Immunomic Therapeutics Scientist to Present at the Society for NeuroOncology 2018 Annual Meeting

On November 7, 2018 Immunomic Therapeutics Inc. (ITI) Scientist Amit Adhikara reported that it will present at the Society for NeuroOncology 2018 Annual Meeting in New Orleans (Press release, Immunomic Therapeutics, NOV 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234530943]). The presentation will focus on Immunomic’s recently-expanded investigational UNiversal Intracellular Targeted Expression (UNITE) platform and its application in immuno-oncology, specifically glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

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!

Immunomic’s technology platform has the potential to utilize the body’s natural biochemistry to develop a broad immune response, including antibody production, cytokine release and critical immunological memory. This approach could put Immunomic’s platform technology at the crossroads of immunotherapies in a number of illnesses, including cancer, allergy and infectious diseases. UNITE is currently being employed in a Phase II clinical trial as a cancer immunotherapy.

Details of Immunomic’s poster presentation are below:

Who: Amit Adhikara, Scientist at Immunomic Therapeutics

What: Development of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Based DNA Vaccines for GBM Using the UNITE Platform

When: Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. CST

Where: Marriott Hotel, 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130

About UNITE

ITI’s investigational UNITE platform, or UNiversal Intracellular Targeted Expression, is thought to work by encoding the Lysosomal Associated Membrane Protein, an endogenous protein in humans. In this way, ITI’s vaccines (DNA or RNA) have the potential to utilize the body’s natural biochemistry to develop a broad immune response including antibody production, cytokine release and critical immunological memory. This approach could put UNITE technology at the crossroads of immunotherapies in a number of illnesses, including cancer, allergy and infectious diseases. UNITE is currently being employed in Phase II clinical trials as a cancer immunotherapy. ITI is also collaborating with academic centers and biotechnology companies to study the use of UNITE in cancer types of high mortality, including cases where there are limited treatment options like glioblastoma and acute myeloid leukemia. ITI believes that these early clinical studies may provide a proof of concept for UNITE therapy in cancer, and if successful, set the stage for future studies, including combinations in these tumor types and others. Preclinical data is currently being developed to explore whether LAMP nucleic acid constructs may amplify and activate the immune response in highly immunogenic tumor types and be used to create immune responses to tumor types that otherwise do not provoke an immune response.

Geron to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences in November

On November 7, 2018 Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) reported that John A. Scarlett, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present a company overview at the following investor conferences (Press release, Geron, NOV 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234530920]):

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!

Stifel 2018 Healthcare Conference in New York at 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 14, 2018
30TH Annual Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference in New York at 11:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, November 27, 2018
A live audio webcast of each presentation will be available on Geron’s website, www.geron.com/investors/events. If you are unable to listen to the live presentations, an archived webcast of each presentation will be available on the Company’s website for 30 days.

Novavax Reports Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results

On November 7, 2018 Novavax, Inc., (Nasdaq: NVAX) reported its financial results and operational highlights for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Novavax, NOV 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234530919]).

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!

"We remain on track to meet our 2018 objectives, as we continue to execute on our clinical milestones for ResVax and NanoFlu," said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax, Inc. "In Prepare, our Phase 3 trial of ResVax, we will complete monitoring of the efficacy endpoints by year-end, which would allow us to announce top-line efficacy results in the first quarter of 2019. For NanoFlu, we have completed enrollment of our Phase 2 clinical trial and anticipate top-line results in the first quarter of 2019. Based on this progress, we expect to conduct an End-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA in the first half of 2019 and to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial later in the year."

Third Quarter 2018 Operational Highlights

ResVax Program

Novavax expects to report top-line results from its final efficacy analysis in the first quarter of 2019 and, assuming successful results, expects to submit the Biologics License Application (BLA) and Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) by the first quarter of 2020.
NanoFlu Program

In September 2018, Novavax initiated a Phase 2 clinical trial in older adults of quadrivalent formulations of NanoFlu, its nanoparticle seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, and in October 2018, Novavax completed enrollment of approximately 1,375 healthy older adults across clinical sites in the U.S. This randomized, observer-blinded, active-controlled trial will assess the safety and tolerability of different doses and formulations of NanoFlu, both adjuvanted with Matrix-M and unadjuvanted, as compared to two U.S.-licensed comparators. Phase 2 clinical trial top-line results are expected in the first quarter of 2019.

