On May 10, 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 months ended March 31, 2018 and highlighted recent corporate progress (Press release, Heron Therapeutics, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526483]).

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Recent Corporate Progress

Pain Management Franchise

Positive Topline Results from Pivotal Phase 3 Clinical Trials of HTX-011 in Bunionectomy and Hernia Repair. HTX-011 achieved all primary and key secondary endpoints in two completed pivotal Phase 3 trials, EPOCH1 for bunionectomy and EPOCH2 for hernia repair. In both of these studies:

HTX-011 demonstrated statistically significant reductions in both pain intensity and the use of opioid rescue medications through 72 hours following surgery;
HTX-011 significantly increased the proportion of patients who required no opioids for postoperative pain, thereby eliminating the risk of opioid-related side effects and addiction in these patients; and
HTX-011 was well tolerated in both studies.
HTX-011 is the only long-acting local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and opioid use compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control, through 72 hours. In the second quarter of 2018, Heron expects to report topline Phase 2 data for HTX-011 in breast augmentation and total knee arthroplasty. In the second half of 2018, Heron expects to file a New Drug Application for HTX-011 with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

CINV Franchise

CINV Sales. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) franchise net product sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $11.6 million. Heron reaffirms full-year 2018 CINV franchise net product sales guidance of $60 million to $70 million.

SUSTOL Sales. Net product sales of SUSTOL (granisetron) extended-release injection for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $6.4 million. On January 1, 2018, Heron adopted Topic 606, the new revenue recognition standard now in effect. Under the prior revenue recognition standard, Heron would have recognized net product sales of $7.7 million for the same period. The entry of generic palonosetron in the first quarter of 2018 is expected to have a several-quarter negative impact on provider demand for SUSTOL.
CINVANTI Sales. Net product sales of CINVANTI (aprepitant) injectable emulsion for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $5.2 million. CINVANTI is the only polysorbate 80-free intravenous (IV) formulation of a neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) and nausea and vomiting associated with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). CINVANTI was approved by the FDA on November 9, 2017 and became commercially available in the U.S. on January 4, 2018.
"With more than 100 oncology clinics ordering CINVANTI in the first quarter of launch and significant progress made toward formulary review in the hospital segment, we are very pleased that providers are seeing the value of CINVANTI, which is not formulated with a synthetic surfactant," said Robert H. Rosen, President of Heron.

"2018 is off to a great start for Heron. Our EPOCH1 and EPOCH2 Phase 3 results demonstrated HTX-011’s superiority over the standard-of-care in reducing both pain intensity and opioid use," said Barry D. Quart, Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "Based on these results, we believe that HTX-011 can become the cornerstone of opioid-free pain management for many patients undergoing a wide range of surgical procedures."

Financial Results

As of March 31, 2018, Heron had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $113.9 million. In April 2018, Heron received net cash proceeds of $168.7 million from a public offering of common stock. Heron’s March 31, 2018 pro-forma cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, adjusting for the April 2018 public offering, were $282.6 million. This compares to $172.4 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of December 31, 2017.

Net product sales for the three months ended March 31, 2018 were $11.6 million, compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2017.

Heron’s net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $52.3 million, or $0.81 per share, compared to a net loss of $50.3 million, or $1.00 per share for the same period in 2017. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2018 included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $7.7 million compared to $8.0 million for the same period in 2017.

Net cash used for operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $61.7 million, compared to $50.6 million for the same period in 2017.

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 prevention 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.

In March 2018, Heron reported positive topline results from EPOCH1 and EPOCH2, its pivotal Phase 3 studies of HTX-011 in bunionectomy and hernia repair, respectively. All primary and key secondary endpoints were achieved in these studies. Furthermore, HTX-011 is the only long-acting local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and opioid use compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control, through 72 hours. HTX-011 was well tolerated in both studies. HTX-011 continues to be investigated in ongoing Phase 2 studies in breast augmentation and total knee arthroplasty. HTX-011 was granted Fast Track Designation from the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2017. In the second half of 2018, Heron expects to file 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 polymer-based 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).

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

On May 10, 2018 Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO), a biotechnology company developing novel oncology and drug-delivery therapies, reported financial results and recent highlights for the first quarter ended March 31 (Press release, Halozyme, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526482]).

