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Belite Bio Reports Third Quarter 2023 Operational Highlights and Financial Results Completed enrollment in pivotal Phase 3 "DRAGON" trial for Tinlarebant in adolescent Stargardt disease ("STGD1") with 104 subjects enroll

Key Takeaway: Belite Bio reported significant advancements in its clinical trials during the third quarter of 2023, notably completing enrollment for the pivotal Phase 3 "DRAGON" trial for Tinlarebant targeting adolescent Stargardt disease, with 104 subjects enrolled. The company also commenced dosing in the Phase 3 "PHOENIX" trial for Geographic Atrophy. Phase 2 results indicate that Tinlarebant is well tolerated and effective in slowing the progression of the disease, maintaining visual acuity in patients. However, the company warned about potential adverse tax implications for U.S. shareholders if designated as a passive foreign investment company.

Market Sentiment Analysis

POSITIVE FACTORS

  • Completion of enrollment in the pivotal Phase 3 'DRAGON' trial for Tinlarebant.
  • Initial dosing of the first subject in the global Phase 3 'PHOENIX' trial.
  • Tinlarebant demonstrates safety and effectiveness in slowing disease progression in the Phase 2 trial.

CONCERNS & RISKS

  • The possibility of becoming a 'passive foreign investment company' (PFIC) which may have adverse tax consequences for U.S. investors.

