Cabaletta Bio Reports Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
August 11 2022 - 07:00AM
GlobeNewswire Inc.
Cabaletta Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: CABA), a clinical-stage biotechnology
company focused on the discovery and development of targeted cell
therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases, today reported
financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, and
provided a business update.
“The DesCAARTes™ trial is continuing to advance through
additional cohorts, including higher doses as well as a planned
combination cohort with intravenous immunoglobulin and
cyclophosphamide administered prior to DSG3-CAART infusion, which
are expected to start dosing following cohort A5. We also expect to
present 6 month clinical and translational data from cohort A4 as
well as 28-day safety data from cohort A5 at the upcoming European
Association of Dermatology and Venereology Congress next month,”
said Steven Nichtberger, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and
Co-founder of Cabaletta. “With cash on hand to fund operations
through the first quarter of 2024, the goal of our
autoimmune-focused pipeline is to achieve deep, durable and perhaps
curative outcomes for patients. We are confident that we are
well-positioned to build on our progress to date and deliver
long-term value to patients and our other key stakeholders.”
Pipeline Highlights and Anticipated Upcoming
Milestones
DSG3-CAART: Desmoglein 3 chimeric autoantibody
receptor T (DSG3-CAART) cells as a potential treatment for patients
with mucosal pemphigus vulgaris (mPV).
- Presented updated interim clinical data from the
ongoing DesCAARTes™ trial at ASGCT and SID Annual
Meetings: In May 2022, Cabaletta presented updated
clinical and translational data through 6 months of follow-up in
cohorts A1 through A3, safety data through 3 months and persistence
data through 1 month of follow-up in cohorts A1 through A4 from the
DesCAARTes™ trial at the American Society of Gene & Cell
Therapy (ASGCT) 25th Annual Meeting and Society For Investigative
Dermatology (SID) 2022 Annual Meeting. The updated interim data
demonstrated that DSG3-CAART had a favorable safety profile with no
dose limiting toxicities or cytokine release syndrome of any grade
through cohort A4 and that a dose dependent increase in DSG3-CAART
persistence was observed through day 29 in cohorts A1 through
A4.
- Additional data from the DesCAARTes™ trial anticipated
at the 31st European Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)
Congress: Cabaletta plans to disclose 6 month clinical and
translational data for cohort A4 and 28-day safety data for cohort
A5 at the 31st EADV Congress, which is being held in Milan, Italy
from September 7-10, 2022.
- Upcoming cohorts designed to maximize DSG3-CAART
exposure in vivo. Two additional dose cohorts are planned
after cohort A5: A6m (multi-dose regimen at 10 to 15 billion cells)
and a combination cohort (2.5 billion cells in addition to patient
pre-treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin [IVIg] and
cyclophosphamide). The prioritization of cohorts following cohort
A5 (e.g. A6m or combination) is subject to evaluation of emerging
data and finalization of our protocol, as applicable. Cohort A5e
(enhanced manufacturing process at 5.0 to 7.5 billion cells) is no
longer planned to occur immediately after cohort A5.
MuSK-CAART: Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK)
chimeric autoantibody receptor T (MuSK-CAART) cells as a potential
treatment for patients with MuSK-associated myasthenia gravis.
- Presented preclinical data supporting planned clinical
development: In May 2022, Cabaletta presented preclinical
safety and activity studies supporting precision engineered T-cell
therapy for MuSK myasthenia gravis at American Association of
Immunologists IMMUNOLOGY2022™, 14th MGFA International Conference
On Myasthenia And Related Disorders and American Society of Gene
& Cell Therapy 25th Annual Meeting. The preclinical data
demonstrated that MuSK-CAART eliminated anti-MuSK target cells in
an animal model where CART19 cells were a positive control. The
preclinical data suggest that MuSK-CAART demonstrated specific in
vivo target engagement and support its progression into clinical
evaluation.
