GILEAD SCIENCES ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER 2017 FINANCIAL RESULTS

On July 26, 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) reported its results of operations for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 (Press release, Gilead Sciences, JUL 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234519891]).

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The financial results that follow represent a year-over-year comparison of the second quarter 2017 to the second quarter 2016. Total revenues were $7.1 billion in 2017 compared to $7.8 billion in 2016. Net income was $3.1 billion or $2.33 per diluted share in 2017 compared to $3.5 billion or $2.58 per diluted share in 2016. Non-GAAP net income, which excludes amounts related to acquisition-related, up-front collaboration, stock-based compensation and other expenses, was $3.4 billion or $2.56 per diluted share in 2017 compared to $4.2 billion or $3.08 per diluted share in 2016.

Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
June 30, June 30,
(In millions, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 2017 2016
Product sales $ 7,046 $ 7,651 $ 13,423 $ 15,332
Royalty, contract and other revenues 95 125 223 238
Total revenues $ 7,141 $ 7,776 $ 13,646 $ 15,570

Net income attributable to Gilead $ 3,073 $ 3,497 $ 5,775 $ 7,063
Non-GAAP net income* $ 3,372 $ 4,177 $ 6,321 $ 8,451

Diluted earnings per share $ 2.33 $ 2.58 $ 4.38 $ 5.11
Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share* $ 2.56 $ 3.08 $ 4.79 $ 6.11

* Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share exclude acquisition-related, up-front collaboration, stock-based compensation and other expenses. A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP financial information is provided in the tables on pages 7 and 8.

Product Sales

Total product sales for the second quarter of 2017 were $7.0 billion compared to $7.7 billion for the same period in 2016. Product sales for the second quarter of 2017 were $5.0 billion in the United States, $1.4 billion in Europe and $665 million in other locations. Product sales for the second quarter of 2016 were $4.9 billion in the United States, $1.6 billion in Europe and $1.2 billion in other locations.

Antiviral Product Sales

Antiviral product sales, which include sales of our HIV, chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C (HCV) products, were $6.4 billion for the second quarter of 2017 compared to $7.1 billion for the same period in 2016.

HIV and HBV product sales were $3.6 billion compared to $3.1 billion for the same period in 2016. The increase was primarily due to the continued uptake of our tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) based products, Genvoya (elvitegravir 150 mg/cobicistat 150 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 10 mg), Descovy (emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg) and Odefsey (emtricitabine 200 mg/rilpivirine 25 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg).
HCV product sales, which consist of Harvoni (ledipasvir 90 mg/sofosbuvir 400 mg), Sovaldi (sofosbuvir 400 mg) and Epclusa (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg), were $2.9 billion compared to $4.0 billion for the same period in 2016. The decline was due to lower sales of Harvoni and Sovaldi across all major markets, partially offset by sales of Epclusa, which was approved in the United States and Europe in June and July 2016, respectively.
Other Product Sales

Other product sales, which include Letairis (ambrisentan), Ranexa (ranolazine) and AmBisome (amphotericin B liposome for injection), were $607 million for the second quarter of 2017 compared to $525 million for the same period in 2016.

Operating Expenses

Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
June 30, June 30,
(In millions) 2017 2016 2017 2016
Research and development expenses (R&D) $ 864 $ 1,484 $ 1,795 $ 2,749
Non-GAAP R&D expenses* $ 812 $ 1,040 $ 1,701 $ 1,809

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) $ 897 $ 890 $ 1,747 $ 1,575
Non-GAAP SG&A expenses* $ 827 $ 838 $ 1,634 $ 1,476

* Non-GAAP R&D and SG&A expenses exclude acquisition-related, up-front collaboration, stock-based compensation and other expenses. A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP financial information is provided in the tables on pages 7 and 8.

During the second quarter of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016:

R&D expenses decreased primarily due to the 2016 impact of Gilead’s purchase of Nimbus Apollo, Inc. and a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) priority review voucher.
Non-GAAP R&D expenses* decreased primarily due to the 2016 impact of Gilead’s purchase of an FDA priority review voucher.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

As of June 30, 2017, Gilead had $36.6 billion of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities compared to $34.0 billion as of March 31, 2017. Cash flow from operating activities was $3.5 billion for the quarter. During the second quarter of 2017, Gilead paid cash dividends of $680 million and utilized $130 million on stock repurchases.

