On May 7, 2026 Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: LGND) reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2026, and provided an operating forecast and business update. Ligand management will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results and answer questions.
"The first few months of 2026 have already proven to be highly productive and transformative for Ligand," said Todd Davis, CEO of Ligand. "In April, we announced a definitive agreement to acquire XOMA Royalty Corporation ("XOMA Royalty" or "XOMA"), a highly complementary business that we expect to accelerate both near and long-term growth. Upon closing, the transaction will add more than 120 commercial, clinical and preclinical-stage assets to our royalty portfolio, including seven commercial assets and 14 late-stage programs, and meaningfully diversify Ligand across therapeutic areas, stages of development, and biopharma partners. We were also pleased to see the full FDA approval of Filspari in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis ("FSGS"), a transformative milestone that further strengthens one of our most valuable royalty assets. Filspari is now the largest royalty contributor within our commercial portfolio and, as the first and only FDA-approved medicine for this rare and serious kidney disease, is well positioned to be a key driver of long-term royalty growth."

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First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

First-quarter 2026 results reflect continued strong momentum in the royalty business, with royalty revenue growing 56% year-over-year. Total revenues and income for the first quarter of 2026 were $51.7 million, compared with $45.3 million for the same period in 2025, with the 14% increase primarily driven by higher royalty revenue. Royalties for the first quarter of 2026 were $43.0 million, compared with $27.5 million for the same period in 2025, with the 56% increase primarily attributable to royalties earned on Travere Therapeutics’ Filspari and Merck’s Ohtuvayre and Capvaxive. Captisol sales were $8.7 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared with $13.5 million for the same period in 2025, with the decrease due to the timing of customer orders.
Cost of Captisol for the first quarter of 2026 was $3.3 million, compared with $4.8 million for the same period in 2025, with the change due to a decrease in Captisol sales. Amortization of intangibles was $8.1 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared with $8.3 million for the same period in 2025. Research and development expenses were $2.1 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared with $50.1 million for the same period in 2025. The first quarter of 2025 included a $44.3 million one-time charge in connection with the royalty financing agreement with Castle Creek Biosciences to fund the Phase 3 clinical study of D-Fi (FCX-007), which was accounted for as a research and development funding agreement under ASC 730-20, Research and Development Arrangements, and $2.7 million research and development expenses of our former Pelthos business. General and administrative expenses were $20.8 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared with $18.8 million for the same period in 2025. The increase primarily reflects higher employee-related costs, including increased headcount and share-based compensation, consistent with the Company’s continued investment in its business development and portfolio management functions.
Non-operating expense, net, was $41.6 million for the first quarter of 2026, compared with $14.0 million for the same period in 2025. The change was primarily attributable to a $49.2 million non-cash loss from changes in the

fair value of the Company’s equity-method investment in Pelthos Therapeutics and Pelthos Series A Preferred Shares, partially offset by a $3.9 million gain from short-term investments and $4.9 million of net interest income.
GAAP net loss was $13.3 million, or $0.67 per share for the first quarter of 2026, compared with GAAP net loss of $42.5 million, or $2.21 per share, for the same period in 2025. Adjusted net income for the first quarter of 2026 was $34.6 million, or $1.63 per diluted share, representing growth of 30% and 23%, respectively, compared with $26.6 million, or $1.33 per diluted share, for the same period in 2025. The increase was primarily driven by the 56% year-over-year growth in royalty revenue. Adjusted net income represents a non-GAAP financial measure. See the table below for a reconciliation of net loss to adjusted net income.
As of March 31, 2026, Ligand had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments of $779.4 million, compared with $733.5 million at December 31, 2025.
2026 Financial Guidance Update
Ligand is reaffirming its 2026 full-year financial guidance, which was raised on April 27, 2026 in connection with the announced entry into a definitive agreement to acquire XOMA. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by XOMA stockholders, and certain entity restructuring. The previously announced increase to guidance is entirely attributable to the anticipated partial-year contribution from XOMA and reflects: (i) incremental royalty revenue of approximately $25 million generated from XOMA’s commercial-stage portfolio, principally Vabysmo, Ojemda and Miplyffa; (ii) anticipated cost synergies resulting from the XOMA acquisition that are expected to substantially offset incremental operating expenses associated with the acquired business; partially offset by (iii) modestly lower other income, reflecting capital deployed to fund the XOMA acquisition and the related reduction in interest income on cash balances. The Company continues to expect adjusted earnings per diluted share1 of approximately $8.50 to $9.50 and full-year 2026 royalty revenue to be in the range of $225 million to $250 million. Revenue from sales of Captisol is unchanged at $35 million to $40 million and contract revenue is unchanged at $10 million to $20 million, resulting in total revenue of $270 million to $310 million.
First Quarter 2026 Corporate Highlights and Portfolio Updates

