UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 10, 2019
WAVE LIFE SCIENCES LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Singapore | 001-37627 | Not Applicable | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||
| 7 Straits View #12-00, Marina One East Tower Singapore 018936 |
018936 | |||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: +65 6236 3388
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class |
Trading symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| $0 Par Value Ordinary Shares | WVE | The Nasdaq Global Market |
| Item 2.02 | Results of Operations and Financial Condition. |
On May 10, 2019, Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (the “Company”) announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. The full text of the press release issued in connection with the announcement is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
| Item 7.01 | Regulation FD Disclosure. |
From time to time, the Company presents and/or distributes slides and presentations to the investment community to provide updates and summaries of its business. On May 10, 2019, the Company updated its corporate presentation, which is available on the “For Investors & Media” section of the Company’s website at http://ir.wavelifesciences.com/. This presentation is also furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
The information in these Items 2.02 and 7.01 shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
The following exhibits relating to Items 2.02 and 7.01 are furnished and not filed:
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 99.1 | Press Release issued by Wave Life Sciences Ltd. dated May 10, 2019 | |
| 99.2 | Corporate Presentation of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. dated May 10, 2019 | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| WAVE LIFE SCIENCES LTD. | ||
| By: | /s/ Keith C. Regnanate | |
| Keith C. Regnante | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
Date: May 10, 2019
Exhibit 99.1
Wave Life Sciences Reports First Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Provides Business Update
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 10, 2019 – Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (Nasdaq: WVE), a clinical-stage genetic medicines company committed to delivering life-changing treatments for people battling devastating diseases, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 and provided a business update.
“Since the start of the year, we have made significant progress advancing suvodirsen, our lead clinical program for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients amenable to exon 51 skipping, and we look forward to providing dystrophin biopsy data in the second half of the year. In parallel, initial commercialization activities are underway to support the potential approval and launch of this investigational therapy, first in the United States and then globally,” said Paul Bolno, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wave Life Sciences. “Suvodirsen is the first of multiple development programs we intend to advance for Duchenne, potentially enabling us to reach more patients living with DMD. Beyond our Duchenne programs, we are advancing our differentiated PRECISION-HD clinical program, an allele-selective approach to treating Huntington’s disease, and we look forward to reporting topline clinical results from these HD studies by year-end.”
Business Update
Wave is committed to building a fully integrated genetic medicines company led by its clinical- and preclinical-stage programs for the treatment of neuromuscular, central nervous system and ophthalmologic diseases.
Neuromuscular Diseases
Initial commercialization activities ongoing following completion of suvodirsen Phase 1 clinical trial; efficacy data from ongoing open-label extension study expected this year
| • | In April 2019, Wave announced the final results from its Phase 1 clinical trial of investigational suvodirsen (WVE-210201) in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are amenable to exon 51 skipping. The results demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile of suvodirsen for continued clinical development in the ongoing open-label extension (OLE) study and planned Phase 2/3 clinical trial. |
| • | Suvodirsen is currently being studied in an OLE study, initiated in August 2018 with patients from the Phase 1 clinical trial. Wave expects to deliver an interim analysis of dystrophin expression from muscle biopsies in boys receiving suvodirsen in this study in the second half of 2019. |
| • | The company expects to file for an accelerated approval of suvodirsen in the United States in the second half of 2020, pending positive clinical dystrophin expression data. |
DYSTANCE 51, Wave’s Phase 2/3 clinical trial of suvodirsen in DMD, intended to support global regulatory filings
| • | In April 2019, Wave announced the design of DYSTANCE 51, the planned Phase 2/3 efficacy and safety clinical trial of suvodirsen. The trial is designed to enroll boys who are between 5 and 12 years of age (inclusive) with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of DMD amenable to exon 51 skipping therapy. The DYSTANCE 51 primary efficacy endpoints will measure change in dystrophin protein level and change in the North Star Ambulatory Assessment score. In addition, the trial will include multiple functional outcome measures as secondary efficacy endpoints. |
| • | In January 2019, the company announced that DYSTANCE 51 was selected for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) complex innovative trial designs pilot program. Through this program, Wave intends to reduce the number of patients required to deliver conclusive clinical efficacy results, thereby minimizing the number of patients required in the placebo treatment arm and potentially accelerating study completion. Through participation in the program, the company has met with FDA staff to discuss design elements of the trial. |
| • | DYSTANCE 51 is expected to be initiated in July 2019 and the company intends to use the results of this trial to seek regulatory approvals globally. |
Aiming to bring meaningful dystrophin protein restoration to more patients living with DMD
