BELLUS Health Reports Results for Second Quarter Ended June 30, 2011
Patient recruitment progressing for KIACTA Confirmatory Phase III Clinical Trial
LAVAL, QC, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - BELLUS Health Inc. (TSX: BLU) ("BELLUS Health" or the "Company") reported today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011.
"Over the past several quarters, we have increasingly focused our business model on our most promising products while reducing our burn rate significantly," said Roberto Bellini, President and Chief Executive Officer of BELLUS Health. "We made significant progress on several fronts during the quarter. Patient recruitment for our lead drug candidate KIACTA is progressing well and should be completed in mid-2012. We also continued to expand the distribution footprint in overseas markets for VIVIMIND."
Operating Highlights
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During the quarter, BELLUS Health and its strategic partner Celtic
Therapeutics ("Celtic") continued recruitment for the global
confirmatory phase III clinical trial for KIACTA. The trial is
designed to confirm the safety and efficacy of KIACTA in preventing
renal function decline in patients diagnosed with AA amyloidosis. It
will involve approximately 230 patients enrolled from approximately 72
sites in 30 countries. Patient recruitment is estimated to be completed
in mid-2012. The confirmatory phase III clinical trial is the last key
step before applications for regulatory approval for KIACTA can be
filed. It is currently estimated that the trial will be completed in
2014.
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As previously announced, the Company recently signed licensing
agreements for the marketing and distribution of VIVIMIND in Italy,
Canada, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran and certain other Gulf States in the
Middle East.
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The Company is currently seeking a potential partnership to pursue the
development process of NRM8499, a prodrug of tramiprosate, for which a
phase I clinical trial was completed in January 2011. Results of the
trial showed a potential for pursuing NRM8499 for the treatment of
Alzheimer's disease and demonstrated that NRM8499 was safe and well
tolerated at the intended therapeutic dose.
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Since the second quarter of 2010, the Company has been implementing
cost-reduction initiatives to reduce its fixed-cost base and extend its
financial resources. These included the gradual reduction of the
Company's head count by more than 75% as of June 30, 2011; early
termination of the lease agreement for the Company's Laval, Quebec
premises; and the reorganization of its international structure.
According to management's current estimates, the Company's monthly burn
rate is expected to decrease to approximately $350,000 in the future.
- On April 7, 2011, BELLUS Health issued 34,242,911 common shares from treasury at a price of approximately $0.125 per share to the landlord of its leased premises in Laval, Quebec, A.R.E. Quebec # 2, Inc. ("A.R.E.") as final payment for the deferred rent of approximately $4.3 million payable to A.R.E. The early termination of the lease is expected to result in annual savings of approximately $4.5 million for the Company, representing a total of approximately $43 million in aggregate savings over the remainder of the original lease term. The Company signed a new one-year lease that began on April 8, 2011 at the same premises, for less space.
Summary of Financial Results
These financial results were prepared in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), as issued by the International
Accounting Standards Board. Comparative figures for 2010 have been
restated to conform to IFRS. Unless otherwise specified, all currency
figures reported in this news release are in Canadian dollars.
Three-months ended June 30, 2011 | Three-months ended June 30, 2010 | |
(in thousands of dollars, except per share data) | ||
Revenues | 719 | 536 |
Finance income | 4,310 | 2,041 |
Research and development expenses | 341 | 2,243 |
General and administrative expenses | 789 | 2,815 |
Net income (loss) | 2,103 | (3,667) |
Basic earnings (loss) per share | 0.01 | (0.02) |
Diluted loss per share | - | (0.02) |
The Company's full consolidated financial statements and accompanying management's discussion and analysis for the three-month period ended June 30, 2011, will be available shortly on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's web site at www.bellushealth.com.
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For the three-month period ended June 30, 2011, revenues amounted to
$719,000, compared to $536,000 for the corresponding period the
previous year. Revenues correspond mainly to the amortized portion of
the US$10-million upfront payments received from Celtic pursuant to the
asset sale and license agreement entered into with the Company in April
of 2010, as well as to revenues earned by the Company under the service
agreement entered between the parties at the same moment.
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For the three-month period ended June 30, 2011, finance income amounted
to $4,310,000, compared to $2,041,000 for the corresponding period in
the previous year. The increase in the current period is mainly
attributable to a decrease in the fair value of the embedded derivative
liability on the conversion option of the Company's 2009 Notes.
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Research and development expenses, before research tax credits and
grants, amounted to $341,000 for the second quarter of 2011, compared
to $2,243,000 for the corresponding quarter of 2010. The decrease is
mainly attributable to the termination of the NC-503 (eprodisate)
development program in the first half of 2010 as well as the reduction
in the Company's workforce.
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General and administrative expenses were of $789,000 for the three-month
period ended June 30, 2011, compared to $2,815,000 for the same period
the previous year. The decrease is mainly due to the Company's
cost-reduction initiatives described under the Operating Highlights
above.
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Net income for the second quarter of 2011 amounted to $2,103,000 ($0.01
per share), compared to a net loss of $3,667,000 ($0.02 per share) for
the corresponding quarter in 2010. The increase is mainly attributable
to a decrease in the fair value of the embedded derivative liability on
the conversion option of the Company's 2009 Notes in the amount of
$4,247,000 for the three-month period.
- As at June 30, 2011, the Company had available cash and cash equivalents of $5,291,000.
About BELLUS Health
BELLUS Health is a development-focused health company concentrating on the development of products that provide innovative health solutions and address critical unmet medical needs. For further information on BELLUS Health, please visit www.bellushealth.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, may constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond BELLUS Health Inc.'s control. Such risks include but are not limited to: the ability to obtain financing immediately in current markets, the impact of general economic conditions, general conditions in the pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical industry, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which the BELLUS Health Group does business, stock market volatility, fluctuations in costs, and changes to the competitive environment due to consolidation, achievement of forecasted burn rate, and that actual results may vary once the final and quality-controlled verification of data and analyses has been completed. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance, if any, on any forward-looking statements included in this news release. These statements speak only as of the date made and BELLUS Health Inc. is under no obligation and disavows any intention to update or revise such statements as a result of any event, circumstances or otherwise, unless required by applicable legislation or regulation. Please see the Company's public fillings including the Annual Information Form of BELLUS Health Inc. for further risk factors that might affect the BELLUS Health Group and its business.