Antisoma (ASM)

[califax]

Antisoma's preliminary results for the year ended 30 June 2010

Date : 07/29/2010 @ 2:01AM
Source : UK Regulatory (RNS & others)
Stock : Antisoma (ASM)

http://ih.advfn.com/p.php?pid=nmona&article=43787366&symbol=L^ASM

London, UK, and Cambridge, MA: 29 July 2010 Antisoma plc (LSE: ASM; USOTC:
ATSMY) today announces its preliminary results for the year ended 30 June 2010.
These results have been prepared under International Financial Reporting
Standards ('IFRS') as adopted for use by the European Union.

Key events of 2009/2010

AS1413
* Positive final data reported from secondary AML phase II trial
* Secondary AML phase III trial over 75% enrolled
* FDA Fast Track status awarded
* Phase III data expected H1 2011


AS1411
* Positive long-term follow-up data from phase II AML trial
* Renal cancer phase II trial shows further evidence of activity
* New non-clinical data indicate potential in major cancer types
* Orphan drug status for AML obtained in US and EU
* Phase IIb trial in AML ongoing; headline data expected H1 2011


ASA404
* Front-line lung cancer phase III trial discontinued for futility


Financial highlights
* Cash at 30 June 2010 of GBP 32.1 million (30 June 2009: GBP 67.0 million)
* Cash life extends well beyond key phase III results

* Revenues of GBP 20.3 million (2009: GBP 25.2 million)
* Reflects half of the USD 60 million up-front payment from sanofi-aventis
(GBP 19.7 million) for the divestment of oral fludarabine

* Full year loss of GBP 18.7 million (2009: loss of GBP 16.4 million)


Commenting on the results, Glyn Edwards, CEO of Antisoma, said: "We have two
promising cancer drugs, AS1413 and AS1411, both of which we expect to report key
trial data by mid-2011, and cash resources to take us well past these data."

A webcast and conference call will be held today at 10.30 am BST. The webcast
can be accessed via Antisoma's website at
http://www.antisoma.com/asm/media/webcast/ and the call by dialling +44 (0)
207 806 1964 (US toll-free [phone]) and using the Confirmation Code:
9656482. A recording of the webcast will also be available afterwards on the
Antisoma website.

Enquiries:

Antisoma plc [phone]
Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer
Eric Dodd, Chief Financial Officer
Daniel Elger, VP, Marketing & Communications


Buchanan Communications [phone]

Mark Court, Lisa Baderoon, Catherine Breen


Except for the historical information presented, certain matters described in
this announcement are forward looking statements that are subject to a number
of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. These risks and uncertainties may be associated with product
discovery and development, including statements regarding the Group's clinical
development programmes, the expected timing of clinical trials and regulatory
filings. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, but
actual results may differ materially.

Joint Chief Executive and Chairman's statement

Overview
We have had a challenging year, including a disappointment in March, when a
phase III trial evaluating ASA404 as a first-line treatment for lung cancer was
discontinued for futility. We recognise that ASA404 was considered the Company's
most significant asset, but we are fortunate in having another late-stage cancer
drug, AS1413, with substantial market potential. Addressing an indication in
acute leukaemia where there is high unmet need, poor satisfaction with currently
available generic therapies and clear potential for post-launch growth, AS1413
could readily achieve peak sales comparable in scale to the royalties that we
might have obtained through our alliance on ASA404. We expect data from the
phase III pivotal study of this compound in the first half of 2011.

AS1413 phase III trial nears enrolment target
AS1413 is a novel chemotherapy that we are testing in a large randomised phase
III trial in patients with secondary acute myeloid leukaemia (secondary AML).
The trial, known as ACCEDE, is approaching its enrolment target, which is to
screen 450 patients in order to provide 420 evaluable patients. Enrolment should
be completed in the third quarter of 2010 and we expect to announce results in
the first half of 2011.

During the year, we have presented new findings supporting AS1413 at major
scientific and medical meetings. In December, we reported positive final data
from a phase II trial of AS1413 in secondary AML at the American Society of
Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. We saw an encouraging number of longer-term
responders, with 30% of patients who achieved remission after treatment with
AS1413 still alive after 2 years. A presentation at the American Association of
Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in April reinforced the differentiation of
AS1413 from currently available leukaemia treatments and its potential to
provide unique benefits for patients. Presentations at the American Society of
Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the European Hematology Association
(EHA) Annual Meeting in June highlighted the importance of multi-drug resistance
as a barrier to successful treatment of AML. A key feature of AS1413 is its
ability to evade multi-drug resistance mechanisms.

In June we announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had
granted Fast Track designation to AS1413 for the treatment of secondary AML.
Fast-track designated drugs usually qualify for Priority Review, an expedited
review process available to drugs that offer major advances in treatment or
provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists.

