UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
☒
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the quarterly period ended September 30, 2021
OR
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from to
Commission
File No. 001-38207
CELCUITY
INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
No.
82-2863566
(State
of incorporation)
(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
16305
36th Avenue North; Suite 100
Minneapolis ,
Minnesota 55446
(Address
of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (763) 392-0767
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of each class
Trading
Symbol(s)
Name
of each exchange on which registered
Common
Stock, $0.001 par value per share
CELC
The
Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2)
has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES ☒ NO ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule
405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to submit such files). YES ☒ NO ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer
☐
Accelerated
filer
☐
Non-accelerated
filer
☒
Smaller
reporting company
☒
Emerging
growth company
☒
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐ NO ☒
On
November 1, 2021 there were 14,913,889 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share, outstanding.
Celcuity
Inc.
Table
of Contents
PAGE
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM
1 . Financial Statements (unaudited)
3
Condensed Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020
3
Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
4
Condensed Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2021
5
Condensed Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2020
6
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
7
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements
8
ITEM
2 . Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
15
ITEM
3 . Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
30
ITEM
4 . Controls and Procedures
30
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM
1 . Legal Proceedings
31
ITEM
1A . Risk Factors
31
ITEM
2 . Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
31
ITEM
3 . Defaults Upon Senior Securities
31
ITEM
4 . Mine Safety Disclosures
31
ITEM
5 . Other Information
31
ITEM
6 . Exhibits
32
Signatures
33
As
used in this report, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Celcuity,” and the “Company”
mean Celcuity Inc., unless the context indicates another meaning.
2
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM
1. Financial Statements
Celcuity
Inc.
Condensed
Balance Sheets
September 30, 2021
December 31, 2020
(unaudited)
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 90,366,812
$ 11,637,911
Deposits
22,009
22,009
Deferred transaction costs
-
-
Deferred transaction costs
-
-
Payroll tax receivable
356,309
190,000
Prepaid assets
437,351
317,040
Total current assets
91,182,481
12,166,960
Property and equipment, net
365,533
558,876
Operating lease right-of-use assets
289,586
230,911
Total Assets
$ 91,837,600
$ 12,956,747
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable
$ 1,746,425
$ 217,377
Finance lease liabilities
5,840
5,810
Operating lease liabilities
190,458
187,518
Accrued expenses
879,851
774,612
Total current liabilities
2,822,574
1,185,317
Finance lease liabilities
3,916
8,299
Operating lease liabilities
108,915
60,861
Note payable, non-current
14,427,809
-
Total Liabilities
17,363,214
1,254,477
Stockholders’ Equity:
Preferred stock, $ 0.001 par value: 2,500,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020
-
-
Common stock, $ 0.001 par value: 25,000,000 shares authorized; 14,905,898 and 10,299,822 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively
14,906
10,300
Additional paid-in capital
123,632,827
38,013,551
Accumulated deficit
( 49,173,347 )
( 26,321,581 )
Total Stockholders’ Equity
74,474,386
11,702,270
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
$ 91,837,600
$ 12,956,747
See
accompanying notes to the financial statements
3
Celcuity
Inc.
Condensed
Statements of Operations
(unaudited)
Three Months Ended September 30,
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021
2020
2021
2020
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 4,960,515
$ 1,962,610
$ 20,266,965
$ 5,576,250
General and administrative
639,271
517,465
1,768,058
1,428,578
Total operating expenses
5,599,786
2,480,075
22,035,023
7,004,828
Loss from operations
( 5,599,786 )
( 2,480,075 )
( 22,035,023 )
( 7,004,828 )
Other income (expense)
Interest expense
( 433,072 )
( 28 )
( 824,283 )
( 93 )
Interest income
5,612
5,805
7,803
81,639
Loss on sale of fixed assets
-
-
( 263 )
-
Other income (expense), net
( 427,460 )
5,777
( 816,743 )
81,546
Net loss before income taxes
( 6,027,246 )
( 2,474,298 )
( 22,851,766 )
( 6,923,282 )
Income tax benefits
-
-
-
-
Net loss
$ ( 6,027,246 )
$ ( 2,474,298 )
$ ( 22,851,766 )
$ ( 6,923,282 )
Net loss per share, basic and diluted
$ ( 0.41 )
$ ( 0.24 )
$ ( 1.78 )
$ ( 0.67 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
14,877,619
10,273,567
12,867,484
10,262,636
See
accompanying notes to the financial statements
4
Celcuity
Inc.
Condensed
Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
Three
Months and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
Common Stock
Additional
Accumulated
Shares
Amount
Paid-In Capital
Deficit
Total
Balance at December 31, 2020
10,299,822
$ 10,300
$ 38,013,551
$ ( 26,321,581 )
$ 11,702,270
Stock-based compensation
-
-
449,098
-
449,098
Stock-based compensation
Stock-based compensation, shares
Employee stock purchases
Employee stock purchases, shares
Exercise of common stock warrants
1,185
1
11,256
-
11,257
Exercise of common stock options, net of shares withheld for exercise price
12,707
13
( 13 )
-
-
Issuance of common stock warrants, note payable
Issuance of common stock, licensing agreement
Issuance of common stock, licensing agreement, shares
Issuance of common stock upon closing of follow-on offering, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs
1,971,100
1,971
25,766,522
-
25,768,493
Issuance of common stock in an at-the-market (“ATM”) offering
3,082
3
38,959
-
38,962
Issuance costs associated with ATM offering
-
-
( 3,868 )
-
( 3,868 )
Net loss
-
-
-
( 2,791,668 )
( 2,791,668 )
Balance at March 31, 2021 (unaudited)
12,287,896
$ 12,288
$ 64,275,505
$ ( 29,113,249 )
$ 35,174,544
Stock-based compensation
2,964
3
540,314
-
540,317
Employee stock purchases
5,496
6
25,811
-
25,817
Exercise of common stock options, net of shares withheld for exercise price
9,136
9
36,850
-
36,859
Issuance of common stock warrants, note payable
-
289,839
-
289,839
Issuance of common stock, licensing agreement
349,406
349
4,999,651
-
5,000,000
Net loss
-
-
-
( 14,032,852 )
( 14,032,852 )
Balance at June 30, 2021 (unaudited)
12,654,898
$ 12,655
$ 70,167,970
$ ( 43,146,101 )
$ 27,034,524
Stock-based compensation
-
-
699,916
-
699,916
Exercise of common stock options, net of shares withheld for exercise price
1,000
1
5,099
-
5,100
Issuance of common stock upon closing of follow-on offering, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs
2,250,000
2,250
52,759,842
-
52,762,092
Net loss
-
-
-
( 6,027,246 )
( 6,027,246 )
Balance at September 30, 2021 (unaudited)
14,905,898
$ 14,906
$ 123,632,827
$ ( 49,173,347 )
$ 74,474,386
See
accompanying notes to the financial statements
5
Celcuity
Inc.
Condensed
Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
Three
Months and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
Common Stock
Additional
Accumulated
Shares
Amount
Paid-In Capital
Deficit
Total
Balance at December 31, 2019
10,253,988
$ 10,254
$ 36,134,723
$ ( 16,847,406 )
$ 19,297,571
Stock-based compensation
-
-
464,649
-
464,649
Net loss
-
-
-
( 2,246,995 )
( 2,246,995 )
Balance at March 31, 2020 (unaudited)
10,253,988
10,254
36,599,372
( 19,094,401 )
17,515,225
Stock-based compensation
15,686
16
423,177
-
423,193
Employee stock purchases
4,678
4
23,893
-
23,897
Issuance of common stock in an at-the-market (“ATM”) offering
14,901
15
154,127
-
154,142
Issuance costs associated with ATM offering
-
-
( 52,110 )
-
( 52,110 )
Net loss
-
-
-
( 2,201,989 )
( 2,201,989 )
Balance at June 30, 2020 (unaudited)
10,289,253
10,289
37,148,459
( 21,296,390 )
15,862,358
Stock-based compensation
-
-
448,947
-
448,947
Issuance costs associated with ATM offering
-
-
( 75,032 )
-
( 75,032 )
Net loss
-
-
-
( 2,474,298 )
( 2,474,298 )
Balance at September 30, 2020 (unaudited)
10,289,253
$ 10,289
$ 37,522,374
$ ( 23,770,688 )
$ 13,761,975
See
accompanying notes to the financial statements
6
Celcuity
Inc.
Condensed
Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)
Nine Months Ended September 30,
2021
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$ ( 22,851,766 )
$ ( 6,923,282 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used for operations:
Depreciation
240,206
287,701
Stock-based compensation
1,689,331
1,336,789
Issuance of common stock, licensing agreement
5,000,000
-
Amortization of debt issuance costs and discount
173,361
-
PIK interest
196,348
-
Loss on sale of fixed assets
263
-
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Payroll tax receivable
( 166,309 )
-
Prepaid assets and deposits
( 120,311 )
170,990
Accounts payable
1,553,381
( 64,657 )
Accrued expenses
105,239
172,554
Non-cash operating lease, net
( 7,681 )
( 18,533 )
Net cash used for operating activities
( 14,187,938 )
( 5,038,438 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
( 71,959 )
( 75,494 )
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
500
-
Net cash used for investing activities
( 71,459 )
( 75,494 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from exercise of common stock warrants
11,257
-
Proceeds from exercise of employee stock options
41,959
-
Proceeds from employee stock purchases
25,817
23,897
Proceeds from follow-on offering, net of underwriting discounts and offering costs
78,530,585
-
Proceeds from note payable, net of debt issuance costs and discount of $ 652,061
14,347,939
-
Gross proceeds from an ATM offering
38,962
154,142
Payments for secondary registration statement costs
( 3,868 )
( 98,399 )
Payments for finance leases
( 4,353 )
( 4,323 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
92,988,298
75,317
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
78,728,901
( 5,038,615 )
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period
11,637,911
18,735,002
End of period
90,366,812
$ 13,696,387
Supplemental disclosures of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Property and equipment included in accounts payable
$ -
$ 7,714
Issuance of common stock warrants and final fee recognized as discount to note payable
$ 964,839
$ -
See
accompanying notes to the financial statements
7
CELCUITY
INC.
NOTES
TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)
(For
the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 and 2020)
1.
Organization
Nature
of Business
Celcuity
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is a clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to extend the lives of cancer
patients by pursuing an integrated companion diagnostic (CDx) and therapeutic (Rx) strategy. Our CELsignia companion diagnostic platform
is uniquely able to analyze live patient tumor cells to identify new groups of cancer patients likely to benefit from targeted therapies.
This enables a CELsignia CDx to support advancement of new indications for already approved targeted therapies. Our therapeutic efforts
are focused on in-licensing and developing molecularly targeted therapies that address the same cancer driver our companion diagnostics
can identify. By pursuing an integrated companion diagnostic and therapeutic strategy, we believe we are uniquely positioned to achieve
our goal of helping cancer patients receive the therapeutic best suited to treat their cancer driver. The Company was co-founded in 2012
by Brian F. Sullivan and Dr. Lance G. Laing and is based in Minnesota. The Company has not generated any revenues to date.
Follow-on
Offering
On
July 1, 2021, the Company completed a follow-on offering whereby it sold 2,250,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price
of $ 25.00 per share. The aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of shares in the follow-on offering was approximately $ 56.3 million before
deducting underwriting discounts of approximately $ 3.4 million and offering expenses of approximately $ 0.1 million.
