-- Presented bempikibart SIGNAL-AA Phase 2a
Part A alopecia areata (AA) data demonstrating encouraging clinical
activity and highlighting the potential to be a differentiated
treatment as a late-breaking oral presentation at the 2025 American
Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting --
-- Advancing bempikibart in patients with AA,
with SIGNAL-AA open-label extension (OLE) and SIGNAL-AA Part B on
track to dose patients in 1H'25; SIGNAL-AA Part B topline data
on-track for 1H'26 --
-- Cash and cash equivalents of $78.0 million as of December 31, 2024 expected to provide financial
runway into 2H'26 --
WALTHAM,
Mass., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Q32 Bio
Inc. (Nasdaq: QTTB) ("Q32 Bio"), a clinical stage biotechnology
company focused on developing biologic therapeutics to restore
immune homeostasis, today reported financial results for the
quarter ended December 31, 2024, and
provided recent corporate updates.
"We are pleased to have been selected to present our bempikibart
Phase 2a Part A data at AAD as a late-breaking oral presentation,
highlighting the encouraging clinical activity we have observed to
date, including patients with continued responses in long-term
follow-up months after completing treatment, robust pharmacologic
data, and a well-tolerated safety profile. We believe this
underscores the excitement amongst the dermatology community for
bempikibart, recognizing its potential as a novel, differentiated
approach for the treatment of AA compared to existing therapies,
which are generally not associated with durable responses and carry
significant safety concerns," said Jodie
Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of Q32 Bio. "We look
forward to building on this momentum as we advance bempikibart in
the SIGNAL-AA OLE and SIGNAL-AA Part B portions of our Phase 2a
clinical trial and remain on-track to dose patients in the first
half of this year."
Fourth Quarter 2024 and Recent Business Highlights
- Presented results from SIGNAL-AA Phase 2a Part A
clinical trial of bempikibart in alopecia areata (AA) as a
late-breaking oral presentation at the 2025 American Academy of
Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting. The late-breaking
presentation highlighted additional results from Part A of the
SIGNAL-AA Phase 2a clinical trial of bempikibart, a fully human
anti-IL-7Rα antibody designed to re-regulate adaptive immune
function by blocking IL-7 and TSLP signaling, beyond what was
previously reported in the topline readout in December. In a
difficult-to-treat severe and very severe patient population with
an average duration of current episode greater than 5 years,
bempikibart demonstrated clinically meaningful activity at week 24
and continued effects after dosing cessation. Despite only 24 weeks
of bempikibart treatment, a deepening response, as measured by mean
percent change in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) compared with
baseline, was observed following dosing cessation (week 24) through
the post-treatment follow-up period (week 36), a paradigm believed
to be associated with IL-7 on-mechanism modulation of rebalancing T
effector memory cells and T regulatory function. Additional data
has been collected on patients after week 36, with follow-up on
multiple patients through week 55 to date, and additional long-term
follow-up ongoing. Outreach was made to patients regarding the
post-treatment experience and patients willing to participate were
re-consented. Amongst patients responding to outreach that
completed the treatment period and showed a SALT response during
the trial (n=12), all achieved maintenance of response or further
hair growth in the post treatment period (post 24 weeks), including
after the end of the trial (post 36 weeks). All 12 were confirmed
by SALT assessment by the investigator, with a median follow-up of
41 weeks to date (17 weeks post last treatment) with additional
follow-up ongoing. Of these, seven patients (7/12) showed
additional hair growth by SALT assessment post-treatment, with
median follow-up of 44 weeks to date (20 weeks post last treatment)
with additional follow-up ongoing. Across clinical trials,
including SIGNAL-AA, bempikibart was observed to be safe and
well-tolerated, with no grade 3 or higher related adverse events or
related viral infections. Robust pharmacologic activity through
desired target engagement was observed, as demonstrated by receptor
occupancy, robust changes in Th2 biomarkers, and expected
on-mechanism changes in T-cells, indicative of potent IL-7 and TSLP
inhibition. The full AAD presentation is available on the
"Presentations and Publications" page of the Q32 Bio website.
