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Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Reports Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Provides Clinical Update

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Lexicon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LXRX) reported its Q3 2021 financial results, showing negligible revenues compared to $6.6 million in Q3 2020, primarily due to the sale of XERMELO. R&D expenses decreased to $15.7 million from $40.1 million, while SG&A expenses fell to $7.3 million from $12 million. The net loss for Q3 2021 was $23.1 million, or $0.16 per share, contrasted with a net income of $82.6 million in the same quarter last year, which included a significant gain from the asset sale. Lexicon aims to submit a new drug application for sotagliflozin by year-end.

Positive
  • Sotagliflozin is expected to be submitted for approval around year-end 2021.
  • New ESC guidelines recommend SGLT inhibitors for heart failure treatment, highlighting sotagliflozin's potential.
Negative
  • Q3 2021 revenues were negligible, a significant drop from $6.6 million in Q3 2020.
  • Net loss of $23.1 million in Q3 2021 compared to net income of $82.6 million in Q3 2020.

Conference Call and Webcast at 5:00 pm Eastern Time

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Nov. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: LXRX), today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2021 and provided an update on key milestones.

“We are on track for submission around year-end of our new drug application for sotagliflozin for the treatment of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes,” said Lonnel Coats, Lexicon’s chief executive officer. “Momentum continues to build for the adoption of SGLT inhibitors into the first-line heart failure treatment regimen, as most recently evidenced by the new clinical practice guidelines issued in late August by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). We believe that sotagliflozin’s unique mechanism of action as a dual SGLT1 and SGLT2 inhibitor offers differentiating advantages in this emerging market, with a particular opportunity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and that a primary point of engagement will be with specialists treating patients who have been recently hospitalized for worsening heart failure, which was the cornerstone of our SOLOIST study. We are building our launch readiness team in preparation for potentially bringing sotagliflozin to patients suffering from heart failure and living with type 2 diabetes next year.”

Third Quarter Highlights

Sotagliflozin

  • ESC issued new treatment guidelines adding SGLT inhibitors to the standard of care for the prevention and treatment of heart failure. Sotagliflozin was specifically recommended for the primary prevention of heart failure in type 2 diabetes patients with risk factors for its development and the treatment of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes, and was also noted in the guidelines in the context of worsening heart failure.
  • Additional analyses of sotagliflozin data from the SOLOIST and SCORED Phase 3 clinical studies were presented at the ESC Congress 2021 highlighting the benefits seen in reduced heart failure hospitalizations, myocardial infarction and stroke.

LX9211

  • Patient enrollment continued in two ongoing Phase 2 clinical studies of LX9211 for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. Results from these clinical studies are currently expected in the first half of 2022.

Corporate

  • Craig B. Granowitz, M.D., Ph.D. joined Lexicon as senior vice president and chief medical officer, with a deep and successful history in cardiovascular medicine. Dr. Granowitz will lead the build-out of Lexicon’s medical affairs organization as the company prepares for the potential launch of sotagliflozin for the treatment of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Third Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights

Revenues: Revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2021 were negligible as compared to $6.6 million for the corresponding period in 2020, primarily due to the absence of product revenues as a result of Lexicon’s sale of its XERMELO® product and related assets to TerSera Therapeutics LLC during the third quarter of 2020.

Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased to $15.7 million from $40.1 million for the corresponding period in 2020, primarily due to decreases in external clinical development costs related to sotagliflozin resulting from the completion of clinical studies.

Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses: Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2021 decreased to $7.3 million from $12.0 million for the corresponding period in 2020, primarily due to lower salaries and benefits costs as a result of reductions in personnel in September 2020 and lower marketing expenses, all primarily associated with the sale of XERMELO and related assets during the third quarter of 2020.

Net Loss: Net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was $23.1 million, or $0.16 per share, as compared to net income of $82.6 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, in the corresponding period in 2020. The three months ended September 30, 2020 included a gain of $132.8 million from the sale of XERMELO and related assets to TerSera. For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, net income included non-cash, stock-based compensation expense of $2.7 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

Cash and Investments: As of September 30, 2021, Lexicon had $120.9 million in cash and investments, as compared to $152.3 million as of December 31, 2020.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Lexicon management will hold a live conference call and webcast today at 5:00 pm ET / 4:00 pm CT to review its financial and operating results and to provide a general business update. The dial-in number for the conference call is 888-645-5785 (U.S./Canada) or 970-300-1531 (international). The conference ID for all callers is 8564549. The live webcast and replay may be accessed by visiting Lexicon’s website at www.lexpharma.com/events. An archived version of the webcast will be available on the website for 14 days.

About the SOLOIST and SCORED Studies

SOLOIST was a multi-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study evaluating the cardiovascular efficacy of sotagliflozin versus placebo when added to standard of care in 1,222 patients with type 2 diabetes who had recently been hospitalized for worsening heart failure. The primary endpoint was the total number of events comprised of deaths from cardiovascular causes, hospitalizations for heart failure, and urgent visits for heart failure in patients treated with sotagliflozin compared with placebo.

