On February 15, 2018 Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and Flatiron Health, Inc. reported that the two partners have signed a definitive agreement under which Roche will acquire all shares of Flatiron Health, following on from an existing equity stake of 12.6% (Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche, FEB 15, 2018, View Source [SID1234524003]). The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018.

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Flatiron Health, a privately held healthcare technology and services company headquartered in New York City, US, is a market leader in oncology-specific electronic health record (EHR) software, as well as the curation and development of real-world evidence for cancer research. With its large network of community oncology practices and academic medical centers across the US, Flatiron Health has created a technology platform designed to learn from the experience of every patient.

Daniel O’Day, CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals said, "This is an important step in our personalised healthcare strategy for Roche, as we believe that regulatory-grade real-world evidence is a key ingredient to accelerate the development of, and access to, new cancer treatments. As a leading technology company in oncology, Flatiron Health is best positioned to provide the technology and data analytics infrastructure needed not only for Roche, but for oncology research and development efforts across the entire industry. A key principle of this is to preserve Flatiron’s autonomy and their ability to continue providing their services to all existing and future partners."

Flatiron Health has worked with industry leaders and regulators to develop new approaches for how real-world evidence may be used in regulatory decision making, including the design and validation of novel endpoints. By working closely with its network of community practices and academic medical centers, Flatiron has also developed a suite of software products that uniquely positions the company to advance the use of real-world evidence at the point of care.

Nat Turner, Flatiron Health Co-Founder and CEO said, "Roche has been a tremendous partner to us over the past two years and shares our vision for building a learning healthcare platform in oncology ultimately designed to improve the lives of cancer patients. This important milestone will allow us to increase our investments in our provider-facing technology and services platform, as well as our evidence-generation platform, which will remain available to the entire healthcare industry."

Under the terms of the agreement, Roche will make a payment of USD 1.9 billion to Flatiron Health on a fully diluted basis, subject to certain adjustments. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. The parties expect that following the closing, Flatiron Health will continue its current business model, network of partnerships and overall objectives. The integrity of segregated patient protected health information will be preserved, as will dedicated sales and marketing, provider-facing and life science business activities.

On February 15, 2018 Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq:CYTK) reported financial results for the fourth quarter of 2017. Net loss for the fourth quarter was $40.5 million, or $0.75 per basic share and diluted share, respectively, compared to net income for the same period in 2016 of $7.2 million, or $0.18 and $0.16 per basic and diluted share, respectively (Press release, Cytokinetics, FEB 15, 2018, View Source [SID1234524001]). Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $285.4 million at December 31, 2017.

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"We had a productive fourth quarter and begin the year with optimism for our growing pipeline of muscle biology directed drug candidates," said Robert I. Blum, Cytokinetics’ President and Chief Executive Officer. "In 2018, we are looking forward to results from four mid-stage clinical trials of CK-2127107 in our skeletal muscle activator program which may inform plans to advance to a Phase 3 clinical program under our collaboration with Astellas. Additionally, enrollment in GALACTIC-HF remains on track with planning under our collaboration with Amgen. Our research continues to power innovation with two potential drug candidates expected to move through IND-enabling studies and into Phase 1 trials in 2018."

Recent Highlights and Upcoming Milestones

Cardiac Muscle Program

omecamtiv mecarbil (cardiac myosin activator)

Continued site activation and patient enrollment in GALACTIC-HF, the Phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil. Enrollment is proceeding according to plan with patients that have the intended risk profile consistent with the trial design.

Continued protocol development, feasibility assessments, regulatory interactions and other readiness activities for a second Phase 3 clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil. This trial which is intended to evaluate the potential of omecamtiv mecarbil to increase exercise performance in patients with heart failure is planned to be conducted by Cytokinetics in collaboration with Amgen.

Announced that a post-hoc responder analysis from COSMIC-HF (Chronic Oral Study of Myosin Activation to Increase Contractility in Heart Failure), a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating omecamtiv mecarbil in patients with chronic heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction, was presented by John Teerlink, M.D. in an Abstract Rapid Fire Oral presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. The proportion of patients achieving various thresholds in the percent reduction of NT-proBNP was larger in patients who received omecamtiv mecarbil than in patients who received placebo.
Skeletal Muscle Program

tirasemtiv (fast skeletal muscle troponin activator (FSTA))

Announced the presentation of results from VITALITY-ALS (Ventilatory Investigation of Tirasemtiv and Assessment of Longitudinal Indices after Treatment for a Year in ALS), the international Phase 3 clinical trial of tirasemtiv in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), at the 28th International Symposium on ALS and Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Boston. The presentation, by Jeremy Shefner, M.D., Ph.D., Lead Investigator of VITALITY-ALS, Professor and Chair of Neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute, and Professor and Executive Chair of Neurology at University of Arizona, Phoenix, followed our prior announcement that the trial did not meet the primary endpoint of change from baseline in slow vital capacity which was evaluated at 24 weeks following randomization or any of the secondary endpoints in the trial which were evaluated at 48 weeks.

