Prima BioMed has presented encouraging early signs of efficacy from the TACTI-mel trial of IMP321 in combination with Keytruda, with one of the six melanoma patients in the first (1mg/kg) cohort experiencing a complete response. Recruitment in the second cohort is complete and the final cohort is expected to be fully recruited by Q317. Preliminary efficacy data from the 15-patient, run-in phase of the AIPAC breast cancer study are expected mid-year (recruitment in the 226-patient Phase IIb component is ongoing). Our valuation is unchanged at $192m ($9.24 per ADR).
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Prima BioMed |
Initial LAG-3 combo data presented |
Initial TACTI-mel data |
Pharma & biotech |
23 March 2017 |
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Prima BioMed has presented encouraging early signs of efficacy from the TACTI-mel trial of IMP321 in combination with Keytruda, with one of the six melanoma patients in the first (1mg/kg) cohort experiencing a complete response. Recruitment in the second cohort is complete and the final cohort is expected to be fully recruited by Q317. Preliminary efficacy data from the 15-patient, run-in phase of the AIPAC breast cancer study are expected mid-year (recruitment in the 226-patient Phase IIb component is ongoing). Our valuation is unchanged at $192m ($9.24 per ADR).
Year end |
Revenue (US$m) |
PTP |
EPADR |
DPADR |
P/E |
Gross yield |
06/15 |
1.0 |
(9.8) |
(0.65) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
06/16 |
1.5 |
(10.4) |
(0.43) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
06/17e |
1.0 |
(9.7) |
(0.47) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
06/18e |
8.0 |
(3.1) |
(0.15) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: Converted at A$1/US$0.76 for the table above and throughout the note.
A complete response in low-dose TACTI-mel cohort
The TACTI-mel trial is using IMP321 (Prima’s LAG-3-based antigen presenting cell activator) to enhance efficacy in melanoma patients who have had a suboptimal initial response to the PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda. A presentation to the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors conference in Boston showed that that one of the six patients (17%) in the first cohort experienced a complete response (CR). Even though there is only one patient with a CR, the initial CR rate compares favorably with rates of 2-6% seen in Merck’s Phase III trials of Keytruda monotherapy in melanoma. The combination has been well tolerated so far. Recruitment in the third and highest (30mg) dose cohort is expected to complete in Q317, so we expect efficacy data from the final cohort in H118.
Initial efficacy data from AIPAC run-in due mid-year
Initial efficacy data are expected mid-2017 (possibly at ASCO in June) from the 15 metastatic breast cancer patients treated with IMP321 in combination with paclitaxel during the safety run-in phase of the AIPAC study (the response rate in a previous Phase I study was 50%). Dosing began in January in the 226-patient randomized Phase IIb component of AIPAC; top-line PFS data could mature sometime between late 2018 and mid-2019. Patients will receive either 30mg of IMP321 or placebo, in combination with paclitaxel.
Valuation: Unchanged at $192m, $9.24 per ADR
Our valuation is unchanged at $192m, which is equal to ($9.24 per ADR) on an undiluted basis or $6.37/ADR after accounting for dilution from options, warrants and convertible notes. Guidance is that the cash balance of $12.6m at 31 December will be sufficient to fund operations through Q1 CY18, excluding any milestone payments from partners Novartis and GSK. Milestone revenue (we model ~$7m in FY18) would extend the cash runway.
Complete responder in first TACTI-mel cohort
On 16 March Prima’s chief medical and scientific officer, Dr Frédéric Triebel, presented an update on the Phase I TACTI-mel trial, including preliminary efficacy data from the first cohort, at the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors conference in Boston, Massachusetts. This study will test three doses of IMP321 (1, 6 and 30mg/kg) in combination with the anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab, Merck) in 18 patients with advanced melanoma. Recruitment in the first two cohorts is complete, as shown in Exhibit 1.
