On March 9, 2022 Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021 (Press release, Acorda Therapeutics, MAR 9, 2022, View Source [SID1234609772]).
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
"In 2021, we achieved our top corporate priorities: growing INBRIJA’s net revenue, achieving the top of our guidance for Ampyra net sales in the face of generic competition, executing two agreements to commercialize Inbrija outside the US, and maintaining fiscal discipline," said Ron Cohen, M.D., Acorda’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "INBRIJA net sales in 2021 were 22% greater than in 2020, despite the continuing impact of the pandemic on our business. As COVID-19 recedes, we believe we will gain significant opportunities to accelerate INBRIJA’s trajectory."
"We also made notable progress on our goal of strengthening Acorda’s financial position. We retired our short-term convertible debt and implemented budget cuts that are expected to result in a $60 million annualized reduction in operating expenses in 2022 as compared to 2020. We also expect new revenue streams to commence in 2022: Esteve projects that it will launch INBRIJA in Germany by mid-2022 and in Spain in early 2023. Acorda will receive a significant double-digit percent of the selling price in exchange for supply of the product, as well as sales-based milestones in Germany. We also expect that the double-digit royalties on Biogen’s ex-US sales of FAMPYRA will return to Acorda in mid-2022. Based on our projections, we are aiming to be cash flow neutral on a run rate basis by the end of 2022."
Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Results
For the quarter ended December 31, 2021, the Company reported AMPYRA net revenue of $22.5 million compared to $25.3 million for the same quarter in 2020. As previously disclosed, AMPYRA lost its exclusivity and generics entered the market in 2018, and the Company expects AMPYRA revenue to continue to decline.
The Company reported INBRIJA net revenue of $10.4 million, compared to $9.3 million for the same quarter in 2020.
Research and development (R&D) expenses were $1.4 million, including $0.1 million of share-based compensation compared to $4.3 million, including $0.3 million of share-based compensation for the same quarter in 2020.
Sales, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $28.4 million, including $0.4 million of share-based compensation, compared to $32.9 million, including $1.2 million of share-based compensation for the same quarter in 2020.
Change in fair value of derivative liability was ($0.3) million compared to $0.4 million for the same quarter in 2020.
Provision for income taxes was $1.7 million compared to a benefit from income taxes of $3.1 million for the same quarter in 2020.
The Company reported a GAAP net loss of $20.6 million, or $1.73 per diluted share, compared to a GAAP net loss in the same quarter of 2020 of $83.0 million, or $9.82 per diluted share.
Non-GAAP net loss was $7.9 million, or $0.67 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net loss in the same quarter of 2020 was $21.1 million, or $2.50 per diluted share. This quarterly non-GAAP net loss measure, more fully described below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures," excludes share-based compensation charges, non-cash interest charges on our debt, changes in the fair value of acquired contingent consideration, losses on assets held for sale, changes in the fair value of derivative liability related to our 2024 convertible senior secured notes, and expenses that pertain to non-routine corporate restructurings. A reconciliation of the GAAP financial results to non-GAAP financial results is included with the attached financial statements.
1 This guidance is a non-GAAP projection that excludes certain items as more fully described under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."
Full Year Ended December 31, 2021 Financial Results
For the full year ended December 31, 2021, the Company reported AMPYRA net revenue of $84.6 million compared to $98.9 million for the full year 2020 and INBRIJA net revenue of $29.6 million compared to $24.2 million for the full year 2020.
Research and development (R&D) expenses were $10.4 million, including $0.7 million of share-based compensation, compared to $23.0 million, including $1.7 million of share-based compensation for the full year 2020.
Sales, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $124.4 million, including $2.3 million of share-based compensation, compared to $152.6 million, including $6.0 million of share-based compensation for the full year 2020.
Benefit from income taxes was $5.1 million, compared to a benefit from income taxes of $8.1 million for the full year 2020.
The Company reported GAAP net loss of $104.0 million, or $9.95 per diluted share, compared to a GAAP net loss for the full year 2020 of $99.6 million, or $12.32 per diluted share.
Non-GAAP net loss was $65.9 million, or $6.31 per diluted share. Non-GAAP net loss was $72.9 million, or $9.02 per diluted share for the full year 2020. This full year non-GAAP net loss measure, more fully described below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures," excludes share-based compensation charges, non-cash interest charges on our debt, changes in the fair value of acquired contingent consideration, asset impairment charges, losses on assets held for sale, changes in the fair value of derivative liability related to our 2024 convertible senior secured notes, and expenses that pertain to non-routine corporate restructurings. A reconciliation of the GAAP financial results to non-GAAP financial results is included with the attached financial statements.
At December 31, 2021, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash of $65.2 million compared to $102.9 million at year end 2020. Cash at year end 2021 includes approximately $5.3 million associated with a December 2021 amendment to our Catalent manufacturing services agreement that modified our payment schedule. Under the terms of the amendment, the Company is required to pay Catalent only for actual product delivered during the period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, subject to a cap that corresponds to the original payment obligation. Restricted cash includes $18.6 million in escrow related to the 6% semi-annual interest portion, payable in cash or stock, of the convertible note exchange completed in December 2019. If the Company elects to pay interest due in stock, the restricted cash will be released from escrow.
