Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Mar 31, 2025
Filed with the SEC on May 12, 2025 and accepted by EDGAR at May 12, 2025, 20:36 ET.
Management's discussion and analysis
As filed, 38,869 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Information
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes to those financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on March 31, 2025, or the 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve significant risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, such as those set forth under “Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, under “Part I, Item 1A—Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.
Overview
We are a biotechnology company developing and commercializing life-changing therapies for people living with gastrointestinal, or GI, and rare diseases. We are focused on the development and commercialization of innovative GI product opportunities in areas of significant unmet need, leveraging our demonstrated expertise and capabilities in GI diseases.
LINZESS® (linaclotide), our commercial product, is the first product approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or U.S. FDA, in a class of GI medicines called guanylate cyclase type C agonists, or GC-C agonists, and is indicated for adult men and women suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, or IBS-C, or chronic idiopathic constipation, or CIC, and for pediatric patients ages 6-17 years-old suffering from functional constipation, or FC. LINZESS is available to adult men and women suffering from IBS-C or CIC in the U.S. and Mexico, adult men and women suffering from IBS-C or chronic constipation in Japan, and adult men and women suffering from IBS-C in China, and pediatric patients ages 6-17 with FC in the U.S. Linaclotide is available under the trademarked name CONSTELLA® to adult men and women suffering from IBS-C or CIC and pediatric patients ages 6-17 years old with FC in Canada, and to adult men and women suffering from IBS-C in certain European countries.
We have strategic partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies to support the development and commercialization of linaclotide throughout the world, including with our partner, AbbVie Inc., or together with its affiliates, AbbVie, in the U.S. and all countries worldwide other than China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and Japan, AstraZeneca AB or together with its affiliates, AstraZeneca in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), and Astellas Pharma Inc., or Astellas, in Japan.
We also aim to leverage our development and commercialization capabilities in GI to bring additional treatment options to GI patients.
Through the VectivBio acquisition, we are advancing apraglutide, a next-generation, synthetic long-acting peptide analog of glucagon-like peptide-2, or GLP-2, for short bowel syndrome, or SBS, patients who are dependent on parenteral support, or PS. In February 2024, we announced positive topline results from our pivotal Phase III clinical trial, STARS, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of once-weekly subcutaneous apraglutide in reducing parenteral support dependency in adult patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure, or SBS-IF. In April 2025, we announced that, based on discussions with the U.S. FDA, a confirmatory Phase III trial is needed to seek approval of a new drug application or NDA, for apraglutide for patients with SBS-IF who are dependent on PS.
To date, we have dedicated a majority of our activities to the research, development and commercialization of linaclotide, as well as to the research and development of apraglutide and our other product candidates. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, we recorded a net loss of $37.4 million and $4.2 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2025, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $1.7 billion. We are unable to predict the extent of any future losses or guarantee that our company will be able to maintain positive cash flows. In April 2025, we announced that we would be exploring strategic alternatives for the company.
We were incorporated in Delaware on January 5, 1998 as Microbia, Inc. On April 7, 2008, we changed our name to Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. We operate in one reportable business segment—human therapeutics.
Financial Operations Overview
Revenues. Our revenues are generated primarily through our collaborative arrangements and license agreements related to research and development and commercialization of linaclotide.
The majority of our revenues are generated from the sales of LINZESS in the U.S. We record our share of the net profits and losses from the sales of LINZESS in the U.S. less commercial expenses on a net basis and present the settlement payments to and from AbbVie as collaboration expense or collaborative arrangements revenue, as applicable. Net profits or losses consist of net sales to third-party customers and sublicense income in the U.S. less the cost of goods sold as well as selling, general and administrative expenses. Although we expect net sales to increase over time, the settlement payments between AbbVie and us, resulting in collaborative arrangements revenue or collaboration expense, are subject to fluctuation based on the ratio of selling, general and administrative expenses incurred by each party. In addition, our collaborative arrangements revenue may fluctuate as a result of the timing and amount of license fees and clinical and commercial milestones received and recognized under our current and future strategic partnerships as well as timing and amount of royalties from the sales of linaclotide in the European, Canadian, Mexican, Japanese, or Chinese markets or any other markets where linaclotide receives approval and is commercialized.