There is interest from potential partners in licensing AS1413. We have decided
to take a pragmatic stance to realising the value of the drug, and have
therefore widened our partnering discussions to include US rights, which we had
previously planned to retain. However, as we have the resources ourselves to
complete development of AS1413, we will only strike a deal ahead of the phase
III data if terms are sufficiently favourable.

We believe that AS1413 could ultimately find application in a number of blood
cancer settings, with potential sales running to hundreds of millions of dollars
annually.

AS1411 phase IIb trial ongoing
AS1411 is the most advanced aptamer in trials for cancer. In March we initiated
a 90-patient phase IIb study in patients with AML. This trial follows an earlier
60-patient randomised phase II trial in AML, in which use of AS1411 in
combination with cytarabine produced a higher remission rate than cytarabine
alone, without imposing any significant additional side-effects. At this year's
ASCO meeting, we presented long-term follow up data from the earlier study,
showing that five of the eight patients who responded to an AS1411-based
regimen, all of whom had advanced disease on entry to the study, had substantial
survival durations (from 12 to over 20 months). Headline data from the phase IIb
study are expected in the first half of 2011.

We continue to accumulate evidence that AS1411 has potential in a variety of
different cancers. Non-clinical data presented at AACR in April showed activity
in a model of colorectal cancer and positive findings when AS1411 was combined
with various approved treatments for blood cancers. At the ASCO meeting in June
we presented data from a 35-patient phase II study of AS1411 in advanced renal
cancer, which provided further evidence of activity in this setting.

In October we announced that AS1411 had been granted orphan drug status in the
US and the EU for the treatment of AML. These grants will provide seven years of
market exclusivity in the US and ten years of exclusivity in the EU if AS1411 is
approved as a treatment for AML.

DCAM auto-immune programme progressing towards partnering
We have an important pre-clinical programme in auto-immune diseases. This
comprises a series of molecules collectively known as DCAMs (dendritic cell
auto-immune modulators). They are highly specific, small-molecule inhibitors of
wild-type Flt3, and are designed for oral treatment of various auto-immune
conditions. Positive results have already been achieved in animal models of
inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and we are now working
towards establishing a licensing partnership for further development of the
programme.

Other pipeline developments
During the period, we discontinued development of a phase II product, AS1402,
divested a phase I product, P2045, to Bryan Oncor, and put on hold further
development of AS1409. We have also discontinued a number of preclinical
programmes as we focus our resources on development of our late-stage products,
AS1413 and AS1411.

Cash conservation measures enacted
We are no longer anticipating further revenues from the ASA404 programme, and
have therefore taken steps to reduce our cash utilisation and ensure that our
funds take us comfortably past key clinical data on AS1413 and AS1411, which are
expected during the first half of 2011. We finished the period with cash and
short-term deposits of GBP 32.1 million (2009: GBP 67.0 million).

Total revenues for the year ended 30 June 2010 were GBP 20.3 million, compared
with GBP 25.2 million last year. This year's revenues reflect half of the USD
60.0 million up-front payment from sanofi-aventis (GBP 19.7 million) for oral
fludarabine, which was deferred from the previous financial year, and the first
of five annual contingent payments due under the agreement.

Total operating expenses have increased from GBP 40.8 million last year to GBP
43.4 million this year, mainly reflecting an increase in general and
administrative costs, which were GBP 7.9 million (2009: GBP 4.9 million),
reflecting impairments made to intangible assets and lower foreign exchange
gains during the year. Research and development (R&D) costs were GBP 35.5
million (2009: GBP 35.9 million).

We have recorded a full-year loss of GBP 18.7 million (2009: GBP 16.4 million).
At this stage in our development, profits and losses reflect the balance between
recognition of deferred revenues and our ongoing operating expenses.

Board and management changes
Regrettably, we have had to restructure the business and make headcount
reductions as part of our effort to conserve cash resources. As part of the
restructuring, our former Chief Operating Officer, Dr Ursula Ney, left the
Company and the Antisoma Board in April. Ursula made a very significant
contribution to the development of Antisoma, and we wish her well with future
ventures. In June we closed our laboratories at BioPark in Hertfordshire,
leaving our operations concentrated at our headquarters in London and at our
Cambridge, MA, site and reducing our total headcount to around sixty.

Outlook
We believe we have the product assets, people and financial resources to build
value for the future. We look forward to a number of important clinical
milestones in the near term, notably phase III data on AS1413 and phase IIb data
on AS1411, both of which we expect in the first half of 2011.

Glyn Edwards
Chief Executive Officer

Barry Price
Chairman