On May 7, 2018 ArQule, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2018 (Press release, ArQule, MAY 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234526161]).

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!

For the quarter ended March 31, 2018, the Company reported a net loss of $6,532,000, or $0.07 per share, compared with net loss of $7,576,000, or $0.11 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

At March 31, 2018, the Company had a total of approximately $42,884,000 in cash and marketable securities.

Key Highlights

ARQ 531, our potent and reversible BTK inhibitor, demonstrated good oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics in data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) on April 15, 2018. The Phase 1a portion of the Phase 1a/b trial continues to recruit on schedule with no safety concerns, and we plan to present more advanced data at one or more major congresses later in 2018.
Miransertib, our lead proprietary AKT inhibitor, was featured in an oral presentation at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) in which it showed positive signs of activity in hormone- sensitive tumors with AKT1 or PI3K dysregulation. The Phase 1b trial of miransertib with anastrozole in patients with advanced endometrial cancer produced one complete response and three partial responses out of 8 patients and continues to recruit.
Miransertib has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by EMA for the rare disease, Proteus syndrome. We continue to make progress with our registrational strategy in Proteus syndrome; in addition, we are progressing our rare disease expansion strategy with the Phase 1/2 trial in PROS and Proteus syndrome which is recruiting on schedule.
The Company granted Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. ("Basilea") an exclusive license to develop and commercialize derazantinib, our pan-FGFR inhibitor, in all parts of the world except the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, where the Company has licensed rights to Sinovant Sciences, Ltd., a subsidiary of Roivant Sciences Ltd. Terms of the transaction include a $10 million upfront payment, an additional $326 million in regulatory and commercial milestones, and royalties on net sales ranging from single to double digits; Basilea will be responsible for all costs and expenses of development, manufacture and commercialization in its territory.
"We have continued to build on the momentum that we created during 2017 with presentations of important data at the recent AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) meeting and the licensing of derazantinib to our partner, Basilea," said Paolo Pucci, Chief Executive Officer of ArQule. "This new partnership further supports our mid-term strategy by allowing us to develop derazantinib in ways that we could not have done on our own and by strengthening our balance sheet thus enabling us to focus more on our BTK and ATK programs in potential fast-to-market settings."

"After a very strong 2017 scientifically, our execution in 2018 continues to be at a high level, highlighted by continuing progress across all pipeline assets," said Brian Schwartz, M.D., Head of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer of ArQule. "We are approaching therapeutic levels in the dosing of patients in the Phase 1a/b trial with our BTK inhibitor, ARQ 531, and look forward to presenting a comprehensive data set from that trial later this year. The AKT program is also progressing well in both rare diseases and oncology. We are launching an expansion of the Phase 1b trial with miransertib plus anastrozole in patients with advanced endometrial cancers and are executing our registrational strategy for Proteus and PROS."

Revenues and Expenses

Revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, were $4,138,000 compared with revenues of zero for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. Research and development revenue in the quarter ended March 31, 2018 consisted of $3,000,000 from the February 2018 Roivant licensing agreement and $1,138,000 from our October 2017 non-exclusive license agreement for certain library compounds.

Research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2018 were $5,812,000, compared with $5,194,000 for the first quarter 2017.

Research and development expenses increased $0.6 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of 2017 primarily due to higher outsourced pre-clinical, clinical and product development costs.

General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2018 were $2,351,000, compared with $2,074,000 for the first quarter of 2017. General and administrative expenses increased $0.3 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of 2017 primarily due to higher labor related costs of $0.2 million and professional fees of $0.1 million.

2018 Updated Financial Guidance

As a result of the April 2018 exclusive license agreement with Basilea, our guidance for 2018 is being updated. For 2018, ArQule now expects revenue to range between $14 and $17 million. Net use of cash is expected to range between $27 and $29 million for the year. Net loss is expected to range between $16 and $21 million, and net loss per share to range between $(0.18) and $(0.24) for the year. ArQule expects to end 2018 with between $40 and $42 million in cash and marketable securities.

Conference Call and Webcast

ArQule will hold its first quarter 2018 financial results call today, May 7, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. ET. The live webcast can be accessed in the "Investors & Media" section of our website, www.arqule.com, under "Events & Presentations." You may also listen to the call by dialing (877) 868-1831 within the U.S. or (914) 495-8595 outside the U.S. A replay will be available two hours after the completion of the call and can be accessed in the "Investor and Media" section of our website, www.arqule.com, under "Events & Presentations."

On May 7, 2018 Castle Biosciences, Inc., the skin cancer diagnostics company providing molecular diagnostics to improve cancer treatment decisions, reported the presentation of data supporting clinical use of the DecisionDx-Melanoma test to inform sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) recommendations (Press release, Castle Biosciences, MAY 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234526162]). The study was presented as a poster at the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) 50th Annual Meeting in Chicago.

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 study found that the DecisionDx-Melanoma test result can be used with clinicopathologic factors to inform patient discussions and recommendations for SLNB in line with national melanoma clinical practice guidelines.

