Cellular Biomedicine Group Reports Third Quarter Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights

  • Debuted its next 12-18 months’ immuno-oncology clinical development programs for both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors to key opinion leaders, investment and industry executives
  • Licensed patents from the National Cancer Institute (“NCI”) to develop the next generation neoantigen-reactive tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (“TIL”) technology to treat a variety of cancers
  • Struck a strategic licensing and collaboration agreement with Novartis to manufacture and supply the CAR-T cell therapy Kymriah® for Novartis in China

SHANGHAI, China and NEW YORK, Nov. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cellular Biomedicine Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CBMG) (“CBMG” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm engaged in the development of immunotherapies for cancer and stem cell therapies for degenerative diseases, today reported financial results and business highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018.

“With $68 million on our balance sheet at end of Q3 we are focusing on developing two cutting-edge immuno-oncology technology platforms on solid tumors and bringing to clinical stage hematologic malignancies CAR-T therapies in anti-BCMA, CD22, CD20 and NKG2D  to bolster our cancer drug development pipeline,” commented Tony (Bizuo) Liu, Chief Executive Officer of CBMG. “We plan to move to clinical a novel alpha fetoprotein (“AFP”) specific T-cell receptor (“TCR”) based therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (“HCC”) early next year. HCC is a primary malignancy of the liver with unmet medical needs, and the majority of the patients are in China.  Our team is evaluating the best approach for translating the NCI in-licensed autologous, neoantigen reactive tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (“TIL”) technology to clinical practice. And we are advancing the Allojoin™ and Rejoin™ Knee Osteoarthritis (“KOA”) IND applications with the National Medical Products Administration (“NMPA”), renamed from China Food and Drug Administration (“CFDA”). We have a seasoned research team with substantial global pharma experience in the U.S. and in China, a world-class good manufacturing practice (GMP) capability and a diversified promising portfolio of assets in development. I believe we are well positioned as a leading biopharmaceutical firm that can contribute significantly to help patients who are suffering from aggressive forms of hematologic and solid cancers.”

Third Quarter 2018 Financial Performance

  1. R&D Expenses: Our focus on development to clinical the TCR and TIL immuno-oncology technology platforms on solid tumors and hematologic malignancies CAR-T therapies resulted in increase of research and development expenses by 61% and 72% for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018.  The amounts were $6.5 million and $18 million respectively as compared to $4.1 million and $10.5 million for the same periods in 2017.
  2. G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 were $3.3 million and $9.6 million respectively, compared to $3.0 million and $9.5 million for the same periods in 2017.
  3. Net Loss: Net loss allocable to common stock holders for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was $0.72 per share or $12.7 million, compared to $0.43 per share or $6.2 million for the same period in 2017.  Excluding one time charge from nonrecurring loss in the GVAX asset impairment,  non-GAAP loss for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was $0.56 per share.   This increase was a result of increased global spending on R&D.

Business and Operational Highlights for the Third Quarter 2018 to date

  • Signed strategic licensing and collaboration agreement with Novartis to manufacture and supply the CAR-T cell therapy Kymriah®* (tisagenlecleucel) in China
    • Collaboration with Novartis includes $40 million equity investment in CBMG for approximately 9% equity at $27.43/share
    • Licensed certain proprietary technology to Novartis for global use
  • Licensed from the National Cancer Institute (“NCI”) next generation neoantigen-reactive tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) technology patents to develop, manufacture, commercialize and to treat a variety of solid tumors.

*Kymriah® is a registered trademark of Novartis AG.

