Anavex Life Sciences Reports Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter Financial Results and Provides Business Update
December 23 2024 - 6:30AM
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq:
AVXL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on
developing innovative treatments for Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental,
neurodegenerative, and rare diseases, including Rett syndrome, and
other central nervous system (CNS) diseases, today reported
financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended
September 30, 2024.
“We are excited about the potential to advance a
novel treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease with convenient oral
dosing and our team remains deeply committed to executing on our
momentum,” said Christopher U Missling, PhD, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Anavex. “I am proud of the strides the Anavex
team has made in the recent quarter to potentially making a
difference for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, by
presenting a scalable treatment alternative alongside the ease of
oral administration.”
Recent Highlights:
- On December 23, 2024, Anavex announced that the European
Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted for review the Marketing
Authorization Application (MAA) for blarcamesine (ANAVEX®2-73), an
investigational drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
- On December 9, 2024, Anavex announced its upcoming presentation
of topline long-term data from the Phase IIb/III ATTENTION-AD
Open-Label-Extension (OLE) trial at the J.P. Morgan 2025 Healthcare
Conference, taking place January 13–16, 2025, in San Francisco,
CA.
- On December 2, 2024, Anavex announced its participation in a
fireside chat which was held December 4th, 2024, at the 7th Annual
Evercore ISI HealthCONx Conference 2024 in Coral Gables, FL.
- On November 26, 2024, Anavex announced the submission of the
blarcamesine (ANAVEX®2-73) MAA (Marketing Authorization
Application) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The MAA
submission is for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. There are
an estimated 7 million people in Europe with Alzheimer’s disease, a
number expected to double by 2030, according to the European Brain
Council.1
- On November 25, 2024, Anavex reported the acceptance of a
peer-reviewed manuscript titled “Blarcamesine for the treatment of
Early Alzheimer’s Disease: Results from the ANAVEX2-73-AD-004 Phase
IIB/III trial,” in a medical journal with focus on Alzheimer’s
disease. The publication date is expected around Q4 2024/Q1
2025.
- On October 31, 2024, Anavex presented new data from the Phase
IIb/III study showing blarcamesine (ANAVEX®2-73), once daily
orally, demonstrates pre-specified clinical efficacy through
upstream SIGMAR1 activation. Clinical data confirmed the mechanism
of action by pre-specified SIGMAR1 gene analysis in people with
early Alzheimer's disease. The data were presented by Marwan Noel
Sabbagh, MD, Professor of Neurology at Barrow Neurological
Institute and Chairman of the Anavex Scientific Advisory Board at
the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference, in
Madrid, Spain.
- On October 17, 2024, Anavex announced encouraging preliminary
electroencephalography (EEG) biomarker results from Part A of the
ongoing placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical study of ANAVEX®3-71
for the treatment of schizophrenia. Preliminary results
demonstrated a dose-dependent effect of ANAVEX®3-71 on two key EEG
biomarkers in patients with schizophrenia. Anavex expects
data from Part B of the placebo-controlled Phase 2 study, which
includes more participants and a longer treatment duration, in the
first half of 2025.
Financial Highlights:
- Cash and cash equivalents of $132.2 million at September 30,
2024 compared to $151.0 million at September 30, 2023. As of fiscal
year end, the Company anticipates at the current cash utilization
rate, a runway of approximately 4 years.
- General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of
$2.8 million compared to $2.6 million for the comparable quarter of
fiscal 2023.
- Research and development expenses for the fourth quarter of
$11.6 million compared to $10.1 million for the comparable quarter
of fiscal 2023.
- Net loss for the fourth quarter of $11.6 million, or $0.14 per
share, compared to a net loss of $10.1 million, or $0.12 per share
for the comparable quarter of fiscal 2023.
The financial information for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2024, should be read in conjunction with the
Company’s consolidated financial statements, which will appear on
EDGAR, www.sec.gov and will be available on the Anavex website at
www.anavex.com.
Webcast / Conference Call Information:
The live webcast of the conference call will be available on
Anavex’s website at www.anavex.com.
The conference call can be also accessed by
dialing 1 929 205 6099 for participants in the U.S. using the
Meeting ID# 814 6482 4038 and reference passcode 336064. A replay
of the conference call will also be available on Anavex’s website
for up to 30 days.
About Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: AVXL) is a
publicly traded biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the
development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of
neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental, and neuropsychiatric
disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease,
schizophrenia, Rett syndrome, and other central nervous system
(CNS) diseases, pain, and various types of cancer. Anavex's lead
drug candidate, ANAVEX®2-73 (blarcamesine), has successfully
completed a Phase 2a and a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial for
Alzheimer's disease, a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study in
Parkinson's disease dementia, and both a Phase 2 and a Phase 3
study in adult patients and one Phase 2/3 study in pediatric
patients with Rett syndrome. ANAVEX®2-73 is an orally available
drug candidate designed to restore cellular homeostasis by
targeting SIGMAR1 and muscarinic receptors. Preclinical studies
demonstrated its potential to halt and/or reverse the course of
Alzheimer's disease. ANAVEX®2-73 also exhibited anticonvulsant,
anti-amnesic, neuroprotective, and anti-depressant properties in
animal models, indicating its potential to treat additional CNS
disorders, including epilepsy. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson's Research previously awarded Anavex a research grant,
which fully funded a preclinical study to develop ANAVEX®2-73 for
the treatment of Parkinson's disease. We believe that ANAVEX®3-71,
which targets SIGMAR1 and M1 muscarinic receptors, is a promising
clinical stage drug candidate demonstrating disease-modifying
activity against the major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in
transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, including cognitive deficits, amyloid,
and tau pathologies. In preclinical trials, ANAVEX®3-71 has shown
beneficial effects on mitochondrial dysfunction and
neuroinflammation. Further information is available at
www.anavex.com. You can also connect with the Company on Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not
strictly historical in nature are forward-looking statements. These
statements are only predictions based on current information and
expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected
in any of such statements due to various factors, including the
risks set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in
their entirety by this cautionary statement and Anavex Life
Sciences Corp. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this
press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date
hereof.
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. |
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss |
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts) |
|
|
Three months ended September 30, |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
Operating
Expenses |
|
|
General and
administrative |
$ |
2,781 |
|
$ |
2,592 |
|
Research and development |
|
11,555 |
|
|
10,061 |
|
Total operating
expenses |
|
14,336 |
|
|
12,653 |
|
Operating
loss |
|
(14,336 |
) |
|
(12,653 |
) |
|
|
|
Other income
(expense) |
|
|
Grant income |
|
75 |
|
|
- |
|
Research and development
incentive income |
|
700 |
|
|
670 |
|
Interest income, net |
|
1,759 |
|
|
1,958 |
|
Foreign exchange gain
(loss) |
|
117 |
|
|
(186 |
) |
Gain on write-off of accounts
payable |
|
(59 |
) |
|
- |
|
Total other income,
net |
|
2,592 |
|
|
2,442 |
|
Net loss before provision for
income taxes |
|
(11,744 |
) |
|
(10,211 |
) |
Income tax recovery,
current |
|
124 |
|
|
64 |
|
Net loss and
comprehensive loss |
$ |
(11,620 |
) |
$ |
(10,147 |
) |
|
|
|
Net loss per share |
|
|
Basic and diluted |
$ |
(0.14 |
) |
$ |
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|
Weighted average
number of shares outstanding |
|
Basic and diluted |
|
84,795,517 |
|
|
81,973,250 |
|
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. |
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss |
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts) |
|
|
Twelve months ended September 30, |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
Operating
Expenses |
|
|
General and
administrative |
$ |
11,039 |
|
$ |
12,039 |
|
Research and development |
|
41,838 |
|
|
43,717 |
|
Total operating
expenses |
|
52,877 |
|
|
55,756 |
|
Operating
loss |
|
(52,877 |
) |
|
(55,756 |
) |
|
|
|
Other income
(expense) |
|
|
Grant income |
|
75 |
|
|
25 |
|
Research and development
incentive income |
|
2,291 |
|
|
2,718 |
|
Interest income, net |
|
7,320 |
|
|
6,519 |
|
Other financing expense |
|
- |
|
|
(964 |
) |
Foreign exchange gain
(loss) |
|
189 |
|
|
(40 |
) |
Total other income,
net |
|
9,875 |
|
|
8,258 |
|
Net loss before provision for
income taxes |
|
(43,002 |
) |
|
(47,498 |
) |
Income tax expense,
current |
|
- |
|
|
(7 |
) |
Net loss and
comprehensive loss |
$ |
(43,002 |
) |
$ |
(47,505 |
) |
|
|
|
Net loss per share |
|
|
Basic and diluted |
$ |
(0.52 |
) |
$ |
(0.60 |
) |
|
|
|
Weighted average
number of shares outstanding |
|
Basic and diluted |
|
83,468,049 |
|
|
79,787,596 |
|
|
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. |
Consolidated Balance Sheets |
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts) |
|
|
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
Assets |
|
|
Current |
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
132,187 |
|
$ |
151,024 |
|
Incentive and tax receivables |
|
2,449 |
|
|
2,709 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
|
931 |
|
|
653 |
|
Total Assets |
$ |
135,567 |
|
$ |
154,386 |
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and stockholders' equity |
|
|
Current Liabilities |
|
|
Accounts payable |
$ |
9,627 |
|
$ |
4,322 |
|
Accrued liabilities |
|
4,835 |
|
|
7,295 |
|
Deferred grant income |
|
842 |
|
|
917 |
|
Total Liabilities |
|
15,304 |
|
|
12,534 |
|
Capital Stock |
|
85 |
|
|
82 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
456,249 |
|
|
434,839 |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
(336,071 |
) |
|
(293,069 |
) |
Total Stockholders' Equity |
|
120,263 |
|
|
141,852 |
|
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity |
$ |
135,567 |
|
$ |
154,386 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For Further Information:Anavex
Life Sciences Corp.Research & Business DevelopmentToll-free:
1-844-689-3939Email: info@anavex.com
Investors:
Andrew J. BarwickiInvestor
RelationsTel: 516-662-9461Email: andrew@barwicki.com
1 https://www.braincouncil.eu/projects/rethinking-alzheimers-disease/
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