Atara Biotherapeutics Reports Widening Loss, Adds Board Member

T-cell immunology company Atara Biotherapeutics Inc. reported its second-quarter 2021 financial results and the appointment of a cell therapy and oncology commercialization veteran to its board.Atara, based in San Francisco but with its operations in Thousand Oaks, reported net losses of $83.8 million, or -91 cents per share during the quarter, compared to $77.5 million, or -$1.14 per share, for the same period in 2020. Revenue totaled $3.9 million, up from zero a year ago.The company reported cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $373 million as of June 30. In a statement, the company said it believes its current cash amount will sufficiently fund its planned operations into 2023.On the same day it reported financial results, Atara also announced the appointment of Ameet Mallik to its board. Mallik is chief executive of Rafael Holdings Inc., a late-stage cancer metabolism therapeutic company.“Ameet joins us at a critical time as we advance our first-in-kind off-the-shelf allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy and anticipate our first approvals in 2022,” Pascal Touchon, Atara’s chief executive, said in a statement.Shares of Atara (ATRA) closed Tuesday up 25 cents, or 2 percent, to $12.74 on the Nasdaq