- Clinical Trial Application for MusCAARTes™ trial
accepted by Health Canada: In June 2022, Health Canada
issued a No Objection Letter (NOL) in response to a Clinical Trial
Application for the MusCAARTes™ trial submitted by Cabaletta. The
NOL allows for Cabaletta to activate clinical trial sites and
pursue patient enrollment for the MusCAARTes™ trial in Canada. The
receipt of the NOL from Health Canada follows the clearance of an
Investigational New Drug (IND) application submitted by Cabaletta
to the FDA for the MusCAARTes™ trial, which was cleared within the
routine 30-day review period. MuSK-CAART was granted Fast Track
Designation in March 2022.
- First-in-human trial planned to initiate in
2022: The trial will be an open-label study consisting of
two parts: (i) an accelerated dose escalation phase with a “2+4”
dosing scheme designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose,
with four additional patients added at the highest selected dose
and (ii) a cohort expansion phase at the final selected dose. The
trial will incorporate insights and enhancements supported by data
from the DesCAARTes™ trial, including the ability to start at a
higher initial dose. The trial is expected to enroll approximately
24 patients across multiple clinical sites throughout the United
States and Canada.
Upcoming Events
Cabaletta will participate in the following upcoming investor
conferences:
- Morgan Stanley 20th Annual Global Healthcare Conference, which
is being held in New York, NY from September 12-14, 2022.
- H.C. Wainwright 24th Annual Global Investment Conference, which
is being held virtually and in person in New York, NY from
September 12-14, 2022.
Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results
- Research and development expenses were $9.5 million for the
three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $7.9 million for the
same period in 2021.
- General and administrative expenses were $3.5 million for the
three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $3.3 million for the
same period in 2021.
- As of June 30, 2022, Cabaletta had cash, cash equivalents and
investments of $96.8 million, compared to $122.2 million as of
December 31, 2021.
Based on updated forecasting, the Company expects that its cash,
cash equivalents and investments as of June 30, 2022 will enable it
to fund its operating plan through the first quarter of 2024.
About Cabaletta BioCabaletta Bio (Nasdaq: CABA)
is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery
and development of engineered T cell therapies that have the
potential to provide a deep and durable, perhaps curative,
treatment for patients with autoimmune diseases. The CABA™
platform, in combination with Cabaletta Bio’s proprietary
technology, has advanced a growing pipeline that currently includes
potential treatments for patients with mucosal pemphigus vulgaris,
MuSK-associated myasthenia gravis, PLA2R-associated membranous
nephropathy, mucocutaneous pemphigus vulgaris and hemophilia A with
FVIII alloantibodies. Cabaletta Bio’s headquarters are located in
Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.cabalettabio.com
and follow us on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release
contains “forward-looking statements” of Cabaletta Bio within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended, including without limitation, express or implied
statements regarding expectations regarding: Cabaletta’s ability to
grow and advance its autoimmune-focused and preclinical pipeline;
the progress and results of its DesCAARTes™ Phase 1 trial and
planned MusCAARTes™ trial, including its ability to enroll the
requisite number of patients, dose each dosing cohort in the
intended manner, and progress the trial; the significance and
impact around the clinical and translational data updates from
cohorts A1 through A3 of the DesCAARTes™ trial; the expected timing
and significance of the announcement of 28-day safety for cohort A5
and clinical and translational data for cohort A4 at the 31st EADV
Congress in September 2022; the expectation that Cabaletta may
improve outcomes for patients suffering from mPV; Cabaletta’s
ability to escalate dosing as high as 10 to 15 billion cells in a
planned future cohort, initiate dosing in a combination cohort or
otherwise; Cabaletta’s plans to implement a pre-treatment regimen;
Cabaletta’s ability to advance dose escalation in the DesCAARTes™
Phase 1 trial at the current dose ranges for the current cohorts
and any projected potential dose ranges for future cohorts, and to
optimize its targeted cell therapy; Cabaletta’s ability to
evaluate, and the potential significance of, the relationship
between DSG3-CAART persistence and potential clinical responses in
patients with mPV; the expectation that Cabaletta Bio may improve
outcomes for patients suffering from MuSK MG; plans to initiate
patient dosing in an open-label Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate
MuSK-CAART safety and tolerability in MuSK MG patients in 2022; the
effectiveness and timing of product candidates that Cabaletta may
develop, including in collaboration with academic partners;
presentation of additional data at upcoming scientific conferences,
and other preclinical data; expectations regarding the design,
implementation, timing and success of its current and planned
clinical trials and the successful completion of nonclinical
studies; planned potential timing and advancement of its
preclinical studies and clinical trials and related regulatory
submissions; ability to optimize the impact of its collaborations
on its development programs; use of capital, expenses, future
accumulated deficit and other financial results in the future; and
ability to fund operations through the first quarter of 2024.
Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based
on management’s current expectations and beliefs of future events,
and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those
set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk
that signs of biologic activity or persistence may not inform
long-term results; Cabaletta’s ability to demonstrate sufficient
evidence of safety, efficacy and tolerability in its preclinical
and clinical trials of DSG3-CAART and MuSK-CAART; the risk that
persistence observed with effective CART-19 oncology studies in
combination with lymphodepletion is not indicative of, or
applicable to, clinical responses in patients with mPV; risks
related to clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that
are lower than expected; risks related to unexpected safety or
efficacy data observed during clinical studies; risks related to
the impact of public health epidemics, such as the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, affecting countries or regions in which we have
operations or do business; Cabaletta’s ability to retain and
recognize the intended incentives conferred by Orphan Drug
Designation and Fast Track Designation for DSG3-CAART for improving
healing of mucosal blisters in patients with mucosal pemphigus
vulgaris; Cabaletta’s ability to demonstrate sufficient evidence of
safety, efficacy and tolerability in its preclinical and clinical
trials of DSG3-CAART and MuSK-CAART; risks related to fostering and
maintaining successful relationships with Cabaletta’s manufacturing
partners; risks related to Cabaletta’s ability to protect and
maintain its intellectual property position; uncertainties related
to the initiation and conduct of studies and other development
requirements for its product candidates; the risk that any one or
more of Cabaletta’s product candidates will not be successfully
developed and commercialized; and the risk that the initial or
interim results of preclinical studies or clinical studies will not
be predictive of future results in connection with future studies.
For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, and
other important factors, any of which could cause Cabaletta’s
actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors”
in Cabaletta’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K as well as
discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important
factors in Cabaletta’s other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of
the date of the release, and Cabaletta undertakes no duty to update
this information unless required by law.
CABALETTA BIO,
INC.SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited;
in thousands, except share and per share data)Statements of
Operations
|
Three Months
EndedJune 30, |
|
Six Months
EndedJune 30, |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
|
2021 |
|
|
|
2022 |
|
|
|
2021 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
unaudited |
|
unaudited |
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development |
$ |
9,514 |
|
|
$ |
7,850 |
|
|
$ |
18,684 |
|
|
$ |
14,406 |
|
General and administrative |
|
3,546 |
|
|
|
3,295 |
|
|
|
7,375 |
|
|
|
6,451 |
|
Total
operating expenses |
|
13,060 |
|
|
|
11,145 |
|
|
|
26,059 |
|
|
|
20,857 |
|
Loss
from operations |
|
(13,060 |
) |
|
|
(11,145 |
) |
|
|
(26,059 |
) |
|
|
(20,857 |
) |
Other
income: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income |
|
150 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
203 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
Net
loss |
|
(12,910 |
) |
|
|
(11,139 |
) |
|
|
(25,856 |
) |
|
|
(20,841 |
) |
Net loss per share of voting
and non-voting common stock, basic and diluted |
$ |
(0.45 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.45 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.89 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.86 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selected Balance Sheet Data
|
June 30,2022 |
|
December 31,2021 |
|
(unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and investments |
$ |
96,806 |
|
|
$ |
122,222 |
|
Total assets |
|
102,016 |
|
|
|
126,336 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
6,486 |
|
|
|
8,380 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
95,530 |
|
|
|
117,956 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contacts:
Anup MardaChief Financial Officerinvestors@cabalettabio.com
Sarah McCabeStern Investor Relations,
Inc.212-362-1200sarah.mccabe@sternir.com
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