Full Press Release Details

Belite Bio Reports Third Quarter 2023 Operational
Highlights and Financial Results
Completed enrollment in pivotal Phase 3 "DRAGON" trial for Tinlarebant in adolescent Stargardt disease ("STGD1") with 104 subjects enrolled across 11 countries worldwide
First subject dosed with Tinlarebant in pivotal global Phase 3 "PHOENIX" trial in Geographic Atrophy ("GA")
Oral, once-daily Tinlarebant continues to be safe and well tolerated, slowing expansion of autofluorescence, reducing incident atrophic retinal lesion growth rate, and stabilizing visual acuity up to 24-months in Phase 2 STGD1 trial ("LBS-008-CT02")
Interim Phase 3 safety and efficacy data from pivotal "DRAGON" trial expected in 2H 2024
Conference Call and Webcast Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. ET
SAN DIEGO, November 13, 2023- Belite Bio, Inc (NASDAQ:
BLTE) ("Belite" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical drug development company focused on advancing
novel therapeutics targeting degenerative retinal diseases that have significant unmet medical needs, today announced its financial results
for the three-months ended September 30, 2023, and provided a general business update.
"We made meaningful progress in the quarter advancing
our clinical trials for Tinlarebant and are excited by our results," said Dr. Tom Lin, Chairman and CEO of Belite Bio. "Results
from our Phase 2 trial of Tinlarebant in childhood-onset Stargardt Disease showed Tinlarebant lowered retinal lesion growth versus patients
in a 24-month natural history study and visual acuity was stabilized, all while remaining safe and well-tolerated. Additionally, in the
quarter, we completed enrollment for the DRAGON trial, dosed our first subject and made substantial progress in the PHOENIX trial. We
remain focused on our vision to bring novel therapies to patients suffering from degenerative retinal diseases."
Professor John Grigg, Head Specialty of Ophthalmology at the
University of Sydney and Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network at Westmead and Sydney Eye Hospital,
presented the results of the Phase 2 trial of Tinlarebant in adolescent Stargardt disease patients at the American Association of Ophthalmology
annual meeting early this month and commented, "The results of the Phase 2 study with 24-month treatment of Tinlarebant in adolescents
were promising. Stargardt is a debilitating disease that may have a life-changing impact on those diagnosed with the disease. The disease
most often progresses quickly, and vision deteriorates rapidly at a very young age. The Phase 2 data continued to demonstrate slowing
of the disease progression in the study cohort and the stabilization in several structural and functional parameters including stabilization
of visual acuity. We are highly encouraged by these results and the potential to impact the lives of patients suffering from a disease
for which there currently is no FDA-approved treatment."
Third Quarter 2023 Business Highlights and Upcoming Milestones:
Tinlarebant (LBS-008) is designed to be an oral, potent,
once-daily retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) antagonist that decreases RBP4 levels in the blood and reduces vitamin A (retinol) delivery
to the eye without disrupting systemic retinol delivery to other tissues. Vitamin A is critical to normal vision but can accumulate as
toxic byproducts leading to retinal cell death and vision loss diseases such as STGD1 and GA, the advanced form of dry Age-Related Macular
Degeneration (dry AMD).
Retinal imaging showed that 5 of 12 subjects remained free of atrophic retinal lesions (referred to as definitely decreased autofluorescence or DDAF) after 24 months of Tinlarebant treatment.
A comparison of the 24-month DDAF lesion growth between Tinlarebant-treated subjects and ProgStar participants possessing similar baseline characteristics (aged 18 years) showed a sustained lower DDAF lesion growth in Tinlarebant-treated subjects over the 24-month treatment period (p<0.001).
Visual acuity was stabilized in the majority of subjects during the study with a mean loss of five letters following 24 months of treatment (a loss of <10 letters is not considered clinically significant).
*Only 50 patients from ProgStar
Cohort (aged 18 ) were included in the analysis due to one subject having ungradable screening FAF data.
Corporate Highlights
For the three months ended September 30, 2023 , the Company strengthened its balance sheet with $5.0 million of gross proceeds from the exercise of warrants granted in the underwritten follow-on offering in May 2023.
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company raised $0.64 million of net proceeds from its at-the-market offering program established in June 2023.
Risks and Uncertainties
Based on current business plans and financial expectations,
the Company expects that it will be a "passive foreign investment company" within the meaning of Section 1297 of the U.S.
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("PFIC") for its current tax year 2023, and may be a PFIC in one or more future
tax years, which may have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences for U.S. securityholders.
If the Company is a PFIC for any year during a U.S. taxpayer's
holding period of the Company's ADSs or ordinary shares, then such U.S. taxpayer generally will be required to treat any gain realized
upon a disposition of the Company's ADSs, ordinary shares or warrants or any so-called "excess distribution" received
on such ADSs, ordinary shares or warrants as ordinary income, and to pay an interest charge on a portion of such gain or distribution.
In certain circumstances, the sum of the tax and the interest charge may exceed the total amount of proceeds realized on the disposition,
or the amount of excess distribution received, by the U.S. taxpayer. Subject to certain limitations, these tax consequences may be mitigated
if a U.S. taxpayer makes a timely and effective "qualified electing fund" ("QEF") election within the meaning
of Section 1295 of the Code (a "QEF Election") or a "mark-to-market election" within the meaning of Section 1296
of the Code (a "Mark-to-Market Election"). The QEF Election is not available with respect to warrants until those warrants
are exercised. Each investor in a warrant (and, in particular, any such investor that holds warrants but not ADSs or ordinary shares)
who is a U.S. taxpayer should consult its own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the PFIC rules and the ownership and disposition
of the warrants. The Mark-to-Market Election is only available with respect to ADSs, ordinary shares or warrants regularly traded on
a qualified exchange or market. Subject to certain additional limitations, such elections may be made with respect to the Company's
ADSs or ordinary shares (and with respect to the Mark-to-Market Election, the warrants). A U.S. taxpayer who makes a timely and effective
QEF Election generally must report on a current basis its share of the Company's net capital gain and ordinary earnings for any
year in which the Company is a PFIC, whether or not the Company distributes any amounts with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares.
However, U.S. taxpayers should be aware that there can be no assurance that the Company will satisfy the record keeping requirements
that apply to a QEF, or that the Company will supply U.S. taxpayers with information that such U.S. taxpayers require to report under
the QEF Election rules, in the event that the Company is a PFIC and a U.S. taxpayer wishes to make a QEF Election. Thus, U.S. taxpayers
may not be able to make a QEF Election with respect to their ADSs or ordinary shares. A U.S. taxpayer who makes the Mark-to-Market Election
generally must include as ordinary income each year the excess of the fair market value of the ADSs or ordinary shares over the taxpayer's
basis therein. Each potential investor who is a U.S. taxpayer should consult its own tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the
PFIC rules and the ownership and disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares, including the availability of and procedure for making a QEF
Election or a Mark-to-Market Election.
Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results:
Cash: As of September 30, 2023, the Company had $54.5 million
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, research and
development expenses were $8.7 million compared to $1.2 million for the same period in 2022. The increase resulted primarily from increases
in (x) expenses for conducting the DRAGON and PHOENIX trials and (y) wages and salaries due to share-based compensation granted to our
R&D team in the third quarter of 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, research and development expenses were $20.0
million compared to $3.6 million for the same period in 2022. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable
to increases in (i) expenses related to conducting the DRAGON and PHOENIX trials, and (ii) wages and salaries due to our R&D team
expansion and share-based compensation granted in the third quarter of 2023.
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, general and
administration expenses were $2.2 million compared to $1.4 million for the same period in 2022. The increase resulted primarily from an
increase in share-based compensation granted in the third quarter of 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, general and administration
expenses were $4.7 million compared to $2.5 million for the same period in 2022. The increase resulted also primarily from an increase
in share-based compensation granted in the third quarter of 2023 and an increase in professional service fees.
For the three months ended September 30, 2023, the Company
reported a net loss of $10.9 million or ($0.40) per share compared to $2.4 million or ($0.10) per share for the same period in 2022. For
the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company reported a net loss of $24.6 million or ($0.95) per share, compared to a net loss
of $5.9 million or ($0.32) per share for the same period in 2022.
Belite Bio will host a webcast on Tuesday,
November 14, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's financial results and provide a business update. To join the
webcast, please visit https://wsw.com/webcast/cc/blte/1366794. A replay will be available for approximately 90 days following the event.
Belite Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical drug development
company focused on advancing novel therapeutics targeting degenerative retinal diseases with significant unmet medical needs, such as
LinkedIn, Facebook or visit us at www.belitebio.com.
Important Cautions Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about future
expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. These statements
include but are not limited to statements regarding the potential implications of clinical data for patients, clinical development, regulatory
milestones of its product candidates, and any other statements containing the words "expect", "will", "believe",
and other similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result
of various important factors, including but not limited to Belite Bio's ability to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its drug
candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or regulatory approval; expectations
for the timing of initiation, enrollment and completion of, and data relating to, its clinical trials; the content and timing of decisions
made by the relevant regulatory authorities regarding regulatory approval of Belite Bio's drug candidates; whether additional clinical
trials may be required for DRAGON or PHOENIX studies based on their respective data; the potential efficacy of Tinlarebant, as well as
those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in Belite Bio's filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Belite Bio, and Belite Bio undertakes
no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise,

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DRAGON trial about?

The DRAGON trial is a pivotal Phase 3 study for Tinlarebant in adolescent Stargardt disease.

When was the first patient dosed in the PHOENIX trial?

The first patient was dosed in the global Phase 3 PHOENIX trial recently.

What makes Tinlarebant unique?

Tinlarebant is an oral RBP4 antagonist that lowers vitamin A delivery to the eye.

When are interim results from the DRAGON trial expected?

Interim results from the DRAGON trial are expected in the second half of 2024.

What were the cash reserves as of September 30, 2023?

As of September 30, 2023, the company had cash reserves of $54.5 million.

Last updated: Nov 14, 2023