BiomX Inc. (NYSE American: PHGE) (“BiomX” or the “Company”), a
clinical-stage company advancing novel natural and engineered phage
therapies that target specific pathogenic bacteria, today reported
financial results and provided business and program updates for the
first quarter ended March 31, 2024. BiomX is announcing merged
financial reporting for the first time following the closing of its
merger with Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc. (“APT”) in March 2024
and a concurrent $50 million private placement.
Based on a cash balance, short term deposits and restricted cash
of $44.1 million as of March 31, 2024, BiomX estimates it currently
has a cash runway through the fourth quarter of 2025. The Company
anticipates data readouts for both of its lead programs in 2025:
Topline results (through Week 13) for the Phase 2 study of BX211, a
personalized phage treatment for the treatment of diabetic foot
osteomyelitis (“DFO”) associated with Staphylococcus aureus (S.
aureus), are expected in the first quarter of 2025, and Phase 2b
trial results for BX004, a fixed multi-phage cocktail for the
treatment of cystic fibrosis (“CF”) patients with chronic pulmonary
infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), are
expected in the third quarter 2025.
“With the recent merger with APT and our private placement, we
believe we have entered into a new era for BiomX as a leading phage
company focused on treating harmful bacteria underlying serious
chronic infections,” said Jonathan Solomon, Chief Executive Officer
of BiomX. “BiomX is rapidly advancing a pipeline with two lead
candidates, both expecting Phase 2 readouts next year. For BX004,
we have demonstrated for the first time in a randomized controlled
study that a subset of CF patients converted to sputum culture
negative for P. aeruginosa after only 10 days of treatment with
BX0041. These findings were showcased in a presentation that was
selected as a ‘Top Poster’ at last month’s ESCMID Global Congress.
With the APT merger, we now have added BX211, a promising treatment
for DFO, advancing in a Phase 2 study with more than 70% of
patients enrolled. On the business side, we have gained important
and accredited life sciences investors, another important
validation for the potential of phage therapy as a new therapeutic
modality and the strength of our lead candidates. We believe these
and other recent achievements are bringing us closer to our goal of
meeting unmet patient needs through advancement of our phage-based
therapies.”
Business Update
- In March 2024, the Company announced the closing of its merger
with APT and concurrent closing of a private placement financing
with $50 million of gross proceeds led by top institutional
healthcare investors, including affiliates of Deerfield Management
and the AMR Action Fund, and additional investors including the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, OrbiMed, and Nantahala Capital
Management. The net proceeds from the private placement are
primarily being used to further advance BiomX’s lead product
candidates, BX004 and BX211.
Clinical Program Updates
Cystic Fibrosis (BX004)
- In January 2024, the Company announced that BX004 was granted
Orphan Drug Designation by the United States Food and Drug
Administration (“FDA”), for the treatment of chronic pulmonary
infection caused by P. aeruginosa in patients with CF.
- In April 2024, the Company presented at this year’s European
Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID)
Global Congress positive safety and efficacy results from Part 2 of
the Phase 1b/2a trial evaluating the Company’s novel phage
cocktail, BX004, for the treatment of chronic pulmonary infections
caused by P. aeruginosa in CF patients. BiomX’s poster was selected
as a “Top Poster”, ranking it among the 1-2% of top-rated abstracts
in the category submitted and accepted at the ESCMID Global
Congress.
- Highlights from the Part 2 data of the Phase 1b/2a study
included:
- Study drug was safe and well-tolerated, with no related SAEs
(serious adverse events) or related APEs (acute pulmonary
exacerbations) to study drug.
- In the BX004 arm, 3 out of 21 (14.3%) patients converted to
sputum culture negative for P. aeruginosa after 10 days of
treatment (including 2 patients after 4 days) compared to 0 out of
10 (0%) in the placebo arm1. BX004 vs. placebo showed a clinical
effect in a predefined subgroup of patients with reduced baseline
lung function (FEV1<70%). Difference between groups at Day 17:
relative FEV1 improvement of 5.67% (change from baseline +1.46 vs.
-4.21) and +8.87 points in CFQR respiratory symptom scale (change
from baseline +2.52 vs. -6.35).
Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis (BX211)
- BX211 is a personalized phage treatment that BiomX is now
developing following the merger with APT. BX211 is being developed
for the treatment of DFO associated with S. aureus. The safety,
tolerability, and efficacy of BX211 is currently being evaluated in
a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase
2 trial for subjects with DFO. Target enrollment for the study is
45 patients, and to date, more than 70% of the patients have been
enrolled. Initial topline results of the Phase 2 trial are expected
in the first quarter of 2025. Study design was guided in part by
experience with numerous compassionate cases using phage therapy
for the treatment of DFO and Osteomyelitis.
First Quarter 2024 Financial Results
The financial results of the first quarter of 2024 include the
consolidation of the financial results of APT from the closing date
of the merger and the accounting implications derived from the
merger and the concurrent private placement.
