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OPERATIONS AND FINANCING
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
OPERATIONS AND FINANCING  
B. OPERATIONS AND FINANCING

B. OPERATIONS AND FINANCING

 

On June 28, 2021, the Company announced results from its 9.5 year pivotal Phase 3 study for its immunotherapy Multikine® (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) in the treatment of advanced (stages III and IV) primary (previously untreated) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The Phase 3 results showed a long-term 5-year overall survival (OS) benefit in the treatment arm that received Multikine treatment followed by surgery and radiation. This survival benefit was robust and durable, with no safety issues, something not commonly seen with cancer drugs. In fact, the survival benefit increased over time and at 5-years the overall survival benefit reached an absolute 14.1% advantage for the Multikine treated arm over control (n=380, total study patients treated with surgery plus radiation), which is about a 29% improvement, control arm 48.6%, Multikine arm 62.7% survival.

 

The study used the standard of care treatment for advanced primary head and neck cancer patients as a comparison. The patients received surgery followed by either radiation or chemoradiation (chemotherapy and radiation at the same time), as determined by the physician. This means that there were 2 treatment arms, 1) surgery plus radiation or 2) surgery plus chemoradiation. The arm that received Multikine treatment followed by surgery and radiation showed great survival benefit, but when chemotherapy was added in the second treatment arm, the immunological effect of Multikine was negated. Therefore when the two treatment arms were combined the study did not achieve its primary endpoint of a 10% improvement in overall survival.

 

However, the analysis of the separate treatment arms was prespecified in the protocol and carried out prior to the Company becoming unblinded. The OS benefit of 14.1% at 5 years for this treatment arm exceeded the 10% OS benefit set out for the study population as a whole. The OS results for this treatment arm are significant (two-sided p=0.0236, HR=0.68) and the effect is robust, durable and increasing over time. The results from the Phase 3 cancer study proved that Multikine met all of the protocol required benefits stated in the study protocol in patients in the treatment arm receiving surgery and radiation as their standard therapies. Based on this the Company will be filing for and seeking FDA approval for the use of Multikine in the treatment of advanced primary head and neck cancer in this patient population of about 210,000 patients annually worldwide.

Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is the full name of this investigational therapy, which, for simplicity, is referred to in this report as Multikine. Multikine is the trademark that the Company has registered for this investigational therapy, and this proprietary name is subject to FDA review under the Company’s future anticipated regulatory submission for approval. Multikine has not been licensed or approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. Neither has its safety or efficacy been established for any use.

 

The Company has incurred significant costs since its inception for the acquisition of certain proprietary technology and scientific knowledge relating to the human immunological defense system, patent applications, research and development, administrative costs, construction and upgrade of laboratory facilities and clinical trials. The Company has funded such costs primarily with proceeds from loans and the public and private sale of its securities. The Company may be required to raise additional capital or find additional long-term financing to continue with its efforts to bring Multikine to market. The ability to raise capital may be dependent upon market conditions that are outside the control of the Company. The ability of the Company to obtain FDA approval for the sale of products to be developed on a commercial basis is uncertain. Ultimately, the Company must complete the development of its products, obtain the appropriate regulatory approvals and obtain sufficient revenues to support its cost structure. The Company believes there is a high likelihood that it will continue to receive funds from private and public offerings and warrant exercises similar to the way it has substantially funded operations in the past. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise sufficient capital to support its operations.

 

If the Company needs to raise capital, Management plans to raise additional capital in the form of warrant exercises, corporate partnerships, and debt and/or equity financings. The Company believes that it will be able to obtain additional financing because it has done so consistently in the past and because it showed great survival benefit in one of the two treatment arms for advanced primary head and neck cancer. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in raising additional funds on a timely basis or that the funds will be available to the Company on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company does not raise the necessary amounts of money, it may have to curtail its operations until it is able to raise the required funding.

 

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

 

In response to the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the World Health Organization’s classification of the outbreak as a pandemic, the Company continues to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its employees and to minimize interruptions to its operations. Management follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) guidance and the recommendations and restrictions provided by state and local authorities. The full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve as of the date of this report. As such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude of impact the pandemic will have on the Company’s financial condition, liquidity and future results of operations. Management is actively monitoring the risks to public health and the impact of overall global business activity on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

 

The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, but due to the Company’s recurring losses from operations and future liquidity needs, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.