On
February 26, 2021, the Company completed a follow-on offering whereby it sold 1,971,100 shares of common stock (including 257,100 shares
of common stock in connection with the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) at a public offering
price of $ 14.00 per share. The aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of shares in the follow-on offering, including the sale of shares
pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, was approximately $ 27.6 million before
deducting underwriting discounts of approximately $ 1.6 million and offering expenses of approximately $ 0.2 million.
2.
Basis of Presentation, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Basis
of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited financial statements include the accounts of the Company and have been prepared in accordance with Article 10
of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, as permitted by Article 10,
the unaudited financial statements do not include all of the information required by accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The balance sheet at December 31, 2020 was derived from the audited financial statements at
that date and does not include all the disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments which are of
a normal recurring nature and necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected in the financial statements. These unaudited condensed
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020
and the related footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Operating
results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected during the
remainder of the current year or for any future period.
Accounting
Estimates
Management
uses estimates and assumptions in preparing these unaudited condensed financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Those estimates
and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported
revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates and the difference could be material. Significant items subject
to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of stock-based compensation and prepaid or accrued clinical trial costs.
Risks
and Uncertainties
The
Company is subject to risks common to companies in the development stage including, but not limited to, dependency on the clinical and
commercial success of its diagnostic tests, ability to obtain regulatory approval of its diagnostic tests, the clinical and commercial
success of its initial drug product, gedatolisib, the need for substantial additional financing to achieve its goals, uncertainty of
broad adoption of its approved products, if any, by physicians and consumers, and significant competition.
Clinical
Trial Costs
The
Company records prepaid assets or accrued expenses for prepaid or estimated clinical trial costs conducted by third-party service providers,
which includes the conduct of preclinical studies and clinical trials. These costs can be a significant component of the Company’s
research and development expenses. The Company accrues for these costs based on factors such as estimates of the work completed and in
accordance with service agreements with its third-party service providers. The Company makes significant judgments and estimates in determining
the accrued liabilities balance in each reporting period. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts its prepaid assets or accrued
expenses. The Company has not experienced any material differences between accrued costs and actual costs incurred. However, the status
and timing of actual services performed, number of patients enrolled, and the rate of patient enrollments may vary from the Company’s
estimates, resulting in an adjustment to expense in future periods. Changes in these estimates that result in material changes to the
Company’s prepaid assets or accrued expenses could materially affect the Company’s results of operations.
8
Application
of New or Revised Accounting Standards
Pursuant
to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), a company constituting an “emerging growth company”
is, among other things, entitled to rely upon certain reduced reporting requirements. The Company is an emerging growth company but has
irrevocably elected not to take advantage of the extended transition period afforded by the JOBS Act for the implementation of new or
revised accounting standards. As a result, the Company will comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on
which adoption of such standards is required for public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
Recently
Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In
August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt - Debt with Conversion and other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging
- Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s
Own Equity (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required
under current U.S. GAAP. ASU 2020-06 removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity contracts to qualify for derivative
scope exceptions and also simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. The standard is effective for public
business entities, excluding entities eligible to be smaller reporting companies as defined by the SEC, for fiscal years and interim
periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. For all other entities, the standard will be effective for fiscal
years beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020,
and adoption must be as of the beginning of the Company’s annual fiscal year. The Company’s early adoption of this accounting
standard on April 8, 2021, in conjunction with the closing of a loan agreement, did not have an impact on the Company’s financial
statements and related disclosures.
3.
Net Loss Per Common Share
Basic
and diluted net loss per common share is determined by dividing net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average
common shares outstanding during the period. For all periods presented, the common shares underlying the options and warrants have been
excluded from the calculation because their effect would be anti-dilutive. Therefore, the weighted-average shares outstanding used to
calculate both basic and diluted loss per common share are the same.
For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, potentially dilutive securities excluded from the computations of diluted
weighted-average shares outstanding were options to purchase 1,184,721 and 810,725 shares of common stock, respectively, warrants to
purchase 378,442 and 353,585 shares of common stock, respectively, and 2,964 and 15,686 shares of restricted common stock, respectively.
4.
Commitments
Operating
and Finance Leases
The
Company leases its corporate space in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In September 2017, the Company entered into a non-cancelable operating
lease agreement for building space. The new lease commenced, and the Company moved to the facility in May 2018, in conjunction with the
termination of its then existing lease. Rent expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. In July 2020 the Company
signed an amendment to extend this lease through April 30, 2022. The lease amendment provides for monthly rent, real estate taxes and
operating expenses. As a result of the lease amendment, the Company recorded an incremental $ 197,211 in the operating right-of-use (“ROU”)
asset and lease liability. In July 2021, the Company signed the second amendment to extend this lease through April 30, 2023. This amendment
provides for monthly rent, real estate taxes and operating expenses. The Company recorded an incremental $ 193,517 in the operating right-of-use
(“ROU”) asset and lease liability pertaining to this amendment. The second amendment also includes the option to extend the
term for one additional year. The option to extend is at the Company’s discretion and because the Company has not determined if
the option to extend will be exercised, the extended lease term is not included in the ROU assets and lease liabilities. The Company
regularly evaluates the renewal options and when it is reasonably certain of exercise, the Company will include the renewal period in
its lease term.
In
May 2018, the Company entered into a non-cancelable finance lease agreement for office equipment with a five-year term. The underlying
assets are included in furniture and equipment. The lease contains a bargain purchase option at the end of the lease.
When
an implicit rate is not provided, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement
date in determining the present value of the lease payments.
9
Supplemental
balance sheet information consisted of the following at September 30, 2021:
Schedule
of Supplemental Balance Sheet Information Related to Leases
Operating Lease
Right-of-use assets
$ 289,586
Operating lease liability
$ 299,373
Less: short term portion
( 190,458 )
Long term portion
$ 108,915
Finance Lease
Furniture and equipment
$ 28,932
Less: Accumulated depreciation
( 19,288 )
Net book value of property and equipment under finance lease
$ 9,644
Finance lease liability
$ 9,756
Less: short term portion
( 5,840 )
Long term portion
$ 3,916
Maturity
analysis under lease agreements consisted of the following as of September 30, 2021:
Schedule
of Maturity Analysis Under Lease Agreements
Operating Leases
Finance Leases
2021
$ 48,705
$ 1,814
2022
201,099
7,255
2023
68,080
3,023
Total minimum lease payments
317,884
12,091
Less: Present value discount
( 18,511 )
( 59 )
Less: Amount representing services
–
( 2,277 )
Present value of net minimum lease payments
$ 299,373
$ 9,756
Remaining Lease Term
Discount Rate
Weighted Average
Operating lease
1.6 years
6.0 %
Finance lease
1.7 years
1.0 %
Lease costs for the period ended September 30, 2021:
Schedule of Lease Costs
Three-month Period
Nine-month Period
Operating lease cost
$ 47,575
$ 136,732
Finance lease cost:
Amortization
1,447
4,340
Interest
18
63
Variable lease cost
19,869
59,607
Total lease cost
$ 68,909
$ 200,742
Supplemental
cash flow information related to leases for the period ended September 30, 2021:
Schedule
of Supplemental Cash Flow Information Related to Leases
Three-month Period
Nine-month Period
Cash paid for amounts included in operating and finance leases:
Operating cash outflow from operating leases
$ 68,574
$ 204,021
Operating cash outflow from finance leases
19
63
Financing cash outflow from finance leases
1,454
4,353
Total cash paid for amounts
included in operating and finance leases
$ 70,047
$ 208,437
10
Clinical
Research Studies
The
Company enters into contracts in the normal course of business for clinical trials, preclinical studies, manufacturing and other services
and products for operating purposes. The Company currently has six Phase II clinical trial agreements in place to evaluate targeted therapies
selected with one of our CELsignia tests. The Company also has a license agreement in place with Pfizer to research, develop, manufacture
and commercialize gedatolisib. In conjunction with the license agreement, the Company is continuing a Phase I study – B2151009
related to gedatolisib. Timing of milestone payments are uncertain and the contracts generally provide for termination following a certain
period after notice, therefore the Company believes that non-cancelable obligations under the agreements are not material.
5.
Stockholders’ Equity
On
July 1, 2021, the Company completed a follow-on offering whereby it sold 2,250,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price
of $ 25.00 per share. The offering generated approximately $ 56.3 million before deducting underwriting discounts of approximately $ 3.4
million and offering expenses of approximately $ 0.1 million.
On
February 26, 2021, the Company completed a follow-on offering whereby it sold 1,971,100 shares of common stock (including 257,100 shares
of common stock in connection with the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) at a public offering
price of $ 14.00 per share. The aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of shares in the follow-on offering, including the sale of shares
pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, was approximately $ 27.6 million before
deducting underwriting discounts of approximately $ 1.6 million and offering expenses of approximately $ 0.2 million.
On
June 5, 2020, the Company entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “ATM Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc.
(the “Agent”). Pursuant to the ATM Agreement, the Company was able to offer and sell from time to time, at its option, shares
of common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $ 10,000,000 , par value $ 0.001 per share (the “Placement Shares”),
through the Agent.
The
Placement Shares were registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File
No. 333-227466), which was originally filed with the SEC on September 21, 2018 and declared effective by the SEC on October 4, 2018,
the base prospectus contained within the Registration Statement, and a prospectus supplement that was filed on June 5, 2020. Sales of
the Company’s common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement were able to be made by any method deemed to be an “at
the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
As
of the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company sold 3,082 shares of common stock pursuant to the ATM Agreement, at an average
selling price of $ 12.64 per share.
On
February 23, 2021, in conjunction with the Company’s follow-on offering, the ATM Agreement was terminated.
6.
Stock-Based Compensation
The
following table summarizes the activity for all stock options outstanding for the nine months ended September 30:
Schedule
of Stock Options Exercised
2021
2020
Shares
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Shares
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Options outstanding at beginning of year
849,949
$ 9.33
585,215
$ 14.37
Granted
402,550
23.04
238,762
6.67
Exercised
( 40,620 )
7.26
-
-
Forfeited
( 27,158 )
19.07
( 13,252 )
11.54
Balance at September 30
1,184,721
$ 13.84
810,725
$ 9.29
Options exercisable at September 30:
560,915
$ 9.45
371,550
$ 10.28
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value for options granted during the period:
$ 15.28
$ 4.29
11
The
following table summarizes additional information about stock options outstanding and exercisable at September 30, 2021:
Schedule
of Stock Options Outstanding and Exercisable
Options Outstanding Options Exercisable
Options Outstanding
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Options Exercisable
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
1,184,721
8.01
$ 13.84
$ 7,414,546
560,915
$ 9.45
5,162,976
The
Company recognized stock-based compensation expense for stock options of $ 673,022 and $ 410,544 for the three months ended September 30,
2021 and 2020, respectively and $ 1,611,575 and $ 1,275,481 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In May
2020, the Company modified the exercise price on 203,750 stock option awards to $ 5.10 , the closing market price on the Nasdaq Capital
Market on May 14, 2020. No director or officer awards were modified. The effect on stock-based compensation was $ 12,602 and $ 19,000 for
the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively and $ 34,396 and $ 70,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2021
and 2020. The effect on stock-based compensation over the remaining service period will be approximately $ 97,000 .
