AbbVie Reports Full-Year and Fourth-Quarter 2022 Financial Results

On February 9, 2023 AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022 (Press release, AbbVie, FEB 9, 2023, View Source [SID1234626987]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"2022 was another highly productive year capping a decade of outstanding performance. Since our inception, we have built a diverse portfolio of growth products with significant leadership positions, developed a robust pipeline of innovative assets and created a culture of strong execution," said Richard A. Gonzalez, chairman and chief executive officer, AbbVie. "Looking forward, we have a solid foundation which will allow us to absorb the U.S. Humira loss of exclusivity, return to strong top-line growth in 2025 and drive top-tier financial performance over the long term."

Note: "Operational" comparisons are presented at constant currency rates that reflect comparative local currency net revenues at the prior year’s foreign exchange rates.

1Beginning in the first quarter 2022, AbbVie includes the impact of upfront and milestone payments related to collaborations, licensing agreements and other asset acquisitions in its reported non-GAAP financial measures.

Fourth-Quarter Results

Worldwide net revenues were $15.121 billion, an increase of 1.6 percent on a reported basis, or 3.8 percent on an operational basis.
Global net revenues from the immunology portfolio were $7.925 billion, an increase of 17.5 percent on a reported basis, or 19.5 percent on an operational basis.
Global Humira net revenues of $5.579 billion increased 4.6 percent on a reported, or 6.0 percent on an operational basis. U.S. Humira net revenues were $5.006 billion, an increase of 9.9 percent. Internationally, Humira net revenues were $573 million, a decrease of 26.5 percent on a reported basis, or 16.9 percent on an operational basis.
Global Skyrizi net revenues were $1.576 billion, an increase of 76.1 percent on a reported basis, or 78.9 percent on an operational basis.
Global Rinvoq net revenues were $770 million, an increase of 49.0 percent on a reported basis, or 55.4 percent on an operational basis.
Global net revenues from the hematologic oncology portfolio were $1.631 billion, a decrease of 12.9 percent on a reported basis, or 11.2 percent on an operational basis.
Global Imbruvica net revenues were $1.115 billion, a decrease of 19.5 percent, with U.S. net revenues of $841 million and international profit sharing of $274 million.
Global Venclexta net revenues were $516 million, an increase of 5.7 percent on a reported basis, or 12.2 percent on an operational basis.
Global net revenues from the neuroscience portfolio were $1.710 billion, an increase of 3.4 percent on a reported basis, or 5.1 percent on an operational basis.
Global Botox Therapeutic net revenues were $728 million, an increase of 8.5 percent on a reported basis, or 10.7 percent on an operational basis.
Global Vraylar net revenues were $565 million, an increase of 15.5 percent.
Global Ubrelvy net revenues were $197 million, an increase of 7.7 percent.
Global net revenues from the aesthetics portfolio were $1.287 billion, a decrease of 8.5 percent on a reported basis, or 4.2 percent on an operational basis.
Global Botox Cosmetic net revenues were $642 million, an increase of 2.6 percent on a reported basis, or 7.1 percent on an operational basis.
Global Juvederm net revenues were $322 million, a decrease of 25.4 percent on a reported basis, or 19.0 percent on an operational basis.
On a GAAP basis, the gross margin ratio in the fourth quarter was 72.4 percent. The adjusted gross margin ratio was 86.0 percent.
On a GAAP basis, selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense was 22.6 percent of net revenues. The adjusted SG&A expense was 20.8 percent of net revenues.
On a GAAP basis, research and development (R&D) expense was 11.8 percent of net revenues. The adjusted R&D expense was 11.5 percent of net revenues, reflecting funding actions supporting all stages of our pipeline.
Acquired IPR&D and milestones expense was 1.6 percent of net revenues.
On a GAAP basis, the operating margin in the fourth quarter was 36.4 percent. The adjusted operating margin was 52.1 percent.
Net interest expense was $476 million.
On a GAAP basis, the tax rate in the quarter was 16.6 percent. The adjusted tax rate was 13.4 percent.
Diluted EPS in the fourth quarter was $1.38 on a GAAP basis. Adjusted diluted EPS, excluding specified items, was $3.60. These results include an unfavorable impact of $0.13 per share related to acquired IPR&D and milestones expense.

Note: "Operational" comparisons are presented at constant currency rates that reflect comparative local currency net revenues at the prior year’s foreign exchange rates.

Recent Events

AbbVie announced the European Commission (EC) approved Skyrizi (risankizumab, 600 mg intravenous induction and 360 mg subcutaneous maintenance therapy) as the first specific interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease (CD) who have had inadequate response, lost response or were intolerant to conventional or biologic therapy. The approval is supported by results from three Phase 3 studies in which Skyrizi demonstrated significant improvement in clinical remission and endoscopic response, compared to placebo, as both induction and maintenance therapy. This approval marks the third indication for Skyrizi in the European Union (EU). Skyrizi is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization globally.