Study Background:

SLNB is recommended to assess prognosis of melanoma patients. Current guidelines recommend that clinicians discuss the SLNB procedure with patients who have a greater than 5% likelihood of SLN positivity; the guidelines do not generally recommend the procedure if a patient has a less than 5% likelihood of SLN positivity.
Previously, a patient’s risk for SLN positivity has been determined using traditional clinicopathologic features such as Breslow’s thickness and ulceration status. Importantly, it is recognized that older patients have a lower likelihood of SLN positivity but are at higher risk of recurrence and death from melanoma.
The DecisionDx-Melanoma test is a 31-gene expression profile (GEP) test that uses tumor biology to provide an individual risk of recurrence in cutaneous melanoma patients. The validity and performance of the test has been confirmed in three multicenter archival tissue studies involving 690 patients and three prospective studies involving 702 patients. The test has been shown to be an independent predictor of recurrence compared to clinicopathologic factors of Breslow’s thickness, ulceration status, mitotic rate and SLN status.
This study was designed to determine whether the test could be used along with clinicopathologic factors to improve identification of patients with a low likelihood of SLN positivity (<5%) as well as those with a higher likelihood.
Key Study Findings:

Using the DecisionDx-Melanoma GEP test in combination with clinicopathologic factors of age and T category, an algorithm predicting the likelihood of SLN positivity was validated in two independent, prospective, multicenter cohorts totaling 1,421 patients.
For patients with T1-T2 tumors older than 65 years of age who had a Class 1A test result (lowest risk of recurrence), SLN positivity was less than the 5% threshold below which guidelines do not generally recommend the procedure.
For patients with T1-T2 tumors who had a Class 2B test result (highest risk of recurrence), SLN positivity exceeded the 10% threshold for all age groups. Guidelines suggest that patients whose SLN positivity risk exceeds 10% be offered the SLNB procedure.
The impact of not performing SLN biopsy in Class 1A patients was evaluated based on a retrospective dataset of 690 patients with long-term follow-up. At 5 years, Class 1A patients with T1-T2 tumors had a melanoma-specific survival of 99.6%, overall survival of 98.2%, and distant metastasis-free survival of 95.3%.
"The incorporation of the DecisionDx-Melanoma test result, along with tumor thickness and age, helps to identify a group of patients who have a likelihood of a positive sentinel lymph node of less than 5%, suggesting they may be able to safely avoid the SLNB procedure," said Federico Monzon, M.D., FCAP, Chief Medical Officer at Castle Biosciences. "Based on these study results, the DecisionDx-Melanoma test can inform the discussion of SLNB options with melanoma patients and provides an important advance in the management of early stage melanoma patients."

Oral Presentation Features Initial Data from Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma GEP Test Development Program

Also at the meeting, Dr. Sarah Arron, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco, presented initial data from Castle Biosciences’ prognostic GEP test in development for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

The goal of the development program is to validate a prognostic test that can predict which cSCC patients are at higher risk of metastasis or recurrence and thus inform clinical management decisions. Data from a development cohort of samples show that preliminary predictive models can improve upon current staging methods. These results support the feasibility of the program to develop a clinically valuable test to predict which cSCC patients are at higher risk for recurrence.

"For patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, accurate prediction of their individual risk of recurrence or metastasis remains a challenge," commented Dr. Arron, who is an investigator for the study. "The development of a prognostic test that improves risk prediction could better inform important management decisions such as optimal surgical procedure, use of adjuvant radiation and selection of patients for SLNB or adjuvant immunotherapy, and has the potential to drive improvements in patient management."

Continued collaborative site recruitment and development activities are ongoing.

About DecisionDx-Melanoma

The DecisionDx-Melanoma test uses tumor biology to predict individual risk of melanoma recurrence and sentinel lymph node positivity independent of traditional factors. Using tissue from the primary melanoma, the test measures the expression of 31 genes. The test has been validated in three multi-center studies that have included 690 patients and have demonstrated consistent results. Performance has also been confirmed in four prospective studies including 702 patients. The consistent high performance and accuracy demonstrated in these studies, which combined have included over 1,300 patients, provides confidence in disease management plans that incorporate DecisionDx-Melanoma test results. Prediction of the likelihood of sentinel lymph node positivity has also been validated in two prospective multicenter studies that included over 1,400 patients. Clinical impact has been demonstrated in multi-center and single-center studies showing that test results impact clinical management decisions for one of every two patients tested. More information about the test and disease can be found at www.SkinMelanoma.com.

On May 7, Cellectis (Euronext Growth: ALCLS – Nasdaq: CLLS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies based on gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cells (UCART), reported its results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Cellectis, MAY 7, 2018, file:///C:/Users/LENOVO/Downloads/20180507_PR_Q1_2018%20(1).pdf [SID1234526163]).

(Press release, Cellectis, MAY 7, 2018, file:///C:/Users/LENOVO/Downloads/20180507_PR_Q1_2018%20(1).pdf [SID1234526163])

"2018 is off to a strong start for Cellectis and the message is clear – off-the-shelf, gene edited CAR T-cells are the next wave of innovation in oncology. As leaders and pioneers of this space, we continue to show our excellence, notably in manufacturing, which is a critical segment of the value chain, with the completion of the production of a 3rd UCART product, UCART22, enabling the recent IND filing in ALL. We are also excited about the ongoing clinical development of UCART123 in high-risk AML and BPDCN patients, and we will aim to accelerate our clinical trial timelines. Finally, after close to 4 years of a rewarding and productive partnership with Pfizer, Cellectis is thrilled by the assumption of this partnership by Allogene Therapeutics, Inc., which is a new company that was formed by Dr. Arie Belldegrun and Dr. David Chang, former top executives of Kite Pharmaceuticals. We believe that our collaboration with Allogene opens a huge opportunity to accelerate the development of certain of our allogeneic CAR T-cells that were developed together with Pfizer and Servier," said André Choulika, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cellectis.

