On November 6, 2017 XOMA Corporation (Nasdaq:XOMA), a pioneer in the discovery, development and licensing of therapeutic antibodies, reported its third quarter 2017 financial results and recent business highlights (Press release, Xoma, NOV 6, 2017, View Source [SID1234521612]).
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“We made significant progress on multiple fronts executing our new business strategy, and in doing so we completely transformed the Company. The highlight events were clearly the license agreements we secured for both gevokizumab and our IL-1 beta intellectual property portfolio with Novartis. Our strategy was further reinforced with new license agreements for use of our proprietary phage display libraries for antibody discovery. We also received milestone payments from our extensive portfolio of partner-funded programs,” stated Jim Neal, Chief Executive Officer of XOMA. “These third quarter transactions have resulted in a completely revamped balance sheet and multiple years of projected cash runway. With more than two dozen partner-funded programs that have the potential to generate substantial additional milestone and royalty payments, we are very well positioned to deliver sustained growth in the years ahead and create long-term value for shareholders.”
Recent Business Highlights
XOMA made important progress positioning the Company for long-term strategic success:
Licensing the global commercial rights to gevokizumab, a novel anti-IL-1 beta allosteric monoclonal antibody, to Novartis. In a separate agreement, XOMA granted Novartis a license to its intellectual property covering the use of IL-1 beta targeting antibodies in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Under these agreements, XOMA received $31 million in cash payments, including a $5 million equity investment. The Company is eligible to receive up to $438 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestones plus tiered high-single to mid-double-digit royalties on net sales of gevokizumab. XOMA is also eligible to receive low-single-digit royalties on canakinumab sales in cardiovascular indications, rising to mid-single-digit royalties under certain circumstances. In addition to the upfront payments, Novartis also settled XOMA’s €12 million debt to Servier, and extended the maturity date on the Company’s debt to Novartis from September 2020 to September 2022.
Entering into new non-exclusive license agreements with three separate companies, Tizona Therapeutics, Inc., Torch Biosciences, Inc., and LakePharma, for use of XOMA’s proprietary phage display libraries for antibody discovery. Under these agreements, the Company is eligible to receive development and regulatory milestone payments plus single-digit royalties on net sales of products.
Earning a $3 million milestone payment related to the clinical advancement of an anti-botulism product candidate the Company licensed to Nanotherapeutics, Inc., in 2015. In September 2017, XOMA received an initial cash payment of $250,000 related to the milestone. The remaining amounts of the milestone payment will be received in monthly payments over the next eleven months. If the product candidate advances from its current stage of development to production and stockpiling by governmental agencies, XOMA is eligible to receive a 15 percent royalty on net sales.
Continuing implementation of the Company’s previously announced aggressive corporate cost reduction plan.
Financial Results
XOMA recorded total revenues of $36.2 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $0.6 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in revenues for the third quarter of 2017 was due primarily to upfront payments received relating to the Company’s license agreements with Novartis in August 2017.
Research and development (R&D) expenses were $0.3 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $8.7 million for the third quarter of 2016. The decrease in R&D expenses for the third quarter of 2017 was due primarily to reductions of $3.5 million in salaries and related expenses, $1.8 million in external manufacturing activities, $1.2 million in the allocation of facilities and information technology costs, $0.9 million in clinical trial costs, and $0.4 million in consulting costs. The decrease in external manufacturing costs included a one-time adjustment of $0.7 million to reverse the cost of a batch of drug material that did not meet quality standards. The significant reduction in R&D spending year-over-year is a result of the execution of the Company’s corporate strategy of leveraging its extensive portfolio of partnered programs and licensed technologies.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $7.3 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $4.1 million for the third quarter of 2016. G&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017, included increases of $1.9 million in consulting services primarily related to the Company’s license agreements with Novartis, $1.0 million in the allocation of facilities and information technology costs due to a greater proportion of general and administrative personnel after the Company’s restructuring activities, and $1.0 million in stock compensation cost, partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease in salaries and benefits.
Net income for the third quarter of 2017 was $26.3 million, compared to net loss of $12.5 million for the third quarter of 2016. The significant net income for the third quarter of 2017 was due primarily to the increase in total revenues previously discussed.
On September 30, 2017, XOMA had cash and cash equivalents of $47.7 million. The Company ended December 31, 2016, with cash and cash equivalents of $25.7 million. The Company’s current cash and cash equivalents are expected to be sufficient to fund its operations for multiple years.