On August 10, 2023 Aprea Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: APRE) ("Aprea", or the "Company"), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on precision oncology through synthetic lethality, reported financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and provided a business update (Press release, Aprea, AUG 10, 2023, View Source [SID1234634178]).

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"We continue to execute across all our programs, with notable progress in enrollment in our lead Phase 1/2a dose escalation study with ATRN-119, our ATR inhibitor for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and anticipate initial preliminary data in the fourth quarter 2023," said Oren Gilad, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Aprea. "Our IND enabling studies for ATRN-1051, our WEE1 inhibitor, continue to be on track, and we continue to anticipate filing an IND by the end of the year. Our strong balance sheet continues to support our strategy and plans through our near-term milestones in both our ATR and WEE1 programs, with a cash runway into the fourth quarter of 2024. We look forward to providing more updates as we make progress throughout the rest of the year."

Key Business and Financial Updates

ATR inhibitor program: ATRN-119 – Enrollment continues in the Phase 1/2a trial of Aprea’s lead clinical candidate, ATRN-119, a potential best-in-class ATR inhibitor for the treatment of advanced solid tumors, harboring defined mutations in DDR pathways. ATRN-119 is an orally bioavailable, potent and selective macrocyclic small molecule inhibitor of ATR. ATR is one of several key regulators impacting response to defective DNA replication and DNA damage, which occurs more commonly in cancer cells than in normal cells. Primary endpoints of the Phase 1 dose escalation part of the study include safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and a recommended Phase 2 dose. The Company expects to report initial interim safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic data from the ongoing Phase 1 trial of ATRN-119 in the fourth quarter of 2023.
WEE1 inhibitor program: ATRN-1051 – ATRN-1051 is an orally-bioavailable, highly potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of WEE1, a key regulator of multiple phases of the cell cycle. The Company believes preclinical findings support potentially favorable drug selectivity and exposure. Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies with ATRN-1051 are under way, and the Company anticipates filing an IND by the end of 2023.
Appointed Gabriela Gruia, M.D., to the Board of Directors, strengthening the Company’s leadership. Dr. Gruia brings over 25 years of clinical, regulatory and life science leadership experience to Aprea, having worked for Novartis, Pfizer, Pharmacia, Aventis, and Rhone Poulenc. Dr. Gruia received her M.D. from Bucharest Medical School in Romania and a Masters in Breast Pathology and Mammography from René Huguenin/Curie Institute Cancer Center in Paris, France.
Select Financial Results for the Second Quarter ended June 30, 2023

As of June 30, 2023, the Company reported cash and cash equivalents of $27.7 million.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2023, the Company reported an operating loss of $3.7 million, compared to an operating loss of $98.5 million for the same period in 2022.
Research and Development (R&D) expenses were $2.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $6.8 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease in R&D expense was related to lower clinical trial expense primarily due to the close out of legacy Aprea clinical trials, lower personnel costs for the former facility in Sweden, and lower non-cash stock-based compensation expense.
General and Administrative (G&A) expenses were $1.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $15.6 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease in G&A expenses was due to lower non-cash stock-based compensation expense, lower insurance premium expenses and lower personnel costs for the former facility in Sweden.
Acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D) expenses were $0 for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to $76.0 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease in IPR&D was related to the 2022 acquisition of Atrin, which was accounted for as an asset acquisition. The acquisition cost allocated to acquired IPR&D with no alternative future use was recorded as an expense as of the closing date in May 2022.
The Company reported a net loss of $3.3 million ($0.87 per basic share) on approximately 3.7 million weighted-average common shares outstanding for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, compared to a net loss of $98.3 million ($86.72 per basic share) on approximately 1.1 million weighted average common shares outstanding for the same period in 2022. The decrease in net loss was primarily attributable to the acquired IPR&D associated with the Atrin acquisition in May 2022, as well as lower R&D and G&A expenses as described above.