| • | Wave is leveraging learnings from its ongoing DMD development and discovery efforts to advance WVE-N531, its preclinical candidate to treat DMD in boys amenable to exon 53 skipping. WVE-N531 induced up to 71% dystrophin protein restoration in DMD in vitro patient-derived myoblasts compared with healthy human myoblasts as measured by western blot. Subject to submission of clinical trial applications and approval to proceed, Wave expects to deliver topline clinical data for WVE-N531 in the second half of 2020. |
| • | The company is also exploring exon targets beyond those targeted by suvodirsen and WVE-N531, including exons 44, 45, 52, 54 and 55. |
Central Nervous System (CNS) Diseases
Advancing PRECISION-HD clinical program, the first allele-selective approach for Huntington’s disease patients
| • | Wave’s PRECISION-HD program, which consists of two global Phase 1b/2a clinical trials evaluating investigational therapies WVE-120101 and WVE-120102 for patients with Huntington’s disease (HD), is continuing to enroll patients globally. The company expects to report topline clinical data from the PRECISION-HD program by the end of the year. These results are expected to include a summary of clinical safety results, the degree of mutant huntingtin protein lowering in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the ratio of total huntingtin versus mutant huntingtin protein in CSF to assess wild-type huntingtin protein. |
| • | WVE-120101 and WVE-120102, which selectively target the mutant allele of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, have been shown to reduce levels of mutant HTT mRNA and protein, while leaving wild-type or healthy HTT mRNA and protein largely intact in in vitro studies with patient-derived cell-lines. The healthy transcript is required to produce healthy HTT protein which is critical for neuronal function. Multiple preclinical studies in the literature indicate that long-term suppression of healthy HTT protein may have detrimental consequences. Wave’s allele-specific approach may also enable the company to address the pre-manifest, or asymptomatic, HD patient population in the future. |
Leveraging PRISM to optimize C9ORF72 program and potential future CNS candidates
| • | Wave announced today that it has further optimized its C9ORF72-targeting program in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and is advancing a new lead candidate (WVE-C092), which preferentially targets the transcript containing the GGGGCC (G4C2) expansion in the C9ORF72 gene. The company leveraged advances in PRISM, its discovery and drug development platform, to design a candidate with an improved profile, including a substantial increase in potency in a preclinical study over its prior lead candidate. The observed potency and the expected durability of WVE-C092 may allow dosing frequency to be substantially optimized. |
| • | Subject to the submission of clinical trial applications and approval to proceed, the company would expect to initiate clinical development of WVE-C092 in the second half of 2020. |
| • | The company is utilizing the learnings from PRISM to design additional stereopure oligonucleotides with optimized profiles across other CNS diseases as part of its ongoing collaboration with Takeda. |
Ophthalmologic Diseases
| • | Wave continues to advance stereopure oligonucleotides for the potential treatment of inherited retinal diseases. Preclinical data demonstrated that a single intravitreal injection of stereopure oligonucleotide in the eye of non-human primates resulted in greater than 95% knockdown of a target RNA in the retina for at least four months. Based on these data, the company is working to design clinical candidates that could achieve a therapeutic effect with only two doses per year. The company expects to announce its first ophthalmology candidate in the second half of 2019. |
First Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Financial Guidance
Wave reported a net loss of $44.2 million in the first quarter of 2019 as compared to $35.2 million in the same period in 2018. The increase in net loss in the first quarter of 2019 was largely driven by increased research and development efforts and continued organizational growth to support Wave’s corporate goals.
Research and development expenses were $40.1 million in the first quarter of 2019 as compared to $29.2 million in the same period in 2018. The increase in research and development expenses in the first quarter was primarily due to increased external expenses related to our suvodirsen clinical activities as well as increased investments in PRISM and other research and development expenses.
General and administrative expenses were $10.9 million in the first quarter of 2019 as compared to $8.0 million in the same period in 2018. The increase in general and administrative expenses in the first quarter was mainly driven by increases in employee headcount to support Wave’s corporate goals, as well as increases in other general operating expenses.
As of March 31, 2019, Wave had $287.6 million in cash and cash equivalents as compared to $174.8 million as of December 31, 2018. The increase in cash and cash equivalents was mainly due to the $161.8 million in net proceeds from the January 2019 follow-on offering, partially offset by Wave’s year-to-date net loss of $44.2 million.
Wave expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents, together with expected and committed cash from existing collaborations, will enable Wave to fund its operating and capital expenditure requirements to the end of 2020.
About PRISM™
PRISM is Wave Life Sciences’ proprietary discovery and drug development platform that enables genetically defined diseases to be targeted with stereopure oligonucleotides across multiple therapeutic modalities. PRISM combines the company’s unique ability to construct stereopure oligonucleotides with a deep understanding of how the interplay among oligonucleotide sequence, chemistry and backbone stereochemistry impacts key pharmacological properties. By exploring these interactions through iterative analysis of in vitro and in vivo outcomes and artificial intelligence-driven predictive modeling, the company continues to define design principles that are deployed across programs to rapidly develop and manufacture clinical candidates that meet pre-defined product profiles.
