On August 8, 2019 Intrexon Corporation (NASDAQ: XON), a leader in the engineering and industrialization of biology to improve the quality of life and health of the planet, reported its second quarter and first half financial results for 2019 (Press release, Intrexon, AUG 8, 2019, View Source [SID1234538421]).
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Recent Business Highlights:
Precigen, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intrexon, announced the first patient dosed with PRGN-3005, an investigational autologous chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy developed using Precigen’s non-viral UltraCAR-T platform. PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T therapy is under investigation for the treatment of patients with advanced, recurrent platinum resistant ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (clinical trial identifier: NCT03907527);
Precigen, Inc., announced the first patient dosed with PRGN-3006, an investigational autologous CAR-T cell therapy developed using Precigen’s non-viral UltraCAR-T platform for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia or higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome (clinical trial identifier: NCT03927261);
Intrexon entered into an agreement under which it will contribute its Methane Bioconversion Platform, together with all its associated technologies and facilities, to MBP, LLC, a newly formed company that will be headed by David Dewhurst, who is purchasing equity capital in the venture;
Oxitec, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intrexon, successfully completed the first pilot project of its 2nd Generation Friendly Aedes aegypti technology in Brazil, a mosquito strain that unlocks new performance features, greater cost-effectiveness and scalability over Oxitec’s 1st generation with limited production requirements. Oxitec’s new mosquitoes achieved excellent results in urban, dengue-prone environments, demonstrating its ability to achieve significant suppression with five times fewer mosquitoes. To pilot the technology in the US, Oxitec is working with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leadership on its Experimental Use Permit (EUP) in preparation for implementing a pilot project in 2020 in Florida;
ActoBio Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intrexon, announced that following a review by the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) it will progress to the next stage of the Phase Ib/IIa clinical trial for investigational drug AG019 for the treatment of early onset type 1 diabetes (T1D). ActoBio Therapeutics has initiated enrollment of the next two patient cohorts of the study: AG019 dosing in patients 12-17 years of age and combination dosing of AG019 plus teplizumab in adults;
Triple-Gene LLC has proceeded to enrollment of the second cohort of the Phase 1 clinical trial of INXN-4001, an investigational new drug which is the world’s first triple effector gene drug candidate being evaluated for the treatment of heart failure, following review of the first cohort data by the DSMB;
Intrexon Laboratories Hungary and Surterra Wellness (Surterra) partnered in an exclusive global licensing agreement to advance Surterra’s cannabinoid production at a reliable, efficient, cost-effective, industrial scale utilizing Intrexon’s proprietary yeast fermentation platform. The deal, including milestones and royalties, will leverage each company’s expertise to ultimately bring new legal and ethical cannabinoid products to market to meet growing demand, boost innovation, and improve product development;
Intrexon announced it is advancing its non-browning GreenVenus Romaine lettuce to commercial-size production trials as initial data under commercial indoor production conditions indicate that it has improved shelf-life up to 2 weeks and a potential for higher marketable yield with no tip burn. Non-browning GreenVenus lettuce has also been assessed by the United States Department of Agriculture and determined not to be subject to regulation under 7CFR Part 340 for plants altered or produced through genetic engineering; and
Intrexon entered into a nonbinding letter of intent, and received a nonrefundable cash deposit, for the sale of Exemplar Genetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intrexon focused on developing miniature swine models of human disease. The transaction is expected to close within the next thirty days pending completion of diligence.
Second Quarter 2019 Financial Highlights:
Total revenues of $36.0 million;
Net loss of $38.8 million attributable to Intrexon, or $(0.25) per basic share, including non-cash charges of $8.0 million; and
Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments totaled $125.8 million and the value of common equity securities totaled $21.5 million at June 30, 2019.
First Half 2019 Financial Highlights:
Total revenues of $59.3 million;
Net loss of $99.5 million attributable to Intrexon, or $(0.65) per basic share, including non-cash charges of $28.2 million.
"Earlier this year we announced our intent to focus the Company’s business, directing capital to certain of our most strategic programs. We also established a goal of ending the year with approximately the same net cash and short-term investment position that the company held on April 3, 2019, which included initiating plans to sell or partner certain divisions and to reduce our original 2019 operating budget by approximately $70 million," commented Randal J. Kirk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intrexon.
Mr. Kirk concluded, "Based on the significant steps we have taken with respect to the sales of certain subsidiaries and assets, the partnering of programs, as well as operating cost reductions, we continue to believe our goal with respect to achieving the same net cash and short-term investment position should be achieved. Moreover, I believe we will meet this goal while retaining for the company the core technologies and valuable product candidates that represent the most important future value for our shareholders."
