Alnylam
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), a leading RNAi therapeutics
company, today reported its consolidated financial results for the third
quarter 2014, and highlighted recent progress in advancing its pipeline.
“During the third quarter and recent period we continued advancing RNAi
therapeutics through the clinic and toward the market. Notably, we
reported six-month clinical data from our Phase 2 open-label extension
study with patisiran, showing what we believe to be promising initial
results. Indeed, with the important caveat that this is an open-label
study in a small number of patients, we are encouraged by what we
believe to be evidence for possible stabilization of neuropathy
progression after the first six months of treatment. We believe these
data will be increasingly meaningful as we monitor neuropathy
progression in patisiran-treated patients over time. In the meantime, we
are pleased with the pace of enrollment in our Phase 3 APOLLO trial of
patisiran in patients with polyneuropathy, where we aim to obtain
definitive evidence for patisiran safety and efficacy in a double-blind,
placebo-controlled randomized trial,” said John Maraganore, Ph.D., Chief
Executive Officer of Alnylam. “Earlier today, we announced that we have
completed enrollment in our Phase 2 study and initiated our Phase 2 OLE
study with revusiran (ALN-TTRsc) in patients with TTR cardiac
amyloidosis. We remain on track to initiate our Phase 3 trial with
revusiran later this year, and have completed favorable discussions with
U.S. and EU regulatory authorities. Enrollment also continues in our
Phase 1 trial with ALN-AT3 for the treatment of hemophilia and rare
bleeding disorders, and we look forward to sharing our early clinical
data, including preliminary initial results in people with hemophilia,
at ASH in December. In addition, we recently filed our CTA for ALN-PCSsc
for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, and we expect to initiate
dosing in a Phase 1 trial later this year or early next, with initial
results expected in mid-2015. In aggregate, these latest advancements
from our clinical pipeline highlight what we believe to be the
significant potential for RNAi therapeutics as a new class of genetic
medicines.”
“In addition to these advancements on the clinical front, we have made
strong progress with our pre-clinical programs. First, we presented new
data with ALN-CC5, an investigational RNAi therapeutic in development
for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases, showing potent,
clamped knockdown of serum C5 in non-human primate studies, as well as
promising results in pre-clinical disease models. We remain on track to
file a CTA for ALN-CC5 by the end of this year, with initial clinical
results expected in mid-2015. We also made excellent progress in other
development stage programs, including ALN-AS1 for hepatic porphyrias,
ALN-AAT for liver disease associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin
deficiency, and ALN-HBV for hepatitis B virus infection,” said Barry
Greene, President & Chief Operating Officer of Alnylam. “In addition to
these pipeline advancements, we’ve had a very productive quarter with
regard to our intellectual property estate, specifically with our
Manoharan and Tuschl patent families. We believe these and other
Alnylam-held patents are essential elements of our strategy to bring
important new medicines to patients and build value for our
shareholders.”
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Total Marketable Securities
At September 30, 2014, Alnylam had cash, cash equivalents and total
marketable securities of $915.2 million, as compared to $350.5 million
at December 31, 2013.
GAAP Net Loss
The net loss according to accounting principles generally accepted in
the U.S. (GAAP) for the third quarter of 2014 was $44.0 million, or
$0.58 per share on both a basic and diluted basis (including $6.4
million, or $0.08 per share of non-cash stock-based compensation
expense), as compared to a net loss of $29.7 million, or $0.48 per share
on both a basic and diluted basis (including $8.8 million, or $0.14 per
share of non-cash stock-based compensation expense), for the same period
in the previous year.
Revenues
Revenues were $11.0 million for the third quarter of 2014, as compared
to $9.0 million for the same period in the previous year. Revenues for
the third quarter of 2014 included $5.5 million of revenues from the
company’s alliance with Takeda Pharmaceuticals Company Limited, $3.4
million of revenues related to the company’s collaboration with
Monsanto, and $2.1 million for the company’s alliance with The Medicines
Company, research reagent licenses, and other sources.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development (R&D) expenses were $46.3 million in the third
quarter of 2014, which included $3.8 million of non-cash stock-based
compensation, as compared to $34.5 million in the third quarter of 2013,
which included $6.8 million of non-cash stock-based compensation. The
increase in R&D expenses in the third quarter of 2014 as compared to the
third quarter of 2013 was due primarily to the significant advancement
of the company’s clinical and pre-clinical programs. The company expects
that R&D expenses will increase slightly for the fourth quarter of 2014
as compared to the third quarter of 2014 as certain of its programs move
into late clinical stages.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $9.9 million in the third
quarter of 2014, which included $2.6 million of non-cash stock-based
compensation, as compared to $6.8 million in the third quarter of 2013,
which included $2.0 million of non-cash stock-based compensation. The
increase in G&A expenses in the third quarter of 2014 as compared to the
third quarter of 2013 was due primarily to an increase in general
business activities and certain professional services during the third
quarter of 2014 as compared to the third quarter of 2013. For the fourth
quarter of 2014, the company expects that G&A expenses will remain
consistent with the third quarter of 2014.
