DUBLIN / Feb 20, 2025 / Business Wire / Prothena Corporation plc (NASDAQ:PRTA), a late-stage clinical biotechnology company with a robust pipeline of investigational therapeutics built on protein dysregulation expertise, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024. In addition, the Company provided business highlights and 2025 financial guidance.
“Prothena’s R&D progress in 2024 was highlighted by continued advancements across our entire protein dysregulation portfolio. From our partnered programs, Roche released topline results from the Phase 2b PADOVA clinical trial which support continued development of prasinezumab for early-stage Parkinson’s disease; Novo Nordisk completed enrollment for the Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating coramitug for ATTR-CM; and Bristol Myers Squibb initiated the Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating BMS-986446, an anti-Tau treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and opted into a partnership for our PRX019 program, currently in Phase 1 development,” said Gene Kinney, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Prothena. “We expect 2025 to be a transformative year for Prothena, driven by multiple clinical milestones from our wholly-owned programs. We anticipate topline data next quarter from the confirmatory Phase 3 AFFIRM-AL clinical trial evaluating birtamimab for AL amyloidosis, conducted under a SPA agreement with the FDA with a primary endpoint of time to all-cause mortality at a statistical significance level of 0.10, which has the potential to move Prothena closer to becoming a fully integrated commercial company. We also expect multiple clinical readouts starting mid-2025 and continuing throughout the year from the ongoing Phase 1 ASCENT clinical trials in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease for PRX012. We are committed to developing novel medicines for the millions of people and their families worldwide in critical need of new treatment options for neurodegenerative and rare peripheral amyloid diseases.”
2024 Business Highlights and Upcoming Milestones
Neurodegenerative Diseases Portfolio
Alzheimer’s Disease
PRX012, a wholly-owned potential best-in-class, single-injection once-monthly antibody delivered subcutaneously for the treatment of presymptomatic or early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease that targets a key epitope at the N-terminus of amyloid beta (Aβ) with high binding potency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for PRX012 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
BMS-986446 (formerly PRX005), a potential best-in-class antibody for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease that specifically targets a key epitope within the microtubule binding region (MTBR) of tau, a protein implicated in the causal pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.
PRX123, a wholly-owned potential first-in-class dual Aβ/tau vaccine designed for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, is a dual-target vaccine targeting key epitopes within the N-terminus of Aβ and MTBR-tau designed to promote amyloid clearance and block the transmission of pathogenic tau. The FDA cleared the investigational new drug (IND) application and granted Fast Track designation for PRX123 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Parkinson’s Disease
Prasinezumab, a potential first-in-class antibody for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease that is designed to target key epitopes within the C-terminus of alpha-synuclein and is the focus of a worldwide collaboration with Roche.
Neurodegenerative Diseases
PRX019, a potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in development in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb.
Rare Peripheral Amyloid Diseases Portfolio
AL Amyloidosis
Birtamimab, a wholly-owned potential best-in-class anti-amyloid antibody for the treatment of AL amyloidosis designed to directly neutralize soluble toxic light chain aggregates and promote clearance of amyloid that causes organ dysfunction and failure. Among patients with AL amyloidosis, a rare, progressive, and fatal disease, newly diagnosed individuals with cardiac involvement are at the highest risk for early death. Birtamimab has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by both the FDA and European Medicines Agency. A significant survival benefit was observed in the post hoc analysis of birtamimab-treated patients categorized as Mayo Stage IV at baseline in the previous Phase 3 VITAL clinical trial (Blood 2023).
ATTR Amyloidosis
Coramitug (formerly PRX004), a potential first-in-class amyloid depleter antibody for the treatment of ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) designed to deplete the pathogenic, non-native forms of the transthyretin (TTR) protein, is being developed by Novo Nordisk as part of its up to $1.2 billion acquisition of Prothena’s ATTR amyloidosis business and pipeline.
2024 Organizational and Corporate Highlights
Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2024 Financial Results
For the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, Prothena reported net loss of $58.0 million and $122.3 million, respectively, as compared to a net loss of $67.5 million and $147.0 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively. Net loss per share was $1.08 and $2.27 for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to a net loss per share of $1.26 and $2.76 for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively.
