Lyra Therapeutics Announces Cost-Cutting Measures to Preserve Capital
May 21 2024 - 9:14AM
Lyra Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: LYRA) (“Lyra” or the “Company”),
today announced that it is advancing its goal to preserve capital
by implementing a layoff of approximately 75% of its workforce, in
addition to other cost-cutting measures.
In the near term, Lyra Therapeutics will focus
on the two ongoing ENLIGHTEN Phase 3 trials evaluating LYR-210, a
bioabsorbable sinonasal implant for the treatment of chronic
rhinosinusitis (CRS). Lyra continues to analyze the data from the
ENLIGHTEN 1 trial, which did not meet its 24-week primary endpoint.
The Company intends to use this analysis to inform its approach on
the completion of the 52-week extension phase of the ENLIGHTEN 1
trial with data expected in Q4 2024 and its approach to the ongoing
ENLIGHTEN 2 trial.
In connection with the reduction in force, which
impacts 87 employees, Lyra Therapeutics has stopped manufacturing
and commercialization efforts and seeks to sublease its facilities
to significantly reduce the Company’s operating costs. Furthermore,
Lyra has paused efforts for LYR-220. These measures are expected to
extend Lyra’s cash runway into 2026. As of March 31, 2024, prior to
the reduction in force, Lyra Therapeutics had approximately $87.1
million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, and
the Company will provide an update when it reports its second
quarter 2024 financial results.
“As we streamline our operations to focus on our
ongoing clinical trials, we are taking aggressive measures to
extend our cash runway,” said Maria Palasis, Ph.D., President and
Chief Executive Officer of Lyra Therapeutics. “Unfortunately, these
measures impact our employees, who helped to build Lyra. I would
like to convey my gratitude to our employees for their dedication
to helping patients and for their contributions to the
company.”
In parallel, the Company plans to evaluate
potential strategic options to maximize shareholder value. There
can be no assurance that the evaluation of strategic options will
result in any transaction, or that any transaction, if pursued,
will be completed on attractive terms, if at all. The Company has
not set a timetable for the completion of this strategic review and
does not intend, assume any obligation, or promise to publicly
update or revise any information regarding the status.
About the ENLIGHTEN Trials
The ENLIGHTEN program consists of two
randomized, blinded, sham-controlled Phase 3 clinical trials,
ENLIGHTEN 1 and ENLIGHTEN 2, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
LYR-210 for the treatment of CRS. The Company designed each trial
to evaluate 180 CRS patients who have failed medical management and
who have not had ethmoid sinus surgery, randomized 2:1 to either
LYR-210 (7500µg mometasone furoate (MF)) or control over 24 weeks.
The ENLIGHTEN 1 trial also includes an extension phase to further
assess the safety and repeat use of LYR-210 through 52 weeks.
ENLIGHTEN 1 enrolled a total of 190 patients,
approximately two-thirds from U.S. sites and one-third from sites
in Europe. The mean baseline 3CS scores were 6.9 points and 6.7
points for treatment and sham control arms, respectively, and the
mean SNOT-22 scores were 61 points in both the treatment and sham
control arms. The baseline CT opacification scores were 44.9% and
47.3% for the treatment and sham control arms, respectively.
About LYR-210
LYR-210 is an investigational product candidate
for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) for up to four
million CRS patients in the U.S. who fail current therapies
annually and require further intervention. LYR-210 is a
bioabsorbable sinonasal implant that is designed to deliver six
months of continuous anti-inflammatory medication (7500µg
mometasone furoate) to the sinonasal passages for the treatment of
CRS. CRS is a highly prevalent inflammatory disease of the
paranasal sinuses which leads to debilitating symptoms and
significant morbidities and is the fifth most common condition in
people under age 65.
About Lyra
TherapeuticsLyra Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage
biotechnology company developing long-acting, anti-inflammatory
sinonasal implants for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis
(CRS). Lyra Therapeutics has two product candidates, LYR-210 and
LYR-220, in late-stage development for CRS, a highly prevalent
inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses which leads to
debilitating symptoms and significant morbidities. LYR-210 and
LYR-220 are bioabsorbable nasal implants designed to be
administered in a simple, in-office procedure and are intended to
deliver six months of continuous anti-inflammatory drug therapy
(7500µg mometasone furoate) to the sinonasal passages for the
treatment of CRS with a single administration. LYR-210, being
evaluated in the ENLIGHTEN Phase 3 clinical program, has a smaller
dimension and is intended for patients with standard anatomy,
primarily patients who have not undergone ethmoid sinus surgery.
LYR-220 is a larger implant designed for CRS patients whose nasal
cavity is enlarged due to previous ethmoid sinus surgery. These two
product candidates are designed to treat the estimated four million
CRS patients in the United States who fail medical management each
year. For more information, please visit www.lyratx.com and follow
us on LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,”
“continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
All statements contained in this press release that do not relate
to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking
statements, including statements regarding our focus on the two
ongoing ENLIGHTEN Phase 3 trials evaluating LYR-210, our ongoing
ENLIGHTEN 1 trial and expectation for data in Q4 2024, our cash
runway into 2026 and plans to update investors regarding our cash
runway, and our plans to evaluate potential strategic options to
maximize shareholder value. These statements are neither promises
nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other important factors that may cause the Company's actual
results, performance or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not
limited to, the following: the fact that the Company has incurred
significant losses since inception and expects to incur additional
losses for the foreseeable future; the Company's need for
additional funding, which may not be available; the Company’s
ability to continue as a going concern; the Company’s limited
operating history; the fact that the Company has no approved
products; the fact that the Company’s product candidates are in
various stages of development; the fact that clinical trial data is
subject to change until the completion of the applicable clinical
study report, or the fact that the Company may not be successful in
its efforts to identify and successfully commercialize its product
candidates; the fact that clinical trials required for the
Company’s product candidates are expensive and time-consuming, and
their outcome is uncertain; the fact that the FDA may not conclude
that the Company’s product candidates satisfy the requirements for
the Section 505(b)(2) regulatory approval pathway; the Company’s
potential inability to obtain required regulatory approvals;
effects of recently enacted and future legislation; the possibility
of system failures or security breaches; effects of significant
competition; the fact that the successful commercialization of the
Company’s product candidates will depend in part on the extent to
which governmental authorities and health insurers establish
coverage, adequate reimbursement levels and pricing policies;
failure to achieve market acceptance; product liability lawsuits;
the fact that the Company must scale its in-house manufacturing
capabilities or rely on third parties for the manufacture of
materials for its research programs, pre-clinical studies and
clinical trials and commercial supply; the Company's reliance on
third parties to conduct its preclinical studies and clinical
trials; the Company's inability to succeed in establishing and
maintaining collaborative relationships; the Company's reliance on
certain suppliers critical to its production; failure to obtain and
maintain or adequately protect the Company's intellectual property
rights; failure to retain key personnel or to recruit qualified
personnel; difficulties in managing the Company's growth; effects
of natural disasters, terrorism and wars; the fact that the global
pandemic caused by COVID-19 could adversely impact the Company's
business and operations, including the Company's clinical trials;
the fact that the price of the Company's common stock may be
volatile and fluctuate substantially; significant costs and
required management time as a result of operating as a public
company and any securities class action litigation. These and other
important factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the
Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on April
30, 2024 and its other filings with the SEC could cause actual
results to differ materially from those indicated by the
forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such
forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of
the date of this press release. While the Company may elect to
update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future,
it disclaims any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events
cause its views to change.
Ellen Cavaleri, Investor Relations 615.618.6228
ecavaleri@lyratx.com
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