Forma Therapeutics Reports Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

WATERTOWN, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Forma Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on sickle cell disease, prostate cancer and other rare hematologic diseases and cancers, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. The company also highlighted recent progress and upcoming milestones for its pipeline programs. 

“In the second quarter, we announced encouraging new analyses from the etavopivat program in sickle cell disease at our inaugural R&D Day. We also recently appointed two new members of our executive team to help drive our next phase of global development and commercialization and entered into a license agreement for olutasidenib,” said Frank Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Forma. “We are well-positioned to continue to advance our pipeline and are actively managing expenses as we progress in our mission to deliver transformative medicines to patients with rare hematologic diseases and cancers.”

Key Business Updates

  • On July 27, 2022 Forma entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop, manufacture, and commercialize olutasidenib. Olutasidenib is a mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (mIDH1) inhibitor for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Under the terms of the agreement, Forma will receive an upfront payment of $2.0 million, and is eligible to receive an additional $17.5 million upon the achievement of certain near-term regulatory, approval, and first commercial sale milestones. In addition, Forma is eligible to receive a total of up to an additional $215.5 million in connection with the achievement of certain development and commercial milestones. Forma is also eligible to receive tiered royalties in the low-teens to mid-thirties. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted Forma’s new drug application (NDA) for olutasidenib. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date is February 15, 2023.
  • Agustín Melián, M.D., named Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development. Dr. Melián is a physician-scientist with over 20 years of experience developing patient-centric, rare, and orphan disease therapeutics across multiple therapeutic areas, modalities, and phases of development.
  • Linea Aspesi named Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. Ms. Aspesi brings over 25 years of human resources leadership experience in life sciences and health care services and has a track record of aligning talent plans to company vision and strategy while fostering an equitable and inclusive environment.
  • Forma presented new data on the etavopivat clinical development program at multiple hematology conferences. Presentations included analyses from the Phase I open-label extension study of etavopivat in sickle cell disease indicating that etavopivat decreased the frequency and severity of pain-related adverse events, and the design of the Phase II Gladiolus study of etavopivat in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) receiving chronic transfusions or transfusion-dependent or non-transfusion-dependent thalassemia. These data were presented at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2022 Hybrid Congress, the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research (FSCDR) Sickle Cell Disease Research and Educational Symposium and Sickle Cell Disease Scientific Meeting, and the Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease (GCSCD).
  • Forma hosted its first Research and Development (R&D) Day. The company provided an overview of its clinical development programs and research pipeline strategy.

Upcoming Milestones

  • Patient enrollment ongoing in global pivotal Phase II/III trial of etavopivat for the treatment of SCD, the Hibiscus Study. The first interim analysis (IA1) in the Hibiscus Study is expected to be reached by the end of 2022. IA1 is designed to select the dose for the Phase III portion of the trial.
  • Additional etavopivat development programs. Forma has initiated a Phase II trial in patients with either TD-SCD, TD-thalassemia, or non-TD-thalassemia, with initial results expected in late 2022. By year-end 2022, Forma plans to begin clinical trials in pediatric SCD and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
  • Update on FT-7051 clinical trial in mCRPC. Forma is planning to evaluate an alternative dosing schedule in a less heavily pretreated population and is currently processing the protocol amendment. Forma plans to provide updated results in the first half of 2023.
  • Possibility of COVID-19 impact remains. The COVID-19 pandemic remains a factor in the successful completion of these milestones and ongoing clinical trials. Many clinical trials across the biopharma industry, including Forma’s trials, have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical trial sites implementing new policies in response to COVID-19 have impacted enrollment of clinical trials and/or the ability to access sites participating in clinical trials.

Financial Results

  • Cash Position: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $395.9 million as of June 30, 2022, as compared to $490.3 million as of December 31, 2021. Current cash runway is projected through the third quarter of 2024.
  • R&D Expenses: R&D expenses were $39.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as compared to $31.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to the increase in research and development staff to support the advancement of etavopivat and other programs, including the conduct of our Phase II/III Hibiscus trial in SCD patients and Phase II trial of etavopivat in thalassemia.
  • General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses were $13.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as compared to $12.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to professional services, costs due to executive and staff hiring, and other related general and administrative costs.
  • Net Loss: Net loss was $52.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as compared to net loss of $43.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

About Forma Therapeutics

Forma Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to transform the lives of patients with rare hematologic diseases and cancers. Our pipeline is led by etavopivat, an investigational, once-daily, selective pyruvate kinase-R (PKR) activator designed to be a disease-modifying therapy with the potential to improve red blood cell (RBC) health and transform the lives of people living with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and lower risk MDS. Our R&D engine combines deep biology insight, chemistry expertise and clinical development capabilities to create drug candidates with differentiated mechanisms of action focused on indications with high unmet need. Our work has generated a broad proprietary portfolio of programs with the potential to provide profound patient benefit. For more information, please visit www.FormaTherapeutics.com or follow us on Twitter @FORMAInc and LinkedIn.