On May 9, 2019 BioTime, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: BTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for unmet medical needs, reported financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 (Press release, BioTime, MAY 9, 2019, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=2398106 [SID1234536039]). BioTime management will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time/1:30 p.m. Pacific Time to discuss its first quarter 2019 financial results and to provide a business update.
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"We have been transforming BioTime into what we believe is one of the foremost cell therapy companies, with a pipeline which now consists of three innovative and promising clinical-stage product candidates, each with the potential to significantly and positively impact serious diseases or degenerative conditions," stated Brian M. Culley, Chief Executive Officer of BioTime. "We will remain focused on progressing our clinical programs in a thoughtful and cost-effective manner throughout 2019. As of March 31, 2019, the value of our cash, marketable securities, equity positions in our affiliate companies, and the balance of the promissory note due to us in August 2020 was more than $100 million, and we believe we are well-positioned to advance our programs. Our goal is to build awareness and support for our reinvigorated and repositioned company with the investment, medical, and patient communities, and advance our objective of bringing cell therapies to patients who can most benefit from their extraordinary potential."
Recent Highlights
Presented positive results from the Company’s ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical study of OpRegen for the treatment of dry-age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with geographic atrophy (GA), at the 2019 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting. Data from the study demonstrate that treatment with OpRegen continues to be well tolerated and in some patients, signs of structural improvement in the treated areas of the retina have been observed. Of note, early data from Cohort 4 patients with earlier-stage dry-AMD and smaller areas of GA remain encouraging, with indications of the continued presence of the transplanted OpRegen cells and improvements in visual acuity.
Presented SCiStar Clinical Study Top-Line Results at the 26th Annual American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair Annual Conference. The primary goals of the SCiStar Clinical Study, which were to observe the safety of OPC1 in cervical spinal cord injury patients and other important metrics related to the optimal timing of OPC1 injection, the tolerability of the immunosuppression regimen, the engraftment of OPC1 cells, and rates of motor recovery observed among different study subpopulations, were all achieved.
Announced the issuance of a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a method of reducing spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced parenchymal cavitation in patients who suffered an acute SCI. The issued patent would have a term that expires no earlier than 2036.
Announced exclusive agreement with Orbit Biomedical Ltd. (Orbit) under which BioTime and Orbit will collaborate on the use of Orbit’s proprietary U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510(k) approved injection technology to enhance the sub-retinal delivery of OpRegen RPE cells for the treatment of dry-AMD in BioTime’s ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical study.
The ongoing transfer of assets acquired in the Asterias merger to BioTime’s existing GMP manufacturing facility in Jerusalem in preparation for the hand off of Asterias’s Fremont facility to Novo Nordisk in the third quarter of 2019. These actions are expected to lead to significant cost savings via headcount and facility reductions, as well as support BioTime’s innovative and diversified clinical-stage pipeline.
BioTime affiliate OncoCyte Corporation (NYSE American: OCX) recently reported successful completion of its Analytical Validation study and the commencement of a CLIA Validation study of DetermaVu, its non-invasive liquid biopsy test intended to facilitate clinical decision making in lung cancer diagnosis. BioTime owns approximately 28% of OncoCyte’s common stock, or 14.7 million shares, as of May 8, 2019. As of that same date, the value of BioTime’s OncoCyte share position was approximately $65.7 million, based on the closing price of OncoCyte’s common stock on that date.
Plans for 2019
Pursuant to an exclusive collaboration with Orbit, initiate dosing of the first patient with the Orbit device and a new thaw and inject formulation in the ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical study of OpRegen for the treatment of dry-AMD, anticipated in the second quarter of 2019.
Announce decision on BioTime’s CE Mark application for Renevia, an investigational medical device being developed as an alternative for whole adipose tissue transfer procedures, now expected in the second quarter of 2019.
Continue advancement of the OPC1 program and meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss plans for next steps in the clinical development of the program, anticipated by year end 2019.
Strengthen and expand existing partnerships with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Research UK for the ongoing support of the development of the OPC1 and VAC2 programs.
Complete patient enrollment in the ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical study of OpRegen for the treatment of dry-AMD, anticipated by year end 2019.
Evaluate the development of OPC1 as a candidate for the potential treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and ischemic stroke through ongoing research collaborations with major universities.
Increase presence and engagement within the patient, physician, and advocacy communities.
Balance Sheet Highlights
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $27.1 million as of March 31, 2019.
BioTime’s investment in OncoCyte was valued at $58.0 million as of March 31, 2019 and at $65.7 million as of May 8, 2019, under the equity method of accounting, and based on the closing stock price of OncoCyte as of such dates.