- Bempikibart SIGNAL-AA OLE remains on track to initiate in
the first half of 2025. Based on continued emergence of
bempikibart data demonstrating ongoing responses in long-term
follow-up from SIGNAL-AA Part A, as well as strong re-consent rates
and patient demand for continued dosing, Q32 Bio is initiating an
OLE following the same bempikibart dosing regimen leveraged in Part
A to enable longer-term follow up of patients, with dosing on-track
for the first half of 2025.
- SIGNAL-AA Part B on track to initiate dosing in the first
half of 2025, with topline data expected in the first half of
2026. SIGNAL-AA Part B is an open-label clinical trial, with
expected bempikibart dosing for 36 weeks, with follow-up out to 52
weeks, in approximately 20 evaluable patients with severe or very
severe AA. Dosing will include an initial loading regimen of 200mg
of bempikibart dosed weekly over four weeks, followed by a
maintenance dose of 200mg every-other-week over a 32-week period
for a total of 36 weeks. Efficacy will be evaluated on the basis of
mean percentage change from baseline in SALT scores as well as the
proportion of subjects achieving various relative and absolute SALT
improvements at week 36, with follow-up through week 52. The trial
is intended to support advancement into pivotal trials upon
completion, pending review of the results. Q32 Bio expects to
initiate SIGNAL-AA Part B dosing in the first half of 2025 and
report topline results in the first half of 2026.
Financial Results
- Cash and cash equivalents were $78.0
million as of December 31,
2024. The Company believes its cash and cash equivalents are
sufficient to fund operations into the second half of 2026, through
the SIGNAL-AA OLE and topline results of the SIGNAL-AA Part B trial
evaluating bempikibart in patients with AA.
- Research and development expenses were $10.5 million for the three months ended
December 31, 2024 compared to
$8.3 million for the three months
ended December 31, 2023. The increase
in expense of $2.2 million was
primarily due to higher clinical trial and manufacturing costs
associated with the Phase 2 clinical trials evaluating the use of
bempikibart.
- General and administrative expenses were $4.0 million for the three months ended
December 31, 2024, compared to
$2.8 million for the three months
ended December 31, 2023. The increase
in expense of $1.2 million was
primarily due to increased stock-based compensation expense as well
as increased public company-related costs.
- Net loss was $14.2 million, or
$1.16 basic and diluted net loss per
share, for the three months ended December
31, 2024, compared to net loss of $27.1 million, or $76.39 basic and diluted net loss per share, for
the three months ended December 31,
2023.
About Q32 Bio
Q32 Bio is a clinical stage biotechnology company whose science
targets potent regulators of the adaptive immune system to
re-balance immunity in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Q32 Bio is advancing bempikibart (ADX-914), a fully human
anti-IL-7Rα antibody that re-regulates adaptive immune function for
the treatment of autoimmune diseases being evaluated in a Phase 2
program. The IL-7 and TSLP pathways have been genetically and
biologically implicated in driving several T cell-mediated
pathological processes in numerous autoimmune diseases.
For more information, visit www.Q32Bio.com.
Availability of Other Information About Q32 Bio
Investors and others should note that we communicate with our
investors and the public using our company website www.Q32Bio.com,
including, but not limited to, company disclosures, investor
presentations and FAQs, Securities and Exchange Commission filings,
press releases, public conference call transcripts and webcast
transcripts, as well as on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. The
information that we post on our website or on X or LinkedIn could
be deemed to be material information. As a result, we encourage
investors, the media and others interested to review the
information that we post there on a regular basis. The contents of
our website or social media shall not be deemed incorporated by
reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, as amended, and other federal securities laws. Any statements
contained herein which do not describe historical facts, including,
among others, our beliefs, observations, expectations and
assumptions regarding the topline data from the SIGNAL-AA Phase 2a
and the safety, tolerability, clinical activity including biomarker
data, potential efficacy and potential benefits of bempikibart;
plans and expectations, including timing for dosing and topline
data, for Part B of the SIGNAL-AA Phase 2a clinical trial; the
ability of our planned SIGNAL-AA Part B trial to support
advancement into pivotal trials; and plans and expectations in
connection with the evaluation and execution of strategic options
for our tissue-targeted complement inhibitor platform are
forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed in such forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are based on management's current
beliefs and assumptions, which are subject to risks and
uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Such
risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk that
additional data, or the results of ongoing data analyses, may not
support our current beliefs and expectations for bempikibart,
future clinical studies, including that Part B of the SIGNAL-AA
Phase 2a clinical trial, may not be completed by the first half of
2026 or at all, might be more costly than expected or might not
yield anticipated results, our expectations regarding the
sufficiency of our cash and cash equivalents to provide financial
runway through clinical milestones and into the second half of
2026, and that we may need additional funding to complete clinical
studies, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all,
and such other risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's
periodic, current and other filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended September 30,
2024 and any subsequent filings with the Commission, which
are available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Any such risks
and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect the
Company's results of operations and its cash flows, which would, in
turn, have a significant and adverse impact on the Company's stock
price. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they
are made. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update
or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations
or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such
statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that
actual results will differ from those set forth in the
forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
Investors: Brendan
Burns
Media: Sarah Sutton
Argot Partners
212.600.1902
Q32Bio@argotpartners.com
Q32 BIO
INC.
