Autolus Therapeutics Announces Updated Manufacturing Facility Strategy Leveraging its UK Operations

Rhea-AI Summary

Autolus Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: AUTL) has announced a strategic shift in its manufacturing operations for AUTO1, moving to a more cost-effective commercial supply strategy based in the UK. This change will utilize existing facilities and a new site to enhance its operational capacity. Additionally, the company has mutually terminated its lease in Rockville, MD, resulting in a cash payment and the cessation of lease obligations, which aims to further reduce costs.

Positive

• Establishment of a less capital-intensive commercial manufacturing strategy in the UK.
• Cash payment received from the termination of the Rockville, MD lease.

Negative

• None.

- Autolus to expand on existing operations in the UK for commercial supply of AUTO1 resulting in a less capital-intensive commercial infrastructure strategy
- Mutual agreement to terminate lease for the manufacturing and office facility at 9950 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, resulting in a cash payment to Autolus

LONDON, March 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Autolus Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: AUTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation programmed T cell therapies, today announced its updated manufacturing facilities strategy for commercial supply of AUTO1.

Autolus now plans to establish global commercial launch capacity in the UK, enabling the company to leverage the expertise and skill base of its U.K. employees. This will be provided by a combination of the existing clinical trial manufacturing facility at The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGTC) facility and a new Autolus facility. This revised strategy aims to deliver a less capital-intensive commercial manufacturing infrastructure at a lower cost base.

In conjunction with this new facilities strategy, Autolus’ lease for the manufacturing and office facility at 9950 Medical Center Drive in Rockville, MD, has been mutually terminated, triggering a cash payment to Autolus and ending all of the company’s payment obligations under the lease.

About Autolus Therapeutics plc
Autolus is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation, programmed T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer. Using a broad suite of proprietary and modular T cell programming technologies, the company is engineering precisely targeted, controlled and highly active T cell therapies that are designed to better recognize cancer cells, break down their defense mechanisms and eliminate these cells. Autolus has a pipeline of product candidates in development for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. For more information please visit www.autolus.com.

About AUTO1 
AUTO1 is a CD19 CAR T cell investigational therapy designed to overcome the limitations in clinical activity and safety compared to current CD19 CAR T cell therapies. Designed to have a fast target binding off-rate to minimize excessive activation of the programmed T cells, AUTO1 may reduce toxicity and be less prone to T cell exhaustion, which could enhance persistence and improve the ability of the programmed T cells to engage in serial killing of target cancer cells. In collaboration with our academic partner, UCL, AUTO1 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in adult ALL and B-NHL. The company has also progressed AUTO1 to the FELIX study, a potential pivotal study.

About AUTO1 FELIX study
The FELIX study is enrolling adult patients with relapsed / refractory ALL. The trial has a short Phase 1b component prior to proceeding to a single arm Phase 2 clinical trial. The primary endpoint is overall response rate, and the key secondary endpoints include duration of response, MRD negative CR rate and safety. The trial will enroll approximately 100 patients across 30 of the leading academic and non-academic centers in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, and in some cases can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "could," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," and "believes." These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Autolus’ refocused business strategy, including specifically on the development of the AUTO1 program; the future clinical development, efficacy, safety and therapeutic potential of its product candidates, including progress, expectations as to the reporting of data, conduct and timing and potential future clinical activity and milestones; expectations regarding the initiation, design and reporting of data from clinical trials; the development of Autolus’ pipeline of next generation programs, including for solid tumor indications, in collaboration with its academic partners, including expectations as to the reporting of data, conduct and timing; the efficacy, safety and therapeutic potential of AUTO3 and ability for Autolus to obtain a partner for next stages of clinical development; needs for additional funding and ability to raise additional capital; Autolus’ ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; the restructuring program and Autolus’ expected cash savings as a result of the restructuring program and operational changes; and Autolus’ expected cash runway. Any forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks that Autolus’ preclinical or clinical programs do not advance or result in approved products on a timely or cost effective basis or at all; the results of early clinical trials are not always being predictive of future results; the cost, timing and results of clinical trials; that many product candidates do not become approved drugs on a timely or cost effective basis or at all; the ability to enroll patients in clinical trials; possible safety and efficacy concerns; and the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Autolus’ business. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause Autolus’ actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section titled "Risk Factors" in Autolus' Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2020, as amended, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Autolus' subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Autolus undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact:

Lucinda Crabtree, PhD
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
+44 (0) 7587 372 619 
l.crabtree@autolus.com

Julia Wilson
+44 (0) 7818 430877
j.wilson@autolus.com

Susan A. Noonan
S.A. Noonan Communications
+1-212-966-3650
susan@sanoonan.com

FAQ

What is Autolus Therapeutics' new strategy for AUTO1?

Autolus is shifting its manufacturing operations for AUTO1 to a less capital-intensive strategy in the UK, leveraging existing facilities and a new site.

What financial benefit did Autolus receive from terminating its lease in Rockville, MD?

The mutual termination of the lease resulted in a cash payment to Autolus and the end of all payment obligations under the lease.

When was Autolus' new strategy for AUTO1 announced?

The new strategy was announced on March 29, 2021.

What is AUTO1 in the context of Autolus Therapeutics?

AUTO1 is an investigational therapy by Autolus, designed for treating cancer with a focus on minimizing toxicity and improving T cell persistence.