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): April 17, 2018
Trovagene, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 001-35558 | 27-2004382 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
11055 Flintkote Avenue
San Diego, CA 92121
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 952-7570
(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:
| ☐ | Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
On April 17, 2018, Trovagene, Inc. issued a press release announcing the presentation of pharmacodynamic and biomarker data from the first patient to complete a safety treatment cycle in its Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of PCM-075, a highly-selective Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) Inhibitor, in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K.
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
(d) Exhibits.
| 99.1 | Press Release of Trovagene, Inc. dated April 17, 2018 | |
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SIGNATURE
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.
Dated: April 17, 2018
| TROVAGENE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ William J. Welch | |
| William J. Welch | ||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit 99.1
Trovagene Presents Data at AACR Meeting 2018 on Pharmacodynamic and Tumor Biomarkers During Treatment with PCM-075 and Low-Dose Cytarabine
Methodology to assess changes in leukemic cells, genomic alterations and pTCTP status for Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial of PCM-075. Update on clinical trial recruitment.
SAN DIEGO, CA – April 17, 2018 – Trovagene, Inc. (NASDAQ: TROV), a clinical-stage oncology therapeutics company, developing targeted therapeutics for the treatment of hematologic and solid tumor cancers, today announced the presentation of pharmacodynamic and biomarker data from the first patient to complete a safety treatment cycle in its Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of PCM-075, a highly-selective Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) Inhibitor, in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
The poster entitled Pharmacodynamic and Tumor Biomarker Analysis of a PLK1 Inhibitor, PCM-075, in a Phase 1b/2 Trial for Acute Myeloid Leukemia presents the methodology developed to track dynamic changes in blood leukemic cells, genomic alterations and PLK1 inhibition in AML patients treated with PCM-075 in combination with LDAC.
PCM-075 appeared to be well tolerated with the first of three patients enrolled in the initial Phase 1b dose-escalation cohort consenting to, and completing, a second cycle of treatment with PCM-075 plus LDAC. The two additional patients in this cohort are on treatment and receiving a 12 mg/m2 oral, daily dose of PCM-075 (Days 1-5 in a 28-day cycle) in combination with LDAC. Additionally, patient enrollment is also complete in the first Phase 1b dose-escalation cohort of three patients to receive a 12 mg/m2 oral, daily dose of PCM-075 (Days 1-5 in a 28-day cycle) in combination with decitabine, with two patients currently receiving cycle-one treatment. The PCM-075 dose will be escalated in the 1b segment of the trial until a Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD)/Recommended Phase 2 Dose (RP2D) is achieved.
The Phase 1b/2 clinical trial is being led by hematologist Jorge Cortes, M.D., Deputy Department Chair, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Eight of ten clinical sites are now activated in the U.S. and recruiting patients.
“We are pleased with the progress we are making in our Phase 1b/2 AML study and the collaboration and support we are receiving from our investigators,” said Bill Welch, Chief Executive Officer of Trovagene. “We look forward to completing the Phase 1b dose-escalation portion of our study and initiating the Phase 2 expansion segment.”
About the PCM-075 Phase 1b/2 Acute Myeloid Leukemia Trial
The Phase 1b/2 trial (NCT03303339) is a multi-center, open-label trial exploring the safety and efficacy of PCM-075 in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy in AML patients who
are ineligible for intensive induction therapy or whose disease is relapsed or refractory. This trial is being led by Hematologist Jorge Cortes, M.D., Deputy Department Chair, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
About Trovagene, Inc.
Trovagene is a clinical-stage, oncology therapeutics company. The Company’s primary focus is to develop targeted cancer therapeutics for improved patient care and to optimize drug development by leveraging its proprietary technology in tumor genomics. Trovagene has broad intellectual property and proprietary technology to analyze circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and clinically actionable biomarkers to identify patients most likely to respond to specific cancer therapies. The Company plans to continue to vertically integrate its tumor genomics technology with targeted cancer therapeutics. For more information, please visit https://www.trovagene.com.
About PCM-075
PCM-075 is a highly-selective adenosine triphosphate (ATP) competitive inhibitor of the serine/threonine polo-like-kinase 1 (PLK 1) enzyme, which is over-expressed in multiple hematologic and solid tumor cancers. Studies have shown that inhibition of polo-like-kinases can lead to tumor cell death, including a Phase 2 study in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) where response rates up to 31% were observed when used in conjunction with a standard therapy for AML (low-dose cytarabine-LDAC) versus treatment with LDAC alone with a 13.3% response rate. A Phase 1 open-label, dose escalation safety study of PCM-075 has been completed in patients with advanced metastatic solid tumor cancers, and published in Investigational New Drugs. Trovagene has an ongoing Phase 1b/2 clinical trial with PCM-075 in AML that was accepted by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and is now publicly viewable on www.clinicaltrials.gov. The NCT number assigned by clinicaltrials.gov for this study is NCT03303339. PCM-075 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of patients with AML.
PCM-075 only targets PLK1 isoform (not PLK2 or PLK3), is oral, has a 24-hour drug half-life with reversible on-target hematologic toxicities. Trovagene believes that targeting only PLK1 with reversible on-target activity and an improved dose/scheduling protocol can significantly improve on the long-term outcome observed in previous studies with a PLK inhibitor in AML.
PCM-075 has demonstrated synergy in preclinical studies with over 10 chemotherapeutic and target agents used in hematologic and solid tumor cancers, including FLT3 and HDAC inhibitors, taxanes, and cytotoxins. Trovagene believes the combination of its targeted PLK1 inhibitor, PCM-075, with other compounds has the potential for improved clinical efficacy in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC).
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimated” and “intend” or other similar terms or expressions that concern Trovagene’s expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on Trovagene’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our need for additional financing; our ability to continue as a going concern; clinical trials involve a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, and results of earlier studies and trials may not be predictive of future trial results; our clinical trials may be suspended or discontinued due to unexpected side effects or other safety risks that could preclude approval of our product candidates; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; dependence on key personnel; limited experience in marketing and sales; substantial competition; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; dependence upon third parties; our ability to develop tests, kits and systems and the success of those products; regulatory, financial and business risks related to our international expansion and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. There are no guarantees that any of our technology or products will be utilized or prove to be commercially successful, or that Trovagene’s strategy to design its liquid biopsy tests to report on clinically actionable cancer genes will ultimately be successful or result in better reimbursement outcomes. Additionally, there are no guarantees that future clinical trials will be completed or successful or that any precision medicine therapeutics will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in Trovagene’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. While the list of factors presented here is considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date hereof, and Trovagene does not undertake any obligation to update publicly such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Trovagene Contact:
Vicki Kelemen
VP, Corporate Communications
858-952-7652
vkelemen@trovagene.com