Celcuity Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights

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  • Announced a clinical trial collaboration in December with Massachusetts General Hospital, UCLA, and Vanderbilt and Puma Biotechnology to conduct a Phase II clinical trial.
  • In January, announced a clinical trial collaboration with Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Pfizer Inc. to conduct a Phase II clinical trial.
  • Additional clinical trial collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies are expected to be announced in the first half of 2021.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESSWIRE / February 16, 2021 / Celcuity Inc. (NASDAQ:CELC), a clinical stage biotechnology company translating discoveries of new cancer sub-types into 3rd generation diagnostics and expanded therapeutic options for cancer patients, announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2020 and summarized recent business progress.

“We built momentum in our business over the past few months, signing additional clinical trial agreements to collaborate with several major cancer research centers and pharmaceutical companies while advancing additional new CELsignia tests. In December, we announced a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital, UCLA, Vanderbilt, and Puma Biotechnology for a Phase II trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Puma’s drug, Nerlynx, and AstraZeneca’s drug, Faslodex,” said Brian Sullivan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Celcuity.

“Last month, we announced another clinical trial collaboration, our fourth one, with Sarah Cannon Research Institute and Pfizer, Inc., for a Phase II trial that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of two Pfizer targeted therapies, VIZIMPRO®, a pan-HER inhibitor, and XALKORI®, a c-Met inhibitor. Both of these recent collaborations aim to address a significant unmet need for new treatment options for metastatic HER2- breast cancer patients whose disease progressed on prior therapies.

“Additional collaboration discussions with pharmaceutical companies also progressed despite the headwinds from COVID-19. We remain confident we will finalize new clinical trial collaborations in the first half of 2021. Finally, although our FACT-1 and FACT-2 trials were somewhat impacted by COVID-19 related delays in recent months, we still expect interim results from these trials in the latter half of 2021 or early 2022.”

Recent Highlights and Upcoming Milestones

  • Announced two new clinical trial collaborations in past two months.
  • Expect to announce additional clinical trial collaborations in the first half of 2021.
  • Continue to develop CELsignia RAS test for breast and ovarian cancers, and plan to report data on these new tests in the first half of 2021.
  • Interim results from the FACT-1 and FACT-2 trials are expected in late 2021 or early 2022.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Results

Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons are for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2020, compared with the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2019.

Total operating expenses were $2.55 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $1.90 million for the fourth quarter of 2019. Operating expenses for the fiscal year 2020 were $9.56 million, compared to $7.81 million for the fiscal year 2019.

Research and development (R&D) expenses were $2.11 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $1.50 million for the fourth quarter of 2019. R&D expenses for fiscal year 2020 were $7.68 million, compared to $6.27 million for fiscal year 2019. The approximately $1.41 million increase during fiscal year 2020, compared to fiscal year 2019, resulted primarily from a $1.15 million increase in compensation related expenses, including approximately $0.49 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense. In addition, other research and development expenses increased $0.26 million due to clinical validation and laboratory studies, and operational and business development activities.

General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $0.44 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to $0.40 million for the fourth quarter of 2019. G&A expenses for fiscal year 2020 were $1.87 million, compared to $1.53 million for fiscal year 2019. The approximately $0.34 million increase during fiscal year 2020, compared to fiscal year 2019, resulted primarily from a $0.28 million increase in compensation related expenses, including approximately $0.24 million of non-cash stock-based compensation. In addition, other general and administrative expenses increased $0.06 million primarily due to professional fees associated with being a public company.

Net loss for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $2.55 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.81 million, or $0.18 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2019. Net loss for fiscal year 2020 was $9.47 million, or $0.92 per share, compared to $7.36 million, or $0.72 per share, for fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $2.12 million, or $0.21 per share, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $1.45 million, or $0.14 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss for fiscal year 2020 was $7.71 million, or $0.75 per share, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $6.32 million, or $0.62 per share, for fiscal year 2019. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss excludes stock-based compensation expense. Because this item has no impact on Celcuity’s cash position, management believes non-GAAP adjusted net loss better enables Celcuity to focus on cash used in operations. For a reconciliation of financial measures calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) to non-GAAP financial measures, please see the financial tables at the end of this press release.

Net cash used in operating activities for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $2.11 million, compared to $1.70 million for the fourth quarter of 2019.

At December 31, 2020, Celcuity had cash and cash equivalents of $11.6 million, compared to cash and cash equivalents of $18.7 million at December 31, 2019.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call at 4:30 PM Eastern Time today to discuss the results. Anyone interested in participating should dial 1-866-831-8616 and use passcode 92066. Participants are asked to dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.

