CERS Gets A Lift From Blood Bank Deal, VTAE On Track, TBRA Awaits Data In Q2

(RTTNews) - Atara Biotherapeutics Inc. (ATRA) plans to initiate two phase III pivotal trials of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte product candidate activated against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-CTL) for the treatment of patients with EBV post-transplant Lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV-PTLD) following hematopoietic cell transplant or solid organ transplant towards the end of this year.

The company expects initial data from the dose escalation portion of its phase I trial of STM 434 for the treatment of ovarian cancer in the first half of 2016.

The company had cash of $320.5 million at year-end 2015, which is expected to be sufficient to fund its planned operations through 2018.

ATRA closed Thursday's trading at $18.30, down 6.11%.

Banco de Sangre de Servicios Mutuos, Puerto Rico's largest blood bank, has entered into a purchase agreement with Cerus Corp. (CERS) for the use of the company's INTERCEPT Blood System for platelets and plasma to help protect the local blood supply during the Zika outbreak.

Early this month, the FDA and WHO issued guidance documents that acknowledged the risk of Zika virus transmission via blood transfusion and identified appropriate blood safety measures to reduce transfusion risks, including the use of pathogen reduction technology.

Zika virus disease is caused by Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. There is no vaccine yet against this virus.

CERS closed Thursday's trading at $5.65, up 7.41%.

Immunovaccine Inc. (IMV.TO) (IMMVF.OB) is the latest to join the global race in finding a vaccine against Zika virus. The company has initiated Zika virus vaccine program using its DepoVax platform.

The first human trial involving DPX-RSV, the company's vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is underway, and results are expected to be released this spring.

IMV.TO closed Thursday's trading at C$0.55, up 11.11%.

Merck KGaA, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Verastem Inc. (VSTM) have entered into an agreement to evaluate Avelumab, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with Verastem's VS-6063, an investigational focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor, in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.

Avelumab is being co-developed by Merck KgaA and Pfizer under a global strategic immuno-oncology alliance signed in November 2014. Avelumab is currently under clinical investigation across a broad range of tumor types.

A phase I/Ib clinical trial of Avelumab in combination with VS-6063 is expected to begin in the second half of 2016. Financial terms of the agreement between Merck KGaA, Pfizer and Verastem have not been disclosed.

VSTM closed Thursday's trading at $1.43, up 13.49%.

Tobira Therapeutics Inc. (TBRA) has a couple of catalysts lined up for this year.

The company expects to report 12-week interim data from its phase 2a study of Cenicriviroc in obese patients with suspected fatty liver disease, dubbed ORION, in the second quarter of 2016.

Another indication that is being explored with Cenicriviroc is non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. A phase 2b study of Cenicriviroc in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is underway. The topline data from this study, dubbed CENTAUR, is anticipated in the third quarter of 2016.

TBRA closed Thursday's trading at $6.75, down 3.02%.

Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VTAE) is on track to report top-line clinical efficacy and preliminary biomarker results from its multiple ascending dose, clinical proof-of-concept trial of VTP-43742 in psoriatic patients by the end of the first quarter of 2016.

A phase 2a proof-of-concept clinical trial of VTP-38543 in atopic dermatitis is underway, and the company expects to report top-line efficacy results in the second half of 2016.

The company had cash of $59.4 million at year-end 2015, which is expected to be sufficient to fund its projected operating requirements through the end of 2016.

VTAE closed Thursday's trading at $9.80, down 9.68%. In after hours, the stock fell another 20% to $7.84.