On February 29, 2016 Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NYSE: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 (Filing, Q4/Annual, Puma Biotechnology, 2015, FEB 29, 2016, View Source [SID:1234509300]).

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Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons are for the fourth quarter and full year 2015 compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2014, respectively.

Based on accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP), Puma reported a net loss applicable to common stock of $61.7 million, or $1.90 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to a net loss of $47.5 million, or $1.57 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2014. Net loss applicable to common stock for the full year 2015 was $239.3 million, or $7.45 per share, compared to $142.0 million, or $4.73 per share, for the full year 2014.

Non-GAAP adjusted net loss was $40.0 million, or $1.23 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $31.1 million, or $1.03 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2014. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss for the full year 2015 was $144.3 million, or $4.49 per share, compared to $102.8 million, or $3.43 per share, for the full year 2014. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss excludes stock-based compensation expense, which represents a significant portion of overall expense and has no impact on the Company’s cash position. For a reconciliation of GAAP net loss to non-GAAP adjusted net loss and GAAP net loss per share to non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share, please see the financial tables at the end of this news release.

Net cash used in operating activities for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $33.3 million. Net cash used in operating activities for the full year 2015 was $154.5 million. At December 31, 2015, Puma had cash and cash equivalents of $31.6 million and marketable securities of $184.3 million, compared to cash and cash equivalents of $38.5 million and marketable securities of $102.8 million at December 31, 2014. Puma’s current level of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities includes net proceeds of approximately $205.1 million from a public offering of the Company’s common stock, which was completed in January 2015.

"During the fourth quarter of 2015, Puma accomplished several clinical and regulatory milestones that contributed significant value to the shareholders of the Company," said Alan H. Auerbach, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Puma. "From the clinical perspective, in December we reported additional data from our Phase III ExteNET trial at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), which continued to demonstrate that after 3 years of follow up, treatment with neratinib resulted in a statistically significant benefit in disease-free survival in patients with early stage HER2 positive breast cancer who had completed one year of adjuvant trastuzumab therapy. In addition, at SABCS we presented interim data from the Phase II trial of neratinib in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer who have a HER2 mutation that showed compelling benefit with neratinib, both as a monotherapy and in combination with fulvestrant. We also announced the interim data from our Phase II trial of neratinib monotherapy in patients with early stage HER2- positive breast cancer who had completed treatment with adjuvant trastuzumab, which demonstrated that using the loperamide prophylaxis with neratinib monotherapy treatment resulted in a lower rate of overall diarrhea, specifically grade 3 diarrhea, and resulted in diarrhea that was short term in duration and self-limiting. From the regulatory perspective, in November we announced that based on our Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) pre-submission meeting with the European Medicines Agency (EMA), at which the EMA assessed that there were no critical concerns that would prevent us from submitting a complete MAA for European centralized review in support of neratinib for the extended adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer in patients who have previously been treated with a trastuzumab-containing regimen, that we anticipate submitting an MAA for neratinib in this indication in the first half of 2016.

"We look forward to continuing to contribute value to shareholders with neratinib during 2016. We anticipate (i) submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the first quarter of 2016 and submitting the MAA to the EMA during the first half of 2016 for neratinib for the extended adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer based on the positive ExteNET Phase III trial; (ii) reporting additional data from the Phase II trial of neratinib as an extended adjuvant treatment in HER2-positive early stage breast cancer using loperamide prophylaxis during the first half of 2016; (iii) reporting additional Phase II data from the FB-7 neoadjuvant HER2-positive breast cancer trial in the subgroup of patients who are MammaPrint High, during the first half of 2016; (iv) reporting Phase II data from an investigator sponsored trial of neratinib in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer who have a HER2 mutation in mid-2016; (v) reporting data from the Phase III trial of neratinib in third-line HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients in either the fourth quarter of 2016 or the first quarter of 2017; (vi) reporting data from the Phase II trial of neratinib in metastatic breast cancer patients with brain metastases during the fourth quarter of 2016; and (vii) reporting data from the Phase II trial of neratinib plus fulvestrant in patients with HER2 non-amplified breast cancer that has a HER2 mutation during the fourth quarter of 2016."

Operating Expenses
Operating expenses were $62.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to $47.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. Operating expenses for the full year 2015 were $239.3 million compared to $142.3 million for the full year 2014.

General and Administrative Expenses:
General and administrative expenses were $9.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to $8.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. General and administrative expenses for the full year 2015 were $31.8 million compared to $19.4 million for the full year 2014. Approximately $8.0 million of the year-over-year increase resulted from an increase in stock-based compensation expense, with the majority of the remaining increase made up of approximately $2.2 million in professional fees, $0.9 million in payroll and related expenses and $0.6 million in facility and equipment costs. These increases reflect our corporate growth.

Research and Development Expenses:
Research and development expenses were $52.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to $39.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. Research and development expenses for the full year 2015 were $208.5 million, compared to $122.9 million for the full year 2014. Approximately $47.8 million of the year-over-year increase resulted from an increase in stock-based compensation expense, with the majority of the remaining increase made up of approximately $22.9 million in clinical trial expense, $9.0 million in internal costs such as payroll and related expenses, and $5.9 million in expenses related to consultants and contractors. These increases reflect our increased clinical trial activity.