08/12/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/12/2022 05:08
Completed Final Clinical Trials and Pre-NDA FDA Meeting to Support Registration of Nyxol in Reversal of Mydriasis (RM), On Track for Late 2022 NDA Submission and Potential 2023 Approval
Positive Results from Phase 3 LYNX-1 Trial of Nyxol in Night Vision Disturbances (NVD) Mark Sixth Positive Nyxol Clinical Data Readout Across Multiple Indications
Data Expected in 2H 2022 from Phase 2b Trial of APX3330, a Potential First-in-Class Oral Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy
Plans to Initiate VEGA Phase 3 FDA Registration Program for Nyxol Alone and in Combination with Low-Dose Pilocarpine (LDP) in Presbyopia in 2H 2022
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Aug. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCUP), a clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of refractive and retinal eye disorders, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 and provided a corporate update.
"Ocuphire has continued to deliver in the second quarter of 2022 on execution as a highly-productive and capital efficient company, with continued success in late-stage clinical trials, multiple positive data presentations featured at medical meetings, and additional IP protection granted for both Nyxol and APX3330," said Mina Sooch, MBA, founder and CEO of Ocuphire Pharma. "With the completion of the final clinical trials of Nyxol in reversal of mydriasis, we remain focused on a late 2022 NDA filing as we ramp up our pre-commercial activities and entertain discussions with commercial partners in preparation for the anticipated approval of Nyxol as the first and only dilation reversal drop in 2023. We look forward to reporting top-line results in the second half of this year from the Phase 2b trial of APX3330 in diabetic retinopathy (DR). The opportunity in retina has multi-billion dollar potential. We are well positioned to deliver on our upcoming late-stage clinical and regulatory milestones through the second half of 2022."
Dr. Jay Pepose, Ocuphire's Chief Medical Advisor and Board Member added, "A disruptive catalyst later this year will be top-line results from the ongoing multi-center, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled Phase 2b ZETA-1 trial evaluating APX3330 in diabetic retinopathy. APX3330 is a novel oral therapy with a dual mechanism of action in validated pathways, decreasing both abnormal angiogenesis and inflammation. It has shown a favorable safety profile for a systemic oral drug in hundreds of patients in 11 prior clinical trials. More recently, masked safety data from 70% of the 103 enrolled patients who completed 24 weeks of treatment in ZETA-1 trial were presented in July confirming the favorable safety and tolerability profile seen in prior trials. If approved, APX3330 has the potential to be a convenient oral treatment for diabetic patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and other diabetes-related complications. This could represent a paradigm shift from observation and monitoring progression today to an early, non-injection treatment option."
Key Anticipated Future Milestones
Second Quarter and Recent Business Highlights
Clinical Development
Presentations, Publications, and Conferences
Corporate
Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2022 Financial Highlights
As of June 30, 2022, Ocuphire had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $17.0 million. Based on current projections, management believes the current cash on hand will be sufficient to fund operations through the third quarter of 2023. Net cash used in operating activities in the second quarter of 2022 was $3.8 million, with a cumulative total for the six months ended June 30, 2022 of $10.0 million.
General and administrative expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, were $1.8 million and $3.5 million, respectively, compared to $3.4 million and $5.million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021.
Research and development expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, were $3.2 million and $7.9 million, respectively, compared to $3.8 million and $7.3 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021. The decrease from the comparable second quarter in 2021 was primarily attributable to the completion of clinical trials and the timing manufacturing activities for Nyxol and APX3330. The increase from the comparable six-month period in 2021 was primarily attributable to more ongoing clinical trials and manufacturing activities for Nyxol and APX3330 as well as regulatory, preclinical and other development activities.
The total loss from operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, was $4.9 million and $11.4 million, respectively, compared to $7.1 million and $12.3 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021.
Net loss for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, was $4.9 million and $11.5 million, respectively, compared to $7.1 million and $46.2 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2021. Net loss per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, was ($0.25) and ($0.60) per share, respectively, compared to ($0.52) and ($3.76) per share, respectively, for the comparable periods in 2021.
