OvaScienceSM (Nasdaq:OVAS), a company focused on the development
of new treatment options for women and couples struggling with
infertility, today reported financial results for the first quarter
ended March 31, 2018 and provided a business update.
OvaScience is completing preclinical studies designed to
evaluate its egg precursor (EggPCSM) cell technology platform and
inform the future development of OvaPrime. Based on preliminary
data from these experiments and those of OvaScience’s academic
collaborators, the Company has decided to scale back investments in
its OvaPrime research and development efforts, including halting
its planned Phase 1b/2a clinical trial. The Company has done so in
order to preserve resources while it completes these experiments
and awaits the final results, and while it continues to monitor
patients in its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial. Under the
leadership of Dr. James Lillie, Chief Scientific Officer, a small
internal scientific team will continue in-house efforts to progress
the Company’s OvaTure program in conjunction with specialized
contract research organizations and select academic partners. The
Company will also continue to offer AUGMENT to patients in Japan
through an exclusive license to IVF Japan Group.
Additionally, OvaScience’s management team and Board of
Directors have initiated a process to explore a range of strategic
alternatives for enhancing shareholder value, including the
potential sale or merger of the Company. The Board has established
a Business Development Committee that will work with management to
oversee this process. Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. has been
engaged to act as OvaScience’s strategic financial advisor. There
can be no assurance that this process will result in any such
transaction and the Company does not intend to disclose additional
details unless and until it has entered into a specific
transaction.
In conjunction with these decisions, OvaScience will restructure
its organization to streamline operations and reduce its cost
structure, including reducing its workforce by approximately 70
percent. The majority of the reduction in personnel is expected to
be completed by June 30, 2018. The Company expects to realize
annualized cost savings beginning in the fourth quarter of 2018.
OvaScience estimates that it will incur one-time costs of
approximately $0.5 million to $1.0 million related to the
restructuring plan.
“We continue to seek value by deepening our understanding of
EggPC cells,” said Dr. Christopher Kroeger, Chief Executive Officer
of OvaScience. “We are further exploring the potential of our
technology platform, as we streamline our organization to conserve
capital and engage in a careful review of external opportunities
with the goal of maximizing shareholder value.”
First Quarter 2018 Financial
Results:
- Research and development expenses for
the quarter ended March 31, 2018, excluding restructuring costs,
were $2.6 million, compared to $5.8 million for the same period in
2017. This decrease was primarily driven by decreased headcount and
employee related costs, including stock-based compensation
expense.
- Selling, general and administrative
expenses for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, excluding
restructuring costs, were $4.2 million, compared to $7.1 million
for the same period in 2017. This decrease was primarily driven by
decreased headcount and employee related costs, including
stock-based compensation expense.
- Net loss for the quarter ended March
31, 2018 was $7.4 million, or $0.21 per share, compared to a net
loss of $14.9 million, or $0.42 per share, for the same period in
2017. The net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 includes
restructuring charges of $0.7 million, compared to $1.5 million for
the same period in 2017.
As of March 31, 2018, OvaScience had cash, cash equivalents and
short-term investments of $58.3 million, compared to $67.2 million
as of December 31, 2017.
Gross cash burn in the first quarter of 2018 was $8.9 million.
This includes other reductions in working capital of $2.0 million
as the Company realizes the impact of its prior restructuring
activities. The cash outlays related to the restructurings in the
first quarter of 2018 were $0.6 million. OvaScience expects to
incur additional cash outlays related to the restructurings of
between $1.0 million and $1.5 million over 2018.
About OvaScienceOvaScience, Inc. (Nasdaq:OVAS) is a
company focused on the development of new treatment options for
women and couples struggling with infertility. Each OvaScience
treatment is based on the Company’s proprietary technology platform
that leverages the breakthrough discovery of EggPC cells – immature
egg cells found within the outer ovarian cortex. OvaPrime is a
potential fertility treatment that could help restore a woman’s egg
production, and OvaTure is a potential fertility treatment that
eliminates the need for hormone stimulation. OvaScience’s AUGMENT
treatment, designed to improve embryo development and pregnancy
rates, is available in Japan under an exclusive license to IVF
Japan. OvaScience treatments are not available in the United
States. For more information, visit www.ovascience.com.
Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release includes
forward-looking statements about the Company’s plans for its
business and the OvaPrime treatment, OvaTure treatment and AUGMENT
treatment, including statements relating to the Company’s (i)
preclinical studies designed to evaluate its egg precursor cell
technology platform and inform the future development of OvaPrime,
(ii) plans to preserve resources while it completes these
experiments and monitors patients in its ongoing Phase 1 clinical
trial of OvaPrime, (iii) plans to progress the OvaTure program in
conjunction with specialized contract research organizations and
select academic partners, (iv) plans to continue to offer AUGMENT
to patients in Japan, (v) plans to explore a range of strategic
alternatives for enhancing shareholder value, and the outcome of
that exploration, and (vi) expected restructuring-related cash
outlays, including the timing and amount of those outlays. Actual
results may differ materially from those indicated by these
forward-looking statements as a result of various important
factors, including risks related to: the science underlying our
treatments (including the OvaPrime, OvaTure and AUGMENT
treatments), which is unproven; our ability to obtain regulatory
approval or licenses where necessary for our treatments; our
ability to develop our treatments on the timelines we expect, if at
all; our ability to commercialize our treatments, on the timelines
we expect, if at all; risks associated with preclinical, clinical
and other studies; development risk; risks associated with
dependence on third parties, including our partners; operational
risks; risks associated with engagement in the exploration of
strategic alternatives; as well as those risks more fully discussed
in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recently filed Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q and/or Annual Report on Form 10-K. The
forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect
our current views with respect to future events. We anticipate that
subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change.
However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking
statements in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation
to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied
upon as representing our view as of any date subsequent to the date
hereof.
OvaScience, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
(In thousands) As of
March 31,2018
December 31,2017
Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 19,721 $
15,703 Short-term investments 38,577 51,500 Prepaid expenses and
other current assets 835 1,578 Total current assets
59,133 68,781 Property and equipment, net 2,935 3,113 Investment in
joint venture 146 146 Restricted cash 791 789 Other long-term
assets 24 24 Total assets $ 63,029 $ 72,853
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 1,024 $ 2,242 Accrued expenses and other current
liabilities 4,008 5,562 Total current liabilities
5,032 7,804 Other non-current liabilities 664 751
Total liabilities 5,696 8,555 Total stockholders’
equity 57,333 64,298 Total liabilities and
stockholders’ equity $ 63,029 $ 72,853
OvaScience,
Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and
Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited) (In thousands, except per share data)
Three Months EndedMarch
31,
2018 2017
Revenues $ 67 63 Costs and expenses: Cost of revenues 112 269
Research and development 2,621 5,764 Selling, general and
administrative 4,224 7,129 Restructuring charge 692
1,488 Total costs and expenses
7,649 14,650 Loss from
operations (7,582 ) (14,587 ) Interest income, net 191 182 Other
income (expense), net 21 (60 ) Loss from equity method investment
0 (421 ) Loss before income
taxes $ (7,370 ) (14,886 ) Income tax expense -
9 Net Loss (7,370 )
(14,895 ) Net loss per share—basic and diluted $
(0.21 ) (0.42 ) Weighted average number of
shares used in net loss per share—basic and diluted 35,726
35,642 Net Loss
$
(7,370 ) (14,895 ) Other comprehensive loss: Unrealized (losses)
gains on available-for-sale securities (4 ) (31 ) Comprehensive
loss $ (7,374 ) (14,926 )
###
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Media and Investor ContactOvaScience, Inc.Jonathan
Gillis, 617-420-8639jgillis@ovascience.com
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