The trial is investigating IMP321 in subjects who have had a suboptimal response to initial treatment with Keytruda. Subjects are assessed after they have undergone three cycles (nine weeks) of treatment with Keytruda; patients with stable disease or slow progression not requiring urgent intervention are eligible to participate in the trial and receive IMP321, starting with the fifth Keytruda cycle at week 13.
Six patients were enrolled in the first dose cohort (1mg/kg every two weeks), which began in Q216. The second cohort of six patients is fully recruited, and all subjects continue to receive three-weekly injections of Keytruda and fortnightly injections of IMP321 at 6mg/kg. No clinically significant adverse events related to IMP321 or the combination of IMP321 with Keytruda have been observed at either dose level so far. Recruitment in the third and highest (30mg) dose cohort is expected to complete in Q317.
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Exhibit 1: TACTI-mel Phase I status and preliminary results |
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Source: Prima BioMed presentation at Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors conference, Boston, Massachusetts |
One of the six patients receiving the lowest dose of IMP321 experienced a complete response (CR, Exhibit 2). After the completion of four cycles (12 weeks) of Keytruda monotherapy there was no shrinkage in this patient’s tumors, but after four cycles of combination therapy with Keytruda and low dose IMP731 the lung metastases had shrunk by 73%; 23 weeks after initiation of IMP321 combination therapy the tumors had disappeared altogether. Of the other five patients, two experienced disease progression (tumor growth), one withdrew due to unrelated sepsis and there is no information about the other two, although they appear to have completed 26 weeks of treatment with IMP321 without disease progression. One should not read too much into a single tumor response, particularly given that the dose of IMP321 was low and delayed responses are a well-recognized feature of therapy with ICI, but it is encouraging that the tumor shrinkage appears to have coincided with the initiation of combination therapy. Again, while the number of patients is small, the preliminary CR rate of 17% (1/6) compares favorably with CR rates of 2-6% seen in Phase III trials of Keytruda monotherapy in melanoma.
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Exhibit 2: TACTI-mel first cohort (1mg/kg IMP321) complete responder and preliminary results |
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Source: Prima BioMed presentation at Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors conference, Boston, Massachusetts |
Exhibit 3: Financial summary
|
US$000s |
2015 |
2016 |
2017e |
2018e |
|
Year end 30 June |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
||
PROFIT & LOSS |
||||||
Revenue |
|
|
1,015 |
1,481 |
952 |
8,028 |
Cost of Sales |
(6,804) |
(5,365) |
(5,526) |
(5,692) |
||
Gross Profit |
(4,350) |
(5,307) |
(5,413) |
(5,575) |
||
EBITDA |
|
|
(10,142) |
(9,191) |
(9,987) |
(3,239) |
Operating Profit (before GW and except.) |
|
(10,390) |
(9,329) |
(9,990) |
(3,244) |
|
Intangible Amortization |
(772) |
(1,515) |
(1,426) |
(1,298) |
||
Exceptionals |
(13,937) |
(36,076) |
0 |
0 |
||
Operating Profit |
(25,099) |
(46,920) |
(11,416) |
(4,542) |
||
Other |
409 |
(1,304) |
0 |
0 |
||
Net Interest |
146 |
194 |
317 |
185 |
||
Pre-Tax Profit (norm) |
|
|
(9,835) |
(10,439) |
(9,672) |
(3,059) |
Pre-Tax Profit (IFRS) |
|
|
(24,543) |
(48,029) |
(11,099) |
(4,357) |
Tax |
108 |
898 |
0 |
0 |
||
Profit After Tax (norm) |
(9,727) |
(9,541) |
(9,672) |
(3,059) |
||
Profit After Tax (IFRS) |
(24,435) |
(47,132) |
(11,099) |
(4,357) |
||
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|||
Average Number of Shares Outstanding (m) |
1,490.1 |
2,236.3 |
2,061.6 |
2,073.1 |
||
