VIKTORIA-2, a Phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gedatolisib in combination with fulvestrant plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor, either ribociclib or palbociclib, in comparison to fulvestrant plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor as a first-line treatment for patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.

○ A safety run-in study to evaluate the safety of gedatolisib combined with ribociclib and fulvestrant will precede initiation of the Phase 3 portion of the study.
○ The Phase 3 portion of the study is expected to enroll approximately 638 patients at up to 200 sites across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
○ First patient enrollment is expected in the second quarter of 2025.

● During the quarter, the Company secured a combined total of $129 million in gross proceeds from equity and debt financings, which extended the cash runway for current clinical development program activities through 2026.

● The Phase 1b/2 trial, evaluating gedatolisib in combination with darolutamide for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), remains on track to report preliminary data in the first half of 2025.

○ Enrollment is ongoing and the trial is expected to enroll up to 54 patients with mCRPC whose disease progressed after treatment with an androgen receptor signaling inhibitor.

● Three manuscripts reporting clinical and nonclinical results for gedatolisib were published recently.

○ In April, The Lancet Oncology published results from the dose expansion groups of its Phase 1b study evaluating gedatolisib in combination with palbociclib and endocrine therapy in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. The published manuscript is available online and on the publications section of Celcuity’s website.
○ In June, npj Breast Cancer published results of nonclinical studies showing gedatolisib’s superior potency and efficacy versus single-node PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in breast cancer models. The article is available online and on the publications section of Celcuity’s website.
○ In August, Molecular Oncology published results of nonclinical studies in prostate cancer models showing gedatolisib’s superior potency and efficacy versus single-node PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. The article is available online and will soon be available on the publications section of Celcuity’s website.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons are for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, compared to the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.

Total operating expenses were $24.3 million for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $15.1 million for the second quarter of 2023.

Research and development (R&D) expenses were $22.5 million for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $13.8 million for the prior-year period. Of the approximately $8.7 million increase in R&D expenses, $6.6 million primarily related to activities supporting the VIKTORIA-1 Phase 3 trial and the initiation of the CELC-G-201 Phase 1b/2 clinical trial, and $2.1 million was related to increased employee and consulting expenses.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $1.8 million for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $1.3 million for the prior-year period. Employee and consulting related expenses accounted for $0.3 million of the increase. Professional fees and other administrative expenses accounted for the remaining increase of approximately $0.2 million.

Net loss for the second quarter of 2024 was $23.7 million, or $0.62 loss per share, compared to a net loss of $14.6 million, or $0.66 loss per share, for the second quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss for the second quarter of 2024 was $22.2 million, or $0.58 loss per share, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $11.1 million, or $0.51 loss per share, for the second quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss excludes stock-based compensation expense, non-cash interest expense, and non-cash interest income. Because these items have no impact on Celcuity’s cash position, management believes non-GAAP adjusted net loss better enables Celcuity to focus on cash used in operations. For a reconciliation of financial measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) to non-GAAP financial measures, please see the financial tables at the end of this press release.

Net cash used in operating activities for the second quarter of 2024 was $18.1 million, compared to $9.7 million for the second quarter of 2023.

At June 30, 2024, Celcuity reported cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $283.1 million.

Webcast and Conference Call Information

The Celcuity management team will host a webcast/conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET today to discuss the second quarter 2024 financial results and provide a corporate update. To participate in the teleconference, domestic callers should dial 1-800-717-1738 or 1-646-307-1865. A live webcast presentation can also be accessed using this weblink: View Source;tp_key=c55c86e8c3. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Celcuity website following the live event.