Current uncertainty and economic challenges bring opportunities to well-funded companies

Monthly market moves of selected competitors compared to NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NBI)

ADC Therapeutics

ADCT announced the pricing of an underwritten offering of 12,000,000 common shares of the company currently owned Auven Therapeutics, at a price of $5 per share. The offering included participation from Redmile Group, Perceptive Advisors, Frazier Life Sciences and Surveyor Capital along with other institutional investors.

Immunogen

ImmunoGen is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended December 2022. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

Mersana Therapeutics

Mersana provided a business update and reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022.​ Net loss for 4Q 2022 was $45 million, or $0.44 per share, compared to a net loss of $49 million, or $0.68 per share, for the same period in 2021.

Sutro Biopharma

Sutro announced the appointment of Anne Borgman as CMO, effective February 28, 2023. Dr. Borgman brings over 20 years of oncology and hematology drug development experience to Sutro, including extensive regulatory experience in both the US and Europe, leading to nine regulatory approvals.

Alkermes

Alkermes reported net loss was $28 million for the quarter, or $0.17 per share, compared to net income of $1 million, or $0.01 per share, for the same period in the prior year.

ImmunityBio

ImmunityBio entered into a securities purchase agreement for a registered direct offering with multiple institutional investors that is expected to result in gross proceeds at closing of approximately $50 million. If fully exercised, the warrants could result in additional gross proceeds of up to $60 million.

Nektar Therapeutics

Nektar announced topline data from a Phase 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of rezpegaldesleukin in adults with moderately-to-severely active systemic lupus erythematosus despite receiving standard-of-care treatment such as corticosteroids, anti-malarials, and non-biological immunosuppressants. Rezpeg a selective regulatory T-cell inducing IL-2 conjugate, did not meet the primary goal of a 4-point reduction on SLEDAI-2K score. Nektar said Lilly does not intend to advance the drug for a late-stage study, but they will work together to determine the next steps for the planned mid-stage of the drug in patients with skin condition, atopic dermatitis.

Werewolf Therapeutics

Werewolf announced that first patient has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating WTX-330, the company’s lead Indukine molecule targeting IL-12. The Phase 1 trial will evaluate the compound in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors or lymphoma resistant to checkpoints or for which checkpoints are not approved.

Allogene Therapeutics

Allogene presented preclinical data highlighting the Company’s next generation Dagger platform technology. The technology is designed to resist rejection of AlloCAR T cells by the host immune cells, enabling a prolonged window of persistence during which AlloCAR T cells can expand and actively target and destroy cancer cells.

Autolus Therapeutics

Short interest of Autolus increased 2.5 times to 1,259,835 reported on February 15, compared to 500,438 on January 13. The company will present its annual financial results on March 7.

Arcellx

Arcellx’ management participated in a fireside chat at the HC Wainwright Cell Therapy Virtual Conference on February 28, 2023.

Mustang Bio

Short interest of Mustang decreased by 20 % to 254,165 reported on February 15, compared to 318,968 on January 13.

Immutep

Immutep announced the INSIGHT-003 trial has reached its enrolment target of 20 patients with 1L NSCLC. INSIGHT-003 is the first trial evaluating Immutep’s lead product candidate, eftilagimod alpha as part of a triple combination therapy with standard-of-care anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy.

MacroGenics

MacroGenics announced preliminary safety and anti-tumor activity data from the dose expansion phase of the Company’s ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of lorigerlimab, a bispecific, tetravalent PD-1 × CTLA-4 DART molecule. Twelve of 42 patients (28.6%) in mCRPC cohort achieved ≥ 50% PSA reduction, including 9 (21.4%) who achieved ≥ 90% PSA reduction. Company plans to initiate Phase 2 study in mCRPC in 2023.