Investment in Regulus Therapeutics
The company accounts for its investment in Regulus at fair value by
adjusting the value to reflect fluctuations in Regulus’ stock price each
reporting period. At September 30, 2014, the fair market value of the
company’s investment in Regulus was $41.3 million as compared to $45.5
million at December 31, 2013. As of October 31, 2014, the value of the
company’s investment in Regulus has increased to $117.7 million.
2014 Financial Guidance
The company now expects that its cash, cash equivalents and total
marketable securities balance will be greater than $860 million at
December 31, 2014 as compared to its previous year end guidance of
greater than $825 million.
“Alnylam continues to maintain a very strong balance sheet, ending the
third quarter with $915 million in cash,” said Michael Mason, Vice
President, Finance and Treasurer of Alnylam. “We are now increasing our
year-end cash guidance and expect to end 2014 with greater than $860
million in cash. We believe that this balance sheet allows us to invest
in a broad pipeline of RNAi therapeutics and to maintain financial
independence through to multiple product launches.”
Third Quarter 2014 and Recent Significant Corporate Highlights
Key Pipeline Highlights
-
Reported Six-Month Clinical Data from Patisiran Phase 2 Open-Label
Extension (OLE) Study in Patients with Familial Amyloidotic
Polyneuropathy (FAP).
-
At the American Neurological Association’s 2014 Annual Meeting
held October 12 – 14, the company presented clinical
results from the ongoing OLE study with patisiran. Results
showed a mean 0.95 point decrease in modified Neuropathy
Impairment Score (mNIS+7) at six months in 19 patients with mNIS+7
data available for the current analysis. This decrease in
neuropathy progression compares favorably with the 7 to 10 point
increase in mNIS+7 at six months that can be estimated from
historical data sets in untreated FAP patients with similar
baseline characteristics (Adams
et al., International Symposium on Amyloidosis, April 2014;
Berk et al., JAMA 310: 26588-67, 2013; Tafamidis European
Medicines Agency Assessment Report, 2011). In addition,
patisiran treatment achieved a sustained mean serum TTR knockdown
at the 80% target level for over nine months, with an up to 89.6%
knockdown achieved between doses. Patisiran was found to be
generally well tolerated in this study out to one year of therapy,
with no drug-related serious adverse events to date, and all 27
patients enrolled in the study continue to receive drug treatment.
Alnylam plans to report results from the ongoing OLE study at
least once a year.
-
Alnylam continues to enroll patients in its APOLLO Phase 3 trial,
with over 26 sites in nine countries now open and active. The
Phase 3 trial is intended to demonstrate the efficacy and safety
of patisiran in support of marketing authorization in countries
around the world.
-
Continued Advancement of Revusiran (re-VOO-si-ran; ALN-TTRsc), a
Subcutaneously Administered RNAi Therapeutic Targeting TTR in
Development for the Treatment of Patients with TTR-Mediated Cardiac
Amyloidosis.
-
The company announced earlier today that it has completed
enrollment in its pilot Phase 2 study of revusiran. This study was
aimed at evaluating the tolerability and preliminary clinical
activity of revusiran in patients with familial amyloidotic
cardiomyopathy (FAC) – which is caused by autosomal dominant
mutations in the TTR gene – or senile systemic amyloidosis (SSA) –
which is caused by idiopathic accumulation of wild-type TTR in the
heart. In the study, revusiran was administered for a period of 6
weeks. Alnylam expects to present initial results from the Phase 2
study at a meeting to be held during the American Heart
Association meeting in November. The company also announced today
that its Phase 2 OLE study with revusiran is now open for
enrollment. The OLE study will evaluate the safety and
tolerability of long-term dosing with revusiran for up to two
years, and will also measure effects of treatment toward a number
of clinical endpoints, including mortality, hospitalization, and
6-minute walk distance (6MWD), in addition to cardiac biomarkers.