"Furthermore, we are humbled by our recent partnership with Prof. George Church and Harvard’s Wyss Institute, utilizing the TALEN gene editing technology in the Genome Recode Project—a project to recode the human genome and create the first ever virus-resistant human cells. This milestone project of modern biology will influence the future of gene editing in human science in this 21st Century."

RECENT CORPORATE HIGHLIGHTS

Cellectis – Therapeutics

IND filing for UCART22 in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

On May 2, 2018, Cellectis filed an IND with the FDA for its UCART22 product candidate to be investigated in a Phase I clinical trial in ALL patients. This submission marks the third UCART product candidate IND application.

Harvard’s Wyss Institute partnership on Human Recode Project, part of GP-Write

On May 1, 2018, Cellectis announced that the Recode Project, a part of Genome Project-Write, will use Cellectis’ TALEN gene editing technology to seek to create the first virus-resistant human cells for manufacturing therapeutics and develop new cell-based therapies. The cell lines would be engineered to be able to carry out their normal functions while being resistant to debilitating viral infections, and could offer synthetic biologists opportunities for engineering entirely new functions. The Recode Project is led by Prof. George Church, Core Faculty member at the Wyss Institute, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Strategic collaboration with Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.

On April 3, 2018, Pfizer, Inc. ("Pfizer") and Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. ("Allogene") entered into an asset contribution agreement, the closing of which was announced on April 9, 2018, pursuant to which Allogene purchased Pfizer’s portfolio of assets related to allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy (the "Asset Contribution Transaction"), including the Research Collaboration and License Agreement dated June 17, 2014 (as amended from time to time, the "Collaboration Agreement") signed between Pfizer and Cellectis. Cellectis remains eligible to receive clinical and commercial milestone payments of up to $2.8 billion, or $185 million per target for 15 targets, and tiered royalties in the high single digits on net sales of any products that are commercialized by Allogene under the Collaboration Agreement. As part of the Asset Contribution Transaction, Allogene has received Pfizer’s rights to UCART19, which were sub-licensed to Pfizer by Les Laboratoires Servier ("Servier"), which has an exclusive license to UCART19 from Cellectis under the Product Development, Option, License and Commercialization Agreement between Servier and Cellectis dated as of February 17, 2014.

We believe that this alliance with Allogene’s dedicated team will lead to a strong acceleration of CAR T therapies.

$190.5 million raised in a follow-on offering

On April 10, 2018, Cellectis closed a follow-on offering of 5,646,000 American Depositary Shares, each representing one ordinary share of Cellectis ("ADS"), at a public offering price of $31.00 per ADS.

Cellectis reported that on May 4, 2018, the underwriters partially exercised their option to purchase additional ADSs with respect to 500,000 additional ADSs (the "Option"), under the same terms and conditions as the initial offering completed on April 10, 2018 of 5,646,000

ADSs at a public offering price of $31.00 per ADS. The settlement-delivery of the Option is contemplated on May 11, 2018, subject to customary conditions.

Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Cellectis S.A. presents adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis in this press release. Adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis is not a measure calculated in accordance with IFRS. We have included in this press release a reconciliation of this figure to Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis, which is the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with IFRS.
Because adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis excludes Noncash stock-based compensation expense—a non-cash expense, we believe that this financial measure, when considered together with our IFRS financial statements, can enhance an overall understanding of Cellectis’ financial performance. Moreover, our
management views the Company’s operations, and manages its business, based, in part, on this financial measure. In particular, we believe that the elimination of Non-cash stock-based expenses from Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core businesses. Our use of adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis has limitations as an analytical tool,
and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our financial results as reported under IFRS. Some of these limitations are: (a) other companies, including companies in our industry which use similar stock-based compensation, may address the impact of Non-cash stock-based compensation expense differently; and (b) other companies may report adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders or similarly titled measures but calculate them differently, which reduces their usefulness as a comparative measure. Because of these and other limitations, you should consider adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis alongside our IFRS financial results, including Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis

The gross proceeds for the Option are $15.5 million, bringing the total gross proceeds for the follow-on offering, as increased by the Option, to $190.5 million, before deducting the expenses related to the offering and the underwriting discounts and commissions payable by Cellectis.

1) When we have adjusted net loss, in accordance with IFRS, we use the Weighted average
number of outstanding shares, basic to compute the Diluted adjusted net income (loss)
attributable to shareholders of Cellectis ($/share). When we have adjusted net income, in
accordance with IFRS, we use the Weighted average number of outstanding shares, diluted to
compute the Diluted adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis
($/share)

The ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "CLLS" and Cellectis’ ordinary shares are listed on the Euronext Growth market of Euronext in Paris under the symbol "ALCLS".

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering (i) to establish commercial capabilities, including a proprietary state-of-the-art gene-edited cell manufacturing plant for commercial supplies for its current proprietary immuno-oncology UCART product candidates, (ii) to fund the advancement of one additional UCART product candidate, (iii) to pursue new human therapeutics approaches based on its proprietary gene editing technology outside of oncology and (iv) for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Elsy Boglioli Named Chief Operating Officer

Following the retirement of Dr. Mathieu Simon as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Elsy Boglioli was named Chief Operating Officer in March 2018. Prior to assuming the COO role, Ms. Boglioli served as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development. Ms. Boglioli joined Cellectis in December 2017 from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she served as Partner and Managing Director, and leader of BCG’s biotech-focused business in Europe.