On April 27, 2026, Ligand and XOMA, both biotechnology royalty aggregators, announced that the companies entered into a definitive agreement under which Ligand will acquire XOMA for $39.00 per share of common stock in cash. XOMA stockholders are expected to separately receive one non-transferable Contingent Value Right ("CVR") per share entitling the holders to receive a portion of 75% of the net proceeds that may result from certain pending litigation at XOMA. The cash purchase price at close represents an approximately 14% premium to XOMA’s 30 trading day volume weighted average price as of April 24, 2026, the last trading day prior to announcement of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. Ligand intends to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under its existing revolving credit facility, and expects to retain sufficient capital capacity to continue executing its capital deployment strategy of investing approximately $150 million to $250 million annually in high-value royalty assets.
The acquisition further diversifies Ligand’s royalty portfolio across therapeutic areas such as ophthalmology, oncology, CNS and rare diseases and across stages of development and biopharma partners. The anticipated XOMA acquisition will add over 120 commercial, clinical, and preclinical-stage assets to Ligand’s broad and growing royalty portfolio, highlighted by Roche’s Vabysmo (faricimab-svoa), Day One Pharmaceuticals’, now Servier’s, Ojemda (tovorafenib), Zevra Therapeutics’ Miplyffa (arimoclomol), and 14 programs in late-stage development, highlighted by Takeda’s mezagitamab and certain assets from Takeda’s externalized asset portfolio, including osavampator, volixibat and OHB-607.

Filspari
1 The financial outlook, expectations and other forward-looking statements provided by Ligand for 2026 and beyond reflect Ligand’s judgment based on the information available at the time of this release. Please see the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements" section in this release for factors that may impact Ligand’s ability to meet expectations. A reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP core adjusted earnings per diluted share for 2026 to the most directly comparable GAAP measures was provided in Ligand’s Acquisition of XOMA Royalty presentation on April 27, 2026, which is available on Ligand’s investor relations website.

On April 13, 2026, Travere announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Filspari to reduce proteinuria in adult and pediatric patients aged 8 years and older with FSGS, in patients without nephrotic syndrome. Filspari is currently the first and only medicine approved by the FDA for the treatment of FSGS, marking its expansion beyond IgA nephropathy (IgAN) into a second rare kidney disease.
People with FSGS who do not have nephrotic syndrome span across different types of FSGS and represent a population aligned with the KDIGO guidelines for treating glomerular diseases. Travere estimates that the addressable population in the U.S. is more than 30,000 individuals with FSGS who do not have nephrotic syndrome.
On May 4, 2026, Travere announced first quarter results and recent business highlights:
•Filspari achieved record 993 new patient start forms for IgAN in the U.S. in the first quarter; U.S. net product sales grew 88% year over year to $105 million
•The first FSGS patients were treated within one week of approval
•The SPARX Study evaluating Filspari in post-transplant patients with recurrent IgAN or FSGS is on track to complete enrollment in the second quarter of 2026

Qtorin rapamycin

On February 24, 2026, Palvella announced positive topline results from its Phase 3 SELVA study of Qtorin rapamycin for the treatment of microcystic lymphatic malformations (MLMs). The Phase 3 trial met its primary endpoint with statistically significant improvement on the Microcystic LM Investigator Global Assessment and achieved statistical significance on its pre-specified key secondary endpoint and all four secondary efficacy endpoints. Qtorin rapamycin was well tolerated, with no drug-related serious adverse events reported and systemic rapamycin levels below 2 ng/mL at all timepoints for all participants. 98% of participants who completed the efficacy evaluation period elected to continue to receive Qtorin rapamycin in the ongoing treatment extension period.
On March 31, 2026, Palvella announced fourth quarter results and recent business highlights:
•NDA for Qtorin rapamycin for the treatment of MLM is on track for planned submission in second half of 2026
•Accelerating U.S. launch readiness for Qtorin rapamycin for MLMs; potential to become the first FDA-approved therapy and first-line, standard-of-care treatment for this serious, lifelong disease affecting an estimated more than 30,000 diagnosed patients in the U.S.
•Initiation of the Phase 3 trial of Qtorin rapamycin for the treatment of cutaneous venous malformations is planned for second half of 2026
•Initiation of the Phase 2 trial of Qtorin rapamycin for the treatment of clinically significant angiokeratomas is planned for second quarter of 2026