The company intends to report clinical data from this study about
once per year, with initial data in 2015. Alnylam also announced
today that it has successfully completed discussions with both the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency
(EMA) regarding design of a Phase 3 study with revusiran in TTR
cardiac amyloidosis. Alnylam remains on track to initiate the
Phase 3 study by the end of 2014.
-
At the 10th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide
Therapeutics Society (OTS) held October 12 – 15, the company
presented updated
data from the Phase 1 trial of revusiran performed in healthy
volunteers. The new results included TTR knockdown data for an
additional cohort (N=6) receiving doses of 7.5 mg/kg, showing a
mean max TTR knockdown of 87.9% and a maximum TTR knockdown of
96.2%. Revusiran was generally well tolerated with self-limiting
mild or moderate injection site reactions as the most frequent
adverse event, consistent with results from previous study cohorts.
-
In addition, the company presented results from non-clinical
chronic Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) toxicology studies with
revusiran. Data from 6-month toxicology studies in rats and
9-month toxicology studies in non-human primates (NHPs) showed
that chronic dosing with revusiran was generally well tolerated,
with a “no observed adverse effect level” (NOAEL) of greater than
or equal to 30 mg/kg in the rat and, pending final histopathology
results, greater than or equal to 200 mg/kg in NHPs. The
completion of these toxicology studies confirms the wide
therapeutic index for revusiran and provides encouraging results
for the company’s GalNAc-siRNA conjugate platform overall. It also
enables the advancement of revusiran into a Phase 3 clinical
trial, and supports the potential filing of the drug candidate’s
New Drug Application (NDA).
-
Finally, Alnylam announced that it has initiated its DISCOVERY
trial, a screening study examining the prevalence of TTR mutations
in patients suspected of having cardiac amyloidosis. With this
study, Alnylam aims to identify and facilitate the diagnosis of
FAC. Results from DISCOVERY are expected to determine the
frequency of TTR mutations in patients with clinical and/or
radiological findings of cardiac amyloidosis and identify FAC
patients who may be eligible for clinical trials of novel
investigational therapeutics such as revusiran.
-
Continued Advancement of ALN-AT3, an RNAi Therapeutic Targeting
Antithrombin (AT) in Development for the Treatment of Hemophilia and
Rare Bleeding Disorders (RBD). Alnylam continues to enroll people
with hemophilia in its Phase 1 trial with ALN-AT3. In May 2014, the
company transitioned to the multiple ascending dose (MAD) “Part B” of
the study, which is designed as an open-label, multi-dose,
dose-escalation study enrolling up to 18 people with
moderate-to-severe hemophilia A or B. The primary objective of this
part of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of
multiple doses, specifically three doses, of subcutaneously
administered ALN-AT3 in hemophilia subjects. Secondary objectives
include assessment of clinical activity as determined by knockdown of
circulating AT levels and increase in thrombin generation at
pharmacologic doses of ALN-AT3. Alnylam intends to present initial
clinical results from the Phase 1 study at the 56th
American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting being held
December 6 – 9, 2014 in San Francisco. Specifically, the company
expects the presentation to include initial tolerability and clinical
activity data from the first lowest-dose, dose-escalation cohort of
subjects with hemophilia, in addition to data from the one cohort
enrolled in the single ascending dose (SAD) phase performed in healthy
volunteer subjects. In addition, the company expects to present
initial tolerability data from the second dose-escalation cohort of
subjects with hemophilia. Alnylam expects to provide a more complete
presentation of the ALN-AT3 Phase 1 data in mid-2015.
-
Presented New Pre-Clinical Data with ALN-CC5, a Subcutaneously
Administered RNAi Therapeutic Targeting Complement Component C5 in
Development for the Treatment of Complement-Mediated Diseases.
-
At the 25th International Complement Workshop held
September 14 – 18, the company presented new data
in NHPs showing that with either a monthly or twice-monthly
subcutaneous dosing regimen, ALN-CC5 administration led to potent,
clamped knockdown of serum C5 of up to 98.7% and inhibition of
complement activity up to 96.8% for a period of up to 100 days
from an ongoing study.
