Full Press Release Details
Ensysce Biosciences Reports Second Quarter 2024
PF614-MPAR Progressing to Phase 1b Study to Verify
Both Overdose Protection and Effective Delivery of Oxycodone
Opioid Use Disorder Program Advances with Selection
of PF9001 as Lead Drug Candidate
PF614 Phase 3 Protocol Being Finalized for Submission
SAN DIEGO, CA / August 14, 2024 / Ensysce Biosciences,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ENSC) ("Ensysce" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing innovative
solutions for severe pain relief while reducing the potential for opioid abuse and overdose, today reported financial and operational
results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.
Dr. Lynn Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Ensysce,
commented, "Our FDA-designated Breakthrough Therapy product candidate, PF614-MPAR, is a game-changer for Ensysce as we progress
to a second clinical trial, PF614-MPAR-102. We have re-engaged Quotient Sciences to prepare our Phase 1b protocol which will utilize their
Translational Pharmaceutics platform to manufacture and test the PF614-MPAR drug product to expedite the completion of this clinical
Additionally, an important breakthrough emerged in
our opioid use disorder (OUD) program with the identification of our lead candidate, PF9001. Our OUD program is designed to provide a
safer product for those suffering from OUD and is supported by an ongoing multi-year National Institutes of Health (NIH) award."
Dr. Kirkpatrick concluded, "Looking ahead,
with our PF614 Phase 3 clinical trial on track to initiate in the second half of this year, we are finalizing the Phase 3 protocol design
and preparing for site selection in the coming months. The favorable data generated from our prior PF614 clinical studies verified that
PF614 delivers oxycodone in a manner equivalent to a commercially available opioid and provides pain relief with reduced abuse potential.
Our goal is to provide safe and effective TAAPTM and MPAR products and differentiate PF614 and PF614-MPAR
from the current slate of extended-release opioid analgesics, as evidenced from the data we have generated over the last year."
(Opioid Abuse Deterrent Program) Update
Our lead product, PF614, is a Trypsin-Activated Abuse
Protection (TAAPTM) extended-release oxycodone and a potential "next generation" analgesic for severe pain. The
Company's TAAPTM technology is designed to control release, be highly resistant to tampering, and reduce abuse through
a unique chemical modification. PF614's TAAPTM modification makes it inactive until it is swallowed, following which
it is activated or "turned on" to release oxycodone by the body's own trypsin, an enzyme in the small intestine. Regulatory
submissions and meetings were held in early 2024 and a Phase 3 trial is planned to initiate in the second half of 2024.
MPAR (Opioid Abuse Deterrent and
Overdose Protection Program) Update
PF614-MPAR is a combination product of the TAAPTM
prodrug PF614 with a trypsin inhibitor, designed to treat severe pain while providing overdose protection. MPAR
(Multi-Pill Abuse Resistance) reduces or "turns off" the release of the opioid to prevent an overdose, providing an additional
layer of protection to Ensysce's TAAP medications. Over the past year, clinical data demonstrated that the MPAR
technology reduces release and absorption of oxycodone from PF614 when consumed in more than a prescribed dose, leading to the
FDA's recognition and Breakthrough Therapy designation. The Company's upcoming Phase 1b study, PF614-MPAR-102, will test
multiple PF614-MPAR drug products to verify both overdose protection and effective delivery of oxycodone across a dosage range.
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Program Update
In June, the Company achieved a critical milestone
in the OUD program with the selection of lead drug candidate PF9001, designed to provide a safer and more effective way to help those
suffering from the effects of opioid use. PF9001, designed with the application of Ensysce's TAAPTM platform to reduce
the abuse profile, has demonstrated a lower potential for cardiovascular side effects associated with traditional methadone OUD treatments.
The program is continuing to advance to Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies. In coordination with advancement of the OUD program,
the Company announced an agreement with Purisys LLC to scale the manufacture of PF9001. This OUD work has been supported by a multi-year
Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) award of up to $15 million granted by the NIH and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Q2 2024 Financial Results
Cash - Cash and cash equivalents were
$1.0 million as of June 30, 2024, compared to $1.1 million as of December 31, 2023.
Federal Grants - Funding under federal
grants totaled to $0.2 million for the second quarter of 2024 compared to $0.5 million in the comparable year ago quarter. The difference
is due to the completion of funding under the MPAR grant in December 2023.
Research & Development Expenses -
R&D expenses were $0.9 million for the second quarter of 2024 compared to $1.6 million for the same period in 2023. The decrease of
$0.7 million was primarily due to reduced external research and development costs related to clinical and pre-clinical programs for PF614
General & Administrative Expenses - G&A
expenses were $1.2 million in the second quarter of 2024, generally in line with $1.1 million for the second quarter of 2023.
Other Income (Expense) - Total other
income (expense), net, was an expense of approximately $12,000 for the second quarter of 2024 compared to income of approximately $55,000
for the same period of 2023. The changes in other expenses were primarily due to interest expense and non-cash fair value adjustments
Net Loss - Net loss attributable to common
stockholders for the second quarter of 2024 was $2.0 million compared to $2.2 million for the second quarter of 2023. As a clinical stage
biotech company, our continued research and development efforts toward regulatory approvals for our product candidates are expected to
result in losses for the foreseeable future.
About Ensysce Biosciences
Ensysce Biosciences is a clinical-stage company using
its proprietary technology platforms to develop safer prescription drugs. Leveraging its Trypsin-Activated Abuse Protection (TAAP )
and Multi-Pill Abuse Resistance (MPAR ) platforms, the Company is developing unique, tamper-proof treatment options for pain that
minimize the risk of both drug abuse and overdose. Ensysce's products are anticipated to provide safer options to treat patients
suffering from severe pain and assist in preventing deaths caused by medication abuse. The platforms are covered by an extensive worldwide
intellectual property portfolio for a wide array of prescription drug compositions. For more information, please visit www.ensysce.com.
TAAP: trypsin activated abuse protection - designed
to protect against prescription drug abuse.
MPAR: multi-pill abuse resistance - designed to protect
against abuse and accidental overdose.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release that are
not purely historical may be deemed to be forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Without limiting the foregoing, the use of words such as "may,"
"intends," "can," "might," "will," "expect," "plan," "possible,"
"believe" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The product candidates discussed
are in clinic and not approved and there can be no assurance that the clinical programs will be successful in demonstrating safety and/or
efficacy, that Ensysce will not encounter problems or delays in clinical development, or that any product candidate will ever receive
regulatory approval or be successfully commercialized. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by Ensysce's
management that, although Ensysce believes to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that Ensysce expected. In addition, Ensysce's business
is subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including among others, possible NASDAQ delisting, the initiation and conduct of preclinical
studies and clinical trials; the timing and availability of data from preclinical studies and clinical trials; expectations for regulatory
submissions and approvals; potential safety concerns related to, or efficacy of, Ensysce's product candidates; the availability
or commercial potential of product candidates; the ability of Ensysce to fund its continued operations, including its planned clinical
trials; the dilutive effect of stock issuances from our fundraising; and Ensysce's and its partners' ability to perform under
their license, collaboration and manufacturing arrangements. These statements are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties
that are described in Ensysce's most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, which are available,
free of charge, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made.
Ensysce undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.
Ensysce Biosciences Company Contact:
Lynn Kirkpatrick, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer