The deal size was increased to 6M shares of common stock from 4M shares of common stock and the range was $31.00-$32.00. Morgan Stanley acted as sole book running manager for the offering.
Editas Medicine announced that it intends to offer and sell 4M shares of its common stock in an underwritten public offering. Morgan Stanley is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.
SunTrust analyst Joon Lee initiated coverage of Editas Medicine (EDIT) with a Buy rating and $45 price target. The company's "first and the only" in vivo genome editing program is progressing with platform validation on the horizon, the analyst tells investors in a research note, adding that a positive trial update for EDIT-101 coming as soon as the second half of 2020 would be a "positive readthrough for additional genetic blindness indications". Partnering with AbbVie (ABBV) with up to $1B in milestones for ophthalmologic indications is also "de-risking clinical development and commercialization", Joon Lee states.
Editas Medicine announced results from a pre-clinical, proof-of-concept study of EDIT-301. EDIT-301 is being developed as a potentially best-in-class, durable medicine to treat sickle cell disease. EDIT-301 contains CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells from sickle patients that are edited at the HBG1/2 promoter in the beta-globin locus using Cas12a to induce fetal hemoglobin where HbF-inducing mutations occur naturally. The company reported the data at the 25th Congress of the European Hematology Association being held virtually. In vitro studies with EDIT-301 revealed several desirable properties. In particular, editing was highly efficient and reproducible, with approximately 90% editing in multiple sickle patient donors. Further, EDIT-301 derived red blood cells had more than 50% HbF expression. Finally, EDIT-301 derived red blood cells had a significant improvement in deformability, which could aid red blood cell transit without sickling, and a four-fold decrease in sickling, when subjected to reduced oxygen levels compared to unedited control cells. These data suggest EDIT-301 can provide potential clinical benefit for sickle patients. In vivo studies with EDIT-301 revealed desirable properties. In particular, editing was highly efficient with greater than 90% editing in bone marrow cells from mice infused with edited CD34+ cells 16 weeks post infusion. Further, HbF expression was increased by approximately 50% in the red blood cells derived from these edited cells. Finally, approximately 90% of these cells were HbF positive, demonstrating that HbF expression was pan-cellular, a likely critical property for potential clinical benefit.
Editas Medicine announced results from a pre-clinical study evaluating multi-gene knockout and transgene knock-in using its proprietary engineered CRISPR-Cas12a in induced pluripotent stem cells for the development of engineered cell immunotherapy medicines. The results of this study further reinforce Editas Medicine's belief in the transformative potential of iPSC-derived natural killer cells as off-the-shelf engineered cell medicines for the treatment of solid tumor cancers. The Company reported these data today in an oral presentation at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy being held virtually. Induced pluripotent stem cells offer a renewable source of highly characterized cells that can be differentiated into an array of immune effector cells, including, but not limited to, iPSC-derived natural killer cells. Edited iPSC clones can then be screened and selected to contain only the desired edits, ensuring a pure and edited final population of iNKs. Allogenic NK cells are an effective cancer cell therapy without evidence of graft versus host disease. In this study, CRISPR-Cas12a was used to make highly edited iPSC clones. The iPSCs were then differentiated into functional iNK cells. The iNKs derived from the edited iPSC clones had enhanced tumor killing activity relative to iNKs from unedited iPSCs, demonstrating the utility of an edited iPSC platform. This data supports the continued development of off-the-shelf engineered cell medicines for people with solid tumor cancers. Editas Medicine is also advancing programs using CRISPR editing for the potential treatment of both solid and liquid tumors. The Company initiated IND-enabling studies for EDIT-201, a healthy donor NK engineered cell medicine for solid tumors and is advancing its engineered gamma-delta T cell program. In addition, the Company is advancing oncology therapies with engineered alpha-beta T cells in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb.
In Vivo CRISPR Medicines: EDIT-101 for LCA10: First in vivo CRISPR medicine administered to a patient; Editas Medicine and Allergan announced the treatment of the first patient in the BRILLIANCE Phase 1/2 clinical trial of EDIT-101 at Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute, a world-recognized academic eye center. The study has been cleared to continue based on a review of safety data on the first patient. The Company plans to complete dosing of the adult low-dose cohort and to dose at least one patient of the adult mid-dose cohort by the end of 2020. EDIT-102 for Usher Syndrome 2: Ready for IND-enabling studies pending Allergan option exercise; Under the terms of its 2017 alliance agreement with Allergan, Editas Medicine has delivered a preclinical data package to Allergan for potential licensing. EDIT-102 is ready for IND-enabling studies pending Allergan's option exercise. A decision is expected by the third quarter of 2020. Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa 4: Nomination of development candidate delayed to 2021. Due to interruptions from the COVID-19 outbreak, Editas Medicine is delaying to 2021 the declaration of a development candidate for an experimental medicine to treat autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa 4. Engineered Cell Medicines: EDIT-301 for Sickle Cell Disease and Beta-Thalassemia: IND filing expected by end of 2020. Editas Medicine is developing EDIT-301 using Cas12a (Cpf1), a proprietary enzyme, as a potentially best-in-class medicine to treat sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Preclinical in vivo toxicology studies are in progress and the Company expects to file an IND for sickle cell disease by the end of 2020. EDIT-201 to Treat Solid Tumors: Declared candidate and initiated IND-enabling studies for allogeneic NK cell medicine: EDIT-201 is an allogeneic healthy-donor natural killer (NK) cell medicine for the treatment of solid tumors. Editas Medicine plans to present preclinical data on EDIT-201 at a scientific conference in the second half of 2020.
The Company expects that its existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $415.0 million at March 31, 2020, and anticipated interest income will enable it to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditures for at least the next 24 months. The Company remains committed to diligently managing expenses to maintain a strong balance sheet moving forward.