Revised Full Year 2017 Guidance

Gilead revised its full year 2017 guidance, initially provided on February 7, 2017:

(In millions, except percentages and per share amounts) Initially Provided
February 7, 2017
Reiterated
May 2, 2017
Updated
July 26, 2017
Net Product Sales
$22,500 – $24,500
$24,000 – $25,500
Non-HCV Product Sales $15,000 – $15,500
$15,500 – $16,000
HCV Product Sales $7,500 – $9,000 $8,500 – $9,500
Non-GAAP*
Product Gross Margin 86% – 88% 86% – 88%
R&D Expenses
$3,100 – $3,400
$3,200 – $3,400
SG&A Expenses $3,100 – $3,400 $3,200 – $3,400
Effective Tax Rate 25.0% – 28.0% 25.0% – 28.0%
Diluted EPS Impact of Acquisition-related, Up-front Collaboration, Stock-based Compensation and Other Expenses $0.84 – $0.91 $0.86 – $0.93

* Non-GAAP Product Gross Margin, R&D and SG&A expenses and effective tax rate exclude acquisition-related, up-front collaboration, stock-based compensation and other expenses. A reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP full year 2017 guidance is provided in the tables on page 9.

Product and Pipeline Updates announced by Gilead during the Second Quarter of 2017 include:

Antiviral and Liver Diseases Programs

Announced that the European Committee for the Medicinal Products for Human Use, the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency, adopted a positive opinion on the marketing authorization application for VoseviTM, a once-daily, single-tablet regimen of sofosbuvir 400 mg, velpatasvir 100 mg and voxilaprevir 100 mg for the treatment of HCV-infected patients. On July 18, 2017, Vosevi was approved by FDA.
Announced the submission of a new drug application (NDA) to FDA for an investigational, once-daily single-tablet regimen containing bictegravir (50 mg) (BIC), a novel investigational integrase strand transfer inhibitor, and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (200/25 mg) (FTC/TAF) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults. BIC/FTC/TAF demonstrated high rates of virologic suppression and no treatment-emergent resistance through 48 weeks in Phase 3 clinical trials among treatment-naïve adult patients and among virologically suppressed adult patients who switched regimens. Additionally, Gilead submitted a marketing authorization application for BIC/FTC/TAF in the European Union during the second quarter of 2017.
Presented data at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver: The International Liver Congress 2017 which included the announcement of:
Positive results from an open-label, proof-of-concept study evaluating GS-0976, an investigational inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The data, from ten patients treated with GS-0976 20 mg taken orally once daily for 12 weeks, indicated that treatment was associated with statistically significant improvements in liver fat content and noninvasive markers of fibrosis, via inhibition of hepatic de novo lipogenesis.
Positive results from two Phase 2 studies evaluating Harvoni tablets in HCV-infected patient populations not previously studied in dedicated clinical trials with direct-acting antiviral therapies. The studies demonstrated HCV cure rates of 99 percent in children aged 6 to 11 years, and 100 percent in adult patients co-infected with HCV and HBV.
Positive 96-week results from two ongoing Phase 3 studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of daily Vemlidy (TAF 25mg) in immune active patients and in patients switching from Gilead’s Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, TDF 300 mg). Vemlidy is a once-daily treatment approved for adults with HBV infection with compensated liver disease.
Announced that FDA approved supplemental indications for Harvoni tablets and Sovaldi tablets for the treatment of HCV infection in adolescents without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, 12 years of age and older, or weighing at least 35kg. Harvoni was approved for pediatric patients with genotype 1, 4, 5 or 6 HCV infection. Sovaldi was approved for pediatric patients with genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection, in combination with ribavirin.

GSK delivers further progress in Q2 and sets out new priorities for the Group

On July 26, 2017 GSK reported further progress in Q2 and sets out new priorities for the Group (Press release, GlaxoSmithKline, JUL 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234519882]).

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Q2 sales of £7.3 billion, +12% AER, +3% CER
Total loss per share of 3.7p, +59% AER, +29% CER; Adjusted EPS of 27.2p, +12% AER, -2% CER
Financial highlights

• Pharmaceutical sales, £4.4 billion, +12% AER, +3% CER, Vaccines sales, £1.1 billion, +16% AER, +5% CER, Consumer Healthcare sales, £1.9 billion,+10% AER, flat at CER
• Group operating margin 28.5%; Pharmaceuticals 33.6%; Vaccines 33.7%; Consumer 17.7%
• Total Q2 loss per share of 3.7p reflecting charges resulting from increases in the valuation of Consumer and HIV businesses and new portfolio choices
• Updated 2017 guidance: Adjusted EPS growth now expected to be 3% to 5% CER reflecting impact of Priority Review Voucher
• H1 Free Cash Flow £0.4 billion (H1 2016: £0.1 billion)
• 19p dividend declared for Q2; continue to expect 80p for FY 2017

