Mike Weiss
Analyst · Ladenburg Thalmann. Please state your question
Thanks Sean and thanks everyone for joining us this morning. 2017 is off to a great start for TG. We believe the announcement of the positive results from our GENUINE Phase 3 study in early March was just the beginning of a data rich next 6 to 18 months for the company, where we expect results from our UNITY-CLL Phase 3 trial, our UNITY Diffuse Large B-Cell Phase 2b registration direct to trial, as well as multiple presentations on additional doublets and triplets combinations for 1011 and 1202 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Additionally during that same period, we expect additional data from our Phase 2 MS study, including the longer-term B-cell depletion repletion data, as well as effects of TG-1101 on established MS efficacy endpoints for example reduction in gad enhancing lesion. In the near term, we are very much looking forward to presenting a more detailed analysis of the GENUINE Phase 3 study and an oral presentation at the upcoming 53rd annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology also referred to as ASCO, which is being held in early June. As most of you will recall, we released topline results for the GENUINE study in early March. As a reminder the GENUINE Phase 3 trial compared to combination of TG-1101 plus ibrutinib to ibrutinib alone in patients with relaxed refractory high-risk CLL. The study made its primary endpoint with TG-1101 plus ibrutinib increasing overall response rate by greater than 70% over ibrutinib monotherapy. Following the ASCO presentation in June, we plan to request a meeting with the FDA to discuss the data and the potential for filing for accelerated approval. We expect the meeting could occur in the fourth quarter and if positive will keep us on track for a BLA filing in the first half of 2018. In addition to announcing positive results from the GENUINE trial, we have achieved a number of other key objectives thus far this year, including in January, we announced a receipt of orphan drug designation for the combination of 1101 and 1202, which as many of you know we refer to affectionately as 1303 for the treatment of both chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Diffuse Large B-Cell lymphoma. We also announced the publication of clinical data from a Phase 1/2 trial of TG-1101 monotherapy in NHL and CLL patients and the British Journal of Haematology. The data described in the publication supports our belief that TG-1101 is a best-in-class anti- CD20 monoclonal antibody, which demonstrates an overall response rate of 45% as a single agent in patients that were the last or refractory to rituximab. Also in March, on the heels of the positive topline Genuine data release, we were able to raise approximately 89 million in gross proceeds through the combination of a public offering and use of our at the market sales facility, solidifying our cash reserves, and providing us with sufficient capital to advance our key programs. Next, we announced the first presentation of preclinical data of our anti-PDL1 monoclonal antibody at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting. We are very encouraged by these early signings and plan to commence a first in human Phase 1 study or anti-PD-L1 later this year. And just last week, we presented the first data from our MS Phase 2 at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, demonstrating that TG-1101 resulted in median B-cell depletion at week four of 99%. Additionally, 1101 was well tolerated with no grade 3, 4 adverse events observed and was safely administered in a convenient in one-hour infusion. This data compares favorably with other anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies and we look forward to reporting on established MS clinical efficacy endpoints later this year, or possibly early next. And finally, we announced our schedule of data presentation at the upcoming ASCO meeting, which will include the oral presentation of the results of the GENUINE Phase 3 trial on Saturday, June 3 and a poster presentation and poster discussion reviewing the tolerability and activity of the chemo free triplet of 1101, 1202 and ibrutinib in CLL and NHL patients. With that, let me switch gears and provide an update on our ongoing Phase 3 registration direct to trials. Let me begin with a brief update on our unity CLL Phase 3 study, as many of you are aware UNITY-CLL is being conducted under special protocol assessment with the FDA and as a randomized controlled forearm clinical trial that is designed to support full approval for both 1101 and 1202 with a potentially broad label for the treatment of both frontline and relapsed/refractory CLL. The study is initially randomizing patients into the forearms of the 1303 combination, which again is 1101 plus 1202, 1101 alone 1202 alone and the active control arm of obinutuzumab plus chlorambucil. A planned interim analysis expected by mid-year will assess contribution is of each single agent to the combination and if successful, will allow early termination of both single agent arms. A second interim analysis of overall response will be conducted following full enrolment into the study, again which if positive, we plan to use for accelerated approval, while we wait for the PSS to readout for a possible full approval. This study was launched in February of last year and currently has approximately 140 sites opened globally. As of our last update, we announced strong enrolment of 30 plus patients per month and we had approximately 200 patients on study before the end of February. That enrolment figure is important as, as the number of patients we need to run the interim analysis to drop the single agent arms, again which we expect would occur by midyear. We also updated our guidance for the completion of enrolment in this study to Q1 2018. Previously we had guided to the first half of 2018. We are pleased to report that enrolment continues to be robust, including across the US, which we believe speaks to the clear need for additional treatment options for patients with CLL. Next, let me review our UNITY Diffuse Large B-Cell study, which is our Phase 2b registration directed program evaluating both TGR-1202 alone and in our 1303 combination with 1101 in patients with relapsed/refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell that are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy or transplant. The primary goal of this study is to assess the efficacy as measured by overall response rate. The study is randomized and each arm is subject to early stopping based on achievement of pre-specified hurdle rates of overall response. Our expectation is that after approximately 20 to 40 patients, we will be able to drop the single agent arm, while the double arm will continue. We expect to have our first interim analysis for this study also in 2017. And lastly before I turn the call over to the conference operator to start the Q&A session, I’d like to review the status of our MS program. As noted earlier, we are extremely pleased with the recent announcement of our preliminary Phase 2 data of 1101 in MS, which showed a median B-cell depletion of 99% at week four. 1101 was well tolerated and notably we were able to safely administer 1101 in a convenient one-hour infusion, which we believe represents a significant advantage over the approximately four hour infusions required for other anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies in MS. Our plan is to continue to treat and follow these patients and present data on established MS clinical efficacy endpoints later this year or early next. Additionally, we continue to collaborate with the FDA to design our Phase 3 program in MS, which we hope to launch in the coming months. The recent approval of Ocrelizumab for the treatment of MS has validated that B-cell depletion therapy is a highly efficacious treatment option for patients with MS. We believe 1101 can be a competitive product to Ocrelizumab with some potential convenient advantages and we hope to be able to offer to MS patients at a very attractive price. As you can see, we have been hard at work advancing our pipeline towards approval. We are extremely pleased with the progress we have made thus far this year and look forward to an exciting remainder of the year. With that let me turn the call over to the conference operator to begin the Q&A session, following which I will return to make some concluding remarks, and reiterate some of the goals for the remainder of the year.