Prothena reported total revenue of $2.1 million and $135.2 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to total revenue of $0.3 million and $91.4 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively. Collaboration revenue from Bristol Myers Squibb for the full year of 2024 was primarily from revenue recognized for the PRX019 Global License Agreement and related development services and revenue from the lapse of material rights for the US Rights and Global Rights for the TDP-43 Collaboration Target that expired unexercised. Collaboration revenue from BMS for the full year of 2023 was primarily from revenue recognized related to their exercise of their option to acquire the exclusive worldwide rights for BMS-986446 (formerly PRX005), and related development services.
Research and development (R&D) expenses totaled $50.2 million and $222.5 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to $61.9 million and $220.6 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively. The decrease in R&D expenses for the fourth quarter compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to lower clinical trial expenses and lower manufacturing and other R&D expenses. The increase in R&D expenses for the full year of 2024, compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to higher clinical trial expenses and higher personnel related expenses; offset in part by lower manufacturing and other R&D expenses. R&D expenses included non-cash share-based compensation expense of $4.7 million and $20.9 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to $5.0 million and $19.2 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively.
General and administrative (G&A) expenses totaled $16.8 million and $67.2 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to $16.9 million and $61.8 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively. The increase in G&A expenses for the full year of 2024 compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily related to higher personnel related expenses. G&A expenses included non-cash share-based compensation expense of $5.8 million and $25.0 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to $6.0 million and $21.7 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively.
Total non-cash share-based compensation expense was $10.5 million and $46.0 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, respectively, as compared to $11.1 million and $40.9 million for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, respectively.
As of December 31, 2024, Prothena had $472.2 million in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, and no debt.
As of February 13, 2025, Prothena had approximately 53.8 million ordinary shares outstanding.
2025 Financial Guidance
The Company expects full year 2025 net cash used in operating and investing activities to be $168 to $175 million and expects to end the year with approximately $301 million (midpoint) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. The estimated full year 2025 net cash used in operating and investing activities is primarily driven by an estimated net loss of $197 to $205 million, which includes an estimated $41 million of non-cash share-based compensation expense.
Conference Call Details
Prothena management will discuss these results and its 2025 financial guidance during a live audio conference call today, Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 4:30 PM ET. The conference call will be made available on the Company's website at www.prothena.com under the Investors tab in the Events and Presentations section. Following the live audio webcast, a replay will be available on the Company's website for at least 90 days.
To access the call via dial-in, please dial +1 (800) 715-9871 (U.S. and Canada toll free) or +1 (646) 307-1963 (international) five minutes prior to the start time and refer to conference ID number 9788564. A replay of the call will be available until February 22, 2024, via dial-in at +1 (800) 770-2030 (U.S. and Canada toll free) or +1 (609) 800-9909 (international), Conference ID Number 9788564.
About Prothena
Prothena Corporation plc is a late-stage clinical biotechnology company with expertise in protein dysregulation and a pipeline of investigational therapeutics with the potential to change the course of devastating neurodegenerative and rare peripheral amyloid diseases. Fueled by its deep scientific expertise built over decades of research, Prothena is advancing a pipeline of therapeutic candidates for a number of indications and novel targets for which its ability to integrate scientific insights around neurological dysfunction and the biology of misfolded proteins can be leveraged. Prothena’s pipeline includes both wholly-owned and partnered programs being developed for the potential treatment of diseases including AL amyloidosis, ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and a number of other neurodegenerative diseases. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.prothena.com and follow the Company on X (formerly Twitter) @ProthenaCorp.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to, among other things, the sufficiency of our cash position to fund advancement of a broad pipeline and completion of our ongoing clinical trials; the continued advancement of our discovery, preclinical, and clinical pipeline, and expected milestones in 2025, 2026, and beyond; the treatment potential, designs, proposed mechanisms of action, and potential administration of PRX012, BMS-986446/PRX005, PRX123, prasinezumab, PRX019, birtamimab, and coramitug/PRX004; plans for ongoing and future clinical trials of PRX012, BMS-986446/PRX005, PRX123, prasinezumab, PRX019, birtamimab, and coramitug/PRX004; the expected timing of reporting data from clinical trials, including multiple clinical readouts starting in mid-2025 and continuing throughout the year from our ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials evaluating PRX012 and topline study results for our Phase 3 AFFIRM-AL clinical trial in 2Q 2025;our anticipated net cash burn from operating and investing activities for 2025 and expected cash balance at the end of 2025; and our estimated net loss and non-cash share-based compensation expense for 2025. These statements are based on estimates, projections and assumptions that may prove not to be accurate, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to uncertainties related to the completion of operational and financial closing procedures, audit adjustments and other developments that may arise that would require adjustments to the preliminary financial results included in this press release, as well as those described in the “Risk Factors” sections of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 12, 2024, discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the SEC, and our Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed with the SEC for our fiscal year 2024. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events, or changes in our expectations.
