Radius Health, Inc. RDUS reported mixed results for the second quarter, wherein loss was wider than expected but sales surpassed estimates.
Shares of the company have lost 37.4% in the year so far compared with the industry’s decline of 5%.
The company incurred a loss of 95 cents per share in the quarter, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 82 cents. The figure was also wider than the year-ago quarter’s loss of 77 cents per share due to higher R&D expenses.
The company reported revenues of $50.1 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $48 million. The figure increased from the year-ago quarter’s $41 million owing to continued growth in demand and net price improvement. Lead drug Tymlos is approved for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture.
Quarter in Detail
Research & development expenses for the reported quarter were $44.9 million, flaring up 65% year over year primarily due to a rise in elacestrant project and abaloparatide-patch project costs. General & administrative expenses decreased 5% to $38.2 million.
Pipeline Updates
The company’s pipeline includes abaloparatide injection for potential use in the treatment of men with osteoporosis, abaloparatide patch for potential use in osteoporosis and elacestrant (RAD1901) for potential use in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.
The wearABLe phase III study with abaloparatide-patch in postmenopausal osteoporosis continues to advance enrollment globally. Completion of enrollment remains on track for the latter part of the third quarter of 2020.
Enrollment in the phase III study, ATOM, which is assessing the efficacy and safety of abaloparatide-SC in men with osteoporosis, is expected to complete shortly.
In July, Radius entered into an exclusive global license agreement for the development and commercialization of elacestrant with Menarini Group. Per the agreement, Menarini Group will be responsible for worldwide commercialization of elacestrant, after the completion of the phase III study. Assuming the study is successful, it will also be responsible for the registration of elacestrant. Meanwhile, Radius will be responsible for the conduct and completion of the phase III EMERALD study through NDA filing. The EMERALD study is on schedule to complete target recruitment in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Radius expects more than $100 million of expenses associated with this activity to be reimbursed by Menarini Group. As part of the agreement, Radius received an upfront payment of $30 million and is eligible to receive up to $20 million on the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones and up to $300 million on the achievement of certain sales milestones. Menarini Group will make tiered, low to mid-teen percentage royalty payments to Radius on global net sales.
Our Take
Radius reported a wider-than-expected loss in the second quarter but sales beat estimates. Tymlos held up pretty well amid the pandemic. The pipeline progress has been impressive as well. However, competition is stiff from bigwigs like Eli Lilly & Co’s LLY Forteo and Amgen’s AMGN Prolia.
Zacks Rank & A Stock to Consider
Radius currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the healthcare sector is Pacira BioSciences, Inc. PCRX, which sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Pacira’s earnings estimates are up 11 cents for 2020 and 13 cents for 2021.
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