Conferences

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting

Cellectis and its academic partners presented at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting held in Chicago in April 2018 three posters showcasing the Company’s allogeneic, off-the-shelf, CAR-T product candidates:

Repurposing endogenous immune pathways to improve chimeric antigen receptor T-cells potency;
Preclinical efficacy of allogeneic anti-CD123 CAR T-cells for the therapy of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN); and
Prediction of immunotherapy outcome by multimodal assessment of minimal residual disease and persistence of allogeneic anti-CD123 CAR T-cells (UCART123) in pre-clinical models of acute myeloid leukemia.

European society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) 2018 Annual Meeting

Preliminary data from the UCART19 clinical trials were presented at the 44th EBMT Annual Meeting in March 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. UCART19, which is exclusively licensed to Servier, is an investigational allogeneic anti-CD19 CAR T-cell product, being studied in adult and pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) CD19-positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Servier is the sponsor of both clinical trials.

Calyxt, Inc. – Cellectis’ plant science subsidiary

As of March 31, 2018, Cellectis owned approximately 79.1% of Calyxt, Inc.’s outstanding common stock. Calyxt’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq market under the ticker symbol "CLXT". Please refer to Calyxt’s Q1 2018 Earnings Press Release and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2018 for further information.

Financial Results

Cellectis’ consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("GAAP").

First quarter 2018 Financial Results

Cash: As of March 31, 2018 Cellectis had $282.1 million in total cash, cash equivalents and current financial assets compared to $ 297.0 million as of December 31, 2017. This decrease of $14.9 million primarily reflects (i) the net cash flows used by operating activities of $20.0 million, (ii) the net cash flows provided by investing activities of $0.6 million, partially offset by (iii) the net cash flows provided by financing activities of $3.5 million due to the exercise of Cellectis and Calyxt stock options during the period and (iv) the unrealized positive translation effect of exchange rate fluctuations on U.S. dollar cash and cash equivalents and current financial assets of $2.2 million.

We believe that our cash, cash equivalents and current financial assets, together with the net proceeds from our follow-on offering will be sufficient to fund our operations through 2021.

Revenues and Other Income: During the three-month periods ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, we recorded $10.3 million and $8.1 million, respectively, in revenues and other income. This decrease of $2.2 million is mainly due to (i) a $0.8 million decrease in revenues under our collaboration agreements, of which a $1.1 million decrease relates to lower research and development cost reimbursements, partially offset by a $0.3 million increase in recognition of upfront fees already paid to Cellectis, (ii) a $0.1 million increase in other licenses revenue, and (iii) a $1.5 million decrease in research tax credits due to lower research and development purchases and external expenses during the period that are eligible for the tax credit.

Total Operating Expenses: Total operating expenses for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 were $33.0 million, compared to $30.0 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017. The non-cash stock-based compensation expenses included in these amounts were $12.0 million and $13.6 million, respectively.

R&D Expenses: For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, research and development expenses decreased by $1.2 million from $19.6 million in 2017 to $18.4 million in 2018. Personnel expenses decreased by $1.8 million from $10.4 million in 2017 to $8.7 million in 2018, primarily due to a $2.7 million decrease in non-cash stock based compensation expense, partly offset by a $0.9 million increase in wages and salaries. Purchases and external expenses increased by $0.2 million from $8.7 million in 2017 to $8.9 million in 2018, mainly due to increased expenses related to payments to third parties participating in product development, purchases of biological raw materials, process development and expenses associated with the use of laboratories and other facilities. Other expenses relate to continuing leasing and other commitments by $0.4 million.

SG&A Expenses: During the three-month periods ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, we recorded $9.7 million and $14.0 million, respectively, of selling, general and administrative expenses. The increase of $4.3 million primarily reflects (i) an increase of $2.5 million in personnel expenses from $7.7 million to $10.2 million, attributable to a $1.4 million increase in wages and salaries, a $1.1 million increase in non-cash stock based compensation expense, (ii) a $1.6 million increase in purchases and external expenses and (iii) a $0.2 million increase of other expenses relate to taxes, various depreciation and amortization and other commitments.

Financial Gain (Loss): The financial loss was de minimis for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017 compared with financial loss of $2.1 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018. The change in financial result was mainly attributable to (i) the decrease in net foreign exchange gain ($1.0 million), and (ii) the decrease of foreign exchange derivatives fair value ($1.1 million).

Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Shareholders of Cellectis: During the three-month periods ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, we recorded a net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis of $19.8 million (or $0.56 per share) and a net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis of $25.4 million (or $0.71 per share), respectively. Adjusted net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 was $14.2 million ($0.39 per share) compared to adjusted net loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis of $6.2 million ($0.17 per share), for the three-month period ended March 31, 2017. Adjusted loss attributable to shareholders of Cellectis for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 excludes a non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $11.3 million and $13.6 million, respectively. Please see "Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for a reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis to Adjusted income (loss) attributable to shareholders of Cellectis

On May 7, 2018 Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), reported that new data from early and late-stage clinical studies on more than 19 approved and investigational cancer medicines, will be presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, taking place from June 1-5 in Chicago (Press release, Genentech, MAY 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234526180]). More than 90 abstracts have been accepted across 13 cancer types, including two "late breakers" and 15 oral presentations.

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!

"New data to be presented from our industry-leading oncology portfolio, including lung and hematology programs, will demonstrate how our science-driven approach aims to improve outcomes for people living with cancer," said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. "At ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), we look forward to sharing our progress and commitment to build the future of personalized healthcare in oncology."