About Wave Life Sciences
Wave Life Sciences (NASDAQ: WVE) is a clinical-stage genetic medicines company committed to delivering life-changing treatments for people battling devastating diseases. Wave aspires to develop best-in-class medicines across multiple therapeutic modalities using PRISM, the company’s proprietary discovery and drug development platform that enables the precise design, optimization and production of stereopure oligonucleotides. Driven by a resolute sense of urgency, the Wave team is targeting a broad range of genetically defined diseases so that patients and families may realize a brighter future. To find out more, please visit www.wavelifesciences.com and follow Wave on Twitter @WaveLifeSci.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning our goals, beliefs, expectations, strategies, objectives and plans, and other statements that are not necessarily based on historical facts, including statements regarding the following, among others: the anticipated commencement, patient enrollment, data readouts and completion of our clinical trials, and the announcement of such events; the protocol, design and endpoints of our ongoing and planned clinical trials; the future performance and results of our programs in clinical trials; future preclinical activities and programs; the progress and potential benefits of our collaborations with partners; the potential of our in vitro and in vivo preclinical data to predict the behavior of our compounds in humans; our identification of future candidates and their therapeutic potential; the anticipated therapeutic benefits of our potential therapies compared to others; our ability to design compounds using multiple modalities and the anticipated benefits of that model; the anticipated benefits of our proprietary manufacturing processes and our internal manufacturing facility; our future growth and anticipated transition to a fully integrated commercial-stage company; the potential benefits of PRISM and our stereopure oligonucleotides compared with stereorandom oligonucleotides; the benefit of nucleic acid therapeutics generally; the strength of our intellectual property; and the anticipated duration of our cash runway. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the following: our ability to finance our drug discovery and development efforts and to raise additional capital when needed; the ability of our preclinical programs to produce data sufficient to support our clinical trial applications and the timing thereof; our ability to continue to build and maintain the company infrastructure and personnel needed to achieve our goals; the clinical results of our programs, which may not support further development of product candidates; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials; our effectiveness in managing future clinical trials and regulatory processes; the effectiveness of PRISM; the continued development and acceptance of oligonucleotides as a class of medicines; our ability to demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of our candidates in clinical trials, including our ability to develop candidates across multiple therapeutic modalities; our dependence on third parties, including contract research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations, collaborators and partners; our ability to manufacture or contract with third parties to manufacture drug material to support our programs and growth; our ability to obtain, maintain and protect intellectual property; our ability to enforce our patents against infringers and defend our patent portfolio against challenges from third parties; and competition from others developing therapies for similar uses, as well as the information under the caption “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in other filings we make with the SEC from time to time. We undertake no obligation to update the information contained in this press release to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances.
WAVE LIFE SCIENCES LTD.
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share amounts)
| March 31, 2019 | December 31, 2018 | |||||||
| Assets |
||||||||
| Current assets: |
||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 287,567 | $ | 174,819 | ||||
| Current portion of accounts receivable |
10,000 | 10,000 | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
17,464 | 17,454 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total current assets |
315,031 | 202,273 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Long-term assets: |
||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net of current portion |
50,000 | 50,000 | ||||||
| Property and equipment, net |
39,929 | 39,931 | ||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets |
19,333 | — | ||||||
| Restricted cash |
3,631 | 3,625 | ||||||
| Other assets |
2,688 | 111 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total long-term assets |
115,581 | 93,667 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total assets |
$ | 430,612 | $ | 295,940 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Liabilities, Series A preferred shares and shareholders’ equity |
||||||||
| Current liabilities: |
||||||||
| Accounts payable |
$ | 14,577 | $ | 13,089 | ||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities |
8,490 | 14,736 | ||||||
| Current portion of deferred rent |
— | 115 | ||||||
| Current portion of deferred revenue |
105,891 | 100,945 | ||||||
| Current portion of lease incentive obligation |
— | 1,156 | ||||||
| Current portion of operating lease liability |
2,919 | — | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total current liabilities |
131,877 | 130,041 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Long-term liabilities: |
||||||||
| Deferred rent, net of current portion |
— | 5,132 | ||||||
| Deferred revenue, net of current portion |
60,184 | 68,156 | ||||||
| Lease incentive obligation, net of current portion |
— | 9,247 | ||||||
| Operating lease liability, net of current portion |
31,782 | — | ||||||
| Other liabilities |
2,039 | 2,142 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total long-term liabilities |
94,005 | 84,677 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total liabilities |
$ | 225,882 | $ | 214,718 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Series A preferred shares, no par value; 3,901,348 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 |
$ | 7,874 | $ | 7,874 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Shareholders’ equity: |
||||||||
| Ordinary shares, no par value; 34,255,406 and 29,472,197 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively |
$ | 538,414 | $ | 375,148 | ||||
| Additional paid-in capital |
42,113 | 37,768 | ||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income |
250 | 153 | ||||||
| Accumulated deficit |
(383,921 | ) | (339,721 | ) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total shareholders’ equity |
$ | 196,856 | $ | 73,348 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total liabilities, Series A preferred shares and shareholders’ equity |
$ | 430,612 | $ | 295,940 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
WAVE LIFE SCIENCES LTD.