Continued treatment of patients in VIGOR-ALS (Ventilatory Investigations in Global Open-Label Research in ALS), an open-label clinical trial designed to assess the long-term safety and tolerability of tirasemtiv in patients with ALS who have completed participation in VITALITY-ALS. Currently, there are still over 100 patients who are receiving tirasemtiv in VIGOR-ALS.
CK-2127107, reldesemtiv (next-generation fast skeletal muscle troponin activator)

Received final approval from the World Health Organization and the United States Adopted Name Council for reldesemtiv to be used as the International Nonproprietary Name for CK-2127107.

Continued conduct of our Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv which is designed to assess its effect on multiple measures of muscle function in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients with SMA. This trial has enrolled over 60 patients toward the objective of 72 patients and is being conducted by Cytokinetics in collaboration with Astellas.

Continued site activation and patient enrollment in FORTITUDE-ALS (Functional Outcomes in a Randomized Trial of Investigational Treatment with CK-2127107 to Understand Decline in Endpoints – in ALS), the Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv which is designed to assess the change from baseline in the percent predicted slow vital capacity (SVC) and other measures of skeletal muscle function after 12 weeks of treatment with reldesemtiv in patients with ALS. This trial has screened over 100 patients and enrolled nearly 90 patients toward the objective of 445 patients and is being conducted by Cytokinetics in collaboration with Astellas.

Continued site activation and patient enrollment in the Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is designed to assess its effect on physical function. This trial has enrolled over 30 patients towards the objective of 40 patients and is being conducted by Astellas in collaboration with Cytokinetics.

Continued site activation and patient enrollment in the Phase 1b clinical trial of reldesemtiv in elderly subjects with limited mobility which is designed to assess its effect on measures of physical function. This trial has enrolled over 20 subjects towards the objective of 60 subjects and is being conducted by Astellas in collaboration with Cytokinetics.

Announced the publication of "CK-2127107 Amplifies Skeletal Muscle Response to Nerve Activation in Humans," in Muscle & Nerve, which showed that reldesemtiv increased the force generated by the tibialis anterior muscle versus placebo in response to nerve stimulation in a dose, plasma concentration, and frequency-dependent manner. Single doses of reldesemtiv were well-tolerated in healthy volunteers up to 4000 mg. No serious adverse events were reported and adverse events were all mild or moderate.
Pre-Clinical Research and Development

Advanced a next-generation cardiac muscle activator into development under our collaboration with Amgen. This milestone triggered a $1 million payment from Amgen to Cytokinetics.

Advanced a next-generation skeletal muscle activator into development under our collaboration with Astellas.

Announced that Cytokinetics is advancing an unpartnered cardiac sarcomere directed compound from research into IND-enabling studies in 2018.

Continued collaboration activities under our joint research program with Amgen directed to the discovery of next-generation cardiac muscle activators and under our joint research program with Astellas directed to the discovery of next-generation skeletal muscle activators. Cytokinetics and Astellas recently agreed to extend the joint research program through 2019.

Company scientists continued independent research activities directed to our other muscle biology programs.
Financials

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 included $11.0 million in milestone revenues from Amgen as well as $1.3 million of research and development revenues from our collaboration with Amgen, and $11.9 million of research and development revenues plus $8.8 million of license revenues from our collaboration with Astellas. Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 were offset by $20.0 million (out of the total of $40 million) for payments to Amgen related to our option to co-fund the Phase 3 development program of omecamtiv mecarbil in exchange for an increased royalty upon potential commercialization. Revenues in 2016 were primarily due to license revenue from the September 2016 expansion of our collaboration with Astellas and a $26.7 million milestone payment from Amgen.

Research and development expenses for the three months and year ended December 31, 2017 increased to $26.3 million and $90.3 million, respectively, from $18.8 million and $59.9 million for the same periods in 2016, primarily due to increased clinical activity, including activity for VITALITY-ALS, increased clinical trials activity for reldesemtiv, as well as increased personnel.