Financial Guidance
AMPYRA net revenue for the full year 2022 is expected to be between $68 – 78 million.
Operating expenses for the full year 2022 are expected to be between $110 – 120 million. This guidance is a non-GAAP projection that excludes restructuring costs and share-based compensation as more fully described below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."
2021 Highlights
In November, 2021, Acorda announced an agreement with Esteve to commercialize INBRIJA in Germany. As part of the agreement, Acorda received a $5.9 million up-front payment. The Company will also receive a significant double-digit percent of the selling price in exchange for supply of the product, and will receive additional sales-based milestones. Esteve expects to launch INBRIJA in Germany in mid-2022.
In September 2021, Acorda announced an agreement with Esteve to commercialize INBRIJA in Spain. Acorda will receive a significant double-digit percent of the selling price in exchange for supply of the product. Esteve expects to launch INBRIJA in Spain in early 2023.
Acorda retired its short-term convertible debt and implemented budget cuts that are expected to result in a $60 million annualized reduction in operating expenses in 2022 as compared to 2020.
Acorda announced several changes to its leadership. John Varian was appointed to Acorda’s board of directors in January 2022. In November, 2021, Michael Gesser joined Acorda as Chief Financial Officer and Neil Belloff joined as General Counsel. In addition, during 2021, Lauren Sabella was named Chief Operating Officer and Kerry Clem was named Chief Commercial Officer. Burkhard Blank, M.D., Acorda’s Chief Medical Officer, transitioned to a consulting role as of January 1, 2022.
Webcast
The Company will host a webcast in conjunction with its fourth quarter and year-end 2021 update and financial results today at 4:30 p.m. ET.
To register for the Webcast, use the link below:
View Source
If you register for the Webcast, you will have the opportunity to submit a written question for the Q&A portion of the presentation. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with Webcast/Conference Call details. For the Webcast, you will receive an email 2 hours prior to the start of the call with the link to join. The presentation will be available on the Investors section of www.acorda.com.
A replay of the call will be available from 7:30 p.m. ET on March 9, 2022 until 11:59 p.m. ET on April 8, 2022. To access the replay, please dial 1 866 813 9403 (domestic) or +44 204 525 0658 (international); reference code 309853. The archived webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Acorda website at www.acorda.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release includes financial results prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) and also certain historical and forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures. In particular, Acorda has provided non-GAAP net income (loss), adjusted to exclude the items below, and has provided 2022 operating expense guidance on a non-GAAP basis. Non-GAAP financial measures are not an alternative for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. However, the Company believes that the presentation of non-GAAP net income (loss), when viewed in conjunction with actual GAAP results, provides investors with a more meaningful understanding of our ongoing and projected operating performance because this measure excludes (i) non-cash compensation charges and benefits that are substantially dependent on changes in the market price of our common stock, (ii) non-cash interest charges related to the accounting for our convertible debt which are in excess of the actual interest expense owing on such convertible debt, as well as non-cash interest related to the Fampyra royalty monetization and acquired Biotie debt, (iii) changes in the fair value of acquired contingent consideration which do not correlate to our actual cash payment obligations in the relevant periods, (iv) asset impairment charges that are not routine to the operation of the business, (v) expenses that pertain to corporate restructurings which are not routine to the operation of the business, (vi) changes in the fair value of derivative liability relating to the 2024 convertible senior secured notes, which is a non-cash charge and not related to the operation of the business, and (vii) losses on assets held for sale that pertain to a non-routine sale of manufacturing operations. The Company believes its non-GAAP net income (loss) measure helps indicate underlying trends in the Company’s business and is important in comparing current results with prior period results and understanding projected operating performance. Also, management uses this non-GAAP financial measure to establish budgets and operational goals, and to manage the Company’s business and to evaluate its performance.
In addition to non-GAAP net income (loss), we have provided 2022 operating expense guidance on a non-GAAP basis, as the guidance excludes restructuring costs and share-based compensation charges. Due to the forward looking nature of this information, the amount of compensation charges needed to reconcile this measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is dependent on future changes in the market price of our common stock and is not available at this time. Non-GAAP financial measures are not an alternative for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. However, the Company believes that the presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure, when viewed in conjunction with actual GAAP results, provides investors with a more meaningful understanding of our ongoing and projected operating performance because it excludes (i) expenses that pertain to corporate restructurings not routine to the operation of our business, and (ii) non-cash charges that are substantially dependent on changes in the market price of our common stock. We believe this non-GAAP financial measure helps indicate underlying trends in the Company’s business and is important in comparing current results with prior period results and understanding expected operating performance. Also, management uses this non-GAAP financial measure to establish budgets and operational goals, and to manage the Company’s business and to evaluate its performance.