UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC  20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 12, 2013

 


PEREGRINE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   0-17085   95-3698422
(State of other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
  (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
Identification No.)
         
14282 Franklin Avenue, Tustin, California 92780
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
         
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (714) 508-6000
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

 

o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425).

o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14A-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR.14d-2(b))

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 
 

 

ITEM 2.02      RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION

 

On March 12, 2013, Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. issued a press release to report the Company’s financial results for the third quarter ended January 31, 2013. A copy of the press release is attached to this current report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1. No additional information is included in this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

The information included in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibit hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in, any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

 

ITEM 7.01      REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

 

On March 12, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EDT/1:30 p.m. PDT, the Company will host a conference call to discuss its third quarter ended January 31, 2013 financial results. The webcast of the conference call will be archived on the Company’s website for approximately 30 days.

  

ITEM 9.01      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

(d) Exhibits. The following material is filed as an exhibit to this Current Report on Form 8-K:

  

Exhibit

Number

 

99.1                  Press Release issued March 12, 2013.

 

2
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

  PEREGRINE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
   
Date: March 12, 2013 By:  /s/ Paul J. Lytle
    Paul J. Lytle
Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

Exhibit

Number

Description
  
99.1Press Release issued March 12, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

Contact:

Christopher Keenan or Jay Carlson
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(800) 987-8256
info@peregrineinc.com

 

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Reports THIRD Quarter Fiscal Year 2013 Financial

Results and Recent Developments

 

-- Meaningful Improvement in Median Overall Survival in Patients with Second-Line NSCLC Supports

Advancing Bavituximab into Phase III Development --

 

-- Contract Manufacturing Revenue Tops $17 Million for Nine Months Ended January 2013 --

 

TUSTIN, CA – March 12, 2013 – Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPHM), a biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class monoclonal antibodies focused on the treatment and diagnosis of cancer, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended January 31, 2013 of fiscal year (FY) 2013 and provided an update on its advancing clinical pipeline and other corporate developments.

 

“A key development this quarter was reporting updated data from our second-line non-small cell lung cancer trial that showed a meaningful improvement in median overall survival in the high dose bavituximab arm that we believe clearly supports advancing the program into Phase III. We are now actively preparing for a meeting with the FDA as part of our plans to initiate the Phase III trial by year-end,” said Steven W. King, president and chief executive officer of Peregrine. “These results, along with the promising signs of anti-tumor activity we reported from our Phase II trial in front-line pancreatic cancer, are helping further guide the upcoming development of bavituximab with its broad potential in oncology. We are continuing to update potential partners on the new data as well as our plans for advancing the program.”

 

BAVITUXIMAB ONCOLOGY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Lead Indication in Second-Line Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer:

·Recently announced updated results from its Phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of bavituximab in second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
·Promising 60% improvement in median overall survival (OS) in the 3mg/kg bavituximab plus docetaxel arm compared to the control arm and that bavituximab was well-tolerated with no significant differences in adverse events between the trial arms.
·Additional data from the trial, including subgroup analysis and safety data, to be presented at an upcoming scientific meeting.
·Planning for a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the first half of calendar year 2013 with the goal of initiating the Phase III trial by calendar year-end.

 

Front-Line Pancreatic Cancer:

·Recently announced data from its open-label, randomized Phase II clinical trial of bavituximab used in combination with gemcitabine in 70 patients with previously untreated, advanced Stage IV pancreatic cancer.
·Enrollment included patients with poor prognosis including advanced metastatic disease with significant liver involvement and poor performance status associated with rapid disease progression.
·Results showed a more than a doubling of overall response rate (ORR) in the bavituximab-containing arm, a positive safety profile and a modest improvement in median OS.
·Additional data from the trial, including subgroup analysis and safety data, to be presented at an upcoming scientific meeting.
·Encouraging signs of activity from the trial support advancing this program, potentially in combination with new treatment options.

 

1
 

 

Other Oncology Indications:

The company is exploring the potential of bavituximab through a number of other ongoing company-sponsored and investigator-sponsored trials (IST) including:

 

·A randomized, open-label, Phase II clinical trial evaluating bavituximab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel versus carboplatin and paclitaxel alone in 86 patients with previously untreated Stage IIIb or Stage IV NSCLC. Peregrine expects to report median OS from this trial, an event driven endpoint, in the first half of calendar year 2013.

 

·A Phase Ib IST evaluating bavituximab in combination with carboplatin and pemetrexed in up to 25 patients with previously untreated Stage IV NSCLC.

 

·A Phase I/II IST evaluating bavituximab in combination with sorafenib in up to 48 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). The Phase I portion of the trial has completed patient enrollment with enrollment in the Phase II portion of the trial ongoing.

 

·A Phase I IST evaluating bavituximab in combination with paclitaxel in up to 14 patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

 

·A Phase I IST evaluating bavituximab in combination with capecitabine and radiation therapy in up to 18 patients with Stage II or III rectal adenocarcinoma.

 

In addition, Peregrine is continually evaluating its IST program based on a number of factors, including changes in the standard of care of patients and trial enrollment. Following a recent review of the ongoing IST studies, a Phase I/II IST evaluating bavituximab combined with cabazitaxel in patients with second-line castration resistant prostate cancer was discontinued due to slow enrollment and the approvals of two new oral drugs for the same indication which are changing the standard of care treatment for these patients.  Peregrine will continue to evaluate proposals for ISTs as part of its overall program to assess new indications and combinations based on the broad potential of bavituximab.

 

COTARA PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

During the quarter, Peregrine announced that it reached agreement with the FDA on the design of a single registration trial for Cotara in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) following an end-of-Phase II meeting. The company plans to seek partners both in the U.S. and internationally to support the development of Cotara for this deadly form of brain cancer. Cotara has been granted orphan drug status and Fast Track designation for the treatment of GBM and anaplastic astrocytoma by the FDA and orphan drug designation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

 

IMAGING PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

PS-Targeting Molecular Imaging Program

Peregrine continues to enroll and dose patients in an open-label, single-center trial of its experimental phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting molecular imaging candidate, 124I-PGN650, in patients with various solid tumor types. The primary goal of the trial is to estimate radiation dosimetry in critical and non-critical organs. Secondary objectives of the trial are tumor imaging and safety.

 

2
 

 

FINANCIAL RESULTS

“Avid, our wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary, continues to demonstrate its importance as a non-dilutive source of capital for the company under our hybrid business model,” said Paul Lytle, chief financial officer of Peregrine. “Avid generated more than $17 million in contract manufacturing revenue during the recent nine-month period, already exceeding total revenue reported in FY 2012, and we expect third-party contract manufacturing revenue for the full FY 2013 to exceed $20 million. In addition, Avid has commitments for future manufacturing services in excess of $25 million, covering services to be delivered during the fourth quarter of FY 2013 and through FY 2014.”

 

Total revenues for the third quarter of FY 2013 were $7,039,000 compared to $3,281,000, for the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. This increase was primarily attributable to greater contract manufacturing revenue generated by Avid Bioservices, Peregrine's wholly-owned contract manufacturing subsidiary, which generated contract manufacturing revenue of $6,961,000 for the third quarter of FY 2013, compared to $3,203,000 for the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. The increase in contract manufacturing revenue was primarily due to an increase in the number of completed manufacturing runs released and shipped during the current quarter. Based on current manufacturing commitments from Avid's third-party clients for services to be provided during the remainder of FY 2013, Peregrine expects contract manufacturing revenue to be at least $20 million for FY 2013. In addition, Avid will continue to utilize available capacity and resources to continue its preparation for later stage clinical development and potential commercialization of bavituximab and Cotara, while also seeking to grow its services from third-party clients.

 

Total costs and expenses decreased $2,174,000 to $12,200,000 in the third quarter of FY 2013 from $14,374,000 in the third quarter of FY 2012. This decrease was primarily attributable to lower research and development expenses associated with a decrease in clinical trial costs. For the third quarter of FY 2013, cost of contract manufacturing and research and development expenses were $3,651,000 and $5,437,000, respectively, compared to $2,484,000 and $9,180,000, respectively, for the third quarter of FY 2012. Selling, general and administrative expenses for the third quarter of FY 2013 were $3,112,000 compared to $2,710,000 in the third quarter of FY 2012.

 

Peregrine's consolidated net loss decreased 56% to $4,914,000, or $0.04 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of FY 2013, compared to a net loss of $11,090,000, or $0.13 per basic and diluted share, for the same quarter of the prior year.

 

Peregrine reported $26,255,000 in cash and cash equivalents at January 31, 2013, compared to $24,443,000 at October 31, 2012.

 

More detailed financial information and analysis may be found in Peregrine's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.

 

Conference Call

Peregrine will host a conference call and webcast this afternoon, March 12, 2013, at 4:30 PM EDT (1:30 PM PDT).

 

To listen to the conference call, please dial (877) 312-5443 or (253) 237-1126 and request the Peregrine Pharmaceuticals conference call. A replay of the call will be available starting approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call through March 19, 2013 by calling (855) 859-2056, or (404) 537-3406 and using passcode 18046320.

 

To listen to the live webcast, or access the archived webcast, please visit: http://ir.peregrineinc.com/events.cfm.

 

3
 

  

About Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative monoclonal antibodies in clinical trials focused on the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. The company is pursuing multiple clinical programs in cancer with its lead product candidate bavituximab and novel brain cancer agent Cotara®. Peregrine also has in-house cGMP manufacturing capabilities through its wholly-owned subsidiary Avid Bioservices, Inc. (www.avidbio.com), which provides development and biomanufacturing services for both Peregrine and third-party customers. Additional information about Peregrine can be found at www.peregrineinc.com.

