On August 12, 2024 Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. ("Checkpoint") (Nasdaq: CKPT), a clinical-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company, reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, and recent corporate updates (Press release, Checkpoint Therapeutics, AUG 12, 2024, View Source [SID1234645724]).
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!
James F. Oliviero, President and Chief Executive Officer of Checkpoint, said, "We’ve made significant recent progress as we seek approval of cosibelimab as a potential new treatment for patients with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (‘’cSCC’’) who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. We are pleased to have reached alignment with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (‘‘FDA’’) on our strategy to potentially address the deficiencies identified in the complete response letter (‘‘CRL’’) received last December. Shortly thereafter, we resubmitted our Biologics License Application ("BLA"), which was accepted by the FDA for review as a complete response to the CRL. We look forward to working with the FDA in advance of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (‘‘PDUFA’’) goal date of December 28, 2024, to potentially deliver this important therapeutic option to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients and their families."
Recent Corporate Updates:
· Checkpoint submitted a BLA to the FDA in January 2023 seeking approval of cosibelimab as a potential new treatment for patients with metastatic or locally advanced cSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. In December 2023, the FDA issued a CRL for the cosibelimab BLA. The CRL only cited findings that arose during a multi-sponsor inspection of Checkpoint’s third-party contract manufacturing organization ("CMO") as approvability issues to address in a BLA resubmission. The CRL did not state any concerns about the clinical data package, safety, or labeling for the approvability of cosibelimab.
· In June 2024, Checkpoint reached alignment with the FDA on its BLA resubmission strategy for cosibelimab and resubmitted the BLA shortly thereafter.
· In July 2024, Checkpoint announced that the FDA accepted for review the resubmission of its BLA for cosibelimab as a complete response to the CRL issued in December 2023 and set a PDUFA goal date of December 28, 2024.
· Also in July 2024, Checkpoint announced a collaboration to explore the combined therapeutic potential of cosibelimab, its anti-PD-L1 antibody with dual mechanism of action, with GC Cell’s Immuncell-LC, an innovative autologous Cytokine Induced Killer T cell therapy composed of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer T cells.
· Also in July 2024, Checkpoint completed a registered direct offering priced At-the-Market under Nasdaq rules and a concurrent private placement of warrants to purchase Checkpoint common stock, for total gross proceeds of approximately $12.0 million.
Financial Results:
· Cash Position: As of June 30, 2024, Checkpoint’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $5.0 million, compared to $11.2 million at March 31, 2024 and $4.9 million at December 31, 2023, a decrease of $6.2 million for the quarter and an increase of $0.1 million, year-to-date. After the end of the second quarter, Checkpoint raised gross proceeds of approximately $12.0 million in a registered direct offering completed in July 2024.
· R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $4.5 million, compared to $13.9 million for the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of $9.4 million. Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2024 included $0.6 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $0.2 million for the second quarter of 2023.
· G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $2.2 million, compared to $2.3 million for the second quarter of 2023, a decrease of $0.1 million. General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 included $0.6 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $0.8 million for the second quarter of 2023.
· Net Loss: Net loss attributable to common stockholders for the second quarter of 2024 was $6.7 million, or $0.18 per share, compared to a net loss of $16.5 million, or $1.05 per share, in the second quarter of 2023. Net loss for the second quarter of 2024 included $1.2 million of non-cash stock expenses, compared to $1.0 million for the second quarter of 2023.