Connect Biopharma Reports Full Year 2021 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
March 31 2022 - 4:05PM
Connect Biopharma Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: CNTB) (“Connect
Biopharma” or the “Company”), a global, clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of
patients with inflammatory diseases through the development of
therapies derived from T cell-driven research, today announced
financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2021 and
recent corporate highlights.
“During the past year, we advanced the clinical
development of our lead assets CBP-201 and CBP-307, each having
potentially differentiated product profiles for atopic dermatitis,
asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and ulcerative
colitis, diseases with large patient populations with significant
unmet need,” said Zheng Wei, PhD, Co-founder and CEO of Connect
Biopharma. “Our data from the global Phase 2b trial of CBP-201 in
patients with atopic dermatitis gives us confidence in the
potential that CBP-201 could have a highly competitive efficacy and
safety profile with low incidence of conjunctivitis, and the
convenience of dosing every four weeks. In the coming 12 months, we
have a number of key milestones anticipated for CBP-201, including
initiating our global Phase 3 program in atopic dermatitis and
completing enrollment in both our pivotal trial in atopic
dermatitis in China, and in our Phase 2 trial in asthma. We also
look forward to reporting topline results from our Phase 2 trial of
CBP-307 in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis in
the first half of 2022.”
Second
Half
2021
and
Recent
Operating
Highlights
- Reported positive data from
global Phase 2b trial of CBP-201 in moderate-to-severe atopic
dermatitis (AD): In January 2022, the Company reported
detailed positive data from the global Phase 2b clinical trial of
CBP-201 administered subcutaneously to adult patients with
moderate-to-severe AD. CBP-201 met all primary and key secondary
efficacy endpoints, with favorable safety data reporting low
incidences of injection site reactions, conjunctivitis and herpes
infections. In the coming months, the Company intends to discuss
these data with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and
other regulatory authorities to seek feedback on its planned global
Phase 3 program. The Company plans to commence enrollment of the
global Phase 3 program in the second half of 2022.
-
Completed enrollment
of Phase 2
trial
of
CBP-307
in
moderate-to-severe
ulcerative colitis (UC): In November 2021, the Company
completed full enrollment of the Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating
CBP-307 in moderate-to-severe UC. The global, randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is being conducted at
multiple sites, including in China and the U.S., to evaluate the
efficacy and safety of CBP-307 in 144 patients, where CBP-307 or
placebo were administered to eligible adult patients for 12 weeks
(induction phase). Following this 12-week induction phase,
treatment responders (as defined by change in the adapted Mayo
score from baseline) are expected to be treated for an additional
36 weeks in a double-blind manner, and non-responders are expected
to enter an open-label arm and be treated for an additional 36
weeks (maintenance phase).
-
Dosed
first patient in
China-specific pivotal trial
of
CBP-201
in moderate-to-severe AD: In September
2021, the first patient in a China-specific pivotal trial
evaluating CBP-201 with moderate-to-severe AD was dosed. The
multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel group,
placebo-controlled trial was designed to assess the efficacy and
safety of up to two doses of CBP-201 administered subcutaneously.
The trial has completed its original enrollment of 255 patients
across 55 clinical sites in China, which was divided into an
initial treatment period of 16 weeks, a maintenance period of 36
weeks and a follow-up period of eight weeks. The Company plans to
increase the trial size to approximately 500 patients in order to
meet anticipated regulatory requirements around trial size and
safety exposures and expects to finalize its trial design with
China regulatory authorities by the second half of 2022.
-
Dosed
first patient in
Phase
2 trial
of
CBP-201
in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps
(CRSwNP): In September 2021, the first patient in a Phase
2 trial evaluating CBP-201 in CRSwNP was dosed. The multi-center,
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is designed to
evaluate the effect of CBP-201 administered subcutaneously on a
background of mometasone furoate nasal spray in reducing endoscopic
nasal polyp score and nasal congestion/obstruction score severity
in eligible patients whose disease remains inadequately controlled
despite daily treatment with intranasal corticosteroid therapy in
comparison to placebo. The trial is divided into a treatment period
of 24 weeks and a follow-up period of eight weeks and is expected
to enroll approximately 140 patients with CRSwNP across
approximately 60 clinical sites in the United States, China,
Europe, and other regions.
- Expanded
executive
leadership
team:
Autoimmune and immunology expert, Chin Lee, MD, MPH, and Steven
Chan joined Connect Biopharma as Chief Medical Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, respectively.
Anticipated
2022 Milestones
- Intend to report top-line results
from the global Phase 2b trial of CPB-307 in UC patients in the
first half of 2022.
