Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IRWD), a GI-focused healthcare company, today reported its second quarter 2023 results and updated its full year 2023 financial guidance. 

“We made significant progress towards the goal of becoming the leading GI healthcare company, as the second quarter was truly transformative for Ironwood,” said Tom McCourt, chief executive officer of Ironwood. “LINZESS continued its strong momentum with another quarter of impressive performance. As a result, we are raising our full-year 2023 U.S. net sales and Ironwood revenue guidance. Furthermore, we are thrilled that in June the FDA approved LINZESS for the treatment of pediatric patients ages 6 to 17 years-old with functional constipation, expanding its clinical utility and adding another potential growth driver for the brand. Also in the second quarter, we strengthened our GI portfolio with the acquisition of VectivBio, including its lead investigational asset, apraglutide, which we believe is poised to become the new standard of care for patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure if successfully developed and approved, with the potential to achieve $1 billion in peak net sales. Looking ahead, we are excited about continuing to maximize LINZESS, advance our clinical programs, strengthen our financial position, and grow Ironwood’s leadership within GI.”

Second Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights¹
(in thousands, except for per share amounts)

Second Quarter 2023 Corporate Highlights

U.S. LINZESS

• Prescription Demand: Total LINZESS prescription demand in the second quarter of 2023 was 47 million LINZESS capsules, a 9% increase compared to the second quarter of 2022, per IQVIA.
• U.S. Brand Collaboration: LINZESS U.S. net sales are provided to Ironwood by its U.S. partner, AbbVie Inc. (“AbbVie”). LINZESS U.S. net sales were $269.7 million in the second quarter of 2023, a 9% increase compared to $248.4 million in the second quarter of 2022.
  • Ironwood and AbbVie share equally in U.S. brand collaboration profits. See the LINZESS U.S. Commercial Collaboration table at the end of the press release.
    – LINZESS commercial margin was 71% in the second quarter of 2023, compared to 69% in the second quarter of 2022. See the U.S. LINZESS Full Brand Collaboration table below and at the end of this press release.
    – Net profit for the LINZESS U.S. brand collaboration, net of commercial and research and development (“R&D”) expenses, was $180.3 million in the second quarter of 2023, compared to $163.8 million in the second quarter of 2022. See U.S. LINZESS Full Brand Collaboration table below and at the end of this press release.
• Collaboration Revenue to Ironwood: Ironwood recorded $104.8 million in collaboration revenue in the second quarter of 2023 related to sales of LINZESS in the U.S., an 11% increase compared to $94.5 million for the second quarter of 2022. See U.S. LINZESS Commercial Collaboration table at the end of the press release.

FDA Approval of New Indication for LINZESS

• In June 2023, Ironwood announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved LINZESS as a once-daily treatment for pediatric patients ages 6-17 years-old suffering from functional constipation. LINZESS is the first and only FDA-approved prescription therapy for functional constipation in this patient population.

Acquisition of VectivBio Holding AG (“VectivBio”)

• On June 29, 2023, Ironwood completed a tender offer to purchase outstanding ordinary shares of VectivBio (the “VectivBio Shares”) at a price per share of $17.00, net to the shareholders of VectivBio in cash, without interest and subject to any applicable withholding taxes. The aggregate consideration paid by Ironwood to acquire the shares accepted for payment was approximately $1.2 billion. Ironwood financed the acquisition through proceeds from the borrowings under a revolving credit facility entered into in connection with the transaction, cash on hand, and cash of VectivBio.
• As of June 30, 2023, Ironwood holds 98% of the outstanding VectivBio Shares. Ironwood intends to effect a squeeze-out merger under Swiss law to acquire the remaining outstanding VectivBio Shares in the second half of 2023. The remaining outstanding VectivBio Shares are expected to be settled by Ironwood in cash.

Workforce Reductions and Restructuring

• In April 2023, Ironwood reduced its workforce by approximately 10% of its headquarters-based personnel in an effort to further strengthen the operational efficiency of the organization. The workforce reduction was substantially completed during the second quarter of 2023.
• In June 2023, Ironwood commenced the elimination of certain positions in connection with the VectivBio acquisition. The majority of the eliminations were initiated in June 2023 and the remaining eliminations are expected to be substantially completed during the third quarter of 2023.

Pipeline Updates

Apraglutide

• Ironwood is advancing apraglutide, a next-generation, synthetic peptide glucagon-like peptide-2 (“GLP-2”) analog which Ironwood is developing for short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (“SBS-IF”), a severe malabsorptive condition. Ironwood believes apraglutide has the potential to be the new standard of care for the treatment of SBS-IF based on its potency and pharmacological properties. Ironwood is conducting a Phase III clinical trial, STARS, designed to evaluate clinical benefit for both SBS-IF stoma and colon-in-continuity patients with unique convenience of weekly dosing. Enrollment is completed and topline results are now expected in March of 2024.
• Ironwood is also conducting a Phase II proof-of-concept clinical trial, STARGAZE, to evaluate apraglutide in patients with steroid-refractory gastrointestinal acute Graft versus Host Disease (aGvHD), a life-threatening condition that occurs when immune cells from the donor attack a recipient’s healthy cells after an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Ironwood expects data for the STARGAZE Phase II clinical trial in the first quarter of 2024.

CNP-104

• Ironwood has a collaboration and license option agreement with COUR Pharmaceuticals Development Company, Inc. (“COUR”). This agreement grants Ironwood an option to acquire an exclusive license to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize, in the U.S., products containing CNP-104 (“CNP-104”), a tolerizing immune modifying nanoparticle, for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (“PBC”), a rare autoimmune disease targeting the liver. If successful, CNP-104 has the potential to be the first approved PBC disease modifying therapy.
• COUR is currently conducting a clinical study for CNP-104 evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamic effects and efficacy of CNP-104 in PBC patients, with early data assessing T-cell response from patients enrolled in the clinical study expected in the second half of 2023, which Ironwood believes will inform timing of topline data.