During a pre-IND meeting in 2018, the FDA acknowledged and agreed that the accelerated approval pathway for seasonal influenza vaccines could be available for NanoFlu. Novavax plans to discuss the Phase 2 data and the proposed Phase 3 study design, and reach agreement on the use of accelerated approval, with the FDA during an End-of-Phase 2 meeting in the first half of 2019. Novavax will bring forward the selected dose/formulation of the Phase 2 clinical trial into its future pivotal Phase 3 immunogenicity clinical trial.
Corporate

Novavax announced the appointment of Rachel King, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of GlycoMimetics, Inc., to its Board of Directors. In addition to extensive experience as an executive in the biotechnology industry, Mrs. King has also worked in the venture capital side of life sciences, and has held executive positions within a global multinational pharmaceutical company.
Key Upcoming Anticipated Events

Final efficacy results of the Prepare trial are expected in the first quarter of 2019.

Top-line data from the Phase 2 clinical trial of NanoFlu are expected in the first quarter of 2019.

An End-of-Phase 2 meeting for NanoFlu is expected in the first half of 2019.
Financial Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018

Novavax reported a net loss of $44.6 million, or $0.12 per share, for the third quarter of 2018, compared to a net loss of $44.6 million, or $0.15 per share, for the third quarter of 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the net loss was $135.4 million, or $0.37 per share, compared to a net loss of $132.9 million, or $0.47 per share, for the same period in 2017.

Novavax revenue in the third quarter of 2018 was $7.7 million, compared to $8.4 million in the same period in 2017. This 7% decrease was driven by the completion of enrollment of the Prepare trial in the second quarter of 2018.

Research and development expenses decreased 1% to $41.3 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $41.9 million for the same period in 2017.

General and administrative expenses increased 2% to $8.3 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $8.1 million for the same period in 2017.

Interest income (expense), net for the third quarter of 2018 was ($2.7) million, compared to ($3.0) million for the same period of 2017.

As of September 30, 2018, Novavax had $145.6 million in cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and restricted cash, compared to $186.4 million as of December 31, 2017. Net cash used in operating activities for the third quarter of 2018 was $33.5 million, compared to $44.2 million for same period in 2017. The decrease in cash usage was primarily due to receiving a $15 million payment under the BMGF grant in the third quarter of 2018, whereas no payment was received in the same period of 2017.

Conference Call

Novavax will host its quarterly conference call today at 4:30 p.m. ET. The dial-in numbers for the conference call is (877) 212-6076 (Domestic) or (707) 287-9331 (International), passcode 3639227. A replay of the conference call will be available starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on November 7, 2018 until 7:30 pm ET on November 14, 2018. To access the replay by telephone, dial (855) 859-2056 (Domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (International) and use passcode 3639227.

A webcast of the conference call can also be accessed via a link on the home page of the Novavax website (novavax.com) or through the "Investor Info"/"Events" tab on the Novavax website. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Novavax website until February 7, 2019.

About RSV in Infants

Globally, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is the leading viral cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children.1 It is the second leading cause of death in children under one year of age.2 Estimated annual hospitalizations of 1.4 million and an estimated 27,300 in-hospital deaths were due to RSV acute lower respiratory infection in children under six months of age.3 RSV results in a total global economic burden of $6.2 billion annually.

In the U.S., RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization of infants, with estimated annual hospitalizations of up to 76,000.4,[5],[6] While RSV can impact all infants, babies under six months of age are among those at highest risk, as approximately 77% of all first-year RSV infections occur before six months.7 In the U.S., the total economic burden is $2.7 billion annually.

About ResVax

ResVax is an RSV fusion (F) protein recombinant nanoparticle vaccine with aluminum phosphate as an adjuvant. It is being developed to protect infants from RSV disease via maternal immunization, which may offer the best method of protection from RSV disease in infants through the first months of life. Currently, ResVax is being evaluated in Prepare, a global Phase 3 clinical trial in 4,636 pregnant women, at least 3,000 of whom have received the vaccine, and their infants. Prepare is supported by an $89.1 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

About Influenza

Influenza is a world-wide infectious disease that causes illness in humans with symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening or even death. Serious illness occurs not only in susceptible populations such as infants, young children and older adults, but also in the general population largely because of infection by continuously evolving strains of influenza which can evade the existing protective antibodies in humans. An estimated one million deaths globally each year are attributed to influenza.8 Current estimates for seasonal influenza vaccine growth in the top seven markets (U.S., Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK), show a potential increase from approximately $3.2 billion in 2012-13 season to $5.3 billion by the 2021-22 season.9

About NanoFluand Matrix M

NanoFlu is a recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) protein nanoparticle influenza vaccine produced by Novavax in its SF9 insect cell baculovirus system. NanoFlu uses HA amino acid protein sequences that are the same as the recommended wild-type circulating virus HA sequences. NanoFlu contains Novavax’ patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant, which has demonstrated a potent and well-tolerated effect by stimulating the entry of antigen-presenting cells into the injection site and enhancing antigen presentation in local lymph nodes. In October 2018, Novavax completed enrollment in its Phase 2 clinical trial in older adults of quadrivalent formulations of NanoFlu in 1,375 healthy older adults across clinical sites in the U.S.

