Mar 23 2010
Inhibitex, Inc. (NASDAQ:INHX) today announced its financial results for
the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009 and provided an
update on various corporate developments.
“We are proud of our many accomplishments in 2009 and enter 2010
well-positioned for what we believe will be a transformational year for
Inhibitex”
“We are proud of our many accomplishments in 2009 and enter 2010
well-positioned for what we believe will be a transformational year for
Inhibitex,” stated Russell H. Plumb, President and CEO of Inhibitex,
Inc. “Our Phase II trial of FV-100, which we are developing for the
treatment of shingles, passed the midway point in enrollment last month.
Pfizer recently advanced a staphylococcal vaccine that contains one of
our proprietary antigens into clinical development. We anticipate that
INX-189, a nucleotide polymerase inhibitor that we are developing to
treat chronic hepatitis C infections, will also enter clinical
development in the first half of this year. Over the next twelve months,
we intend to complete human proof-of-concept trials for both FV-100 and
INX-189. Finally, due to a $23 million financing transaction in the
fourth quarter of 2009, we believe that we are adequately funded to
achieve these near-term development goals and support our planned
operations into 2012.”
Fourth Quarter 2009 Financial Results
As of December 31, 2009, the Company held $37.9 million in cash, cash
equivalents and short-term investments. The Company had a net loss for
the fourth quarter of 2009 of $4.7 million, as compared to a net loss of
$3.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. Basic and diluted net loss
per share was $0.08 for the fourth quarter of both 2009 and 2008. The
increase in net loss in the fourth quarter of 2009 was the result of
higher research and development expense, lower revenues from a
collaborative license and development agreement and lower net interest
income, offset in part by a reduction in general and administrative
expense.
Revenue decreased to $0.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2009 from
$0.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. The $0.5 million decrease
was primarily the result of upfront license fees received by the Company
in 2007 and 2008 being fully amortized to revenue as of the end of 2008,
and to a lesser extent, lower periodic research-associated support fees
received by the Company in 2009.
Research and development expense increased to $4.3 million in the fourth
quarter of 2009 from $3.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2008,
primarily due to a $0.9 million increase in direct costs incurred in
connection with the clinical development of FV-100 and the preclinical
development of INX-189, offset in part by a $0.2 million decrease in
non-direct expenses.
General and administrative expense decreased to $0.7 million in the
fourth quarter of 2009 from $1.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The decrease of $0.3 million was primarily the result of a reduction in
insurance premiums and other various recurring expenses.
Year End 2009 Financial Results
For the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company reported a net loss of
$17.6 million, as compared to $13.2 million for 2008. Basic and diluted
net loss per share for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $0.38, as
compared to $0.31 for 2008. The increase in net loss and net loss per
share in 2009 was primarily the result of higher research and
development expense associated with the clinical development of FV-100
and the preclinical development of the Company’s HCV nucleotide
polymerase inhibitor program, including INX-189, lower revenues from a
collaborative license and development agreement and lower net interest
income, offset in part by a reduction in general and administrative
expense.
Recent Corporate Developments
FV-100- In January 2010, the Company announced that the
independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) responsible for
reviewing data from the Company’s ongoing Phase II clinical trial of
FV-100 met, as scheduled, in early December 2009 after the Company had
provided it with complete 30-day follow-up data on the first quartile of
patients enrolled in the trial. Based upon its review, the DSMB
unanimously recommended that the trial should continue, as originally
designed, without modification. The Company anticipates that an interim
analysis and a DSMB review of the complete 30-day follow-up data on the
first half (50%) of patients enrolled in the trial will be completed
shortly. Top-line data from this trial is anticipated in the fourth
quarter of 2010.
INX-189- In January 2010, the Company announced it had completed
the requisite Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) preclinical studies to
support the filing of an investigational new drug application (IND) for
INX-189. Based on the results of these studies, an IND and, subject to
FDA review, initiation of a Phase I clinical trial of INX-189, continue
to be anticipated in the first half of 2010.
Staphylococcal Vaccine - In January 2010, the Company announced
that its licensee and collaborator, Pfizer, Inc., had initiated
recruitment for a randomized, double-blind Phase I clinical trial to
evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of three ascending
dose levels of a 3-antigen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
vaccine (SA3Ag) in 408 healthy adults. The vaccine contains an antigen
originating from the Company’s proprietary MSCRAMM® protein
platform. Pfizer is responsible for all clinical development,
manufacturing and marketing of the vaccine. The Company received a
payment of $0.7 million upon the achievement of this milestone and is
eligible to receive future regulatory milestones, as well as royalties
on any future net sales.
Financial Guidance
The Company provided financial guidance for 2010 based upon the status
of its development programs and its clinical development plans for
FV-100 and INX-189. The Company currently anticipates that it will have
between $14-$15 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term
investments on hand at the end of 2010, and that it has sufficient
financial resources to support its planned operations into 2012. This
guidance assumes that the Company completes its ongoing Phase II proof
of concept trial of FV-100 in 2010 and completes Phase I clinical trials
of INX-189 as planned. This estimate does not include the direct costs
associated with continuing the clinical development of FV-100 or INX-189
beyond these ongoing or planned clinical trials, or the impact of any
other significant transaction or change in strategy or development plans
in the future.
Source Inhibitex, Inc.,