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"Reflecting the enthusiasm and opportunity for competitive differentiation that ENHANZE may provide, in the first quarter we supported our partners in planning for initiation of an unprecedented number of clinical study starts in 2018, including two additional Phase 1 studies that were not included in our forecast at the beginning of the year," said Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer. "The momentum we have with ENHANZE reinforces our conviction for the approximately $1 billion royalty revenue potential we outlined in January.

"For PEGPH20, we currently project we will achieve the target number of Progression-Free Survival (PFS) events in HALO-301 between December 2018 and February 2019. Upon achieving the target number of PFS events, final data collection and the steps required for database lock prior to the interim analysis will be initiated. With enrollment at the end of April on track with more than 350 patients, we continue to project approximately 500 patients will have been enrolled by year-end."

First Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights include:

Two new ENHANZE Phase 1 clinical studies now planned for initiation in 2018 by collaboration partners, a result of momentum generated through new agreements in 2017. The eight ENHANZE-partnered products expected to be in a clinical study in 2018 is an increase from the company’s forecast in January of six.
Collaboration partner Bristol-Myers Squibb planning to initiate two Phase 1 studies in 2018, including a new study of an undisclosed target with Halozyme’s ENHANZE technology planned for Q2 and a study of nivolumab with ENHANZE planned for Q3.
Among the products in clinical study, Janssen continues in multiple ongoing trials of a subcutaneous formulation of DARZALEX (daratumumab) in support of plans for commercialization. Halozyme’s ENHANZE technology has the potential to enable a 15-ml injection to be delivered in five minutes or less. The ongoing or planned trials in patients with Multiple Myeloma, Amyloidosis and Smoldering Myeloma include four Phase 3 studies and two earlier stage studies.
Continued progress screening and enrolling patients in the HALO-301 study of PEGPH20 in combination with ABRAXANE (nab-paclitaxel) and gemcitabine in first-line metastatic pancreas cancer patients with high levels of tumor hyaluronan (HA-High). An interim analysis will be conducted for the first primary endpoint of PFS when the target number of events has been reached, which the company currently projects will occur between December 2018 and February 2019. Upon achieving the target number of PFS events, final data collection and the steps required for database lock prior to the interim analysis will be initiated.
Acceptance of an abstract for poster presentation at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting examining Extracellular Matrix Circulating Peptide Biomarkers as Potential Predictors of Survival in Patients with Untreated Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Receiving Pegvorhyaluronidase Alfa (PEGPH20), nab-Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine.
First Quarter 2018 Financial Highlights

Revenue for the first quarter was $30.9 million compared to $29.6 million for the first quarter of 2017. The year-over-year increase was driven by 50 percent growth in royalties on a reported basis from partner sales of Herceptin (trastuzumab) SC, MabThera (rituximab) SC, RITUXAN HYCELA and HYQVIA (Immune Globulin Infusion 10% (Human) with Recombinant Human Hyaluronidase), offset by the expected decrease in bulk rHuPH20 sales to partners and research and development reimbursements. Revenue for the first quarter included $20.9 million in royalties, $3.4 million in sales of bulk rHuPH20 primarily for use in manufacturing collaboration products and $3.4 million in HYLENEX recombinant (hyaluronidase human injection) product sales.
Research and development expenses for the first quarter were $38 million, compared to $36.9 million for the first quarter of 2017.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the first quarter were $13.6 million, compared to $12.6 million for the first quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily due to personnel expenses, including stock compensation, for the period.
Net loss for the first quarter was $27.5 million, or $0.19 per share, compared to net loss in the first quarter of 2017 of $32.9 million, or $0.26 per share.
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $433.7 million at March 31, 2018, compared to $469.2 million at December 31, 2017.
Financial Outlook for 2018

Halozyme reiterated its financial guidance of:

Net revenue of $115 million to $125 million, including 25 to 30 percent royalty growth;
Operating expenses of $230 million to $240 million;
Operating cash burn of $75 million to $85 million; and
Year-end cash balance of $305 million to $315 million.
Webcast and Conference Call

Halozyme will webcast its Quarterly Update Conference Call for the first quarter of 2018 today, Thursday, May 10 at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. Dr. Torley will lead the call, which will be webcast live through the "Investors" section of Halozyme’s corporate website and a recording made available following the close of the call. To access the webcast and additional documents related to the call, please visit halozyme.com approximately fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. The call may also be accessed by dialing (877) 410-5657 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-7224 (international callers) using passcode 769890. A telephone replay will be available after the call by dialing (877) 919-4059 (domestic callers) or (334) 323-0140 (international callers) using replay ID number 68917761.