On May 4, 2026, Palvella announced the first patients have been dosed in LOTU, a Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Qtorin rapamycin for the treatment of clinically significant angiokeratomas. Clinically significant angiokeratomas represent a rare, chronic and debilitating lymphatic malformation with no FDA approved therapies and an estimated more than 50,000 diagnosed patients in the U.S. Topline results from the Phase 2 trial are expected in the second half of 2027.
Lasofoxifene

On March 26, 2026, LeonaBio announced fourth quarter results and recent business highlights:
•Lasofoxifene is currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial in combination with abemaciclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, as a targeted therapy for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), HER2-negative, ESR1-mutated metastatic breast cancer, a population with limited treatment options following progression on aromatase inhibitors and CDK4/6 inhibitors. The primary endpoint of the study is statistically significant improvement in progression free survival (PFS) as determined by blinded, independent central review (BICR). The ongoing Phase 3 trial aims to establish a new standard of care for this genetically defined patient group

•LeonaBio is amending the ELAINE-3 trial protocol to increase the sample size from 500 participants to up to 600 participants. The primary goal of the amendment is to help ensure that the trial will have the appropriate number of disease progression events. The Company expects to complete enrollment of the

Phase 3 ELAINE-3 clinical trial in the fourth quarter of 2026 and to have topline data in the second half of 2027
AVIM Therapy/Virtue SAB

On March 12, 2026, Orchestra BioMed announced fourth quarter results and recent business highlights:
•Accelerated patient enrollment of the BACKBEAT global pivotal study, in collaboration with Medtronic, evaluating the efficacy and safety of AVIM Therapy for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension in patients indicated for a pacemaker

•Initiated patient enrollment in the Virtue SAB U.S. pivotal trial, a randomized head-to-head IDE registrational clinical trial comparing Virtue SAB with the commercially available AGENT paclitaxel-coated balloon for the treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis

On April 30, 2026, Orchestra BioMed announced that the FDA has granted Breakthrough Device Designation ("BDD") for AVIM Therapy specific to patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite the use of anti-hypertensive medications, and an indication for a pacemaker.

Together, the two BDD’s for AVIM Therapy cover indications that encompass both the broader population of patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite medication and increased cardiovascular risk as well as the specific pacemaker-indicated population with uncontrolled hypertension being evaluated in the BACKBEAT global pivotal trial, which Orchestra BioMed is conducting in collaboration with Medtronic. This additional BDD supports strategic optionality for the clinical, regulatory and commercial reimbursement strategies for AVIM Therapy.

Bot/Bal
On April 1, 2026, Agenus announced the first patient enrolled in the landmark global Phase 3 BATTMAN trial. This study is evaluating Agenus’ immunotherapy combination of botensilimab plus balstilimab ("Bot/Bal") versus best supportive care in patients with refractory, unresectable microsatellite stable (MSS)/mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), a population long considered resistant to immunotherapy. The BATTMAN trial serves as the registrational-enabling study for Bot/Bal, enrolling approximately 830 patients and is expected to complete global enrollment quickly, reflecting the unprecedented investigator and patient enthusiasm worldwide.

Tzield
On April 22, 2026, Sanofi announced the FDA approved the supplemental biologic license application for Tzield, expanding the indication from eight years and older to as young as one year of age to delay the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes (T1D) in patients diagnosed with stage 2 T1D. The approval was granted under a priority review process and is supported by one-year data from the PETITE-T1D Phase 4 study, evaluating safety and pharmacokinetics in young children.

Adjusted Financial Measures
Ligand reports adjusted net income from continuing operations, adjusted net income per diluted share and adjusted earnings per diluted share in addition to, and not as a substitute for, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and does not consider such measures superior to GAAP results. The Company also reports "core" versions of these measures, which exclude any realized gains from the sale of Viking Therapeutics common stock.
Adjusted earnings per diluted share is a key component of the financial metrics utilized by the Company’s board of directors to evaluate management performance and determine certain elements of management compensation. GAAP results include items such as share‑based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition‑related and intangible assets, changes in contingent liabilities, mark‑to‑market adjustments on investments in public companies, transaction‑related costs and related tax effects, which are excluded from adjusted results and are detailed in the reconciliations included at the end of this press release.

Conference Call and Webcast
Ligand management will host a conference call today beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (5:30 a.m. Pacific Time) to discuss its results and answer questions. To participate via telephone, please dial (833) 461-5787 using the conference ID 304603090. International participants outside of Canada may use the toll number +1(585) 542-9983. To participate via live or replay webcast, a link is available at www.ligand.com.

(Press release, Ligand, MAY 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234665334])