Heron Therapeutics Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Financial Results and Highlights Recent Corporate Updates

Rhea-AI Summary

Heron Therapeutics (HRTX) reported strong financial results for Q4 and full-year 2024, achieving Q4 GAAP Net Income of $3.6 million and full-year net revenue of $144.2 million, marking a 14% year-over-year increase. The company delivered full-year 2024 adjusted EBITDA of $8.6 million.

Key highlights include ZYNRELEF Q4 2024 net revenue of $8.5 million and the launch of the ZYNRELEF Vial Access Needle (VAN) in December 2024. The company secured a favorable U.S. District Court ruling in a patent lawsuit against Fresenius Kabi USA, upholding CINVANTI patents through 2035.

ZYNRELEF's expanded label indications now cover an estimated 17 million annual targeted procedures. The product will continue receiving separate payment until at least end of 2027 under CMS policy. The newly launched VAN is expected to simplify preparation and reduce withdrawal time to 20-45 seconds.

Positive

• Q4 2024 GAAP Net Income of $3.6M
• 14% YoY revenue growth to $144.2M in 2024
• Full-year adjusted EBITDA of $8.6M
• ZYNRELEF label expansion to 17M annual procedures
• Favorable patent ruling for CINVANTI through 2035
• Secured CMS separate payment status through 2027

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

Heron Therapeutics (HRTX) has delivered a significant financial inflection point in Q4 2024, reporting $3.6 million in GAAP net income - a important milestone in the company's turnaround strategy. This represents Heron's transition to profitability after years of investment in their commercial portfolio. Full-year 2024 revenue reached $144.2 million, growing at 14% year-over-year, outpacing many specialty pharma peers in the current market environment.

The company's ZYNRELEF franchise continues to gain momentum, generating $8.5 million in Q4 revenue. The strategic importance of ZYNRELEF is magnified by several converging catalysts: the newly launched Vial Access Needle, which reduces preparation time from minutes to seconds; expanded label indications covering an estimated 17 million annual procedures (representing a $2-3 billion addressable market opportunity); and crucially, CMS's decision to maintain separate payment status until at least 2027, providing critical reimbursement support that directly incentivizes hospital adoption.

The favorable patent ruling for CINVANTI against Fresenius Kabi secures exclusivity through 2035, effectively protecting a key revenue stream for another decade. This extends Heron's intellectual property runway significantly, providing stability to support continued investment in ZYNRELEF's commercialization.

With $59.3 million in cash and equivalents, combined with improving operational efficiency (demonstrated by $8.6 million in adjusted EBITDA), Heron appears adequately capitalized to execute its growth strategy without immediate financing needs. The Crosslink partnership strategically expands promotional reach in orthopedics without the capital expenditure of building an internal sales force, representing an efficient approach to market penetration.

Healthcare Industry Expert

Heron's expanded label for ZYNRELEF represents a strategic breakthrough in the non-opioid pain management landscape. The indication expansion to approximately 17 million annual procedures isn't merely an incremental improvement - it positions ZYNRELEF as one of the most broadly applicable non-opioid alternatives in the post-surgical setting, covering major procedural categories across orthopedics, soft tissue, and now women's health with the cesarean section indication.

The NOPAIN Act implementation, referenced in the company update, provides critical policy tailwinds by incentivizing non-opioid pain management adoption. This legislation, coupled with ZYNRELEF's secured separate payment status through 2027, creates a uniquely favorable reimbursement environment that removes the historical economic barriers to non-opioid alternatives. Healthcare facilities can now receive additional payment beyond the bundled surgical payment, effectively neutralizing the cost differential that has historically adoption of innovative pain management options.

The introduction of the Vial Access Needle addresses a significant practical barrier in operating room settings. Reducing preparation time from minutes to seconds may seem incremental, but represents a important workflow enhancement in time-pressured surgical environments where efficiency directly impacts procedure volume and staff utilization. This technical improvement addresses feedback from anesthesiologists and surgical staff who cited preparation complexity as a limitation to routine use.

