Achilles Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights


- Clinical and translational science data expected in the fourth quarter of 2023 from the ongoing Phase I/IIa trials in NSCLC and melanoma -

-   neoRanker™ immunogenicity prediction module of PELEUS™ increases the likelihood of identifying multiple memory T cell responses -

- Strong cash position of $144 million supports operations through 2025 -
        

LONDON, Aug. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achilles Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: ACHL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing AI-powered precision T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens to treat solid tumors, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, and recent business highlights.

“We look forward to additional clinical data in the fourth quarter of this year from our clonal neoantigen-reactive T cell (cNeT) therapy for the treatment of advanced NSCLC (CHIRON) and metastatic malignant melanoma (THETIS) and are encouraged by the improved manufacturing performance of our VELOS™ Process 2,” said Dr Iraj Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Achilles Therapeutics. “We are also very excited about the developments in our AI-driven bioinformatics platform PELEUSTM. PELEUS uses a unique multi-region approach to provide validated and accurate identification of personalized clonal neoantigens. Our newly developed neoRankerTM tool is trained on a proprietary dataset of over 10,000 neoantigens and we calculate that it is potentially twice as good at identifying multiple memory T cell responses than existing deep-learning models. We believe this could be highly differentiated in the design of neoantigen vaccines and further strengthens our leadership position in the field of neoantigen identification.”

Business Highlights

  • Introduced and presented data at the 7th Annual Immuno-Oncology Summit Europe on the neoRankerTM tool, Achilles Therapeutics’ new immunogenicity prediction module of the AI-Powered PELEUS™ platform that uniquely identifies the most potent clonal neoantigens. The new AI module demonstrated potential superiority to commonly used AI tools (BigMHC) in identifying and prioritizing targets for personalized antigen approaches, supporting potential implementation into the Company’s ongoing TIL-based clinical programs in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma, and into other modalities including clonal neoantigen cancer vaccines
  • US patent number 11,634,773 granted on technology exclusively licensed by Achilles from the Francis Crick Institute, University College London, and Cancer Research Horizons, for selecting neoantigens that are presented by HLA molecules determined to be present in a patient’s tumor
  • Regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) on July 28, 2023, as confirmed by a written notice received from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market on July 31, 2023

Financial Highlights

  • Cash and cash equivalents: Cash and cash equivalents were $143.7 million as of June 30, 2023, as compared to $173.3 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company anticipates that its cash and cash equivalents are sufficient to fund its planned operations through 2025.
  • Research and development (R&D) expenses: R&D expenses were $13.8 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, a decrease of $1.0 million compared to $14.8 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. The decrease was primarily driven by changes to R&D priorities.
  • General and administrative (G&A) expenses: G&A expenses were $4.3 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, a decrease of $1.5 million compared to $5.8 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. This decrease was primarily driven by changes in cost allocations, as well as lower professional fees and personnel costs.  
  • Net loss: Net loss for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023 was $16.8 million or $0.42 per share compared to $17.3 million or $0.44 per share for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.

2H 2023 Focus and Upcoming Events

  • Clinical Data: Report clinical and translational science data from 15 to 20 additional patients treated with cNeT monotherapy in NSCLC and melanoma, and with a cNeT/anti-PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor combination in melanoma, in the fourth quarter of the year
  • Translational Science: Leverage the Company’s translational science platform to define the cNeT product features associated with clinical responses
  • Clinical Activity: Drive the potential for additional confirmed responses in CHIRON and THETIS patients by delivering higher cNeT doses and improved product design
  • Manufacturing Development: Continue VELOS™ and PELEUS™ development to optimize cNeT dose and functionality

Members of the Achilles team will participate in the following upcoming conferences. Additional details will be available in the Events & Presentations section of the Company’s website:

  • 11th Annual Immuno-Oncology Summit: August 7-9, 2023, Boston, MA
  • Advanced Therapies Europe: September 6-7, 2023, Estoril, Portugal
  • 5th Annual TIL Therapies Summit: October 2-4, 2023, Boston, MA