-
In addition, new pre-clinical results were reported for ALN-CC5 in
a rat model of membranous nephropathy (MN). As compared with
placebo, ALN-CC5 administration was associated with a
statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction by over 70% in the
proteinuria associated with complement-mediated renal damage.
These results demonstrate pre-clinical efficacy for ALN-CC5 in the
setting of renal impairment, where clinical results with anti-C5
mAb therapy have shown limited effects.
-
Finally, new data in a mouse anti-collagen antibody induced
arthritis (CAIA) model showed that RNAi-mediated C5 knockdown
preserves joint histology and prevented C3 deposition as
effectively as an anti-C5 mAb. These results demonstrate that
knockdown of liver-derived C5 is sufficient to achieve a
therapeutic effect, and show the absence of a significant role for
local complement production in this disease model.
-
Alnylam remains on track to file its ALN-CC5 Clinical Trial
Application (CTA) in late 2014 and expects to present initial
clinical results in mid-2015.
-
Filed a CTA, Now Approved, to Initiate a Phase 1 Study for
ALN-PCSsc, a Subcutaneously Administered RNAi Therapeutic Targeting
PCSK9 in Development for the Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia.
-
As per the filed CTA, the planned Phase 1 trial of ALN-PCSsc will
be conducted as a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled,
single- and multi-dose, dose-escalation study. The study is
designed to enroll up to 76 healthy volunteer subjects with
elevated baseline LDL-C (≥ 100 mg/dL), with subjects randomized
3:1, drug:placebo. The study will be performed in two phases: a
single ascending dose (SAD) phase and a multiple dose (MD) phase.
In the MD phase, subjects will receive two doses of either
ALN-PCSsc or placebo administered four weeks apart. The MD phase
will also include subjects both on and off statin co-medication.
The primary objective of the Phase 1 study is to evaluate the
safety and tolerability of ALN-PCSsc. Secondary objectives include
assessment of clinical activity as determined by knockdown of
plasma PCSK9 levels and serum LDL-C levels, as well as
pharmacokinetics of ALN-PCSsc. Following approval of the CTA,
Alnylam expects to initiate this study in late 2014 or early 2015,
with data expected to be reported in mid-2015.
-
ALN-PCSsc becomes the company’s third GalNAc-siRNA conjugate to
enter a clinical development stage, and the second program using
the company’s Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC)-GalNAc
technology that provides enhanced potency and durability with a
wide therapeutic window.
-
The company announces today that the CTA has been approved by the
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the
United Kingdom.
-
Alnylam is collaborating with The Medicines Company on the
advancement of ALN-PCSsc.
-
Advanced ALN-AS1, a Subcutaneously Administered RNAi Therapeutic
Targeting Aminolevulinic Acid Synthase-1 (ALAS-1) in Development for
the Treatment of Hepatic Porphyrias, Toward the Clinic.
-
Alnylam remains on track to file an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application, or IND equivalent, in late 2014 or early 2015.
-
In addition, Alnylam and collaborators from the American Porphyria
Consortium and The European Porphyria Network have initiated the
EXPLORE trial, a prospective observational study of patients with
hepatic porphyrias suffering from recurrent attacks. With this
study, Alnylam and clinical investigators aim to learn more about
the clinical course, management, and disease burden of patients.
Data obtained from EXPLORE are also expected to assist the design
of clinical trials with ALN-AS1.
-
Advanced Additional Development Stage Programs.
-
Alnylam continued its development efforts on ALN-AAT, a
subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic targeting
alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) in development for the treatment of
liver disease associated with AAT deficiency. The company remains
on track to file an IND or IND equivalent for this program in
mid-2015.
-
Alnylam continued its development efforts on ALN-HBV, a
subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic in development for
the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The company
remains on track to select a Development Candidate (DC) by the end
of 2014 and to file an IND or IND equivalent for this program
around the end of 2015.
-
Advanced New Genetic Medicine Programs.
-
Broadened Pipeline with ALN-AGT,
a Subcutaneously Administered RNAi Therapeutic Targeting
Angiotensinogen (AGT) in Development for the Treatment of
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP), Including Preeclampsia.