IW-3300

• Ironwood is currently advancing IW-3300, a guanylate cyclase-C agonist being developed for the potential treatment of visceral pain conditions, such as interstitial cystitis / bladder pain syndrome (“IC/BPS”) and endometriosis. Ironwood is continuing the Phase II proof of concept study in IC/BPS.

Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results

• Total Revenues. Total revenues in the second quarter of 2023 were $107.4 million, compared to $97.2 million in the second quarter of 2022.

– Total revenues in the second quarter of 2023 consisted of $104.8 million associated with Ironwood’s share of the net profits from the sales of LINZESS in the U.S. and $2.6 million in royalties and other revenue. Total revenues in the second quarter of 2022 consisted of $94.5 million associated with Ironwood’s share of the net profits from the sales of LINZESS in the U.S. and $2.7 million in royalties and other revenue.

• Operating Expenses. Operating expenses in the second quarter of 2023 were $1,190.5 million, which includes a one-time charge of $1,090.4 million of acquired IPR&D (“IPR&D”) from the acquisition of VectivBio, compared to $41.6 million in the second quarter of 2022.

– Operating expenses in the second quarter of 2023 consisted of $52.5 million in selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses, and $34.6 million in research and development (“R&D”) expenses, $13.0 million in restructuring expenses and approximately $1.1 billion in acquired in-process research and development. Operating expenses in the second quarter of 2022 consisted of $30.1 million in SG&A expenses and $11.5 million in R&D expenses.

• Interest Expense and Other Financing Costs. Interest expense was $1.8 million in the second quarter of 2023, in connection with Ironwood’s convertible senior notes and revolving credit facility. Interest expense recorded in the second quarter of 2023 included $1.3 million in cash expense and $0.5 million in non-cash expense. Interest expense was $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2022, in connection with Ironwood’s convertible senior notes. Interest expense recorded in the second quarter of 2022 included $1.7 million in cash expense and $0.5 million in non-cash expense.
• Interest and Investment Income. Interest and investment income was $8.8 million in the second quarter of 2023. Interest and investment income was $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2022.
• Loss on Derivatives. Ironwood recorded a loss on derivatives of $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2022 as a result of the change in fair value of its convertible note hedges and note hedge warrants. Ironwood’s note hedge warrants and convertible note hedges terminated unexercised upon expiration in April 2023 and June 2022, respectively.
• Income Tax Expense. Ironwood recorded $13.3 million of income tax expense in the second quarter of 2023, the majority of which was non-cash, as Ironwood continues to utilize net operating losses to offset taxable income for federal purposes and in many states. Ironwood recorded $16.7 million of income tax expense in the second quarter of 2022.
• GAAP Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Ironwood. GAAP net loss was ($1,062.2) million, or ($6.84) per share (basic and diluted) in the second quarter of 2023, which includes a one-time charge of ($1,090.4) million of acquired IPR&D from the acquisition of VectivBio, compared to GAAP net income of $37.1 million, or $0.24 per share (basic) and $0.21 per share (diluted) in the second quarter of 2022.
• Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss). Non-GAAP net loss was ($1,041.3) million, or ($6.71) per share (basic and diluted) in the second quarter of 2023, which includes a one-time charge of ($1,090.4) million of acquired IPR&D from the acquisition of VectivBio, compared to non-GAAP net income of $37.8 million, or $0.24 per share (basic) and $0.21 (diluted) in the second quarter of 2022.

– Non-GAAP net income excludes the impact of mark-to-market adjustments on the derivatives related to Ironwood’s 2022 Convertible Notes, amortization of acquired intangible assets, restructuring expenses and acquisition-related costs, all net of tax effect. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures below.

• Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA was ($1,034.2) million in the second quarter of 2023, which includes a one-time charge of ($1,090.4) million of acquired IPR&D from the acquisition of VectivBio, compared to $56.0 million in the second quarter of 2022.

– Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by subtracting mark-to-market adjustments on derivatives related to Ironwood’s 2022 Convertible Notes, restructuring expenses, acquisition-related costs, net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and acquisition-related costs, from GAAP net income. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures below.

• Cash Flow Highlights. Ironwood ended the second quarter of 2023 with $175.3 million of cash and cash equivalents, compared to $656.2 million of cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2022.

– Ironwood generated approximately $35.0 million in cash from operations in the second quarter of 2023, compared to $61.4 million in cash from operations in the second quarter of 2022.

– The acquisition of VectivBio was funded through proceeds from a revolving credit agreement, cash on hand and cash of VectivBio.

• Ironwood 2023 Financial Guidance. Ironwood is increasing its 2023 U.S. LINZESS net sales and total revenue growth guidance and updating its adjusted EBITDA financial guidance.

About Ironwood Pharmaceuticals

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: IRWD), an S&P SmallCap 600® company, is a leading global gastrointestinal (GI) healthcare company on a mission to advance the treatment of GI diseases and redefine the standard of care for GI patients. We are pioneers in the development of LINZESS® (linaclotide), the U.S. branded prescription market leader for adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). LINZESS is also approved for the treatment of functional constipation in pediatric patients ages 6-17 years-old. Ironwood is also advancing apraglutide, a next-generation, long-acting synthetic GLP-2 analog being developed for rare gastrointestinal diseases, including short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (SBS-IF) as well as several earlier stage assets. Building upon our history of GI innovation, we keep patients at the heart of our R&D and commercialization efforts to reduce the burden of GI diseases and address significant unmet needs.

Founded in 1998, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and has additional operations in Basel, Switzerland.

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