- Worldwide net Ocaliva® (obeticholic acid or OCA) 2Q 2017 sales of $30.4 million
- AESOP Phase 2 trial in patients with PSC met its primary endpoint
- CONTROL trial met its objective, confirming statin co-administration with OCA reduces LDL to below baseline levels in patients with NASH
Conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET today
NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ICPT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat progressive non-viral liver diseases, today reported financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2017, and provided other general business updates.
“I’m very pleased with our commercial performance to date and continued momentum as a leader in progressive non-viral liver disease,” said Mark Pruzanski, M.D., President and CEO of Intercept. “In the U.S., we have seen strong execution in the first year of our Ocaliva launch, with steady quarter over quarter growth. In Europe and Canada, we remain focused on securing reimbursement and are pleased with initial uptake in our early access markets.”
“Today we also announced exciting topline results from two important Phase 2 trials,” added Dr. Pruzanski. “In AESOP, our Phase 2 trial in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), OCA met the primary endpoint of statistically significant reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a clinically important biomarker in this aggressive cholestatic liver disease. And in CONTROL, we achieved our objective in demonstrating that the lowest available dose of atorvastatin rapidly reverses OCA associated LDL changes to below baseline levels in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients with fibrosis or cirrhosis.”
Ocaliva Commercial Update
Intercept recorded $30.4 million of worldwide net Ocaliva sales in the second quarter of 2017.
Net U.S. Ocaliva sales were $27.9 million for the second quarter of 2017.
Ocaliva was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2016 for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA. Intercept commercially launched Ocaliva in the United States in June 2016 and in conjunction launched Interconnect®, a comprehensive, personalized program that connects patients with dedicated care coordinators who help them understand their disease and provides treatment support and, for eligible patients, financial assistance options.
Net ex-U.S. international Ocaliva sales were $2.5 million for the second quarter of 2017.
Ocaliva was granted conditional approval by the European Commission in December 2016 for the treatment of PBC in combination with UDCA in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA. We commenced our European commercial launch in January 2017. Ocaliva was granted conditional approval by Health Canada in May 2017.
Anticipated 2017 Milestones
- PBC Program
• Continue growth in ongoing U.S. Ocaliva launch
• Launch Ocaliva in key European markets and seek regulatory approval in other target international markets
• Continue enrolling COBALT (Phase 4 confirmatory trial in PBC) - NASH Program
• Continue enrolling clinical outcomes cohort in REGENERATE (Phase 3 trial in NASH patients with fibrosis)
• Initiate Phase 3 trial in NASH patients with cirrhosis during 2H 2017 - Pipeline
• Define path forward for OCA in PSC
• Initiate Phase 2 trial of INT-767 in NASH patients with fibrosis during 2H 2017
Financial Results
Three Months Ended June 30, 2017
For the three months ended June 30, 2017, Intercept reported a net loss of $86.6 million. GAAP operating expense for the three months ended June 30, 2017 was $111.4 million. Non-GAAP adjusted operating expense1 for the three months ended June 30, 2017 was $96.0 million, which excludes non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $14.3 million and depreciation expense of $1.1 million.
Revenues
Intercept recognized $30.4 million of net sales of Ocaliva for the second quarter 2017. Intercept currently recognizes revenue using the sell-through method (i.e., when its specialty pharmacies dispense Ocaliva to patients, not when products are sold to the specialty pharmacies). Revenue recognition will transition from the sell-through method to the sell-in method once a sufficient period of commercial experience has occurred to enable Intercept to estimate product returns.
Intercept recognized $0.4 million and $5.4 million of license revenue related to the amortization of the up-front and milestone payments under the collaboration agreement with Sumitomo Dainippon for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Expenses
Costs of goods sold (COGS) was negligible for the second quarter of 2017. Prior to the FDA approval of Ocaliva, Intercept had expensed costs related to the manufacturing and buildup of commercial launch supplies of OCA. Therefore, COGS was only reflective of packaging and labeling costs incurred during the period. Intercept expects COGS to remain negligible until previously expensed supplies of OCA are sold.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $66.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, up from $48.7 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The increase from the prior period was primarily driven by expenses related to Ocaliva commercialization activities and additional personnel-related costs to support our commercial and international initiatives.
Research and development expenses increased to $44.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, up from $34.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The increase over the prior period was primarily driven by increases in clinical development programs for OCA and infrastructure to support such programs.
Interest expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $7.3 million. The interest expense is related to the 3.25% convertible senior notes due 2023 issued in July 2016.
Six Months Ended June 30, 2017
Intercept reported a net loss of $176.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017, compared to a net loss of $204.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016. The net loss included $28.3 million and $14.5 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, as well as a one-time net expense of $45.0 million for the settlement of the purported securities class action lawsuit in the six months ended June 30, 2016.
Cash Position
As of June 30, 2017, Intercept had cash, cash equivalents and investment securities available for sale of approximately $550.3 million, compared to $689.4 million as of December 31, 2016.
Financial guidance
Intercept continues to project non-GAAP adjusted operating expenses of $380 million to $420 million for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. This guidance excludes non-cash items such as stock-based compensation and depreciation. These expenses are planned to support the continued commercialization of Ocaliva in PBC in the United States and other markets, continued clinical development for OCA in PBC, NASH and PSC and the continued development of INT-767 and other pipeline programs.
Intercept anticipates that stock-based compensation expense will represent the most significant non-cash item that will be excluded in adjusted operating expenses as compared to operating expenses under GAAP. Adjusted operating expense is a financial measure not calculated in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of projected operating expense calculated in accordance with GAAP to non-GAAP adjusted operating expense is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to an inability to make accurate projections and estimates related to certain information needed to calculate, for example, future stock-based compensation expense.