"We have identified and implemented significant operating cost reductions. However, based on progress to date and the ongoing evaluation of the Company’s strategic direction and long-term best interest, management has determined not to proceed in continuing its efforts to achieve the full initial target of $70 million in operating cost reductions. Instead, we will concentrate our focus on our overall net cash and short-term investment position," added LTG (Ret.) Thomas Bostick, PhD, PE, Chief Operating Officer of Intrexon and President, Intrexon Bioengineering.
There are risks and uncertainties inherent in forecasts of this nature, including with respect to the challenges in identifying and negotiating with counterparties, transactions taking longer or generating lower proceeds than expected, changes in strategic directions, general market developments, costs and expenses being higher than anticipated, developments in clinical, market or competitive data, and other factors of the type generally applicable to the Company’s business, including those discussed under the Safe Harbor Statement below.
With regard to the agreement to build a standalone energy company to be led by Governor Dewhurst on the foundation of Intrexon’s Methane Bioconversion Platform, Mr. Kirk further commented,
"Governor Dewhurst brings a lifetime of experience that perfectly suits him to lead the revolution in energy that should be made possible through our Methane Bioconversion Platform. From his experience as an intelligence officer, in public service (including serving as Lieutenant Governor of Texas for twelve years) and in building successful energy companies, he has throughout demonstrated leadership, intelligence, courage and personal integrity that inspire and that achieve significant results. We look forward to his leadership at MBP and to working with him to fully realize its great potential."
"As I have followed Intrexon, I have learned to admire and respect RJ’s acumen and visionary creation to improve the quality of life for all people. As an innovator, who has repeatedly implemented technologies successfully, I feel driven to seize this opportunity to work alongside RJ and the incredibly talented team as CEO of the Methanotroph Bioconversion Platform, to build a safer, healthier planet, and a more promising future. I’m excited by this opportunity and dedicated to bringing together great minds in synthetic biology with industry to solve big challenges facing today’s society," Governor Dewhurst stated.
Second Quarter 2019 Financial Results Compared to Prior Year Period
Total revenues decreased $9.3 million from the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Collaboration and licensing revenues decreased $8.4 million, or 48%, from the quarter ended June 30, 2018 primarily due to the reacquisition of rights previously licensed to some of our most significant collaborators in the second half of 2018 and the result of which eliminated or substantially reduced revenues previously generated from those collaborations.
Research and development expenses decreased $7.5 million, or 18%. The 2018 amounts include $5.3 million of one-time costs associated with closing one of Oxitec’s research and development facilities as the Company decentralized operations previously conducted in this facility. Additionally, depreciation and amortization decreased $2.2 million primarily due to intangible assets that were impaired or abandoned in 2018. Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased $12.9 million, or 38% and of this amount, $10.6 million was primarily attributable to decreased share-based compensation expense which arose primarily from the departure of former employees.
First Half 2019 Financial Results Compared to Prior Year Period
Total revenues decreased $25.6 million from the six months ended June 30, 2018. Collaboration and licensing revenues decreased $22.2 million, or 60%, from the six months ended June 30, 2018 primarily due to the reacquisition of rights previously licensed to some of our most significant collaborators in the second half of 2018 and the result of which eliminated or substantially reduced revenues previously generated from those collaborations. Product revenues decreased $4.0 million, or 24%, primarily due to lower customer demand for pregnant cows, live and weaned calves, and cloned products. Gross margin on products declined in the current period as a result of fewer products sold, decreased sales prices, and increased costs associated with new product offerings.
Research and development expenses decreased $11.6 million, or 15%. The 2018 amounts include $5.3 million of one-time costs associated with closing one of Oxitec’s research and development facilities as the Company decentralized operations previously conducted in this facility. Additionally, depreciation and amortization decreased $4.3 million primarily due to intangible assets that were impaired or abandoned in 2018. Research and development salaries, benefits and other personnel costs decreased $2.0 million primarily due to the closing of one of Oxitec’s research and development facilities. SG&A expenses decreased $19.1 million, or 26% and of this amount, $15.5 million was primarily attributable to decreased share-based compensation expense which arose primarily from the departure of former employees.
Conference Call and Webcast
The Company will host a conference call today Thursday, August 8th, at 5:30 PM ET to discuss the second quarter and first half 2019 financial results and provide a general business update. The
conference call may be accessed by dialing 1-888-317-6003 (Domestic US), 1-866-284-3684 (Canada), and 1-412-317-6061 (International) and providing the number 4443860 to join the Intrexon Corporation Call. Participants may also access the live webcast through Intrexon’s website in the Investors section at View Source