About Celcuity

Celcuity is a clinical stage biotechnology company translating discoveries of new cancer sub-types into pioneering companion diagnostics and expanded therapeutic options for cancer patients. Celcuity’s 3rd generation diagnostic platform, CELsignia, analyzes living tumor cells to untangle the complexity of the cellular activity driving a patient’s cancer. This allows Celcuity to discover new cancer sub-types molecular diagnostics cannot detect. Celcuity is driven to improve outcomes for patients and to transform how pharmaceutical companies define the patient populations for their targeted therapies. Celcuity is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Further information about Celcuity can be found at www.celcuity.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “intends” or “continue,” and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, expectations with respect to new clinical trial collaborations and the timing or outcomes of such collaborations, commercializing diagnostic tests, the use of cash, the discovery of additional cancer sub-types, the development of additional CELsignia tests, the uses and breadth of application of CELsignia tests, the outcome of the FACT-1, FACT-2, FACT-3, and FACT-4 clinical trials, clinical trial patient enrollment and timing of results, anticipated benefits that Celcuity’s tests may provide to pharmaceutical companies and to the clinical outcomes of cancer patients, and expectations regarding the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic effects will have on Celcuity’s business and results of operations. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Celcuity, which include, but are not limited to, the unknown impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Celcuity’s business and those other risks set forth in the Risk Factors section in Celcuity’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 16, 2021. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Celcuity undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this press release, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Celcuity Inc.
Brian Sullivan, bsullivan@celcuity.com
Vicky Hahne, vhahne@celcuity.com
763-392-0123

Westwicke ICR
Mike Cavanaugh
mike.cavanaugh@westwicke.com
(617) 877-9641

Celcuity Inc.
Balance Sheets

 
  December 31, 2020     December 31, 2019  
 
           
Assets
           
Current Assets:
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 11,637,911     $ 18,735,002  
Deposits
    22,009       22,009  
Deferred transaction costs
          28,743  
Payroll tax receivable
    190,000       190,000  
Prepaid assets
    317,040       274,600  
Total current assets
    12,166,960       19,250,354  
 
               
Property and equipment, net
    558,876       833,463  
Operating lease right-of-use assets
    230,911       196,983  
Total Assets
  $ 12,956,747     $ 20,280,800  
 
               
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:
               
Current Liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 217,377     $ 142,773  
Finance lease liabilities
    5,810       5,769  
Operating lease liabilities
    187,518       178,466  
Accrued expenses
    774,612       584,319  
Total current liabilities
    1,185,317       911,327  
Finance lease liabilities
    8,299       14,109  
Operating lease liabilities
    60,861       57,793  
Total Liabilities
    1,254,477       983,229  
Total Stockholders’ Equity
    11,702,270       19,297,571  
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
  $ 12,956,747     $ 20,280,800  
                 

Celcuity Inc.
Statement of Operations

             
 
  Three Months Ended December 31,     Years Ended December 31,  
 
  2020     2019     2020     2019  
 
                       
Operating expenses:
                       
 
                       
Research and development
  $ 2,107,272     $ 1,497,023     $ 7,683,522     $ 6,269,308  
General and administrative
    444,064       400,742       1,872,642       1,535,993  
Total operating expenses
    2,551,336       1,897,765       9,556,164       7,805,301  
Loss from operations
    (2,551,336)       (1,897,765)       (9,556,164)       (7,805,301)  
 
                               
Other income (expense)
                               
Interest expense
    (26)       (36)       (120)       (159)  
Interest income
    469       88,776       82,109       446,096  
Other income, net
    443       88,740       81,989       445,937  
Net loss before income taxes
    (2,550,893)       (1,809,025)       (9,474,175)       (7,359,364)  
Income tax benefits
                       
Net loss
  $ (2,550,893)     $ (1,809,025)     $ (9,474,175)     $ (7,359,364)  
 
                               
Net loss per share, basic and diluted
  $ (0.25)     $ (0.18)     $ (0.92)     $ (0.72)  
 
                               
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
    10,279,535       10,251,555       10,266,884       10,226,041  
                                 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains references to non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful supplemental measures for planning, monitoring, and evaluating operational performance as they exclude stock-based compensation expense from net loss and net loss per share. Management excludes this item because it does not impact Celcuity’s cash position, which management believes better enables Celcuity to focus on cash used in operations. However, non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share are not recognized measures under GAAP and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP. As a result, management’s method of calculating non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share may differ materially from the method used by other companies. Therefore, non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Investors are cautioned that non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share should not be construed as alternatives to net loss, net loss per share or other statements of operations data (which are determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indicator of Celcuity’s performance or as a measure of liquidity and cash flows.

Celcuity Inc.
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Loss and

GAAP Net Loss Per Share to Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Loss Per Share

 
  Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Years Ended
December 31,
   
 
 
  2020     2019     2020     2019  
 
                       
GAAP net loss
  (2,550,893)     (1,809,025)     (9,474,175)     (7,359,364)  
Adjustments:
                               
Stock-based compensation
                               
Research and development (1)
    241,996       202,403       1,055,094       567,305  
General and administrative (2)
    185,094       158,452       708,785       473,684  
Non-GAAP adjusted net loss
  (2,123,803)     (1,448,170)     (7,710,296)     (6,318,375)  
 
                               
 
                               
GAAP net loss per share – basic and diluted
  (0.25)     (0.18)     (0.92)     (0.72)  
Adjustment to net loss (as detailed above)
    0.04       0.04       0.17       0.10  
Non-GAAP adjusted net loss per share
  (0.21)     (0.14)     (0.75)     (0.62)  
 
                               
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
    10,279,535       10,251,555       10,266,884       10,226,041  

(1) Reflects a non-cash charge to operating expense for Research and Development stock-based compensation.

(2) Reflects a non-cash charge to operating expense for General and Administrative stock-based

SOURCE: Celcuity Inc.

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