On May 8, 2018 EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:EYPT), a specialty biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing innovative ophthalmic products, reported operating and financial results for its fiscal 2018 third quarter and nine months ended March 31, 2018 and provided a company update (Press release, pSivida, MAY 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234526250]).

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"The acquisition of Icon Bioscience, Inc. and its FDA approved product, DEXYCU, significantly increases EyePoint Pharmaceuticals’ revenue potential and accelerates our planned transformation to a sustainable growth company," said Nancy Lurker, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The combination of experienced executives leading our commercial team and the additional capital from EW Healthcare and SWK positions EyePoint to successfully execute on the launch of two new products in the first half of 2019, pending favorable regulatory review of YUTIQ. In addition, we anticipate the annual revenue potential for DEXYCU to be $150 – $200 million by the end of the third year on the market."

Key Recent Accomplishments

Acquired privately-held Icon Bioscience, Inc. and its FDA approved product, DEXYCU.

DEXYCU was approved by the FDA on February 9, 2018, for the treatment of postoperative inflammation and is administered as a single intraocular injection at the end of surgery.

EyePoint has expanded the DEXYCU global IP portfolio with Notices of Allowance for two additional patents, including potential claims relating to a method of treating inflammation of an eye following cataract surgery by delivering extremely small (4-6µL) amounts of dexamethasone in acetyl triethyl citrate. These two additional patents, once allowed, will extend to 2032 and 2034.

A New Drug Application (NDA) for YUTIQ (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) 0.18 mg three-year treatment for noninfectious posterior segment uveitis was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January and was accepted for filing in March with a November 5, 2018 PDUFA date.

EyePoint has enhanced the healthcare and capital markets expertise of the Board of Directors with the appointment of Ron Eastman, a Managing Director at EW Healthcare Partners with over 40 years of experience in building healthcare companies.

EyePoint has hired experienced executives to lead the Company’s commercial team and to ensure successful execution of the launches of DEXYCU and YUTIQ

EyePoint presented data on YUTIQ at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2018 Annual Meeting.

EyePoint delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange effective as of May 7, 2018.
Strengthened Balance Sheet

The Company had cash and cash equivalents totaling $16.3 million at March 31, 2018 and, subject to stockholder approval at a special meeting of shareholders scheduled for June 22, 2018, has capital commitments of an additional $30.5 million from EW Healthcare, a third-party investor and SWK. Therefore, the Company is currently projecting a cash balance of approximately $38.0 million at June 30, 2018, the end of its current fiscal year.

The Company expects these proceeds will provide the financial resources to commence the launch of DEXYCU and YUTIQ.
Near-Term Goals and Upcoming Milestones

Gain approval of the second tranche investment by EW Healthcare at the June 22, 2018 special meeting of stockholders.

Implement the Company’s four-pillar commercialization plan:
— Complete the build out of the sales organization;
— Implement the marketing plan;
— Continue to progress market access programs; and
— Initiate medical education initiatives.

Secure pass-through reimbursement for DEXYCU.

Receive FDA approval for YUTIQ based on the PDUFA action date of November 5, 2018.

Present data at leading medical congresses, including for YUTIQ at the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) annual meeting being held in Vancouver from July 20-25.

Launch DEXYCU and YUTIQ (subject to FDA approval) in the first half of calendar 2019.
Fiscal Third Quarter and Nine-Month Results

Revenue for the third fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2018, totaled $928,000 compared to $590,000 for the prior year quarter. Revenues in both periods were derived from feasibility study agreements and royalty income. Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 decreased slightly to $5.6 million from $5.8 million a year earlier, due primarily to lower clinical trial costs and stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by higher regulatory and clinical consulting services in support of YUTIQ and higher personnel and related expenses. Net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 was $7.0 million, or $0.15 per share, compared to a net loss of $5.1 million, or $0.15 per share, for the prior year quarter.

Revenue for the nine months ended March 31, 2018 was $2.2 million compared to $6.8 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2017. The prior year period included the recognition of deferred collaborative research and development revenue totaling $5.6 million resulting from the termination of the Pfizer collaboration agreement. Excluding Pfizer, revenues from feasibility study agreements and royalty income increased to $2.2 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2018 compared to $1.2 million in the prior year period. Operating expenses for the first nine months of fiscal 2018 were $18.7 million compared to $19.3 million a year earlier. Net loss for the nine months ended March 31, 2018 was $18.7 million, or $0.43 per share, compared to a net loss of $12.4 million, or $0.36 per share for the corresponding fiscal 2017 year-to-date period. There are currently 54,029,917 common shares outstanding.

