10-QPeriod: Q3 FY2007

REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. Quarterly Report for Q3 Ended Sep 30, 2007

Filed November 7, 2007For Securities:REGN

Summary

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported a net loss of $35.8 million for the third quarter of 2007, an increase from the $27.4 million loss in the same period of 2006. For the first nine months of 2007, the net loss was $92.5 million, compared to $71.4 million for the same period in 2006. The company's revenue increased to $22.3 million in Q3 2007 from $15.6 million in Q3 2006, driven by technology licensing revenue from new agreements with AstraZeneca and Astellas, and higher contract research and development revenue. Total operating expenses also increased significantly due to higher research and development spending, particularly on clinical trial expenses and clinical manufacturing costs, reflecting ongoing investment in key drug candidates like rilonacept, aflibercept, and VEGF Trap-Eye. Cash used in operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, was $23.4 million, a decrease from $30.2 million in the prior year's period. The company ended the quarter with $97.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, down from $237.9 million at the end of 2006, with total assets of $573.1 million and total liabilities of $421.7 million. Regeneron continues to rely on its existing capital resources, expecting them to last through early 2010, but acknowledges the need for potential future financing. Significant developments include the BLA submission for rilonacept in CAPS and progress in Phase 3 trials for VEGF Trap-Eye and aflibercept.

Key Highlights

  • 1Net loss widened for both the third quarter ($35.8M vs $27.4M) and the first nine months ($92.5M vs $71.4M) of 2007 compared to the prior year.
  • 2Total revenues increased to $22.3 million in Q3 2007, primarily due to technology licensing revenue from new agreements with AstraZeneca ($20M upfront) and Astellas ($20M upfront).
  • 3Research and development expenses significantly increased to $51.7 million in Q3 2007 (from $34.8M in Q3 2006) and $136.8 million for the nine-month period (from $101.3M in 2006), driven by clinical trial expenses and manufacturing costs for key drug candidates.
  • 4Cash and cash equivalents decreased substantially to $97.4 million as of September 30, 2007, from $237.9 million at December 31, 2006.
  • 5Regeneron expects its current capital resources to fund operations through at least early 2010, but the company still faces significant funding requirements for ongoing R&D.
  • 6Key drug development programs are advancing: rilonacept (IL-1 Trap) BLA submitted for CAPS, aflibercept (VEGF Trap) in Phase 3 oncology trials, and VEGF Trap-Eye in Phase 3 eye disease trials.
  • 7Deferred revenue increased significantly to $193.8 million ($68.8M current, $125.0M non-current) as of September 30, 2007, largely due to upfront payments from license agreements and unformalized development plans with Bayer HealthCare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Regeneron reported an increased net loss for both the third quarter and the first nine months of 2007 compared to the prior year, primarily due to significant investments in research and development. While revenues saw an increase driven by new licensing agreements, operating expenses, particularly R&D, also rose substantially. The company's cash position decreased, but management believes its current capital resources are sufficient to fund operations through early 2010, though future financing needs are anticipated.

Regeneron's primary focus is on three programs: rilonacept (IL-1 Trap) for inflammatory diseases, with a BLA submitted to the FDA for CAPS; aflibercept (VEGF Trap) for oncology, which is in global Phase 3 trials in collaboration with sanofi-aventis; and VEGF Trap-Eye for eye diseases, which is in Phase 3 trials in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare. The company also plans to advance its antibody product candidates using the VelocImmune technology.

The collaborations are crucial for Regeneron's development pipeline. The agreement with sanofi-aventis funds development expenses for aflibercept in oncology and provides potential milestone payments. The collaboration with Bayer HealthCare for VEGF Trap-Eye includes significant upfront and milestone payments, shared development costs, and commercialization responsibilities outside the US. A substantial portion of payments from these collaborations, particularly from Bayer HealthCare, are currently deferred and recognized over time, contributing to deferred revenue.

Regeneron faces significant risks including a history of operating losses and uncertainty about achieving profitability, the substantial need for future financing which may not be available, the high uncertainty and cost of drug development and clinical trials, potential delays or failures in regulatory approvals, intense competition from other biopharmaceutical companies, and reliance on third-party collaborators (sanofi-aventis and Bayer HealthCare) for development and commercialization.