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The Business
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
The Business
The Business
 
Overview
 
Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. (“we,” “us,” "our," “Caladrius” or the “Company”), is a company developing cellular therapeutics to treat certain diseases. We leverage specialized cell therapy clinical development expertise to select and develop early-stage cell therapy candidates with the intention of partnering these candidates post proof-of-concept in humans. Our current lead product candidate, CLBS03, is an autologous polyclonal regulatory T cell ("Treg") clinical phase 2 therapy targeting children aged 8-17 with recent-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus ("T1D").

Immunomodulation (Treg Technology)

We are developing strategically, through the utilization of our core clinical development expertise, a product candidate (CLBS03) that is an innovative therapy for T1D. This therapy is based on a proprietary platform technology for immunomodulation. We have selected as an initial target the unmet medical need of patients who are newly diagnosed with T1D, most of whom will be under the age of 18. This program is based on the use of Tregs to treat diseases caused by imbalances in an individual's immune system. This novel approach seeks to restore immune balance by enhancing Treg number and function. Tregs are a natural part of the human immune system and regulate the activity of effector T cells; the cells that are responsible for protecting the body from pathogens and foreign antigens. When Tregs function properly, only harmful foreign materials are attacked by effector T cells. In autoimmune disease, however, it is thought that deficient Treg activity and numbers permit the effector T cells to attack the body's own beneficial cells. In the case of T1D, the beta cells in the pancreas are attacked thereby reducing and/or eliminating over time the patient's ability to produce insulin. Insulin is necessary to regulate sugar metabolism and maintain proper sugar levels in the blood. Inconsistent or unnatural insulin levels can lead to many complications, including blindness, vascular disease and, if no insulin supplement is provided, even death. There are currently no curative treatments, only lifelong insulin therapy, which therapy often does not prevent serious co-morbidities. Two Phase 1 clinical trials of this technology in T1D demonstrated safety and tolerance, feasibility of manufacturing, an implied durability of effect as well as an early indication of potential therapeutic effect through the preservation of beta cell function. In the first quarter of 2016, we commenced patient enrollment in the first of two cohorts in The Sanford Project: T-Rex Study, a Phase 2 prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial (the "TRex Study") to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CLBS03 in adolescents with recent onset TID. In October 2016, we received a satisfactory safety evaluation by our independent Data Safety Monitoring Board based on safety data then available from the first 19 patients enrolled in the trial. A subsequent interim analysis of early therapeutic effect is planned after approximately 50% of patients reach the six-month follow-up milestone, which analysis is expected in late 2017 or early 2018. We entered into a strategic collaboration with Sanford Research to support the execution of this trial. Sanford Research is a U.S.-based non-profit research organization that supports an emerging translational research center focused on finding a cure for T1D. On February 23, 2017, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine ("CIRM") awarded us funds of up to $12.2 million to support the T-Rex Study. The funding will be based upon the achievement of certain milestones related to the proportion of subjects enrolled in California, as well as manufacturing and development costs incurred in California. We received $5.7 million in initial funding on May 4, 2017. CLBS03 has been granted Fast Track and orphan drug designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") as well as Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Product ("ATMP") classification from the European Medicines Agency ("EMA").

Ischemic Repair (CD34 Cell Technology)
Our CD34 cell technology has led to the development of therapeutic candidates designed to address diseases and conditions caused by ischemia. Ischemia occurs when the supply of oxygenated blood to healthy tissue is restricted. Through the administration of CD34 cells, we seek to promote the development and formation of new blood vessels and thereby increase blood flow to the impacted area. We believe that conditions caused by underlying ischemic injury can be improved through our CD34 cell technology, including critical limb ischemia ("CLI"). Published reports in Circulation Cardiovascular Interventions, Atherosclerosis, Stem Cells and Circulation Journal, provide preliminary evidence that CD34 cell therapy is safe and can exert significant therapeutic effects in patients with CLI, a condition in which blood flow to the legs is severely impaired, causing pain and non-healing ulcers and, ultimately, potentially resulting in the need for amputation. Our Clinical Trial Notification for a pivotal Phase 2 trial investigating CLBS12 (a candidate for CLI) was submitted to the Japanese Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency ("PMDA") and was cleared to proceed. The protocol design was agreed with PMDA and, if successful, could provide the basis for conditional approval under Japan's favorable regenerative medicine law. We are seeking to collaborate on CLBS12 with development and/or manufacturing partners. Furthermore, we submitted grant applications in an effort to seek non-dilutive financing to investigate the CD34 technology for additional clinical indications in the United States and expect to learn the results of those applications in 2017.
We intend to develop this platform if capital becomes available through grants, partnerships or licensing, as well as potentially using reasonable amounts of our own capital.
Additional Out-licensing Opportunities
    
Our broad intellectual property portfolio of cell therapy assets includes notable programs available for out-licensing in order to continue their clinical development. These include additional indications for our Treg product, additional indications for our CD34 cell technology and a platform using tumor cell/dendritic cell technology for immuno-oncology application. The immuno-oncology program has the benefit of promising Phase 2 clinical data and applicability to multiple indications. In 2016, we completed multiple out-licensing agreements for this and other technology platforms in an effort to monetize non-core assets.

Our current long-term strategy focuses on advancing cell-based therapies to the market and assisting patients suffering from life-threatening medical conditions. We believe that we are positioned to realize potentially meaningful value increases within our own proprietary pipeline based on demonstration of proof-of-concept in man as well as process and manufacturing advancements.

Discontinued Operations
On May 18, 2017 (the "Closing Date"), the Company completed the previously announced sale of its remaining 80.1% membership interest in PCT, LLC, a Caladrius company ("PCT") to Hitachi Chemical Co. America, Ltd. ("Hitachi"), pursuant to the Interest Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement"), dated as of March 16, 2017, by and among Caladrius, PCT and Hitachi (the "2017 Hitachi Transaction"), for $75.0 million in cash, plus an additional cash adjustment based on PCT’s cash and outstanding indebtedness as of the Closing Date ("Additional Consideration") and a potential future milestone payment (see Note 3). The sale of PCT represents a strategic shift that has a major effect on the Company’s operations, and therefore, PCT is accounted for as discontinued operations. All periods presented were adjusted to reflect PCT as discontinued operations.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the SEC for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, which are unaudited, include all normal and recurring adjustments considered necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2017 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the periods presented. The unaudited consolidated financial statements herein should be read together with the historical consolidated financial statements of the Company for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 included in our 2016 Form 10-K. Operating results for the six months ended June 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017.
    
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The Company makes critical estimates and assumptions in determining useful lives of our long lived assets, allowances for doubtful accounts, and stock-based awards values. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.

An accounting policy is considered to be critical if it is important to the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and if it requires management’s most difficult, subjective and complex judgments in its application.
 
Principles of Consolidation
 
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. and its wholly-owned and partially-owned subsidiaries and affiliates, as well as the operations of our former subsidiaries PCT, LLC, a Caladrius company, NeoStem Family Storage, LLC, and PCT Allendale, LLC entities (collectively the "PCT Segment") through May 18, 2017, representing the date which these entities were sold to Hitachi (see Note 3). The PCT Segment is reported in discontinued operations. All intercompany activities have been eliminated in consolidation, except for intercompany activities between Caladrius and the PCT Segment, which are reported without intercompany eliminations in continuing operations and discontinued operations, respectively.