In connection with the first tranche EW Healthcare investment, and subject to stockholder approval, the Company agreed to issue units to EW Healthcare and a participating third-party investor, with each unit consisting of the right to purchase (a) one share of Common Stock and (b) one warrant to purchase a share of Common Stock. The purchase price of the common stock and the exercise price of the warrant are both subject to price collars that provide for either a premium or discount to the original price paid in the first tranche investment by EW Healthcare. Because of the collar, the number of units to be issued will be subject to some variability. This second tranche investment will be voted upon at a special meeting of stockholders to be held on June 22, 2018. Accounting guidance required that the future obligation to issue units in the second tranche transaction be recorded as a derivative liability and to be re-measured to fair value at each balance sheet date. As a result of the initial re-measurement, the Company recorded a non-cash charge to non-operating expense of $2.3 million as change in fair value of derivative liability for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2018.

Conference Call Information

The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 312-7507 from the U.S. and Canada, or (631) 813-4828 from international locations. The conference ID is 1758647. A live webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the corporate website at View Source

A replay of the call will be available beginning May 8, 2018, at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET and ending on May 15, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The replay may be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 within the U.S. and Canada or (404) 537-3406 from international locations, Conference ID Number: 1758647. A replay of the webcast will also be available on the corporate website during that time.

On May 8, 2018 Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACK), a clinical-stage oncology company focused on biomarker-defined cancers, reported its first quarter 2018 financial results for the period ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Merrimack, MAY 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234526268]).

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"At Merrimack, we set out to design targeted solutions with pharmacological properties to match our team’s understanding of cancer pathways and drug metabolism. We have been focused on executing this strategy as we advance the ten wholly-owned programs across our clinical and preclinical pipeline, each addressing biomarker-defined cancers," said Richard Peters, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to our three upcoming clinical readouts: randomized Phase 2 data for istiratumab (MM-141) in pancreatic cancer and seribantumab (MM-121) in non-small cell lung cancer and Phase 1 data for MM-310 in solid tumors."

First Quarter and Recent Highlights

Key events from the first quarter and more recently include:

Appointment of Lee Newcomer, M.D., M.H.A., former Senior Vice President for Oncology and Genetics and Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare and board-certified medical oncologist, to Merrimack’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Newcomer, with his perspective on medical oncology and patient access, joins distinguished experts in precision oncology, bioengineering, drug discovery and clinical development on Merrimack’s SAB; and

Presentation of preclinical data at the 2018 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. Merrimack hosted four poster sessions, highlighting preclinical data from MM-310 as well as other preclinical programs currently in development.
Upcoming Milestones

Merrimack anticipates the following upcoming clinical milestones:

Top-line results in the first half of 2018 from the CARRIE study, an event-driven, randomized Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating istiratumab (MM-141) added to standard of care in patients with front-line metastatic pancreatic cancer who have high serum levels of free IGF-1;

Top-line results in the second half of 2018 from the SHERLOC study, an event-driven, randomized Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating seribantumab (MM-121) added to standard of care in patients with heregulin positive non-small cell lung cancer; and

Safety data and maximum tolerated dose in the second half of 2018 from the Phase 1 clinical study of MM-310 in patients with solid tumors.
First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

The following summarizes Merrimack’s financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2018:

Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $13.1 million, compared to $21.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Research and development spending for the first quarter of 2018 was lower versus the comparable period in 2017, primarily due to Merrimack’s refocused clinical and preclinical pipeline;

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $4.3 million, compared to $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. General and administrative spending for the first quarter of 2018 was lower versus the comparable period in 2017, primarily due to a decrease in corporate expenses related to headcount levels following the asset sale to Ipsen S.A.;

Net loss from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $17.8 million, or $1.33 per share, compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $28.7 million, or $2.20 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2017;

As of March 31, 2018, Merrimack had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $76.3 million, compared to $93.4 million as of December 31, 2017; and

As of March 31, 2018, Merrimack had 13.3 million shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding.
Financial Outlook

Merrimack continues to believe that its cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $76.3 million as of March 31, 2018 and certain potential net milestone payments anticipated from Shire will be sufficient to fund its planned operations into the second half of 2019.

Conference Call and Webcast

Merrimack will host a live conference call and webcast today, Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 8:30 am ET, to provide an update on its operational progress and a summary of these financial results.

Investors and the general public are invited to listen to the call by dialing (877) 564-1301 (domestic) or (224) 357-2394 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call and providing the passcode 1596995. A listen-only webcast of the call can be accessed in the Investors section of Merrimack’s website, investors.merrimack.com, and a replay of the call will be archived there for six weeks following the call.

Corcept Therapeutics has filed a 10-Q – Quarterly report [Sections 13 or 15(d)] with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Filing, 10-Q, Corcept Therapeutics, 2018, MAY 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234527942]).

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On May 8, 2018 TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TGTX) reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 and recent company developments (Press release, Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, MAY 8, 2018, View Source [SID1234526205]).