About Achilles Therapeutics

Achilles is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing AI-Powered precision T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to the individual that are expressed on the surface of every cancer cell. The Company has two ongoing Phase I/IIa trials, the CHIRON trial in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the THETIS trial in patients with recurrent or metastatic melanoma. Achilles uses DNA sequencing data from each patient, together with its proprietary PELEUS™ bioinformatics platform, to identify clonal neoantigens specific to that patient, and then develop precision T cell-based product candidates specifically targeting those clonal neoantigens.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements that are based on our management's belief and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements relate to future events or our future operational or financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent our views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. You should therefore not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Investors:
Meru Advisors
Lee M. Stern
lstern@meruadvisors.com

Media:
Consilium Strategic Communications
Mary-Jane Elliott, Sukaina Virji, Melissa Gardiner
+44 (0) 203 709 5000
achillestx@consilium-comms.com

ACHILLES THERAPEUTICS PLC 
  
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
(expressed in U.S. Dollars, unless otherwise stated)
 
  June 30,  December 31, 
  2023  2022 
ASSETS      
Current assets:      
Cash and cash equivalents $143,711  $173,338 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets  31,499   23,242 
Total current assets  175,210   196,580 
Non-current assets:      
Property and equipment, net  10,949   12,399 
Operating lease right of use assets  8,373   8,081 
Deferred tax assets  185   251 
Restricted cash  33   33 
Other assets  3,157   3,014 
Total non-current assets  22,697   23,778 
TOTAL ASSETS $197,907  $220,358 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
Current liabilities:      
Accounts payable $6,886  $5,187 
Income taxes payable  7   326 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities  7,569   8,292 
Operating lease liabilities-current  4,656   4,188 
Total current liabilities  19,118   17,993 
Non-current liabilities:      
Operating lease liabilities-non-current  3,972   4,388 
Other long-term liability  974   933 
Total non-current liabilities  4,946   5,321 
Total liabilities  24,064   23,314 
Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)      
Shareholders’ equity:      
Ordinary shares, £0.001 par value; 40,946,239 and 40,932,727 shares
authorized, issued and outstanding at June 30, 2023 and
December 31, 2022, respectively
  54   54 
Deferred shares, £92,451.851 par value, one share authorized, issued
and outstanding at June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022
  128   128 
Additional paid in capital  412,201   408,844 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (13,901)  (21,695)
Accumulated deficit  (224,639)  (190,287)
Total shareholders’ equity  173,843   197,044 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY $197,907  $220,358 


ACHILLES THERAPEUTICS PLC
 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
(expressed in U.S. Dollars, unless otherwise stated)
 
  Three Months Ended June 30,  Six Months Ended June 30, 
  2023  2022  2023  2022 
OPERATING EXPENSES:            
Research and development $13,774  $14,776  $27,642  $27,790 
General and administrative  4,318   5,770   9,003   11,725 
Total operating expenses  18,092   20,546   36,645   39,515 
Loss from operations  (18,092)  (20,546)  (36,645)  (39,515)
OTHER INCOME, NET:            
Other income  1,212   3,271   2,303   4,900 
Total other income, net  1,212   3,271   2,303   4,900 
Loss before provision for income taxes  (16,880)  (17,275)  (34,342)  (34,615)
Benefit (Provision) for income taxes  34   (14)  (10)  (29)
Net loss  (16,846)  (17,289)  (34,352)  (34,644)
Other comprehensive income:            
Foreign exchange translation adjustment  3,817   (19,302)  7,794   (26,979)
Comprehensive loss $(13,029) $(36,591) $(26,558) $(61,623)
Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders—basic and diluted $(0.42) $(0.44) $(0.86) $(0.89)
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding—basic and diluted  39,899,944   39,104,375   39,816,528   38,998,686