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): November 2, 2017  


CORVUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware 001-37719 46-4670809
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification Number)

 

863 Mitten Road, Suite 102
Burlingame, CA 94010
(Address of principal executive offices, including Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 900-4520


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:

  [   ]   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 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2). Emerging growth company [ X ]

 

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. [ X ]


Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

                On November 2, 2017, Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. issued a press release regarding, among other matters, its unaudited financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and its unaudited financial position as of September 30, 2017, and provided a clinical program update.  A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K.

                The information in this Item 2.02 of this Form 8-K and the Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto 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, or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

                Reference is made to the Exhibit Index attached hereto.



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

  CORVUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
     
   
Date: November 2, 2017 By:  /s/ Leiv Lea        
    Leiv Lea
    Chief Financial Officer
   


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Description
     
99.1   Press release titled, “Corvus Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results and Clinical Program Update” dated November 2, 2017.

EdgarFiling

EXHIBIT 99.1

Corvus Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results and Clinical Program Update

BURLINGAME, Calif., Nov. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRVS), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel immuno-oncology therapies, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017, and provided a business update.

“We continue to advance the clinical development of our lead product candidate, CPI-444, and other product candidates in our pipeline,” said Richard A. Miller, M.D., co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Corvus. “We continue to enroll patients with renal cell cancer (RCC) and non-small cell lung cancer in expansion cohorts of our Phase 1/1b trial for both single agent and combination therapy with atezolizumab.  For RCC, protocol-defined criteria for a second expansion to 48 patients from 26 has been achieved.  Updated clinical and biomarker data has been accepted for oral presentation at the upcoming Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) meeting in National Harbor, MD. in November.”

Recent Achievements and Upcoming Milestones
Clinical and Preclinical

Financial Results
At September 30, 2017, Corvus had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $99.7 million compared to cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $134.9 million at December 31, 2016.  

Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017, totaled $10.7 million compared to $7.7 million for the same period in 2016. The increase of $3.0 million was primarily due to an increase of $2.8 million in outside clinical trial costs associated with the Phase 1/1b clinical trial for CPI-444.  

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017, totaled $2.2 million compared to $2.8 million for the same period in 2016. The decrease of $0.6 million was primarily due to a decrease of $0.6 million in patent and related costs.  

The net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2017, was $12.7 million compared to $10.3 million for the same period in 2016. Total stock compensation expense for the three months ended September 30, 2017, was $1.5 million compared to $1.3 million for the same period in 2016.

About Corvus Pharmaceuticals
Corvus Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of small molecule and antibody agents that target the immune system to treat patients with cancer. These agents block or modify crucial immune checkpoints and reprogram immune T-cells. Corvus’ lead product, CPI-444, is a checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to disable a tumor’s ability to subvert attack by the immune system by inhibiting adenosine in the tumor microenvironment. CPI-444 is a small molecule that is taken orally. CPI-444 is currently being evaluated in a multicenter Phase 1/1b clinical trial in patients with various solid tumors. This successive expansion cohort trial is examining the activity of CPI-444 both as a single agent and in combination with Genentech’s atezolizumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody. Corvus is conducting the trial with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, under a clinical trial collaboration the two companies entered into in October 2015. In May 2015, Corvus and Genentech entered into a second clinical trial collaboration under which Genentech is conducting a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial with CPI-444 and atezolizumab as 2nd or 3rd line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer.  For more information, visit: www.corvuspharma.com.

Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) is a registered trademark of Genentech.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to the Company’s or Genentech’s ability to develop and advance product candidates into and successfully complete clinical trials, including the Company’s Phase 1/1b clinical trial of CPI-444, and Genentech’s expected Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of CPI-444 in combination with atezolizumab, and the timing of any future clinical trials.  All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These statements often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “seek,” “will,” “may” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2017, as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the accuracy of the Company’s estimates relating to its or Genentech’s ability to initiate and/or complete clinical trials ; the results of preclinical findings and early clinical trials may not be predictive of future results; the unpredictability of the regulatory process; and regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and the timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contact:
Leiv Lea
Chief Financial Officer
650-900-4522
LLea@corvuspharma.com

Media Contact:
Julie Normart, W2O Group
415-946-1087
jnormart@w2ogroup.com

CORVUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
(unaudited)
 
         
 Three Months EndedNine Months Ended  
 September 30, September 30,  
  2017   2016   2017  2016   
          
Operating expenses:         
Research and development$10,733  $7,707  $36,617  $20,224   
General and administrative 2,211   2,769   7,718   5,502   
Total operating expenses 12,944   10,476   44,335   25,726   
Loss from operations (12,944)  (10,476)  (44,335)  (25,726)  
Interest income 227   179   601   437   
Net loss$(12,717) $(10,297) $(43,734) $(25,289)  
          
Net loss per share, basic and diluted$(0.62) $(0.51) $(2.14) $(1.83)  
          
Shares used to compute net loss per share, basic and diluted 20,501,382   20,183,497   20,426,263   13,797,927   
          



CORVUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
 
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 
(in thousands) 
(unaudited) 
  September 30,   December 31, 
  2017   2016 
Assets     
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities $   99,700 $        134,896 
Other assets  5,088  5,254 
Total assets$     104,788 $140,150 
          
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity   
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities and other liabilities $11,051 $7,349 
Stockholders' equity  93,737  132,801 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity$104,788 $140,150