On November 13, 2017 Myovant Sciences (NYSE: MYOV), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for women’s health and endocrine diseases, reported corporate updates and financial results for the second fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2017 (Press release, Myovant Sciences, NOV 13, 2017, View Source [SID1234522028]).
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"We made significant clinical and corporate progress this quarter as we continue to build Myovant into a leading women’s health company. The positive results from Takeda’s two Phase 3 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of relugolix for the treatment of uterine fibroids provide strong support for Myovant’s ongoing Phase 3 studies of relugolix for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids," stated Lynn Seely, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Myovant Sciences. "In addition, we secured flexible financing commitments of up to $140 million, which puts us in a strong financial position to support the Phase 3 development of relugolix in uterine fibroids, endometriosis and advanced prostate cancer."
Recent Business Progress
Positive results in two Phase 3 clinical studies conducted by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited ("Takeda") to evaluate the efficacy and safety of relugolix for the treatment of uterine fibroids.
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On October 2, 2017, Myovant announced that Takeda reported positive top-line results from a Phase 3 study in Japan evaluating the efficacy and safety of relugolix compared with leuprorelin for the treatment of women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids. Relugolix met the study’s primary endpoint, achieving an 82.2% response rate, and was observed to be statistically non-inferior to leuprorelin (p = 0.0013) in meeting the study’s primary endpoint, the proportion of patients achieving a pre-defined reduction in menstrual bleeding. The incidence of adverse events in the study was generally similar between treatment groups and consistent with the mechanism of action of the study medications.
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On November 9, 2017, Myovant announced that Takeda reported positive top-line results from a Phase 3 study in Japan evaluating the efficacy and safety of relugolix compared with placebo for the treatment of pain associated with uterine fibroids. Of the women treated with relugolix, 57.6% achieved a marked improvement in pain symptoms compared to 3.1% treated with placebo (p< 0.0001). Adverse events in the study were consistent with the mechanism of action of relugolix and adverse events observed in previous clinical studies.
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Takeda plans to submit the data from both studies to regulatory authorities in Japan for marketing authorization of relugolix for the treatment of uterine fibroids. Myovant will be solely responsible for obtaining FDA approval for relugolix in the United States.
Secured flexible financing commitments of up to $140 million. On October 16, 2017, Myovant announced that it had secured up to $140 million in flexible financing commitments from NovaQuest Capital Management ("NovaQuest") and Hercules Capital, Inc. ("Hercules"). The NovaQuest financing is comprised of a note purchase commitment of up to $60 million and an equity purchase commitment of up to $40 million. An additional $40 million of debt financing capacity is committed in the form of a term loan facility from Hercules. Myovant plans to use the net proceeds from both financings to fund the ongoing Phase 3 development of relugolix in uterine fibroids, endometriosis and advanced prostate cancer. Pursuant to the agreements, upon closing, Myovant received net cash proceeds of approximately $32 million under the financing commitments.
Second Fiscal Quarter 2017 Financial Summary
Research and development (R&D) expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 were $24.2 million, compared to $3.8 million for the comparable period in 2016. The increase over the prior year period is primarily due to costs associated with the five ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials of relugolix which were initiated in 2017. R&D expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017 consisted primarily of clinical trial and clinical drug supply costs of $19.7 million, personnel expenses of $3.0 million, share-based compensation expense of $0.7 million, and costs billed to us under the services agreements with Roivant Sciences, Ltd. and Roivant Sciences, Inc. ("the Services Agreements") of $0.5 million, including personnel expenses and third-party costs associated with the preparation of our clinical and other research programs. R&D expenses were $3.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, and consisted primarily of costs billed to us under the Services Agreements of $2.7 million, including personnel expenses and third-party costs associated with the preparation of our clinical and other research programs and share-based compensation expense.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 were $6.1 million, compared to $3.0 million for the same period in 2016. G&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017 consisted primarily of personnel-related and general overhead expenses of $2.3 million, share-based compensation expense of $2.1 million, legal and professional fees of $1.2 million and costs of $0.5 million billed to us under the Services Agreements, including personnel expenses, overhead allocations and third-party costs. G&A expenses were $3.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, and consisted primarily of share-based compensation expense of $1.3 million, legal and professional fees of $1.0 million and costs of $0.3 million billed to us under the Services Agreements, including personnel expenses, overhead allocations and third-party costs.
Net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 was $29.9 million, or $0.50 per share, compared to $34.7 million or $0.82 per share for the same period in 2016. The decrease in net loss was driven by the change in the fair market value of the previously outstanding Takeda warrant liability during the second quarter of 2016, which did not recur in the second quarter of 2017 due to its expiry on April 30, 2017. This was offset by an increase in costs associated with the ongoing LIBERTY 1 and LIBERTY 2, SPIRIT 1 and SPIRIT 2, and HERO Phase 3 clinical studies which were initiated in 2017 as well as increased personnel expenses to support Myovant’s growing operations.
Cash totaled $129.3 million on September 30, 2017.
About Relugolix
Relugolix is an oral, once-daily, small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist that has been evaluated in over 1,600 study participants in Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials. In these trials, relugolix has been shown to be generally well tolerated and to suppress estrogen and progesterone levels in women and testosterone levels in men. Common side effects are consistent with suppression of these hormones. In the ongoing Phase 3 SPIRIT clinical trials in women with endometriosis-associated pain and the ongoing Phase 3 LIBERTY clinical trials in women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids, relugolix will be evaluated with and without low-dose hormonal add-back therapy, the addition of which is expected to decrease potential side effects such as bone mineral density loss and hot flashes. The ongoing Phase 3 HERO study is evaluating relugolix in men with advanced prostate cancer.