About Accelerated Approval

Accelerated approval may be granted for certain biological products that have been studied for their safety and effectiveness in treating serious or life-threatening illnesses and that provide meaningful therapeutic benefit over existing treatments. Such an approval will be based on adequate and well-controlled clinical trials establishing that the biological product has an effect on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. For seasonal influenza vaccines, the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibody response may be an acceptable surrogate marker of activity that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. To be considered for accelerated approval, a biologics license application for a new seasonal influenza vaccine should include results from one or more well-controlled studies designed to meet immunogenicity endpoints and a commitment to conduct confirmatory post-marketing studies of clinical effectiveness in preventing influenza.

Heron Therapeutics Announces Financial Results for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 and Recent Corporate Progress

On November 7, 2018 Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and highlighted recent corporate progress (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, NOV 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234530918]).

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!

Recent Corporate Progress

Pain Management Franchise

Submitted NDA for HTX-011. On October 31, 2018, the Company announced the submission of its New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for HTX-011. HTX-011 is an investigational, long-acting, extended-release formulation of the local anesthetic bupivacaine in a fixed-dose combination with the anti-inflammatory meloxicam for the management of postoperative pain.
CINV Franchise

CINV Sales. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) franchise net product sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $19.8 million and $48.6 million, respectively, compared to $8.6 million and $20.7 million for the same periods in 2017, respectively. Heron has increased full-year 2018 CINV franchise net product sales guidance to $70 million to $72 million.
CINVANTI Sales. Net product sales of CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $16.4 million. This compares to $11.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and $5.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. CINVANTI was approved by the FDA on November 9, 2017 and became commercially available in the U.S. on January 4, 2018. Net product sales for CINVANTI were $32.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.
SUSTOL Sales. Net product sales of SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $3.4 million and $15.8 million, respectively. The entry of generic palonosetron in the first quarter of 2018 has had, and is expected to have, a several-quarter negative impact on provider demand for SUSTOL.

Permanent J-Code Assigned for CINVANTI. On November 5, 2018, a product-specific billing code, or permanent J-code, for CINVANTI was assigned with an effective date of January 1, 2019. The new J-code was assigned by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and will help simplify the billing and reimbursement process for prescribers of CINVANTI.
"We are pleased with the advances made during the third quarter of 2018 in both our pain management and CINV franchises, highlighted by our recent NDA submission for HTX-011 and the increase in our full-year 2018 CINV franchise net product sales guidance," said Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of Heron Therapeutics. "We look forward to preparing to launch HTX-011 in the U.S. for postoperative pain management, if approved, in 2019 and achieving our increased full-year 2018 CINV franchise net product sales guidance of $70 million to $72 million."

Financial Results

Net product sales for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $19.8 million and $48.6 million, respectively, compared to $8.6 million and $20.7 million for the same periods in 2017, respectively.

Heron’s net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $38.3 million and $129.3 million, or $0.49 per share and $1.81 per share, respectively, compared to $41.9 million and $135.0 million, or $0.77 per share and $2.55 per share, for the same periods in 2017, respectively. Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $8.1 million and $23.6 million, respectively, compared to $7.5 million and $23.6 million, for the same periods in 2017, respectively.

As of September 30, 2018, Heron had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $364.8 million, compared to $172.4 million as of December 31, 2017. Net cash used for operating activities for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 was $35.9 million and $158.3 million, respectively, compared to $40.5 million and $123.2 million for the same periods in 2017, respectively.

About HTX-011 for Postoperative Pain

HTX-011, which utilizes Heron’s proprietary Biochronomer drug delivery technology, is an investigational, long-acting, extended-release formulation of the local anesthetic bupivacaine in a fixed-dose combination with the anti-inflammatory meloxicam for the management of postoperative pain. By delivering sustained levels of both a potent anesthetic and a local anti-inflammatory agent directly to the site of tissue injury, HTX-011 was designed to deliver superior pain relief while reducing the need for systemically administered pain medications such as opioids, which carry the risk of harmful side effects, abuse and addiction. HTX-011 has been shown to reduce pain significantly better than placebo or bupivacaine alone in five diverse surgical models: hernia repair, abdominoplasty, bunionectomy, total knee arthroplasty and breast augmentation. HTX-011 was granted Fast Track designation from the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2017 and Breakthrough Therapy designation in the second quarter of 2018. Heron recently submitted an NDA to the FDA for HTX-011.

About CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion

CINVANTI, in combination with other antiemetic agents, is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC). CINVANTI is an intravenous formulation of aprepitant, a substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist. CINVANTI is the first intravenous (IV) formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is the only single-agent NK1 receptor antagonist to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in both the acute phase (0 – 24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24 – 120 hours after chemotherapy). CINVANTI is the only IV formulation of an NK1 receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with HEC and nausea and vomiting associated with MEC that is free of polysorbate 80 or any other synthetic surfactant. Pharmaceutical formulations containing polysorbate 80 have been linked to hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and irritation of blood vessels resulting in infusion-site pain. FDA-approved dosing administration included in the United States prescribing information for CINVANTI is a 30-minute infusion.

Please see full prescribing information at www.CINVANTI.com.

About SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection

SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-HT3 receptor antagonist that utilizes Heron’s Biochronomer drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL’s efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL’s efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0 – 24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24 – 120 hours after chemotherapy).

TRACON Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results And Provides Corporate Update

On November 7, 2018 TRACON Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TCON), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel targeted therapeutics for cancer and wet age‐related macular degeneration, reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018 (Press release, Tracon Pharmaceuticals, NOV 7, 2018, View Source [SID1234530917]).

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!

Third Quarter 2018 and Recent Corporate Highlights

In September, we announced the publication of results from a Phase 1b clinical trial combining TRC105 with Inlyta (axitinib) in patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in The Oncologist. These data were previously presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) 2016 Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark. The open-label dose escalation and expansion Phase 1b study enrolled a total of 18 patients (17 of whom were evaluable for response) who had received at least one prior line of therapy with a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Patients in the trial received a combination of TRC105 and Inlyta and demonstrated an objective response rate (ORR) of 29%, an 88% overall disease control rate, and a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 11.3 months. For comparison, in a separate trial, the ORR seen in the large subgroup of VEGFR TKI-refractory patients treated with Inlyta (n=194) in the Inlyta AXIS Phase 3 study in second-line clear cell RCC patients was 11.3%, and median PFS was 4.8 months. The publication also noted that plasma levels of TGF-β receptor 3 (betaglycan) at baseline were significantly higher in patients who experienced a confirmed partial response, while levels of osteopontin were significantly lower at baseline for patients that achieved a confirmed partial response. Both markers correlated with time on study and their potential prognostic value will be investigated in the ongoing Phase 2b TRAXAR study. TRACON’s Phase 2b TRAXAR clinical trial of TRC105 in combination with Inlyta completed enrollment of 150 patients with advanced or metastatic RCC in Q3 2017 and top-line data are expected in December 2018.

In September, we announced that the sample size of the Phase 3 TAPPAS clinical trial of TRC105 in combination with Votrient was amended to increase the sample size to account for a higher than expected rate of withdrawal for progressive disease not confirmed by central review. The amended protocol was reviewed and accepted by the FDA, with retention of the special protocol assessment (SPA) agreement. We expect the interim analysis to determine the final sample size and eligible patient population of the trial in Q1 2019. The trial design was published in Annals of Oncology in October 2018 and was recognized as the Most Innovative Trial of 2017 by the Clinical and Research Excellence Awards.

In September, we submitted updated data from the Phase 1/2 trial of TRC105 and Nexavar in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposia of ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper), which meets in January 2019 in San Francisco. The trial completed Phase 1 enrollment and is currently enrolling up to 21 patients in the Phase 2 portion with overall response rate as the primary endpoint. Two of nine evaluable patients in the Phase 1 portion of the trial had durable confirmed partial responses (22%). For comparison, in separate Phase 3 trials, the durable confirmed partial responses seen with Nexavar in patients with HCC was 2% and 3%.

In October, we completed dose escalation of the Phase 1 trial of TRC105 in combination with Opdivo in lung cancer patients. We are currently enrolling two expansion cohorts of 12 patients each, one with patients naïve to PD-1/PD/L1 inhibitor therapy and one with patients who have relapsed following prior PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. We expect to provide top line safety and efficacy data from patients in the Phase 1 portion of the trial in December 2018.