SCORED was a multi-center, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study evaluating the cardiovascular efficacy of sotagliflozin versus placebo when added to standard of care in 10,584 patients with type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease with eGFR of 25 to 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area, and risks for cardiovascular disease. The primary endpoint was the total number of events comprised of deaths from cardiovascular causes, hospitalizations for heart failure, and urgent visits for heart failure in patients treated with sotagliflozin compared with placebo.

Both SOLOIST and SCORED achieved their respective primary endpoints. Results from both studies were presented at the Late-Breaking Science Session of the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2020 and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in two separate articles titled: “Sotagliflozin in Patients with Diabetes and Recent Worsening Heart Failure” and “Sotagliflozin in Patients with Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease.”

About Lexicon Pharmaceuticals

Lexicon is a biopharmaceutical company with a mission of pioneering medicines that transform patients’ lives. Through its Genome5000™ program, Lexicon scientists studied the role and function of nearly 5,000 genes and identified more than 100 protein targets with significant therapeutic potential in a range of diseases. Through the precise targeting of these proteins, Lexicon is pioneering the discovery and development of innovative medicines to safely and effectively treat disease. Lexicon advanced one of these medicines to market and has a pipeline of promising drug candidates in discovery and clinical and preclinical development in neuropathic pain, heart failure, diabetes and metabolism and other indications. For additional information, please visit www.lexpharma.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” including statements relating to Lexicon’s financial position and long-term outlook on its business, including the clinical development of, regulatory filings for, and potential therapeutic and commercial potential of sotagliflozin, LX9211 and its other potential drug candidates. In addition, this press release also contains forward looking statements relating to Lexicon’s growth and future operating results, discovery and development of products, strategic alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that are not historical facts or information. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions and expectations and involve risks, uncertainties and other important factors, specifically including Lexicon’s ability to meet its capital requirements, successfully conduct preclinical and clinical development and obtain necessary regulatory approvals of sotagliflozin, LX9211 and its other potential drug candidates on its anticipated timelines, achieve its operational objectives, obtain patent protection for its discoveries and establish strategic alliances, as well as additional factors relating to manufacturing, intellectual property rights, and the therapeutic or commercial value of its drug candidates. Any of these risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause Lexicon’s actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Information identifying such important factors is contained under “Risk Factors” in Lexicon’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lexicon undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
 
Selected Financial Data
          
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 
(In thousands, except per share data)  2021   2020   2021   2020  
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) 
Revenues:         
Net product revenue $-  $6,542  $-  $23,404  
Collaborative agreements  -   -   -   33  
Royalties and other revenue  23   92   284   359  
Total revenues  23   6,634   284   23,796  
Operating expenses:         
Cost of sales (including finite-lived intangible         
     asset amortization)  -   633   -   1,929  
Research and development, including stock-based         
     compensation of $1,138, $1,029, $3,608 and $5,154, respectively  15,682   40,147   38,548   152,629  
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based         
     compensation of $1,574, $875, $4,741 and $5,440, respectively  7,303   11,997   23,496   40,798  
Impairment loss on buildings  -   -   -   1,600  
Total operating expenses  22,985   52,777   62,044   196,956  
Other operating income:         
Gain on sale of XERMELO  -   132,818   -   132,818  
Income (loss) from operations  (22,962)  86,675   (61,760)  (40,342) 
Loss on debt extinguishments, net  -   (255)  -   (255) 
Interest expense  (171)  (4,118)  (507)  (14,374) 
Interest and other income, net  11   301   120   1,892  
Net income (loss) $(23,122) $82,603  $(62,147) $(53,079) 
          
Net income (loss) per common share, basic $(0.16) $0.77  $(0.43) $(0.50) 
Net income (loss) per common share, diluted $(0.16) $0.71  $(0.43) $(0.50) 
          
Shares used in computing net income (loss) per common share, basic 145,820   107,309   144,558   106,974  
Shares used in computing net income (loss) per common share, diluted  145,820   117,552   144,558   106,974  
          
          
          
      As of As of 
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data     Sept. 30, 2021 Dec. 31, 2020 
(In thousands)     (Unaudited)   
   Cash and investments     $120,918  $152,275  
   Property and equipment, net      1,311   295  
   Goodwill      44,543   44,543  
   Total assets      172,330   203,788  
   Current debt      11,693   11,646  
   Accumulated deficit      (1,462,165)  (1,400,018) 
   Total stockholders' equity      136,603   156,371  
          

For Inquiries:

Chas Schultz
Executive Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals
(281) 863-3421
cschultz@lexpharma.com


FAQ

What were Lexicon Pharmaceuticals' revenues in Q3 2021?

Lexicon reported negligible revenues for Q3 2021, down from $6.6 million in Q3 2020.

What is the expected timeline for the sotagliflozin drug application?

Lexicon plans to submit the new drug application for sotagliflozin around year-end 2021.

How did Lexicon's net loss in Q3 2021 compare to the previous year?

Lexicon reported a net loss of $23.1 million in Q3 2021, contrasting with a net income of $82.6 million in Q3 2020.

What are the key highlights from Lexicon's Q3 2021 results?

Key highlights include decreased R&D and SG&A expenses and new ESC guidelines recommending sotagliflozin for heart failure treatment.

What is Lexicon's cash position as of September 30, 2021?

As of September 30, 2021, Lexicon had $120.9 million in cash and investments.

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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