The
Black-Scholes option-pricing model was used to estimate the fair value of equity-based awards with the following weighted-average assumptions
for the nine months ended September 30:
Schedule
of Fair Value of Equity-based Awards
2021
2020
Risk-free interest rate
0.63 %
- 1.16 %
0.35 %
- 1.66 %
Expected volatility
76.6 %
- 76.9 %
73.3 %
- 77.1 %
Expected life (years)
5.0 to 6.08
5.5 to 6.12
Expected dividend yield
0 %
0 %
The
inputs for the Black-Scholes valuation model require management’s significant assumptions. Prior to the Company’s initial
public offering, the price per share of common stock was determined by the Company’s board based on recent prices of common stock
sold in private offerings. Subsequent to the initial public offering, the price per share of common stock is determined by using the
closing market price on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the grant date. The risk-free interest rates are based on the rate for U.S. Treasury
securities at the date of grant with maturity dates approximately equal to the expected life at the grant date. The expected life is
based on the simplified method in accordance with the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Nos. 107 and 110. The expected volatility is estimated
based on historical volatility information of peer companies that are publicly available in combination with the Company’s calculated
volatility since being publicly traded.
All
assumptions used to calculate the grant date fair value of non-employee options are generally consistent with the assumptions used for
options granted to employees. In the event the Company terminates any of its consulting agreements, the unvested options issued in connection
with the agreements would also be cancelled.
The
Company had 2,964
and 15,686
shares of restricted stock outstanding as of
September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and 0
shares of restricted stock vested during the
three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense for restricted stock of $ 20,792
and $ 20,904
for the three months ended September 30, 2021
and 2020, respectively and $ 59,359
and $ 31,815
for the nine months ended September 30, 2021
and 2020, respectively.
The
Company initially reserved a maximum of 750,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the 2017 Amended and Restated Stock Incentive
Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The number of shares reserved for issuance was automatically increased by 102,540 shares on January
1, 2020 and by 102,998 shares on January 1, 2021 and will increase automatically on January 1 of each of 2022 through 2027 by the number
of shares equal to 1.0% of the aggregate number of outstanding shares of Company common stock as of the immediately preceding December
31. At the Annual Meeting held on May 12, 2021, the stockholders approved a one-time, 500,000 increase to the number of shares reserved
for issuance under the 2017 Plan. However, the Company’s board may reduce the amount of the increase in any particular year. The
total remaining shares available for grant under the Company’s 2017 Plan as of September 30, 2021 was 423,564 .
Total
unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options and restricted stock is estimated to be recognized as follows:
Schedule
of Unrecognized Compensation Cost
2021
$ 767,915
2022
2,681,394
2023
1,967,574
2024
1,492,473
2025
581,225
Total estimated compensation cost to be recognized
$ 7,490,581
12
The
Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to its employee stock purchase plan of $ 6,102
and $ 17,499
for the three months ended September 30, 2021
and 2020, respectively and $ 18,397
and $ 29,493
for the nine months ended September 30, 2021
and 2020, respectively. The Company initially reserved a total of 100,000
shares for issuance under the employee stock
purchase plan. The number of shares reserved for issuance was automatically increased by 51,270
shares on January 1, 2020 and 51,499
shares on January 1, 2021 and will increase automatically
on each subsequent January 1 by the number
of shares equal to 0.5% of the total outstanding number of shares of
Company common stock as of the immediately preceding December 31. However, the Company’s board may reduce the amount of the increase
in any particular year. The total remaining shares available for issuance under the employee stock purchase plan as of September 30,
2021 was 158,214 .
The
Company recognized total stock-based compensation expense as follows for the three and nine months ended September 30:
Schedule
of Stock-based Compensation Expense
2021
2020
2021
2020
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
September 30,
2021
2020
2021
2020
Stock-based compensation expense in operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 434,597
$ 254,537
$ 1,017,855
$ 813,099
General and administrative
265,319
194,410
671,476
523,690
Total
$ 699,916
$ 448,947
$ 1,689,331
$ 1,336,789
7.
Debt
On
April 8, 2021, the Company entered into a loan and security agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Innovatus Life Sciences
Lending Fund I, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Innovatus”) in its capacity as Collateral Agent and sole Lender. The
Lender agreed to loan up to $ 25 million in three tranches consisting of (i) a $ 15.0 million non-contingent term A loan that was funded
on April 8, 2021, (ii) a $ 5 million term B loan to be funded upon request of the Company no later than March 31, 2022, and (iii) a $ 5
million term C loan to be funded upon request of the Company no later than March 31, 2023 (collectively the “Term Loans”).
Funding of the term B and C loan is subject to the Company’s ability to achieve certain milestones. The Innovatus Loan Agreement
is secured by a lien covering substantially all assets of the Company.
The
Loan Agreement also contains certain events of default, warranties and covenants of the Company. In connection with each funding of the
Term Loans, the Company is required to issue Innovatus a warrant (the “Warrants”) to purchase a number of shares of the Company’s
stock equal to 2.5% of the principal amount of the relevant Term Loan funded divided by the exercise price, which will be based on the
lower of (i) $14.40 per share or (ii) the volume weighted price per share of the Company’s stock for the five-trading day period
ending on the last trading day immediately preceding the funding date of the Term B or Term C Loan, as applicable. The warrants may be
exercised on a cashless basis and are immediately exercisable through the tenth anniversary of the applicable funding date. In connection
with the first tranche of the Term Loans, the Company issued a warrant to Innovatus to purchase 26,042 shares of the Company’s
common stock at an exercise price of $ 14.40 per share. The Company evaluated the warrant under ASC 470, debt, and recognized an additional
debt discount of approximately $ 0.3 million based on the relative fair value of the base instruments and warrants. The Company calculated
the fair value of the warrant using the Black-Scholes model. The Company is also required to maintain a minimum cash balance in agreement
with the term loans’ default terms.
The
Company is entitled to make interest-only payments for thirty-six months, or up to forty-eight months if certain conditions are met.
The Term Loans will mature on the fifth anniversary of the initial funding date and will bear interest at a rate equal to sum of (a)
the greater of (i) Prime Rate (as defined in the Loan Agreement) or (ii) 3.25%, plus (b) 5.70%. The effective interest rate is 11.36 %.
Additionally, the Company elected to make 2.7 % of the interest rate as payable in kind, which shall accrue as principal monthly. The
Company is obligated to pay the Lenders (i) a non-refundable facility fee in the amount of 1.00 % of each term loan that is funded (the
“Facility Fee”), and (ii) a final fee equal to 4.50 % of the aggregate amount of the term loans funded (the “Final Fee”).
In connection with the funding of the first tranche of the Term Loans, a final fee of approximately $ 0.7 million was recorded as additional
principal and as a debt discount, and a facility fee of approximately $ 0.1 million was recorded as additional debt discount. The Company
has the option to prepay the loan at any time following the first anniversary of the loan closing, with tiered prepayment fees ranging
from 0 – 2% based on when the prepayment would occur.
Innovatus
also has the right, at its election, after June 1, 2021 and until the third anniversary of the Loan Agreement, to convert up to 20 % of
the outstanding principal amount of all Terms Loans made under the Loan Agreement into shares of the Company’s common stock at
a price per share equal to the volume weighted average closing price of the Company’s stock for the 5-trading day period ending
on the last trading day immediately preceding the execution of the Loan Agreement (the “Conversion Right”).
13
In
connection with the Loan Agreement and the funding of the first tranche of the Term Loans, the Company incurred debt issuance costs of
approximately $ 0.5 million. The debt issuance costs, and the debt discount are amortized to interest expense using the effective interest
method over the life of the Term Loans. The carrying value of the debt approximates fair value as of September 30, 2021.
Long-term
debt consisted of the following:
Schedule of Long-term Debt
September 30, 2021
Note payable
$ 15,000,000
Add: PIK interest (added to principal)
196,348
Add: final fee
675,000
Less: unamortized debt issuance costs
( 426,877 )
Less: unamortized debt discount
( 1,016,662 )
Total long-term debt
$ 14,427,809
Future
principal payments, including the final fee, are as follows:
Schedule of Future Principal Payments
Years Ending December 31,
2024
$ 5,698,631
2025
7,598,174
2026
2,574,543
Total
$ 15,871,348
8.
License Agreement
On
April 8 th , the Company entered into a license agreement with Pfizer to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize gedatolisib,
a potent, well-tolerated, reversible dual inhibitor that targets PI3K and mTOR, for the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of all diseases.
The Company paid Pfizer $ 5.0 million in upfront fees and issued to Pfizer $ 5.0 million of shares of the Company’s common stock
pursuant to an Equity Grant Agreement. The upfront payment and the issuance of shares were expensed to research & development in
full for the three months ending June 30, 2021.
The
Company is also required to make milestone payments to Pfizer upon achievement of certain development and commercial milestone events,
up to an aggregate of $ 335.0 million. Additionally, the Company will pay Pfizer tiered royalties on sales of gedatolisib at percentages
ranging from the low to mid-teens, which may be subject to deductions for expiration of valid claims, amounts due under third-party licenses
and generic competition. Unless earlier terminated, the license agreement will expire upon the expiration of all royalty obligations.
The royalty period will expire on a country-by-country basis upon the later of (a) 12 years following the date of first commercial sale
of such product in such country, (b) the expiration of all regulatory or data exclusivity in such country for such product or (c) the
date upon which the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale or importation of such product in such country would no longer infringe, but
for the license granted in the license agreement, a valid claim of a licensed patent right.
The
Company has the right to terminate the license agreement for convenience upon 90 days’ prior written notice. Pfizer may not terminate
the agreement for convenience. Either the Company or Pfizer may terminate the license agreement if the other party is in material breach
and such breach is not cured within the specified cure period. In addition, either the Company or Pfizer may terminate the license agreement
in the event of specified insolvency events involving the other party.
14
ITEM
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You
should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our unaudited condensed
financial statements and the related notes appearing under Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Quarterly
Report”). Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, including
information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and expected financial results, includes forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the “Risk Factors” discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2020, in Exhibit 99.4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 8, 2021 and elsewhere
in this Quarterly Report for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results
described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
We
are a clinical-stage biotechnology company seeking to extend the lives of cancer patients by pursing an integrated companion diagnostic
(CDx) and therapeutic (Rx) strategy that leverages our CELsignia CDx platform. CELsignia is uniquely able to analyze live patient tumor
cells to identify new groups of cancer patients likely to benefit from targeted therapies. This enables a CELsignia CDx to support advancement
of new indications for already approved targeted therapies. Our therapeutic strategy aims to utilize CELsignia’s unique insights
into tumor cell biology to identify, in-license, and develop potential first-in-class or best-in-class targeted therapies that treat
the same cancer driver a CELsignia CDx can identify. We believe this integrated CDx and Rx strategy will maximize the impact our CELsignia
platform has on the treatment landscape for cancer patients.
The
first drug candidate we are developing internally is gedatolisib, a potent, well-tolerated, small molecule dual inhibitor, administered
intravenously, that selectively targets all Class 1 isoforms of PI3K and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In April 2021, we obtained
exclusive global development and commercialization rights to gedatolisib under a license agreement with Pfizer, Inc. Our interest in
gedatolisib was prompted after we conducted a study of various PI3K targeted therapeutics while developing our CELsignia PI3K Activity
test. Our CELsignia platform allows us to obtain proprietary insights about the relative effectiveness of PI3K targeted therapies. This
study found that gedatolisib inhibited higher levels of PI3K-involved signaling activity than the other PI3K targeted therapeutics we
evaluated and demonstrated superior drug synergy when combined with other targeted therapies. Gedatolisib’s initial clinical development
program will focus on the treatment of patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+), HER2-negative, advanced or metastatic breast cancer.