Heron's partnership with Crosslink strategically targets orthopedics - the highest-volume specialty for post-surgical pain management and historically the largest prescriber of opioids. By focusing promotional efforts on this specialty through an established network, Heron can accelerate penetration in the procedures with highest utilization potential without building an extensive internal sales infrastructure.

The CINVANTI patent victory through 2035 provides a critical competitive moat around Heron's supportive care franchise, ensuring stable revenue to fund ZYNRELEF's commercialization during this pivotal growth phase. This patent protection is particularly valuable as CINVANTI has established strong positioning in the PONV and CINV markets.

• Achieved Q4 2024 GAAP Net Income of $3.6 million
• Generated full-year 2024 Net Revenue of $144.2 million, up 14% year-over-year
• Delivered full-year 2024 adjusted EBITDA of $8.6 million
• Generated ZYNRELEF^® Q4 2024 Net Revenue of $8.5 million and launched the ZYNRELEF Vial Access Needle ("VAN") in December 2024
• U.S. District Court ruled in favor of Heron in patent lawsuit against Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, and upheld the validity of CINVANTI^® patents which expire in 2035 

CARY, N.C., Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX) ("Heron" or the "Company"), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, today announced financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024, and highlighted recent corporate updates.

"2024 was a milestone year for Heron. We delivered strong financial results, including positive Net Income for Q4 2024, achieved our operational objectives, and repositioned the business for future growth. As we move into 2025, our product ZYNRELEF is poised for transformational growth, driven by its expanded label indications, the launch of the VAN, the approval of the NOPAIN Act, and the enhanced promotional reach of the Crosslink relationship," said Craig Collard, Chief Executive Officer.

Financial Guidance for 2025 

Item	2025 Full-Year Guidance for Net Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA (in millions)
Net Revenue		$153.0	to	$163.0
Adjusted EBITDA		$0.0	to	$8.0

Business Highlights 

• Partnership with Crosslink Network, LLC ("Crosslink") expands the promotional effort for ZYNRELEF within the orthopedic surgery marketplace for post-operative pain.
  
  
• Expanded label indications for ZYNRELEF now cover an estimated 17 million annual targeted procedures with many more also indicated - a significant increase over prior indicated procedures, based upon data from studies for cesarean section, spinal surgery, augmentation mammoplasty, and total shoulder arthroplasty, making ZYNRELEF appropriate for a wide range of patients and appealing for broad formulary adoption.
  
  
• ZYNRELEF will continue to receive separate payment from April 1, 2025, until at least the end of 2027 as the result of inclusion in the "CMS OPPS and ASC Final Rule CY 2025 Non-Opioid Policy for Pain Relief" by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS").
  
  
• The ZYNRELEF VAN launched in Q4 2024, following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") in September 2024. The VAN replaces the current vented vial spike and is expected to simplify aseptic preparation, while also significantly reducing ZYNRELEF's withdrawal time to between twenty and forty-five seconds.
  
  
• Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments were $59.3 million as of December 31, 2024.

Net Revenue Performance - Year Ended December 31

	2024	2023	Dollar Change	Percentage Change
Acute Care	$30,064	$19,118	$10,946	57.3 %
APONVIE	$4,518	$1,391	$3,127	224.8 %
ZYNRELEF	$25,546	$17,727	$7,819	44.1 %
Oncology	$114,221	$107,926	$6,295	5.8 %
CINVANTI	$100,079	$94,869	$5,210	5.5 %
SUSTOL	$14,142	$13,057	$1,085	8.3 %
Total Net Revenue	$144,285	$127,044	$17,241	13.6 %
Net Revenue Performance - Quarter Ended December 31
	2024	2023	Dollar Change	Percentage Change
Acute Care	$10,389	$6,164	$4,225	68.5 %
APONVIE	$1,932	$470	$1,462	311.1 %
ZYNRELEF	$8,457	$5,694	$2,763	48.5 %
Oncology	$30,392	$28,070	$2,322	8.3 %
CINVANTI	$26,873	$24,270	$2,603	10.7 %
SUSTOL	$3,519	$3,800	(281)	-7.4 %
Total Net Revenue	$40,781	$34,234	$6,547	19.1 %