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||
| 2019 | 2018 | |||||||
| Revenue |
$ | 3,026 | $ | 1,422 | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Operating expenses: |
||||||||
| Research and development |
40,113 | 29,196 | ||||||
| General and administrative |
10,901 | 8,001 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total operating expenses |
51,014 | 37,197 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Loss from operations |
(47,988 | ) | (35,775 | ) | ||||
| Other income, net: |
||||||||
| Dividend income |
1,424 | 356 | ||||||
| Interest income, net |
11 | 7 | ||||||
| Other income, net |
2,353 | 343 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total other income, net |
3,788 | 706 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Loss before income taxes |
(44,200 | ) | (35,069 | ) | ||||
| Income tax provision |
— | (172 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Net loss |
$ | (44,200 | ) | $ | (35,241 | ) | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders—basic and diluted |
$ | (1.36 | ) | $ | (1.26 | ) | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Weighted-average ordinary shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders—basic and diluted |
32,597,158 | 27,919,063 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss): |
||||||||
| Net loss |
$ | (44,200 | ) | $ | (35,241 | ) | ||
| Foreign currency translation |
97 | 49 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Comprehensive loss |
$ | (44,103 | ) | $ | (35,192 | ) | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Investor Contact:
Kate Rausch
617-949-4827
krausch@wavelifesci.com
Media and Patient Contact:
José Juves
617-949-4708
jjuves@wavelifesci.com
Wave Life Sciences Corporate Presentation May 10, 2019 Exhibit 99.2
Forward-looking statements This document contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this document, including statements regarding possible or assumed future results of operations, preclinical and clinical studies, business strategies, research and development plans, collaborations and partnerships, regulatory activities and timing thereof, competitive position, potential growth opportunities, use of proceeds and the effects of competition are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (the “Company”) to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “aim,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this presentation are only predictions. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this presentation and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those listed under Risk Factors in the Company’s Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond the Company’s control. The events and circumstances reflected in the Company’s forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, the Company operates in a dynamic industry and economy. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties that the Company may face. Except as required by applicable law, the Company does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
DESIGN & OPTIMIZE SEQUENCE STEREOCHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY Targeting genetically defined diseases with stereopure oligonucleotides Building fully integrated genetic medicines company led by neurology development programs Lead clinical program: Suvodirsen Phase 2/3 trial initiation expected in July 2019 for DMD (exon 51); program on development path toward US and global approvals Advancing additional exon skipping candidates for DMD Commercialization activities underway Lead clinical program: Two Phase 1b/2a trials ongoing for Huntington’s disease using differentiated allele-selective approach Advancing C9orf72 candidate for ALS and FTD SNP3 (HD) and ATXN3 (SCA3) Initial candidate selection ongoing for inherited retinal diseases Stereopure oligonucleotides across multiple therapeutic modalities Antisense | RNAi | Splicing Neuromuscular CNS Ophthalmology 100% global rights Takeda 50:50 option 100% global rights
Through iterative analysis of in vitro and in vivo outcomes and artificial intelligence-driven predictive modeling, Wave continues to define design principles that are deployed across programs to rapidly develop and manufacture clinical candidates that meet pre-defined product profiles DESIGN Unique ability to construct stereopure oligonucleotides with one defined and consistent profile Enables Wave to target genetically defined diseases with stereopure oligonucleotides across multiple therapeutic modalities OPTIMIZE A deep understanding of how the interplay among oligonucleotide sequence, chemistry, and backbone stereochemistry impacts key pharmacological properties SEQUENCE STEREOCHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY
WAVE RATIONAL DESIGN Control of stereochemistry enables the design and manufacture of oligonucleotides with one defined and consistent profile Designing the optimal, stereopure medicine STANDARD OLIGONUCLEOTIDE APPROACHES Pharmacologic properties include >500,000 permutations in every dose Impact: Unreliable therapeutic effects Unintended off-target effects Impact: Potential for best-in-class medicines that can address difficult-to-treat diseases
Source: Iwamoto N, et al. Control of phosphorothioate stereochemistry substantially increases the efficacy of antisense oligonucleotides. Nat Biotechnol. 2017;35:845-851. Creating a new class of oligonucleotides INDICATION, TARGET TRANSCRIPT, PRODUCT PROFILE SPLICING RNAi ANTISENSE DEFINE MODALITY DESIGN & OPTIMIZE VALIDATE SEQUENCE STEREOCHEMISTRY CHEMISTRY Free uptake in cellular models Animal models POTENCY STABILITY SPECIFICITY IMMUNE POTENCY DURABILITY TOXICOLOGY Candidates
CNS Muscle Liver MALAT1 Transcript Knockdown in Mice Knockdown of Serum hAPOC3 Protein Levels in Mice Two 5 mg/kg SC injections on Days 1&3 PBS Stereopure Eye MALAT1 Knockdown in Non-Human Primates Single 450 µg IVT injection 10 Weeks after single 100 µg ICV injection DMD: Percent Skipped Transcript in mdx23 Mice Stereorandom Stereopure Single 150 mg/kg IV injection Data represented in this slide from in vivo studies. CNS: PBS = phosphate buffered saline; Ctx = cortex; Str = striatum; Cb = cerebellum; Hp = hippocampus; SC = spinal cord. ICV = intracerebral; IVT = intravitreal; IV = intravenous; SC= subcutaneous. Retina Gastrocnemius MALAT1 Transcript Knockdown (% of control) Optimizing potency and durability across multiple tissues