-
Advanced ALN-GO1,
an RNAi Therapeutic Targeting Glycolate Oxidase (GO) in
Development for the Treatment of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1
(PH1), as New Program.
-
Regulus Therapeutics Announced Positive Interim Clinical Data with
RG-101, Providing Additional Clinical Proof-of-Concept for Alnylam’s
Proprietary GalNAc-Conjugate Delivery Technology. RG-101 is a
GalNAc-conjugated anti-miR targeting microRNA-122 for the treatment of
hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. GalNAc conjugates are a proprietary
Alnylam delivery technology and are designed to achieve targeted
delivery of RNA therapeutics to hepatocytes through uptake by the
asialoglycoprotein receptor. As reported by Regulus, interim results
from the ongoing clinical study demonstrated that treatment with a
single subcutaneous dose of 2 mg/kg of RG-101 as monotherapy resulted
in significant and sustained reductions in HCV RNA, as well as a mean
viral load reduction of 4.1 log10 at day 29. In addition,
RG-101 was reported to be well tolerated in the study. Alnylam owns
approximately 12% of Regulus’ outstanding common stock, and is
eligible to receive specified sublicense income for certain
collaborative agreements entered into by Regulus, as well as royalties
on net sales of certain products developed by Regulus or its
collaborators.
Business and Organizational Highlights
-
Strengthened Intellectual Property (IP) Estate.
-
Alnylam received a Notice of Allowance from the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a new patent broadly
covering conjugate-based delivery of RNA therapeutics. The
Manoharan et al. patent application 13/693,478, which has
now issued as US 8,828,956, includes claims directed to
compositions including those comprising a modified RNA agent
linked to a biantennary or triantennary ligand. Specifically, the
now issued patent includes claims that broadly cover
single-stranded or double-stranded, chemically modified RNA
therapeutics conjugated with an N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)
ligand independent of length, sequence, or disease target.
-
In addition, the company received two new Notices of Allowance
from the USPTO for patent applications from the Tuschl II family.
The Tuschl et al. patent application 13/725,262 includes
newly allowed claims directed to compositions that mediate RNAi,
and comprising a double-stranded molecule with up to 25 base pairs
and at least one nucleotide analogue. The Tuschl et al.
patent application 12/591,829, which has now issued as US
8,853,384, includes claims directed to compositions comprising a
double-stranded molecule of between 19 and 52 nucleotides in each
strand with various end configurations, including a so-called "3'
overhang" on the antisense strand.
-
Expanded Board of Directors and Management Team.
-
Alnylam appointed Amy W. Schulman to its Board of Directors. Ms.
Schulman is the former Executive Vice President and General
Counsel of Pfizer Inc., and served as the Business Unit Lead for
Pfizer's Consumer Healthcare business. She currently serves on the
faculty of Harvard Business School as a Senior Lecturer. In
addition, she is a Venture Partner at Polaris Partners and the CEO
of Arsia Therapeutics, one of Polaris’ early stage portfolio
companies.
-
In addition, Alnylam expanded its Management Team with the
appointments of Karen Anderson as Senior Vice President, Chief
Human Resources Officer; Pushkal Garg, M.D., as Senior Vice
President, Clinical Development; Laurie Keating as Senior Vice
President, General Counsel, and Secretary; and Marko Kozul, M.D.,
as Vice President, Strategy.
Conference Call Information
Management will provide an update on the company, discuss third quarter
2014 results, and discuss expectations for the future via conference
call on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. ET. To access the call,
please dial 877-312-7507 (domestic) or 631-813-4828 (international) five
minutes prior to the start time and refer to conference ID 28235292. A
replay of the call will be available beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on
November 5, 2014. To access the replay, please dial
855-859-2056 (domestic) or 404-537-3406 (international), and refer to
conference ID 28235292.
About RNAi
RNAi (RNA interference) is a revolution in biology, representing a
breakthrough in understanding how genes are turned on and off in cells,
and a completely new approach to drug discovery and development. Its
discovery has been heralded as “a major scientific breakthrough that
happens once every decade or so,” and represents one of the most
promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug discovery
today which was awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
RNAi is a natural process of gene silencing that occurs in organisms
ranging from plants to mammals. By harnessing the natural biological
process of RNAi occurring in our cells, the creation of a major new
class of medicines, known as RNAi therapeutics, is on the horizon. Small
interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise
Alnylam's RNAi therapeutic platform, target the cause of diseases by
potently silencing specific mRNAs, thereby preventing disease-causing
proteins from being made. RNAi therapeutics have the potential to treat
disease and help patients in a fundamentally new way.