In July, we completed the Phase 1 portion of a Phase 1/2 trial of TRC253 in patients with metastatic prostate cancer and are now enrolling patients in the Phase 2 portion of the trial at approximately 20 sites in the US. In the Phase 2 portion of the trial, we are incorporating circulating tumor DNA testing in order to allow for biomarker-directed therapy of prostate cancer patients who have progressed following treatment with an androgen receptor inhibitor. We now expect top line Phase 2 data in 2020, rather than 2019, due to slower than expected enrollment resulting from a lower than anticipated frequency of a specific tumor mutation targeted by TRC253 among metastatic prostate cancer patients. As a reminder, we licensed TRC253 from Janssen and if they exercise their right to reacquire the asset following Phase 2 proof of concept data, TRACON will be entitled to receive a $45M payment, up to $137.5M in additional potential milestones, and a low single digit royalty on sales.
"We anticipate significant potential catalysts over the next two quarters, including two randomized data points: top-line Phase 2 data from TRAXAR in renal cell carcinoma and interim Phase 3 results from TAPPAS in angiosarcoma" said Charles Theuer, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of TRACON. "Of note, we continue to be encouraged by the rapid rate of accrual into the Phase 3 TAPPAS angiosarcoma trial."

Expected Upcoming Milestones

Announcement of safety and efficacy data from the Phase 2 trial of TRC102 in combination with Temodar in patients with glioblastoma at the Society for Neuro-Oncology annual meeting in November 2018.

Announcement of top-line data, including biomarker correlations, from the randomized Phase 2 TRAXAR trial of TRC105 in combination with Inlyta for patients with advanced or metastatic RCC is expected in December 2018.

Announcement of safety and efficacy data from the Phase 1b trial of TRC105 in combination with Opdivo in patients with non-small cell lung cancer is expected in December 2018.

Announcement of the results of the interim analysis from the Phase 3 pivotal TAPPAS trial of TRC105 in angiosarcoma is expected in Q1 2019.
Third Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $47.2 million at September 30, 2018, compared to $34.5 million at December 31, 2017. We expect our current cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments to fund operations into Q4 2019.

Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2018 were $7.0 million compared to $4.3 million for the third quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily attributable to increased TRC105 drug manufacturing activities and direct clinical trial expenses in the third quarter of 2018 as compared to the 2017 period.

General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2018 were $2.1 million compared to $1.8 million for the third quarter of 2017.

Net loss for the third quarter of 2018 was $9.1 million compared to net income of $1.2 million for the third quarter of 2017. The net income in the third quarter of 2017 was a result of receiving and recognizing as revenue a $7.0 million milestone payment from Santen.
Investor Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. EST / 1:30 p.m. PST to provide an update on corporate activities and to discuss the financial results of its third quarter of 2018. The dial-in numbers are (855) 779-9066 for domestic callers and (631) 485-4859 for international callers. Please use passcode 3189378. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online from the Investor/Events and Presentation page of the Company’s website at www.traconpharma.com.

After the live webcast, a replay will remain available on TRACON’s website for 60 days.

About Carotuximab (TRC105)

TRC105 is a novel, clinical stage antibody to endoglin, a protein overexpressed on proliferating endothelial cells that is essential for angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation. TRC105 is currently being studied in a pivotal Phase 3 trial in angiosarcoma and multiple Phase 2 clinical trials, in combination with VEGF inhibitors, as well as in a Phase 1 trial with Opdivo. TRC105 has received orphan designation for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma in both the U.S. and EU. The ophthalmic formulation of TRC105, DE-122, is currently in a randomized Phase 2 trial for patients with wet AMD. For more information about the clinical trials, please visit TRACON’s website at www.traconpharma.com/clinical_trials.php.

About TRC102

TRC102 (methoxyamine) is a novel, clinical-stage small molecule inhibitor of the DNA base excision repair pathway, which is a pathway that causes resistance to alkylating and antimetabolite chemotherapeutics. TRC102 is currently being studied in multiple Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute or Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information about the clinical trials, please visit TRACON’s website at www.traconpharma.com/clinical_trials.php.

About TRC253

TRC253 is a novel, orally bioavailable small molecule that is a potent, high affinity competitive inhibitor of the androgen receptor (AR) and AR mutations, including the F876L (also known as F877L) mutation. The AR F876L mutation results in an alteration in the AR ligand binding domain that confers resistance to therapies for prostate cancer. Activation of the AR is crucial for the growth of prostate cancer at all stages of the disease. Therapies targeting the AR have demonstrated clinical efficacy by extending time to disease progression, and in some cases, the survival of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, resistance to these agents is often observed and several molecular mechanisms of resistance have been identified, including gene amplification, overexpression, alternative splicing, and point mutation of the AR. For more information about the clinical trials, please visit TRACON’s website at www.traconpharma.com/clinical_trials.php