- On track to report top-line results
from the global Phase 1 trial evaluating safety and
pharmacokinetics of CBP-174 in healthy volunteers in the first half
of 2022.
- Plan to complete enrollment for the
global Phase 2 trial of CBP-201 in asthma patients in the first
half of 2022.
- Plan to initiate a global Phase 3
trial for CBP-201 in moderate-to-severe AD patients in the second
half of 2022.
- Plan to complete enrollment for the
China-specific pivotal trial for CBP-201 in AD patients in the
second half of 2022.
Full Year
2021
Financial
Results
- Cash and cash equivalents were RMB
1,706.9 million (USD 267.7 million) as of December 31, 2021,
compared to RMB 1,010.1 million as of December 31, 2020. The
increase in cash and cash equivalents was mainly due to proceeds
received from the Company’s IPO in March 2021.
- Research and
development expenses increased to RMB 518.0 million (USD 81.2
million) for the year ended December 31, 2021, from RMB 150.9
million in the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was
driven primarily by higher clinical trial related expenses for
advancing CBP-201 in adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD into
later clinical trial phases and additional drug supply and clinical
expenses related to the initiation of global Phase 2 clinical
trials of CBP-201 for asthma and CRSwNP indications and the
initiation of a global Phase 2 trial for CBP-307 in UC and Crohn’s
Disease (CD) indications.
- Administrative expenses increased
to RMB 122.4 million (USD 19.2 million) for the year ended December
31, 2021, from RMB 47.7 million in the year ended December 31,
2020. The increase was primarily due to higher personnel costs,
including stock-based compensation expenses, higher professional
services and other costs associated with building out a public
company infrastructure and supporting clinical trials.
- Net loss was RMB 1,306.8 million
(USD 205.0 million) for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared
to RMB 779.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2020.
About
Connect
Biopharma
Connect Biopharma is a global, clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of
patients with inflammatory diseases through the development of
therapies derived from T cell-driven research. It is building a
rich pipeline of internally-designed, wholly-owned, small molecules
and antibodies using functional cellular assays with T cells to
screen and discover potent product candidates against validated
immune targets. Its lead product candidate, CBP-201, is an antibody
designed to target interleukin-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα) in
development for the treatment of AD, asthma and CRSwNP. The
Company’s second most advanced product candidate, CBP-307, is a
modulator of a T-cell receptor known as sphingosine 1-phosphate
receptor 1 (S1P1) in development for the treatment of UC and CD.
Clinical development has begun for its third product candidate,
CBP-174, a peripherally acting antagonist of histamine receptor 3,
for the treatment of pruritus associated with AD.
For additional information, please visit
www.connectbiopharm.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Connect Biopharma cautions that statements
included in this press release that are not a description of
historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as
“may,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,”
“anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “predict,” “seek,”
“contemplate,” “potential,” “continue” or “project” or the negative
of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. These statements include the
Company’s statements regarding the size or design of ongoing
clinical trials, the timing of initiation, completed enrollment,
and dosing of such trials, and the timing of clinical data readouts
from such trials and whether such data will validate the Company’s
approach in developing potential therapies. The inclusion of
forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a
representation by Connect Biopharma that any of its plans will be
achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth
in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the
Company’s business and other risks described in the Company’s
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof,
and Connect Biopharma undertakes no obligation to revise or update
this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks is
included in Connect Biopharma’s filings with the SEC which are
available from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) and on Connect
Biopharma’s website (www.connectbiopharm.com) under the heading
“Investors.” All forward-looking statements are qualified in their
entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under
