On August 15, 2024 BioLineRx Ltd. (NASDAQ: BLRX) (TASE: BLRX), a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing life-changing therapies in oncology and rare diseases, reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and provided recent corporate and portfolio updates (Press release, BioLineRx, AUG 15, 2024, View Source [SID1234645942]).
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!
"We continue to demonstrate positive commercial launch momentum with APHEXDA, our best-in-class stem cell mobilization agent," said Philip Serlin, Chief Executive Officer of BioLineRx. "Importantly, among our targeted top 80 transplant centers, we’ve secured formulary placement to date at institutions representing ~37% of stem cell transplant procedures performed, surpassing our stated goal. Additionally, we doubled the number of transplant centers ordering APHEXDA during the second quarter, which is a strong leading indicator and, we believe, reflects centers’ growing recognition of the value that APHEXDA offers relative to other mobilization agents. Our goal is to achieve formulary placement at institutions representing approximately 60% of procedures by the end of year, which will support continued revenue growth and ease burdens on patients, caregivers, and transplant centers.
"Our vision is to maximize the potential of APHEXDA by expanding into key areas with high unmet need. To that end, we announced our second clinical trial collaboration, with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, evaluating APHEXDA for stem cell mobilization in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) seeking gene therapy. This new collaboration complements the ongoing SCD stem cell mobilization Phase 1 trial at Washington University in St. Louis (Wash U.). APHEXDA has the potential to support the collection of the immense amount of stem cells needed for these complex gene therapies in a more predictable and condensed timeline for patients. The companies launching these new gene therapies for SCD report continued expansion of authorized treatment centers and increased numbers of patients initiating cell collection. We look forward to seeing early data from the Wash U. Phase 1 trial later this year."
APHEXDA Launch Updates
Among top 80 transplant centers, secured formulary placement to date at institutions representing ~37% of stem cell transplant procedures performed, exceeding the company’s stated goal for the quarter; on track to achieve ~60% by year-end 2024
Saw double the number of centers ordering APHEXDA during the second quarter as compared to the first quarter, which contributed to quarter-over-quarter net revenue growth of 100%
Clinical Portfolio Updates
Motixafortide
Multiple Myeloma
Presented a poster at the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) 2024 Annual Meeting on April 17, 2024, demonstrating that transplant centers (averaging, for example, 20 transplants per month), when switching to G-CSF plus APHEXDA, could increase capacity by 52.0 patient days per month versus G-CSF alone, or by 12.3 patient days per month versus G-CSF in combination with plerixafor
Presented a poster at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) on April 6, 2024, showing that even with APHEXDA’s higher drug acquisition cost compared to other mobilization regimens, specifically G-CSF alone or G-CSF plus generic plerixafor, the combination of G-CSF plus APHEXDA may confer a similar or better overall financial impact while providing centers and patients with an improved mobilization experience
Collaboration partner Gloria Biosciences’ stem cell mobilization bridging study IND was filed and approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation of the National Medical Products Administration in China. Anticipate initiation of pivotal clinical trial in 2H 2024
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) & Gene Therapy
Entered into clinical trial agreement with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to evaluate motixafortide for hematopoietic stem cell mobilization for gene therapies in sickle cell disease. The Phase 1 clinical trial is an open-label, multi-center study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of single-agent motixafortide for the mobilization and collection of CD34+ HSCs in 12 patients (aged 18 and older) with SCD. Anticipate first patient dosed in September 2024 and initial data in 2025
Reported continuing enrollment of patients into a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating motixafortide as monotherapy and in combination with natalizumab for stem cell mobilization for gene therapies in sickle cell disease. The trial, in collaboration with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been expanded from five to 10 patients. Anticipate initial data in 2H 2024
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (mPDAC)
Presented positive biopsy data from the completed pilot phase of the ongoing CheMo4METPANC Phase 2b clinical trial collaboration with Columbia University at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2024 Annual Meeting held on June 1, 2024 in Chicago, IL. New analyses of paired pre- and on-treatment biopsy samples demonstrated a statistically significant increase in CD8+ T-cell density in tumors from all 11 patients treated with the combination therapy approach (P=0.007). Enrollment in the randomized trial targeting 108 patients continues with full enrollment anticipated in 2027
Completed design of Phase 2b randomized clinical trial in China with collaboration partner Gloria Biosciences intended to assess motixafortide in combination with the PD-1 inhibitor zimberelimab and standard-of-care chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Anticipate clinical trial initiation in 2025
Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Total revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $5.4 million. The Company did not record any revenue during the second quarter of 2023. Revenue for the quarter reflects a portion of the upfront payment from the Gloria Biosciences license, which amounted to $3.6 million, as well as $1.8 million of net revenue from product sales of APHEXDA in the U.S.
Cost of revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $0.9 million. The Company did not record any cost of revenue during the second quarter of 2023. Cost of revenue for the quarter primarily reflects the amortization of intangible assets, royalties on net product sales of APHEXDA in the U.S., and cost of goods sold on product sales
Research and development expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $2.2 million, compared to $3.0 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease resulted primarily from lower expenses related to motixafortide New Drug Application (NDA) supporting activities, termination of the development of AGI-134 and a decrease in share-based compensation
Sales and marketing expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $6.4 million, compared to $5.6 million for the same period in 2023. The increase resulted primarily from the ramp-up in headcount costs associated with a fully hired field team
General and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $1.6 million, compared to $1.3 million for the same period in 2023. The increase resulted primarily from an increase in legal and certain other expenses
Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $0.5 million, compared to net loss of $18.5 million for the same period in 2023. The net income for the 2024 period included $7.8 million in non-operating income, compared to non-operating expenses of $7.7 million for the same period in 2023, both primarily related to the non-cash revaluation of warrants
As of June 30, 2024, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term bank deposits of $40.1 million. The Company anticipates that this amount will be sufficient to fund operations, as currently planned, into 2025
Conference Call and Webcast Information
To access the conference call, please dial +1-888-281-1167 from the U.S. or +972-3-918-0685 internationally. A live webcast and a replay of the call can be accessed through the event page on the Company’s website. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download any necessary software to listen to the live broadcast. The call replay will be available approximately two hours after completion of the live conference call. A dial-in replay of the call will be available until August 19, 2024; please dial +1-888-295-2634 from the US or +972-3-925-5904 internationally.