Additional clinical development programs are expected to focus on other tumor types that involve a hormonal signaling pathway, such as
endometrial, ovarian, or prostate cancer.
Supporting
the development of a potential first-in-class targeted therapy for breast cancer, like gedatolisib, with our CELsignia platform is a
natural extension of our strategy to use our CELsignia CDx to enable new indications for other companies’ targeted therapies. By
combining companion diagnostics designed to enable proprietary new drug indications with targeted therapies that treat signaling dysregulation
our CDx identifies, we believe we are uniquely positioned to improve the standard-of-care for many early and late-stage breast cancer
patients. Our goal is to play a key role in the multiple treatment approaches required to treat breast cancer patients at various stages
of their disease. With each program, we are:
●
Leveraging
the proprietary insights CELsignia provides into live patient tumor cell function
●
Using
a CELsignia CDx to identify new patients likely to respond to the paired targeted therapy
●
Developing
a new targeted therapeutic option for breast cancer patients
●
Maximizing
the probability of getting regulatory approval to market the targeted therapy indication
Therapeutic
(Rx) Product Development
Gedatolisib
Gedatolisib
(PF-05212384) is a potent, reversible dual inhibitor that selectively targets PI3K and mTOR. Gedatolisib was originally developed by
Wyeth and clinical development was continued by Pfizer after it acquired Wyeth. We exclusively licensed global rights to gedatolisib
from Pfizer in April 2021. An on-going Phase 1b trial evaluating patients with ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer was initiated in 2016
and subsequently enrolled 138 patients. Patient enrollment for the four expansion arms of the trial is complete. Based on the favorable
preliminary results reported to date from the Phase 1b trial, we intend to initiate, subject to feedback from the FDA, a Phase 2/3 clinical
trial evaluating gedatolisib in combination with palbociclib and an endocrine therapy in patients with ER+/HER2- advanced or metastatic
breast cancer in the first half of 2022.
Background
Breast
cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women, accounting for 30% of all female cancers and 13% of cancer-related deaths in the United
States. The National Cancer Institute estimated that approximately 270,000 new cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed in the United
States in 2019, and approximately 42,000 breast cancer patients would die of the disease. Approximately 190,000, or 70%, of these new
cases are for ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
15
Four
different breast cancer subtypes are currently identified using molecular tests that determine the level of ER and HER2 expression. About
70% of breast cancers are ER+/HER2-, which is indicative of hormone dependency. Despite progress in treatment strategies, metastatic
ER+/HER2- breast cancer (mBC) remains an incurable disease, with a median overall survival (OS) of three years and a five-year survival
rate of 25%.
Four
different classes of targeted therapies are currently used to treat ER+/HER2- tumors: endocrine-based therapies, CDK4/6 inhibitors,
PI3K inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors. Each of the CDK4/6 inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors are generally used to respond
to the related mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapy, namely, activation of the CDK4/6, PI3K and mTOR pathways. These drugs generated
revenues of over $8 billion globally in 2020.
As
specifically relates to gedatolisib, activation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway has been implicated in a wide variety of human cancers, involving
either activating mutations, or other unknown drivers of pathway amplification. These include cancers of the breast, prostate, endometrial,
colon, rectum, and lung, among others.
PI3K
constitutes a lipid kinase family involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes, including cell proliferation, survival, cytoskeletal
organization, and glucose transport. Class I PI3Ks are of particular therapeutic interest. They are heterodimers, comprising a catalytic
(p110α, p110β, p110δ, or p110γ) and a regulatory (p85α, p55α, p50α, p85β, p55γ, or
p101) subunit. Oncogenic PI3K signaling is activated by cell-surface receptors such as receptor tyrosine kinases, G-protein-coupled receptors,
and also by well-known oncogenic proteins such as RAS.
Activities
associated with PI3K involve complex essential cell regulatory mechanisms including feedforward and feedback signaling loops. Overactivation
of the pathway is frequently present in human malignancies and plays a key role in cancer progression. Each of the four catalytic isoforms
of class I PI3K preferentially mediate signal transduction and tumor cell survival based on the type of malignancy and the genetic or
epigenetic alterations an individual patient harbors. For example, studies have demonstrated the p110α catalytic isoform is necessary
for the growth of tumors driven by PIK3CA mutations and/or oncogenic RAS and receptor tyrosine kinases; the p110β catalytic isoform
mediates tumorigenesis arising from the loss of the dephosphorylase activity of PTEN; and the p110δ catalytic isoform is highly
expressed in leukocytes, making it a desirable target for inhibition in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Due to the multiple
subcellular locations, activities, and importance of the different PI3K complexes in regulating many types of cancer cell proliferation,
control of PI3K activity is an important target in cancer therapy.
mTOR
is as a critical effector in cell-signaling pathways commonly dysregulated in human cancers. The mTOR signaling pathway integrates both
intracellular and extracellular signals and serves as a central regulator of cell metabolism, growth, proliferation, and survival. mTOR
is a serine/threonine protein kinase, a downstream effector of PI3K, and regulated by hormones, growth factors, and nutrients, that is
contained in two functionally distinct protein assemblies: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). mTORC1 belongs to a complex
network of regulatory feedback loops, and once certain levels of activation are reached, is normally responsible for limiting the proliferative
signals transmitted by upstream effectors such as PI3K/AKT activity. Equally complex mTORC2 regulates AKT phosphorylation, GSK3β,
and control over glycolysis, and participates in organizing the cellular actin cytoskeleton. In addition, mTORC1 activation leads to
the direct reduction of mTORC2 activity and mTOR can activate the functional domain of the ER, leading to ligand-independent hormone
receptor activation. In cancer, dysfunctional signaling leads to various constitutive activities of mTOR complexes, making mTOR a good
therapeutic target.
PI3K/mTOR
as Resistance Mechanism to Endocrine and CDK4/6 Inhibitors
The
upregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway promotes hormone dependent and independent ER transcriptional activity, which contributes to
endocrine resistance, leading to tumor cell growth, survival, motility, and metabolism. It has also been demonstrated in vivo that PI3K
and mTOR inhibition can restore sensitivity to endocrine therapy, providing a strong rationale for the combination of the two therapies.
In
addition, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, like other mitogenic pathways, can also promote the activities of cyclin D and CDK4/6 to drive proliferative
cell cycling. Internal preclinical studies conducted by Pfizer provided evidence in cell-line xenograft models that the combination of
PI3K and CDK4/6 inhibitors may overcome both intrinsic and adaptive resistance to endocrine therapy, leading to tumor regressions. In
an MCF7 xenograft model (ER+/HER2-/PIK3CA mutant) the combination of gedatolisib with palbociclib and fulvestrant led to durable tumor
regressions. Importantly, tumors regressed to minimal volumes within 20 days of triplet therapy, and continued to remain dormant, without
further therapy, for up to 90 days.
16
Advantages
of Gedatolisib over other PI3K and mTOR inhibitors
The
important role the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway plays in cancer has led to significant investment in the development of many different PI3K
and mTOR inhibitors for solid tumors. However, developing efficacious and well-tolerated therapies that target this pathway has been
challenging. This reflects the inherent adaptability and complexity of the PI3K pathway, where numerous feedforward and feedback loops,
crosstalk with other pathways, and compensatory pathways enable resistance to PI3K inhibition. Another major hurdle for the development
of PI3K pathway inhibitors has been the inability to achieve optimal drug-target blockade in tumors while avoiding undue toxicities in
patients. These challenges may explain why PI3K and mTOR inhibitors have not yielded the outstanding clinical activity many researchers
expected.
We
believe there is significant potential for gedatolisib to address previously treated breast cancer tumors and has the potential to be
used in other tumor types where the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is either: i) driving tumorigenesis directly; ii) cooperating with other dysregulated
signaling pathways; or iii) a mechanism of resistance to other drug therapies.
As
a result, we believe gedatolisib’s unique mechanism of action and intravenous formulation offer distinct advantages over currently
approved and investigational therapies that target PI3K or mTOR alone or together.
●
Overcomes
drug resistance that can occur with isoform-specific PI3K inhibitors.
Gedatolisib
is a pan-class I isoform PI3K inhibitor with low nanomolar potency for the p110α, p110β, p110γ, and p110δ
isoforms. Each isoform is known to preferentially affect different signal transduction events that involve tumor cell survival, depending
upon the aberrations associated with the linked pathway. A pan-PI3K inhibitor can thus treat tumors harboring abnormalities that
signal through different PI3K isoforms, which would potentially induce anti-tumor activity in a broader population of patients than
an isoform-specific PI3K inhibitor. In addition, it has been reported that inhibition of one PI3K isoform may be offset by the increased
activity of the other isoforms through different adaptive mechanisms. Inhibiting all four PI3K isoforms, as gedatolisib does, can
thus prevent the confounding effect of isoform interaction that may occur with isoform-specific PI3K inhibitors.
●
Overcomes
paradoxical activation of PI3K induced by mTOR inhibition.
As
a potent inhibitor of mTOR, in addition to PI3K, gedatolisib, inhibits the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway both upstream and downstream of
AKT. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the PI3K pathway is activated following selective mTOR inhibition by relief of normal
feedback regulatory mechanisms, thus providing a compelling rationale for simultaneous inhibition of PI3K and mTOR.
●
Better
tolerated by patients than oral PI3K and mTOR drugs.
Gedatolisib
is administered intravenously (IV) once weekly or on a four-week cycle of three weeks-on, one week-off, in contrast to the orally
administered pan-PI3K or dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors that are no longer being clinically developed. Oral pan-PI3K or PI3K/mTOR inhibitors
have repeatably been found to induce significant side effects that were not well tolerated by patients. This typically leads to a
high proportion of patients requiring dose reductions or treatment discontinuation. The challenging toxicity profile of these drug
candidates ultimately played a significant role in the decisions to halt their development, despite showing promising efficacy. By
contrast, gedatolisib stabilizes at lower concentration levels in plasma compared to orally administered PI3K inhibitors, resulting
in less toxicity, while maintaining concentrations sufficient to inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.
Isoform-specific
PI3K inhibitors administered orally were developed to reduce toxicities in patients. While the range of toxicities associated with
isoform-specific inhibitors is narrower than oral pan-PI3K or PI3K/mTOR inhibitors, administering them orally on a continuous basis
still leads to challenging toxicities. The experience with an FDA approved oral p110-α specific inhibitor, Piqray, illustrates
the challenge. In its Phase 3 pivotal trial Piqray was found to induce a Grade 3 or 4 adverse event (AE) related to hyperglycemia
in 39% of patients evaluated. In addition, 26% of patients discontinued treatment. By contrast, in the 103-patient dose expansion
portion of the Phase 1b clinical trial with gedatolisib, only 7% of patients experienced Grade 3 or 4 hyperglycemia and less than
10% discontinued treatment.
17
Clinical
Experience with Gedatolisib
As
of September 30, 2021, 492 patients with solid tumors have received gedatolisib in eight clinical trials sponsored by Pfizer. Of the
492 patients, 129 were treated with gedatolisib as a single agent in three clinical trials. The remaining 363 patients received gedatolisib
in combination with other anti-cancer agents in five clinical trials. Additional patients received gedatolisib in combination with other
anti-cancer agents in nine investigator sponsored clinical trials.
