BRIDGEWATER, N.J., May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq:INSM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the unmet needs of patients with rare diseases, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 and provided a business update.
“We have built significant momentum since the start of 2018 which we expect to accelerate throughout the year, as we continue preparations for the potential launch of the first approved inhaled therapy for the treatment of refractory NTM lung disease caused by MAC in the United States,” said Will Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Insmed. “With the filing of our NDA for ALIS completed at the end of March, we continue our planning for a potential product launch in the United States early in the fourth quarter and look forward to collaborating with the FDA throughout the regulatory review process. We also continue our global expansion efforts and are making strong progress in building out the infrastructure for Japan. We are also actively planning for additional studies to further support life cycle management opportunities for ALIS over the long term.”
Recent Corporate Developments
On March 29, 2018 Insmed announced the submission of its New Drug Application (NDA) for ALIS to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adult patients with Nontuberculous Mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The Company anticipates receiving a six-month Priority Review and that the NDA will be reviewed by the Division of Anti-Infective Products. The FDA will have 60 days from the filing date to review the submission of the NDA to determine if it is complete and acceptable for filing. The FDA has previously designated ALIS as an orphan drug, a breakthrough therapy and a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) under the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act.
First Quarter Financial Results
For the first quarter of 2018, Insmed reported a net loss of $68.5 million, or $0.89 per share, compared with a net loss of $37.4 million, or $0.60 per share, for the first quarter of 2017.
Research and development expenses were $30.1 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared with $22.3 million for the first quarter of 2017. The increase as compared to the first quarter of 2017 was primarily due to an increase in external manufacturing expenses from an increase in ALIS production-related activities and higher compensation and related expenses due to an increase in headcount.
General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2018 were $32.7 million, compared with $13.7 million for the first quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily due to higher expenses related to our pre-commercial planning activities for ALIS and higher compensation and related expenses due to an increase in headcount, as compared to the first quarter of 2017.
Balance Sheet and Cash Guidance
As of March 31, 2018, Insmed had cash and cash equivalents of $686.6 million. The Company's operating expenses for the first quarter of 2018 were $62.8 million. The cash-based operating expenses for the first quarter of 2018 were $56.3 million. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company issued $450 million in aggregate principal amount of 1.75% convertible senior notes due 2025 and repaid the outstanding debt to Hercules Capital. The total payment including the backend fee, outstanding interest and early prepayment penalty was approximately $58.2 million.
The Company is investing in the following key activities in 2018: (i) the build-out of the commercial organization to support global expansion activities for ALIS, (ii) manufacturing of commercial inventory and build-out of an additional third-party manufacturing facility and (iii) clinical activities for ALIS and the phase 2 development program for INS-1007, along with advancement of other pipeline programs. As a result of these activities, Insmed continues to expect cash-based operating expenses and capital and other cash investments to be in the range of $145 million to $165 million for the first half of 2018.
Conference Call
Insmed will host a conference call beginning today at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. Shareholders and other interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing (844) 707-0669 (domestic) or (703) 639-1223 (international) and referencing conference ID number 4567628. The call will also be webcast live on the Company's website at www.insmed.com.
A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately two hours after its completion through May 9, 2018 by dialing (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and referencing conference ID number 4567628. A webcast of the call will also be archived for 90 days under the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.insmed.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to the United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) results, this earnings release includes cash-based operating expenses, a non-GAAP financial measure, which Insmed defines as total operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense and depreciation expense. A reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is presented in the table attached to this press release.
Management believes that this non-GAAP financial measure is useful to both management and investors in analyzing our ongoing business and operating performance. Management believes that providing non-GAAP information to investors, in addition to the GAAP presentation, allows investors to view our financial results in the way that management views financial results. Management does not intend the presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, this non-GAAP financial measure may differ from similarly named measures used by other companies.