Key presentations in lung cancer

Key data to be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) cover advances from Genentech’s lung cancer program, including a combination approach using the cancer immunotherapy Tecentriq (atezolizumab) with targeted therapies and a range of different chemotherapies.

Updated overall survival (OS) data and new patient-reported outcomes (PROs) data from the Phase III IMpower150 study of Tecentriq plus Avastin (bevacizumab) and chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) in people with previously-untreated, metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), will be presented. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted Priority Review for this combination in the same patient population.

New progression-free survival (PFS) results from the Phase III IMpower131 study of Tecentriq plus chemotherapy (carboplatin and Abraxane [albumin-bound paclitaxel; nab -paclitaxel]) as an initial (first-line) treatment for people with advanced squamous NSCLC. The IMpower131 data will be featured as part of ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)’s official press program on Saturday, June 2.

Additional results in lung cancer including longer follow-up data from the Phase III ALEX study of Alecensa (alectinib) versus crizotinib in people with previously untreated anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive NSCLC will be shared. These data build on the primary results from the ALEX study first presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2017, which demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of disease progression or death versus crizotinib. New data that utilize the application of a real-world endpoint to identify and characterize genetic profiles of people with a poor prognosis in advanced NSCLC will also be presented at the congress.

Additional presentations with cancer immunotherapy

Additional cancer immunotherapy data presentations of note include new Tecentriq plus Avastin PROs from the Phase III IMmotion151 study in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and the Phase Ib data for the combination of Tecentriq plus Avastin in first-line hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These studies add to the growing body of evidence that support the use of Tecentriq plus Avastin across multiple tumor types. New tumor mutational burden (TMB) data from two studies of Tecentriq will also be presented, including blood-based TMB data from the Phase II B-F1RST study in advanced NSCLC, and tissue-based TMB data across multiple tumor types including NSCLC, metastatic urothelial carcinoma and melanoma.

Key presentations in blood cancers

Data from pivotal studies in hematology will also be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper). Additional analysis on minimal residual disease (MRD) rates will be shared from the Phase III MURANO study evaluating Venclexta (venetoclax) plus Rituxan (rituximab) compared to bendamustine plus Rituxan in people with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). An sNDA based on the MURANO data was granted Priority Review by the FDA, with an action date of June 28, 2018.

Additional data will also be presented from the Phase Ib M14-358 study of Venclexta plus azacitidine or decitabine in people with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. Venclexta is being developed by AbbVie and Genentech.

Data from the randomized Phase II study evaluating polatuzumab vedotin in combination with bendamustine chemotherapy and Rituxan in people with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) will also be presented at the congress.

Key presentations in breast cancer

Updates from two investigational medicines in breast cancer will be presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper). Data includes results from the Phase III SANDPIPER study of taselisib (GDC-0332) and fulvestrant compared to fulvestrant alone in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, PIK3CA-mutant, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, and updated OS data from the LOTUS trial of ipatasertib (GDC-0068, RG7440) and paclitaxel for previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. The SANDPIPER data will be featured as part of ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)’s official press program on Saturday, June 2.

Visit View Source for resources and perspectives from scientists, doctors and others in the cancer community on important topics at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper). Follow Genentech on Twitter via @genentech and keep up to date with ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2018 Annual Meeting news and updates by using the hashtag #ASCO18.

Abraxane is a registered trademark of Abraxis Bioscience, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation.

About Alecensa

Alecensa is a kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of people with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test.

Important Safety Information

Everyone reacts differently to treatment with Alecensa. It’s important to know the most serious and most common side effects with Alecensa.

A doctor may lower the dose or stop treatment with Alecensa if any serious side effects occur. Patients taking Alecensa should contact their doctor right away if they have any of the following side effects.

Alecensa may cause serious side effects, including:

Liver problems (hepatotoxicity). Alecensa may cause liver injury. A doctor will do blood tests at least every 2 weeks for the first 3 months and as needed during treatment with Alecensa. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor right away if they experience any of the following signs and symptoms:

Feeling tired
Feeling less hungry than usual
Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes
Dark urine
Itchy skin
Nausea or vomiting
Pain on the right side of stomach area
Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
Lung problems. Alecensa may cause severe or life-threatening swelling (inflammation) of the lungs during treatment. Symptoms may be similar to those symptoms from lung cancer. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor right away if they have any new or worsening symptoms, including:

Trouble breathing
Shortness of breath
Fever
Cough
Kidney problems. Alecensa may cause severe or life-threatening kidney problems. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have a change in the amount or color of your urine, or if you get new or worsening swelling in your legs or feet.

Slow heartbeat (bradycardia). Alecensa may cause very slow heartbeats that can be severe. A doctor will check a patient’s heart rate and blood pressure during treatment with Alecensa. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor right away if they feel dizzy, lightheaded, or faint during treatment with Alecensa. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor if they take any heart or blood pressure medicines.

Muscle pain, tenderness, and weakness (myalgia). Muscle problems are common with Alecensa and can be severe. A doctor will do blood tests at least every 2 weeks for the first month and as needed during treatment with Alecensa. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor right away if they have any new or worsening signs and symptoms of muscle problems, including unexplained muscle pain or muscle pain that does not go away, tenderness, or weakness.

