The dumpster diving continues, this one is a bit messier and riskier.
Pieris Prescription drugs (PIRS) is a scientific stage biotechnology firm concentrating on remedies for respiratory illnesses and most cancers indications. In late June, the corporate introduced that their companion, AstraZeneca (AZN), of their lead product candidate, elarekibep, discontinued its Part 2a trial and this week we discovered that AstraZeneca additionally terminated their R&D collaboration settlement with Pieris. Getting a learn out on elarekibep’s Part 2a trial was the corporate’s high strategic precedence, a lot in order that they restricted funding of their different belongings, now with out that partnership, the corporate is left in a tough place the place they’re burning money and may’t increase capital within the present surroundings.
In comes the strategic alternate options announcement the place they disclosed a 6/30 money steadiness of $54.9MM and a discount in workforce of 70%. The CEO’s (4.8% proprietor) feedback have been moderately particular:
“We’re pursuing strategic choices throughout three important areas following the current developments which have impacted our skill to independently advance our respiratory packages,” commented President and CEO Stephen Yoder. “One monitor is accelerating partnering discussions of PRS-220 and PRS-400. A second focal space is diligently choosing the absolute best improvement companion and deal construction to re-initiate scientific improvement of cinrebafusp alfa, our former lead immuno-oncology asset, which has proven 100% ORR in 5 sufferers in a HER2+ gastric most cancers trial that was discontinued for strategic causes. Third, we are going to discover whether or not our steadiness sheet, place as a public firm, and different belongings are of strategic worth to a variety of third events.” Mr. Yoder continued, “Whereas the challenges we not too long ago skilled throughout our respiratory franchise have compelled us to make very tough personnel choices, I can not specific sufficient gratitude to our departing colleagues for his or her dedication, collaborative spirit and integrity.”
I admire the honesty of “place as a public firm” being of strategic worth, that factors to a reverse merger being excessive on the record, which is not ideally suited.
Pieris has plenty of partnerships, along with AstraZeneca, Pieris has present collaboration offers with Genentech (now a part of Roche), Seagen, Boston Prescription drugs and Servier. These are along with the belongings talked about within the above quote. PRS-220 and PRS-400 are wholly owned and managed, PRS-220 is at present in a Part 1 trial in Australia and PRS-400 remains to be pre-clinical. Plus they’ve cinrebafusp alfa (do not ask me to pronounce that) which beforehand had a profitable Part 1 examine, they have been initiating a Part 2, however stopped to redirect company sources to the failed AstraZeneca program. In PIRS’s personal phrases within the newest 10-Q, earlier than the strategic alternate options announcement:
In July 2022, we acquired quick monitor designation from FDA for cinrebafusp alfa. In August 2022, we introduced the choice to stop additional enrollment within the two-arm, multicenter, open-label section 2 examine of cinrebafusp alfa as a part of a strategic pipeline prioritization to focus our sources. Cinrebafusp alfa has demonstrated scientific profit in section 1 research, together with single agent exercise in a monotherapy setting, and within the section 2 examine in HER2-expressing gastric most cancers, giving the Firm confidence in its broader 4-1BB franchise. In April 2023, scientific knowledge exhibiting an unconfirmed 100% goal response fee and promising rising sturdiness profile was introduced on the American Affiliation of Most cancers analysis annual assembly. These knowledge supplied encouraging proof of scientific exercise for this program and we’re contemplating a variety of transaction to facilitate the continuation of cinrebafusp alfa, together with an immuno-oncology targeted spinout to conventional partnering transactions.
Between the strategic alternate options press launch and the language within the 10-Q, it does not seem Pieris is simply starting the method, however moderately they have been searching for methods to boost capital all alongside by promoting these three belongings (as a result of they wanted money to get to their earlier mid-2024 AstraZeneca readout timeline), right here there could be faster asset sale catalyst than others within the damaged biotech basket.
However as common, I’ve no actual ideas on the science behind any of this, however among the many partnerships and the wholly owned packages, there could be some worth nuggets above and past the money on the steadiness sheet.
The partnerships do create some quirky accounting. Pieris has acquired upfront funds in every of those offers for the licensing rights and a few R&D collaboration on future improvement, they account for the upfront fee by making a deferred income line merchandise for the income acquired however the place providers have not been carried out (like R&D spend). Whereas this reveals up as a legal responsibility, as you learn by the prolonged description of every partnership, it seems (be at liberty to push again on this) like their companions cannot claw again funds and its not a real debt or legal responsibility.
One may in all probability determine the margin on this deferred income over time by doing a little knowledge mining, however with the 70% discount in workforce, seemingly over listed to the R&D staff, it does not seem the corporate is simply too involved about not with the ability to acknowledge this income or having it clawed again.
Operating by my again of the envelope math, I give you the next liquidation estimate (reminder, that is seemingly not a liquidation):
The shares excellent quantity is a bit wonky, the corporate has most popular inventory excellent to their largest investor, Biotechnology Worth Fund, that’s convertible at 1,000 shares of widespread for every pref share. I imagine that is absolutely transformed within the 93.6MM quantity that was reported in BVF’s newest 13D. However please verify my math, I’ve low confidence in that quantity, but it surely’s hopefully proper inside just a few million shares.