General and administrative expenses for the three months and year ended December 31, 2017 increased to $10.3 million and $36.5 million, respectively, from $6.7 million and $27.8 million for the same periods in 2016, primarily due to increased personnel, non-cash stock compensation expense and commercial readiness activities.

2018 Financial Guidance

The Company also announced financial guidance for 2018. The company anticipates cash revenue will be in the range of $17 to $23 million, operating expenses will be in the range of $105 to $115 million, and net cash utilization will be approximately $100 million.

2018 Corporate Milestones

Cardiac Muscle Program

omecamtiv mecarbil (cardiac myosin activator)

Expect to complete enrolling patients with chronic heart failure in GALACTIC-HF in approximately one year.

Expect to finalize plans and prepare to start the second Phase 3 trial of omecamtiv mecarbil.
Skeletal Muscle Program

CK-2127107 (reldesemtiv), (next-generation fast skeletal muscle troponin activator (FSTA))

Expect results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv in patients with SMA in Q2 2018.

Expect results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv in patients with ALS in 2H 2018.

Expect results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of reldesemtiv in patients with COPD in 2H 2018.

Expect results from a Phase 1b clinical trial of reldesemtiv in adults with limited mobility in 2H 2018.
Pre-Clinical Research

Expect to advance one development compound, under each of our collaborations with Amgen and Astellas, into IND-enabling studies in 2018, one of which may proceed to Phase 1 this year.

Expect to advance an unpartnered cardiac sarcomere directed compound through IND-enabling studies in 2018 to enable initiation of Phase 1 in 2018.
Conference Call and Webcast Information

Members of Cytokinetics’ senior management team will review the company’s fourth quarter results via a webcast and conference call today at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. The webcast can be accessed through the Investors & Media section of the Cytokinetics website at www.cytokinetics.com. The live audio of the conference call can also be accessed by telephone by dialing either (866) 999-CYTK (2985) (United States and Canada) or (706) 679-3078 (international) and typing in the passcode 3665278.

An archived replay of the webcast will be available via Cytokinetics’ website until February 22, 2018. The replay will also be available via telephone by dialing (855) 859-2056 (United States and Canada) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and typing in the passcode 3665278 from February 15, 2018 at 7:30 PM Eastern Time until February 22, 2018.

On February 15, 2018 Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism to treat cancer and rare genetic diseases, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for ivosidenib (AG-120) for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation (Press release, Agios Pharmaceuticals, FEB 15, 2018, View Source [SID1234523997]). The NDA was granted Priority Review and has been given a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of August 21, 2018. The FDA’s Priority Review status accelerates the review time from 10 months to a goal of six months from the day of filing acceptance and is given to drugs that may offer major advances in treatment or may provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. Agios completed the NDA submission in late December 2017.

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"After decades of little change, treatment of AML has begun to shift dramatically as result of new therapies, and IDHm inhibitors will play an important role in how we treat this terrible disease," said David Schenkein, M.D., chief executive officer of Agios. "Today marks an important milestone in our efforts to rapidly advance what could be the first targeted treatment for R/R AML patients with an IDH1 mutation. We appreciate the FDA’s collaboration during the application process, and we look forward to continuing our productive dialogue."

Ivosidenib is a first-in-class, oral, targeted inhibitor of mutant IDH1. The NDA submission is based on results from AG120-C-001, a Phase 1 dose-escalation and expansion study of ivosidenib in patients with advanced hematologic malignancies and an IDH1 mutation. Data from the R/R AML patients in this study were presented at the 2017 American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

Additionally, Abbott has submitted a Premarket Approval (PMA) application for the FDA review of an IDH1 assay on the Abbott m2000 RealTime System, an automated sample preparation and batch analyzer system for nucleic acid amplification and detection. In 2014, Abbott and Agios entered into an exclusive agreement under which Abbott is responsible for development and commercialization of a RealTime PCR assay for detection of the IDH1 mutation in bone marrow and blood. The Abbott assay will serve as a companion diagnostic for ivosidenib.

IDH1 mutations occur in about 6 to 10 percent of AML patients. Recent publications have highlighted the advances in the understanding of the genetics underlying AML and the need for routine mutational analysis at diagnosis and relapse.

Ivosidenib is an investigational drug that has not been approved for any use in any country.

About Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
AML, a cancer of blood and bone marrow characterized by rapid disease progression, is the most common acute leukemia affecting adults. Undifferentiated blast cells proliferate in the bone marrow rather than mature into normal blood cells. AML incidence significantly increases with age, and the median age at diagnosis is 68. The vast majority of patients do not respond to chemotherapy and progress to relapsed/refractory AML. The five-year survival rate for AML is approximately 20 to 25 percent. IDH1 mutations are present in about 6 to 10 percent of AML cases.

On February 15, 2018 -AstraZeneca and Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for selumetinib, a MEK 1/2 inhibitor, for the treatment of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) (Press release, Merck & Co, FEB 15, 2018, View Source [SID1234524008]).

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NF1 is an incurable genetic condition that affects one in 3,000 births with highly-variable symptoms including cutaneous (skin), neurological (nervous system) and orthopedic (skeletal) manifestations. NF1 can cause secondary complications including learning difficulties, visual impairment, pain, disfigurement, twisting and curvature of the spine, high blood pressure and epilepsy. Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are tumors that arise from nerve fascicles and tend to grow along the length of the nerve. PNs, a neurological manifestation of NF1,occur in approximately 20-50 percent of NF1 patients causing pain, motor dysfunction and disfigurement.

Sean Bohen, executive vice president, global medicines development and chief medical officer, AstraZeneca, said, "Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a devastating condition that can lead to life-threatening complications. There is no known cure for neurofibromatosis and there are limited treatment options to manage symptoms."

Dr. Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of global clinical development, chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories, said, "This is an important collaborative effort with our colleagues at AstraZeneca addressing an area of significant unmet medical need to potentially benefit patients with neurofibromatosis type 1."

The potential benefit of selumetinib in NF1 is being explored in the U.S. National Cancer Institute-sponsored phase 1/2 SPRINT trial in pediatric patients with symptomatic NF1-related PNs. Phase II trial results are expected later in 2018.

The FDA’s ODD program provides orphan status to medicines that are defined as those intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis or prevention of rare diseases or disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.

In addition to NF1, selumetinib is being investigated in the phase 3 ASTRA trial of patients who are diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) following surgery and treatment with radioactive iodine. Selumetinib was granted ODD by the US FDA for the adjuvant treatment of stage 3/4 DTC in 2016. It is also being explored as a monotherapy and in combination with other treatments in phase 1 trials.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)

The NF1 gene provides instructions for making a protein called Neurofibromin. The disease is associated with many symptoms, including soft lumps on and under the skin (subcutaneous neurofibromas), skin pigmentation (cafe au lait spots) and, in 20-50 percent of patients, tumors on the nerve sheaths (plexiform neurofibromas). These plexiform neurofibromas can cause morbidities such as pain, motor dysfunction and disfigurement. Patients with NF1 may experience a number of other complications such as learning difficulties, visual impairment, twisting and curvature of the spine, high blood pressure, and epilepsy. People with NF1 also have an increased risk of developing other cancers, including malignant brain and peripheral nerve sheath tumors, and leukaemia. Symptoms begin during early childhood, with varying degrees of severity, and can reduce life expectancy by up to 15 years.

About selumetinib

Selumetinib, is an investigational MEK 1/2 inhibitor licensed by AstraZeneca from Array BioPharma Inc. in 2003.

The NF1 gene codes for a protein called Neurofibromin. This protein negatively regulates the RAS/MAPK pathway, which helps to control cell growth, differentiation and survival. Mutations in the NF1 gene may result in dysregulation in RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling, which can cause cells to grow, divide and copy themselves in an uncontrolled manner, and may result in tumor growth. Selumetinib inhibits the MEK enzyme in this pathway, potentially leading to inhibition of tumor growth.

On February 15, 2018 Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Eagle" or "the Company") (Nasdaq: EGRX) reported that the Company will release its 2017 fourth quarter and full year financial results on Monday, February 26, 2018, before the market opens (Press release, Eagle Pharmaceuticals, FEB 15, 2018, View Source [SID1234524002]).

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Scott Tarriff, Chief Executive Officer, and Pete Meyers, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call to discuss the results as follows:

Date Monday, February 26, 2018
Time 8:30 a.m. EST
Toll free (U.S.) 866-518-6930
International 203-518-9797
Webcast (live and replay)
www.eagleus.com, under the "Investor Relations" section

A replay of the conference call will be available for one week after the call’s completion by dialing 800-677-7320 (US) or 402-220-0666 (International) and entering conference call ID EGRXQ417. The webcast will be archived for 30 days at the aforementioned URL.