-- Conference Call Scheduled for Today at 4:30 p.m. ET --
WESTMINSTER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 2009--
Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTH) today reported results for the
third quarter of 2009. For the three months ended September 30, 2009,
the Company reported a net loss of $18.7 million, or ($0.21) per share.
This compares to a net loss of $13.2 million, or ($0.16) per share, for
the third quarter of 2008. For the nine months ended September 30, 2009,
the Company reported a net loss of $50.6 million, or ($0.58) per share,
compared to a net loss of $37.0 million, or ($0.50) per share, for the
same period last year. Net cash used in operating activities, together
with the $5.8 million milestone payment under our license agreement for
FOLOTYNTM (pralatrexate injection), was $47.8 million for the
nine months ended September 30, 2009. Cash, cash equivalents and
investments in marketable securities as of September 30, 2009 were $84.1
million. In October 2009, the Company received net proceeds of
approximately $93.0 million from a public offering of 14 million shares
of the Company’s common stock.
“During the quarter, we achieved a significant milestone by obtaining
accelerated approval for FOLOTYN for use as a single agent for the
treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell
lymphoma,” said Paul L. Berns, president and chief executive officer of
Allos Therapeutics. “Importantly, this represents our first U.S.
indication and marks our emergence as a commercial oncology company.
With a prioritized product development and commercialization plan for
FOLOTYN and a solid financial position, we believe we have established a
strong foundation for continued progress.”
Recent Highlights
-
Announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted
accelerated approval for FOLOTYN for use as a single agent for the
treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell
lymphoma (PTCL) on September 24, 2009. This indication is based on
overall response rate. Clinical benefit such as improvement in
progression free survival or overall survival has not been
demonstrated. FOLOTYN is the first and only drug approved by the FDA
for this indication and represents a new treatment option for patients
with relapsed or refractory PTCL.
-
Announced FOLOTYN availability for commercial sale in the U.S. on
October 5, 2009. The Company intends to market and sell FOLOTYN in the
U.S. through its commercial organization, which includes 25 sales
specialists that the Company plans to increase to approximately 50
specialists in advance of the planned commercial launch of FOLOTYN in
January 2010.
-
Established a patient assistance program named ASAP (Allos Support for
Assisting Patients) to provide reimbursement resources for the
uninsured, underinsured and insured and reimbursement support for
health care professionals.
-
Received notification from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network
(NCCN) that it has updated the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in
Oncology™ for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas to include FOLOTYN as a
suggested treatment regimen for patients with second-line PTCL.
-
Completed patient enrollment in the Company's investigational Phase
2b, randomized, international, multi-center clinical trial comparing
pralatrexate and erlotinib (Tarceva®) in patients with Stage IIIB/IV
non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are, or have been, cigarette
smokers who have failed treatment with at least one prior
platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. The objective of this Phase 2b
trial is to assess the treatment effect of pralatrexate in certain
pre-specified subsets of patients with advanced NSCLC where the
Company believes the agent has the potential to provide clinical
benefit. Patient enrollment was initiated in January 2008 and was
completed in July 2009, having enrolled 201 patients. The Company
currently expects to report top line results from this trial in the
first half of 2010.
-
Initiated patient enrollment in an investigational Phase 2 study of
FOLOTYN in patients with aggressive relapsed or refractory B-cell
non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This single-arm, open-label, multi-center
study will seek to enroll approximately 27 evaluable patients in up to
10 investigative sites worldwide. The primary endpoint of the study is
objective response rate (complete and partial response) per
International Workshop Criteria. Secondary endpoints include duration
of response, progression free survival, overall survival, and the
safety and tolerability of FOLOTYN.
-
Strengthened the Company's balance sheet with an underwritten public
offering of 14 million shares of newly issued common stock in October,
resulting in net proceeds of approximately $93.0 million after
underwriting discounts, commissions and other estimated offering
expenses.