Research and Development Expense. The core of our research and development strategy is to leverage our demonstrated expertise and capabilities in GI diseases to bring multiple medicines to patients. Research and development expense consists of expenses incurred in connection with the research into and development of products and product candidates. These expenses consist primarily of compensation, benefits and other employee-related expenses, research and development related facility costs, third-party contract costs relating to nonclinical study and clinical trial activities, development of manufacturing processes, regulatory registration of third-party manufacturing facilities, and licensing fees for our product candidates.
Research and development expenses include amounts owed to AbbVie on an ongoing basis under cost-sharing
provisions in our collaboration agreement for linaclotide. Reimbursements received for research and development activities under this agreement are netted against research and development expenses.
Linaclotide. Our commercial product, LINZESS, is commercially available in the U.S. for the treatment of IBS-C or CIC in adults and for FC in pediatric patients ages 6-17 years-old. Linaclotide is also available to adult men and women suffering from IBS-C or CIC in certain countries of the world, including China, Japan, and in a number of European countries.
We and AbbVie continue to explore ways to enhance the clinical profile of LINZESS by studying linaclotide in additional indications, populations and formulations to assess its potential to treat various conditions. In September 2020, based on the Phase IIIb data of linaclotide 290 mcg on the overall abdominal symptoms of bloating, pain and discomfort in adult patients with IBS-C, the U.S. FDA approved our supplemental new drug application to include a more comprehensive description of the effects of LINZESS in its approved label.
In addition, we and AbbVie have established a nonclinical and clinical post-marketing plan with the U.S. FDA to understand the safety and efficacy of LINZESS in pediatric patients. In August 2021, the U.S. FDA approved a revised label for LINZESS based on clinical safety data that had been generated thus far in pediatric studies. The updated label modified the boxed warning for risk of serious dehydration and contraindication against use in children to those less than two years of age. The boxed warning and contraindication previously applied to all children less than 18 years of age and less than 6 years of age, respectively. In June 2023, the U.S. FDA approved LINZESS as a once-daily treatment for pediatric patients ages 6-17 years-old with FC, making LINZESS the first and only FDA-approved prescription therapy for FC in this patient population. The safety and effectiveness of LINZESS in patients with FC less than 6 years of age or in patients with IBS-C less than 18 years of age have not been established. Additional clinical pediatric programs in IBS-C and FC are ongoing.
Apraglutide for SBS-IF. In February 2024, we announced positive topline results from our pivotal Phase III clinical trial, STARS, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of once-weekly subcutaneous apraglutide in reducing parenteral support, or PS, dependency in adult patients with SBS-IF. SBS-IF, a rare and severe organ failure condition in which patients are dependent on PS, affects an estimated 18,000 adult patients in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. We are also conducting an open-label extension study, STARS Extend, to further assess the safety of apraglutide in adult patients with SBS-IF. In April 2025, we announced that, based on discussions with the U.S. FDA, a confirmatory Phase III trial is needed to seek approval of an NDA for apraglutide for patients with SBS-IF who are dependent on PS. We plan to work with the U.S. FDA on the design of a confirmatory Phase II trial and the regulatory path forward.
IW-3300. We were developing IW-3300, a GC-C agonist, for the potential treatment of visceral pain conditions, such as interstitial cystitis and bladder pain syndrome. In April 2025, based on analysis of the Phase II data, we decided to end further investment in developing IW-3300.
CNP-104. Through the COUR Collaboration Agreement, we and COUR were developing CNP-104 for the treatment of PBC, a rare autoimmune disease targeting the liver. In the third quarter of 2024, we received from COUR the topline data from COUR’s Phase II Clinical study for the treatment of PBC. In September 2024, we notified COUR of our decision not to exercise the option to acquire an exclusive license to CNP-104. As a result, the COUR Collaboration Agreement has terminated, and we retain no rights and have no obligations related to CNP-104.
Early research and development. Our early research and development efforts have been focused on supporting our development stage GI programs, including exploring strategic options for further development of certain of our internal programs, as well as evaluating external development-stage GI programs.