 

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Peregrine Pharmaceuticals' intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the major discrepancies discovered with respect to our randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled Phase II trial of bavituximab in patients with refractory NSCLC may cause regulatory authorities to require further clinical trials to support a registration package, the risks that partnering discussions may not result in a partnering transaction or that such discussions could be hindered or delayed as a result of the potential impact on the regulatory pathway for bavituximab caused by the major discrepancies discovered with respect to the Phase II NSCLC trial or the existing class action lawsuits, the risk that results from the front-line NSCLC trial will not be consistent with results experienced in earlier trials and may not support advancing this indication into later stage trials, the risk that data from a Cotara pivotal trial may not support BLA submission or registration, the risk that the company does not have, or is unable to raise, sufficient capital to fund a pivotal Cotara trial, the risk that the company is unable to find a suitable partner to advance the Cotara program, the risk that Peregrine may not have or raise adequate financial resources to complete its other planned clinical programs, the risk that Avid's revenue growth may slow or decline, the risk that Avid may experience technical difficulties in processing customer orders which could delay delivery of products to customers and receipt of payment, and the risk that one or more existing Avid customers terminates its contract prior to completion. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, uncertainties associated with completing preclinical and clinical trials for our technologies; the early stage of product development; the significant costs to develop our products as all of our products are currently in development, preclinical studies or clinical trials; obtaining additional financing to support our operations and the development of our products; obtaining regulatory approval for our technologies; anticipated timing of regulatory filings and the potential success in gaining regulatory approval and complying with governmental regulations applicable to our business. Our business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended January 31, 2013. The company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

 

 

4
 

 

PEREGRINE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS 

   Three Months Ended
January 31,
   Nine Months Ended
January 31,
 
   2013   2012   2013   2012 
   Unaudited   Unaudited   Unaudited   Unaudited 
REVENUES:                    
Contract manufacturing revenue  $6,961,000   $3,203,000   $17,157,000   $12,796,000 
License revenue   78,000    78,000    272,000    372,000 
Total revenues   7,039,000    3,281,000    17,429,000    13,168,000 
                     
COSTS AND EXPENSES:                    
Cost of contract manufacturing   3,651,000    2,484,000    9,378,000    9,219,000 
Research and development   5,437,000    9,180,000    18,471,000    26,758,000 
Selling, general and administrative   3,112,000    2,710,000    9,469,000    8,371,000 
Total costs and expenses   12,200,000    14,374,000    37,318,000    44,348,000 
                     
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS   (5,161,000)   (11,093,000)   (19,889,000)   (31,180,000)
                     
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):                    
Interest and other income   255,000    9,000    307,000    31,000 
Interest and other expense   (8,000)   (6,000)   (53,000)   (88,000)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt           (1,696,000)    
                     
NET LOSS  $(4,914,000)  $(11,090,000)  $(21,331,000)  $(31,237,000)
                     
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:   

 

 

    

 

    

 

 

      
Basic and Diluted   131,489,994    87,149,770    114,726,569    78,443,114 
                     
BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER COMMON SHARE  $(0.04)  $(0.13)  $(0.19)  $(0.40)
                     
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS  $(4,914,000)  $(11,090,000)  $(21,331,000)  $(31,237,000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-continued-

 

5
 

 

PEREGRINE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

   JANUARY 31,
2013
   APRIL 30,
2012
 
   Unaudited     
ASSETS          
CURRENT ASSETS:          
Cash and cash equivalents  $26,255,000   $18,033,000 
Trade and other receivables, net   1,983,000    2,353,000 
Inventories, net   4,635,000    3,611,000 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net   878,000    795,000 
Total current assets   33,751,000    24,792,000 
Property, net   2,783,000    2,900,000 
Other assets   623,000    570,000 
TOTAL ASSETS  $37,157,000   $28,262,000 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
CURRENT LIABILITIES:          
Accounts payable  $1,620,000   $3,492,000 
Accrued clinical trial and related fees   1,478,000    2,111,000 
Accrued payroll and related costs   2,949,000    2,468,000 
Deferred revenue   5,061,000    3,651,000 
Customer deposits   6,729,000    4,865,000 
Other current liabilities   930,000    1,052,000 
Total current liabilities   18,767,000    17,639,000 
Deferred revenue   292,000    361,000 
Other long-term liabilities   699,000    779,000 
Commitments and contingencies          
           
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:          
Preferred stock-$0.001 par value; authorized 5,000,000 shares; non-voting; nil shares outstanding        
Common stock-$0.001 par value; authorized 325,000,000 shares; outstanding – 133,770,614 and 101,421,365, respectively   134,000    101,000 
Additional paid-in capital   376,720,000    347,506,000 
Accumulated deficit   (359,455,000)   (338,124,000)
Total stockholders’ equity   17,399,000    9,483,000 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY  $37,157,000   $28,262,000 

 

 

 

 

 

# # # #

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6