Exact Sciences Announces Fourth Quarter 2020 Results

On February 16, 2021 Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) reported that the company generated revenue of $466.3 million for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2020 and $1,491.4 million for the full year ended Dec. 31, 2020 (Press release, Exact Sciences, FEB 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234575120]).

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"Exact Sciences finished another transformative year by delivering strong fourth quarter results against a challenging backdrop because of the pandemic," said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. "We are a leader in cancer diagnostics because of our people, scientific platform, and market-leading Cologuard and Oncotype tests. We aim to extend this leadership throughout the cancer continuum and bring additional tests to patients to help improve cancer outcomes."

Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Results

For the three-month period ended December 31, 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019 (where applicable):

Total revenue was $466.3 million
Screening revenue was $249.7 million, an increase of 9 percent
Precision Oncology revenue was $117.6 million
COVID-19 testing revenue was $99.1 million
Gross margin including amortization of acquired intangible assets was 74 percent, and non-GAAP gross margin excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets was 79 percent
During the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company acquired Base Genomics, which was treated as an asset acquisition under U.S. GAAP and resulted in a $412.6 million charge to research and development expense
Net loss was $(436.8) million, or $(2.79) per share, compared to net income of $78.0 million, or $0.56 and $0.54 per basic and diluted share.
EBITDA was $(375.5) million and adjusted EBITDA was $87.9 million
Non-cash interest expense related to convertible debt was $21.3 million, compared to $11.5 million
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $1,840.0 million at the end of the quarter
Screening includes laboratory service revenue from Cologuard and revenue from Biomatrica products. Precision Oncology includes laboratory service revenue from global Oncotype products.

Non-GAAP Disclosure
In addition to the company’s financial results determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the company provides non-GAAP measures that it determines to be useful in evaluating its operating performance. The company presents EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, as well as non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP gross profit. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA consist of net loss after adjustment for those items shown in the table below. The company defines non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin as GAAP gross profit and GAAP gross margin, respectively, excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets. The amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets used in the calculation of non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin pertain only to the amortization associated with developed technology acquired and recorded through purchase accounting transactions. The amortization of these intangible assets will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. The company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful in evaluating the company’s operating performance. The company uses this non-GAAP financial information to evaluate ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. Non-GAAP financial information, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because it provides consistency and comparability with past financial performance. However, non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental information purposes only, has limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For example, non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP gross profit exclude the amortization of acquired intangible assets although such measures include the revenue associated with the acquisitions. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to GAAP, see below "EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliations" and "Non-GAAP Gross Profit and Non-GAAP Gross Margin Reconciliations."

Fourth Quarter Conference Call & Webcast
Company management will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET to discuss fourth quarter and full-year 2020 results. The webcast will be available at www.exactsciences.com. Domestic callers should dial 833-235-7650 and international callers should dial +1-647-689-4171. The access code for both domestic and international callers is 2892148.

An archive of the webcast will be available at www.exactsciences.com. A replay of the conference call will be available by calling 800-585-8367 domestically or +1-416-621-4642 internationally. The access code for the replay of the call is 2892148. The webcast, conference call and replay are open to all interested parties.

About Cologuard
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014, and results from Exact Sciences’ prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2014. Cologuard is included in the American Cancer Society’s (2018) colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults 45 years of age and older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer by detecting certain DNA markers and blood in the stool. Do not use Cologuard if you have had precancer, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high risk patients. Cologuard performance in adults ages 45-49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. Cologuard performance in repeat testing has not been evaluated.

The Cologuard test result should be interpreted with caution. A positive test result does not confirm the presence of cancer. Patients with a positive test result should be referred for diagnostic colonoscopy. A negative test result does not confirm the absence of cancer. Patients with a negative test result should discuss with their doctor when they need to be tested again.

Medicare and most major insurers cover Cologuard. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.cologuardtest.com. Rx Only.

About Oncotype DX
The Oncotype DX portfolio of breast, colon and prostate cancer tests applies advanced genomic science to reveal the unique biology of a tumor in order to optimize cancer treatment decisions. In breast cancer, the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test is the only test that has been shown to predict the likelihood of chemotherapy benefit as well as recurrence in invasive breast cancer. Additionally, the Oncotype DX Breast DCIS Score test predicts the likelihood of recurrence in a pre-invasive form of breast cancer called DCIS. In prostate cancer, the Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score test predicts disease aggressiveness and further clarifies the current and future risk of the cancer prior to treatment intervention, and the Oncotype DX AR-V7 Nucleus Detect test helps determine which patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are resistant to androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapies. The Oncotype DX AR-V7 Nucleus Detect test is performed by Epic Sciences at its centralized, CLIA-certified laboratory in San Diego and offered exclusively by Exact Sciences. With more than 1 million patients tested in more than 90 countries, the Oncotype DX tests have redefined personalized medicine by making genomics a critical part of cancer diagnosis and treatment. To learn more about Oncotype DX tests, visit www.OncotypeIQ.com, www.MyBreastCancerTreatment.org or www.MyProstateCancerTreatment.org.

