HCW Biologics (NASDAQ: HCWB) Reports Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results And Recent Business Highlights

HCW Biologics (NASDAQ: HCWB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel immunotherapies to lengthen healthspan by disrupting the link between chronic, low-grade inflammation and age-related diseases, today reported financial results and recent business highlights for its second quarter ended June 30, 2022.

“We have achieved several milestones in the first half of 2022, and some important pieces of our strategic plan have fallen into place. First, we are now a clinical-stage company, with the entry of our lead product candidate, HCW9218, into the clinic in a solid tumor cancer trial. Our pancreatic study is not far behind, and we expect to initiate this clinical trial in the third quarter. Next, we have produced promising data in preclinical studies for our lead product candidate, HCW9302, in the treatment of proinflammatory diseases driven by activated inflammasomes. We used this data as a basis for a pivotal scientific paper for HCW9302 that we expect to be published in a high-impact, peer-reviewed journal by the end of the year,” stated Hing C. Wong, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of the Company.

Dr. Wong continued, “By working with preeminent National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, it appears that we have mitigated some of the risk for maintaining our expected rate of patient enrollment. At our current pace, we expect to be in a position to provide an early human-experience data readout from the clinical trials for HCW9218 by the end of 2022. While it is very early, we are encouraged by how patients are responding to HCW9218.”

Dr. Wong reported, “HCW Biologics has advanced one of our key strategic initiatives – establishing our own domestic manufacturing capability. We have committed to purchase a 36,000 square foot building in Miramar, Florida that will be the new headquarters for our offices, research labs, and manufacturing facility. To buildout our new facilities, our team will leverage their past experience in constructing similar facilities. We expect to complete the project by the end of 2023, and to move into our new facility shortly thereafter. Currently, contract manufacturers are experiencing backlogs of up to two years. With our own manufacturing facility, we believe we will have better control over our supply chain as we advance to later-stage clinical trials requiring additional clinical materials, as well as fulfilling our obligations to our licensee, Wugen.”

Business Highlights:

  • On May 19, 2022, the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, announced that they opened a new Phase 1 solid tumor cancer clinical trial and treated their first patient with HCW9218, an injectable, bifunctional immunotherapeutic, developed by HCW Biologics Inc. This Phase 1, first-in-human clinical trial is enrolling patients that have advanced solid tumors with progressive disease after prior chemotherapies.
  • On August 2, 2022, HCW Biologics was granted U.S. Patent No. 11,401,324 which contains claims for immunotherapeutic compounds comprised of a single-chain chimeric polypeptide with two target-binding domains on a scaffold made of an extracellular domain of human tissue factor. This patent provides protection for the underlying intellectual property on which the Company has based its lead product candidate, HCW9302. The issuance of the Company’s first patent with such broad claims marks an important step in the evolution of its patent portfolio.
  • On August 10, 2022, HCW Biologics committed to purchase a building located in Miramar, Florida for approximately $10.0 million, as the Company’s new headquarters. The Company received a commitment for a five-year term facility to finance the purchase, expansion, and improvement of the new property. An initial takedown equal to 65% of the purchase price will be funded on the closing date which is expected to be on August 15, 2022. The term facility may be increased to provide additional funding for expansion and improvements of the property; however, future borrowings will be subject to full credit approval and due diligence by the lender.

Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results:

  • Cash and cash equivalents: On June 30, 2022, the Company’s cash balance was $42.1 million, consisting of $15.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, $17.0 million in short-term investments, and $9.7 million in long-term investments. Investments are all U.S. Treasury bills or notes. The Company estimates that the current cash balance, along with a commitment for a term facility for the purchase of the Company’s new headquarters, is sufficient to fund operations and capital expenditures through the end of 2023.
  • Revenues: Revenues were $454,000 for the three-month period ended June 30, 2022, and there were no revenues in the three-month period ended June 30, 2021. Revenues were $3.6 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, and there were no revenues in the six-month period ended June 30, 2021. Revenues were derived exclusively from the sale of clinical development material to our licensee, Wugen.
  • Research and development (R&D) expenses: R&D expenses were $1.7 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $2.0 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2022, an 18% increase, due primarily to an increase in preclinical expenses. R&D expenses were $4.0 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $3.8 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, a 5% decrease, due primarily to a decrease in manufacturing and materials expenses partially offset by an increase in preclinical expenses.
  • General and administrative (G&A) expenses: G&A expenses were $1.1 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $1.7 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2022, a 55% increase. G&A expenses were $2.2 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021, as compared to $3.6 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022, a 64% increase. These increases reflect higher salaries, benefits and related expenses as a result of stock-based compensation expense associated with an equity award to the Company’s CEO upon completion of the Company’s IPO, an increase for Board compensation under our non-employee director compensation program, and an increase in insurance costs and other expenses related to operating as a public company.
  • Net loss: Net loss was $2.8 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2021, compared to $3.5 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2022. Net loss was $5.6 million for in each of the six-month periods ended June 30, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Net loss for the six-month period ended June 30, 2021 included the impact of forgiveness of the Company’s PPP loan. Net loss for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022 included the impact of unrealized loss on investments resulting from changes in interest rates.

Alexander focuses on breaking news stories and ensuring we offer timely reporting on some of the latest stories released through market wires. He has previously spent over 5 years as a trader in us stock market and is now semi-retired. Now he works for investingbizz.com specializing in quicker moving active shares with a short term view on investment opportunities and trends. He covers financial sector news.

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