Phase
1 First-in-Human Study
Pfizer
conducted a Phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation first-in human study of single-agent gedatolisib in patients with advanced solid tumors.
The primary objective of Part 1 of the study was to determine the safety, tolerability, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of single-agent
gedatolisib administered once weekly as an intravenous (IV) infusion. Seventy-seven patients with advanced solid tumors received doses
of gedatolisib and the MTD was determined to be 154 mg IV once weekly (n = 42). Subsequent analysis determined that the recommended Phase
2 dose could be increased to 180 mg IV once weekly.
At
the MTD, the majority of patients enrolled in the MTD group experienced only grade 1 treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Grade 3
treatment-related adverse events were noted in 23.8% of patients, and the most frequently reported included mucosal inflammation and
stomatitis (7.1%), increased alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) (7.1%), and increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (4.8%).
No treatment-related AEs of grade 4 or 5 severity were reported at any dose level.
Phase
1b ER+/HER2- mBC Clinical Trial Results (preliminary)
In
2016, Pfizer initiated a Phase 1b trial dose-finding trial with an expansion portion for safety and efficacy to evaluate gedatolisib
when added to either the standard doses of palbociclib plus letrozole or palbociclib plus fulvestrant in patients with ER+/HER2- metastatic
breast cancer. PI3K mutation status was not used as an eligibility criterion. Patient enrollment for the trial is complete.
The
illustration below depicts how the combination of gedatolisib, palbociclib, and fulvestrant is intended to simultaneously block interdependent
ER, PI3K, mTOR & CDK signaling pathways in ER+ breast cancer to address ER and CDKi resistance mechanisms.
A
total of 138 patients with ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer were dosed in the clinical trial.
●
35
patients were enrolled in two dose escalation arms to evaluate the safety and tolerability and determine the MTD of gedatolisib when
used in combination with the standard doses of palbociclib and endocrine therapies. The MTD was determined to be 180 mg administered
intravenously once weekly.
●
103
patients were enrolled in one of four expansion arms (A, B, C, D) to determine if the triplet combination of gedatolisib plus palbociclib
and letrozole or gedatolisib plus palbociclib and fulvestrant produced a superior objective response (OR), compared to historical
control data of the doublet combination (palbociclib plus endocrine therapy). All patients received gedatolisib in combination with
standard doses of palbociclib and endocrine therapy (either letrozole or fulvestrant). In Arms A, B, and C, patients received an
intravenous dose of 180 mg of gedatolisib once weekly. In Arm D, patients received an intravenous dose of 180 mg of gedatolisib on
a four-week cycle of three weeks-on, one week-off. Objective response was determined using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid
Tumors v1.0, or RECIST v1.0.
18
○
Arm
A : mBC with progression and no prior endocrine-based systemic therapy or a CDK4/6 inhibitor in the metastatic setting. First-line
endocrine-based therapy for metastatic disease (CDK4/6 treatment naive).
○
Arm
B : mBC with progression during one or two prior endocrine-based systemic therapy in the metastatic setting, with no prior therapy
with any CDK inhibitor. Second- or third-line endocrine-based therapy for metastatic disease.
○
Arm
C : mBC with progression during one or two prior endocrine-based systemic therapies in the metastatic setting and following prior
therapy with a CDK inhibitor. Second- or third-line endocrine-based therapy for metastatic disease.
○
Arm
D : mBC having progressed on a CDK inhibitor in combination with endocrine therapy as the most recent regimen for metastatic disease.
Second- or third-line endocrine-based therapy for metastatic disease.
A
preliminary analysis for the 103 patients enrolled in the expansion portion of the Phase 1b clinical trial, as of the database cutoff
date of January 11, 2021, showed:
●
Efficacy analysis for all arms in aggregate:
○
60% objective response rate (ORR): 53 of the 88 evaluable patients
had either a confirmed or unconfirmed partial response, or PR (48 confirmed, 5 unconfirmed).
○
75% clinical benefit rate (CBR): 66 of the 88 evaluable patients
had either a confirmed PR or had stable disease for 24 weeks.
●
Best responses, as measured by RECIST v1.0, are shown in the
following chart. The dotted line represents the cutoff for PR (defined as a 30% reduction from baseline).
●
Preliminary safety analysis:
○
For all arms in aggregate,
all patients experienced at least one Grade 1 or Grade 2 treatment-emergent adverse event. The most commonly reported adverse events
regardless of grade and occurring in at least 30% of patients included stomatitis (81%), neutropenia (80%), nausea (75%), fatigue (68%),
dysgeusia (46%), vomiting (45%), anemia (40%), diarrhea (34%), decreased appetite (32%), leukopenia (32%).
○
For all arms in aggregate, the Grade 3 and 4 treatment-emergent
adverse events occurring in at least 20% of patients were neutropenia (67%), stomatitis (27%) and rash (20%). Neutropenia is a known
class effect of CDK4/6 inhibitors. Stomatitis was reversible in most patients with a steroidal mouth rinse. All grades of treatment-related
adverse events related to hyperglycemia was reported in 22% of patients; Grade 3 or 4 hyperglycemia was reported in 7% of patients. Gedatolisib
was discontinued in 10% of patients.
○
For the patients in Arm D, who received the recommended phase
two dose, Grade 3 and 4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurring in at least 20% of patients were neutropenia (67%) stomatitis and
(22%). All grades of treatment-related adverse events related to hyperglycemia was reported in 22% of patients; Grade 3 or 4 hyperglycemia
was reported in 7% of patients.
19
○
Gedatolisib was discontinued in 7% of patients.
○
As of the cutoff date, 22 patients were continuing to receive
gedatolisib in combination with the other study drugs, 17 of whom have been on study treatment for more than two years.
●
Preliminary best overall response data for each arm is presented
in the table below:
Arm
(evaluable patients)
A
(N=24)
B
(N=12)
C
(N=27)
D
(N=25)
Patients
1L:
CDKi-naïve
2L+:
CDKi-naïve
2L/3L:
CDKi-pretreated
2L/3L:
Immediately
prior CDKi
Overall Response Rate
(evaluable patients)
83 %
75 % 1
33 % 2
60 % 3
Clinical Benefit Rate
(evaluable patients)
92 %
92 %
48 %
76 %
1.
Arm A: 20 of the 24 evaluable patients had a confirmed PR.
2.
Arm B: 9 of the 12 evaluable patients had either a confirmed PR or unconfirmed PR (7 confirmed PR, 2 unconfirmed PR).
3.
Arm C: 9 of the 27 evaluable patients had either a confirmed PR or unconfirmed PR (7 confirmed PR, 2 unconfirmed PR).
4.
Arm D: 15 of the 25 evaluable patients had either a confirmed PR or unconfirmed PR (14 confirmed PR, 1 unconfirmed PR).
●
Preliminary progression free survival (PFS) data for each arm
is presented in the table below:
Arm
(enrolled patients)
A
(N=31)
B
(N=13)
C
(N=32)
D
(N=27)
Median PFS
(months) (95% CI)
>29
(Not Yet Reached)
11.9
(3.7, NR)
5.1
(3.4, 7.5)
13.2
(9.0, 16.7)
In
light of the preliminary results reported to date from the Phase 1b trial, we intend to initiate, subject to feedback from the FDA, a
Phase 2/3 clinical trial evaluating gedatolisib in combination with palbociclib and an endocrine therapy in patients with ER+/HER2- advanced
or metastatic breast cancer in the first half of 2022.
We
expect to use the CELsignia PI3K Activity Test to help support development of gedatolisib for breast cancer indications. Our internal
studies demonstrate how measurement of PI3K-involved signaling may provide a sensitive and specific method of identifying patients most
likely to benefit from PI3K inhibitors. We believe CELsignia tests uniquely enable us to pursue indications simultaneously for unselected
patient populations and CELsignia selected patient sub-groups. This approach can greatly reduce the risk of pursing an indication for
a large, but unselected patient population, as we plan to do for the initial gedatolisib indication. By combining the capabilities of
CELsignia PI3K Activity Test with a potent pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor like gedatolisib, we believe we are uniquely suited to maximize the
probability of obtaining regulatory approval to market gedatolisib.
Phase
2 Pilot Clinical Trial for HER2+/PIK3CA+ Patients
The
Korean Cancer Study Group sponsored a Phase 2 pilot clinical trial to evaluate gedatolisib combined with a trastuzumab biosimilar (Herzuma®),
in patients with HER2+/PIK3CA+ metastatic breast cancers whose disease had progressed after treatment with three or more prior HER2 targeted
therapy regimens. The clinical trial commenced in December 2019 and interim efficacy data from the first 16 patients enrolled was presented
at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December 2020. Patients received a trastuzumab biosimilar (8 mg/kg IV for 1st cycle loading
dose, and then 6 mg/kg IV every 3 weeks) plus gedatolisib (180 mg, weekly IV). The primary endpoint was objective response, a reduction
of at least 30% in tumor volume by RECIST v1.1.
20
As
of a data cutoff date of October 30, 2020, nine of 16 patients achieved a partial response, an ORR of 56%, and four patients had stable
disease. Thirteen of 16 patients thus received either a partial response or stable disease, resulting in a clinical benefit rate of 81%.
Best responses are shown in the following chart. The dotted lines represent the cutoff for progressive disease (>20% tumor growth)
and for partial response (>30% tumor regression).
Best
Response
*
Patient whose target lesion decreased by 63% but a new leptomeningeal seeding occurred.
The
duration of treatment for the 16 patients evaluated is shown in the chart below. As of the October 30, 2020 data cutoff, 16 patients
(80%) remained on therapy. Four patients discontinued treatment, one due to disease progression, one due to an adverse event of Grade
1 diarrhea, one participant decision, and one patient being unable to undergo the required MRI imaging due to a titanium rod implant
from non-treatment related worsening of scoliosis. At the time of data cut-off, the median time on treatment for these 20 patients was
10.1 cycles (approximately 10 months) and all 10 patients who had achieved an objective response remained on therapy assessment. At the
time of the analysis, nine patients had a continuing response. The dashed lines show the response at 3 months and 6 months.
Duration
of Treatment
CELsignia
Development and CDx Programs
Our
proprietary CELsignia diagnostic platform is the only commercially ready technology we are aware of that uses a patient’s living
tumor cells to identify the specific abnormal cellular process driving a patient’s cancer and the targeted therapy that best treats
it. This enables us to identify patients whose tumors may respond to a targeted therapy, even though they lack a previously associated
molecular mutation. By identifying cancer patients whose tumors lack an associated genetic mutation but have abnormal cellular activity
a matching targeted therapeutic is designed to inhibit, CELsignia CDx can expand the markets for a number of already approved targeted
therapies. Our current CDx identifies breast and ovarian cancer patients whose tumors have cancer drivers potentially responsive to treatment
with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2), mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET), or phosphatidylinositol
3-kinases (PI3K) targeted therapeutics. While U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval or clearance is not currently
required for CELsignia tests offered as a stand-alone laboratory developed test, if we are partnered with a drug company to launch a
CELsignia test as a companion diagnostic for a new drug indication, we would be required to obtain premarket approval, or PMA, in conjunction
with the pharmaceutical company seeking a new drug approval for the matching therapy.
