Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRBP), a clinical stage drug development company targeting rare, chronic, and serious inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, recently reported its third quarter financial results (http://dtn.fm/R6EgY) for the three months ended September 30, 2016. CRBP reported a net loss for the third quarter due to increased spending on clinical studies for systemic sclerosis and CF, plus increased staffing costs, bonuses, and other expenditures.
However, the company ended the third quarter with just under $19 million in cash and cash equivalents, which it believes to be sufficient to meet its operating and capital requirements through the end of 2017. The company is also expecting a milestone payment by the end of the first quarter of 2017 from Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. of $1.5 million.
In addition to its financial results, the company provided an update on its corporate progress and progress on the clinical status of its lead product candidate Resunab, a synthetic oral endocannabinoid-mimetic drug that targets chronic inflammation and aims to stop fibrosis. The drug is currently being tested in three separate phase 2 clinical studies.
Since the release of these financial results, the company completed its phase 2 trials of Resunab in patients with systemic sclerosis, releasing positive data and leading shares to skyrocket. According to CRBP’s findings (http://dtn.fm/sT36W), the median patients taking Resunab saw their combined response index in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis score increase by just under 35%, compared to 0% for those taking a placebo.
As a result, Corbus Pharmaceuticals is now seeking approval for the drug from the FDA. The company is also testing Resunab in other phase 2 trials for diseases such as lupus, fibrosis, and dermatomyositis, while patients from the systemic sclerosis phase 2 trials will enter an extension study to measure the drug’s long term effects.
Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings also received a company update from Aegis Capital Corp. (http://dtn.fm/1Vl5L), which maintained the company’s ‘Buy’ rating with a price target of $12 per share. This report was based on the strong data released regarding the phase 2 trials in patients with systemic sclerosis.
Other companies such as Noble Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald also reiterated a ‘Buy’ rating for the company, with price objectives of $19.00 and $17.00, respectively. In addition to the above, Barbara White acquired 38,000 shares of CRBP worth $119,700, and CFO Sean F. Moran acquired 148,960 shares worth just under $500,000, all according to The Cerbat Gem Market News and Analysis (http://dtn.fm/Sit9u), giving insiders just under 12% ownership of CRBP’s stock.
Other large investors have also raised their stakes in the company. Morgan Stanley raised its position in Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. by 12.4%, Northern Trust Corp. raised its position by 41%, BlackRock Institutional Trust Company N.A. raised its position by 14.3%, and Milestone Group, Inc. and Bank of New York Mellon Corp. bought new positions worth $102,000 and $155,000, respectively. Outside investors now own 25.39% of CRBP’s stock.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.corbuspharma.com
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