Update on Novartis Agreement
December 13 2021 - 7:18PM
Mesoblast Limited (Nasdaq:MESO; ASX:MSB), global leader in
allogeneic cellular medicines for inflammatory diseases, was
notified today by Novartis that it has chosen to terminate the
agreement with Mesoblast prior to closing. Mesoblast remains highly
focused on executing on our short term objective to bring
remestemcel-L to market for patients with acute respiratory
distress syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19.
The observed mortality reduction with remestemcel-L in patients
aged under 65 in the completed COVID ARDS trial, despite having
missed the primary endpoint, is considered by Mesoblast to be a
sufficiently strong signal to support pursuing an emergency use
authorization (EUA), the most direct path to market. Mesoblast is
preparing to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial that may support a
COVID ARDS EUA.
COVID-19 is likely to remain a serious global problem and to
provide a major commercial opportunity for Mesoblast, with a steady
state of intensive care unit (ICU) ARDS patients irrespective of
vaccines and anti-viral treatments. Variants including Omicron
present a growing threat due to increased infectivity and immune
evasion from vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, increasing the
urgent need for therapeutics to prevent the likely high mortality
of those progressing to ICU and ARDS.
About Mesoblast Mesoblast is a world leader in
developing allogeneic (off-the-shelf) cellular medicines for the
treatment of severe and life-threatening inflammatory conditions.
The Company has leveraged its proprietary mesenchymal lineage cell
therapy technology platform to establish a broad portfolio of
late-stage product candidates which respond to severe inflammation
by releasing anti-inflammatory factors that counter and modulate
multiple effector arms of the immune system, resulting in
significant reduction of the damaging inflammatory process.
Mesoblast has a strong and extensive global intellectual
property portfolio with protection extending through to at least
2041 in all major markets. The Company’s proprietary manufacturing
processes yield industrial-scale, cryopreserved, off-the-shelf,
cellular medicines. These cell therapies, with defined
pharmaceutical release criteria, are planned to be readily
available to patients worldwide.
Mesoblast is developing product candidates for distinct
indications based on its remestemcel-L and rexlemestrocel-L stromal
cell technology platforms. Remestemcel-L is being developed for
inflammatory diseases in children and adults including steroid
refractory acute graft versus host disease and moderate to severe
acute respiratory distress syndrome. Rexlemestrocel-L is in
development for advanced chronic heart failure and chronic low back
pain. Two products have been commercialized in Japan and Europe by
Mesoblast’s licensees, and the Company has established commercial
partnerships in Europe and China for certain Phase 3 assets.
Mesoblast has locations in Australia, the United States and
Singapore and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (MSB)
and on the Nasdaq (MESO). For more information, please see
www.mesoblast.com, LinkedIn: Mesoblast Limited and Twitter:
@Mesoblast
Forward-Looking StatementsThis announcement
includes forward-looking statements that relate to future events or
our future financial performance and involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual
results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ
materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance
or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. We make such forward-looking statements pursuant to the
safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Forward-looking
statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance
or results, and actual results may differ from the results
anticipated in these forward-looking statements, and the
differences may be material and adverse. Forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, statements about the initiation,
timing, progress and results of Mesoblast’s preclinical and
clinical studies, and Mesoblast’s research and development
programs; Mesoblast’s ability to advance product candidates into,
enroll and successfully complete, clinical studies, including
multi-national clinical trials; Mesoblast’s ability to advance its
manufacturing capabilities; the timing or likelihood of regulatory
filings and approvals, manufacturing activities and product
marketing activities, if any; the commercialization of Mesoblast’s
product candidates, if approved; regulatory or public perceptions
and market acceptance surrounding the use of stem-cell based
therapies; the potential for Mesoblast’s product candidates, if any
are approved, to be withdrawn from the market due to patient
adverse events or deaths; the potential benefits of strategic
collaboration agreements and Mesoblast’s ability to enter into and
maintain established strategic collaborations; Mesoblast’s ability
to establish and maintain intellectual property on its product
candidates and Mesoblast’s ability to successfully defend these in
cases of alleged infringement; the scope of protection Mesoblast is
able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights
covering its product candidates and technology; estimates of
Mesoblast’s expenses, future revenues, capital requirements and its
needs for additional financing; Mesoblast’s financial performance;
developments relating to Mesoblast’s competitors and industry; and
the pricing and reimbursement of Mesoblast’s product candidates, if
approved. You should read this press release together with our risk
factors, in our most recently filed reports with the SEC or on our
website. Uncertainties and risks that may cause Mesoblast’s actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different
from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements,
and accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligations to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future developments or
otherwise.
Release authorized by the Chief Executive.
For more information, please contact:
Corporate Communications
/ Investors |
Media |
Paul Hughes |
Sumit Media |
T: +61 3 9639 6036 |
Grant Titmus |
E: investors@mesoblast.com |
T: +61 419 388 161 |
|
E: grant@sumitmedia.com.au |
|
|
|
Rubenstein |
|
Nadine Woloshin |
|
T: +1 917-699-9456 |
|
E: nwoloshin@rubenstein.com |
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