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8-K - FORM 8-K - Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.d8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

Orexigen® Therapeutics Reports Fourth Quarter and Year Ended December 31, 2010

Financial Results

San Diego, CA, March 10, 2011 – Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity, today announced financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2010.

Three months ended December 31, 2010

For the three months ended December 31, 2010, Orexigen reported a net loss of $11.3 million, or $0.24 per share, as compared to a net loss of $15.0 million, or $0.32 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2009. As of December 31, 2010, Orexigen had $24.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and an additional $67.4 million in marketable securities, for a total of $92.3 million.

Total operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2010 were $12.0 million compared to $14.8 million for fourth quarter of 2009. The decrease in operating expenses primarily reflects a decrease in research and development expenses of $2.5 million principally related to the reduction of certain product development costs for Contrave® in the fourth quarter of 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009.

Year ended December 31, 2010

For the year ended December 31, 2010, Orexigen reported a net loss of $51.9 million, or $1.10 per share, as compared to a net loss of $66.6 million, or $1.67 per share, for 2009. Total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2010 were $52.6 million compared to $65.6 million for 2009. The decreased operating expenses were due primarily to a reduction in research and development expenses of $19.3 million related to the completion of our Contrave Phase 3 clinical trials and completion of our Phase 2 clinical trial for Empatic, offset partly by an increase in general and administrative costs of $6.3 million due principally to increases in salaries and personnel related costs, stock- based compensation expense and legal expenses.

2010 Highlights

 

   

Contrave NDA filing accepted by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

 

   

Contrave Phase 3 results published in LANCET and Obesity

 

   

Secured Contrave North American partnership agreement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.

 

   

The FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted in favor of a post-approval vs. pre-approval cardiovascular outcomes study (11 to 8) and in favor of Contrave approval (13 to 7); the first positive vote on a new obesity therapeutic since 1997.

“We made significant progress in 2010, and I want to thank my colleagues at Orexigen, our key consultants and our partner, Takeda, for their outstanding efforts”, said Michael Narachi, president and CEO of Orexigen. “Despite our progress last year, we received a Complete Response Letter from FDA requesting conduct of a pre-approval cardiovascular outcomes trial. As a result we have consolidated our resources and will focus our efforts over the next few months to determine the best path forward for Contrave.”

Conference Call Today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time)

The Orexigen management team will host a teleconference and webcast to discuss the fourth quarter 2010 financial results and recent business highlights. The live call may be accessed by phone by calling (866) 788-0543 (domestic) or (857) 350-1681 (international), participant code 73770341. The webcast can be accessed live on the investor relations section of the Orexigen web site at http://www.orexigen.com, and will be archived for 14 days following the call.


About Orexigen Therapeutics

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity. The Company’s lead product, Contrave®, has completed Phase 3 clinical trials and has received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA for its New Drug Application. The company is in the process of determining the next steps for Contrave. The Company’s second product, Empatic™, has completed Phase 2 clinical development. Each product candidate is designed to act on a specific group of neurons in the central nervous system with the goal of achieving appetite suppression and sustained weight loss, through combination therapeutic approaches. Further information about the Company can be found at www.orexigen.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Orexigen cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “indicates,” “will,” “intends,” “potential,” “suggests,” “assuming,” “designed” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the potential for, and timing of, approval for Contrave. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Orexigen that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this release due to the risk and uncertainties inherent in the Orexigen business, including, without limitation: Orexigen’s ability to conduct a preapproval cardiovascular outcomes trial, Orexigen’s ability to demonstrate that the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in overweight and obese subjects treated with Contrave does not adversely affect the product candidate’s benefit-risk profile; the potential for early termination of the collaboration agreement between Orexigen and Takeda; the costs and time required to complete additional clinical, non-clinical or other requirements prior to any resubmission of an NDA; the therapeutic and commercial value of Contrave; Orexigen’s ability to attract and retain key personnel; Orexigen’s ability to maintain sufficient capital; and other risks described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and Orexigen undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks is included under the heading “Risk Factors” in Orexigen’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which we intend to file with the Securities Exchange Commission this week and will be available from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) and on our website (www.orexigen.com) under the heading “Investor Relations.” All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

 

Orexigen   Media
Jay Hagan   Carolyn Wang
SVP Corporate Development   WeissComm Partners
(858) 875-8600   (415) 225-5050


Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.

Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Year Ended
December 31,
 
     2010     2009     2010     2009  

Revenues:

        

Collaborative agreement

   $ 857      $ —        $ 1,143      $ —     

License revenue

     22        22        88        88   
                                

Total revenues

     879        22        1,231        88   

Operating expenses:

        

Research and development

     6,378        8,862        28,131        47,441   

General and administrative

     5,668        5,923        24,495        18,177   
                                

Total operating expenses

     12,046        14,785        52,626        65,618   
                                

Loss from operations

     (11,167     (14,763     (51,395     (65,530

Other income (expense):

        

Interest income

     23        38        124        333   

Interest expense

     (143     (295     (644     (1,365
                                

Total other income (expense)

     (120     (257     (520     (1,032
                                

Net loss

   $ (11,287   $ (15,020   $ (51,915   $ (66,562
                                

Net loss per share – basic and diluted

   $ (0.24   $ (0.32   $ (1.10   $ (1.67
                                

Shares used in computing net loss per share – basic and diluted

     47,622        47,088        47,377        39,905   
                                


Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.

Balance Sheets

(In thousands, except share and par value amounts)

 

     December 31,
2010
    December 31,
2009
 

Assets

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 24,926      $ 37,658   

Investment securities, available-for-sale

     67,440        54,500   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     2,502        1,529   
                

Total current assets

     94,868        93,687   

Property and equipment, net

     894        1,324   

Restricted cash

     881        1,290   

Other assets

     203        547   
                

Total assets

   $ 96,846      $ 96,848   
                

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

   $ 10,355      $ 9,828   

Deferred revenue, current portion

     3,517        88   

Long-term debt, current portion

     2,416        6,384   
                

Total current liabilities

     16,288        16,300   

Deferred revenue, less current portion

     46,311        971   

Long-term debt, less current portion

     —          2,416   

Other long-term liabilities

     459        1,258   

Commitments and contingencies

    

Stockholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock, $.001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2010 and 2009; no shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2010 and 2009

     —          —     

Common stock, $.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2010 and 2009; 47,767,313 and 47,215,479 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively

     48        47   

Additional paid-in capital

     352,401        342,599   

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     (9     (6

Accumulated deficit

     (318,652     (266,737
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     33,788        75,903   
                

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 96,846      $ 96,848