Conference Call and Webcast

Heron will host a conference call and live webcast on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET. The conference call can be accessed by phone by utilizing the following registration link which will provide participants with dial-in details. To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. The conference call will also be available via webcast under the Investor Relations section of Heron's website at www.herontx.com. An archive of the teleconference and webcast will also be made available on Heron's website for sixty days following the call.

About ZYNRELEF for Postoperative Pain

ZYNRELEF is the first and only dual-acting local anesthetic that delivers a fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine and a low dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. ZYNRELEF is the first and only extended-release local anesthetic to demonstrate in Phase 3 studies significantly reduced pain and significantly increased proportion of patients requiring no opioids through the first 72 hours following surgery compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care local anesthetic for postoperative pain control. ZYNRELEF was initially approved by the FDA in May 2021 for use in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after bunionectomy, open inguinal herniorrhaphy and total knee arthroplasty. In December 2021, the FDA approved an expansion of ZYNRELEF's indication to include foot and ankle, small-to-medium open abdominal, and lower extremity total joint arthroplasty surgical procedures. On January 23, 2024, the FDA approved ZYNRELEF for soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures including foot and ankle, and other procedures in which direct exposure to articular cartilage is avoided. Safety and efficacy have not been established in highly vascular surgeries, such as intrathoracic, large multilevel spinal, and head and neck procedures.

Please see full prescribing information, including Boxed Warning, at www.ZYNRELEF.com.

About APONVIE for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV)

APONVIE is a substance NK₁ Receptor Antagonist (RA), indicated for the prevention of PONV in adults. Delivered via a 30-second IV push, APONVIE 32 mg was demonstrated to be bioequivalent to oral aprepitant 40 mg with rapid achievement of therapeutic drug levels. APONVIE is the same formulation as Heron's approved drug product CINVANTI. APONVIE is supplied in a single-dose vial that delivers the full 32 mg dose for PONV. APONVIE was approved by the FDA in September 2022 and became commercially available in the U.S. on March 6, 2023.

Please see full prescribing information at www.APONVIE.com.

About CINVANTI for Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) Prevention

CINVANTI, in combination with other antiemetic agents, is indicated in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (HEC) including high-dose cisplatin as a single-dose regimen, delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy (MEC) as a single-dose regimen, and nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of MEC as a 3-day regimen. CINVANTI is an IV formulation of aprepitant, an NK₁ RA. CINVANTI is the first IV formulation to directly deliver aprepitant, the active ingredient in EMEND^® capsules. Aprepitant (including its prodrug, fosaprepitant) is a single-agent NK₁ RA to significantly reduce nausea and vomiting in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and the delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy). The FDA-approved dosing administration included in the U.S. prescribing information for CINVANTI include 100 mg or 130 mg administered as a 30-minute IV infusion or a 2-minute IV injection.

Please see full prescribing information at www.CINVANTI.com.

About SUSTOL for CINV Prevention

SUSTOL is indicated in combination with other antiemetics in adults for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) combination chemotherapy regimens. SUSTOL is an extended-release, injectable 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 RA that utilizes Heron's Biochronomer^® drug delivery technology to maintain therapeutic levels of granisetron for ≥5 days. The SUSTOL global Phase 3 development program was comprised of two, large, guideline-based clinical studies that evaluated SUSTOL's efficacy and safety in more than 2,000 patients with cancer. SUSTOL's efficacy in preventing nausea and vomiting was evaluated in both the acute phase (0–24 hours after chemotherapy) and delayed phase (24–120 hours after chemotherapy).