Stereochemistry allows for Human TLR9 activation assay with 5mC modified CpG containing MOE gapmer Cytokine induction in human PBMC assay Stereochemistry affects immune activation Complement Activation Human TLR9 Activation Cytokine Induction Complement activation in non-human primate serum assay Data represented in this slide from in vitro studies. MOE = 2′-O-methoxyethylribose; PBMC = peripheral blood mononuclear cell; TLR9 = toll-like receptor 9. Stereorandom Stereopure Stereorandom Stereopure
Pipeline spanning multiple modalities, novel targets CLINICAL CANDIDATE DISCOVERY ESTIMATED U.S. PREVALENCE* TARGET MECHANISM PARTNER WAVE’S COMMERCIAL RIGHTS *Estimates of U.S. prevalence and addressable population by target based on publicly available data and are approximate; for Huntington’s disease, numbers approximate manifest and pre-manifest populations, respectively. † During a four-year term, Wave and Takeda may collaborate on up to six preclinical targets at any one time. E = exon skipping. A = allele-specific silencing. S = silencing. MUSCLE E Duchenne muscular dystrophy ~2,000 Exon 51 OLE (Phase 1) — 100% Global E Duchenne muscular dystrophy ~1,250 Exon 53 — 100% Global Duchenne muscular dystrophy Exons 44, 45, 52, 54, 55 — 100% Global Neuromuscular diseases Multiple — 100% Global ~1,500 E OPHTHALMOLOGY HEPATIC S Metabolic liver diseases Multiple Pfizer Milestones & Royalties Retinal diseases Multiple — 100% Global ~10,000 OLE = Open-label extension. CNS A Huntington’s disease ~10k / ~35k mHTT SNP1 Phase 1b/2a Takeda 50% Global A Huntington’s disease ~10k / ~35k mHTT SNP2 Phase 1b/2a Takeda 50% Global A Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ~1,800 C9orf72 Takeda 50% Global A Frontotemporal dementia ~7,000 C9orf72 Takeda 50% Global S Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 ATXN3 Takeda 50% Global ~4,500 CNS diseases Multiple† Takeda Milestones & Royalties A Huntington’s disease ~ 8k / ~ 30k mHTT SNP3 Takeda 50% Global
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
DMD: a progressive, fatal childhood disorder Fatal, X-linked genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive, irreversible loss of muscle function, including heart and lung Genetic mutation in dystrophin gene prevents the production of dystrophin protein, a critical component of healthy muscle function Symptom onset in early childhood; one of the most serious genetic diseases in children worldwide Current disease modifying treatments have demonstrated minimal dystrophin expression and clinical benefit has not been established Impacts 1 in every 5,000 newborn boys each year; 20,000 new cases annually worldwide Neuro DMD Source: Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. About Duchenne & Becker muscular dystrophy. Available at: https://www.parentprojectmd.org/care/for-healthcare-providers/. Accessed: November 2, 2018.
Wave approach: stereopure exon skipping oligonucleotide Neuro DMD Potential benefits of an oligonucleotide approach to treating a lifelong disease Chronic administration may better address high muscle cell turnover and need for broad and durable distribution Entry into cells, including progenitor cells, via free-uptake Production of functional dystrophin protein, not micro-dystrophin Scalable manufacturing Exon skipping with stereopure oligonucleotides has the potential to enable production of meaningful levels of functional dystrophin which is expected to result in therapeutic benefit Sources: Arnett ALH, et al. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2014;1:14038. doi:10.1038/mtm.2014.38. Counsell JR, et al. Sci Rep. 2017;7:79. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-00152-5. Duan D. Mol Ther. 2018;25:2337-2356. Martinsen B, Dreyer P. Open Nurs Jrnl. 2016;10:131-138. Stitelman DH, et al. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2014;1:14040. doi:10.1038/mtm.2014.40. Exon skipping
Building a portfolio to transform the care of DMD Neuro DMD Sources: Aartsma-Rus A, et al. Hum Mutat. 2009;30:293-299. Bladen CL, et al. Hum Mutat. 2015;36:395–402. Suvodirsen targeting exon 51 Phase 2/3 trial expected to commence in July 2019 for global regulatory submissions Potential FDA accelerated approval filing in 2H 2020, pending positive clinical dystrophin expression data WVE-N531 targeting exon 53 Topline clinical data expected in 2H 2020 Advancing candidate development for exons 44, 45, 52, 54, 55 Early leads demonstrated similar in vitro exon skipping efficiency as suvodirsen and WVE-N531 Percentage of patients with DMD amenable to exon skipping therapeutic approach ~45% Exon 51 Exon 53 Exon 44 Exon 45 Exon 52 Exon 54 Exon 55 ~17% May not be amenable to single and double exon skipping ~38% Other exon skips Initiating commercialization activities in anticipation of first potential launch in US
Suvodirsen: Path towards US and global approvals Phase 1 Phase 1 single ascending dose clinical trial Based on in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies and Phase 1 clinical results, two suvodirsen doses selected for Phase 2/3 clinical trial Study complete Phase 2/3 Phase 2/3 clinical trial to assess clinical efficacy and dystrophin expression Efficacy and safety data to serve as basis of regulatory submissions globally Selected for FDA pilot program for complex innovative trial designs Expect to initiate in July 2019 OPEN-LABEL EXTENSION PHASE 1 PHASE 2/3: DYSTANCE 51 Suvodirsen formerly named WVE-210201 Open-label extension (OLE) Multi-dose, open-label study with patients from Phase 1 clinical trial Data will be an important component of submission for accelerated approval in US On track to deliver interim analysis of dystrophin expression in 2H 2019 2H 2020: Potential FDA accelerated approval filing in exon 51 amenable DMD
Exon 51: improved skipping efficiency RNA skipping determined by quantitative RT-PCR Wave isomers demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in skipping efficiency in vitro Free uptake at 10uM concentration of each compound with no transfection agent Same foundational stereopure chemistry for Wave isomers; individually optimized to select candidate Neuro DMD Dose Response on Skipping Efficiency (mRNA, in vitro) (4 days) Experimental conditions: Free uptake of ASO in human DMD myoblast cells. Skipping quantified by TaqMan assay.