Before taking Alecensa, patients should tell their doctor about all medical conditions, including if they:

Have liver problems
Have lung or breathing problems
Have a slow heartbeat
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Alecensa can harm an unborn baby. Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor right away if they become pregnant during treatment with Alecensa or think they may be pregnant
Women who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with Alecensa and for one week after the final dose of Alecensa
Men who have female partners that are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with Alecensa and for three months after the final dose of Alecensa
Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Alecensa passes into breast milk. A patient should not breastfeed during treatment with Alecensa and for one week after the final dose of Alecensa. Patients should talk with their doctor about the best way to feed their baby during this time.
Patients taking Alecensa should tell their doctor about all the medicines they take, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Patients taking Alecensa should avoid spending time in the sunlight during treatment with Alecensa and for seven days after the final dose of Alecensa. Patients taking Alecensa may burn more easily and get severe sunburns. Patients taking Alecensa should use sunscreen and lip balm with a SPF 50 or greater to help protect against sunburn.

The most common side effects of Alecensa include:

Tiredness
Constipation
Swelling in hands, feet, ankles, and eyelids
Low red blood cell count
These are not all of the possible side effects of Alecensa. For more information, patients should ask their doctor or pharmacist. Patients should call their doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Patients and caregivers may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

Please see additional Important Safety Information in full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information .

About Rituxan

Rituxan Indications

Rituxan (rituximab) injection, for intravenous use, is indicated for the treatment of patients with:

Low-grade or follicular CD20-positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a single-agent therapy in patients whose disease recurred or did not respond to initial treatment
Follicular CD20-positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as an initial treatment with chemotherapy, and in patients whose initial treatment was successful, as a single-agent follow-up therapy
Low-grade CD20-positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a single-agent follow-up therapy for patients who did not progress on initial treatment with CVP chemotherapy
CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as an initial treatment in combination with CHOP chemotherapy
CD20-positive chronic lymphocytic leukemia in combination with FC chemotherapy as an initial treatment or as a treatment after disease has recurred
People with serious infections should not receive Rituxan.

It is not known if Rituxan is safe or effective in children.

Important Safety Information:

Patients must tell their doctor right away about any side effects they experience. Rituxan can cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including:

Infusion Reactions: may occur during or within 24 hours of the infusion. The patient’s doctor should give the patient medicines before their treatment. Symptoms can include hives, rash, itching, facial or oral swelling, sudden cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, feeling faint, racing heart, or chest pain.
Severe Skin and Mouth Reactions: symptoms can include painful sores, ulcers, or blisters on the skin, lips or mouth; peeling skin; rash; or pustules.
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Reactivation: may cause serious liver problems including liver failure and death. If patients have had hepatitis B or are carriers of HBV, receiving Rituxan could cause the virus to become an active infection again. Patients should not receive Rituxan if they have active HBV liver disease. The patient’s doctor will do blood tests to check for HBV infection prior to treatment and will monitor the patient during and for several months following their treatment.
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML): a rare, serious brain infection that can lead to severe disability and death and for which there is no known prevention, treatment or cure. Symptoms can include difficulty thinking, loss of balance, changes in speech or walking, weakness on one side of the body, or blurred or lost vision.
Additional possible serious side effects of Rituxan:

Patients must tell their doctor right away about any side effects they experience. Rituxan can cause serious side effects that can lead to death, including:

Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS): may cause kidney failure and the need for dialysis treatment, abnormal heart rhythm, and can lead to death. The patient’s doctor may give the patient medicines before their treatment to help prevent TLS.
Serious Infections: can happen during and after treatment and can lead to death. These infections may be bacterial, fungal, or viral. Symptoms can include fever; cold or flu symptoms; earache or headache; pain during urination; white patches in the mouth or throat; cuts or scrapes that are red, warm, swollen or painful.
Heart Problems: symptoms can include chest pain and irregular heartbeats that may require treatment. The patient’s doctor may need to stop their treatment.
Kidney Problems: the patient’s doctor should do blood tests to check how well the patient’s kidneys are working.
Stomach and Serious Bowel Problems: can include blockage or tears in the bowel that can lead to death. Stomach area pain during treatment can be a symptom.
Low Blood Cell Counts: the patient’s blood cell counts may be monitored during treatment.
The most common side effects of Rituxan are infusion reactions, chills, infections, body aches, tiredness, and low white blood cells.

Other side effects with Rituxan include:

aching joints during or within hours of receiving an infusion
more frequent upper respiratory tract infection
Patients must tell their doctor if they are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if Rituxan may harm the patient’s unborn baby or pass into the patient’s breast milk. Women should use birth control while using Rituxan and for 12 months after treatment.

Patients must tell their doctor about any side effect that bothers them or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of Rituxan. For more information, patients should ask their doctor or pharmacist.

Please visit View Source for the Rituxan full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNINGS and the Medication Guide, for additional Important Safety Information.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

About Tecentriq (atezolizumab)

Tecentriq is a monoclonal antibody designed to bind with a protein called PD-L1. Tecentriq is designed to bind to PD-L1 expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, blocking its interactions with both PD-1 and B7.1 receptors. By inhibiting PD-L1, Tecentriq may enable the re-activation of T cells. Tecentriq may also affect normal cells.

Tecentriq U.S. Indication (pronounced ‘tē-SEN-trik’)

Tecentriq is a prescription medicine used to treat:

a type of bladder and urinary tract cancer called urothelial carcinoma.

