May5, 2022
Breda, the Netherlands – argenx SE (Euronext & Nasdaq: ARGX), a global immunology company committed to improving the lives of people suffering from severe autoimmune diseases, today reported financial results for the first quarter 2022 and provided a business update.
In a separate press release issued today, argenx also announced positive results from the Phase 3 ADVANCE trial evaluating VYVGART for the treatment of adult patients with ITP. The primary endpoint, demonstrating a significantly higher proportion of VYVGART-treated patients achieved a sustained platelet response than patients receiving placebo, and additional key secondary endpoints were met.
“Our VYVGART commercial launch is off to a strong start, underscoring the significant unmet need for a new treatment option in gMG. We are very encouraged by the early demand from patients and physicians and our team continues to meet the challenge with outstanding execution and deep engagement with our key stakeholders. We look forward to our imminent commercial launch in Japan and an upcoming regulatory decision in Europe, which support our goal to make VYVGART available worldwide. We are confident that the relationships we are building today with the gMG community will establish a strong foundation to continue to deliver on behalf of patients,” commented Tim Van Hauwermeiren, Chief Executive Officer of argenx.
“The positive readout from our first registrational ITP trial highlights the promise of efgartigimod as a pipeline-in-a-product with the potential to reach a variety of IgG-mediated autoimmune diseases, even beyond the ten indications we are currently evaluating. We are on track to achieve our argenx 2025 goal to build the next great immunology company while bringing breakthrough innovations to patients and creating long-term value for our stakeholders.”
FIRSTQUARTER 2022AND RECENT BUSINESS UPDATE
VYVGART Launch ProgressVYVGART is the first-approved neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker in the U.S. and Japan. VYVGART is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) patients who are anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody positive and in Japan for adult gMG patients. The global launch strategy is on track to make VYVGART available in Europe, China and Canada, as well as select additional regions.
Efgartigimod Research and Developmentargenx is positioned to expand its leadership position in FcRn blockade to include ten total autoimmune indications by the end of 2022. Six registrational trials are ongoing with four new proof-of-concept trials to start this year across multiple therapeutic franchises.
Pipeline Progressargenx is developing ARGX-117 and ARGX-119, which both have pipeline-in-a-product potential for multiple autoimmune indications.
Upcoming Medical Meeting Presentations
FIRSTQUARTER 2022FINANCIAL RESULTS(CONSOLIDATED)
Three MonthsEnded | ||||||||
March31, | ||||||||
(in thousands of $ except for shares and EPS) | 2022 | 2021 | Variance | |||||
Product net sales | $ | 21,163 | $ | — | $ | 21,163 | ||
Collaboration revenue | 2,249 | 158,155 | (155,906) | |||||
Other operating income | 8,068 | 20,412 | (12,344) | |||||
Total operating income | 31,480 | 178,567 | (147,087) | |||||
Cost of sales | (1,372) | — | (1,372) | |||||
Research and development expenses | (151,968) | (122,328) | (29,640) | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses | (100,866) | (56,253) | (44,613) | |||||
Total operating expenses | (254,206) | (178,580) | (75,626) | |||||
Operating loss | $ | (222,726) | $ | (13) | $ | (222,713) | ||
Financial income | 821 | 764 | 57 | |||||
Financial expenses | (953) | (1,184) | 231 | |||||
Exchange gains/(losses) | (7,213) | (28,817) | 21,604 | |||||
Lossbefore taxes | $ | (230,072) | $ | (29,249) | $ | (200,823) | ||
Income tax (expense) / benefit | $ | 2,885 | $ | (11,184) | $ | 14,069 | ||
Lossfor the period | $ | (227,187) | $ | (40,433) | $ | (186,754) | ||
Weighted average number of shares outstanding | 52,084,335 | 49,946,515 | ||||||
Basic and diluted loss per share (in $) | (4.36) | (0.81) | ||||||
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and current financial assets compared to year-end 2021 and 2020 | $ | 518,656 | $ | 910,903 | ||||
Cash and cash equivalents and current financial assets at the end of the period | $ | 2,855,384 | $ | 2,907,355 |
DETAILS OF THE FINANCIAL RESULTS
Total operating income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $31.5 million, compared to $178.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, and consists of:
Total operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2022 were $254.2 million, compared to $178.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, and consists of:
Exchange losses totaled $7.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $28.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and are mainly attributable to unrealized exchange rate losses on cash, cash equivalents and current financial assets position in Euro.