Sesen Bio Announces FDA Acceptance and Priority Review of its Biologics License Application for Vicineum™

On February 16, 2021 Sesen Bio (Nasdaq: SESN), a late-stage clinical company developing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for the treatment of patients with cancer, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted for filing the Company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for Vicineum for the treatment of high-risk, BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), and granted the application Priority Review (Press release, Sesen Bio, FEB 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234575139]). In addition, the FDA stated that it is not currently planning to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the BLA for Vicineum.

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The FDA grants Priority Review for medicines that treat a serious condition and, if approved, would be a significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of such serious condition. Priority Review designation shortens the review period goal from the standard ten months to six months from the filing acceptance of the BLA. With Priority Review, the anticipated target Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date for a decision on the BLA is August 18, 2021.

"We have been meeting with the FDA regularly for the past two years on the application for Vicineum," said Dr. Thomas Cannell, president and chief executive officer of Sesen Bio. "We understand the FDA’s position and guidance very clearly and have found the review process to be collaborative and engaging. With these critical FDA decisions, we have reached an inflection point for the Company. In addition to a clear regulatory path forward, we have continued to strengthen our balance sheet in preparation for the potential launch of a product we believe represents a significant advancement over available therapies. We remain focused on the patient and our mission to save and improve lives and expect to continue to make progress around the world in the coming months."

In the next one to two months, the Company expects to submit its Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Vicineum for the treatment of high-risk, BCG-unresponsive NMIBC and receive an update from the Company’s partner, Qilu Pharmaceutical, regarding the possible approval of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Vicineum in China by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE).

Conference Call and Webcast Information
Dr. Thomas Cannell Presided and CEO of Sesen Bio will host a conference call today at 8:00 AM ET. To participate in the conference call, please dial (844) 831-3025 (domestic) or (315) 625-6887 (international) and refer to conference ID 1290313. The conference call can be accessed in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.sesenbio.com. A replay of the call will be available in the investor section of the Company’s website at www.sesenbio.com for 60 days.

About Vicineum
Vicineum, a locally administered fusion protein, is Sesen Bio’s lead product candidate being developed for the treatment of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Vicineum is comprised of a recombinant fusion protein that targets epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antigens on the surface of tumor cells to deliver a potent protein payload, Pseudomonas Exotoxin A. Vicineum is constructed with a stable, genetically engineered peptide tether to ensure the payload remains attached until it is internalized by the cancer cell, which is believed to decrease the risk of toxicity to healthy tissues, thereby improving its safety. In prior clinical trials conducted by Sesen Bio, EpCAM has been shown to be overexpressed in NMIBC cells with minimal to no EpCAM expression observed on normal bladder cells. Sesen Bio is currently in the follow-up stage of a Phase 3 registration trial in the US for the treatment of high-risk NMIBC in patients who have previously received a minimum of two courses of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and whose disease is now BCG-unresponsive. In February 2021, the FDA accepted for filing the Company’s BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of high-risk, BCG-unresponsive NMIBC and granted the application Priority Review with a PDUFA date of August 18, 2021. Additionally, Sesen Bio believes that cancer cell-killing properties of Vicineum promote an anti-tumor immune response that may potentially combine well with immuno-oncology drugs, such as checkpoint inhibitors. The activity of Vicineum in high-risk, BCG-unresponsive NMIBC is also being explored at the US National Cancer Institute in combination with AstraZeneca’s immune checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab.

PTC Therapeutics to Participate at Upcoming Virtual Investor Conferences

On February 16, 2021 PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTCT) reported that management will present a company overview at the following conferences (Press release, PTC Therapeutics, FEB 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234575156]):

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Raymond James 42nd Annual Institutional Investors Conference
Tuesday, March 2nd at 7:30 a.m. ET

Cowen 41st Annual Health Care Conference
Thursday, March 4th at 10:30 a.m. ET

Barclays Global Healthcare Conference
Wednesday, March 10th at 9:10 a.m. ET

The presentations will be webcast live on the Events and Presentations page under the investor relations section of PTC Therapeutics’ website at www.ptcbio.com and will be archived for 30 days following the presentation. It is recommended that users connect to PTC’s website several minutes prior to the start of the webcast to ensure a timely connection.

Investor Presentation, dated February 16, 2021

On February 16, 2021 Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. Presented the Corporate Presentation (Presentation, Foghorn Therapeutics, FEB 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234575105]).

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Dynavax to Present at the Cowen 41st Annual Health Care Conference

On February 16, 2021 Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing vaccines, reported that Ryan Spencer, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the Cowen 41st Annual Health Care Conference on Monday, March 1, at 3:20 p.m. E.T (Press release, Dynavax Technologies, FEB 16, 2021, https://investors.dynavax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/dynavax-present-cowen-41st-annual-health-care-conference [SID1234575121]).

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The presentation will be webcast and may be accessed through the "Events & Presentations" page on the "investors" section of the Company’s website at View Source