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Michael S. Weiss, the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "2018 is off to a great start as we continue to advance our major pivotal programs and bolster our product pipeline, most recently with the addition of a BTK inhibitor program. As we move into the second quarter and the remainder of the year, we look forward to the announcement of topline data from our UNITY-CLL trial, completion of enrollment into the current cohorts of the UNITY-NHL study, final MS Phase 2 data, significant enrollment in our MS phase 3 program as well as filing decisions related to the Company’s first BLA/NDA later in the year." Mr. Weiss continued, "We believe 2018 will be a pivotal year for the Company as approval pathways across multiple indications become clearer and position us for future success."

First Quarter and Recent Highlights

BTK License: Entered into an exclusive global license agreement with Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. (or "Hengrui") to obtain worldwide rights, excluding Asia but including Japan, for the development of Hengrui’s Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor program, including the lead candidate, TG-1701.
Umbralisib Lancet Publication: Results from the Phase 1 first-in-human study of umbralisib (TGR-1202), the Company’s novel once-daily PI3K delta inhibitor, were published in The Lancet Oncology.
TG-1601 Preclinical Data: Presented the first preclinical data from TG-1601, the Company’s novel BET inhibitor, at the 2018 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) annual meeting.
Ublituximab Data in Multiple Sclerosis: Presented clinical and MRI data from the Phase 2 trial of ublituximab (TG-1101) in RMS at the 3rd Annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum 2018 and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 70th Annual Meeting.

Remaining 2018 Milestones

Present top-line overall response rate data from the UNITY-CLL Phase 3 trial of ublituximab plus umbralisib in front line and relapsed/refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
Prepare and potentially file the Company’s first BLA and/or NDA.

Complete enrollment in the current arms of the UNITY-NHL trial, including the Follicular Lymphoma, Marginal Zone Lymphoma, and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma cohorts.
Present updated clinical data from ongoing oncology trials and final results from the Phase 2 trial of ublituximab in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at major medical meetings during 2018.

Financial Results for the First Quarter 2018

Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents, investment securities, and interest receivable were $109.2 million as of March 31, 2018. Pro-forma cash, cash equivalents, investment securities, and interest receivable as of March 31, 2018 (excluding our second quarter 2018 operations) are approximately $123.3 million, after giving effect to $14.1 million of net proceeds from the utilization of the Company’s at-the-market ("ATM") sales facility during the second quarter of 2018.

Other R&D Expenses: Other research and development (R&D) expense (not including non-cash compensation) was $32.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 compared to $20.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Included in other research and development expense for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $14.5 million of clinical trial expense and $9.6 million of manufacturing and CMC expenses for Phase 3 clinical trials and potential commercialization. The current period increase in Other R&D expenses is primarily due to the ongoing clinical development programs and related manufacturing costs for TG-1101 and TGR-1202.

●Other G&A Expenses: Other general and administrative (G&A) expense (not including non-cash compensation) was $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 as compared to $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Other G&A expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 remained relatively flat compared to the first quarter of 2017, and we expect Other G&A expenses to increase modestly through the remainder of 2018.

●Net Loss: Net loss was $41.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, compared to a net loss of $27.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Excluding non-cash items the net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was approximately $33.2 million.

●Financial Guidance: Net cash utilized for operating activities during the three months ended 2018 was approximately $28.0 million. The Company believes its cash, cash equivalents, investment securities, and interest receivable on hand as of March 31, 2018, inclusive of the proceeds raised subsequent to the first quarter, will be sufficient to fund the Company’s planned operations through mid-2019.

Conference Call Information

The Company will host an investor conference call today, May 8, 2018, at 8:30am ET, to discuss the Company’s first quarter 2018 financial results and provide a business outlook for the remainder of 2018.

In order to participate in the conference call, please call 1-877-407-8029 (U.S.), 1-201-689-8029 (outside the U.S.), Conference Title: TG Therapeutics First Quarter 2018 Earnings Call. A live webcast of this presentation will be available on the Events page, located within the Investors & Media section, of the Company’s website at www.tgtherapeutics.com. An audio recording of the conference call will also be available for replay at www.tgtherapeutics.com, for a period of 30 days after the call.

On May 8, 2018 Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:RETA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, provided an update on the Company’s product development programs reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Reata Pharmaceuticals, MAY 8, 2018, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2347933 [SID1234526235]).