On May 10, 2018 Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Geron, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526481]).

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First Quarter 2018 Results

For the first quarter of 2018, the company reported operating revenues of $318,000 and operating expenses of $7.8 million compared to $537,000 and $8.0 million, respectively, for the comparable 2017 period. Net loss for the first quarter of 2018 was $7.2 million, or $0.04 per share, compared to $7.2 million, or $0.05 per share, for the comparable 2017 period.

Revenues for the first quarter of 2018 and 2017 included royalty and license fee revenues under various non-imetelstat license agreements. The company adopted the new revenue recognition accounting standard as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. Financial results for the first quarter of 2018 are presented under the new accounting standard, but prior period amounts have not been adjusted and continue to be reported under accounting standards used historically. Therefore, there is a lack of comparability to the prior period presented. As a result, the decrease in revenues for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 reflects not only a reduction in the number of active non-imetelstat license agreements and decreased product sales from licensees, but also a change in the method accounting. However, the company does not expect the adoption of the new revenue recognition accounting standard to have a material impact to its financial statements on an ongoing basis.

Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 were $2.4 million and $3.4 million, respectively. The decrease in research and development expenses for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 primarily reflects reduced personnel related expenses due to lower stock-based compensation expense and lower clinical development expenses under the imetelstat collaboration with Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen).

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 were $5.3 million and $4.7 million, respectively. The increase in general and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 primarily reflects higher consulting and legal costs associated with business development activities.

Interest and other income for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 was $394,000 and $332,000, respectively. The increase in interest and other income for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 primarily reflects higher yields on the company’s marketable securities portfolio. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the company also recognized a loss of $125,000 for the change in the fair value of an equity investment as required under a new accounting standard adopted by the company as of January 1, 2018.

The company ended the first quarter of 2018 with $103.2 million in cash and marketable securities. Subsequently, in April 2018, the company completed the sale of the remaining common stock subject to its At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (Sales Agreement). Under the Sales Agreement, the company sold a cumulative total of approximately 13.8 million shares of common stock and raised net cash proceeds of approximately $48.7 million after deducting sales commissions and offering expenses payable by Geron. No further shares of common stock can be issued under the Sales Agreement. The company expects the net cash proceeds to provide additional capital structure flexibility to potentially support (i) the future development of imetelstat in collaboration with Janssen, if Janssen elects to continue the collaboration, including potentially conducting one or more imetelstat independent development plans (IDPs) under the Collaboration Agreement; (ii) the further development of imetelstat by Geron in the event the collaboration with Janssen does not continue and Geron elects to continue development of imetelstat; or (iii) prospective in-licenses or acquisitions of other oncology products, programs or companies.

1

"As we have previously announced, we expect Janssen to make its decision about whether to continue their development of imetelstat by the end of third quarter of 2018," said John A. Scarlett, M.D., Geron’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "Regardless of Janssen’s future decision, we believe imetelstat warrants further development because of the activity observed in lower risk MDS patients from Part 1 of IMerge as presented at ASH (Free ASH Whitepaper) last December, and the evolving overall survival in relapsed or refractory MF patients observed in IMbark."

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Geron’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held at 4:00 p.m. PDT / 7:00 p.m. EDT on May 15, 2018. Further information about the Annual Meeting is available on Geron’s website at www.geron.com on the homepage and in the Investors section under Events.

Due to the proximity of the Annual Meeting, Geron management will not be hosting a separate first quarter conference call.

On May 10, 2018 Genocea Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNCA), a biopharmaceutical company developing neoantigen cancer vaccines, reported financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Genocea Biosciences, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526480]).

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"2018 has been an exciting year for Genocea," said Chip Clark, president and chief executive officer of the company. "Following our January financing, we are funded to advance our lead neoantigen cancer vaccine candidate GEN-009 into clinical trials later this year, and to continue to generate and present scientific data further elaborating on the ability of our ATLAS platform to identify and characterize neoantigens for use in cancer vaccines."