Income tax totaled $2.9 million of tax income for the three months ended March 31, 2022, compared to $11.2 million of tax expense for the comparable prior period. Tax income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 consists of $5.0 million of income tax expense and $7.9 million of deferred tax income, compared to $6.2 million of income tax expense and $5 million of deferred tax expense for the comparable prior period.
Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $227.2 million compared to $40.4 million for the comparable prior year period. On a per weighted average share basis, the net loss was $4.36 and $0.81 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Cash, cash equivalents and current financial assets totaled $2,855.4 million as of March 31, 2022, compared to $2,336.7 million as of December 31, 2021. The increase in cash and cash equivalents and current financial assets resulted primarily from the closing of a global offering of shares, including a U.S. offering and a European private placement, which resulted in the receipt of $761.0 million in net proceeds in March 2022, partially offset by the net cash flows used in operating activities, primarily towards the commercial launch of VYVGART in the U.S. and Japan and continued investment in pipeline expansion.
FINANCIAL GUIDANCEAs of March 31, 2022, argenx had $2.9 billion in cash, cash equivalents and current financial assets. Based on current plans to fund anticipated operating expenses and capital expenditures, argenx expects to utilize approximately $1 billion of its available cash in 2022. The increased spend will support the global VYVGART launches, clinical development of efgartigimod in 10 indications and ARGX-117 in two indications, investment in the global supply chain, and continued focus on pipeline expansion through the Immunology Innovation Program.
EXPECTED 2022 FINANCIAL CALENDAR
CONFERENCE CALL DETAILSThe first quarter 2022 business update will be discussed during a conference call and webcast presentation today at 2:30 pm CEST/8:30 am ET. A webcast of the live call may be accessed on the Investors section of the argenx website at argenx.com/investors. A replay of the webcast will be available on the argenx website.
Dial-in numbers:Please dial in 15 minutes prior to the live call.
Dial-in numbers:Use the access code073235 to join the call. Please dial in 15 minutes prior to the live call.
Belgium 32 800 548 13United Kingdom 44 808 189 6484United States 1 844 200 6205All other locations 1 929 526 1599
About argenxargenx is a global immunology company committed to improving the lives of people suffering from severe autoimmune diseases. Partnering with leading academic researchers through its Immunology Innovation Program (IIP), argenx aims to translate immunology breakthroughs into a world-class portfolio of novel antibody-based medicines. argenx developed and is commercializing the first-and-only approved neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker in the U.S. and Japan. The Company is evaluating efgartigimod in multiple serious autoimmune diseases and advancing several earlier stage experimental medicines within its therapeutic franchises. For more information, visit www.argenx.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
For further information, please contact:
Media:Kelsey Kirkkkirk@argenx.com
Investors:Beth DelGiaccobdelgiacco@argenx.com
Michelle Greenblattmgreenblatt@argenx.com
Forward-lookingStatements
The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “hope,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” or “should” and include statements argenx makes concerning execution of its global launch strategy and expected therapy delivery to patients in Japan, Europe, China and Canada;the expected long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of VYVGART® (efgartigimod alfa-fcab) in adult patients with Primary Immune thrombocytopenia;its expectation concerning its development pipeline and ability to deliver shareholder value as a result thereof; development of efgartigimod in up to ten indications and ARGX-117 in up to two indications by end of 2022; expected advancement of ARGX-119 into first-in-human studies; expected broad U.S. policy coverage of VYVGART by the end of second quarter 2022; the estimated number of covered patients in the U.S.; anticipated pathway for approval in Japan and launch in the second quarter of 2022; plans for Medisonto file for approval in Israel in second quarter of 2022; partnership agreements expected to be announced in 2022; the timing and its expectations with respect to reporting data from registrational trials; expectations with respect to expansion of efgartigimod portfolio into ten indications by end of 2022; expected launch and timing of proof of concept trials, including by Zai Labs and IQVIA, and dose escalation trials in 2022; and its expectations with respect to its use of available cash and liquidity needs for 2022.A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in argenx’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including in argenx’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC as well as subsequent filings and reports filed by argenx with the SEC. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. argenx undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise the information in this press release, including any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.