The following table sets forth our research and development expenses related to our product pipeline for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. These expenses relate primarily to compensation, benefits and other employee-related expenses and external costs associated with nonclinical studies and clinical trial costs for our product candidates. We allocate costs related to facilities, depreciation, share-based compensation, research and development support services and certain other costs directly to programs.
| | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linaclotide(1) | $3,928 | $4,486 | ||
| Apraglutide | | 19,277 | | 19,275 |
| IW-3300 | | 2,277 | | 3,492 |
| CNP-104 | | 75 | | 504 |
| Early research and development(2) | | 1,875 | | (1,942) |
| Total research and development expenses | | $27,432 | | $25,815 |
(1) Includes linaclotide in all indications, populations and formulations.
(2) Includes $4.8 million reduction to research and development expense recognized in the first quarter of 2024 in connection with the settlement of a license-related contract liability.
We and AbbVie are exploring development opportunities to enhance the clinical profile of LINZESS by studying linaclotide in additional indications, populations and formulations to assess its potential to treat various conditions. We cannot currently estimate with any degree of certainty the amount of time or money that we will be required to expend in the future on linaclotide for additional indications, populations or formulations.
The lengthy process of securing regulatory approvals for product candidates, including apraglutide, requires the expenditure of substantial resources. Any failure by us to obtain, or any delay in obtaining, regulatory approvals would materially adversely affect our product development efforts and our business overall. Given the inherent uncertainties that come with the development of pharmaceutical products, we cannot estimate with any degree of certainty how our programs will evolve, and therefore the amount of time or money that would be required to obtain regulatory approval to market them. For example, based on feedback received from the U.S. FDA in April 2025, a confirmatory Phase III trial is needed to seek approval for apraglutide.
As a result of these uncertainties surrounding the timing and outcome of any approvals, we are currently unable to estimate precisely when, if ever, linaclotide’s utility will be expanded within its currently approved indications; if or when linaclotide will be developed outside of its current markets, indications, populations or formulations; or when, if ever, apraglutide or any of our other product candidates will generate revenues and cash flows.
We invest carefully in our pipeline, and the commitment of funding for each subsequent stage of our development programs is dependent upon the receipt of clear, supportive data. In addition, we intend to access externally discovered drug candidates that fit within our core strategy. In evaluating these potential assets, we apply the same investment criteria as those used for investments in internally discovered assets.
The successful development of our product candidates is highly uncertain and subject to a number of risks including, but not limited to:
- The duration of clinical trials may vary substantially according to the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidate;
- The U.S. FDA and comparable foreign agencies impose substantial and varying requirements on the introduction of therapeutic pharmaceutical products, typically requiring lengthy and detailed laboratory and clinical testing procedures, sampling activities and other costly and time-consuming procedures;
- Data obtained from nonclinical and clinical activities at any step in the testing process may be adverse and lead to discontinuation or redirection of development activity. Data obtained from these activities also are susceptible to varying interpretations, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval;
- The duration and cost of early research and development, including nonclinical studies and clinical trials, may vary significantly over the life of a product candidate and are difficult to predict;
- The costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of a product candidate may not be favorable, and, even if approved, a product may face post-approval development and regulatory requirements;
- There may be substantial costs, delays and difficulties in successfully integrating externally developed product candidates into our business operations; and
- The emergence of competing technologies and products and other adverse market developments may negatively impact us.
As a result of the factors discussed above, including the factors discussed under “Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and under “Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we are unable to determine the duration and costs to complete current or future nonclinical and clinical stages of our product candidates or when, or to what extent, we will generate revenues from the commercialization and sale of our product candidates. Development timelines, probability of success and development costs vary widely. We anticipate that we will make determinations as to which additional programs to pursue and how much funding to direct to each program on an ongoing basis in response to the data of each product candidate, the competitive landscape and ongoing assessments of such product candidate’s commercial potential.
We expect to invest in our development programs and incur substantial research and development expenses for the foreseeable future. We will continue to invest in linaclotide, including the investigation of ways to enhance the clinical profile within its currently approved indications and the exploration of its potential utility in other indications, populations and formulations, and in our other products and product candidates, including apraglutide. We are exploring potential strategic alternatives with regard to, but not limited to, our GI and rare disease-focused product candidates, including apraglutide.