21
Our
CELsignia platform provides an important advantage over traditional molecular diagnostics. Current molecular diagnostics analyze fragmented
cells to obtain a snapshot of the genetic mutations present in a patient’s tumor. Using cell fragments prevents molecular diagnostics
from analyzing the dynamic cellular activities, known as cell signaling, that regulate cell proliferation or survival. Cancer can develop
when critical cell signaling, regulating physiologic activity such as cell proliferation, becomes abnormal or dysregulated. Since genetic
mutations are often only weakly correlated to the dysregulated cell signaling activity driving a patient’s cancer, a molecular
diagnostic is prone to providing an incomplete diagnosis. CELsignia tests overcome this limitation by measuring dynamic cell signaling
activity in a cancer patient’s living tumor cells. When a CELsignia test detects abnormal signaling activity, a more accurate diagnosis
of the patient’s cancer driver is obtained.
We
are supporting the advancement of new potential indications for seven different targeted therapies, controlled by other pharmaceutical
companies, that would rely on a CELsignia CDx to select patients. Six Phase 2 trials are underway to evaluate the efficacy and safety
of these therapies in CELsignia selected patients. These patients are not currently eligible to receive these drugs and are not identifiable
with a molecular test.
Our
first analytically validated and commercially ready test using our CELsignia platform, the CELsignia HER2 Pathway Activity Test for breast
cancer, diagnoses two new sub-types of HER2-negative breast cancer that traditional molecular diagnostics cannot detect. Our internal
studies show that approximately 15-20% of HER2-negative breast cancer patients have abnormal HER2 signaling activity similar to levels
found in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. As a result, these HER2-negative patients have undiagnosed HER2-driven breast cancer and
would be likely to respond to the same anti-HER2 targeted therapies only HER2-positive patients receive today. We have three interventional
clinical trials underway to evaluate the efficacy of HER2 targeted therapies in breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia HER2
Pathway Activity Test.
Our
second CELsignia test for breast cancer evaluates independent c-Met signaling activity and its involvement with HER family signaling
in HER2-negative breast cancer tumor cells. Our internal studies show that approximately 20%-25% of HER2-negative breast cancer patients
have abnormal c-Met signaling activity that is co-activated with abnormal HER family signaling. These studies suggest that this sub-group
of HER2-negative breast cancer patients may best respond to treatment with a combination of HER family and c-Met inhibitors. We have
two interventional clinical trials underway to evaluate the efficacy of HER2 and c-Met targeted therapies, in previously treated metastatic
HER2-negative breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia Multi-Pathway Activity Test, or CELsignia MP Test.
Our
third CELsignia test for breast cancer evaluates PI3K signaling in HER2-negative breast cancer tumor cells. Our internal studies demonstrate
how measurement of PI3K-involved signaling may provide a more sensitive and specific method of identifying patients most likely to benefit
from PI3K inhibitors than current genetic tests that measure PI3K mutations. We intend to combine these three tests to expand the CELsignia
MP Test. With this next generation CELsignia test, we plan to provide an analysis of EGFR/HER1, HER2, HER3, c-MET, and PI3K-node involved
signaling activity for each patient tumor specimen received.
We
completed development of our first CELsignia test for ovarian cancer in 2020. This test identifies a new sub-group of ovarian cancer
patients with tumors that have abnormal c-Met and HER2 signaling activity. These findings suggest that a significant sub-group of ovarian
cancer patients may respond to treatment with a combination of ErbB and c-Met inhibitors. Nearly 14,000 women a year die from ovarian
cancer, a disease that has less than a 50% five-year survival rate and a limited range of targeted therapy options. There is thus a significant
unmet need for additional therapeutic options for ovarian cancer patients. As a companion diagnostic, our CELsignia test for ovarian
cancer will be intended to help pharmaceutical companies obtain new drug indications and expand treatment options for this challenging
tumor type. We are currently in discussions with pharmaceutical companies about collaborating on future clinical trials.
In
addition to our CELsignia tests for HER2-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer, we expect to develop CELsignia tests to diagnose
eight new potential cancer sub-types we have discovered in lung, ovarian, kidney, and bladder cancers. Approved or investigational drugs
are currently available to treat these new potential cancer sub-types. We expect to launch these additional tests on a staggered basis
over the next few years while continuing our research to identify additional new cancer sub-types.
22
Our
overall commercialization strategy is to develop diagnostics that expand the patient population eligible for targeted therapies. In furtherance
of this strategy, we will seek collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to field clinical trials to advance the clinical development
of their targeted therapies with the eventual goal of obtaining FDA approval of a new drug indication. Collaborations are expected to
involve initially Phase I or Phase II interventional clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of our collaboration partners’ targeted
therapies on patients selected with one of our CELsignia tests. These trials would not be intended to separately evaluate the CELsignia
tests, whether as standalone tests or companion diagnostics. While FDA approval or clearance is not currently required for CELsignia
tests offered as a stand-alone laboratory developed test, if we are partnered with a drug company to launch a CELsignia test as a companion
diagnostic for a new drug indication, we would be required to obtain premarket approval, or PMA, in conjunction with the pharmaceutical
company seeking a new drug approval for the matching therapy.
We
are currently collaborating on six Phase II clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of our collaboration partners’ targeted therapies
in patients selected with one of our CELsignia tests. The goal of these trials is to support the development of six potential new drug
indications to treat patient groups found responsive by our CELsignia test to their approved targeted therapies. These clinical trials
include:
●
FACT-1 Clinical Trial to
Evaluate Efficacy of Genentech’s HER2 Targeted Therapies. We are collaborating with NSABP Foundation, Inc. (“NSABP”)
and Genentech, Inc. (“Genentech”) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Genentech’s drugs, Herceptin (trastuzumab)
and Perjeta (pertuzumab), and chemotherapy in breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia test. Based on NSABP’s updated
estimates of patient enrollment rates to reflect the impact of COVID-19 and the impact in the third quarter of hospitalizations associated
with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, interim results are expected to be available in the second half of 2022 and final results
approximately nine months later. The goal is to demonstrate that patients who have an abnormal HER2 signaling pathway, as identified
by our CELsignia test, respond to treatment with a matching targeted therapy.
●
FACT-2 Clinical Trial to
Evaluate Efficacy of Puma’s HER2 Targeted Therapy. We are collaborating with Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (“Puma”) and
West Cancer Center to conduct a Phase II single-arm interventional trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Puma’s drug,
Nerlynx (neratinib), and chemotherapy in breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia test. Based on West Cancer
Center’s updated estimates of patient enrollment rates to reflect the impact of COVID-19 and the impact in the third quarter
of hospitalizations associated with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, interim results are expected to be available in the second half
of 2022 and final results approximately nine months later. The goal of the trial is to demonstrate that triple-negative breast
cancer patients who have a hyperactive HER2 signaling tumor, as identified by the CELsignia test, respond to treatment with Nerlynx,
a matching HER2 therapy.
●
FACT-3 Clinical Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of Pfizer’s
pan-HER and c-Met Targeted Therapies. In January 2021, we announced a clinical trial collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute
and Pfizer to conduct a Phase II clinical trial. This open-label Phase II trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of two Pfizer targeted
therapies, Vizimpro (dacomitinib), a pan-HER inhibitor, and Xalkori (crizotinib), a c-Met inhibitor, in previously treated metastatic
HER2-negative breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia MP Test. Based on the Sarah Cannon Research Institute’s estimates
of patient enrollment rates, interim results are expected 12-15 months after the protocol is activated and final results 12-15 months
later. The goal of the trial is to demonstrate that previously treated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients who have hyperactive
HER2 and c-Met signaling tumors, as identified by the CELsignia test, respond to treatment with Vizimpro in combination with Xalkori.
●
FACT-4 Clinical Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of Puma’s
HER2 Targeted Therapy. In December 2020, we announced a clinical trial collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and Puma, a
biopharmaceutical company, to conduct a Phase II clinical trial. This open-label Phase II trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety
of Puma’s drug, Nerlynx (neratinib), and Faslodex (fulvestrant), an AstraZeneca drug, in previously treated metastatic HR-positive
(HR+), HER2-negative breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia HER2 Pathway Activity Test. Based on Massachusetts General Hospital’s
estimates of patient enrollment rates, we expect to obtain interim results 12-15 months after the protocol is activated and final results
12 to 15 months later. The goal of the trial is to demonstrate that previously treated HR+, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients
who have hyperactive HER2 signaling tumors, as identified by the CELsignia test, respond to treatment with Nerlynx in combination with
Faslodex, a hormonal therapy that targets the estrogen receptor.
23
●
FACT-5 Clinical Trial to
Evaluate Efficacy of Puma’s pan-HER Inhibitor and chemotherapy. In October 2021, we announced a clinical trial collaboration
with University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Center and Puma, to conduct a Phase II clinical trial. This open-label Phase II trial will
evaluate the efficacy and safety of Puma’s drug, Nerlynx (neratinib), and the chemotherapy capecitabine, in previously treated
metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer patients with brain metastases selected with our CELsignia HER2 Pathway Activity Test. Based
on University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Center estimates of patient enrollment rates, we expect to obtain interim results 12-15 months
after the protocol is activated and the final results 12 to 15 months later. We expect enrollment to begin by mid-2022. The
goal of the trial is to demonstrate that previously treated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients with brain metastases who
have hyperactive HER2 signaling tumors, as identified by the CELsignia test, respond to treatment with Nerlynx in combination with
capecitabine.
●
FACT-6 Clinical Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of Novartis’s
c-Met Inhibitor and Puma’s pan-HER Inhibitor. In March 2021, we announced a clinical trial collaboration with MD Anderson, Novartis
AG, and Puma, to conduct a Phase I/II clinical trial. This open-label Phase I/II trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Novartis’
c-Met inhibitor, Tabrecta (capmatinib), and Puma’s pan-HER inhibitor, Nerlynx (neratinib), in previously treated metastatic HER2-negative
breast cancer patients selected with our CELsignia MP Test. Based on MD Anderson’s estimates of patient enrollment rates, we expect
to obtain interim results 12-15 months after the protocol is activated and final results 12-15 months later. The goal of the trial is
to demonstrate that previously treated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients who have hyperactive HER2 and c-Met signaling
tumors, as identified by the CELsignia test, respond to treatment with Tabrecta in combination with Nerlynx.
Impact
of COVID-19 on our Business
Health
and Safety
To
help protect the health and safety of our employees, suppliers and collaborators, we took proactive, aggressive action from the earliest
signs of the outbreak. We enacted rigorous safety measures in our laboratory and administrative offices, including implementing social
distancing protocols, allowing working from home for those employees that do not need to be physically present in a lab to perform their
work, suspending travel, implementing temperature checks at the entrances to our facilities, extensively and frequently disinfecting
our workspaces and providing masks to those employees who must be physically present. We expect to continue with these measures until
the COVID-19 pandemic is better contained and we may take further actions as government authorities require or recommend or as we determine
to be in the best interests of our employees, suppliers, and collaborators.
