REYKJAVIK, Iceland, May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- deCODE genetics today announced its consolidated financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. A conference call to discuss the quarter’s results and recent operating highlights will be webcast live tomorrow, Friday, May 2, at 8:00am Eastern Time/12 noon GMT/1pm British Summer Time (details below).
Net loss for the quarter ending March 31, 2008 was $26.7 million, compared to $22.6 million for the first quarter 2007. Basic and diluted net loss per share was $0.44 for the first quarter 2008, versus $0.37 for the same quarter last year. At the close of the first quarter 2008, the company had approximately 61.8 million shares outstanding.
Revenue for the first quarter of this year increased to $15.0 million from $8.6 million for the first quarter 2007. The most significant factor in this increase in revenue is the continued growth in the company’s genomic services business. At March 31, 2008, the company had $16.2 million in deferred revenue that will be recognized over future reporting periods.
Research and development expense was $12.7 million for the first quarter of this year, compared to $12.7 million for the same period last year. Our research and development expense in the past quarter includes costs related to the development and launch of our latest DNA-based tests for gauging individual risk of a growing number of common diseases and ongoing gene discovery work that is feeding our diagnostics pipeline and deCODEme service.
Selling, general and administrative expense for the first quarter of 2008 was $7.2 million, compared to $5.5 million for the 2007 period. The year-on- year increase in SG&A expense reflects in part the launch and build-up of our marketing efforts for our diagnostics and deCODEme businesses.
At March 31, 2008, the company had $69.5 million in cash, cash equivalents and investments, including restricted cash equivalents, compared to $94.1 million at December 31, 2007.
“Since the beginning of the year we have sharpened our strategic focus on capturing the commercial potential of our growing portfolio of DNA-based diagnostics for assessing risk of common diseases, and of our personal genome analysis service deCODEme(TM). We have what I believe are critical competitive advantages in these areas. In the first quarter, we have built out our marketing efforts to leverage these advantages, demonstrating our leadership in the breakthrough discoveries and the expertise in genetic analysis that distinguish the deCODE brand. We have also achieved positive clinical results for our heart attack and anti-platelet compounds DG051 and DG041, results which demonstrate the potential of these compounds as we pursue partnerships for later stage clinical development. I believe our progress over the past quarter demonstrates our commitment to realizing and capturing the value coming out of our capabilities in human genetics,” said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.
About deCODE
deCODE is a biopharmaceutical company applying its discoveries in human genetics to the development of diagnostics and drugs for common diseases. deCODE is a global leader in gene discovery - our population approach and resources have enabled us to isolate key genes contributing to major public health challenges from cardiovascular disease to cancer, genes that are providing us with drug targets rooted in the basic biology of disease. Through its CLIA-registered laboratory, deCODE is offering a growing range of DNA- based tests for gauging risk and empowering prevention of common diseases, including deCODE T2(TM) for type 2 diabetes; deCODE AF(TM) for atrial fibrillation and stroke; deCODE MI(TM) for heart attack; and deCODE ProCa(TM) for prostate cancer. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new genetics.(SM) Visit us on the web at www.decode.com; on our diagnostics website at www.decodediagnostics.com; and, for our pioneering personal genome analysis service, at www.decodeme.com.
Conference Call Information
A conference call, during which deCODE President and CEO Kari Stefansson and CFO Lance Thibault will discuss first quarter financial results and recent operating highlights, will be webcast tomorrow, Friday, May 2, at 8:00am Eastern Time/12 noon GMT/1pm British Summer Time. The webcast can be accessed via the Investors section of deCODE’s website, www.decode.com, or through www.earnings.com. A replay of the call will be available on these websites for at least one week following the call. A digitized telephone replay of the call can be accessed for the week following the call by dialing 1 800 475 6701 from the US, or +1 320 365 3844 from outside the US. The access code is 920841.
Any statements contained in this presentation that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, and the timing of events, to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, those relating to our ability to obtain financing and to form collaborative relationships, uncertainty regarding potential future deterioration in the market for auction rate securities which could result in additional permanent impairment charges, our ability to develop and market diagnostic products, the level of third party reimbursement for our products, risks related to preclinical and clinical development of pharmaceutical products, including the identification of compounds and the completion of clinical trials, the effect of government regulation and the regulatory approval processes, market acceptance, our ability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights for our products, dependence on collaborative relationships, the effect of competitive products, industry trends and other risks identified in deCODE’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the risk factors identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. deCODE undertakes no obligation to update or alter these forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CONTACT: Joy Bessenger, +354 570 1900, +1-212-481-3891, ir@decode.is, or
Gisli Arnason, +354 570 1825, gisli.arnason@decode.is
Web site: http://www.decode.com/