Average Number of ADRs Outstanding (m) |
14.9 |
22.4 |
20.6 |
20.7 |
||
EPS - normalized (c) |
|
|
(0.7) |
(0.4) |
(0.5) |
(0.1) |
EPS - IFRS (c) |
|
|
(1.6) |
(2.1) |
(0.5) |
(0.2) |
Dividend per share (c) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
||
Earnings per ADR - normalized ($) |
(65.3) |
(42.7) |
(46.9) |
(14.8) |
||
Earnings per ADR - IFRS (c) |
(164.0) |
(210.8) |
(53.8) |
(21.0) |
||
Dividend per ADR (c) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
||
Gross Margin (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
EBITDA Margin (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
Operating Margin (before GW and except.) (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
BALANCE SHEET |
||||||
Fixed Assets |
|
|
17,450 |
15,871 |
14,464 |
13,183 |
Intangible Assets |
17,223 |
15,847 |
14,421 |
13,123 |
||
Tangible Assets |
226 |
24 |
43 |
60 |
||
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Current Assets |
|
|
6,098 |
16,470 |
6,779 |
3,702 |
Stocks |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Debtors |
240 |
128 |
128 |
128 |
||
Cash |
5,137 |
15,868 |
6,177 |
3,101 |
||
Other |
720 |
473 |
473 |
473 |
||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
(3,329) |
(1,119) |
(1,119) |
(1,119) |
Creditors |
(2,121) |
(1,098) |
(1,098) |
(1,098) |
||
Short term borrowings |
(1,146) |
(0) |
(0) |
(0) |
||
Short term leases |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Other |
(61) |
(21) |
(21) |
(21) |
||
Long Term Liabilities |
|
|
(1,455) |
(4,381) |
(4,381) |
(4,381) |
Long term borrowings incl. conv. note |
0 |
(3,821) |
(3,821) |
(3,821) |
||
Long term leases |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Other long term liabilities |
(1,455) |
(560) |
(560) |
(560) |
||
Net Assets |
|
|
18,764 |
26,841 |
15,742 |
11,386 |
CASH FLOW |
||||||
Operating Cash Flow |
|
|
(5,917) |
(8,811) |
(9,987) |
(3,239) |
Net Interest |
0 |
216 |
317 |
185 |
||
Tax |
(1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Capex |
(37) |
(21) |
(22) |
(23) |
||
Acquisitions/disposals |
(15,894) |
99 |
0 |
0 |
||
Financing |
5,886 |
20,694 |
0 |
0 |
||
Dividends |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Other |
(125) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Net Cash Flow |
(16,088) |
12,176 |
(9,691) |
(3,076) |
||
Opening net debt/(cash) |
|
|
(17,632) |
(3,991) |
(12,047) |
(2,356) |
HP finance leases initiated |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Other |
2,447 |
(4,120) |
0 |
0 |
||
Closing net debt/(cash) |
|
|
(3,991) |
(12,047) |
(2,356) |
720 |
Source: Prima Biomed accounts, Edison Investment Research. Note: Solely for the convenience of the reader the financial summary table has been converted to US$ at a rate of US$0.76 to A$1. Prima reports statutory accounts in Australian dollars. These translations should not be considered representations that any such amounts have been or could be converted into US dollars at the assumed conversion rate.
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Research: Investment Companies
Seneca Global Income & Growth Trust (SIGT) aims to generate income and long-term capital growth across multiple asset classes with low volatility. The trust adopts a long-term strategic asset allocation to equities (60%, split 35% to UK and 25% to overseas – with modest US exposure), fixed income (15%) and specialist assets (25%, generally yielding 5-8%). Shorter-term tactical asset allocations are made with a view to enhancing portfolio returns. For UK equity exposure, SIGT focuses on mid-cap companies, which over time tend to outperform the broader market. SIGT retains zero exposure to developed market government bonds, which the manager considers expensive. Following the change in mandate in 2012, SIGT’s NAV total return has outperformed the FTSE All-Share index, with significantly lower volatility; while dividends and reserves have grown every year.