Recent Milestones & Events

January 2018: Genocea announced completion of a financing resulting in net proceeds of $51.7 million, including significant investments by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Vivo Capital. (Vivo).
January 2018: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued an allowance on United States Patent 9,873,870, further strengthening the Company’s intellectual property position on its ATLAS platform for the identification and characterization of neoantigens and tumor-associated antigens.
January 2018: Genocea and Oncovir, Inc. entered into a license and supply agreement for Oncovir’s Hiltonol (poly-ICLC) adjuvant, a key component of Genocea’s personalized cancer vaccine candidate, GEN-009.
February and March 2018: Genocea strengthened its leadership through the election of NEA partner Ali Behbahani, M.D., to its Board of Directors, and the appointment of industry veteran Narinder Singh as senior vice president of pharmaceutical sciences and manufacturing.
April 2018: Genocea scientists presented data at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) further highlighting the advantages of its ATLAS platform over in silico methods in neoantigen identification and detailing the development of a novel model to study the mechanism of inhibitory antigens identified by ATLAS.
April 2018: Genocea filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin clinical development of GEN-009. Genocea plans to initiate a Phase 1/2a clinical trial for GEN-009 in patients with a variety of tumor types in the second half of 2018 and to report top-line immune response data from this trial in the first half of 2019.
First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Cash Position: As of March 31, 2018, cash and cash equivalents were $51.2 million compared to $12.3 million as of December 31, 2017.
Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses were $7.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to $9.7 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease was largely due to reduced headcount, consulting and professional service costs, and decreased clinical costs.
General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses were $3.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease was primarily due to reduced compensation, consulting, and professional services.
Net Loss: Net loss was $15.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, compared to a net loss of $13.7 million for quarter ended March 31, 2017. The increase in net loss is principally due to the change in fair value of warrants during the first quarter of 2018, related to the January 2018 public offering.
Financial Guidance
Genocea expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents are sufficient to support its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the fourth quarter of 2019, having recently refinanced its debt facility with Hercules Capital.

Subsequent to the close of the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 and under its existing at-the-market equity offering program (ATM), Genocea sold an aggregate of 3.6 million shares of its common stock, receiving approximately $3.1 million in net proceeds after deducting commissions.

Genocea continues to explore strategic alternatives for GEN-003, its Phase 3-ready investigational immunotherapy for the treatment of genital herpes.

Conference Call
Genocea will host a conference call and webcast today at 9:00 a.m. ET. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (844) 826-0619 (domestic) or (315) 625-6883 (international) and refer to conference ID number 3866939. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online from the investor relations section of the Company’s website at View Source A webcast replay of the conference call will be available on the Genocea website beginning approximately two hours after the event and will be archived for 30 days.

On May 10, 2018 Fortress Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FBIO) ("Fortress"), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to acquiring, developing and commercializing novel pharmaceutical and biotechnology products, reported financial results and recent corporate highlights for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Press release, Fortress Biotech, MAY 10, 2018, View Source [SID1234526479]).

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Lindsay A. Rosenwald, M.D., Fortress’ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We have made significant advancements in the four years since we created and implemented our unique and efficient business model to benefit all stakeholders. The centralization of a number of critical corporate and R&D functions at Fortress allows our subsidiaries, or "Fortress Companies," to leverage internal synergies and minimize costs, so they can focus on getting drugs into the hands of people who need them. Our focus on continuing to build value through our strong business development engine and R&D team has led to the launch of nine development-stage subsidiaries, one specialty dermatology subsidiary and the in-licensing of more than 25 development-stage therapies since January 2014. The long-term success of our subsidiaries benefits Fortress through modest royalties on sales and annual and event-driven equity grants."

Dr. Rosenwald added, "By offering investment opportunities to finance specific Fortress Companies, we enable investors to select more concentrated exposure in innovative therapeutic areas, like CAR-T therapy and checkpoint inhibitors. We have done just that in the 18 months since we completed a successful tender offer for the majority of shares in National Holdings Corporation. This unique relationship enables us to offer National Holdings’ clients the opportunity to invest in drug candidates across a range of developmental stages and therapeutic areas. We are pleased with our synergistic collaboration with National Holdings and the significant progress National Holdings has made in the past 18 months to transform its firm culture."

Accomplishments since launch of Fortress business model in January 2014:

Research and development

Established 9 development-stage Fortress Companies in areas including CAR-T therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, gene therapy, rare diseases and pain management

Established Journey Medical Corporation, a specialty dermatology company with four marketed products (Targadox, Ceracade, Triderm and Luxamend) and a contract sales and marketing operation of more than 30 professionals

In-licensed more than 25 development-stage programs across multiple therapeutic areas, which are currently in development at Fortress and the Fortress Companies

Established a 27,000 sq. foot CAR-T processing facility at UMass Medicine Science Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, to manufacture Mustang Bio’s CAR-T therapies

Corporate

Established a business development / search and evaluate team, and expanded headcount to approximately 20 employees

Built a corporate operations team (finance, accounting, legal, investor relations and human resources) of 15 employees and expanded manufacturing, quality, regulatory, clinical and R&D staff to 34 employees

Financial Results:

As of March 31, 2018, Fortress’ consolidated cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments (certificates of deposit), cash deposits with clearing organizations and restricted cash totaled $179.4 million, compared to $168.3 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of $11.1 million for the quarter.