About GalNAc Conjugates and Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC)
GalNAc Conjugates
GalNAc-siRNA conjugates are a proprietary Alnylam delivery platform and
are designed to achieve targeted delivery of RNAi therapeutics to
hepatocytes through uptake by the asialoglycoprotein receptor. Alnylam’s
Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC) GalNAc-conjugate technology
enables subcutaneous dosing with increased potency, durability, and a
wide therapeutic index, and is being employed in several of Alnylam’s
genetic medicine programs, including programs in clinical development.
About LNP Technology
Alnylam has licenses to Tekmira LNP intellectual property for use in
RNAi therapeutic products using LNP technology.
About Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Alnylam is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics
based on RNA interference, or RNAi. The company is leading the
translation of RNAi as a new class of innovative medicines with a core
focus on RNAi therapeutics as genetic medicines, including programs as
part of the company’s “Alnylam 5x15™” product strategy. Alnylam’s
genetic medicine programs are RNAi therapeutics directed toward
genetically defined targets for the treatment of serious,
life-threatening diseases with limited treatment options for patients
and their caregivers. These include: patisiran (ALN-TTR02), an
intravenously delivered RNAi therapeutic targeting transthyretin (TTR)
for the treatment of TTR-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR) in patients with
familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP); revusiran (ALN-TTRsc), a
subcutaneously delivered RNAi therapeutic targeting TTR for the
treatment of ATTR in patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis, including
familial amyloidotic cardiomyopathy (FAC) and senile systemic
amyloidosis (SSA); ALN-AT3, an RNAi therapeutic targeting antithrombin
(AT) for the treatment of hemophilia and rare bleeding disorders (RBD);
ALN-CC5, an RNAi therapeutic targeting complement component C5 for the
treatment of complement-mediated diseases; ALN-AS1, an RNAi therapeutic
targeting aminolevulinic acid synthase-1 (ALAS-1) for the treatment of
hepatic porphyrias including acute intermittent porphyria (AIP);
ALN-PCS, an RNAi therapeutic targeting PCSK9 for the treatment of
hypercholesterolemia; ALN-AAT, an RNAi therapeutic targeting alpha-1
antitrypsin (AAT) for the treatment of AAT deficiency-associated liver
disease; ALN-HBV, an RNAi therapeutic targeting the hepatitis B virus
(HBV) genome for the treatment of HBV infection; ALN-TMP, an RNAi
therapeutic targeting TMPRSS6 for the treatment of beta-thalassemia and
iron-overload disorders; ALN-ANG, an RNAi therapeutic targeting
angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) for the treatment of genetic forms of
mixed hyperlipidemia and severe hypertriglyceridemia; ALN-AC3, an RNAi
therapeutic targeting apolipoprotein C-III (apoCIII) for the treatment
of hypertriglyceridemia; ALN-AGT, an RNAi therapeutic targeting
angiotensinogen (AGT) for the treatment of hypertensive disorders of
pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia; ALN-GO1, an RNAi therapeutic
targeting glycolate oxidase (GO) for the treatment of primary
hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1); and other programs yet to be disclosed. As
part of its “Alnylam 5x15” strategy, as updated in early 2014, the
company expects to have six to seven genetic medicine product candidates
in clinical development – including at least two programs in Phase 3 and
five to six programs with human proof of concept – by the end of 2015.
The company’s demonstrated commitment to RNAi therapeutics has enabled
it to form major alliances with leading companies including Merck,
Medtronic, Novartis, Biogen Idec, Roche, Takeda, Kyowa Hakko Kirin,
Cubist, GlaxoSmithKline, Ascletis, Monsanto, and The Medicines Company.
In early 2014, Alnylam and Genzyme, a Sanofi company, formed a
multi-product geographic alliance on Alnylam's genetic medicine programs
in the rare disease field. Specifically, Alnylam will lead development
and commercialization of programs in North America and Europe, while
Genzyme will develop and commercialize products in the rest of world. In
addition, Alnylam and Genzyme will co-develop and co-commercialize
revusiran in North America and Europe. In March 2014, Alnylam acquired
Sirna Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck. In addition,
Alnylam holds an equity position in Regulus Therapeutics Inc., a company
focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of microRNA
therapeutics. Alnylam scientists and collaborators have published their
research on RNAi therapeutics in over 200 peer-reviewed papers,
including many in the world’s top scientific journals such as Nature,
Nature Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, Cell, New England Journal of
Medicine, and The Lancet. Founded in 2002, Alnylam maintains
headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please
visit www.alnylam.com.