Dystrophin protein restoration in vitro was quantified to be between 50-100% of normal skeletal muscle tissue lysates, as compared to about 1% by drisapersen and eteplirsen analogs Exon 51: increased dystrophin restoration *Analogs dystrophin (400-427 kDa) vinculin (120 kDa) Marker Mock drisapersen* eteplirsen* suvodirsen WV-isomer 2 WV-isomer 3 Skeletal Muscle Tissue lysates Marker 0 µM Skeletal Muscle Tissue (2 fold less lysate) 0.1 µM 0.3 µM 1 µM 3 µM 10 µM Skeletal Muscle Tissue dystrophin (400-427 kDa) vinculin (120 kDa) Experimental conditions: DMD protein restoration by Western Blot in patient-derived myotubes with clear dose effect. Free uptake at 10 µM concentration of each compound with no transfection agent. suvodirsen Neuro DMD
Exon 51: improved oligonucleotide uptake in the nucleus where splicing occurs Stereopure oligonucleotides are designed to readily enter the nuclei of cells under free-uptake conditions, which approximates natural delivery in the body Free uptake of stereorandom and stereopure ASOs Experimental conditions: Free uptake of ASOs in 18 hour differentiating human DMD myoblasts (Δ48-50). Red Oligonucleotide Blue Nucleus Neuro DMD
Exon 51: in vivo target engagement of suvodirsen in healthy non-human primate 5 doses @ 30 mg/kg /week for 4 weeks healthy NHP by subcutaneous dosing Nested PCR Assay Neuro DMD Experimental conditions: Muscle tissues were collected 2 days after the last dose and fresh frozen. Total RNAs were extracted with phenol/chloroform and converted to cDNA using high capacity kit. Nested PCR assay was performed and analyzed by fragment analyzer.
Exon 51: no apparent tissue accumulation observed Standard oligonucleotides tend to accumulate in liver and kidney Wave rationally designed oligonucleotides optimized to allow compound to clear more effectively Suvodirsen demonstrated wide tissue distribution in dose dependent fashion No apparent accumulation observed after multiple doses Neuro DMD Experimental conditions: Mdx23 mice received a single 30-mg/kg intravenous bolus injection of suvodirsen or drisapersen analog (n=3/group), and sacrificed 24 or 48 hours post dose. Oligo quantifications in tissues were performed using hybridization ELISA assay. Single 30-mpk IV injection in mdx23 mice suvodirsen drisapersen analog µg/g
Exon 53: WVE-N531 in vitro dose-dependent dystrophin restoration Free uptake for 6 days in differentiation media with no transfection agent and no peptide conjugated to the oligonucleotide Wave stereopure exon 53 candidate demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in dystrophin restoration in DMD patient-derived myoblasts Experimental conditions: D45-52 patient myoblasts were treated with oligonucleotide for 6d under free-uptake conditions in differentiation media. Protein harvested in RIPA buffer and dystrophin restoration analyzed by Western Blot. Signal normalized to vinculin loading control and to primary healthy human myotube lysate (pooled from four donors) forming a standard curve in d45-52 cell lysate. Neuro DMD Topline clinical data expected in 2H 2020 Dystrophin protein restoration of up to 71% Western Blot normalized to primary healthy human myoblast lysate
Exon 53: targeting oligonucleotide rapidly distributes to muscle within 24 hours after injection Bright field view 63x oil Nucleus: Hematoxylin; Light Blue Wave oligo: ViewRNA, Fast Red Nucleus: Hoechst33342; Blue Wave oligo: Fast Red/Cy3; Pink Red Fluorescence channel view Z Stack view Data derived from in vivo preclinical research. Experimental conditions: A single dose of stereopure oligonucleotide 30 mg/kg IV was administered to mdx 23 mice. Tissues collected 24 hours post dose and ASO was detected in muscles using ViewRNA. Neuro DMD
In vivo mdx23 dystrophin protein with oligonucleotides NT = nontreated mdx mouse; mdx/BL10 = mdx mouse in C57BL/10ScSnJ background; D2-mdx = mdx mouse crossed to DBA/2A background resulting in more severely affected model; CK = creatine kinase Experimental conditions (stereopure surrogate): Tissues collected 96 hours post final dose. Protein expression determined by western Blot. 1. Experimental conditions (drisapersen surrogate): Tissues collected 1 week after the last injection. Protein expression determined by western blot. van Putten M, Tanganyika-de Winter C, Bosgra S, Aartsma-Rus A. Nonclinical Exon Skipping Studies with 2'-O-Methyl Phosphorothioate Antisense Oligonucleotides in mdx and mdx-utrn-/- Mice Inspired by Clinical Trial Results. Nucleic Acid Ther. 2019 Apr;29(2):92-103. 2. Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids (2014) 3, e148 Gastrocnemius In vivo dystrophin protein restoration (stereopure surrogate, 150 mg/kg, 4 weekly IV doses) Standard Curve (% WT lysate in mdx23 lysate) mdx23 PBS DMD-1742 (150 mg/kg) 80% 60% 40% 20% 10% 5% 2.5% 0% 0% 0% 90% 67% 69% 93% 68% Dystrophin Vinculin % Dystrophin Treatment Mouse 70 – 90% dystrophin restoration 87% reduction in creatine kinase (CK) levels In vivo dystrophin protein restoration (drisapersen surrogate, 200 mg/kg, 8 weekly IV doses) Published literature Less than 1.5% dystrophin restoration in two separate studies1,2 No reduction in CK levels1