Clinical
Trials and Collaborations
As
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governmental authorities implemented numerous and constantly evolving measures to try to contain the
virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, limits on gatherings, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders, and business shutdowns. While
many of these measures have been relaxed in recent months, new variants of the coronavirus, such as the delta variant, appear likely
to cause new or former protective measures to be reconsidered. As we continue to advance our clinical trial collaborations, we are in
close contact with our current clinical sponsors, and principal investigators, as well as prospective pharmaceutical company and clinical
collaborators, to assess the impact of COVID-19 on our trial enrollment timelines and collaboration discussions. Based on delays in the
enrollment of patients in our ongoing clinical trials due to the increased hospitalizations associated with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant,
we now expect interim results from the FACT-1 and FACT-2 trials to be delayed until the second half of 2022 and final results
approximately nine months later. As the impact of COVID-19 on our industry becomes clearer, we may need to reassess the timing of our
anticipated clinical milestones. Prospective clinical trial collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and sponsors may also be delayed
but the impact on the timing of finalizing agreements is not yet known.
Research
and Development
While
our facility currently remains operational, the evolving measures to try to contain the virus have impacted and may further impact our
workforce and operations, as well as those of our vendors and suppliers. Our laboratory remains operational as of this date, but, in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented protective policies that reduce the number of research and development staff operating
in our laboratory at any one time. However, in light of the focus of healthcare providers and hospitals on fighting the virus, several
of the clinical sites that provide us tumor tissue for research have halted this service, reducing the number of new tumor tissue specimens
we would typically expect to receive. These various constraints may slow or diminish our research and development activities, particularly
if the pandemic continues to experience rising infections from the delta variant of the coronavirus or otherwise. In addition, cancer
research-related industry meetings, such as the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), were previously delayed for several
months and could be again in the future as a result of the virus. So far, our submissions to present research results at these meetings
have been accepted, but the release of the results have been postponed in conjunction with the delayed meeting schedules. We cannot be
certain as to whether these types of delays will continue and what the impact will be on our ability to present research results in the
future.
24
Results
of Operations
We
have not generated any revenue from sales to date, and we continue to incur significant research and development and other expenses related
to our ongoing operations. As a result, we are not and have never been profitable and have incurred losses in each period since our inception
in 2012. For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we reported a net loss of approximately $6.0 million and $2.5 million,
respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we reported a net loss of approximately $22.9 million and $6.9
million, respectively. As of September 30, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $49.2 million. As of September
30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $90.4 million.
Components
of Operating Results
Revenue
To
date, we have not generated any revenue. Initially, our ability to generate revenue will depend primarily upon our ability to obtain
partnership agreements with pharmaceutical companies to provide companion diagnostics for such pharmaceutical partners’ existing
or investigational targeted therapies. We expect these partnerships to generate significant revenue from the sale of tests to identify
patients eligible for clinical trials, from milestone payments, and, potentially, from royalties on the incremental drug revenues our
tests enable. Once a new drug indication is received that requires use of our companion diagnostic to identify eligible patients, we
expect to generate revenues from sales of tests to treating physicians. With the execution of the Pfizer license agreement in April 2021,
whereby we acquired exclusive world-wide licensing rights to develop and commercialize gedatolisib, we expect to conduct clinical trials
to support potential regulatory approval to market gedatolisib. If we obtain regulatory approvals to market gedatolisib, we expect to
generate revenue from sales of the drug for the treatment of breast cancer patients.
Research
and Development
Since
our inception, we have primarily focused on research and development of our CELsignia platform, development and validation of our CELsignia
tests, and research related to the discovery of new cancer sub-types. Beginning in April 2021, we are also focusing on development of
gedatolisib, a PI3K/mTOR targeted therapy. Research and development expenses primarily include:
●
employee-related expenses related to our research and development activities, including salaries, benefits, recruiting, travel and stock-based compensation expenses;
●
laboratory supplies;
●
consulting fees paid to third parties;
●
clinical trial costs;
●
facilities expenses; and
●
legal costs associated with patent applications.
Internal
and external research and development costs are expensed as they are incurred. As we initiate clinical trials to evaluate efficacy of
targeted therapies in cancer patients selected with one of our CELsignia tests and to develop gedatolisib, the proportion of research
and development expenses allocated to external spending will grow at a faster rate than expenses allocated to internal expenses.
General
and Administrative
General
and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation related to our executive, finance and
support functions. Other general and administrative expenses include professional fees for auditing, tax, and legal services associated
with being a public company, director and officer insurance, investor relations and travel expenses for our general and administrative
personnel.
Sales
and Marketing
Sales
and marketing expenses consist primarily of professional and consulting fees related to these functions. To date, we have incurred immaterial
sales and marketing expenses as we continue to focus primarily on the development of our CELsignia platform and corresponding CELsignia
tests. We would expect to begin to incur increased sales and marketing expenses in anticipation of the commercialization of our first
CELsignia tests and the commercialization of our first drug, gedatolisib. These increased expenses are expected to include payroll-related
costs as we add employees in the commercial departments, costs related to the initiation and operation of our sales and distribution
network and marketing related costs.
Interest
Expense
Interest
expense is primarily due to a loan agreement and finance lease obligations.
Interest
Income
Interest
income consists of interest income earned on our cash and cash equivalent balances.
25
Results
of Operations
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Increase (Decrease)
2021
2020
$
Percent
Change
Statements of Operations Data:
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 4,960,515
$ 1,962,610
$ 2,997,905
153 %
General and administrative
639,271
517,465
121,806
24
Total operating expenses
5,599,786
2,480,075
3,119,711
126
Loss from operations
(5,599,786 )
(2,480,075 )
(3,119,711 )
126
Other income (expense)
Interest expense
(433,072 )
(28 )
(433,044 )
n/a
Interest income
5,612
5,805
(193 )
(3 )
Loss on sale of fixed assets
-
-
-
n/a
Other income (expense), net
(427,460 )
5,777
(433,237 )
n/a
Net loss before income taxes
(6,027,246 )
(2,474,298 )
(3,552,948 )
144
Income tax benefits
-
-
-
-
Net loss
$ (6,027,246 )
$ (2,474,298 )
$ (3,552,948 )
144 %
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
Increase (Decrease)
2021
2020
$
Percent Change
Statements of Operations Data:
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$ 20,266,965
$ 5,576,250
$ 14,690,715
263 %
General and administrative
1,768,058
1,428,578
339,480
24
Total operating expenses
22,035,023
7,004,828
15,030,195
215
Loss from operations
(22,035,023 )
(7,004,828 )
(15,030,195 )
215
Other income (expense)
Interest expense
(824,283 )
(93 )
(824,190 )
n/a
Interest income
7,803
81,639
(73,836 )
(90 )
Gain on sale of fixed assets
(263 )
-
(263 )
n/a
Other income (expense), net
(816,743 )
81,546
(898,289 )
n/a
Net loss before income taxes
(22,851,766 )
(6,923,282 )
(15,928,484 )
230
Income tax benefits
-
-
-
-
Net loss
$ (22,851,766 )
$ (6,923,282 )
$ (15,928,484 )
230 %
26
Research
and Development
Our
research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 were approximately $5.0 million, representing an increase
of approximately $3.0 million, or 153%, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase of $3.0 million primarily resulted from expenses
related to the development of gedatolisib. Employee related expenses, including consulting fees, accounted for $1.1 million of
the increase. The increase of $1.1 million also included an increase of $0.2 million in non-cash stock-based compensation. The
remaining increase of $1.9 million is related to clinical trials, patent legal fees and costs associated with the transfer
of the gedatolisib-related activities from Pfizer to Celcuity.
Our
research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 were approximately $20.3 million, representing an increase
of approximately $14.7 million, or 263%, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase primarily resulted from a $10.0 million upfront
license fee related to the execution of the Pfizer license agreement, which included $5.0 million of non-cash expense for the issuance
of common stock. The remaining $4.7 million increase primarily resulted from expenses related to the development of gedatolisib.
Employee related expenses, including consulting fees, accounted for a $1.8 million increase. The increase of $1.8 million also included
an increase of $0.2 million in non-cash stock-based compensation. The remaining increase of $2.9 million is related to clinical trials,
patent legal fees and costs associated with the transfer of the gedatolisib-related activities from Pfizer to Celcuity.
Conducting
a significant amount of research and development is central to our business model. We plan to increase our research and development expenses
for the foreseeable future as we seek to develop gedatolisib, discover new cancer sub-types, and develop and validate additional CELsignia
tests to diagnose such sub-types. We also expect to incur increased expenses to support companion diagnostic business development activities
with pharmaceutical companies as we develop additional CELsignia tests and initiate a clinical trial for gedatolisib.
General
and Administrative
Our
general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 were approximately $0.6 million, representing an increase
of approximately $0.1 million, or 24%, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase primarily resulted from a $0.1 million increase
in non-cash stock-based compensation.
Our
general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 were approximately $1.8 million, representing an increase
of approximately $0.3 million, or 24%, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase primarily resulted from a $0.1 million increase
in non-cash stock-based compensation. In addition, other general and administrative expenses increased $0.2 million due to professional
fees associated with being a public company and director and officer insurance.
We
anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in future periods, reflecting both increased costs in connection
with the potential future commercialization of CELsignia tests and gedatolisib, an expanding infrastructure, and increased professional
fees associated with being a public company.
Interest
Expense
Interest
expense for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $0.4 million and represents an increase of $0.4 million compared to the same
periods in 2020. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, interest expense was $0.8 million and represents an increase of $0.8 million
compared to the same period in 2020. The increase is due to the loan agreement that was executed in April 2021 and includes $0.2 million
and $0.4 million of non-cash interest expense for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021, respectively.
Interest
Income
Interest
income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was flat compared to the same period in 2020. Interest income for the nine months
ended September 30, 2021 represents a decrease of approximately $0.1 million compared to the same period in 2020. This decrease was primarily
the result of lower market interest rates.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Since
our inception, we have incurred losses and cumulative negative cash flows from operations. Through September 30, 2021, we have raised
capital of approximately $13.7 million and $7.5 million through private placements of common equity and unsecured convertible notes,
respectively. On September 22, 2017, we closed on the initial public offering of our common stock, which generated approximately $23.3
million of additional cash after taking into account underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. On June 5, 2020, we
entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement with B. Riley, FBR, Inc (the “ATM Agreement”). The ATM Agreement allowed
us to sell shares of common stock up to an aggregate offering price of $10.0 million. Through September 30, 2021, we generated approximately
$0.1 million of additional cash through sales pursuant to the ATM Agreement, after taking into account commissions and offering expenses.
On February 26, 2021, we completed a follow-on offering of our common stock, which generated approximately $25.8 million of additional
cash after taking into account underwriting discounts and offering expenses. In conjunction with the follow-on offering, the ATM Agreement
was terminated. On April 8, 2021, we entered into a loan agreement with Innovatus Life Sciences Lending Fund I, LP (“Innovatus”),
whereby Innovatus agreed to loan up to $25 million in three tranches consisting of (i) a $15.0 million non-contingent term A loan that
was funded on April 8, 2021, (ii) a $5 million term B loan to be funded upon our request no later than March 31, 2022, and (iii) a $5
million term C loan to be funded upon our request no later than March 31, 2023. Funding of the term B and C loan is subject to our ability
to achieve certain milestones. On July 1, 2021, we completed a follow-on offering of our common stock, which generated approximately
$52.8 million of additional cash after taking into account underwriting discounts of approximately $3.4 million and offering expenses
of approximately $0.1 million.
27
Cash
from these capital raising activities has been our primary source of funds for our operations since inception. As of September 30, 2021,
our cash and cash equivalents were approximately $90.4 million, and we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $49.2 million.