the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
|
Consolidated Statements of Loss (Unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
|
RMB’000 |
|
|
RMB’000 |
|
|
USD’000(1) |
|
Research and development
expenses |
|
|
(150,932 |
) |
|
|
(518,021 |
) |
|
|
(81,249 |
) |
Administrative expenses |
|
|
(47,720 |
) |
|
|
(122,445 |
) |
|
|
(19,205 |
) |
Other income |
|
|
6,989 |
|
|
|
18,996 |
|
|
|
2,979 |
|
Other gains/(losses)—net |
|
|
(6,100 |
) |
|
|
(9,966 |
) |
|
|
(1,563 |
) |
Operating
loss |
|
|
(197,763 |
) |
|
|
(631,436 |
) |
|
|
(99,038 |
) |
Finance income |
|
|
717 |
|
|
|
622 |
|
|
|
98 |
|
Finance cost |
|
|
(2,893 |
) |
|
|
(44 |
) |
|
|
(7 |
) |
Finance income/(cost)—net |
|
|
(2,176 |
) |
|
|
578 |
|
|
|
91 |
|
Fair value loss of financial
instruments with preferred rights |
|
|
(579,286 |
) |
|
|
(674,269 |
) |
|
|
(105,756 |
) |
Loss before income
tax |
|
|
(779,225 |
) |
|
|
(1,305,127 |
) |
|
|
(204,703 |
) |
Income tax expense |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(1,697 |
) |
|
|
(266 |
) |
Net loss |
|
|
(779,225 |
) |
|
|
(1,306,824 |
) |
|
|
(204,969 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RMB |
|
|
RMB |
|
|
USD |
|
Loss per share |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted |
|
|
(45.6 |
) |
|
|
(25.0 |
) |
|
|
(3.9 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
(Unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
2021 |
|
|
|
RMB’000 |
|
|
RMB’000 |
|
|
USD’000(1) |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property, plant and equipment |
|
|
6,939 |
|
|
|
59,337 |
|
|
|
9,307 |
|
Right-of-use assets |
|
|
929 |
|
|
|
22,821 |
|
|
|
3,579 |
|
Other non-current assets |
|
|
19,860 |
|
|
|
18,806 |
|
|
|
2,950 |
|
Intangible assets |
|
|
342 |
|
|
|
560 |
|
|
|
88 |
|
Total non-current
assets |
|
|
28,070 |
|
|
|
101,524 |
|
|
|
15,924 |
|
Current
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other receivable and prepayments |
|
|
33,655 |
|
|
|
47,255 |
|
|
|
7,412 |
|
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss |
|
|
13,068 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
1,010,076 |
|
|
|
1,706,880 |
|
|
|
267,716 |
|
Total current
assets |
|
|
1,056,799 |
|
|
|
1,754,135 |
|
|
|
275,128 |
|
Total
assets |
|
|
1,084,869 |
|
|
|
1,855,659 |
|
|
|
291,052 |
|
LIABILITIES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current
liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lease liabilities |
|
|
309 |
|
|
|
163 |
|
|
|
26 |
|
Financial instruments with preferred rights |
|
|
2,071,508 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Deferred income |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
784 |
|
Total non-current
liabilities |
|
|
2,071,817 |
|
|
|
5,163 |
|
|
|
810 |
|
Current
liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade payables |
|
|
24,638 |
|
|
|
81,195 |
|
|
|
12,735 |
|
Other payables and accruals |
|
|
12,755 |
|
|
|
32,840 |
|
|
|
5,152 |
|
Lease liabilities |
|
|
604 |
|
|
|
630 |
|
|
|
98 |
|
Total current
liabilities |
|
|
37,997 |
|
|
|
114,665 |
|
|
|
17,985 |
|
Total
liabilities |
|
|
2,109,814 |
|
|
|
119,828 |
|
|
|
18,795 |
|
Net
(liabilities)/assets |
|
|
(1,024,945 |
) |
|
|
1,735,831 |
|
|
|
272,257 |
|
SHAREHOLDERS’
(DEFICIT)/EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital |
|
|
24 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
Share premium |
|
|
41,466 |
|
|
|
4,094,434 |
|
|
|
642,194 |
|
Treasury shares |
|
|
(3 |
) |
|
|
(1,164 |
) |
|
|
(183 |
) |
Share-based compensation
reserves |
|
|
6,602 |
|
|
|
61,904 |
|
|
|
9,709 |
|
Other reserves |
|
|
(1,693 |
) |
|
|
(41,244 |
) |
|
|
(6,469 |
) |
Accumulated losses |
|
|
(1,071,341 |
) |
|
|
(2,378,165 |
) |
|
|
(373,004 |
) |
Total shareholders’
(deficit)/equity |
|
|
(1,024,945 |
) |
|
|
1,735,831 |
|
|
|
272,257 |
|
Total liabilities and
shareholders’ (deficit)/equity |
|
|
1,084,869 |
|
|
|
1,855,659 |
|
|
|
291,052 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Translations of the
consolidated balance sheet and the consolidated statement of loss
from RMB into USD as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021
are solely for the convenience of the readers and calculated at the
rate of USD1.00=RMB 6.3757, representing the exchange rate as of
December 31, 2021 set forth in the China Foreign Exchange Trade
System. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have
been, or could be, converted, realized or settled into USD at that
rate, or at any other rate, on December 31, 2021.
INVESTOR CONTACT:David CareyLazar FINN
PartnersT: +1-(212)
867-1768david.carey@finnpartners.com
MEDIA CONTACT:Erich SandovalLazar FINN
Partners+1-(646) 871-8482 or +1-(917)
497-2867erich.sandoval@finnpartners.com
Corporate
Contacts:info@connectpharm.com
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