Tecentriq may be used when your bladder cancer:
has spread or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced urothelial carcinoma), and
you are not able to take chemotherapy that contains a medicine called cisplatin, or
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
The approval of Tecentriq in these patients is based on a study that measured response rate and duration of response. There is an ongoing study to confirm clinical benefit.

A type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Tecentriq may be used when your lung cancer:
has spread or grown, and
you have tried chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working
If your tumor has an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene, you should have also tried an FDA-approved therapy for tumors with these abnormal genes, and it did not work or is no longer working.

It is not known if Tecentriq is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

Important Information About Tecentriq

Tecentriq can cause the immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in many areas of the body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life threatening and can lead to death.

Patients should call or see their healthcare provider right away if they get any symptoms of the following problems or these symptoms get worse.

Tecentriq can cause serious side effects, including:

Lung problems (pneumonitis ) – signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
Liver problems (hepatitis) – signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of the stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual
Intestinal problems (colitis) – signs and symptoms of colitis may include diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, blood or mucous in the stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools, and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness
Hormone gland problems (especially the thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, and pituitary) – signs and symptoms that the hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or fainting, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, hair loss, changes in mood or behavior (such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness), feeling cold, constipation, voice gets deeper, urinating more often than usual, nausea or vomiting, and stomach area (abdomen) pain
Problems in other organs – signs and symptoms may include severe muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, confusion, blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems, changes in mood or behavior, extreme sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, eye pain or redness, skin blisters or peeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of the ankles
Severe infections – signs and symptoms of infection may include fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, pain when urinating, and frequent urination or back pain
Severe infusion reactions – signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, swelling of the face or lips, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, and back or neck pain
Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. A healthcare provider may treat a patient with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. A healthcare provider may delay or completely stop treatment with Tecentriq if a patient has severe side effects.

Before receiving Tecentriq, patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of their medical conditions, including if they:

Have immune system problems (such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus); have had an organ transplant; have lung or breathing problems; have liver problems; have a condition that affects their nervous system (such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barre syndrome); or are being treated for an infection
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tecentriq can harm an unborn baby. If patients are able to become pregnant, they should use an effective method of birth control during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of Tecentriq
Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Tecentriq passes into the breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of Tecentriq
Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of Tecentriq in people with urothelial carcinoma include:

feeling tired
decreased appetite
nausea
constipation
urinary tract infection
diarrhea
fever
The most common side effects of Tecentriq in people with non-small cell lung cancer include:

feeling tired
decreased appetite
muscle pain
cough
shortness of breath
Tecentriq may cause fertility problems in females, which may affect the ability to have children. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider if they have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of Tecentriq. Patients should ask their healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Patients should call their doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effect to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please visit View Source for the Tecentriq full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information.

About Avastin (bevacizumab)

Avastin is a prescription-only medicine that is a solution for intravenous infusion. It is a biologic antibody designed to specifically bind to a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that plays an important role throughout the lifecycle of the tumor to develop and maintain blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Avastin is designed to interfere with the tumor blood supply by directly binding to the VEGF protein to prevent interactions with receptors on blood vessel cells. The tumor blood supply is thought to be critical to a tumor’s ability to grow and spread in the body (metastasize).

Avastin Indications:

Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) for first- or second-line treatment in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil–based chemotherapy. It is also approved to treat mCRC for second-line treatment when used with fluoropyrimidine-based (combined with irinotecan or oxaliplatin) chemotherapy after cancer progresses following a first-line treatment that includes Avastin.
Avastin is not approved for use after the primary treatment of colon cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body.
Advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel in people who have not received chemotherapy for their advanced disease.
Metastatic kidney cancer (mRCC) when used with interferon alfa.
Glioblastoma (GBM) in adult patients whose cancer has progressed after prior treatment (recurrent or rGBM).
Advanced cervical cancer (CC) in combination with paclitaxel and cisplatin or paclitaxel and topotecan is approved to treat persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cancer of the cervix.
Recurrent ovarian cancer (rOC) Avastin in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan, is approved to treat platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (prOC) in women who received no more than two prior chemotherapy treatments. Avastin, either in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel or with carboplatin and gemcitabine, followed by Avastin alone, is approved for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer (psOC).
Possible serious side effects

Everyone reacts differently to Avastin therapy. So it’s important to know what the side effects are. Although some people may have a life-threatening side effect, most do not. Their doctor will stop treatment if any serious side effects occur.Patients should talk to their doctor if there are any signs of these side effects.

Most serious side effects (not common, but sometimes fatal):

GI perforation. A hole that develops in the stomach or intestine. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, constipation, or fever
Wounds that don’t heal. A cut made during surgery can be slow to heal or may not fully heal. Avastin should not be used for at least 28 days before or after surgery and until surgicalwounds are fully healed
Serious bleeding. This includes vomiting or coughing up blood; bleeding in the stomach, brain, or spinal cord; nosebleeds; and vaginal bleeding. If a patient has recently coughed up blood or had serious bleeding, they should be sure to tell their doctor
Other possible serious side effects

