LEXICON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. quarterly report, Q2 FY2013

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — Q2 2013 Form 10-Q

Reporting period: Three and six months ended June 30, 2013. Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company developing drug candidates and relies mainly on collaborations and licenses for revenue. Amounts below are in U.S. dollars; financial statement amounts are generally in millions unless noted.

Financial performance and liquidity

MetricQ2 2013Q2 2012Six months 2013Six months 2012
Revenue$0.214$0.199$0.574$0.499
Research and development$23.692$19.355$44.019$42.392
General and administrative$4.669$4.162$8.993$8.727
Operating loss$(28.624)$(25.480)$(54.179)$(54.863)
Net loss$(29.080)$(25.931)$(55.054)$(55.799)
Net loss per share$(0.06)$(0.05)$(0.11)$(0.12)
  • Six-month operating cash use was $45.4 million, versus $49.0 million in 2012. Investing activities provided $39.5 million, principally from net investment maturities; financing activities used $1.3 million. Cash and cash equivalents fell $7.2 million during the half.
  • At June 30, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled $175.4 million, down from $223.2 million at December 31, 2012. Current assets were $183.1 million and current liabilities $40.9 million.
  • Total liabilities were $108.3 million; equity was $215.1 million. The $22.7 million mortgage balance was classified as current, with a $21.4 million balloon payment due in April 2014. The loan bears fixed interest of 8.23%.
  • Accumulated deficit was $954.9 million. The filing reports no product-level or gross-margin figures; revenue was minimal relative to operating expenses.

Material changes and unusual items

  • Q2 revenue increased 8% year over year; first-half revenue increased 15%. Collaborative research revenue rose 41% for the half, primarily from the Taconic Farms alliance, while subscription and license fees fell 47%.
  • R&D expense rose 22% in Q2 and 4% for the half. Management attributed the increases mainly to external preclinical and clinical research costs. First-half G&A expense increased 3%.
  • Q2 net loss widened from $25.9 million to $29.1 million, while the first-half loss narrowed from $55.8 million to $55.1 million. The first-half increase in the fair value of the Symphony Icon purchase liability was $1.7 million, compared with $4.2 million in 2012.
  • During the first half, performance-based restricted stock units tied to dosing the first patient in a pivotal human clinical trial vested. Stock-based compensation expense totaled $4.0 million for the half.

Outlook, risks and contingencies

  • Management said available unrestricted cash and investments, together with expected collaboration, license and other receipts, should fund operations for at least 12 months. It expects substantial R&D spending and continued losses; additional financing may be needed thereafter and may be unavailable or dilutive.
  • Revenue depends on collaborations, licensing, milestone achievement and potential royalties; the company noted that it relies on a limited number of revenue sources and that results may fluctuate.
  • Symphony Icon arrangements may require contingent payments of up to $45 million, generally tied to licensing proceeds or specified U.S. regulatory approval circumstances.
  • The Texas Enterprise Fund award carries job-creation commitments. Failure to meet them could result in repayment; maximum aggregate exposure is approximately $14.2 million before applicable credits, including $302,000 in 2013.
  • The company reported ordinary-course legal proceedings that it did not expect to have a material adverse effect. Key stated risks include clinical and regulatory uncertainty, dependence on collaborators and third parties, need for financing, intellectual-property disputes, commercialization and reimbursement challenges, and stock-price volatility.
  • Management reported disclosure controls and procedures were effective and no significant subsequent changes in internal controls.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Whether cash use and collaboration or licensing receipts support management’s stated minimum 12-month funding runway.
  • How Lexicon plans to address the $21.4 million mortgage balloon due in April 2014.
  • Progress and potential financial implications of clinical programs, including the pivotal-trial milestone associated with performance-based awards.
  • Potential Symphony Icon contingent payments and Texas job-creation obligations, including credits that may reduce exposure.
  • Changes in R&D spending, collaboration revenue concentration, and the availability and terms of any future financing.