On August 5, 2020 Intec Pharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: NTEC) ("Intec" or "the Company") reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020 and provides a corporate update (Press release, Intech Pharmaceuticals, AUG 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234563215]).

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"We have worked diligently over the past quarter to address the challenges of an evolving landscape for both our business and clinical development initiatives given the global COVID-19 pandemic," stated Jeffrey A. Meckler, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intec Pharma.

"Despite constraints on our ability to conduct in-person meetings, our partnering activities to identify new opportunities and compounds for our unique gastric retentive oral delivery system as well as our partnering efforts for the AP-CD/LD program in Parkinson’s disease remain ongoing. Looking into the second half of the year, we continue to seek to advance these productive conversations towards a deal that demonstrates appropriate value for both the Company and our shareholders.

"We look forward to advancing our newly designed AP-THC program into clinical development later this year as we recently received the active pharmaceutical ingredients needed for the clinical material production.

"Earlier this year, we announced we met the in vitro specifications for Merck’s compound. At this time, we do not anticipate the compound entering an in vivo study this year. We continue to discuss development opportunities for the Accordion Pill with Merck.

"Our recent registered direct offering not only strengthens our balance sheet but, more importantly, provides the financial support and flexibility to position the Company for its next stage of development," added Mr. Meckler.

Financial Highlights for Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2020

Research and development expenses, net, for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 were approximately $1.3 million, a decrease of $6.6 million, or approximately 84%, compared with approximately $7.9 million in the three-month period ended June 30, 2019. Research and development expenses, net, for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 were approximately $3.3 million, a decrease of approximately $13.1 million, or approximately 80%, compared with approximately $16.4 million in the six-month period ended June 30, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the completion of the ACCORDANCE study and Open Label Extension study during 2019, decrease in expenses related to the scale up activities for the commercial scale manufacturing and a decrease in payroll and related expenses, mostly due to a reduction in headcount, and share-based compensation.

General and administrative expenses for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 were approximately $1.6 million, a decrease of $500,000, or approximately 24%, compared with approximately $2.1 million in the three-month period ended June 30, 2019. General and administrative expenses for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 amounted to approximately $3.3 million, a decrease of approximately $1.0 million, or approximately 23%, compared to approximately $4.3 million for the six-month ended June 30, 2019. The decrease for the three and six-month periods was primarily related to a decrease in payroll and related expenses, including reduction in headcount, share-based compensation and reduction in associated expenses.

Net loss for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020 was approximately $2.9 million, a decrease of $7.1 million, or approximately 71%, compared with the net loss for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019 of approximately $10.0 million. The decrease for the three and six-month periods was mainly due to a decrease in research and development expenses, net, and general and administrative expenses, as detailed above.

Loss per ordinary share for the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, was $0.05 compared with $0.30 for the three-month period ended June 30, 2019. Loss per ordinary share for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, was $0.12 compared with $0.62 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019.

As of June 30, 2020, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $13.8 million. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of approximately $10.1 million.

Net cash used in operating activities was approximately $6.8 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 compared with net cash used in operating activities of approximately $17.7 million for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019. This decrease resulted primarily from a decrease in research and development activities in the amount of approximately $13.1 million, offset by changes in operating asset and liability items of approximately $2.0 million.

The Company had positive cash flow from investing activities of approximately $769,000 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 compared to negative cash flow from investing activities of approximately $1.0 for the six-month period ended June 30, 2019. This change resulted primarily from an investment in the establishment of the commercial scale manufacturing in the amount of approximately $1.4 million in the six-month period ended June 30, 2019 and an increase in proceeds from the disposal of marketable securities in the amount of approximately $200,000.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020 was approximately $10.6 million, which was provided primarily by the proceeds from the Company’s registered direct offering in May 2020 that resulted in net proceeds of approximately $4.5 million, proceeds from the company’s underwritten public offering in February 2020 that resulted in net proceeds of approximately $5.7 million and by the funds received from the sale of our ordinary shares under the Company’s "at-the-market" equity offering program that resulted in net proceeds of approximately $421,000.

In May 2020, the Company raised $5.0 million in a registered direct offering of 16,291,952 ordinary shares at a purchase price of $0.3069 per share. In addition, in a concurrent private placement, the Company also sold and issued to the purchasers in the offering unregistered warrants to purchase 8,145,976 ordinary shares. The warrants have an exercise price of $0.245 per share, are immediately exercisable, and will expire five and one-half years from the date of issuance.