Selling, General and Administrative Expense. Selling, general and administrative expense consists primarily of compensation, benefits and other employee-related expenses for personnel in our administrative, finance, legal, information technology, business development, commercial, sales, marketing, communications and human resource functions. Other costs include legal costs of pursuing patent protection of our intellectual property, general and administrative related facility costs, insurance costs and professional fees for accounting, tax, consulting, legal and other services. As we continue to invest in the development and commercialization of LINZESS, apraglutide and other product candidates, we expect our selling, general and administrative expenses will be substantial for the foreseeable future.
We include AbbVie’s selling, general and administrative cost-sharing payments in the calculation of the net profits and net losses from the sale of LINZESS in the U.S. and present the net payment to or from AbbVie as collaboration expense or collaborative arrangements revenue, respectively.
Restructuring Expenses. Restructuring expenses pertain to a workforce reduction initiative in connection with the VectivBio Acquisition as well as a workforce reduction in January 2025 consisting primarily of field-based sales employees. The workforce reduction and restructuring initiatives are more fully described in Note 11, Workforce Reductions and Restructuring.
Interest Expense and Other Financing Costs. Interest expense consists primarily of cash and non-cash interest costs related to our convertible senior notes and Revolving Credit Facility. Non-cash interest expense consists of amortization of debt issuance costs.
Interest and Investment Income. Interest and investment income consists of interest earned on our cash and cash equivalents, as well as significant financing components of payments due from collaboration partners.
Income Taxes. We prepare our income tax provision based on our interpretation of the income tax accounting rules and each jurisdiction’s enacted tax laws and regulations. At interim reporting dates, we record our income tax provision by applying our estimated annual effective tax rate to year-to-date pre-tax income, plus adjustments for significant discrete items.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements, and the amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. We base our estimates on our historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ materially from our estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known.
During the three months ended March 31, 2025, there were no material changes to our critical accounting policies as reported in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Results of Operations
The following discussion summarizes the key factors our management believes are necessary for an understanding of our condensed consolidated financial statements.
(in thousands)
| Revenues: | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborative arrangements revenue | | $41,143 | | $74,877 |
| Total revenues | | 41,143 | | 74,877 |
| Costs and expenses: | | | | |
| Research and development | | 27,432 | | 25,815 |
| Selling, general and administrative | | 24,260 | | 37,605 |
| Restructuring | | 18,559 | | 437 |
| Total costs and expenses | | 70,251 | | 63,857 |
| Income (loss) from operations | | (29,108) | | 11,020 |
| Other income (expense): | | | | |
| Interest expense and other financing costs | | (8,070) | | (7,231) |
| Interest and investment income | | 869 | | 1,169 |
| Other | | 37 | | — |
| Other income (expense), net | | (7,164) | | (6,062) |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | | (36,272) | | 4,958 |
| Income tax expense | | (1,114) | | (9,120) |
| Net loss | | $(37,386) | | $(4,162) |
Three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to three months ended March 31, 2024
Revenues
(in thousands)
| Revenues: | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 | | Change $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborative arrangements revenue | $41,143 | $74,877 | $(33,734) | |||
| Total revenues | | $41,143 | | $74,877 | | $(33,734) |
Collaborative arrangements revenue. The decrease in collaborative arrangements revenue of $33.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 was primarily related to a $32.9 million decrease in our share of net profits from the sale of LINZESS in the U.S. The decrease reflects a change in AbbVie’s estimate of gross-to-net rebate reserves effective at the beginning of 2025 and is expected to impact the quarterly phasing of LINZESS U.S. net sales. This change is based on expected rebates owed for units dispensed by channel in each quarter, which negatively impacted net sales during the three months ended March 31, 2025. Based on historical trends, we expect rebates owed for units dispensed in subsequent quarters to offset the impact reflected during the three months ended March 31, 2025.
In addition, collaborative arrangements revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2024 includes a $38.0 million reduction for changes in estimates of sales reserves and allowances associated with governmental and contractual rebates related to sales in previous fiscal periods, inclusive of a $30.0 million reduction related to information provided by AbbVie subsequent to the quarterly collaboration accounting settlement process for the first quarter of 2024.
