On August 9, 2016 Ignyta, Inc. (Nasdaq: RXDX), a biotechnology company focused on precision medicine in oncology, reported company highlights and financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016 (Press release, Ignyta, AUG 9, 2016, View Source [SID:1234514455]). Ignyta will not be conducting a conference call in conjunction with this release.
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"During the second quarter, we continued to make significant advancements toward our objective of becoming a leading precision medicine oncology company and offering cancer patients potentially life-saving, precisely targeted therapeutics (Rx) guided by companion diagnostic (Dx) tests," said Jonathan Lim, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Ignyta. "For our lead program, entrectinib – our potent, CNS-active, Trk, ROS1 and ALK inhibitor – we continued to successfully execute our potentially registration-enabling Phase 2 clinical trial, STARTRK-2; announced at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting compelling results from our two Phase 1 clinical trials; and participated in a meeting of the Pediatric Oncology Subcommittee of the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee. For RXDX-105 – an oral, multikinase inhibitor with potent activity against such targets as RET and BRAF – we announced interim data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting from our Phase 1 clinical trial, highlighting its emerging safety and efficacy profile. Finally, we strengthened our balance sheet via an equity offering and term loan refinancing, providing us with the resources to continue moving rapidly to develop meaningful new therapies for the benefit of cancer patients, and we augmented our management team."
Company Highlights
Participated in FDA’s Pediatric Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (pedsODAC)
In June 2016, Ignyta was invited by the FDA to participate in a meeting of its pedsODAC. The meeting was intended to improve and encourage the development of oncology and hematology drugs for pediatric use. Ignyta prepared a briefing package for the meeting and the meeting’s proceeding are available in an archived webcast.
Announced Updated Entrectinib Phase 1 Data at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting
In April 2016, updated results of the two Phase 1 clinical trials of entrectinib, the company’s proprietary oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting solid tumors harboring activating alterations to NTRK1, NTRK2, NTRK3, ROS1 or ALK, were presented in an oral plenary session at the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2016 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The data cut-off for the AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) presentation was March 7, 2016. A total of 119 patients with a range of solid tumors had been dosed across both clinical trials, with 45 patients treated at the RP2D of 600 mg, taken orally once per day (QD). Entrectinib was well tolerated across both studies and there was no evidence of cumulative toxicity, hepatic or renal toxicity, or QTc prolongation.
Among the 25 patients treated who met the company’s Phase 2 clinical trial eligibility criteria, significant tumor regression was seen in 80% (20 out of 25 treated patients).
Twenty-four patients had tumors that were evaluable by RECIST criteria. The overall confirmed response rate was 79% (19 responses, including 2 complete responses, out of 24 treated patients).
For a patient with astrocytoma, the clinical site performed three-dimensional volumetric analysis, which demonstrated an estimated 45% decrease in tumor size from baseline.
Many of these responses occurred rapidly, within the first four weeks of entrectinib treatment. Of note, durable CNS tumor regression was seen, both in patients with primary brain tumors and with metastatic disease, including one complete response.
Announced Interim Data from Phase 1 Clinical Trial of RXDX-105 at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper)
In June 2016, interim data from the Phase 1 clinical trials of RXDX-105, the company’s orally available, small molecule multikinase inhibitor with potent activity against such targets as RET and BRAF, were presented at the 2016 ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Meeting in Chicago.
The Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the clinical trial was designed to determine the MTD and/or recommended RP2D, as well as preliminary anti-cancer activity, of single agent RXDX-105 in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors.
The data cut-off for the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) presentation was May 3, 2016. A total of 55 patients with a range of solid tumors were dosed with RXDX-105 in the clinical trial.
RXDX-105 was well tolerated. Based upon overall safety and exposure during Phase 1, the provisional RP2D was determined to be 350 mg, once daily in the fed state, and is being further evaluated in the Phase 1b portion of the study.
There were 20 patients dosed at or above the clinically relevant dose of 275 mg in the fed state, 11 of whom had an actionable RET or BRAF alteration. Tumor regression of greater than 20% was observed in four of the 20 patients, including:
an unconfirmed partial response (38% reduction) in a patient with medullary thyroid cancer with a RET M918T mutation;
a 28% reduction in target lesions in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a BRAF D594G mutation;
a 26% reduction in target lesions in a patient with ovarian cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation; and
a confirmed partial response (40% reduction) in a patient with NSCLC with a KRAS G12C mutation, who continues on treatment after 10 cycles.
Bolstered the Balance Sheet
In May 2016, the company issued an aggregate of 9.2 million shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering at a purchase price of $6.25 per share, which resulted in aggregate gross proceeds of $57.5 million.
In June 2016, the company secured a $42 million term loan facility from Silicon Valley Bank and Oxford Finance. Under the loan facility, the company received initial funding of $32 million, substantially all of which was used to repay the company’s prior loan with Silicon Valley Bank, and has a conditional option to receive an additional $10 million.
Enhanced Leadership Capacity
In July 2016, the company announced that Dr. Christian V. Kuhlen had been appointed to serve as its General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining the company, Dr. Kuhlen served as General Counsel, Vice President and Secretary of Genoptix, Inc., where he led its legal and corporate governance functions as well as its internal public policy function.
Second Quarter 2016 Financial Results
For the second quarter of 2016, net loss was $26.7 million, or $0.70 per share, compared with $13.1 million, or $0.51 per share, for the second quarter of 2015.
Ignyta did not record any revenue for the three months ended June 30, 2016 or for the three months ended June 30, 2015.
Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2016 were $20.0 million, compared with $8.8 million for the second quarter of 2015. This increase was primarily due to the $7.7 million increase in the external development costs associated with entrectinib, taladegib and other product candidates. The remaining increase in costs between periods was due to personnel expenses related to hiring and engaging additional employees and consultants to help advance the company’s product candidates.
General and administrative expenses were $5.5 million for second quarter of 2016, compared with $3.9 million for second quarter of 2015. This increase was driven by higher personnel and share-based compensation costs, higher facilities related expenses resulting from the expansion of our leased facilities space, and increases in consulting fees and depreciation expense.
At June 30, 2016, the company had cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities totaling $174.6 million and current and long-term debt of $32.0 million. At December 31, 2015, the company had cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities totaling $172.1 million and current and long-term debt of $31.0 million.