We
expect that our research and development and general and administrative expenses will increase as we continue to develop gedatolisib,
our CELsignia platform and additional CELsignia tests, conduct research related to the discovery of new cancer sub-types, conduct clinical
trials, and pursue other business development activities. We would also expect to incur sales and marketing expenses as we commercialize
our CELsignia tests and gedatolisib. We expect to use cash on hand to fund our research and development expenses, capital expenditures,
working capital, sales and marketing expenses, and general corporate expenses, as well as for the increased costs associated with being
a public company.
Based
on our current business plan, we believe that our current cash on hand will provide sufficient cash to finance operations and pay obligations
when due for at least the next twelve months.
We
may seek to raise additional capital to expand our business, pursue strategic investments, and take advantage of financing or other opportunities
that we believe to be in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders. Additional capital may be raised through the sale of
common or preferred equity or convertible debt securities, entry into debt facilities or other third-party funding arrangements. The
sale of equity and convertible debt securities may result in dilution to our stockholders and those securities may have rights senior
to those of our common shares. Agreements entered into in connection with such capital raising activities could contain covenants that
would restrict our operations or require us to relinquish certain rights. Additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms,
or at all.
Cash
Flows
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2021
2020
(unaudited)
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities
$ (14,187,938 )
$ (5,038,438 )
Investing activities
(71,459 )
(75,494 )
Financing activities
92,988,298
75,317
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
$ 78,728,901
$ (5,038,615 )
Operating
Activities
Net
cash used in operating activities was approximately $14.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and consisted primarily
of a net loss of approximately $22.9 million, offset by non-cash expense items of approximately $7.3 million and working capital
changes of $1.4 million. Non-cash expense items of approximately $7.3 million primarily consisted of $5.0 million for issuance of common
stock related to a license agreement, $1.7 million of stock-based compensation expense, non-cash interest expense of $0.4 million and
depreciation expense of $0.2 million. The approximately $1.4 million of working capital changes was primarily due to an increase in accounts
payable. The net cash used in operating activities was approximately $5.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and consisted
primarily of a net loss of approximately $6.9 million, adjusted for working capital changes of approximately $0.3 million and
non-cash expense items of approximately $1.6 million. Non-cash expense items of approximately $1.6 million primarily consisted of $1.3
million of stock-based compensation expense and depreciation expense of $0.3 million.
Investing
Activities
Net
cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were flat at approximately $0.1 million consisting
of purchases of property and equipment.
28
Financing
Activities
Net
cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was approximately $93.0 million. The $93.0 million
primarily consisted of net proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock through two follow-on offerings totaling $78.5 million
and $14.4 million from net proceeds related to the closing of a loan agreement. The remaining $0.1 million was the result of proceeds
from the exercise of common stock warrants and employee stock options and proceeds from employee stock purchases. The net cash provided
by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was approximately $0.1 million and primarily reflects net proceeds
from the sale of shares of our common stock through the ATM Agreement and employee stock purchases.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
From
time-to-time new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other standard setting bodies and
adopted by us as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed in Note 2 to our unaudited condensed financial statements
included in Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly Report, we believe that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective
will not have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations upon adoption.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Use of Estimates
Our
management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based on our unaudited condensed financial
statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported expenses during the reporting periods. These items are monitored and
analyzed by us for changes in facts and circumstances, and material changes in these estimates could occur in the future. We base our
estimates on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances; the results of
which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other
sources. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results for the period in which they become known. Actual results may differ
materially from these estimates.
Our
significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 2 to our unaudited condensed financial statements included in Item 1
of Part I of this Quarterly Report.
Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act
The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking
information is included in this Quarterly Report and in other materials filed or to be filed by us with the SEC (as well as information
included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by us). Forward-looking statements include all statements
based on future expectations. This Quarterly Report contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties including,
but not limited to, (i) our clinical trial plans and the estimated costs for such trials, including the timing of launching a Phase 2/3
clinical trial for gedatolisib; (ii) our expectations with respect to costs and timelines to develop, validate and launch CELsignia tests
and to continue to develop gedatolisib; (iii) our beliefs related to the perceived advantages of our CELsignia tests compared to traditional
molecular or other diagnostic tests; (iv) the expected benefits of gedatolisib; (v) our expectations regarding the timeline of patient
enrollment and results from clinical trials, including the existing clinical trial for gedatolisib; (vi) the future payments that may
be owned to Pfizer under the license agreement; (vii) our expectations regarding partnering with pharmaceutical companies and other third
parties; (viii) our expectations regarding revenue from sales of CELsignia tests and revenue from milestone or other payment sources;
(ix) our plans with respect to research and development and related expenses for the foreseeable future; (x) our expectations regarding
business development activities, including companion diagnostic related activities with pharmaceutical companies, expanding our sales
and marketing functions and the costs associated with such activities; (xi) our expectations with respect to the CELsignia tests and
the analytical capabilities and potential impact of such tests; (xii) our beliefs regarding the ability of our cash on hand to fund our
research and development expenses, capital expenditures, working capital, sales and marketing expenses, and general corporate expenses,
as well as the increased costs associated with being a public company; and (xiii) our expectations regarding the impact that the COVID-19
pandemic and related economic effects will have on our business and results of operations.
In
some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,”
“could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,”
“potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would,”
or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking
statements are only predictions and are not guarantees of performance. These statements are based on our management’s beliefs and
assumptions, which in turn are based on their interpretation of currently available information.
29
These
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results or our industry’s actual
results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. Certain risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, our limited operating history;
the unknown impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business; our initial success being heavily dependent on the success of our CELsignia
HER2 Pathway Activity Test; our inability to develop and commercialize gedatolisib; our inability to determine whether our CELsignia
tests are currently commercially viable; challenges we may face in developing and maintaining relationships with pharmaceutical company
partners; the complexity and timeline for development of CELsignia tests and gedatolisib; the uncertainty and costs associated with clinical
trials; the uncertainty regarding market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community,
and with the size of market opportunities available to us; the pricing of molecular and other diagnostic products and services that compete
with us; uncertainty with insurance coverage and reimbursement for our CELsignia tests; difficulties we may face in managing growth,
such as hiring and retaining a qualified sales force and attracting and retaining key personnel; changes in government regulations; and
obtaining and maintaining intellectual property protection for our technology and time and expense associated with defending third-party
claims of intellectual property infringement, investigations or litigation threatened or initiated against us. These and additional risks,
uncertainties and other factors are described more fully in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in
Exhibit 99.4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 8, 2021 and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report. Copies of
filings made with the SEC are available through the SEC’s electronic data gathering analysis and retrieval system (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov.
You
should read the cautionary statements made in this Quarterly Report as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever
they appear in this Quarterly Report. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Report will prove to
be accurate. Furthermore, if our forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should read this
Quarterly Report completely. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even
though our situation may change in the future.
ITEM
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
As
a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide disclosure pursuant to this item.
ITEM
4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, referred to collectively herein as the Certifying Officers, are responsible for
establishing and maintaining our disclosure controls and procedures. The Certifying Officers have reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness
of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of September 30, 2021. Based on that review and evaluation, the Certifying Officers
have concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report, our disclosure controls and procedures, as designed
and implemented, are effective and provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the periodic and current
reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the periods specified by
the SEC’s rules and forms.
Changes
in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting .
There
were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act)
during the three months ended September 30, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal
control over financial reporting.
30
PART
II. — OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM
1. Legal Proceedings
From
time to time we may be involved in disputes or litigation relating to claims arising out of our operations. We are not currently a party
to any legal proceedings that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
ITEM
1A. Risk Factors
As
a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide disclosure pursuant to this item. However, in addition to other information
set forth in this Quarterly Report, including the important information in the section entitled “Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act,” you should carefully consider the “Risk Factors” discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2020 and in Exhibit 99.4 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 8, 2021 for a discussion of
important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking
statements contained in this Quarterly Report. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem
to be immaterial might materially adversely affect our actual business, financial condition and/or operating results.
ITEM
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Use
of Proceeds from Initial Public Offering of Common Stock
On
September 22, 2017, we completed our initial public offering of 2,760,000 shares of our common stock at a price to the public of $9.50
per share. The total number of shares of common stock sold in the offering includes the exercise of an overallotment we granted to Craig-Hallum
Capital Group LLC, the sole managing underwriter of the offering, to purchase 360,000 shares of common stock. The shares of common stock
were registered for sale pursuant to Registration Statements on Form S-1 (Registration Nos. 333-220128 and 333-220527), filed with the
SEC and declared effective on September 19, 2017 (the “Effective Date”). The aggregate offering price for the registered
shares of common stock was approximately $26.2 million. The offering commenced on September 20, 2017 and did not terminate before all
of the shares of common stock that were registered were sold.
The
aggregate offering price for the shares of common stock sold in the offering was approximately $26.2 million. We received net proceeds
of approximately $23.3 million from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions of approximately $1.8 million
and offering expenses of approximately $1.1 million. No payments for the foregoing expenses were made by us to any of our officers, directors
or persons owning ten percent or more of our common stock, or to the associates of any of the foregoing, or to its affiliates, other
than payments in the ordinary course of business to our officers for salaries and bonuses.
There
has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds as described in our Prospectus filed with the SEC on September 20, 2017. From
the Effective Date through September 30, 2021, we have used approximately $21.5 million in furtherance of our planned use of proceeds,
which includes funding additional research and development for discovery of new cancer sub-types and development and validation of new
CELsignia tests; clinical trials to support clinical claims; development of operational processes and capital expenditures; and working
capital and other general corporate purposes.
Recent
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
None
ITEM
3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
ITEM
4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not
applicable.
ITEM
5. Other Information
None.
31
ITEM
6. Exhibits
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
No.
Description
3.1
Certificate of Incorporation filed September 15, 2017, as amended by the Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation, filed May 11, 2018, incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 9, 2018.
3.2
Bylaws, incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 13, 2017.
4.1
Specimen Certificate representing shares of common stock of Celcuity Inc., incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed September 12, 2017.
4.2
Form
of Warrant, incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC
on April 8, 2021.
4.3
Equity
Grant Agreement, dated April 8, 2021, between the Company and Pfizer, Inc., incorporated
by reference from Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed
with the SEC on April 8, 2021.
4.4+
Loan
and Security Agreement, dated as of April 8, 2021, by and between the Company and Innovatus Life Sciences Lending Fund I, LP., incorporated
by reference from Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 11, 2021.
10.1
Commercial
Lease, Second Amendment to Lease, dated July 19, 2021, between West Glen Development I, LLC and Celcuity Inc., incorporated by
reference from Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 11, 2021.
31.1*
Certification of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2*
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1**
Certification of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2**
Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101*
Financial
statements from the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, formatted in Inline XBRL:
(i) the Condensed Balance Sheets, (ii) the Condensed Statements of Operations, (iii) the Condensed Statements of Changes in Stockholders’
Equity, (iv) the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows, and (v) the Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.
104*
Cover
Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
*
Filed herewith.
**
Furnished herewith.
+
Certain portions have been omitted from this exhibit.
32
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
Dated:
November 9, 2021
CELCUITY
INC.
By
/s/
Brian F. Sullivan
Brian
F. Sullivan
Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal
Executive Officer)
By
/s/
Vicky Hahne
Vicky
Hahne
Chief
Financial Officer
(Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer)
33
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.