|
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
(in
thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
|
$
77,965
|
|
$
25,617
|
Equity
investment
|
|
2,600
|
|
—
|
Right-of-use asset,
operating leases
|
|
5,722
|
|
6,301
|
Restricted cash and
restricted cash equivalents
|
|
647
|
|
5,647
|
Other assets
|
|
5,398
|
|
9,492
|
Total assets
|
|
$
92,332
|
|
$
47,057
|
Liabilities,
convertible preferred stock and stockholders' equity
(deficit)
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable,
accrued expenses and other current liabilities
|
|
$
10,468
|
|
$
13,231
|
CVR
liability
|
|
2,900
|
|
—
|
Lease liability, net of
current portion
|
|
5,636
|
|
6,248
|
Venture debt
|
|
12,653
|
|
5,459
|
Convertible
notes
|
|
—
|
|
38,595
|
Other noncurrent
liabilities
|
|
55,000
|
|
55,000
|
Convertible preferred
stock
|
|
—
|
|
111,445
|
Stockholders' equity
(deficit)
|
|
5,675
|
|
(182,921)
|
Total liabilities,
convertible preferred stock and stockholders' equity (deficit)
|
|
$
92,332
|
|
$
47,057
|
Q32 BIO
INC.
|
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
|
(in thousands,
except share and per share amounts)
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
December 31,
|
|
Year Ended
December 31,
|
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
|
2024
|
|
2023
|
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
|
|
|
Collaboration
arrangement revenue
|
|
$
—
|
|
$
(14,662)
|
|
$
—
|
|
$
(6,651)
|
Operating
expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and
development
|
|
10,545
|
|
8,339
|
|
48,143
|
|
31,729
|
General and
administrative
|
|
3,981
|
|
2,808
|
|
17,959
|
|
9,875
|
Total operating
expenses
|
|
14,526
|
|
11,147
|
|
66,102
|
|
41,604
|
Loss from
operations
|
|
(14,526)
|
|
(25,809)
|
|
(66,102)
|
|
(48,255)
|
Change in fair value of
convertible notes
|
|
—
|
|
(1,201)
|
|
15,890
|
|
(6,193)
|
Other income (expense),
net
|
|
358
|
|
196
|
|
4,125
|
|
1,023
|
Total other income
(expense), net
|
|
358
|
|
(1,005)
|
|
20,015
|
|
(5,170)
|
Loss before provision
for income taxes and loss from equity method
investment
|
|
(14,168)
|
|
(26,814)
|
|
(46,087)
|
|
(53,425)
|
Provision for income
taxes
|
|
(21)
|
|
(253)
|
|
(21)
|
|
(318)
|
Loss from equity method
investment
|
|
—
|
|
—
|
|
(1,625)
|
|
—
|
Net loss
|
|
$
(14,189)
|
|
$
(27,067)
|
|
$
(47,733)
|
|
$
(53,743)
|
Net loss per
share—basic
|
|
$
(1.16)
|
|
$
(76.39)
|
|
$
(5.12)
|
|
$
(153.96)
|
Net loss per
share—diluted
|
|
$
(1.16)
|
|
$
(76.39)
|
|
$
(6.58)
|
|
$
(153.96)
|
Weighted-average common
shares—basic
|
|
12,180,704
|
|
354,306
|
|
9,320,884
|
|
349,060
|
Weighted-average common
shares—diluted
|
|
12,180,704
|
|
354,306
|
|
9,657,696
|
|
349,060
|

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SOURCE Q32 Bio