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Endocyte (ECYT) Reports Narrower-than-Expected Loss in Q1

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Endocyte, Inc. reported a loss of 27 cents per share in first-quarter 2017, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 28 cents but wider than the year-ago loss of 24 cents. Collaboration revenues, on the other hand, remained flat at $0.012 million during the quarter.

Endocyte’s share price has increased 2.7% year to date, while the Zacks classified Medical-Drugs industry gained 6.4%.

Quarterly Details

Research and development (R&D) expenses were up 22.4% year over year to $8.0 million mainly due to increase in expenses related to the EC1169 phase I trial, including drug manufacturing expenses,  expenses related to the development of EC2629 and other pre-clinical work and general research, and expenses related to the EC1456 phase 1 trial.

General and administrative expenses were down 1.9% to $3.7 million due to lower compensation expense.

Pipeline Update

Endocyte is focused on the development of two candidates, EC1456 and EC1169, both of which are in phase I studies currently.

The company has initiated the expansion phase of the study on EC1456 in select folate receptor-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients, identified by the companion imaging agent etarfolatide. A portion of 6.0 mg/m2 has been determined as the maximum twice-a-week dose and is being used in the expansion phase of the study. The company is enrolling patients in the expansion cohort of up to 40 folate receptor-positive (FR-positive) NSCLC patients, as determined by an etarfolatide scan, to obtain 6.0 mg/m2 twice a week. The patients included in this expansion phase of the trial will receive first-line chemotherapy and will be treated with anti-programmed death-1 (anti-PD-1) therapy. In addition, Endocyte is conducting an ovarian cancer surgical study to characterize EC1456 at the tumor level through a multifaceted analysis of collected tissue samples after administration of the drug.

Meanwhile, EC1169 is being evaluated in a phase I study for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The company is currently enrolling patients in the expansion phase of the EC1169 trial in up to 50 second-line chemotherapy and up to 50 taxane-naïve metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients at a maximum clinical once a week dose of 6.5 mg/m2.

Efficacy and safety data from the expansion cohorts for both EC1456 and EC1169 will be reported in medical conferences in the first half of 2017.

The company is also nearing the completion of pre-clinical work required to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for EC2629 which is the company’s first candidate to target disease cells and simultaneously impact the tumor microenvironment by shutting down tumors associated with macrophages. The company expects to file an IND for EC2629 by mid 2017. The company also continues to progress with next-generation CAR T-cell therapeutic platform, in collaboration with Seattle Children's Research Institute.

Endocyte, Inc. Price and Consensus

 

Endocyte, Inc. Price and Consensus | Endocyte, Inc. Quote

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Endocyte is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock.

Better-ranked stocks in the health care sector are Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , Galena Biopharma, Inc. and BioTime, Inc. . While Galena sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), BioTime and Infinity carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Infinity’s loss per share estimates narrowed from $1.43 to $1.03 and from $1.75 to $1.52 for 2017 and 2018, respectively, over the last 60 days. The company posted positive earnings surprises in three of the four trailing quarters, with an average beat of 36.64%.

Galena’s loss per share estimates narrowed from $2.03 to 58 cents for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted positive earnings surprises in two of the four trailing quarters, with an average beat of 53.83%.

BioTime’s loss per share estimates narrowed 60.9% to 18 cents for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in two of the four trailing quarters with an average beat of 12.32%.

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