Costs and Expenses
(in thousands)
| Costs and expenses: | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 | | Change $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research and development | | $27,432 | | $25,815 | | $1,617 |
| Selling, general and administrative | | 24,260 | | 37,605 | | (13,345) |
| Restructuring | | 18,559 | | 437 | | 18,122 |
| Total costs and expenses | | $70,251 | | $63,857 | | $6,394 |
Research and development. The increase in research and development expenses of $1.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 was primarily related to a $4.8 million reduction to research and development expense recognized during the first quarter of 2024 in connection with the settlement of a license-related contract liability, partially offset by a $1.7 million decrease in external apraglutide costs, a $0.8 million decrease in external linaclotide costs, and a $0.7 million decrease in compensation, benefits, and other employee-related expenses.
Selling, general and administrative. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $13.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024, primarily due to a $9.6 million decrease in compensation, benefits, and other employee-related expenses and $2.5 million decrease in sales and marketing activities, both resulting from the restructuring initiative during the first quarter of 2025.
Restructuring expenses. The increase in restructuring expense of $18.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 is primarily due to the workforce reduction in January 2025 consisting primarily of field-based sales employees. Workforce reduction and restructuring initiatives are more fully described in Note 11, Workforce Reductions and Restructuring.
Other Income (Expense), Net
(in thousands)
| Other income (expense): | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 | | Change $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interest expense and other financing costs | | $(8,070) | | $(7,231) | | $(839) |
| Interest and investment income | | 869 | | 1,169 | | (300) |
| Other | | 37 | | — | | 37 |
| Total other income (expense), net | | $(7,164) | | $(6,062) | | $(1,102) |
Interest expense and other financing costs. Interest expense increased by $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 primarily due to an increase of $1.2 million in interest on the Revolving Credit Facility, resulting from increases in debt principal balance. This increase was partially offset by a $0.6 million decrease in coupon interest expense associated with the 2024 Convertible Notes, which was fully repaid upon maturity in June 2024.
Interest and investment income. Interest and investment income decreased by $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2024 due to a decrease in cash balances and a decrease in interest rates.
Other. During the three months ended March 31, 2025, we recorded a gain of an insignificant amount for pension-related activities.
Income taxes. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, we recorded income tax expense of $1.1 million and $9.1 million, respectively. Due to our ability to utilize our net operating losses to offset federal taxable income and taxable income in most states, the majority of our tax provision will be a non-cash expense until our net operating losses have been fully utilized.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2025, we had $108.5 million of cash and cash equivalents. Our cash equivalents include amounts held in money market funds, U.S. Treasury securities and commercial paper. We invest cash in excess of immediate requirements in accordance with our investment policy, which limits the amounts we may invest in certain types of investments and requires all investments held by us to be at least A- rated, with a remaining final maturity when purchased of less than twenty-four months, so as to primarily achieve liquidity and capital preservation objectives.
We anticipate our cash balance and our expected net cash inflows from operations and/or additional capital sources to allow us to meet our near-term and long-term cash obligations, which are reflected in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Our most significant fixed obligations are debt obligations and lease commitments, for which annual payments are disclosed in Note 8, Debt, and Note 6, Leases, respectively, to our financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
We may from time to time seek to retire, redeem or repurchase all or part of our outstanding debt through cash purchases and/or exchanges, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, by tender offer or otherwise. Such repurchases, redemptions or exchanges, if any, of our debt will depend on prevailing market conditions, liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors, and the amounts involved may be material.
Sources of Liquidity
We have financed our operations to date primarily through both the private sale of our preferred stock and the public sale of our common stock, debt financings, and cash generated from our operations. As of March 31, 2025, our debt is comprised of $200.0 million aggregate principal amount of convertible notes, due in 2026, and $385.0 million aggregate principal amount outstanding under our Revolving Credit Facility, which we entered into in May 2023 to partially finance the VectivBio Acquisition. The Revolving Credit Facility provides for $550.0 million of borrowing capacity and includes a $10.0 million letter of credit subfacility. Refer to Note 8, Debt, to our condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for information related to our debt obligations.
Summary of Cash Flows
The following table summarizes cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024:
(in thousands)
| Net cash provided by (used in): | | Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 | | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | | $19,954 | | $44,985 |
| Investing activities | | (31) | | (68) |
| Financing activities | | 6 | | (15,555) |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | | (7) | | 24 |
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | | $19,922 | | $29,386 |
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities is derived by adjusting net income (loss) for non-cash items and changes in operating assets and liabilities, which reflect timing differences between the receipt and payment of cash associated with transactions and when they are recognized in the results of operations.
