Dan Swisher
Analyst · Cowen. Your line is open
Thanks, Bruce. Well, I'm excited to share an update on our commercial portfolio. Starting with neuroscience, the divestiture of Sunosi allows our highly experienced commercial team to further sharpen its focus on our key neuroscience products, Xywav and Epidiolex. We continue to build momentum in our oxybate franchise as highlighted on Slide 8, in addition to market leading adoption of Xywav in narcolepsy, we are with the progress of the commercial launch of Xywav in IH. Average active oxybate patients increased to approximately 16,650 in the first quarter and approximate 6% increase compared to the same period last year. With Xywav, we have meaningfully advanced patient care with a lower sodium oxybate product and continue to see enthusiasm for adoption. In narcolepsy, our effort center around educating physicians and patients about the lifelong burden of high sodium intake in this patient population who live with an increased risk of cardiovascular comorbidities. In the first quarter, we continued to drive adoption in narcolepsy and importantly, we see opportunities for additional growth in narcolepsy. We exited the first quarter with approximately 7,050 narcolepsy patients taking Xywav. For Xywav in IH, we're encouraged by the continued launch momentum as well as feedback from prescribers and the IH community. We are seeing increasing coverage of IH and plans that are in the process of updating their formularies have been providing access to Xywav without significant barriers. Exiting the first quarter, there were approximately 750 IH patients taking Xywav. We're particularly pleased with this initial adoption, given that we expect new patients starts in IH to more closely track the trajectory of a rare disease launch, where there have been previously no approved therapies. Turning to Slide 9. In Epidiolex we saw 6% revenue growth in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2021 on a pro forma basis. As a reminder in the fourth quarter of last year, Epidiolex net product sales benefited from a temporary increase in specialty pharmacy inventory levels, which increased fourth quarter net sales by approximately $18 million. The majority of this reversed in first quarter 2022, reducing first quarter’s revenues. Excluding this impact, we saw double digit percentage revenue growth in the first quarter with continued growth and underlying demand, despite challenges posed by the Omicron variant. We have been successfully adding new prescribers, growing Epidiolex’s active prescriber base. As we have previously highlighted, we expect that as newer prescribers gain experience with Epidiolex and see its clinical utility, they will more broadly adopt Epidiolex as a cornerstone of therapy for their treatment resistant epilepsy patients. We’re also continuing to make significant progress in Europe and are very pleased with adoption in markets where Epidiolex is reimbursed. During the first quarter, we launched Epidiolex in Ireland and expect to launch in France later this year, pending final pricing and reimbursement discussions at which point Epidiolex would be launched and reimbursed in all five major European markets. The increasing use of Epidiolex earlier in the treatment algorithm and positive experiences in real world settings are being driven by its unique mechanism of action, efficacy and safety profile and ability to be combined with other therapies. Given the efforts of our commercial team, we are confident we can achieve blockbuster status as a global standard of care in treatment-resistant epilepsies. Now moving to oncology and starting with Zepzelca on Slide 10. First quarter net revenues were $59.3 million and include some quarter-to-quarter variability driven primarily by inventory levels. We have rapidly established Zepzelca as the treatment of choice in second line small cell lung cancer and see opportunities for growth within our current indication. We continue to invest in additional real world evidence and observational studies, as well as perspective clinical trials in second line small cell lung cancer and see additional opportunities to continue to grow market share. We believe these data will add to the body of evidence around Zepzelca’s positive benefit risk profile for second line small cell lung cancer patients, and potentially drive increased adoption moving forward. Beyond second line therapy, we believe our robust development plan, which Rob will cover in more depth has the potential to identify additional patients who can benefit from this therapy, providing the opportunity for accelerated and meaningful growth. Turning to Slide 11. First quarter net product sales for Rylaze or recombinant erwinia asparaginase therapy were $54.2 million and we’re encouraged by the continued increase in demand through the first quarter. As a reminder, fourth quarter 2021 net product sales included an initial buildup of inventory, which is typical for products early in launch and inventory levels began to normalize through 1Q 2022. While there could be further inventory effects as distributors optimize stocking levels, going forward, we expect net revenues will more closely reflect demand. Rylaze sales reflect increased brand awareness among customers and its physician in the market as the only therapy available to patients in the U.S. who have a hypersensitivity reaction to E. coli-derived asparaginase. Feedback from customers remains positive and prescribers have indicated they are now returning to best clinic practice with respect to moving to non-E. coli-derived asparaginase because of the product profile, reliable supply of Rylaze and suite of support services that we provide. Looking ahead, we’re excited to evolve our launch messaging based on the potential label update to intramuscular dosing on our Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and IV administration, which Rob will also cover in more detail. Overall, our team started 2022 by again, delivering strong results, providing increased optimism for a successful year ahead. Now I’ll turn the call over to Rob to provide an R&D update. Rob?