Please see full prescribing information at www.SUSTOL.com.

About Heron Therapeutics, Inc.

Heron Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing and commercializing therapeutic innovations that improve medical care. Our advanced science, patented technologies, and innovative approach to drug discovery and development have allowed us to create and commercialize a portfolio of products that aim to advance the standard-of-care for acute care and oncology patients. For more information, visit www.herontx.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our financial results presented on a GAAP basis, we have included information about certain non-GAAP financial measures. We believe the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, when viewed with our results under GAAP, provide analysts, investors, lenders, and other third parties with insights into how we evaluate normal operational activities, including our ability to generate cash from operations, on a comparable year-over-year basis and manage our budgeting and forecasting.

In our quarterly and annual reports, earnings press releases and conference calls, we may discuss the following financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, to supplement our consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that represents GAAP net income or loss adjusted to exclude interest expense, interest income, the benefit from or provision for income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and other adjustments to reflect changes that occur in our business but that we do not believe are indicative of ongoing operations. Adjusted EBITDA, as used by us, may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies.

There are several limitations related to the use of adjusted EBITDA rather than net income or loss, which is the nearest GAAP equivalent, such as:

• adjusted EBITDA excludes depreciation and amortization and, although these are non-cash expenses, the assets being depreciated or amortized may have to be replaced in the future, the cash requirements for which are not reflected in adjusted EBITDA;
  
  
• we exclude stock-based compensation expense from adjusted EBITDA although: (i) it has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense for our business and an important part of our compensation strategy; and (ii) if we did not pay out a portion of our compensation in the form of stock-based compensation, the cash salary expense included in operating expenses would be higher, which would affect our cash position;
  
  
• adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, working capital needs;
  
  
• adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the benefit from or provision for income taxes or the cash requirements to pay taxes; and
  
  
• adjusted EBITDA does not reflect historical cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments

Adjusted Operating Expenses

Adjusted operating expenses is a non-GAAP financial measure that represents GAAP operating expenses adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, and other adjustments to reflect changes that occur in our business but do not represent ongoing operations. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, see the below table captioned "YTD Adjusted EBITDA."

The Company has not provided a reconciliation of its guidance for adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP measures, in reliance on the unreasonable efforts exception provided under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K, because the Company is unable to predict, without unreasonable efforts, the timing and amount of items that would be included in such a reconciliation, including, but not limited to, stock-based compensation expense, and inventory reserve and asset write-offs. These items are uncertain and depend on various factors that are outside of the Company's control or cannot be reasonably predicted. While the Company is unable to address the probable significance of these items, they could have a material impact on GAAP net income and operating expenses for the guidance period.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Heron cautions readers that forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the potential market opportunities for ZYNRELEF, APONVIE, CINVANTI and SUSTOL; revenue, adjusted EBITDA and other financial guidance provided by the Company; the potential additional market opportunity for the expanded U.S. label for ZYNRELEF or inclusion of ZYNRELEF under the OPPS and the ASC payment system or launch of the ZYNRELEF VAN; our ability to establish and maintain successful commercial arrangements like our co-promotion agreement with Crosslink; the outcome of the Company's pending ANDA litigation, including potential appeals of any verdicts; whether the Company is required to write-off any additional inventory in the future; the expected future balances of Heron's cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments; the expected duration over which Heron's cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments balances will fund its operations and the risk that future equity financings may be needed; any inability or delay in achieving profitability. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the caption "Risk Factors." Forward-looking statements reflect our analysis only on their stated date, and Heron takes no obligation to update or revise these statements except as may be required by law.

