DUBLIN--(
BUSINESS WIRE
)--Prothena Corporation plc (NASDAQ:PRTA), a late-stage clinical biotechnology company with a robust pipeline of investigational therapeutics built on protein dysregulation expertise, today reported financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024 and provided business highlights.
“
Within the next several quarters we expect meaningful data readouts on four clinical programs in our robust R&D pipeline that have the potential to significantly improve the lives of millions of individuals with neurodegenerative or rare peripheral amyloid diseases and their families,” said Gene Kinney, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Prothena. “
From our wholly-owned programs we expect to complete our confirmatory Phase 3 AFFIRM-AL clinical trial evaluating birtamimab, which is being conducted under a SPA agreement with the FDA at a significance level of 0.10, in 1H 2025. We also expect to announce multiple clinical readouts from our ongoing Phase 1 ASCENT clinical trials evaluating PRX012 for Alzheimer’s disease starting in mid-2025 and continuing throughout the year. In collaboration with Roche, we expect results from the Phase 2b PADOVA clinical trial evaluating prasinezumab for Parkinson’s disease in 4Q 2024 and with Novo Nordisk, we expect results from the Phase 2 signal-detection clinical trial evaluating coramitug for ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy in 1H 2025.”
Third Quarter, Recent Business Highlights and Upcoming Milestones
Neurodegenerative Diseases Portfolio
Alzheimer’s Disease
PRX012
, a wholly-owned potential best-in-class, single-injection once-monthly antibody delivered subcutaneously for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease that targets a key epitope at the N-terminus of amyloid beta (Aβ) with high binding potency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for PRX012 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Designed as a potential single-injection once-monthly subcutaneous treatment to address the unmet need of millions of patients with presymptomatic or early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease, Prothena expects to report multiple clinical readouts starting in mid-2025 and continuing throughout the year from the ongoing Phase 1 ASCENT clinical trials
Prothena has currently enrolled approximately 260 patients in the ASCENT clinical trials
Poster presentation at CTAD 2024 highlighted the clinical trial design and patient demographic diversity of the ongoing ASCENT clinical trials
BMS-986446
(formerly PRX005), a potential best-in-class antibody for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease that specifically targets a key epitope within the microtubule binding region (MTBR) of tau, a protein implicated in the causal pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.
Bristol Myers Squibb continues to enroll the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in approximately 475 patients with early Alzheimer’s disease; primary completion expected in 2027 (
NCT06268886
)
Bristol Myers Squibb is responsible for all development, manufacturing, and commercialization
Oral encore presentation by partner Bristol Myers Squibb at CTAD 2024 highlighted the design of the ongoing Phase 2 TargetTau-1 clinical trial
PRX123
, a wholly-owned potential first-in-class dual Aβ/tau vaccine designed for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, is a dual-target vaccine targeting key epitopes within the N-terminus of Aβ and MTBR-tau designed to promote amyloid clearance and block the transmission of pathogenic tau. The FDA cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application and granted Fast Track designation for PRX123 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Continuing to optimize capital allocation across our robust R&D pipeline, Prothena expects to update plans for Phase 1 clinical trial in 2025
Parkinson’s Disease
Prasinezumab
, a potential first-in-class antibody for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease that is designed to target key epitopes within the C-terminus of alpha-synuclein and is the focus of a worldwide collaboration with Roche.
PASADENA Open Label Extension Phase 2 clinical trial results published in
Nature Medicine
showed a continued reduction in motor and functional progression compared to real-world data after 4 years
Topline results from Phase 2b PADOVA clinical trial in patients with early Parkinson’s disease, which has completed enrollment of 586 patients, expected in 4Q 2024 (
NCT04777331
)
Neurodegenerative Diseases
PRX019
, a potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in development in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb.