Net cash inflows for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 totaled $20.0 million and $45.0 million, respectively, and were derived primarily from collaboration arrangements revenue related to sales of LINZESS in the U.S.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 was insignificant and pertained to the purchase of property and equipment.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was insignificant and was generated by employee equity transactions.
Cash used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 totaled $15.6 million and was comprised primarily of a $25.0 million repayment on the Revolving Credit Facility, partially offset by $10.1 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options.
Funding Requirements
We began commercializing LINZESS in the U.S. with our collaboration partner, AbbVie, in the fourth quarter of 2012, and we currently derive a significant portion of our revenue from this collaboration. Our goal is to generate and maintain positive cash flows, driven by revenue generated through sales of LINZESS and other commercial activities and financial discipline, while continuing to invest in the development and commercialization of linaclotide, apraglutide, and other product candidates.
Under our collaboration with AbbVie for North America, total net sales of LINZESS in the U.S., as recorded by AbbVie, are reduced by commercial costs incurred by each party, and the resulting amount is shared equally between us and AbbVie. Additionally, we receive royalties from AbbVie based on sales of linaclotide in its licensed territories outside of the U.S. We believe revenues from our LINZESS partnership for the U.S. with AbbVie will continue to constitute a significant portion of our total revenue for the foreseeable future and we cannot be certain that such revenues, as well as the revenues from our other commercial activities, will continue to enable us to generate positive cash flows, or to do so in the timeframes we expect. We also anticipate that we will continue to incur substantial expenses for the next several years as we further develop and commercialize linaclotide in the U.S., develop and commercialize other product candidates, including apraglutide, and invest in building our pipeline through internal or external opportunities. We believe that our cash and cash equivalents on hand as of March 31, 2025 and our expected cash inflows from operations, will be sufficient to meet our projected operating needs at least through the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements. We have long-term debt obligations, including convertible notes that mature on June 15, 2026, which are disclosed in Note 8, Debt, to our financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. There is no assurance we will have sufficient liquidity to meet our long-term debt obligations when they become due.
Our forecast of the period of time through which our financial resources will be adequate to support our operations, including the underlying revenue expectations and estimates regarding the costs to continue to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize linaclotide in the U.S., develop and commercialize other product candidates, including apraglutide, and our goal to generate and maintain positive cash flows, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could vary materially and negatively from these and other forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including the factors discussed under the headings “Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, under “Part I, Item 1A—Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under “Risk Factors” in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We have based our estimates on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we could utilize our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect.
Due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and commercialization of our product candidates, we are unable to estimate precisely the amounts of capital outlays and operating expenditures necessary to develop, obtain regulatory approval for, and commercialize linaclotide, apraglutide and our other product candidates, in each case, for all of the markets, indications, populations and formulations for which we believe each is suited. Our funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, the following:
- the revenue generated by sales of LINZESS and CONSTELLA and from any other sources;
- the rate of progress and cost of our commercialization activities, including the expense we incur in marketing and selling LINZESS in the U.S. and from any other sources;
- the success of our third-party manufacturing activities;
- the time and costs involved in developing, and obtaining regulatory approvals for, our product candidates, including apraglutide, as well as the timing and cost of any post-approval development and regulatory requirements;
- the time and costs associated with commercial manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution of apraglutide, if approved;
- the success of our research and development efforts;
- the emergence of competing or complementary products;
- the costs of filing, prosecuting, defending and enforcing any patent claims and other intellectual property rights;
- the terms and timing of any collaborative, licensing or other arrangements that we may establish, including milestones, royalties or other payments due or payable under such agreements;
- the settlement method used for our outstanding convertible notes; and
- the acquisition of businesses, products and technologies and the impact of other strategic transactions, as well as the cost and timing of evaluating, acquiring, and, if completed, integrating into our business operations any such assets.