2009 Financial Guidance
The Company reaffirms prior financial guidance that net cash use in
operating activities, together with the $5.8 million milestone payment
under the Company’s license agreement for FOLOTYN as discussed below, is
expected to approximate $65 million to $70 million for the year ending
December 31, 2009. The Company’s financial guidance for 2009 includes
the phase-in of key investments associated with its commercial, medical
affairs and manufacturing operations in preparation for its planned
commercial launch of FOLOTYN in January 2010, and the $1.5 million and
$5.8 million milestone payments under the Company’s license agreement
for FOLOTYN paid upon FDA acceptance and approval of the Company’s New
Drug Application, respectively, during the nine months ended September
30, 2009. The $5.8 million milestone payment was recorded as an
intangible asset and in net cash used in investing activities as of and
for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively.
Financial projections entail a high level of uncertainty due to, among
other factors, the variability involved in predicting clinical trial
initiation timelines, enrollment rates and results, and the cost of
commercial activities.
Conference Call Information
The Company will host a conference call to review its third quarter
results on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. ET. Participants can
access the call at 1-877-941-8610 (U.S. and Canada) or +480-629-9819
(international). To access the live audio webcast or the subsequent
archived recording, visit the “Investors - Presentations and Events”
section of the Company’s website at www.allos.com.
Webcast and telephone replays of the conference call will be available
approximately two hours after the completion of the call. Callers can
access the replay by dialing 800-406-7325 (domestic) or 303-590-3030
(international). The passcode is 4169927#. The webcast will be recorded
and available for replay on the Company's website until November 13,
2009.
About Allos Therapeutics
Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTH) is a biopharmaceutical company
committed to the development and commercialization of innovative
anti-cancer therapeutics. Allos is currently focused on the development
and commercialization of FOLOTYNTM (pralatrexate injection),
a folate analogue metabolic inhibitor. FOLOTYN is the first and only
drug approved in the U.S. for the treatment of patients with relapsed or
refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Allos is also developing FOLOTYN
in other potential indications. Allos retains exclusive worldwide rights
to FOLOTYN for all indications. Allos is headquartered in Westminster,
CO. For additional information, please visit www.allos.com.
Important Safety Information
Warnings and Precautions:
FOLOTYN may suppress bone marrow function, manifested by
thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and anemia. Monitor blood counts and omit
or modify dose for hematologic toxicities.
Mucositis may occur. If ≥ Grade 2 mucositis is observed, omit or modify
dose.
Patients should be instructed to take folic acid (1.0 -1.25 mg orally on
a daily basis) and receive vitamin B12 (1 mg intramuscularly
every 8-10 weeks) to potentially reduce treatment-related
hematological toxicity and mucositis.
FOLOTYN can cause fetal harm. Women should avoid becoming pregnant while
being treated with FOLOTYN, and pregnant women should be informed of the
potential harm to the fetus.
Use caution and monitor patients when administering FOLOTYN to patients
with moderate to severe renal function impairment.
Elevated liver function test abnormalities may occur and require
monitoring. If liver function test abnormalities are ≥ Grade 3, omit or
modify dose.
Adverse Reactions:
The most common adverse reactions observed in PROPEL were mucositis
(70%), thrombocytopenia (41%), nausea (40%), and fatigue (36%). The most
common serious adverse events (>3%), regardless of causality, were
pyrexia, mucositis, sepsis, febrile neutropenia, dehydration, dyspnea
and thrombocytopenia. Forty-four percent of patients experienced a
serious adverse event while on study or within 30 days after their last
dose of FOLOTYN. Twenty-three percent of patients discontinued treatment
due to adverse reactions.
Drug Interactions:
Co-administration of drugs subject to renal clearance (e.g., probenecid,
NSAIDs, and trimethoprim/sulfamethaxazole) may result in delayed renal
clearance.
Use in Specific Patient Population:
Nursing mothers should be advised to discontinue nursing or the drug,
taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother.