At the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) annual meeting, AbbVie shared 36 abstracts that underscore AbbVie’s commitment to advancing research to help more people living with rheumatic diseases. Analyses presented showcased data from the clinical trial programs evaluating Rinvoq (upadacitinib) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (AS) as well as data evaluating Skyrizi for the treatment of psoriasis (PsO) and PsA.

AbbVie announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted, for priority review, the Biologics License Application (BLA) for epcoritamab, an investigational subcutaneous bispecific antibody for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory (r/r) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). Additionally, AbbVie announced the European Medicines Agency (EMA) validated AbbVie’s Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for epcoritamab for the treatment of adult patients with r/r diffuse LBCL. Both applications are supported by data from the EPCORE NHL-1 Phase 2 trial evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of subcutaneous epcoritamab in adult patients with relapsed, progressive or refractory CD20+ mature B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Epcoritamab is being co-developed by Genmab and AbbVie.

At the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, AbbVie presented results from nearly 65 abstracts, including 15 oral presentations, across eight types of cancer. Highlights included four oral presentations evaluating investigational epcoritamab for the treatment of r/r follicular lymphoma (FL), previously untreated FL, r/r diffuse LBCL as well as Richter’s syndrome; data from cohort three of the Phase 2 REFINE study evaluating navitoclax in combination with ruxolitinib in JAK inhibitor-naïve patients with myelofibrosis (MF); data from the Phase 2 CAPTIVATE and Phase 3 GLOW studies evaluating fixed-duration treatment in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) who received the Imbruvica (ibrutinib) + Venclexta (venetoclax) combination regimen. AbbVie also presented multiple abstracts evaluating Venclexta in approved CLL and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) indications and the investigational multiple myeloma (MM) indication. Imbruvica is jointly developed and commercialized with Janssen Biotech, Inc. Venetoclax is being developed by AbbVie and Roche and is jointly commercialized by AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in the U.S. and by AbbVie outside of the U.S.

AbbVie announced that the FDA approved Vraylar (cariprazine) as an adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. The approval marks the fourth indication for Vraylar, which is now the first and only dopamine and serotonin partial agonist FDA-approved for the most common forms of depression – as an adjunctive treatment for MDD and the treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. The approval is supported by clinical data demonstrating the efficacy and well-established tolerability of Vraylar as an adjunctive treatment for MDD with an antidepressant therapy. Vraylar is being co-developed by AbbVie and Gedeon Richter Plc.

At the European Headache Federation Congress (EHC) 2022, AbbVie shared 15 abstracts which underscore its commitment to people living with migraine. Presentations highlighted late-breaking data from the Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes – International (CaMEO-I) study, evaluating the frequency and burden of neck pain with headache among people with and without migraine, as well as results from the Phase 3 PROGRESS trial evaluating Qulipta (atogepant) for the preventive treatment of chronic migraine (CM) in patients living in Europe.
AbbVie announced new results from its exploratory NOVA phase 2 dose-ranging study evaluating the efficacy and safety of AGN-151607, a novel investigational neurotoxin for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in cardiac surgery patients, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions meeting. The study’s primary endpoint was not met for the modified intent-to-treat (mITT) population; however, the data showed relative risk reduction in specific study populations such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients and patients aged 65 years and older, as well as overall lower rates of rehospitalization within 30 days compared to placebo. Adverse Events (AEs) were numerically similar across all treatment groups.

AbbVie and HotSpot Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of small molecule allosteric therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced an exclusive worldwide collaboration and option to license agreement for HotSpot’s discovery-stage interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) inhibitor program for the potential treatment of autoimmune diseases.

AbbVie and Immunome, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its human memory B cell platform to discover and develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics, announced a worldwide collaboration and option agreement directed to the discovery of up to 10 novel antibody-target pairs arising from three specified tumor types using Immunome’s Discovery Engine.

AbbVie and Anima Biotech, announced a collaboration to discover and develop mRNA biology modulators for three targets across Immunology and Oncology. Anima will use its mRNA Lightning platform to discover novel mRNA biology modulators against the collaboration targets providing AbbVie exclusive rights to license and further develop and commercialize the programs.
Full-Year 2023 Outlook

AbbVie is issuing its adjusted diluted EPS guidance for the full-year 2023 of $10.70 to $11.10. The company’s 2023 adjusted diluted EPS guidance excludes any impact from acquired IPR&D and milestones that may be incurred during 2023, as both cannot be reliably forecasted.