Single dose of surrogate results in restoration of dystrophin in muscle fibers Neuro DMD PBS DMD-1742 Immunohistochemistry of dystrophin in gastrocnemius in mdx23 mice at 4 weeks 10X Experimental conditions: mdx23 mice received a single IV injection of PBS or DMD-1742 (150 mg/kg). Immunohistochemistry: Blue: Nuclei, Hoechest; Yellow: Rabbit anti-Dystrophin(#ab15277) 1:400 diluent, 555/Cy3, Cy3 staining is represented by the yellow color. 10X magnification. PBS
Multiple doses of surrogate result in further restoration of dystrophin in muscle fibers Experimental conditions: mdx23 mice received 4 weekly IV injections of PBS or DMD-1742 (150 mg/kg). Immunohistochemistry: Blue: Nuclei, Hoechest; Yellow: Rabbit anti-Dystrophin(#ab15277) 1:400 diluent, 555/Cy3, Cy3 staining is represented by the yellow color. 10X magnification. Neuro DMD PBS DMD-1742 Immunohistochemistry of dystrophin in gastrocnemius in mdx23 mice at 4 weeks 10X 0X
Huntington’s Disease
Huntington’s disease: a hereditary, fatal disorder Sources: Auerbach W, et al. Hum Mol Genet. 2001;10:2515-2523. Dragatsis I, et al. Nat Genet. 2000;26:300-306. Leavitt BR, et al. J Neurochem. 2006;96:1121-1129. Nasir J, et al. Cell. 1995;81:811-823. Reiner A, et al. J Neurosci. 2001;21:7608-7619. White JK, et al. Nat Genet. 1997;17:404-410. Zeitlin S, et al. Nat Genet. 1995;11:155-163. Carroll JB, et al. Mol Ther. 2011;19:2178-2185. Huntington Disease Society of America (HDSA). What is Huntington’s disease? Available at: http://hdsa.org/what-is-hd/. Accessed: November 2, 2018. DNA CAG Repeat RNA wildtype (healthy) allele RNA mutant allele Normal CAG Repeat Expanded CAG Repeat Healthy protein (HTT) Mutant protein (mHTT) Neuro HD Autosomal dominant disease, characterized by cognitive decline, psychiatric illness and chorea; fatal No approved disease-modifying therapies Expanded CAG triplet repeat in HTT gene results in production of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT); accumulation of mHTT causes progressive loss of neurons in the brain Wildtype (healthy) HTT protein critical for neuronal function; suppression may have detrimental long-term consequences 30,000 people with Huntington’s disease in the US; another 200,000 at risk of developing the condition
Utilize association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genetic mutations to specifically target errors in genetic disorders, including HD Allele-specificity possible by targeting SNPs associated with expanded long CAG repeat in mHTT gene Approach aims to lower mHTT transcript while leaving healthy HTT relatively intact Potential to provide treatment for up to 70% of HD population (either oligo alone could address approximately 50% of HD population) Wave approach: novel, allele-specific silencing Source: Kay, et al. Personalized gene silencing therapeutics for Huntington disease. Clin Genet. 2014;86:29–36. Total: Due to overlap, an estimated ~70% of the total HD patient population carry SNP 1 and/or SNP 2 Neuro HD
Two simultaneous Phase 1b/2a clinical trials Neuro HD PRECISION-HD is a global clinical program consisting of the PRECISION-HD1 trial evaluating WVE-120101 targeting SNP1 and the PRECISION-HD2 trial evaluating WVE-120102 targeting SNP2 Two parallel, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 1b/2a clinical trials for WVE-120101 and WVE-120102, administered intrathecally, with single-ascending dose and multiple-ascending dose portions Primary objective: Assess safety and tolerability of intrathecal doses in early manifest HD patients Key additional objectives: Measurement of total HTT and mHTT; exploratory pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), clinical and MRI endpoints Key inclusion criteria: age ≥25 to ≤65, stage I or II HD who have screened positively for the presence of SNP1 or SNP2 Expected to enroll approximately 50 patients per trial Open-label extension (OLE) study planned to allow for continued dosing and clinical assessments To include patients previously in the Phase 1b/2a clinical trials Assessments of safety, tolerability, PK, PD, MRI and efficacy using validated clinical outcome measures Intend to explore efficacy in early manifest and pre-manifest HD patient populations Phase 1b/2a readout expected by YE 2019
Selective reduction of mHTT mRNA & protein Reporter Cell Line* Neuro HD Source: Meena, Zboray L, Svrzikapa N, et al. Selectivity and biodistribution of WVE-120101, a potential antisense oligonucleotide therapy for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. Paper presented at: 69th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology; April 28, 2017; Boston, MA.