PROTHENA CORPORATION PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited - amounts in thousands except per share data) | ||||||||||||||||
|
| Three Months Ended |
| Year Ended | ||||||||||||
|
|
| 2024 |
|
|
| 2023 |
|
|
| 2024 |
|
|
| 2023 |
|
Collaboration revenue |
| $ | 2,123 |
|
| $ | 316 |
|
| $ | 135,107 |
|
| $ | 91,320 |
|
Revenue from license and intellectual property |
|
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
|
| 50 |
|
|
| 50 |
|
Total revenue |
|
| 2,123 |
|
|
| 316 |
|
|
| 135,157 |
|
|
| 91,370 |
|
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
Research and development |
|
| 50,172 |
|
|
| 61,891 |
|
|
| 222,519 |
|
|
| 220,571 |
|
General and administrative |
|
| 16,848 |
|
|
| 16,940 |
|
|
| 67,199 |
|
|
| 61,835 |
|
Total operating expenses |
|
| 67,020 |
|
|
| 78,831 |
|
|
| 289,718 |
|
|
| 282,406 |
|
Loss from operations |
|
| (64,897 | ) |
|
| (78,515 | ) |
|
| (154,561 | ) |
|
| (191,036 | ) |
Other income, net |
|
| 5,396 |
|
|
| 7,897 |
|
|
| 25,631 |
|
|
| 30,556 |
|
Loss before income taxes |
|
| (59,501 | ) |
|
| (70,618 | ) |
|
| (128,930 | ) |
|
| (160,480 | ) |
Benefit from income taxes |
|
| (1,545 | ) |
|
| (3,142 | ) |
|
| (6,620 | ) |
|
| (13,452 | ) |
Net loss |
| $ | (57,956 | ) |
| $ | (67,476 | ) |
| $ | (122,310 | ) |
| $ | (147,028 | ) |
Basic and diluted net loss per ordinary share |
| $ | (1.08 | ) |
| $ | (1.26 | ) |
| $ | (2.27 | ) |
| $ | (2.76 | ) |
Shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share |
|
| 53,815 |
|
|
| 53,668 |
|
|
| 53,772 |
|
|
| 53,216 |
|
PROTHENA CORPORATION PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited - amounts in thousands) | |||||
| December 31, | ||||
|
| 2024 |
|
| 2023 |
Assets |
|
|
| ||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 471,388 |
| $ | 618,830 |
Restricted cash, current |
| — |
|
| 1,352 |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
| 14,024 |
|
| 19,100 |
Total current assets |
| 485,412 |
|
| 639,282 |
Property and equipment, net |
| 3,081 |
|
| 3,836 |
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
| 10,708 |
|
| 12,162 |
Restricted cash, non-current |
| 860 |
|
| 860 |
Other non-current assets |
| 47,047 |
|
| 40,242 |
Total non-current assets |
| 61,696 |
|
| 57,100 |
Total assets | $ | 547,108 |
| $ | 696,382 |
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity |
|
|
| ||
Accrued research and development |
| 13,428 |
|
| 14,724 |
Deferred revenue, current |
| 8,850 |
|
| — |
Lease liability, current |
| 2,610 |
|
| 1,114 |
Other current liabilities |
| 23,613 |
|
| 41,053 |
Total current liabilities |
| 48,501 |
|
| 56,891 |
Deferred revenue, non-current |
| 3,448 |
|
| 67,405 |
Lease liability, non-current |
| 8,233 |
|
| 10,721 |
Total non-current liabilities |
| 11,681 |
|
| 78,126 |
Total liabilities |
| 60,182 |
|
| 135,017 |
Total shareholders’ equity |
| 486,926 |
|
| 561,365 |
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 547,108 |
| $ | 696,382 |
Last Trade: | US$14.07 |
Daily Change: | 0.21 1.52 |
Daily Volume: | 374,550 |
Market Cap: | US$757.110M |
December 30, 2024 September 27, 2024 |
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