For further details on Ocuphire's financial results, refer to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Ocuphire Pharma
Ocuphire is a publicly-traded (NASDAQ: OCUP), clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule therapies for the treatment of refractive and retinal eye disorders. The Company's lead product candidate, Nyxol® eye drops (0.75% phentolamine ophthalmic solution), is a once-daily, preservative-free eye drop formulation of phentolamine mesylate, a non-selective alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist designed to reduce pupil size, and is being developed for several indications, including reversal of pharmacologically-induced mydriasis (RM), presbyopia and dim light or night vision disturbances (NVD), and has been studied in 12 completed clinical trials. Ocuphire has reported positive data from MIRA-2 and MIRA-3 registration trials and MIRA-4 pediatric safety trial for the treatment of RM. Ocuphire also reported positive top-line data from the VEGA-1 Phase 2 trial of Nyxol for treatment of presbyopia, both Nyxol as a single agent and Nyxol with low dose pilocarpine ("LDP") 0.4% as adjunctive therapy. The Company recently reported positive top-line results from LYNX-1 Phase 3 trial of Nyxol for NVD. Ocuphire's second product candidate, APX3330, is an oral tablet designed to inhibit angiogenesis and inflammation pathways relevant to retinal and choroidal vascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) and has been studied in 11 Phase 1 and 2 trials. The Company announced in March the completion of enrollment in the ZETA-1 Phase 2b clinical trial of APX3330 to treat DR/DME. Please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov to learn more about Ocuphire's ongoing APX3330 Phase 2b trial in DR/DME ZETA-1 (NCT04692688) and completed Nyxol trials: Phase 3 registration trial in NVD LYNX-1 (NCT04638660), Phase 3 registration trials in RM MIRA-2 (NCT04620213) and MIRA-3 (NCT05134974), MIRA-4 Phase 3 pediatric safety study (NCT05223478), and Phase 2 trial in presbyopia VEGA-1 (NCT04675151). As part of its strategy, Ocuphire will continue to explore opportunities to acquire additional ophthalmic assets and seek strategic partners for late-stage development, regulatory preparation, and commercialization of drugs in key global markets. For more information, visit www.ocuphire.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, the success and timing of planned regulatory filings, including planned NDA filings, the results of the ZETA-1 Phase 2b trial, the results of the VEGA-2 Phase 3 trials, the market for Ocuphire's indications, business strategy, pre-commercialization activities, and commercialization of Ocuphire's product candidates. These forward-looking statements are based upon Ocuphire's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: (i) the success and timing of regulatory submissions and pre-clinical and clinical trials, including enrollment and data readouts; (ii) regulatory requirements or developments; (iii) changes to clinical trial designs and regulatory pathways; (iv) changes in capital resource requirements; (v) risks related to the inability of Ocuphire to obtain sufficient additional capital to continue to advance its product candidates and its preclinical programs; (vi) legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments, (vii) changes in market opportunities, (viii) the effects of COVID-19 on clinical programs and business operations, (ix) the success and timing of commercialization of any of Ocuphire's product candidates and (x) the maintenance of Ocuphire's intellectual property rights. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors detailed in documents that have been and may be filed by Ocuphire from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Ocuphire undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
Contacts
Corporate
Mina Sooch, President & CEO
Ocuphire Pharma, Inc.
[email protected]
www.ocuphire.com
Investors
Corey Davis, Ph.D.
LifeSci Advisors
[email protected]
Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. | ||||||
Condensed Balance Sheets | ||||||
(in thousands, except share amounts and par value) | ||||||
As of | ||||||
June 30, | December 31, | |||||
2022 | 2021 | |||||
(unaudited) | ||||||
Assets | ||||||
Current assets: | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 17,025 | $ | 24,534 | ||
Prepaids and other current assets | 740 | 1,314 | ||||
Short-term investments | 126 | 219 | ||||
Total current assets | 17,891 | 26,067 | ||||
Property and equipment, net | 8 | 10 | ||||
Total assets | $ | 17,899 | $ | 26,077 | ||
Liabilities and stockholders' equity | ||||||
Current liabilities: | ||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 1,886 | $ | 1,584 | ||
Accrued expenses | 1,418 | 1,733 | ||||
Short-term loan | - | 538 | ||||
Total current liabilities | 3,304 | 3,855 | ||||
Warrant liabilities | - | - | ||||
Total liabilities | 3,304 | 3,855 | ||||
Commitments and contingencies | ||||||
Stockholders' equity: | ||||||
Preferred stock, par value $0.0001; 10,000,000 shares authorized as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021; no shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. | - | - | ||||
Common stock, par value $0.0001; 75,000,000 shares authorized as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021; 20,099,602 and 18,845,828 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. | 2 | 2 | ||||
Additional paid-in-capital | 115,483 | 111,588 | ||||
Accumulated deficit | (100,890 | ) | (89,368 | ) | ||
Total stockholders' equity | 14,595 | 22,222 | ||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 17,899 | $ | 26,077 |
Ocuphire Pharma, Inc. | ||||||||||||||||
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss | ||||||||||||||||
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts) | ||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
For the Three Months Ended |
For the Six Months Ended |
|||||||||||||||
June 30, |
June 30, |
|||||||||||||||
2022 | 2021 |
2022 |
2021 |
|||||||||||||
Collaborations revenue | $ | - | $ | 100 | $ | - | $ | 100 | ||||||||
Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
General and administrative | 1,776 | 3,408 | 3,512 | 5,112 | ||||||||||||
Research and development | 3,162 | 3,829 | 7,934 | 7,311 | ||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 4,938 | 7,237 | 11,446 | 12,423 | ||||||||||||
Loss from operations | (4,938 | ) | (7,137 | ) | (11,446 | ) | (12,323 | ) | ||||||||
Interest expense | (4 | ) | - | (9 | ) | - | ||||||||||
Fair value change of warrant liabilities | - | - | - | (33,829 | ) | |||||||||||
Other income (expense), net | 15 | 1 | (67 | ) | 2 | |||||||||||
Loss before income taxes | (4,927 | ) | (7,136 | ) | (11,522 | ) | (46,150 | ) | ||||||||
Benefit (provision) for income taxes | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Net loss | (4,927 | ) | (7,136 | ) | (11,522 | ) | (46,150 | ) | ||||||||
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Comprehensive loss | $ | (4,927 | ) | $ | (7,136 | ) | $ | (11,522 | ) | $ | (46,150 | ) | ||||
Net loss per share: | ||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted | $ | (0.25 | ) | $ | (0.52 | ) | $ | (0.60 | ) | $ | (3.76 | ) | ||||
Number of shares used in per share calculations: | ||||||||||||||||
Basic and diluted | 19,502,563 | 13,608,596 | 19,197,213 | 12,273,541 |
Released August 12, 2022