Prothena has initiated a Phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetics of single ascending and multiple doses in healthy adults
Rare Peripheral Amyloid Diseases Portfolio
AL Amyloidosis
Birtamimab
, a wholly-owned potential best-in-class anti-amyloid antibody for the treatment of AL amyloidosis designed to directly neutralize soluble toxic light chain aggregates and promote clearance of amyloid that causes organ dysfunction and failure. Among patients with AL amyloidosis, a rare, progressive, and fatal disease, newly diagnosed individuals with cardiac involvement are at the highest risk for early death. Birtamimab has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by both the FDA and European Medicines Agency. A significant survival benefit was observed in the post hoc analysis of birtamimab-treated patients categorized as Mayo Stage IV at baseline in the previous Phase 3 VITAL clinical trial (
Blood
2023
)
.
The ongoing confirmatory Phase 3 AFFIRM-AL clinical trial is being conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the FDA with a primary endpoint of all-cause mortality (time-to-event) at a significance level of 0.10
Topline results from confirmatory AFFIRM-AL Phase 3 clinical trial expected in 1H 2025 (
NCT04973137
)
ATTR Amyloidosis
Coramitug
(formerly PRX004), a potential first-in-class amyloid depleter antibody for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) designed to deplete the pathogenic, non-native forms of the transthyretin (TTR) protein, is being developed by Novo Nordisk as part of its up to $1.2 billion acquisition of Prothena’s ATTR amyloidosis business and pipeline.
Phase 1 clinical trial results for coramitug in patients with ATTR amyloidosis published in
Amyloid
,
the official journal of the International Society of Amyloidosis
Ongoing Phase 2 signal-detection clinical trial in patients with ATTR-CM is being conducted by Novo Nordisk
Phase 2 clinical trial has completed enrollment of approximately 99 patients with topline data expected in 1H 2025 (
NCT05442047
)
Corporate Highlight
Prothena announced the appointment of Chad J. Swanson, Ph.D., as Chief Development Officer in September 2024, leading all clinical development and medical functions. Dr. Swanson is a neuropharmacologist with over 20 years industry experience and joined Prothena as Senior Vice President and Head of Clinical Development in January 2023 from Eisai, Inc. where he was the Executive Director of Clinical Research in the Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Health group.
Third Quarter and First Nine Months of 2024 Financial Results
For the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, Prothena reported net loss of $59.0 million and $64.4 million, respectively, as compared to a net income of $21.9 million and net loss of $79.6 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively. Net loss per share was $1.10 and $1.20 for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, as compared to a net income per share on a diluted basis of $0.38 and a net loss per share of $1.50 for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively.
Prothena reported total revenue of $1.0 million and $133.0 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to total revenue of $84.9 million and $91.1 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively. Total revenue for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024 was primarily from collaboration revenue from Bristol Myers Squibb as compared to total revenue for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023 that was also primarily from collaboration revenue from Bristol Myers Squibb.
Research and development (R&D) expenses totaled $50.7 million and $172.3 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to $57.9 million and $158.7 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively. The decrease in R&D expenses for the third quarter compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to lower manufacturing expenses. The increase in R&D expenses for the first nine months of 2023, compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to higher clinical trial expenses and higher personnel related expenses; offset in part by lower manufacturing and other R&D expenses. R&D expenses included non-cash share-based compensation expense of $5.1 million and $16.2 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to $4.9 million and $14.2 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses totaled $16.8 million and $50.4 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to $16.6 million and $44.9 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively. The increase in G&A expenses for the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily related to higher personnel related expenses. G&A expenses included non-cash share-based compensation expense of $5.9 million and $19.2 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to $6.0 million and $15.7 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively.
Total non-cash share-based compensation expense was $11.0 million and $35.4 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, respectively, as compared to $10.9 million and $29.8 million for the third quarter and first nine months of 2023, respectively.
As of September 30, 2024, Prothena had $520.1 million in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, and no debt.
As of November 6, 2024, Prothena had approximately 53.8 million ordinary shares outstanding.
2024 Financial Guidance
The Company continues to expect full year 2024 net cash used in operating and investing actives to be $148 to $160 million and expects to end the year with approximately $468 million (midpoint) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. The estimated full year 2024 net cash used from operating and investing activities is primarily driven by an estimated net loss of $120 to $135 million, which includes an estimated $48 million of non-cash share-based compensation expense.
