We report interim data on certain of our clinical trials and we cannot assure you that interim data
will be predictive of either future interim results or final study results.
As part of our business, we provide updates related to the development
of our product candidates, which may include updates related to interim clinical trial data. To date, our clinical trials have involved small patient populations and because of the small sample size, the interim results of these clinical trials may
be subject to substantial variability and may not be indicative of either future interim results or final results.
We face substantial competition
from other biopharmaceutical companies, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before, or more successfully than, we do.
The development and commercialization for new products to treat cancer, including the indications we are pursuing, is highly competitive and considerable
competition exists from major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and specialty cancer companies. Many of these companies have more experience in preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory, and global commercialization. We are also
competing with academic institutions, governmental agencies, and private organizations that are conducting research in the field of cancer.
Our
genetically engineering T-cell programs face significant competition in the CAR and TCR technology space from multiple companies and their collaborators. Two such companies, Novartis International AG (Kymriah®) and Kite Pharma Inc./Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Yescarta®), have now commercialized autologous CAR+ T cells against CD19. Additional
companies developing autologous CAR+ T targets include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Precigen, Inc., bluebird bio, Inc., in collaboration with Celgene Corporation, Nanjing Legend Biotech and Janssen Biotech, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson &
Johnson, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Autolus Therapeutics plc, Mustang Bio, Inc., Crispr Therapeutics AG, Precision Biosciences Inc., Protheragen Inc.and Marker Therapeutics, Inc. Several companies are pursuing the development of allogeneic CAR+
T therapies, including Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (in collaboration with Pfizer Inc.), Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. and Cellectis SA (in collaboration with Servier) which may compete with our product candidates.
Our TCR program faces competition from several companies, including from Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline plc, ArsenalBio,
Lyell, bluebird bio, Kite Pharma Inc./Gilead Sciences, Inc., Achilles Therapeutics Limited, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tmunity Therapeutics Inc, Medigene AG, Tactiva Therapeutics, LLC, Takara Bio, Inc., TC Biopharm
Ltd., TCR2 Therapeutics Inc., Zelluna Immunotherapy AS, PACT Pharma, Inc. and others. Several companies, including Advaxis Inc./Amgen Inc., BioNTech AG and Gritstone Oncology, Inc., are pursuing vaccine platforms to target neoantigens for solid
tumors. Other companies are developing non-viral gene therapies, including Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. and several companies developing CRISPR technology. We also face competition from companies developing
therapies using cells other than T cells such as Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Incysus Therapeutics, Inc., and TC BioPharm Limited. We also face competition from companies developing T cells with cytokines such as Torque Therapeutics and Obsidian
Therapeutics, Inc.. We also face competition from non-cell-based treatments offered by other companies such as Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Incyte Corporation, Merck &
Co., Inc., and Roche Holding AG.
We are initially developing our Controlled IL-12 platform for the treatment of
rGBM. Companies that sell marketed drugs for rGBM are Genentech Inc. and Roche Holding AG with Avastin (bevacizumab), a vascular endothelial growth factor directed antibody indicated for the treatment of adults with rGBM. Arbor Pharmaceuticals Inc.
markets GLIADEL Wafer, which is indicated in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade malignant glioma as an adjunct to surgery and radiation and is also indicated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme as an adjunct to surgery.
Additionally, Novocure has developed Optune (tumor treating fields) for newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma. Several companies have product candidates in phase 3 development for the treatment of glioblastoma, including, but not limited to,
Tocagen Inc., Vascular Biogenics Ltd., and DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Several companies and institutions have product candidates currently in phase 2 clinical trials, including, but not limited to, Abbvie Inc., DNAtrix Therapeutics, Istari
Oncology, Karyopharm and MedImmune LLC/AstraZeneca plc, and other companies are actively developing additional
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