Financing Strategy
We may, from time to time, consider additional funding through a combination of new collaborative arrangements, strategic alliances, and additional equity and debt financings or from other sources. We will continue to manage our capital structure and to consider all financing opportunities, whenever they may occur, that could strengthen our long-term liquidity profile. Any such capital transactions may or may not be similar to transactions in which we have engaged in the past. There can be no assurance that any such financing opportunities will also be available on acceptable terms, if at all.
New Accounting Pronouncements
For a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, refer to Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to our consolidated financial statements in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We did not otherwise adopt any new accounting pronouncements during the three months ended March 31, 2025 that had a material effect on our condensed consolidated financial statements included in this report.
Market risk
As filed, 4,263 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to market risk related to changes in interest rates. We invest our cash in a variety of financial instruments, principally securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies, including collateralized reverse repurchase agreements, and money market instruments, as well as commercial paper. The goals of our investment policy are preservation of capital, fulfillment of liquidity needs and fiduciary control of cash and investments. We also seek to maximize income from our investments without assuming significant risk.
Our primary exposure to market risk is interest income sensitivity, which is affected by changes in the general level of interest rates, particularly because our investments are in short-term marketable securities. Due to the primarily short-term duration of our investment portfolio and the low risk profile of our investments, an immediate 1% change in interest rates would not have a material effect on the fair market value of our portfolio. Accordingly, we would not expect our operating results or cash flows to be affected to any significant degree by the effect of a sudden change in market interest rates on our investment portfolio.
We do not believe our cash and cash equivalents have significant risk of default or illiquidity. While we believe our cash and cash equivalents do not contain excessive risk, we cannot provide absolute assurance that in the future our investments will not be subject to adverse changes in market value. In addition, we maintain significant amounts of cash and cash equivalents at one or more financial institutions that are in excess of federally insured limits. Given the potential instability of financial institutions, we cannot provide assurance that we will not experience losses on these deposits.
Our 2026 Convertible Notes bear interest at a fixed rate and therefore have minimal exposure to changes in interest rates; however, because these interest rates are fixed, we may be paying a higher interest rate, relative to market, in the future if our credit rating improves or other circumstances change.
We are exposed to market risks related to fluctuations in interest rates relating to our secured $550.0 million Revolving Credit Facility. The increase or decrease in annual interest expense resulting from a 10% increase or decrease in the applicable interest rate is $2.6 million.
Equity Price Risk
Our 2026 Convertible Notes include conversion and settlement provisions that are based on the price of our Class A Common Stock at conversion or maturity of the notes. The amount of cash we may be required to pay is determined by the price of our Class A Common Stock. The fair value of our 2026 Convertible Notes is dependent on the price and volatility of our Class A Common Stock and will generally increase or decrease as the market price of our common stock changes.
To minimize the impact of potential dilution to our common stock upon conversion of the notes, we entered into the capped call transactions with respect to the 2026 Convertible Notes.
The 2026 Convertible Notes and the capped call transactions are more fully described in Note 8, Debt, in the accompanying notes to our condensed consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Foreign Currency Risk
We are also exposed to risks related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates relating to our foreign operations. The functional currency of our international subsidiaries is the local currency. We are exposed to foreign currency risk to the extent that we enter into transactions denominated in currencies other than our subsidiaries’ respective functional currencies. We are also exposed to unfavorable fluctuations of the U.S. dollar, which is our reporting currency, against the currencies of our operating subsidiaries when their respective financial statements are translated into U.S. dollars for inclusion in our condensed consolidated financial statements. We do not currently hedge our foreign currency exchange rate risk. Foreign currency has not had, nor do we believe that a decrease or increase in any foreign currency exchange rates would have, a material impact on our results of operations.
Controls and procedures
As filed, 3,714 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls and Procedures
In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is required to apply judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that those material weaknesses previously identified in “Part II, Item 9A – Controls and Procedures” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 were still present as of March 31, 2025. Because our efforts to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting are still underway and we have not had a sufficient period of time to test the operating effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of March 31, 2025.