Net revenue totaled $55.4 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $44.7 million for the first quarter of 2017. Total revenue as of March 31, 2018, includes $5.9 million of Fortress revenue and $49.5 million of revenue from National Holdings. Total revenue as of March 31, 2017, included $2.8 million of Fortress revenue and $41.9 million of revenue from National Holdings.

Research and development expenses were $25.0 million for the first quarter of 2018, of which $22.8 million was related to Fortress Companies. This compares to $7.1 million for the first quarter of 2017, of which $5.4 million was related to Fortress Companies. Non-cash, stock-based compensation expenses included in research and development were $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $0.8 million for the first quarter of 2017.

Research and development expenses from license acquisitions totaled $0.1 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $1.3 million for the first quarter of 2017.

General and administrative expenses were $13.5 million for the first quarter of 2018, of which $8.4 million was related to Fortress Companies. This compares to $10.3 million for the first quarter of 2017, of which $6.7 million was related to Fortress Companies. Non-cash, stock-based compensation expenses included in general and administrative expenses were $2.5 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $2.1 million for the first quarter of 2017.

National Holdings’ operating expenses totaled $50.8 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $43.1 million for the first quarter of 2017.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $21.0 million, or $0.49 per share, for the first quarter of 2018, compared to a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $12.0 million, or $0.30 per share, for the first quarter of 2017.

Recent Fortress and Fortress Company Highlights:

Aevitas Therapeutics, Inc.

In January 2018, Aevitas entered into a sponsored research agreement with the laboratory of Guangping Gao, Ph.D., at the University of Massachusetts Medical School to evaluate construct optimization for Aevitas’ AAV gene therapy treatment for complement-mediated diseases.

Avenue Therapeutics, Inc.

In March 2018, Avenue received Notices of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") for three patent applications covering methods of administration for IV tramadol. Issuance of these patents is expected in the second quarter of 2018.

In April 2018, Avenue completed enrollment in its Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, three-arm clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of IV tramadol 50 mg and 25 mg versus placebo for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain in patients following bunionectomy surgery. Avenue expects to report topline data in the second quarter of 2018.

Caelum Biosciences, Inc.

In March 2018, a new analysis of data from the Phase 1b trial of Caelum’s CAEL-101 (mAb 11-1F4) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory amyloid light chain ("AL") amyloidosis was presented at the 16th International Symposium on Amyloidosis. The data demonstrated a correlation between a sustained decrease in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and an improvement in global longitudinal strain ("GLS") following CAEL-101 treatment in patients with cardiac AL amyloidosis.

Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc.

In March 2018, Checkpoint completed an underwritten public offering that raised net proceeds of $20.8 million.

Also in March 2018, Checkpoint completed the dose escalation portion of the ongoing Phase 1 trial of CK-301, a fully human anti-PD-L1 antibody, in selected recurrent or metastatic cancers, and initiated the first dose expansion cohort, which is evaluating an 800 mg dose of CK-301 administered every two weeks.

In April 2018, Checkpoint presented preclinical data on BET inhibitor CK-103 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting. CK-103 demonstrated combinatorial effects in an in vivo model with anti-PD-1 antibodies, which may support the development of CK-103 as an anti-cancer agent alone and in combination with Checkpoint’s anti-PD-L1 antibody CK-301.

Mustang Bio, Inc.

In March 2018, Mustang announced that Sadik Kassim, Ph.D., was appointed Chief Scientific Officer, and Knut Niss, Ph.D., was named Chief Technology Officer.

National Holdings Corporation:

Fortress acquired approximately 57% of National Holdings Corporation ("National Holdings") in September 2016.
Accomplishments since closing the tender include:

Established new client-focused leadership team at National Holdings and at its wholly-owned operating companies National Securities Corporation and National Asset Management, Inc.;
Invested in new technology infrastructure geared toward risk management and improved client performance; and
Continued to increase revenues, particularly in investment banking, as described in its Q1 10-Q, filed February 14, 2018