Alnylam Forward Looking Statements
Various statements in this release concerning Alnylam’s future
expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation,
Alnylam’s expectations regarding its “Alnylam 5x15” product strategy,
Alnylam’s views with respect to the potential for RNAi therapeutics,
including patisiran (ALN-TTR02), revusiran (ALN-TTRsc), ALN-AT3,
ALN-CC5, ALN-PCSsc, ALN-AS1, ALN-AAT, ALN-HBV, ALN-AGT, and ALN-GO1, its
expectations with respect to the timing, execution, and success of its
clinical and pre-clinical trials, the expected timing of regulatory
filings, including its plan to file IND or IND equivalent applications
and/or initiate clinical trials for revusiran, ALN-CC5, ALN-AS1,
ALN-AAT, ALN-HBV, and ALN-GO1, its expectations regarding reporting of
data from its clinical and pre-clinical studies, including its studies
for patisiran, revusiran, ALN-AT3, ALN-CC5, and ALN-PCSsc, as well as
other research programs and technologies, its plans regarding
commercialization of RNAi therapeutics, Genzyme’s and The Medicines
Company’s participation in the development and commercialization of RNAi
therapeutics with Alnylam, Alnylam’s expected cash position as of
December 31, 2014, and its expectations regarding available cash for its
operations through multiple product launches, constitute forward-looking
statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may
differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking
statements as a result of various important factors, including, without
limitation, Alnylam’s ability to manage operating expenses, Alnylam’s
ability to discover and develop novel drug candidates and delivery
approaches, successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug
candidates, the pre-clinical and clinical results for its product
candidates, which may not support further development of product
candidates, actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the
initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials, obtaining,
maintaining and protecting intellectual property, Alnylam’s ability to
enforce its patents against infringers and defend its patent portfolio
against challenges from third parties, obtaining regulatory approval for
products, competition from others using technology similar to Alnylam’s
and others developing products for similar uses, Alnylam’s ability to
obtain additional funding to support its business activities and
establish and maintain strategic business alliances and new business
initiatives, Alnylam’s dependence on third parties for development,
manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of products, the outcome
of litigation, and unexpected expenditures, as well as those risks more
fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” filed with Alnylam’s most recent
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) and in other filings that Alnylam makes with the SEC.
In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Alnylam’s views
only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views
as of any subsequent date. Alnylam explicitly disclaims any obligation
to update any forward-looking statements.
|
ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
|
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE
LOSS
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30,
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net revenues from collaborators
|
|
$
|
10,972
|
|
$
|
8,991
|
|
$
|
26,542
|
|
$
|
36,320
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development (1)
|
|
|
46,273
|
|
|
34,457
|
|
|
134,703
|
|
|
80,851
|
In-process research and development
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
220,766
|
|
|
—
|
General and administrative (1)
|
|
|
9,898
|
|
|
6,768
|
|
|
30,341
|
|
|
18,819
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
56,171
|
|
|
41,225
|
|
|
385,810
|
|
|
99,670
|
Loss from operations
|
|
|
(45,199)
|
|
|
(32,234)
|
|
|
(359,268)
|
|
|
(63,350)
|
Other income (expense):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
753
|
|
|
290
|
|
|
1,779
|
|
|
784
|
Other income (expense)
|
|
|
524
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
|
365
|
|
|
(18)
|
Total other income
|
|
|
1,277
|
|
|
278
|
|
|
2,144
|
|
|
766
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(43,922)
|
|
|
(31,956)
|
|
|
(357,124)
|
|
|
(62,584)
|
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes
|
|
|
(67)
|
|
|
2,270
|
|
|
18,118
|
|
|
5,716
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(43,989)
|
|
$
|
(29,686)
|
|
$
|
(339,006)
|
|
$
|
(56,868)
|
Net loss per common share - basic and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.58)
|
|
$
|
(0.48)
|
|
$
|
(4.62)
|
|
$
|
(0.93)
|
Weighted average common shares used to compute basic and diluted net
loss per common share
|
|
|
76,408
|
|
|
62,416
|
|
|
73,375
|
|
|
61,103
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive loss:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(43,989)