About NTM Lung Disease
NTM lung disease is a rare and serious disorder associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality. There is an increasing prevalence of lung disease caused by NTM, and Insmed believes it is an emerging public health concern worldwide. Patients with NTM lung disease may experience a multitude of symptoms such as fever, weight loss, cough, lack of appetite, night sweats, blood in the sputum, and fatigue. Patients with NTM lung disease frequently require lengthy hospital stays to manage their condition. Insmed is not aware of any approved inhaled therapies specifically indicated for refractory NTM lung disease caused by MAC in North America, Japan or Europe. Current guideline-based approaches involve use of multi-drug regimens not approved for the treatment of NTM lung disease, and treatment can be as long as two years or more.
The prevalence of human disease attributable to NTM has increased over the past two decades. In a decade long study (1997 to 2007), researchers found that the prevalence of NTM lung disease in the U.S. was increasing at approximately 8% per year and that NTM patients on Medicare over the age of 65 were 40% more likely to die over the period of the study than those who did not have the disease. In the U.S., Insmed estimates there will be between 75,000 and 105,000 patients with diagnosed NTM lung disease in 2018, of which the Company expects 40,000 to 50,000 will be treated for NTM lung disease caused by MAC. Insmed expects that between 10,000 and 15,000 of these patients will be refractory to treatment. In Japan, Insmed estimates there will be between 125,000 and 145,000 patients with diagnosed NTM lung disease in 2018, with approximately 60,000 to 70,000 of those patients being treated for NTM lung disease caused by MAC and 15,000 to 18,000 of these treated patients being refractory to treatment. Insmed also estimates there will be approximately 14,000 patients with diagnosed NTM lung disease in the EU5 (comprised of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) in 2018, of which the Company estimates approximately 4,400 will be treated for NTM lung disease caused by MAC and approximately 1,400 of these treated patients will be refractory to treatment.
About ALIS
ALIS is a novel, inhaled, once-daily formulation of amikacin that is in late-stage clinical development for adult patients with treatment-refractory NTM lung disease caused by MAC. Amikacin solution for parenteral administration is an established drug that has activity against a variety of NTM; however, its use is limited by the need to administer it intravenously and by toxicity to hearing, balance, and kidney function. Insmed's advanced pulmonary liposome technology uses charge neutral liposomes to deliver amikacin directly to the lung where it is taken up by the lung macrophages where the NTM infection resides. This prolongs the release of amikacin in the lungs while minimizing systemic exposure thereby offering the potential for decreased systemic toxicities. ALIS’s ability to deliver high levels of amikacin directly to the lung distinguishes it from intravenous amikacin. ALIS is administered once daily using an optimized, investigational eFlow® Nebulizer System manufactured by PARI Pharma GmbH (PARI), a portable aerosol delivery system.
About CONVERT (INS-212) and INS-312
CONVERT is a randomized, open-label, global Phase 3 trial designed to confirm the culture conversion results seen in Insmed’s Phase 2 clinical trial of ALIS in patients with refractory NTM lung disease caused by MAC. CONVERT is being conducted in 18 countries at more than 125 sites. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of patients who achieved culture conversion at Month 6 in the ALIS plus GBT arm compared to the GBT-only arm. Patients who achieved culture conversion by Month 6 are continuing in the CONVERT study for an additional 12 months of treatment following the first monthly negative sputum culture. Patients who did not culture convert may have been eligible to enroll in our INS-312 study. INS-312 is a single-arm open-label extension study for patients who completed six months of treatment in the INS-212 study, but did not demonstrate culture conversion by Month 6. Under the study protocol, non-converting patients in the ALIS plus GBT arm of the INS-212 study will receive an additional 12 months of ALIS plus GBT. Patients who crossed over from the GBT-only arm of the INS-212 study will receive 12 months of treatment of ALIS plus GBT.
About Insmed
Insmed Incorporated is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the unmet needs of patients with rare diseases. The Company’s lead product candidate is ALIS, which is in late-state development for adult patients with treatment refractory NTM lung disease caused by MAC, which is a rare and often chronic infection that is capable of causing irreversible lung damage and can be fatal. Insmed's earlier-stage clinical pipeline includes INS1007, a novel oral reversible inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase 1 with therapeutic potential in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and other inflammatory diseases, and INS1009, an inhaled nanoparticle formulation of a treprostinil prodrug that may offer a differentiated product profile for rare pulmonary disorders, including pulmonary arterial hypertension. For more information, visit www.insmed.com.
