Entera Bio Reports Q3 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates
JERUSALEM, Nov. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Entera Bio Ltd. (NASDAQ:ENTX), ("Entera" or the "Company") a leader in the development of oral peptides and small therapeutic proteins, today reported financial results and key business updates for the quarter ended September 30, 2024.
"The third quarter of 2024 drew consistent attention to our pivotal-staged clinical asset, EB613, the first oral PTH(1-34) tablet treatment dedicated to post-menopausal women with high risk osteoporosis. Entera's proprietary N-Tab™ platform consistently delivered across our oral GLP-2 tablet, oral GLP-1/Glucagon tablet and confidential hypoparathyroidism tablet program. Finally, we are humbled by key additions from around the world to our clinical and scientific advisory board which we view as testament to what we are aspiring to build at Entera," said Miranda Toledano, Chief Executive Officer of Entera.
Ms. Toledano continued, "We are headed into a busy year end across all programs and keenly anticipating FDA's potential landmark ruling on the ASBMR-FNIH SABRE regulatory endpoint for osteoporosis drugs, expected in January 2025. Current regulatory guidelines requiring fracture outcomes have curtailed innovation in the treatment of this significant disease due to ethical, time and sizing of studies required to evaluate new treatments. The SABRE work is based on a statistical meta-analysis of over 170,000 patients across 53 randomized clinical studies and 7 osteoporosis drug classes correlating total hip Bone Mineral Density (BMD) to fracture outcomes. We believe that our pivotal program for EB613 is first in line to leverage this pathway. Our recent discussions with patients, regulatory agencies, clinicians and fellow industry colleagues acknowledge the need for new treatments for osteoporosis and, especially, oral anabolic therapy. Osteoporosis is one of the foremost underserved women's health issues globally, where fracture rates continue to rise and where, despite medical guidelines, efficacious injectable anabolics are used in a minority of patients worldwide. We are developing EB613 to help close this treatment gap."
Q3 2024 Updates:
EB613: First Oral PTH(1-34) Anabolic Tablet Treatment for Women with Osteoporosis
In September 2024, new comparative pharmacological data for EB613 was presented at the American Society for Bone Mineral Research September 2024 (ASBMR 2024) Annual Meeting in Toronto. The abstract was previewed by Dr. Serge Ferrari of Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland in his sneak-peak highlights of cutting-edge clinical abstracts on osteoporosis therapy at ASBMR2024.
First GLP-1/Glucagon Agonist (Oxyntomodulin) Peptide Tablets for Obesity
In September 2024, Entera and OPKO Health, Inc. (("OPKO", NASDAQ:OPK), jointly announced topline pharmacokinetic/ pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) results for the oral oxyntomodulin (OXM) tablet program. The program is focused on developing the first oral dual agonist GLP-1/glucagon peptide as a potential once-daily treatment for patients with obesity and metabolic disorders using Entera's proprietary N-Tab™ platform. Oral OXM exhibited significant systemic exposure across two in vivo models, a favorable PK profile and bioavailability. The high plasma concentrations with prolonged systemic exposure were consistent with the reported half-life for semaglutide (Rybelsus®), the only approved oral GLP-1 analog. Oral OXM showed a statistically significant reduction in plasma glucose levels compared with placebo. Entera plans to present this data together with OPKO at an upcoming clinical conference.
First GLP-2 Peptide Tablets for Short Bowel Syndrome
Entera continues pre-IND validation of its oral GLP-2 tablet in partnership with OPKO. Final in vivo PK/PD data is expected in the second half of 2024. This program is being developed as the first potential tablet GLP-2 replacement therapy for patients suffering with Short Bowel Syndrome, a rare and devastating intestinal failure condition. The program may also provide value to other critical conditions of GI inflammation, which is being explored with external parties.
EB612: First Oral PTH(1-34) Peptide Replacement Therapy Tablets for Hypoparathyroidism
Entera continues to collaborate productively with a third party on the oral tablet development of another PTH replacement treatment for hypoparathyroidism.
Financial Results for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2024
As of September 30,2024, Entera had cash and cash equivalents of $6.9 million. The Company expects that its existing cash resources are sufficient to meet its projected operating requirements into the third quarter of 2025.
Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were $1.5 million, as compared to $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of $0.1 million was primarily due to an increase of $0.5 million in materials required in connection with the optimization processes related to the preparation of the EB613 phase 3 study. The increase was partially offset by a decrease of $0.4 million related to a completed Phase 1 PK, which occurred in 2023.
General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 were $1.5 million, as compared to $1.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The increase of $0.5 million was mainly attributable to increases in intellectual property expenses, consultancy fees and share-based compensation.
Operating expenses for the period ended September 30, 2024 were $3.0 million, as compared to $2.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.
Net loss was $3.0 million, or $0.08 per ordinary share (basic and diluted), for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $2.4 million, or $0.08 per ordinary share (basic and diluted), for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.
About Entera Bio
Entera is a clinical-stage company focused on developing oral peptide or protein replacement therapies for significant unmet medical needs where an oral tablet form holds the potential to transform the standard of care. The Company leverages a disruptive and proprietary technology platform (N-Tab™) and its pipeline includes five differentiated, first-in-class oral peptide programs, expected to enter the clinic (Phase 1 to Phase 3) by 2025. The Company's most advanced product candidate, EB613 (oral PTH (1-34)), is being developed as the first oral, osteoanabolic (bone building) once-daily tablet treatment for post-menopausal women with low BMD and high-risk osteoporosis. A placebo controlled, dose ranging Phase 2 study of EB613 tablets (n=161) met primary ...