 

Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
		Three months ended December 31,					Twelve months ended December 31,
		2024		2023			2024			2023
Revenues:		(unaudited)
Net product sales		$  40,781		$  34,233			$  144,285			$  127,044
Cost of product sales		10,229		9,885			38,648			65,105
Gross Profit		30,552		24,348			105,637			61,939
Operating expenses:
Research and development		3,178		7,803			16,683			39,133
General and administrative		12,144		14,437			53,397			65,778
Sales and marketing		11,057		12,328			47,085			67,643
Total operating expenses		26,379		34,568			117,165			172,554
Income (loss) from operations		4,173		(10,220)			(11,528)			(110,615)
Other (expense) income, net		(510)		(504)			(2,052)			56
Net loss		$ 3,663		$  (10,724)			$  (13,580)			$  (110,559)
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share		$ 0.02		$  (0.07)			$  (0.09)			$  (0.80)
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted		153,151		151,152			152,449			138,135

 

Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
	December 31, 2024		December 31, 2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$  25,802		$  28,677
Short-term investments	33,481		51,732
Accounts receivable, net	78,881		60,137
Inventory	53,160		42,110
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17,690		6,118
Total current assets	209,014		188,774
Property and equipment, net	14,863		20,166
Right-of-use lease assets	2,787		5,438
Other assets	6,483		8,128
Total assets	$  233,147		$  222,506
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$  11,709		$ 3,240
Accrued clinical and manufacturing liabilities	25,402		22,291
Accrued payroll and employee liabilities	9,554		9,224
Other accrued liabilities	41,755		41,855
Current lease liabilities	3,037		3,075
Total current liabilities	91,457		79,685
Non-current lease liabilities	-		2,800
Non-current notes payable, net	25,026		24,263
Non-current convertible notes payable, net	149,700		149,490
Other non-current liabilities	615		241
Total liabilities	266,798		256,479
Stockholders' deficit:
Common stock	1,521		1,503
Additional paid-in capital	1,884,409		1,870,525
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	13		13
Accumulated deficit	(1,919,594)		(1,906,014)
Total stockholders' deficit	(33,651)		(33,973)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit	$  233,147		$  222,506

 

Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
YTD Adjusted EBITDA
(in thousands)
	GAAP YTD 2024	Depreciation	Stock-Based Compensation	Inventory Reserve & Write-Off	Asset Write-Off		Adjusted YTD 2024
Net Product Sales	$  144,285	$             -	$                -	$             -	$         -	$  144,285
Cost of Product Sales	38,648	2,117	-	2,474	-	34,057
Gross profit	105,637	(2,117)	-	(2,474)	-	110,228
Operating Expenses:
Research and development	16,683	189	1,856	-	2,210	12,428
General and administrative	53,397	149	7,138	-	-	46,110
Sales and marketing	47,085	37	3,968	-	-	43,080
Total Operating Expense	117,165	375	12,962	-	2,210	101,618
(Loss) Income from Operations	$  (11,528)	$  (2,492)	$  (12,962)	$  (2,474)	$  (2,210)	$ 8,610

 

Investor Relations and Media Contact:
Ira Duarte
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
iduarte@herontx.com
858-251-4400

 

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SOURCE Heron Therapeutics, Inc.

FAQ

What was Heron Therapeutics' (HRTX) revenue growth in 2024?

Heron Therapeutics achieved full-year 2024 net revenue of $144.2 million, representing a 14% increase year-over-year.

How much revenue did ZYNRELEF generate for HRTX in Q4 2024?

ZYNRELEF generated net revenue of $8.5 million in Q4 2024.

What is the significance of ZYNRELEF's expanded label indications?

The expanded indications now cover approximately 17 million annual targeted procedures, significantly increasing market potential across various surgeries.

How long will ZYNRELEF receive separate CMS payment status?

ZYNRELEF will receive separate payment from April 1, 2025, until at least the end of 2027 under CMS OPPS and ASC Final Rule.

What is the impact of the CINVANTI patent lawsuit ruling for HRTX?

The U.S. District Court ruled in Heron's favor against Fresenius Kabi USA, validating CINVANTI patents through 2035.