For additional important safety information, please see the full prescribing
information for FOLOTYN at www.allos.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include
the Company’s anticipated timeline and size of its sales force for its
planned commercial launch of FOLOTYN; the Company’s projected timeline
for announcing top line results from the Company’s Phase 2b clinical
trial of FOLOTYN in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer;
the Company’s projected net cash use in operating activities for fiscal
2009; and other statements that are other than statements of historical
facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by
terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,”
“plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,”
“potential,” “continue,” and other similar terminology or the negative
of these terms, but their absence does not mean that a particular
statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are
not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from
those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Important factors
that may cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not
limited to, the risks and uncertainties associated with developing
adequate sales, marketing and distribution capabilities; the acceptance
of FOLOTYN in the marketplace; the status of reimbursement from third
party payers; the Company’s dependence on third party manufacturers; the
Company’s compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including
the healthcare fraud and abuse laws and the Company’s post-marketing
requirements; and the Company’s access to capital to support its future
operations, including product development and commercialization plans
for FOLOTYN. Additional information concerning these and other factors
that may cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated in the forward-looking statements is contained in the "Risk
Factors" section of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2009, and in the Company's other periodic
reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All
forward-looking statements are based on information currently available
to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to
reflect events or circumstances after the date of this presentation,
except as required by law.
Note: The Allos logo and FOLOTYN name are trademarks of Allos
Therapeutics, Inc.
Tarceva is a registered trademark of OSI
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
|
ALLOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share information)
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
September 30,
|
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
|
$
|
6,026
|
|
|
$
|
6,361
|
|
|
|
$
|
18,901
|
|
|
$
|
17,739
|
|
|
Clinical manufacturing
|
|
|
1,512
|
|
|
|
1,728
|
|
|
|
|
5,774
|
|
|
|
4,799
|
|
|
Marketing, general and administrative
|
|
|
11,327
|
|
|
|
5,326
|
|
|
|
|
26,326
|
|
|
|
15,776
|
|
|
Amortization of intangible asset
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
18,872
|
|
|
|
13,415
|
|
|
|
|
51,008
|
|
|
|
38,314
|
|
|
Loss from operations
|
|
|
(18,872
|
)
|
|
|
(13,415
|
)
|
|
|
|
(51,008
|
)
|
|
|
(38,314
|
)
|
|
Interest and other income, net
|
|
|
125
|
|
|
|
254
|
|
|
|
|
304
|
|
|
|
1,323
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(18,747
|
)
|
|
|
(13,161
|
)
|
|
|
|
(50,704
|
)
|
|
|
(36,991
|
)
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(18,670
|
)
|
|
$
|
(13,161
|
)
|
|
|
$
|
(50,627
|
)
|
|
$
|
(36,991
|
)
|
|
Net loss per share: basic and diluted
|
|
|
(0.21
|
)
|
|
|
(0.16
|
)
|
|
|
|
(0.58
|
)
|
|
|
(0.50
|
)
|
|
Weighted average shares: basic and diluted
|
|
|
89,543,949
|
|
|
|
80,752,024
|
|
|
|
|
86,581,372
|
|
|
|
73,554,904
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALLOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
2008
|
|
ASSETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and investments in marketable securities
|
|
$
|
84,115
|
|
$
|
83,966
|
|
Intangible asset, net
|
|
|
5,793
|
|
|
—
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
4,451
|
|
|
4,067
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
1,990
|
|
|
1,307
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
96,349
|
|
$
|
89,340
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities
|
|
$
|
10,944
|
|
|
9,875
|
|
Stockholders’ equity
|
|
|
85,405
|
|
|
79,465
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
|
|
$
|
96,349
|
|
$
|
89,340
|
Source: Allos Therapeutics, Inc.
Allos Therapeutics, Inc.
Monique Greer, 720-540-5268
mgreer@allos.com