On October 25, 2017 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) reported consolidated financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017 (Press release, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, OCT 25, 2017, View Source [SID1234521175]). Vertex also increased its total 2017 CF product revenue guidance, including revenue guidance for ORKAMBI (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) and KALYDECO (ivacaftor), and reiterated its total 2017 combined GAAP and non-GAAP R&D and SG&A expense guidance.
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In addition, the company today reported top-line results for three clinical studies in CF, including: a Phase 3 study of ORKAMBI in children with CF ages 2 to 5 who have two copies of the F508del mutation; a Phase 3 study of the tezacaftor/ivacaftor combination in people with CF with one copy of the F508del mutation and one copy of a gating mutation; and a Phase 2 study of the ENaC inhibitor VX-371 in combination with ORKAMBI in people with CF who have two copies of the F508del mutation.
Key financial results include:
Three Months Ended September 30,
%
2017
2016
Change
(in millions, except per share and percentage data)
ORKAMBI product revenues, net
$
336
$
234
44%
KALYDECO product revenues, net
$
213
$
176
22%
TOTAL CF product revenues, net
$
550
$
410
34%
GAAP net loss
$
(103
)
$
(39
)
n/a
GAAP net loss per share – diluted
$
(0.41
)
$
(0.16
)
n/a
Non-GAAP net income
$
136
$
43
216%
Non-GAAP net income per share – diluted
$
0.53
$
0.17
212%
"Vertex has never been stronger than it is today with significant progress across all aspects of our business," said Jeffrey Leiden, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vertex. "We are now treating more patients with our approved medicines than ever before, resulting in significant revenues and
earnings growth. We expect this financial trajectory to continue, driven by our pipeline of transformative CF medicines."
Dr. Leiden continued, "We look forward to continued progress in 2018 with the anticipated approval of our third CF medicine, and advancement into pivotal development of our portfolio of triple combination regimens, which have the potential to treat nearly all CF patients in the future."
Financial Highlights
Revenues:
•
Total CF net product revenues were $549.6 million compared to $409.7 million for the third quarter of 2016.
•
Net product revenues from ORKAMBI were $336.2 million compared to $234.0 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in ORKAMBI revenues was driven by a number of factors, including the continued uptake in children with CF ages 6 to 11 in the U.S. and the addition of revenues from European countries where ORKAMBI is currently reimbursed.
•
Net product revenues from KALYDECO were $213.5 million compared to $175.6 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in KALYDECO revenues was driven by the approval and uptake among people ages 2 and older in the U.S. who have certain residual function mutations.
Expenses:
•
Combined GAAP R&D and SG&A expenses were $575.7 million compared to $378.4 million for the third quarter of 2016. Combined non-GAAP R&D and SG&A expenses were $333.8 million compared to $295.0 million for the third quarter of 2016.
•
GAAP R&D expenses were $454.9 million compared to $272.4 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in GAAP R&D expenses was primarily due to an upfront payment of $160.0 million related to the acquisition of VX-561 (previously known as CTP-656), an investigational once-daily CFTR potentiator, from Concert Pharmaceuticals. Non-GAAP R&D expenses were $243.2 million compared to $211.0 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in non-GAAP R&D expenses was primarily attributable to the clinical development of the company’s triple combination regimens for CF.
•
GAAP SG&A expenses were $120.7 million compared to $106.1 million for the third quarter of 2016. Non-GAAP SG&A expenses were $90.6 million compared to $84.0 million for the third quarter of 2016. The increase in GAAP and non-GAAP SG&A expenses was driven by the global support for KALYDECO and ORKAMBI.
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Vertex:
•
GAAP net loss was $(103.0) million, or $(0.41) per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2017, compared to a net loss of $(38.8) million, or $(0.16) per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2016. The GAAP net loss in the third quarter of 2017 was primarily due to an upfront payment of $160.0 million related to the acquisition of VX-561 from Concert Pharmaceuticals. Non-GAAP net income was $136.4 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $43.1 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2016. Third quarter 2017 non-GAAP net income growth was driven by increased CF product revenues.
Intangible Asset Impairment:
•
Based upon Phase 2 data evaluating VX-371 in combination with ORKAMBI (reported below), Vertex concluded that the intangible asset had become fully impaired, and also resulted in the deconsolidation of Parion Sciences. This impairment caused a write down of the assets, including the intangible asset, related to Parion, offset by the benefit from income taxes and the reversal of non-controlling interest, which resulted in an increase in GAAP net loss of $7.1 million for the third quarter of 2017 and had no impact on non-GAAP net income.
Cash Position:
•
As of September 30, 2017, Vertex had $1.81 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities compared to $1.43 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2016.