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Product Development Updates

CATALYST Trial of Bardoxolone Methyl in CTD-PAH

The primary endpoint for the Phase 3 CATALYST trial in CTD-PAH is the placebo-corrected change in six-minute walk distance (6MWD) following six months of treatment. The sample size range for the CATALYST trial was based upon data from the Phase 2 LARIAT trial and set at a range of 130 to 200 patients. The final sample size is determined by a prospectively-defined, pooled, and blinded sample size recalculation occurring after enrollment of at least 100 patients. The purpose of this analysis is to preserve statistical power, and it incorporates baseline characteristics and observed 6MWD variability from enrolled patients. The sample size recalculation was recently performed and indicated that a sample size of 200 patients will be sufficient to support the initial statistical assumptions and preserve statistical power of the study. The sample size recalculation was performed on a blinded basis, and there was no assessment of treatment effect. Accordingly, no statistical penalty was incurred toward the primary endpoint of the CATALYST study. As a result of the sample size recalculation, Reata expects that it will require at least 12 months to complete enrollment of the study, and now expects top-line data from CATALYST during the first half of 2020.

Phase 2 PHOENIX Trial of Bardoxolone Methyl in Rare Forms of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

We are completing enrollment earlier than planned in the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), IgA nephropathy, and type 1 diabetic CKD (T1D CKD) cohorts of PHOENIX. We expect enrollment in all three cohorts to be complete by the end of May and full primary endpoint data from these three rare forms of CKD to be available during the third quarter of 2018. Full primary endpoint data from the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis cohort are expected to be available in the first half of 2019.

Interim data for the ADPKD and IgA nephropathy cohorts will be presented in a late-breaking abstract at the European Renal Association and European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) meeting in Copenhagen on May 25, 2018 in an abstract entitled "Initial Results from a Phase 2 Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Bardoxolone Methyl in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and IgA Nephropathy." Reata’s data presentations from other clinical trials with bardoxolone methyl at ERA-EDTA will include:

Effect of Bardoxolone Methyl on Urinary Albumin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease: Post-hoc Analyses from BEAM and BEACON
Bardoxolone Methyl Prevents eGFR Decline in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4 and Type 2 Diabetes ─ Post-hoc Analyses from BEACON
Two-Year Durability of Improvements in eGFR with Bardoxolone Methyl in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: The LARIAT Study
Registrational Phase 3 Portion of the CARDINAL Trial of Bardoxolone Methyl in Alport Syndrome

Enrollment in the pivotal Phase 3 portion of the CARDINAL trial of bardoxolone methyl in Alport syndrome is proceeding as planned. The clinical trial is expected to be fully enrolled in the second half of 2018, with top-line data available in the second half of 2019. One-year eGFR withdrawal data, also known as the "retained benefit" analysis, from the Phase 2 portion of CARDINAL will be available in the third quarter of this year. In addition, Reata’s development partner, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, is planning to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in diabetic CKD in Japan during 2018.

Registrational Portion of MOXIe Trial of Omaveloxolone in Friedreich’s Ataxia

Enrollment in the pivotal Part 2 of the Phase 2 MOXIe trial of omaveloxolone in Friedreich’s ataxia is proceeding as planned. The clinical study is expected to be fully enrolled in the second half of 2018, with top-line data available in the second half of 2019.

Upcoming Milestones

Interim Phase 2 PHOENIX data in ADPKD and IgA nephropathy at ERA-EDTA on May 25th
One-year retained eGFR benefit data for CARDINAL Phase 2 patients in the third quarter of 2018
Full 12-week PHOENIX data in ADPKD, IgA nephropathy, and T1D CKD during the third quarter of 2018
Launch of pivotal trial in diabetic CKD by Kyowa Hakko Kirin in Japan during 2018
Full 12-week PHOENIX data in FSGS in the first half of 2019
Pivotal data from the CARDINAL trial in the second half of 2019
Pivotal data from the MOXIe trial in the second half of 2019
Pivotal data from the CATALYST trial in the first half of 2020
Financial Highlights

The Company incurred operating expenses of $28.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, with research and development accounting for $21.4 million. This compares to operating expenses of $19.9 million for the same period of the year prior, when research and development accounted for $14.6 million. Net income of $4.1 million or $0.16 per share was reported by the Company for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. This compares to net loss of $7.1 million or $0.32 per share in the same period of the year prior. The increase in net income and net income per share is primarily due to revenue of $25.1 million related to a milestone payment that we expect to receive from Kyowa Hakko Kirin in 2018 that was partially recognized in accordance with newly-adopted revenue recognition requirements under Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The increase in revenue under the new guidance resulted in increases of $25.1 million in net income and $0.96 in basic net income per share for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

As of March 31, 2018, the Company had $105.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents, in combination with available debt and the expected milestone payment from Kyowa Hakko Kirin, will be sufficient to enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through registrational data from both CARDINAL and MOXIe in the second half of 2019.

Reata management will be hosting a conference call to discuss our development programs on May 9, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. ET at the following:

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Date: Wednesday May 9, 2018
Time: 8:00 a.m. ET
Audience Dial-in (toll-free): (844) 348-3946
Audience Dial-in (international): (213) 358-0892
Passcode: 8266998
Webcast Link: View Source