Intangible assets, net increased during the first quarter of 2019 due to the Asterias merger and the acquisition of OPC1 (fair value of $31.7 million) and VAC2 (fair value of $14.8 million).
BioTime’s promissory note due from Juvenescence Limited had an outstanding balance (principal plus accrued interest) of $22.5 million as of March 31, 2019. Unless earlier converted into Juvenescence common shares, the promissory note is payable in cash, plus accrued interest at 7% per year, at maturity in August 2020. If Juvenescence completes an initial public offering (IPO) resulting in gross proceeds of not less than $50.0 million, the promissory note automatically converts into the Juvenescence securities issued in the IPO based on the per-share price to the public in the IPO, subject to an upward adjustment in the number of shares that would be issued to BioTime upon such conversion if the 20-day volume-weighted average trading price of one share of common stock of AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. (AgeX) before the IPO is priced above $3.00. If the promissory note is converted, the Juvenescence ordinary shares will be a marketable security that BioTime may use to supplement its liquidity, as needed and as market conditions allow.
First Quarter Operating Results
Revenues: BioTime’s revenue is generated primarily from research grants, licensing fees and royalties. Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $0.9 million, an increase of $0.2 million, compared to $0.7 million for the same period in 2018. The increase was primarily related to a $0.4 million increase in grant revenues, offset by a $0.2 million decrease in subscriptions and advertisement revenues attributable to the deconsolidation of AgeX. AgeX was deconsolidated from BioTime on August 30, 2018, and beginning on that date, AgeX’s revenues are not included in BioTime revenues.
Operating Expenses: Operating expenses are comprised of research and development ("R&D") expenses and general and administrative ("G&A") expenses. Total operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $13.6 million, as reported, and $7.9 million, as adjusted. AgeX was deconsolidated from BioTime on August 30, 2018, and beginning on that date, AgeX’s operating expenses are not included in BioTime’s operating expenses.
As adjusted operating expenses is a non-generally accepted accounting principles (non-GAAP) financial measure. The reconciliation between operating expenses determined in accordance with GAAP and non-GAAP operating expenses, by entity, is provided in the financial tables included at the end of this press release.
R&D Expenses: Beginning on August 30, 2018, BioTime ceased recognizing R&D expenses related to AgeX and its programs due to the AgeX deconsolidation on that date.
R&D expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $5.0 million, a decrease of $0.9 million, compared to $5.9 million for the same period in 2018. The decrease was primarily related to a $1.6 million decrease from the AgeX deconsolidation and the absence of AgeX R&D expenses incurred after August 30, 2018, offset by a net increase of $0.6 million in BioTime programs primarily related to: (1) an increase of $0.8 million in OpRegen related expenses, (2) an increase of $0.6 million in OPC1 and VAC2 expenses (these programs were acquired in the Asterias merger) offset by (3) decreases of $0.8 million in Renevia and HyStem related expenses.
G&A Expenses: Beginning on August 30, 2018, BioTime ceased recognizing G&A expenses related to AgeX and its subsidiaries due to the AgeX deconsolidation on that date.
G&A expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $8.7 million, an increase of $2.7 million, compared to $6.0 million for the same period in 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to a $3.5 million increase in severance, legal, accounting and other expenses related to the Asterias merger and a $0.5 million increase in stock-based compensation, offset by a $1.3 million decrease in AgeX related G&A expenses.
Other Income/(Expenses), Net: Other income/(expenses), net for the three months ended March 31, 2019 reflected other income, net of $47.7 million, compared to other expense, net of ($51.5) million for the same period in 2018. The variance was primarily related to changes in the value of equity investments in OncoCyte and Asterias for the applicable periods.
Net income/(loss) attributable to BioTime: The net income/(loss) attributable to BioTime for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was net income of $39.3 million, or $0.30 per share (basic and diluted), compared to a net loss attributable to BioTime of ($63.5) million, or ($0.50) per share (basic and diluted), for the same period in 2018.
Conference Call and Webcast
BioTime will host a conference call and webcast today, at 1:30pm PT/4:30pm ET to discuss its first quarter 2019 financial results and to provide a business update. Interested parties may access the conference call by dialing (866) 888-8633 from the U.S. and Canada and (636) 812-6629 from outside the U.S. and Canada and should request the "BioTime Inc. Call". A live webcast of the conference call will be available online in the Investors section of BioTime’s website. A replay of the webcast will be available on BioTime’s website for 30 days and a telephone replay will be available through May 16th, 2019, by dialing (855) 859-2056 from the U.S. and Canada and (404) 537-3406 from outside the U.S. and Canada and entering conference ID number 9155549.