On May 11, 2020 Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTLA) reported financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020, and provided a corporate update, including the Company’s actions to continue to support public health efforts and the health and safety of employees, patients and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic (Press release, Portola Pharmaceuticals, MAY 11, 2020, View Source [SID1234557490]).
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"2020 started strong with January representing our highest month of Andexxa demand in the U.S. since launch, driven in part by a return of growth in our tier one accounts," said Scott Garland, Portola’s president and chief executive officer. "While encouraging, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our revenue in March and the quarter due to three main factors. First, market research and customer feedback indicate that shelter-in-place restrictions issued by over 40 states have led to fewer patients coming into emergency departments. Second, most healthcare systems shifted their focus to preparing for and addressing COVID-19 patients, which impacted the number of new accounts added in the quarter. Finally, on March 13, we suspended face-to-face field interactions with healthcare providers. Despite these challenges, we continue to execute on our growth drivers and make progress with virtual meetings and education programs to highlight the value proposition of Andexxa, including recently presented clinical data."
As previously announced on May 5, 2020, Portola entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN). Under the terms of the merger agreement, a subsidiary of Alexion will commence a tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Portola common stock at a price of $18 per share in cash. The tender offer is subject to customary conditions, including the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of Portola common stock, the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and receipt of certain other regulatory approvals. Following successful completion of the tender offer, Alexion will acquire all remaining shares not tendered in the offer at the same price of $18 per share in cash through a merger. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020.
Quarter Ending March 31, 2020, and Related Financial Results
•Total global revenues for the first quarter of 2020 were $26.4 million compared with $22.2 million for the same period in 2019. This includes $25.6 million in net product revenues from sales of Andexxa/Ondexxya [coagulation factor Xa (recombinant), inactivated-zhzo], and $0.8 million in collaboration and license revenues.
•Net loss attributable to Portola for the first quarter of 2020 was $68.8 million, or $0.88 net loss per share, compared with $78.2 million, or $1.17 net loss per share, for the same period in 2019.
•Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2020 were $84.8 million, including $9.5 million in stock-based compensation, compared with $95.8 million for the same period in 2019. Included in total operating expenses was a stock-based compensation expense of $9.5 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared with $17.9 million, including one-time equity valuation for a manufacturer of $5.8 million, for the same period in 2019.
•Research and development (R&D) expenses for the first quarter of 2020 were $26.1 million compared with $35.6 million for the same period in 2019. Included in R&D expenses was a stock-based compensation expense of $2.6 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared with $10.1 million, including one-time equity valuation for a manufacturer of $5.8 million, for the same period in 2019.
•Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the first quarter of 2020 were $54.4 million compared with $53.0 million for the same period in 2019. Included in SG&A expenses was a stock-based compensation expense of $6.9 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared with $7.8 million for the same period in 2019.
•Cost of sales (COS) for the first quarter of 2020 was $4.3 million compared with $7.2 million for the same period in 2019.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments
Cash, cash equivalents and investments at March 31, 2020, totaled $394.1 million compared with $466.2 million as of December 31, 2019.
Updated 2020 Annual Financial Guidance
Portola is reducing its 2020 operating expenses by approximately $50 million. For the fiscal year 2020, Portola is updating its guidance for R&D and SG&A expenses. Portola now expects GAAP R&D expenses to be between $90 million and $105 million, including stock-based compensation expenses of approximately $15 million, a decrease of $15 million from the prior guidance range of $105 million and $120 million. Portola now expects GAAP SG&A expenses to be between $200 million and $215 million, including stock-based compensation expenses of approximately $38 million, a decrease of $35 million from the prior guidance range of $235 million and $250 million. This updated guidance reflects near-term cost containment measures to extend the cash runway as Portola navigates the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the uncertainty around the duration of COVID-19 impacts, Portola is suspending prior guidance provided during its fourth quarter 2019 call for approximately 350 new hospital adds in 2020.
COVID-19 Response
As the global pandemic continues to evolve rapidly, Portola’s first priority is the health and safety of employees, patients and healthcare providers. Effective March 13, 2020, the Company suspended face-to-face field activity and instituted a mandatory work-from-home policy for all employees, including those in the Company’s South San Francisco and European headquarters. The Company shifted to a virtual field force to continue engaging customers with digital tools and remote meetings where possible. Portola’s plan to present and publish data throughout the year remains intact.
At this time, the global Andexxa supply chain and distribution structure is intact for customers to continue to use and re-order Andexxa. Portola has adequate supply of this important medicine on hand for the next couple of years in the United States and Europe.
Recent Achievements and Events
·Added 68 new accounts in the first quarter of 2020. Andexxa is now stocked in over 700 U.S. hospitals.
·Establishment of a permanent J-code for Andexxa by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, effective July 1, 2020, ensuring greater patient access by providing hospitals with a clearer reimbursement pathway when administering Andexxa in the outpatient hospital setting.
·Presented the budget impact model demonstrating that using Andexxa may provide a net cost reduction for the treatment of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) associated with oral Factor Xa inhibitors. The analysis, presented at the Emergencies on Medicine conference, projects that hospital use of Andexxa with NTAP reimbursement can reduce cost per hospitalization by up to $5,400 compared to 4F-PCC’s.
·Presented new data at ACC demonstrating that Andexxa was associated with a lower rate of in-hospital and 30-day mortality in patients with multiple types of life-threatening Factor Xa inhibitor-related bleeds compared with other treatment options. Propensity matched data from the ANNEXA-4 and ORANGE studies showed 30-day mortality was 15% with Andexxa versus 34% with 4F-PCC across all bleed types. Additionally, in a real-world database analysis, in-hospital mortality was 4% with Andexxa and 10% with 4F-PCC across all bleed types.
·Agreed to terminate the collaboration and license agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer, Inc. regarding the development and commercialization of andexanet alfa in Japan. Portola will regain full Japanese rights for andexanet alfa. Japan represents the third largest market for Factor Xa inhibitors after the United States and the EU 5 countries. Portola will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize andexanet alfa in the United States, Europe, Japan and rest of the world markets.
Planned Upcoming Milestones
·Present and publish comparative clinical, mechanistic and economic data supporting the adoption of Andexxa at medical meetings and in peer-reviewed journals throughout the year including:
oThe ANNEXA-4 study ICH subgroup
oRetrospective comparisons of Andexxa vs. 4F-PCC’s on clinical outcomes using data from the ANNEXA-4, ORANGE and RETRACE studies
·Advance reimbursement discussions in the United Kingdom (2H 2020), Germany (2H 2020) and other Wave 1 European countries.
·Submit a supplemental Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by year end for inclusion of the additional Factor Xa inhibitors edoxaban and enoxaparin in the Andexxa label.