About Prothena
Prothena Corporation plc is a late-stage clinical biotechnology company with expertise in protein dysregulation and a pipeline of investigational therapeutics with the potential to change the course of devastating neurodegenerative and rare peripheral amyloid diseases. Fueled by its deep scientific expertise built over decades of research, Prothena is advancing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates for a number of indications and novel targets for which its ability to integrate scientific insights around neurological dysfunction and the biology of misfolded proteins can be leveraged. Prothena’s pipeline includes both wholly-owned and partnered programs being developed for the potential treatment of diseases including AL amyloidosis, ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and a number of other neurodegenerative diseases. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at
www.prothena.com
and follow the Company on Twitter @ProthenaCorp.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to, among other things, the sufficiency of our cash position to fund advancement of a broad pipeline and completion of our ongoing clinical trials; the continued advancement of our discovery, preclinical, and clinical pipeline, and expected milestones in 2024, 2025, and beyond; the treatment potential, designs, proposed mechanisms of action, and potential administration of PRX012, BMS-986446/PRX005, PRX123, prasinezumab, PRX019, birtamimab, and coramitug/PRX004; plans for ongoing and future clinical trials of PRX012, BMS-986446/PRX005, PRX123, prasinezumab, PRX019, birtamimab, and coramitug/PRX004; the expected timing of reporting data from clinical trials, including multiple clinical readouts starting in mid- 2025 and continuing throughout the year from our ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials evaluating PRX012 and topline study results for our Phase 3 AFFIRM-AL clinical trial between in 1H 2025; our anticipated net cash burn from operating and investing activities for 2024 and expected cash balance at the end of 2024; and our estimated net loss and non-cash share-based compensation expense for 2024. These statements are based on estimates, projections and assumptions that may prove not to be accurate, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to those described in the “Risk Factors” sections of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 12, 2024, and discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events, or changes in our expectations.
PROTHENA CORPORATION PLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited - amounts in thousands except per share data)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
2023
Collaboration revenue
$
970
$
84,866
$
132,984
$
91,004
Revenue from license and intellectual property
—
—
50
50
Total revenue
970
84,866
133,034
91,054
Operating expenses:
Research and development
50,723
57,913
172,347
158,680
General and administrative
16,760
16,645
50,351
44,895
Total operating expenses
67,483
74,558
222,698
203,575
Income (loss) from operations
(66,513
)
10,308
(89,664
)
(112,521
)
Total other income, net
6,677
8,507
20,235
22,659
Income (loss) before income taxes
(59,836
)
18,815
(69,429
)
(89,862
)
Benefit from income taxes
(835
)
(3,092
)
(5,075
)
(10,310
)
Net income (loss)
$
(59,001
)
$
21,907
$
(64,354
)
$
(79,552
)
Basic net income (loss) per ordinary share
$
(1.10
)
$
0.41
$
(1.20
)
$
(1.50
)
Diluted net income (loss) per ordinary share
$
(1.10
)
$
0.38
$
(1.20
)
$
(1.50
)
Shares used to compute basic net income (loss) per share
53,790
53,559
53,757
53,064
Shares used to compute diluted net income (loss) per share
53,790
58,004
53,757
53,064
PROTHENA CORPORATION PLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(unaudited - amounts in thousands)
September 30,
December 31,
2024
2023
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
519,262
$
618,830
Restricted cash, current
—
1,352
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
15,722
19,100
Total current assets
534,984
639,282
Property and equipment, net
3,254
3,836
Operating lease right-of-use assets
11,400
12,162
Restricted cash, non-current
860
860
Other non-current assets
44,756
40,242
Total non-current assets
60,270
57,100
Total assets
$
595,254
$
696,382
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Accrued research and development
10,340
14,724
Deferred revenue, current
8,832
—
Lease liability, current
2,613
1,114
Other current liabilities
24,637
41,053
Total current liabilities
46,422
56,891
Deferred revenue, non-current
5,589
67,405
Lease liability, non-current
8,881
10,721
Total non-current liabilities
14,470
78,126
Total liabilities
60,892
135,017
Total shareholders’ equity
534,362
561,365
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
$
595,254
$
696,382