Product and pipeline highlights

• New product sales of £1.7 billion, +62% AER, +47% CER
• HIV two drug regimen (dolutegravir and rilpivirine) filed for approval in US and EU
• Shingrix filed for approval in Japan
• FDA approval received for subcutaneous Benlysta for treatment of SLE

New business priorities to 2020

• New priorities to strengthen innovation, improve performance and build trust
• Pharmaceutical R&D pipeline reviewed with target over time to allocate 80% of capital to priority assets in two current (Respiratory and HIV/infectious diseases) and two potential (Oncology and Immuno-inflammation) therapy areas; more than 30 pre-clinical and clinical programmes to be stopped
• Extended cost reduction programme expected to deliver additional £1 billion annual cost savings by 2020 driven by new business priorities, improved supply chain efficiency and reduced administrative costs
• Enhanced focus on improved cash generation and strengthening credit profile
• Dividend of 80p expected for 2018 in conjunction with new dividend policy
• Group outlook for 2020: Expected 5 year percentage CAGR to 2020 on a CER basis for sales of low-to-mid-single digits and Adjusted EPS of mid-to-high single digits

Emma Walmsley, Chief Executive Officer, GSK said:

“Q2 was another quarter of progress for GSK with Group sales up 3% to £7.3 billion and Adjusted EPS of 27.2p. Our priority for the second half of the year is to maintain this momentum and prepare for the successful execution of several important near-term launches in Respiratory, Vaccines and HIV.

“Today we are updating our full year earnings guidance to reflect the investments we have made to accelerate the review of our new two drug regimen in HIV. We are also providing an update to investors on the longer-term outlook for the Group and our priorities to improve innovation, performance and trust in GSK.”

Faslodex receives EU approval as first-line therapy for advanced breast cancer

On July 26, 2017 AstraZeneca reported that the European Commission (EC) has approved Faslodex (fulvestrant) for the treatment of oestrogen-receptor positive, locally-advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women not previously treated with endocrine therapy (Press release, AstraZeneca, JUL 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234519889]).

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The EU approval is based on pivotal data from the Phase III FALCON trial, which demonstrated the superiority of Faslodex 500mg over anastrozole 1mg as a first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with locally-advanced or HR+ metastatic breast cancer who had not received prior hormone-based therapy.

In the FALCON trial, median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer with Faslodex than with the aromatase inhibitor, anastrozole – 16.6 months versus 13.8 months (HR: 0.797; 95% CI: 0.637-0.999; p=0.0486). Aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole are the current standard of care for the first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with HR+ advanced breast cancer.

Jamie Freedman, Executive Vice-President and Head of AstraZeneca’s Oncology Business Unit, said: "This new EU approval shows the scientific strength of Faslodex with more than 15 years of clinical experience. Postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer can now benefit from Faslodex at an earlier stage in their disease. We continue to explore the full potential of this important medicine as monotherapy and in combination with other medicines."

Matthew Ellis, MD, PhD, study investigator, and director of the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said: "A 20% reduction in disease progression or death observed with fulvestrant compared to the current standard therapy is an advance in the management of postmenopausal women diagnosed with previously untreated hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer. The study provides evidence that the earlier use of fulvestrant in these patients will prolong the time before the disease progresses, which requires a change to a second line drug."

The safety and tolerability profiles for Faslodex and anastrozole reported in the FALCON trial were in line with current experience. The most-commonly reported adverse events (AEs) in the Faslodex and anastrozole arms were arthralgia (16.7% vs. 10.3%), hot flush (11.4% vs. 10.3%) and nausea (10.5% vs. 10.3%).

Faslodex is the only hormonal medicine for advanced breast cancer that slows tumour growth by binding to and degrading the oestrogen receptor – a key driver of breast cancer progression in some women. It is widely approved for the treatment of HR+ advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women with disease progression following anti-oestrogen medicine.

Faslodex was first approved in 2002 and is currently being tested in combination with over 19 different medicines for the treatment of women with advanced HR+ breast cancer.

About FALCON
The FALCON (Fulvestrant and AnastrozoLe COmpared in hormonal therapy-Naïve advanced breast cancer) trial is a Phase III, randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial comparing the antitumour effects and tolerability profile of a 500mg dose of Faslodex plus placebo with a 1mg dose of anastrozole plus placebo, in postmenopausal women with HR+, locally-advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have not been treated previously with any hormonal medicine.

The FALCON trial was designed on the basis of positive results from the Phase II FIRST trial, which demonstrated a median overall survival nearly six months longer with Faslodex compared to anastrozole.

