Oncternal Therapeutics(ONCT) - 2023 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The net loss for Q4 2023 was $9.2 million, or a loss of $3.11 per share, while the full year net loss was $39.5 million, or a loss of $13.43 per share [13] - As of December 31, 2023, the company had 2.9 million shares outstanding and $34.3 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, with no debt [13] - Total operating expenses for Q4 were $9.9 million, including $2.2 million in noncash stock-based compensation, while total operating expenses for the full year were $42.5 million [34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Research and development expenses for Q4 totaled $6.7 million, while general and administrative expenses were $3.2 million; for the full year, R&D expenses were $29.8 million and G&A expenses were $12.7 million [35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is targeting a sales potential of approximately $1 billion for ONCT-534, which addresses metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer [7] - The potential market for ONCT-534 could be multibillion dollars if it is used in earlier lines of therapy for hormone-sensitive prostate cancer [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is advancing two clinical programs, ONCT-534 and ONCT-808, focusing on high unmet medical needs in oncology [12][32] - ONCT-534 is designed for patients who have progressed after current AR pathway inhibitor therapies, while ONCT-808 targets aggressive B-cell lymphoma patients [47] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the upcoming clinical data updates for ONCT-534 and ONCT-808, with significant value inflection points expected in the near term [32] - The company believes its current cash reserves will be sufficient to fund operations into Q1 2025 [13] Other Important Information - The company reported grant revenue of $0.3 million for Q4 2023 and $0.8 million for the full year [33] - The company has made protocol changes for ONCT-808 to enhance patient safety, including modified eligibility criteria and additional screening [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the expected data update for ONCT-534? - Management indicated that initial clinical data for ONCT-534 is expected to be presented late in Q2 2024 [3] Question: What is the market size for ONCT-534? - The market size for ONCT-534 is estimated to be around $1 billion, with potential for multibillion-dollar sales if used in earlier therapy lines [7][19] Question: What are the reasons for the lower R&D expenses in Q4? - The lower R&D expenses were attributed to the efficient wrap-up of the ZILO-301 program and bringing work in-house earlier than planned [21] Question: When will patient recruitment for ONCT-808 begin? - Management is optimistic that patient recruitment for ONCT-808 will not take long, as principal investigators are eager to enroll patients [20] Question: What is the expected cash burn rate going forward? - The expected cash burn rate is projected to be in the range of $7.5 million to $9 million per quarter, considering noncash stock-based compensation [62]