Abnormal passage in the body. This type of passage—known as a fistula—is an irregular connection from one part of the body to another and can sometimes be fatal
Severe high blood pressure. Blood pressure that severely spikes or shows signs of affecting the brain. Blood pressure should be monitored every 2 to 3 weeks while on Avastin and after stopping treatment
Kidney problems. These may be caused by too much protein in the urine and can sometimes be fatal
Infusion reactions. These were uncommon with the first dose (less than 3% of patients). 0.2% of patients had severe reactions. Infusion reactions include high blood pressure or severe high blood pressure that may lead to stroke, trouble breathing, decreased oxygen in red blood cells, a serious allergic reaction, chest pain, headache, tremors, and excessive sweating. The patient’s doctor or nurse will monitor for signs of infusion reactions
Severe stroke or heart problems. These may include blood clots, mini-stroke, heart attack, chest pain, and the heart may become too weak to pump blood to other parts of the body (congestive heart failure). These can sometimes be fatal
Nervous system and vision problems. Signs include headache, seizure, high blood pressure, sluggishness, confusion, and blindness
Side effects seen most often

In clinical studies across different types of cancer, some patients experienced the following side effects:

High blood pressure
Too much protein in the urine
Nosebleeds
Rectal bleeding
Back pain
Headache
Taste change
Dry skin
Inflammation of the skin
Inflammation of the nose
Watery eyes
Avastin is not for everyone

Patients should talk to their doctor if they are:

Undergoing surgery. Avastin should not be used for 28 days before or after surgery and until surgical wounds are fully healed
Pregnant or think they are pregnant. Data have shown that Avastin may harm a woman’s unborn baby. Birth control should be used while patients are on Avastin. If Avastin is stopped, patients should keep using birth control for 6 months before trying to become pregnant
Planning to become pregnant. Taking Avastin could cause a woman’s ovaries to stop working and may impair her ability to have children
Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding while on Avastin may harm the baby and is therefore not recommended
Patients should talk with their doctor if they have any questions about their condition or treatment.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

For full Prescribing Information on Avastin please visit View Source

About Venclexta

Venclexta (venetoclax) is a prescription medicine used to treat people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with 17p deletion who have received at least one prior treatment.

Venclexta was approved based on response rate. There is an ongoing study to find out how Venclexta works over a longer period of time.

It is not known if Venclexta is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

Patients must tell their doctor right away about any side effects they experience.

Venclexta can cause serious side effects, including tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). TLS is caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells. TLS can cause kidney failure, the need for dialysis treatment, and may lead to death. A patient’s doctor will do tests for TLS. It is important for patients taking Venclexta to keep their appointments for blood tests. Patients will receive other medicines before starting and during treatment with Venclexta to help reduce their risk of TLS. Patients may also need to receive intravenous (IV) fluids into their vein. Patients taking Venclexta should tell their doctor right away if they have any symptoms of TLS during treatment with Venclexta, including fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath, seizures, irregular heartbeat, dark or cloudy urine, unusual tiredness or muscle pain or joint pain.

Patients should drink plenty of water when taking Venclexta to help reduce the risk of getting TLS. Patients should drink 6 to 8 glasses (about 56 ounces total) of water each day, starting 2 days before their first dose, on the day of their first dose of

Venclexta, and each time the dose is increased.

Certain medicines must not be taken when patients first start taking Venclexta and while their dose is being slowly increased.

Patients should tell their doctor about all the medicines they take , including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Venclexta and other medicines may affect each other, causing serious side effects.
Patients should not start new medicines during treatment with Venclexta without first talking with their doctor.
Before taking Venclexta, patients should tell their doctor about all of their medical conditions, including if they:

Have any kidney or liver problems.
Have problems with their body salts or electrolytes, such as potassium, phosphorus, or calcium.
Have a history of high uric acid levels in their blood or gout.
Are scheduled to receive a vaccine. Patients should not receive a "live vaccine" before, during, or after treatment with Venclexta, until their doctor tells them it is okay. If a patient is unsure about the type of immunization or vaccine, they should ask their doctor. These vaccines may not be safe or may not work as well during treatment with Venclexta.
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Venclexta may harm an unborn baby. If a patient is able to become pregnant, the doctor should do a pregnancy test before they start treatment with Venclexta, and they should use effective birth control during treatment and for 30 days after the last dose of Venclexta.
Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Venclexta passes into breast milk. Patients should not breastfeed during treatment with Venclexta.
Patients taking Venclexta should not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit, Seville oranges (often used in marmalades), or starfruit while they are taking Venclexta. These products may increase the amount of Venclexta in the patient’s blood.

Venclexta can cause serious side effects, including:

Low White Blood Cell Count (neutropenia): Low white blood cell counts are common with Venclexta, but can also be severe. A doctor will do blood tests to check a patient’s blood counts during treatment with Venclexta. Patients should tell their doctor right away if they have a fever or any signs of an infection.
The most common side effects of Venclexta include low white blood cell count, diarrhea, nausea, low red blood cell count, upper respiratory tract infection, low platelet count, and feeling tired.

Venclexta may cause fertility problems in males. This may affect the ability to father a child. Patients should talk to their doctor if they have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of Venclexta. Patients should tell their doctor if they have any side effect that bothers them or that does not go away.

Report side effects to the FDA at (800) FDA-1088 or View Source Patients and caregivers may also report side effects to Genentech at (888) 835-2555.

Please visit View Source for the Venclexta full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, for additional Important Safety Information.

On May 7, 2018 CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTMX), a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics based on our Probody therapeutic technology platform, reported it will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2018 Health Care Conference (Press release, CytomX Therapeutics, MAY 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234527067]). Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., president and chief executive officer will deliver a corporate overview on May 17, 2018, at 10:40 a.m. P.T./ 1:40 p.m. ET.

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!

A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available through the Investors and News section of CytomX’s website. An archived replay will be available for 90 days following the event.