On May 5, 2021 vTv Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq:VTVT) reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, and provided an update on the progress of its clinical programs (Press release, vTv Therapeutics, MAY 5, 2021, View Source [SID1234579253]).

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"The vTv team continued to build on the clinical success of our type 1 diabetes program during the quarter by obtaining Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA for TTP399 and by initiating a phase 1 study to understand TTP399’s impact on ketoacidosis. The FDA’s grant of Breakthrough is an acknowledgment of the significant unmet need for patients with type 1 diabetes, and the encouraging clinical results we have generated to date," said Steve Holcombe, president and CEO, vTv Therapeutics. "We look forward to working closely with the FDA to optimize the development pathway for TTP399 to bring this potential treatment to patients with type 1 diabetes as quickly as possible."

Recent Achievements and Outlook

Type 1 Diabetes

Breakthrough Therapy Designation. As announced in April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for TTP399 as an adjunctive therapy to insulin for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Breakthrough Therapy designation is intended to expedite the development and review of a drug candidate that is planned for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening disease where initial clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate a substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints.

Mechanistic Study of Ketoacidosis with TTP399. The Company began dosing patients in a mechanistic study of TTP399 in people with type 1 diabetes to determine the impact of TTP399 on ketone body formation during a period of acute insulin withdrawal. vTv expects to report topline results from the mechanistic study in the third quarter of 2021.

Pivotal Study Planning. The Company is planning to initiate the first of two pivotal, placebo-controlled, six-month clinical trials of TTP399 in subjects with type 1 diabetes in the fourth quarter of 2021. The current study designs will be shared with the FDA for its input and advice as part of the collaborative process enabled by the Breakthrough Therapy designation.
Psoriasis

Multiple Ascending Dose Study with HPP737. The Company began dosing healthy subjects in a phase 1 multiple ascending dose study to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of HPP737, an oral PDE4 inhibitor. This phase 1 study is expected to report topline results in the third quarter and will inform dose selection for a planned phase 2 study in psoriasis.
License Partner Updates

Reneo Pharmaceuticals Completes Initial Public Offering. We congratulate our licensee, Reneo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: RPHM), for successfully completing an initial public offering in April. The Company is party to a license agreement with Reneo for its lead asset REN001, which Reneo is currently developing in three rare genetic diseases: primary mitochondrial myopathies, long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, and glycogen storage disease type V (McArdle disease).
First Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Cash Position: The Company’s cash position as of March 31, 2021, was $8.4 million compared to $5.7 million as of December 31, 2020.

Revenue: Revenue for the first quarter of 2021 was $1.0 million and was $6.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2020. The revenue for the first quarter was non-cash and related to the recognition of revenue pertaining to the Huadong license agreement. The revenue for the fourth quarter was primarily attributable to the upfront consideration, consisting of cash and an equity interest, received in connection with the Company’s license agreement with Anteris Bio.

R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses were $3.1 million and $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. This increase of $0.6 million was driven primarily by the increase in spending for our study of HPP737 in psoriasis.

G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses were consistent between periods at $2.2 million and $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Net (Loss)/Income Before Non-Controlling Interest: Net loss before non-controlling interest was $5.9 million for the first quarter of 2021 compared to net income of $1.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2020.

Net (Loss)/Income Per Share: Diluted net loss per share was ($0.08) for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to a diluted net income per share of $0.02 for the three months ended December 31, 2020, based on weighted-average diluted shares of 56.5 million and 74.4 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Non-GAAP net loss per fully exchanged share was ($0.09) for the three months ended March 31, 2021 compared to a net income per fully exchanged share of $0.02 at December 31, 2020, based on non-GAAP fully exchanged weighted-average shares of 79.6 million and 74.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.