Conference Call on July 31st at 8:30 a.m. ET
Intercept will hold its second quarter 2017 financial results conference call and webcast on Monday, July 31st at 8:30 a.m. ET. The live event will be available on the investor page of the Intercept website at http://ir.interceptpharma.com or by calling (855) 232-3919 (toll-free domestic) or (315) 625-6894 (international) five minutes prior to the start time (no passcode is required). A replay of the call will be available on the Intercept website approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will be archived for two weeks.
About Intercept
Intercept is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat non-viral, progressive liver diseases, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and biliary atresia. Founded in 2002 in New York, Intercept now has operations in the United States, Europe and Canada.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release presents adjusted operating expense, which is a non-GAAP measure, both on a historical and projected basis. Adjusted operating expense should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, operating expense that Intercept prepares and announces in accordance with GAAP. Intercept excludes certain items from adjusted operating expense, such as stock-based compensation and depreciation, that management does not believe affect Intercept’s basic operations and that do not meet the GAAP definition of unusual or nonrecurring items. For the six months ended June 30, 2016, adjusted operating expense also excludes the one-time $45 million net expense for the settlement of the purported class action lawsuit.
A table reconciling historical GAAP operating expense to non-GAAP adjusted operating expense is included below under the heading “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Operating Expense.” A reconciliation of projected operating expense calculated in accordance with GAAP to non-GAAP adjusted operating expense is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to an inability to make accurate projections and estimates related to certain information needed to calculate, for example, future stock-based compensation expense. Management also uses adjusted operating expense to establish budgets and operational goals and to manage Intercept’s business. Other companies may define this measure in different ways. Intercept believes this presentation provides investors and management with supplemental information relating to operating performance and trends that facilitate comparisons between periods and with respect to projected information.
About Ocaliva® (obeticholic acid)
Ocaliva is indicated in the United States for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA, or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA.
This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on a reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as a surrogate endpoint which is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit, including an improvement in liver transplant free-survival. An improvement in survival or disease-related symptoms has not been established. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. Intercept is currently enrolling COBALT, a Phase 4 clinical outcomes trial of Ocaliva in patients with PBC with the goal of confirming clinical benefit on a post-marketing basis.
In December 2016, Ocaliva received conditional marketing authorization in Europe for the treatment of PBC in combination with UDCA in adults with an inadequate response to UDCA or as monotherapy in adults unable to tolerate UDCA, conditional to the company providing further data post-approval to confirm benefit. For detailed safety information for Ocaliva (obeticholic
acid) 5 mg and 10 mg tablets including posology and method of administration, special warnings, drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, please see the European Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on www.ema.europa.eu.
U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Contraindications
Ocaliva is contraindicated in patients with complete biliary obstruction.
Warnings and Precautions
Liver-Related Adverse Reactions
In two 3-month, placebo-controlled clinical trials a dose-response relationship was observed for the occurrence of liver-related adverse reactions including jaundice, ascites and primary biliary cholangitis flare with dosages of Ocaliva of 10 mg once daily to 50 mg once daily (up to 5-times the highest recommended dosage), as early as one month after starting treatment with Ocaliva.
In a pooled analysis of three placebo-controlled trials in patients with PBC, the exposure-adjusted incidence rates for all serious and otherwise clinically significant liver-related adverse reactions, and isolated elevations in liver biochemical tests, per 100 patient exposure years (PEY) were: 5.2 in the Ocaliva 10 mg group (highest recommended dosage), 19.8 in the Ocaliva 25 mg group (2.5 times the highest recommended dosage) and 54.5 in the Ocaliva 50 mg group (5 times the highest recommended dosage) compared to 2.4 in the placebo group.
Monitor patients during treatment with Ocaliva for elevations in liver biochemical tests and for the development of liver-related adverse reactions. Weigh the potential risks against the benefits of continuing treatment with Ocaliva in patients who have experienced clinically significant liver-related adverse reactions. The maximum recommended dosage of Ocaliva is 10 mg once daily. Adjust the dosage for patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment.
Discontinue Ocaliva in patients who develop complete biliary obstruction.
Severe Pruritus
Severe pruritus was reported in 23% of patients in the Ocaliva 10 mg arm, 19% of patients in the Ocaliva titration arm and 7% of patients in the placebo arm in the POISE trial, a 12-month double- blind randomized controlled trial of 216 patients. Severe pruritus was defined as intense or widespread itching, interfering with activities of daily living, or causing severe sleep disturbance, or intolerable discomfort, and typically requiring medical interventions. In the subgroup of patients in the Ocaliva titration arm who increased their dosage from 5 mg once daily to 10 mg once daily after 6 months of treatment (n=33), the incidence of severe pruritus was 0% from months 0 to 6 and 15% from months 6 to 12. The median time to onset of severe pruritus was 11, 158 and 75 days for patients in the Ocaliva 10 mg, Ocaliva titration and placebo arms, respectively.
Management strategies include the addition of bile acid resins or antihistamines, Ocaliva dosage reduction and/or temporary interruption of Ocaliva dosing.
Reduction in HDL-C
Patients with PBC generally exhibit hyperlipidemia characterized by a significant elevation in total cholesterol primarily due to increased levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC). In the POISE trial, dose-dependent reductions from baseline in mean HDL-C levels were observed at 2 weeks in Ocaliva-treated patients, 20% and 9% in the 10 mg and titration arms, respectively, compared to 2% in the placebo arm. At month 12, the reduction from baseline in mean HDL-C level was 19% in the Ocaliva 10 mg arm, 12% in the Ocaliva titration arm and 2% in the placebo arm.
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