|
|
$
|
(29,686)
|
|
$
|
(339,006)
|
|
$
|
(56,868)
|
Unrealized (loss) gain on marketable securities, net of tax
|
|
|
(6,230)
|
|
|
(962)
|
|
|
(3,964)
|
|
|
11,506
|
Reclassification adjustment for realized gain on marketable
securities included in net loss
|
|
|
(567)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(567)
|
|
|
—
|
Comprehensive loss
|
|
$
|
(50,786)
|
|
$
|
(30,648)
|
|
$
|
(343,537)
|
|
$
|
(45,362)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Non-cash stock-based compensation expenses included in operating
expenses are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
|
|
$
|
3,781
|
|
$
|
6,805
|
|
$
|
10,019
|
|
$
|
11,092
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
2,571
|
|
|
2,040
|
|
|
9,604
|
|
|
4,205
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
|
UNAUDITED GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION: NET LOSS AND NET
LOSS PER SHARE
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended September 30,
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
GAAP net loss
|
|
$
|
(43,989)
|
|
$
|
(29,686)
|
|
$
|
(339,006)
|
|
$
|
(56,868)
|
Adjustment:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In-process research and development
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
220,766
|
|
|
—
|
Non-GAAP net loss
|
|
$
|
(43,989)
|
|
$
|
(29,686)
|
|
$
|
(118,240)
|
|
$
|
(56,868)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GAAP net loss per common share - basic and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.58)
|
|
$
|
(0.48)
|
|
$
|
(4.62)
|
|
$
|
(0.93)
|
Adjustment (as detailed above)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
3.01
|
|
|
—
|
Non-GAAP net loss per common share - basic and diluted
|
|
$
|
(0.58)
|
|
$
|
(0.48)
|
|
$
|
(1.61)
|
|
$
|
(0.93)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The company supplements its condensed consolidated financial statements
presented on a GAAP basis by providing additional measures that are
considered “non-GAAP” financial measures under applicable SEC rules.
These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) and
should not be viewed in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP net loss
and basic and diluted net loss per common share.
The company evaluates items on an individual basis, and considers both
the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the item, including (i) its
size and nature, (ii) whether or not it relates to the company’s ongoing
business operations, and (iii) whether or not the company expects it to
occur as part of its normal business on a regular basis. In the nine
months ended September 30, 2014, the company’s Non-GAAP net loss and
Non-GAAP net loss per common share – basic and diluted financial
measures excludes the in-process research and development expense of
$220.8 million related to the purchase of the Sirna RNAi assets from
Merck. The company believes that the exclusion of this item provides
management and investors with supplemental measures of performance that
better reflect the underlying economics of the company’s business. In
addition, the company believes the exclusion of this item is important
in comparing current results with prior period results and understanding
projected operating performance. Management uses these non-GAAP
financial measures to establish budgets and operational goals and to
manage the company’s business.
|
ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
|
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
(In thousands, except share amounts)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2014
|
|
|
2013
|
Cash, cash equivalents and total marketable securities
|
|
$
|
915,182
|
|
$
|
350,472
|
Billed and unbilled collaboration receivables
|
|
|
384
|
|
|
4,248
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
|
|
|
10,699
|
|
|
3,910
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
18,806
|
|
|
16,448
|
Investment in equity securities of Regulus Therapeutics Inc.
|
|
|
41,286
|
|
|
45,452
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
986,357
|
|
$
|
420,530
|
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities
|
|
$
|
26,356
|
|
$
|
20,056
|
Total deferred revenue
|
|
|
50,298
|
|
|
126,090
|
Total deferred rent
|
|
|
5,225
|
|
|
4,037
|
Total stockholders’ equity (76.7 million and 63.7 million common
shares issued and outstanding and at September 30, 2014 and December
31, 2013, respectively)
|
|
|
904,478
|
|
|
270,347
|
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
|
|
$
|
986,357
|
|
$
|
420,530
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This selected financial information should be read in conjunction with
the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in
Alnylam’s Annual Report on Form 10-K which includes the audited
financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013.
Copyright Business Wire 2014