About Advanced Breast Cancer
Advanced/metastatic breast cancer refers to Stage III and IV breast cancer. Stage III disease may also be referred to as locally-advanced breast cancer, while metastatic disease is the most-advanced stage of breast cancer (Stage IV), and occurs when cancer cells have spread beyond the initial tumour site to other organs of the body outside the breast. Since there is no cure for the disease, the goal of current treatment is to delay disease worsening or death.

About Faslodex
Faslodex (fulvestrant) is indicated for the treatment of oestrogen receptor positive, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women not previously treated with endocrine therapy, or with disease relapse on or after adjuvant anti-oestrogen therapy, or disease progression on anti-oestrogen therapy.
In the US, Faslodex is also approved, in combination with palbociclib, for the treatment of women with HR+, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer, whose cancer has progressed after endocrine medicine. Faslodex represents a hormonal treatment approach that helps to slow tumour growth by blocking and degrading the oestrogen receptor – a key driver of disease progression.

Completion of pre-clinical liver cancer programme

On July 26, 2017 Midatech Pharma (AIM: MTPH, Nasdaq: MTP), the international specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising products in oncology, reported the successful completion of its pre-clinical programme for its wholly-owned candidate MTD119 (previously MTR104) for advanced liver cancer (Press release, Midatech Pharma, JUL 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234519894]).

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The pre-clinical programme included three subcutaneous or orthotopic liver cancer xenograft models treated with the active cytotoxic compound maytansine conjugated with Midatech’s gold nanoparticle (GNP) technology.

The studies demonstrated potent anti-tumour activity in vivo in all efficacy models. Peak reduction in tumour growth due to MTD119 was more than six-fold (mean reduction more than three-fold) compared to the current standard of care, sorafenib, and with improved overall survival. The specific targeting of maytansine to tumour cells by MTD119 also resulted in significantly improved tolerability.

MTD119 is a targeted therapy treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, which accounts for most liver cancers and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide with almost 800,000 deaths in 20151. Currently, 95% of cases are non-curable and non-operable and median survival is less than one year, with rare and short-lived successful outcomes with existing forms of chemotherapy. Sorafenib (Nexavar) has projected 2018 annual sales of almost $1.5 billion2.

MTD119 will now enter formal investigational new drug (IND) application enabling studies, with completion expected in H1 2018. This will be followed by an expected IND submission to the US Food and Drug Administration for first in human studies to commence in 2018.

Commenting on the pre-clinical results, Dr Jim Phillips, CEO of Midatech, said: "This is an important milestone in moving our MTD119 compound towards the clinic as it represents Midatech’s first anti-cancer product using the Company’s core proprietary GNP technology platform. We are very encouraged by the results so far and are focused on completing the formal IND safety studies over the next six months and getting the product into first in human studies in 2018."

1 World Health Organization cancer fact sheet, February 2017, www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en
2 www.fiercepharma.com/special-report/nexavar

Compugen Discloses Updates to Collaborative Activities with Bayer in Immuno-Oncology

On July 26, 2017 Compugen Ltd. (NASDAQ: CGEN), a therapeutic discovery company, reported updates to its collaborative activities in immuno-oncology with Bayer (Press release, Compugen, JUL 26, 2017, View Source [SID1234519890]).

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The agreement with Bayer AG involves the research, development, and commercialization of antibody-based therapeutics against two novel, Compugen-discovered immune checkpoint regulators, CGEN-15001T and CGEN-15022. However, a recently completed joint assessment by Compugen and Bayer of potential drug candidates against the CGEN-15022 target program has suggested that its potential to serve as a key immune checkpoint for the treatment of cancer immunotherapy may be limited and does not justify further investment. Therefore, it has been determined that the current collaboration will focus solely on CGEN-15001T and all rights to CGEN-15022 will be returned to Compugen. As previously announced, the CGEN-15001T program continues to be advanced by Bayer towards human clinical trials.
Bertolt Kreft, PhD, Head of the Therapeutic Research Group Immuno-Oncology, Drug Discovery at the Pharmaceuticals Division of Bayer, stated, "Our collaboration with Compugen is an important component of our Immuno-Oncology pipeline strategy. During the last years, we have established an excellent and highly productive working relationship between our two research groups. We look forward to continuing the development of our CGEN-15001T program and are discussing potential future collaborative projects in the area of immuno-oncology with Compugen."


Anat Cohen-Dayag, PhD, President and CEO of Compugen, stated, "Bayer is an outstanding partner for us, as we transform to become a drug discovery and development company. We highly appreciate Bayer, as our first pharma company partner to collaborate on pipeline assets with us, and for their continuing engagement and trust in our discovery capabilities and their investment in taking our programs forward. Our excellent relationship has generated a fruitful collaboration and we are greatly looking forward to potential future collaborative activities."