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Asterias Biotherapeutics Reports Second Quarter Financial Results and Recent Development Progress | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By: Nasdaq / GlobeNewswire - 09 Aug 2018 | Back to overview list |
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Company Progressing Neurology and Immunotherapy Clinical Programs Anticipates Achievement of Significant Execution Milestones in the Second Half of 2018 and Full Year 2019 to Advance the Development of its Platform Technologies Conference Call and Webcast Today, August 9, at 5:00 p.m. ET FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: AST), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing cell-based therapeutics to treat neurological conditions associated with demyelination and cellular immunotherapies to treat cancer, today reported financial and operational results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018, as well as recent corporate progress. “During the second quarter, we executed on our primary operational objectives for OPC1 and VAC2, and for the first time in Asterias’ history we now have two programs in the clinic, simultaneously,” commented Michael Mulroy, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our Phase 1/2a SCiStar study, which is nearing its conclusion in the next few months, again reaffirmed OPC1’s positive safety profile, which was demonstrated in the additional data we reported for Cohorts 3, 4, and 5. We remain encouraged by the very high rate of cell engraftment we have seen in the data so far, as well as by the improvement in motor function for many of the patients. We are now preparing for discussions with the FDA later this year regarding the design of the next spinal cord injury trial. “VAC2 achieved a major milestone in the second quarter as the first subject in its Phase 1 clinical trial for non-small cell lung cancer was dosed. Following the positive outcome from the Safety Review Committee’s review, two additional patients have been dosed. We continue to work closely with Cancer Research UK, the trial’s sponsor, and are encouraged by its commitment to the trial. Cancer Research UK has initiated the cGMP manufacturing run to manufacture the next lot of VAC2 to be used in the study. Cancer Research UK has just opened a second site to support open enrollment following the safety review meeting that is expected to take place later this quarter.” “Recently, we have taken some important steps to further demonstrate the depth of these technology platforms,” added Mr. Mulroy. “We have initiated pre-clinical collaborations to evaluate the efficacy of OPC1 to treat stroke and multiple sclerosis, both demyelinating conditions where there are large, unmet medical needs. With regard to stroke, we also entered into an exclusive license agreement with the Regents of the University of California. Pertaining to our allogeneic therapeutic vaccine product candidate VAC2, we have held several KOL meetings focused on additional indications to potentially pursue. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) meets much of our internal criteria and we are considering a study that would seek to confirm the signal we saw in our previous autologous VAC1 trial as well as examine the safety and efficacy of VAC2 in combination with an immune checkpoint inhibitor. We plan to move forward with a pre-IND meeting with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year with the goal of filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the U.S. for VAC2 in 2019,” he concluded. Second Quarter 2018 and Recent Key Achievements OPC1: OPC1, an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell population derived from pluripotent stem cells, has been shown in preclinical testing in animals and in vitro to have three potentially reparative functions that address the complex pathologies observed in demyelination disorders, such as spinal cord injuries, and multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis and white matter stroke. These potential reparative functions of OPC1 include the production of neurotrophic factors, the stimulation of vascularization, and the induction of remyelination of denuded axons, all of which are critical for survival and regrowth of—and conduction of nerve impulses through—axons at the injury site. The following operational achievements have recently occurred for OPC1:
VAC2: VAC2 is an innovative immunotherapy product that contains mature dendritic cells derived from pluripotent stem cells. These non-patient specific (allogeneic) VAC2 cells are engineered to express a modified form of telomerase, a protein widely expressed in tumor cells, but rarely found in normal cells. The modified form of telomerase invokes enhanced stimulation of immune responses to the protein. Similar to an earlier, Asterias-sponsored, hematological cancer program using an autologous approach, the VAC2 dendritic cells instruct the immune system to generate responses against telomerase and, through this mechanism, target tumor cells. VAC2’s mode of action is complementary to and potentially synergistic with other immune therapies such as checkpoint inhibitors or other immune pathway inhibitors. The following operational achievements have recently occurred for VAC2:
Second Quarter 2018 Financial Results Research and development expenses were $3.6 million in the second quarter. General and administrative expenses were $2.0 million in the second quarter. Total operating expenses were $5.6 million in the second quarter of 2018, compared to $8.8 million in the second quarter of 2017. Net loss was $7.0 million, or $0.13 per share, for the second quarter of 2018 compared to a net loss of $8.7 million, or $0.18 per share, for the second quarter of 2017. For the quarter ended June 30, 2018, net cash used in operating activities was $3.2 million compared to $7.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Cash, cash equivalents, and available-for-sale securities totaled $14.8 million as of June 30, 2018. The Company has successfully lowered its quarterly cash burn during the first half of 2018 and anticipates similar low quarterly cash utilization for the remainder of 2018. Conference Call and Webcast Details The Company will provide an overview of the second quarter results as well as the recently released SCiStar data. The conference call is scheduled for 5:00pm ET/2:00pm PT on Thursday, August 9, 2018. For both "listen-only" participants and those participants who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the dial-in number in the U.S./Canada is 888-599-8686. For international participants outside the U.S./Canada, the dial-in number is 323-994-2093. For all callers, refer to Conference ID 7991938. To access the live webcast, go to http://asteriasbiotherapeutics.com/inv_events_presentations.php. A replay of the conference call will be available for one month beginning about two hours after the conclusion of the live call, by calling toll-free (from U.S./Canada) 888-203-1112; international callers dial 719-457-0820. Use the Conference ID 7991938. Additionally, the archived webcast will be available at http://asteriasbiotherapeutics.com/inv_events_presentations.php About Asterias Biotherapeutics Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing cell-based therapeutics to treat neurological conditions associated with demyelination and cellular immunotherapies to treat cancer. Asterias is presently focused on advancing two clinical-stage programs which have the potential to address areas of very high unmet medical need in the fields of neurology and oncology. OPC1 (oligodendrocyte progenitor cells) is currently in a Phase 1/2a dose escalation clinical trial in spinal cord injury. VAC2 (antigen-presenting allogeneic dendritic cells) is an allogeneic cancer immunotherapy. The Company's research partner, Cancer Research UK, has commenced a first-in-human clinical trial of VAC2 in non-small cell lung cancer. Asterias is also sponsoring pre-clinical work in two conditions with a demyelinating component: Multiple Sclerosis and White Matter Stroke, and is evaluating other cancer indications where its immunotherapy platform could provide therapeutic benefit. Additional information about Asterias can be found at www.asteriasbiotherapeutics.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Contacts:
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