Demonstrated delivery to brain tissue WVE-120101 and WVE-120102 distribution in cynomolgus non-human primate brain following intrathecal bolus injection Demonstrated delivery to brain tissue In Situ Hybridization ViewRNA stained tissue Red dots are WVE-120102 oligonucleotide Arrow points to nuclear and perinuclear distribution of WVE-120102 in caudate nucleus Red dots are WVE-120101 oligonucleotide Arrow points to nuclear and perinuclear distribution of WVE- 120101 in cingulate cortex CIC = cingulate cortex In Situ Hybridization ViewRNA stained tissue Neuro HD CN = caudate nucleus Source: Meena, Zboray L, Svrzikapa N, et al. Selectivity and biodistribution of WVE-120101, a potential antisense oligonucleotide therapy for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. Paper presented at: 69th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology; April 28, 2017; Boston, MA.
C9orf72 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)
C9orf72: a critical genetic risk factor C9orf72 gene provides instructions for making protein found in various tissues, with abundance in nerve cells in the cerebral cortex and motor neurons C9orf72 genetic mutations are the strongest genetic risk factor found to date for the more common, non-inherited (sporadic) forms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD); GGGGCC repeat drives the formation and accumulation of dipeptide repeat proteins that accumulate in brain tissue First pathogenic mechanism identified to be a genetic link between familial (inherited) ALS and FTD Most common mutation identified associated with familial ALS and FTD Availability of dipeptide biomarker in CSF has potential to accelerate drug development expanded GGGGCC repeat hexanucleotide repeat transcript Neuro C9orf72 Source: DeJesus-Hernandez M, Mackenzie IR, Boeve BF, et al. Neuron. 2011;72:245-256. Renton AE, Majounie E, Waite A, et al. Neuron. 2011;72:257-268.
WVE-C092 demonstrated selective and potent silencing of expanded C9orf72 repeat transcripts Neuro C9orf72 in vitro experimental methods: C9 ALS patient derived MNs were treated with ASO gymnotically (free-uptake) for 1 week. Cell were harvested with Trizol reagent for RNA extraction. Taqman qPCR assays were used to detect V3 and all V. WVE-C092 preferentially reduces repeat-containing V3 transcripts IC50 (nM) WVE-C092 84 WVE-3972-01 411 Stereorandom ASO 845 Stereochemistry and chemistry optimization improves potency 10-fold
Ophthalmology
Building a portfolio for inherited retinal diseases Rare eye disorders caused by genetic mutations leading to progressive vision loss No approved therapies for almost any IRDs Approximately 200,000 affected in the U.S. and millions world-wide RHO P23H Retinitis pigmentosa ~1,800 USH2A Usher syndrome 2A ~5,000 ABCA4 Stargardt disease ~2,000 CEP290 Leber congenital amaurosis 10 ~1,000 Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) Genetic target Inherited retinal disease US Population Addressable by Wave Approach Oligonucleotides allow for intravitreal (IVT) injection; targeting twice per year dosing Stereopure oligonucleotides open up novel strategies in both dominant and recessive IRDs; potential for potent and durable effect with low immune response Established imaging markers, easily identifiable patient population and historical ophthalmology trial success rates suggest clear path to market Wave opportunity Initial candidate expected in 2H 2019 150 µg PBS Broad Distribution One Week Post-Dose PBS Single IVT injection of stereopure oligonucleotide to NHP results in distribution throughout all layers of the retina and potent, extended duration of effect 1 week 2 months 4 months SP ASO >95% Knockdown in Retina Tissue Sources: Daiger S, et al. Clin Genet. 2013;84:132-141. Wong CH, et al. Biostatistics. 2018; DOI: 10.1093/biostatistics/kxx069. Athanasiou D, et al. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2018;62:1–23. Daiger S, et al. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2015;5:a017129. Verbakel S, et al. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2018:66:157-186. MALAT1 oligonucleotide detected using ViewRNA assay; pink = oligonucleotide Ophthalmology
Anticipated Upcoming Wave Milestones Neuromuscular July 2019: Initiation of DYSTANCE 51 Phase 2/3 clinical trial for suvodirsen in DMD (exon 51) 2H 2019: Interim dystrophin data readout for suvodirsen from OLE in DMD (exon 51) 2H 2020: Accelerated approval filing for suvodirsen in DMD (exon 51) in US, pending positive clinical dystrophin expression data 2H 2020: Topline clinical data for WVE-N531 in DMD (exon 53) CNS By YE 2019: Topline data readout from PRECISION-HD Phase 1b/2a trials in Huntington’s disease 2H 2020: Initiation of clinical development of WVE-C092 (C9orf72) in ALS and FTD Ophthalmology 2H 2019: Selection of initial development candidate for inherited retinal disease
Realizing the potential of genetic medicines For more information: Kate Rausch, Investor Relations krausch@wavelifesci.com 617.949.4827