Exhibit 99.1
Kala Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results and Provides Corporate Update
-- Planning to Initiate Phase 2/3 Trial of KPI-012 for Persistent Corneal Epithelial Defect (PCED) in 4Q 2022; Topline Data Expected in 1Q 2024 --
-- Ended Quarter with $52.4 million in Cash; Sufficient for Funding Operations into 2Q 2024 --
ARLINGTON, Mass, November 8, 2022 — Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KALA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for rare diseases of the eye, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022 and provided a corporate update.
“We continue to advance our proprietary mesenchymal stem cell secretome (MSC-S) platform and expect to submit an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the fourth quarter of 2022 for KPI-012 for the treatment of PCED,” said Mark Iwicki, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Kala. “Pending IND clearance, we plan to initiate our Phase 2/3 clinical trial in the fourth quarter of 2022, marking a significant step toward our goal of delivering the promise of MSC-S-based therapies to people living with rare and severe ocular diseases.”
PCED is a clinically burdensome condition with high unmet needs. It affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States each year and, if left untreated, can lead to infection, corneal ulceration or perforation, scarring, opacification and significant vision loss. Based on its multifactorial mechanism of action and preclinical and clinical data generated to-date, Kala believes KPI-012 may represent a significant advancement in the treatment of PCED and could become the first approved treatment for PCED across all its various etiologies. Kala also plans to explore the potential of its MSC-S platform for other rare corneal disease indications where it believes its secretome-based approach could deliver benefit.
Third Quarter and Recent Business Highlights:
Development-Stage Pipeline:
KPI-012 is a human mesenchymal stem cell secretome, which contains numerous human-derived biofacters, such as growth factors, protease inhibitors, matrix proteins and neurotrophic factors that can potentially correct the impaired corneal healing that is an underlying etiology of multiple severe ocular diseases. Subject to submission and clearance of an IND, Kala plans to initiate a Phase 2/3 clinical trial of KPI-012 in PCED patients during the fourth quarter of 2022 with topline results expected in the first quarter 2024. The Phase 2/3 trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two doses of KPI-012 in PCED patients with a broad range of underlying etiologies.
Kala has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for KPI-012 for the treatment of PCED.
In addition, Kala is evaluating the potential of KPI-012 to treat other rare anterior segment diseases as follow-on indications, such as Partial Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency and ocular manifestations of moderate-to-severe Sjögren’s. Kala also plans to initiate preclinical studies for KPI-014, the Company’s program evaluating the utility of its MSC-S platform for retinal degenerative diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Stargardt Disease, with the goal of selecting a retinal indication for development in the second half of 2023.
Corporate Updates:
In November 2022, Kala announced the appointment of Marjan Farid, M.D., to its Board of Directors. Dr. Farid, who is currently Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Director of Cornea, Refractive & Cataract Surgery, and Vice Chair of Ophthalmic Faculty at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California Irvine (UCI), founded the Severe Ocular Surface Disease Center at UCI and is an industry leader in the care and treatment of corneal diseases.