On October 29, 2020 Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) reported financial results for the third quarter of 2020 and provided updated financial expectations for full-year 2020 (Press release, Alkermes, OCT 29, 2020, View Source [SID1234569453]).
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"Over the past several months, we achieved a number of important milestones in our development programs against the backdrop of strong commercial execution and disciplined management of our expenses. The positive outcome of the ALKS 3831 FDA Advisory Committee meeting and the presentation of accumulating data for ALKS 4230, including monotherapy responses observed in melanoma, were significant achievements that underscore the potential value of these investigational medicines," said Richard Pops, Chief Executive Officer of Alkermes. "As we look ahead, we will continue to focus on our strategic imperatives: commercial execution, including preparations for the potential launch of ALKS 3831, aggressive development of our pipeline candidates, and efficient management of our operating cost structure, as we position the company for long-term value creation."
Quarter Ended Sept. 30, 2020 Financial Highlights
Total revenues for the quarter were $265.0 million, compared to $255.2 million for the same period in the prior year.
Net loss according to generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (GAAP) was $0.1 million for the quarter, or a GAAP net loss per share of $0.00. This compared to GAAP net loss of $52.9 million, or a GAAP net loss per share of $0.34, for the same period in the prior year.
Non-GAAP net income was $41.5 million for the quarter, or a non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.26. This compared to non-GAAP net loss of $7.0 million, or a non-GAAP basic and diluted loss per share of $0.04, for the same period in the prior year.
Quarter Ended Sept. 30, 2020 Financial Results
Revenues
Net sales of proprietary products were $142.7 million, compared to $138.8 million for the same period in the prior year.
Net sales of VIVITROL were $80.3 million, compared to $85.2 million for the same period in the prior year, representing a decrease of 6%, due primarily to COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions. Sequentially, net sales of VIVITROL increased 12%, driven by increased demand during the quarter.
Net sales of ARISTADAi were $62.4 million, compared to $53.6 million for the same period in the prior year, representing an increase of 16%, driven primarily by continued growth of the ARISTADA provider base and growth of the ARISTADA two-month dose.
Manufacturing and royalty revenues were $120.4 million, compared to $103.8 million for the same period in the prior year.
Manufacturing and royalty revenues from RISPERDAL CONSTA, INVEGA SUSTENNA/XEPLION and INVEGA TRINZA/TREVICTA were $87.9 million, compared to $76.7 million for the same period in the prior year, primarily driven by an increase in royalty revenue from INVEGA SUSTENNA and the timing of manufacturing shipments of RISPERDAL CONSTA.
Costs and Expenses
Total operating expenses were $275.7 million, compared to $308.9 million for the same period in the prior year. This decrease reflects the impact of the restructuring implemented in 2019 and expense management measures in 2020.
Research and Development (R&D) expenses were $95.0 million, compared to $107.7 million for the same period in the prior year.
Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses were $127.7 million, compared to $148.7 million for the same period in the prior year.
Balance Sheet
At Sept. 30, 2020, Alkermes recorded cash, cash equivalents and total investments of $597.2 million, compared to $539.6 million at June 30, 2020, driven by the company’s operating results and changes in working capital. The company’s total debt outstanding as of Sept. 30, 2020 was $275.5 million under its term loan, which matures in March 2023.
"Our third quarter results reflect strong commercial execution, with the sequential growth of both VIVITROL and ARISTADA net sales within a complex and dynamic COVID-19 market environment. Today, we are pleased to be raising our financial guidance for 2020 to reflect this solid performance. Importantly, expectations for 2020 non-GAAP net income are back in line with the expectations provided in February prior to the impact of COVID-19, primarily due to disciplined management of our expenses," commented James Frates, Chief Financial Officer of Alkermes. "As we approach the end of 2020, we believe we are well-positioned to execute on our strategic imperatives to drive long-term profitability and growth."
Financial Expectations for 2020
The following financial expectations for 2020 are based on recent trends and assume that treatment provider practices and patient access to the company’s commercial products continue to normalize. New COVID-19-related restrictions or a resurgence of COVID-19 could impact the company’s ability to meet these expectations. All line items are according to GAAP, except as otherwise noted.
Recent Events
Psychiatry portfolio
In October 2020, announced positive vote outcomes from the joint meeting of the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, appointed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on questions relating to ALKS 3831 for the treatment of adults with schizophrenia and for the treatment of adults with bipolar I disorder. The joint advisory committee’s recommendations, while not binding, will be considered by the FDA in its review of the ALKS 3831 New Drug Application (NDA). The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date for the ALKS 3831 NDA is Nov. 15, 2020.
In September 2020, presented new real-world outcomes research and clinical data related to Alkermes’ psychiatry portfolio at the Psych Congress 2020 Virtual Experience, including new outcomes research that analyzed treatment challenges of second-generation antipsychotics, such as weight gain and treatment interruptions, for patients living with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder.
In August 2020, announced the publication in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Psychiatry of results from the phase 3 ENLIGHTEN-2 clinical trial of ALKS 3831. ENLIGHTEN-2 was a six-month study evaluating the weight gain profile of ALKS 3831 compared to olanzapine in 561 patients with stable schizophrenia. Positive topline data from the ENLIGHTEN-2 study were first reported in November 2018.
ALKS 4230
In September 2020, presented new clinical data updates from ARTISTRY-1, an ongoing phase 1/2 study evaluating Alkermes’ investigational engineered interleukin-2 variant immunotherapy, ALKS 4230, administered intravenously as monotherapy and in combination with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in patients with refractory solid tumors, at the 2020 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) (Free ESMO Whitepaper) Virtual Congress. The company also announced the expansion of the ARTISTRY-1 monotherapy melanoma cohort based on the achievement of protocol-defined efficacy response criteria.
In August 2020, announced the initiation of ARTISTRY-3, a phase 2 study evaluating the clinical and immunologic effects of ALKS 4230 monotherapy administered intravenously on the tumor microenvironment in a variety of advanced, malignant solid tumors.
Conference Call
Alkermes will host a conference call and webcast presentation with accompanying slides at 8:00 a.m. ET (12:00 p.m. GMT) on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, to discuss these financial results, financial expectations, and provide an update on the company. The webcast may be accessed on the Investors section of Alkermes’ website at www.alkermes.com. The conference call may be accessed by dialing +1 877 407 2988 for U.S. callers and +1 201 389 0923 for international callers. In addition, a replay of the conference call will be available from 11:00 a.m. ET (3:00 p.m. GMT) on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, through Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, and may be accessed by visiting Alkermes’ website or by dialing +1 877 660 6853 for U.S. callers and +1 201 612 7415 for international callers. The replay conference ID is 13712082.