About Cellular Biomedicine Group
Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBMG) develops proprietary cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and degenerative diseases. We conduct immuno-oncology and stem cell clinical trials in China using products from our integrated GMP laboratory. Our GMP facilities in China, consisting of 12 independent cell production lines, are designed and managed according to both China and U.S. GMP standards.  Our Shanghai facility includes a ”Joint Laboratory of Cell Therapy” with GE Healthcare and a “Joint Cell Therapy Technology Innovation and Application Center” with Thermo Fisher Scientific, whose partnerships focus on improving manufacturing processes for cell therapies. The CBMG pipeline includes preclinical compounds targeting CD20-, CD22- and B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-specific CAR-T compounds, and T-cell receptor (TCR) and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) technologies. A Phase IIb trial in China for Rejoin®  autologous Human Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Progenitor Cell (haMPC) for the treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) as well as a Phase I trial in China for AlloJoin™ (CBMG’s “Off-the-Shelf” haMPC) for the treatment of KOA are ongoing. CBMG is included in the broad-market Russell 3000® Index and the small-cap Russell 2000® Index, and the Loncar China BioPharma index. To learn more about CBMG, please visit www.cellbiomedgroup.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release relating to plans, strategies, trends, specific activities or investments, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts and may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include those regarding our ability to implement our plans, strategies and objectives for future operations, including regulatory approval of our IND applications, our plan to configure part of our Shanghai facility with GE Healthcare’s FlexFactory platform, our ability to execute on our obligations under the terms of our licensing and collaboration arrangement with Novartis, our ability to execute on proposed new products, services or development thereof, results of our clinical research and development, regulatory infrastructure governing cell therapy and cellular biopharmaceuticals, our ability to enter into agreements with any necessary manufacturing, marketing and/or distribution partners for purposes of commercialization, our ability to seek intellectual property rights for our product candidates, competition in the industry in which we operate, overall market conditions, any statements or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing and other risks detailed from time to time in CBMG’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, quarterly reports on form 10-Q, current reports on form 8-K and annual reports on form 10-K. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terms such as “may,” “will,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “estimates,” “potential,” or “continue,” or similar terms or the negative of these terms. Although CBMG believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, they cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements will be obtained. CBMG does not have any obligation to update these forward-looking statements other than as required by law. 

CELLULAR BIOMEDICINE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
         
    For the Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
      2018       2017  
     
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:        
  Net loss   $  (30,426,263 )   $  (18,567,725 )
  Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash        
  used in operating activities:        
Depreciation and amortization      3,790,436        2,125,391  
Loss on disposal of assets      4,593        317  
Stock based compensation expense      3,748,082        4,240,822  
Other than temporary impairment on investments      29,424        –   
Impairment on intangible assets      2,884,896        –   
Allowance for doubtful account      83,992        –   
  Changes in operating assets and liabilities:        
Accounts receivable      70,155        (103,701 )
Other receivables      (81,892 )      (496,229 )
Prepaid expenses      (376,821 )      (669,592 )
Long-term prepaid expenses and other assets      (333,647 )      (936,168 )
Accounts payable      41,791        1,012,693  
Accrued expenses      396,639        (475,274 )
Deferred income      (12,114 )      510,419  
Other current liabilities      541,074        (206,196 )
Other non-current liabilities      280,319        (386,504 )
  Net cash used in operating activities      (19,359,336 )      (13,951,747 )
         
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:        
  Proceeds from disposal of assets      292        286  
  Putting six-month deposits with the banks      (10,000,000 )      –   
Purchases of intangibles      (33,495 )      (23,562 )
Purchases of assets      (4,438,135 )      (6,978,348 )
  Net cash used in investing activities      (14,471,338 )      (7,001,624 )
         
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:        
Net proceeds from the issuance of common stock      70,383,181        –   
Proceeds from exercise of stock options      2,708,603        232,910  
Repurchase of treasury stock      (2,536,064 )      (2,443,122 )
  Net cash provided by financing activities      70,555,720        (2,210,212 )
         
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH      (368,270 )      203,182  
         
INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS      36,356,776        (22,960,401 )
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD      21,568,422        39,252,432  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD   $  57,925,198     $  16,292,031  
         
         
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION        
         
Cash paid for income taxes   $  4,879     $  –  
         

CELLULAR BIOMEDICINE GROUP, INC.        
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS        
(UNAUDITED)        
                 
    For the Three Months Ended   For the Nine Months Ended
    September 30,   September 30,
      2018       2017       2018       2017  
                 