Notwithstanding the identified material weaknesses, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has concluded that the condensed consolidated financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
Management is committed to the remediation of the material weaknesses referenced above and has progressed on the remediation plans described in “Part II, Item 9A – Controls and Procedures” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. The actions that we are taking are subject to ongoing senior management review, as well as oversight of the audit committee of our board of directors. We will not be able to conclude that we have remediated a material weakness until the applicable controls operate for a sufficient period of time and management has concluded, through formal testing, that these controls are operating effectively. We will continue to monitor the design and effectiveness of these and other processes, procedures and controls and make any further changes management deems appropriate.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Other than the material weakness remediation efforts described above, there have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2025 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Risk factors
As filed, 3,053 characters, with its headings, lists and tables. Extracted from the main document; charts and exhibits are in the original on sec.gov.
Our business faces significant risks and uncertainties. Certain important factors may have a material adverse effect on our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations, and you should carefully consider them. Accordingly, in evaluating our business, we encourage you to carefully consider the discussion of risk factors in “Part I, Item 1A—Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, in addition to other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Our activities to explore potential strategic alternatives may not result in any transaction or maximize shareholder value.
In April 2025, we announced that, based on discussions with the U.S. FDA, a confirmatory Phase III trial is needed to seek approval of an NDA for apraglutide for patients with SBS-IF who are dependent on PS. While continuing to advance apraglutide, we have engaged Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC to explore strategic alternatives for the company to maximize value for shareholders. Our ability to successfully execute on a strategic alternative is dependent on a number of factors and we may not be able to execute a transaction or other strategic alternative on favorable terms within an advantageous timeframe and recognize significant value for our assets, if at all. Additionally, the negotiation and consummation of a transaction or other strategic alternative may be costly and time-consuming. Even if we reach terms for a transaction or other strategic alternative that are acceptable to us, the outcome is not guaranteed; market volatility, the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions, regulatory factors, and other challenges, risks, and uncertainties in the process may result in an outcome where no transaction or strategic alternative is consummated. Any executed strategic alternative may not result in anticipated savings or other economic benefits, could result in total costs and expenses that are greater than expected, could make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and may disrupt our operations, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
The market price of our shares of our Class A Common Stock may reflect a market assumption that a strategic alternative will occur, and a failure to complete a strategic alternative could result in negative investor perceptions and could cause a decline in the market price of our shares of our Class A Common Stock, which could adversely affect our ability to access the equity and financial markets, as well as our ability to explore and enter into different strategic alternatives. There can be no certainty that any strategic alternative will be completed, be on attractive terms, enhance stockholder value or deliver the anticipated benefits, and successful integration or execution of the strategic alternatives will be subject to additional risks. In addition, potential strategic alternatives that require stockholder approval may not be approved by our stockholders.
Figures reported in this filing
Standardized line items from the XBRL in this filing, for the period ended 2025-03-31. Comparative periods it repeats are left out.
| Line item | Period | Value | XBRL concept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $41.1m | us-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax |
| Research and development | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $27.4m | us-gaap:ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense |
| Selling, general and administrative | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $24.3m | us-gaap:SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense |
| Operating income | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | −$29.1m | us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss |
| Interest expense | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $8.1m | us-gaap:InterestExpenseNonoperating |
| Income tax | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $1.1m | us-gaap:IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit |
| Net income | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | −$37.4m | us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss |
| Diluted EPS | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | −$0.23 | us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted |
| Basic EPS | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | −$0.23 | us-gaap:EarningsPerShareBasic |
| Diluted shares (weighted) | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | 160,974,000 shares | us-gaap:WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding |
| Operating cash flow | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $20.0m | us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities |
| Capital expenditure | 3 months2025-01-01 to 2025-03-31 | $31.0k | us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment |
| Cash and equivalents | At period end2025-03-31 | $108.5m | us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue |
| Current assets | At period end2025-03-31 | $160.6m | us-gaap:AssetsCurrent |
| Total assets | At period end2025-03-31 | $327.2m | us-gaap:Assets |
| Current liabilities | At period end2025-03-31 | $48.1m | us-gaap:LiabilitiesCurrent |
| Long-term debt | At period end2025-03-31 | $199.2m | us-gaap:LongTermDebt |
| Shareholders' equity | At period end2025-03-31 | −$334.1m | us-gaap:StockholdersEquity |
Source: SEC EDGAR, the filing index for accession 0001558370-25-007406. Last ingested by Listed: Oct 24, 2026, 15:08 ET. Listed shows no prices and gives no investment advice.