- Cash balance, short-term deposits and restricted
cash as of March 31, 2024, were $44.1 million, compared to
$30.3 million as of March 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due
to the private placement, which was partially offset by net cash
used in operating activities and the repayment of a debt facility
in March 2024. The Company estimates its cash, cash equivalents and
short-term deposits are sufficient to fund its operations through
the fourth quarter of 2025.
- Research and development expenses, net were
$4.1 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to $4.6
million for the first quarter of 2023. The decrease is primarily
due to the completion of the CF clinical trial, and was partially
offset by lower grants payments from the Israeli Innovation
Authority and R&D expenses related to APT that were incurred
after the merger.
- General and administrative expenses were $2.7
million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to $1.6 million for
the first quarter of 2023. The increase primarily resulted from
expenses related to the merger with APT and the concurrent private
placement.
- Net loss was $17.3 million for the first
quarter of 2024, compared to $6.4 million for the first quarter of
2023. The increase is mainly due to changes in fair value of
private placement warrants that were issued in this quarter.
- Net cash used in operating activities for the
three months ended March 31, 2024, was $11.4 million, compared to
$5.0 million for the same period in 2023.
Conference Call and Webcast Details BiomX will
host a conference call and webcast on May 21, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. ET
to discuss its first quarter 2024 financial results and to provide
a corporate update.
Conference Call Dial-In Information:
Participant Dial-In Number: |
+1 877-407-0724 |
Participant International
Dial-In |
+1 201-389-0898 |
Webcast: |
Link |
About BX004 BiomX is developing BX004, a fixed
multi-phage cocktail, for the treatment of CF patients with chronic
pulmonary infections caused by P. aeruginosa, a main contributor to
morbidity and mortality in patients with CF. In November 2023,
BiomX announced positive topline results from Part 2 of the Phase
1b/2a trial where BX004 demonstrated improvement in pulmonary
function associated with a reduction in P. aeruginosa burden
compared to placebo in a predefined subgroup of patients with
reduced lung function (baseline FEV1<70%).
BiomX expects to initiate a randomized, double blind,
placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase 2b trial in CF patients with
chronic P. aeruginosa pulmonary infections in the fourth quarter of
2024. The trial is designed to enroll approximately 60 patients
randomized at a 2:1 ratio to BX004 or placebo. Treatment is
expected to be administered via inhalation twice daily for a
duration of 8 weeks. The trial is designed to monitor the safety
and tolerability of BX004 and is designed to demonstrate
improvement in microbiological reduction of P. aeruginosa burden
and evaluation of effects on clinical parameters such as lung
function measured by FEV1 and patient reported outcomes. Trial
results are expected in the third quarter 2025. The FDA has granted
BX004 Fast Track designation and Orphan Drug Designation.
About BX211 BX211 is a personalized phage
treatment for the treatment of DFO associated with S. aureus. The
personalized phage treatment tailors a specific phage selected from
a proprietary phage-bank according to the specific strain of S.
aureus biopsied and isolated from each patient. DFO is a bacterial
infection of the bone that usually develops from an infected foot
ulcer and is a leading cause of amputation in patients with
diabetes.
The ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,
multi-center Phase 2 trial investigating the safety, tolerability,
and efficacy of BX211 for subjects with DFO associated with S.
aureus is expected to enroll approximately 45 subjects randomized
at a 2:1 ratio to BX211 or placebo. BX211 or placebo is designed to
be administered weekly, by topical and IV route at Week 1 and by
the topical route only at each of Weeks 2-12. Over the 12-week
treatment period, all subjects are expected to continue to be
treated in accordance with standard of care which will include
antibiotic treatment as appropriate. A first readout of study
topline results is expected at Week 13 evaluating healing of the
wound associated with osteomyelitis, followed by a second readout
at Week 52 evaluating amputation rates and resolution of
osteomyelitis based on X-ray, clinical assessments, and established
biomarkers (ESR and CRP). These readouts are expected in the first
quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, respectively.
About BiomX BiomX is a clinical-stage company
leading the development of natural and engineered phage cocktails
and personalized phage treatments designed to target and destroy
harmful bacteria for the treatment of chronic diseases with
substantial unmet needs. BiomX discovers and validates proprietary
bacterial targets and applies its BOLT (“BacteriOphage Lead to
Treatment”) platform to customize phage compositions against these
targets. For more information, please visit www.biomx.com, the
content of which does not form a part of this press release.
Safe Harbor This press release contains express
or implied “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the
“safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by
words such as: “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “may,”
“anticipate,” “estimate,” “would,” “positioned,” “future,” and
other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or
trends or that are not statements of historical matters. For
example, when BiomX discusses the expected timing of clinical
trials, key data readouts and topline results, its cash runway and
sufficiency of capital to meet milestones and the potential
benefits of BX004 and BX211, BiomX is making forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts
nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only
on BiomX management’s current beliefs, expectations and
assumptions. In addition, past and current pre-clinical and
clinical results, as well as compassionate use, are not indicative
and do not guarantee future success of BiomX clinical trials.
Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are
subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in
circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are
outside of BiomX’s control. Actual results and outcomes may differ
materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements,
as a result of various important factors, including risks and
uncertainties related to the ability to recognize the anticipated
benefits of the merger with APT; the outcome of any legal
proceedings that may be instituted against BiomX following the
merger and related transactions; the ability to obtain or maintain
the listing of the common stock of BiomX on the NYSE American
following the merger; costs related to the merger; changes in
applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that BiomX may be
adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive
factors, including risks inherent in pharmaceutical research and
development, such as: adverse results in BiomX’s drug discovery,
preclinical and clinical development activities, the risk that the
results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials may not be
replicated in later clinical trials, BiomX’s ability to enroll
patients in its clinical trials, and the risk that any of its
clinical trials may not commence, continue or be completed on time,
or at all; decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory
authorities; investigational review boards at clinical trial sites
and publication review bodies with respect to our development
candidates; BiomX’s ability to obtain, maintain and enforce
intellectual property rights for its platform and development
candidates; its potential dependence on collaboration partners;
competition; uncertainties as to the sufficiency of BiomX’s cash
resources to fund its planned activities for the periods
anticipated and BiomX’s ability to manage unplanned cash
requirements; and general economic and market conditions.
Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these
forward-looking statements and should review the risks and
uncertainties described under the caption “Risk Factors” in BiomX’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) on April 4, 2024, and additional disclosures
BiomX makes in its other filings with the SEC, which are available
on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking
statements are made as of the date of this press release, and
except as provided by law BiomX expressly disclaims any obligation
or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.
BiomX, Inc. Assaf Oron +97254-2228901assafo@biomx.com
1 In patients that had quantitative CFU levels at study
baseline
BIOMX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE
SHEETS(USD in thousands, except share and per share
data)(unaudited) |
|
|
As of |
|
|
|
March 31, 2024 |
|
|
December 31, 2023 |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
43,007 |
|
|
|
14,907 |
|
Restricted cash |
|
|
1,108 |
|
|
|
957 |
|
Other current assets |
|
|
2,986 |
|
|
|
1,768 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
47,101 |
|
|
|
17,632 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current
assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating lease right-of-use
assets |
|
|
11,279 |
|
|
|
3,495 |
|
Property and equipment,
net |
|
|
7,438 |
|
|
|
3,902 |
|
In-process Research and
development (“IPR&D”) assets and Goodwill |
|
|
15,788 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total non-current assets |
|
|
34,505 |
|
|
|
7,397 |
|
|
|
|
81,606 |
|
|
|
25,029 |
|
|
|
As of |
|
|
|
March 31, 2024 |
|
|
December 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade accounts payable |
|
|
3,686 |
|
|
|
1,381 |
|
Current portion of lease
liabilities |
|
|
985 |
|
|
|
666 |
|
Other accounts payable |
|
|
6,036 |
|
|
|
3,344 |
|
Current portion of long-term
debt |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,785 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
10,707 |
|
|
|
11,176 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current
liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contract liability |
|
|
1,976 |
|
|
|
1,976 |
|
Long-term debt, net of current
portion |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,402 |
|
Operating lease liabilities,
net of current portion |
|
|
9,139 |
|
|
|
3,239 |
|
Other liabilities |
|
|
153 |
|
|
|
155 |
|
Private Placement
Warrants |
|
|
36,755 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Total non-current
liabilities |
|
|
48,023 |
|
|
|
10,772 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and
Contingencies (Note 7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Redeemable Convertible
Preferred Shares |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par
value; Authorized - 1,000,000 shares as of March 31, 2024 and
December 31, 2023. Issued and outstanding- 256,887 as of March 31,
2024. No shares issued and outstanding as of December 31,
2023. |
|
|
32,420 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders’ equity
(Capital Deficiency) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock, $0.0001 par
value; Authorized - 120,000,000 shares as of March 31, 2024 and
December 31, 2023. Issued and outstanding-59,998,342 shares as of
March 31, 2024 and 45,979,930 shares as of December 31, 2023. |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional paid in
capital |
|
|
170,749 |
|
|
|
166,048 |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
|
(180,297 |
) |
|
|
(162,970 |
) |
Total stockholders’ equity
(Capital Deficiency) |
|
|
(9,544 |
) |
|
|
3,081 |
|
|
|
|
81,606 |
|
|
|
25,029 |
|
BIOMX INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS(USD in thousands, except share and per share
data)(unaudited) |
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development (“R&D”) expenses, net |
|
|
4,105 |
|
|
|
4,564 |
|
General and administrative
expenses |
|
|
2,680 |
|
|
|
1,644 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
loss |
|
|
6,785 |
|
|
|
6,208 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income |
|
|
(88 |
) |
|
|
(91 |
) |
Interest expenses |
|
|
850 |
|
|
|
565 |
|
Loss from change in fair value
of Private Placement Warrants |
|
|
8,010 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Finance expense (income),
net |
|
|
1,765 |
|
|
|
(327 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before
tax |
|
|
17,322 |
|
|
|
6,355 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax expenses |
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
|
17,327 |
|
|
|
6,361 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted loss per
share of Common Stock |
|
|
0.28 |
|
|
|
0.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding, basic and diluted |
|
|
62,292,277 |
|
|
|
32,125,227 |
|
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