Net sales and revenue   $  70,431     $  106,787     $  198,705     $  268,126  
                 
Operating expenses:                
Cost of sales      37,483        55,294        114,176        130,793  
General and administrative      3,315,614        3,023,390        9,626,106        9,527,730  
Selling and marketing      84,782        85,742        252,247        280,011  
Research and development      6,545,490        4,076,186        17,985,997        10,469,820  
Impairment on non-current assets      2,884,896        –         2,914,320        –   
  Total operating expenses      12,868,265        7,240,612        30,892,846        20,408,354  
Operating loss      (12,797,834 )      (7,133,825 )      (30,694,141 )      (20,140,228 )
                 
Other income :                
Interest income      18,173        23,933        140,457        113,688  
Other income      38,376        907,678        132,300        1,461,265  
  Total other income      56,549        931,611        272,757        1,574,953  
Loss before taxes      (12,741,285 )      (6,202,214 )      (30,421,384 )      (18,565,275 )
                 
Income taxes provision      (2,479 )      –         (4,879 )      (2,450 )
                 
                 
Net loss   $  (12,743,764 )   $  (6,202,214 )   $  (30,426,263 )   $  (18,567,725 )
Other comprehensive income (loss):                
Cumulative translation adjustment      (834,382 )      291,665        (1,136,743 )      637,786  
  Unrealized loss on investments, net of tax      –         –         –         (240,000 )
Total other comprehensive income (loss):      (834,382 )      291,665        (1,136,743 )      397,786  
                 
Comprehensive loss   $  (13,578,146 )   $  (5,910,549 )   $  (31,563,006 )   $  (18,169,939 )
                 
                 
Net loss per share :                
  Basic and diluted   $  (0.72 )   $  (0.43 )   $  (1.76 )   $  (1.30 )
                 
                 
Weighted average common shares outstanding:                
  Basic and diluted     17,604,473       14,349,569       17,281,240       14,310,344  
                 

CELLULAR BIOMEDICINE GROUP, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(UNAUDITED)
       
  September 30,   December 31,
    2018       2017  
       
 Assets      
Cash and cash equivalents $  57,925,198     $  21,568,422  
Short-term investment    10,000,000        –   
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful amounts of $94,648      
 and $10,789 as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively    37,592        202,887  
Other receivables    249,771        170,842  
Prepaid expenses    2,132,910        1,852,695  
Total current assets    70,345,471        23,794,846  
       
Long-term investments    240,000        269,424  
Property, plant and equipment, net    14,313,801        12,973,342  
Goodwill    7,678,789        7,678,789  
Intangibles, net    8,153,428        12,419,692  
Long-term prepaid expenses and other assets    5,683,464        4,026,203  
Total assets $  106,414,953     $  61,162,296  
       
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity      
       
Liabilities:      
Accounts payable $  483,986     $  225,287  
Accrued expenses    1,456,911        1,097,327  
Taxes payable    28,875        28,875  
Other current liabilities    3,960,765        2,324,632  
Total current liabilities    5,930,537        3,676,121  
       
Other non-current liabilities    441,093        183,649  
Total liabilities    6,371,630        3,859,770  
       
       
       
Stockholders’ equity:      
       
  Preferred stock, par value $.001, 50,000,000 shares      
  authorized; none issued and outstanding as of      
  September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively    –         –   
       
  Common stock, par value $.001, 300,000,000 shares authorized;      
19,093,243 and 15,615,558 issued; and 18,532,475 and 15,188,764 outstanding,      
  as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively    19,093        15,616  
  Treasury stock at cost; 560,768 and 426,794 shares of common stock      
  as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively    (6,513,993 )      (3,977,929 )
Additional paid in capital    249,527,729        172,691,339  
  Accumulated deficit    (141,463,260 )      (111,036,997 )
  Accumulated other comprehensive loss    (1,526,246 )      (389,503 )
Total stockholders’ equity    100,043,323        57,302,526  
       
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $  106,414,953     $  61,162,296  
       
       

Contacts:
Sarah Kelly 
Director of Corporate Communications, CBMG

+1 408-973-7884
sarah.kelly@cellbiomedgroup.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/846b8b11-0233-4554-af34-6a26c91e08b4

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