Earnings Labs

Rockwell Medical, Inc. (RMTI)

Q3 2018 Earnings Call· Fri, Nov 9, 2018

$0.86

+2.25%

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good morning. And welcome to the Rockwell Medical Third Quarter 2018 Results Conference Call. Before we begin, I wanted to note that certain matters we will discuss may be forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the Safe Harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as we believe, anticipate, expect or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives, strategies or goals are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may materially adversely affect our anticipated results. Risks and uncertainties included but are not limited to, risks relating to plans around the development of commercialization of Triferic are projected cash runaway [ph] the timing and success of our planned NDA submission for IV Triferic and the pricing and reimbursement status of our products including IV Triferic. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous factors that could cause actual results to differ from our anticipated results. These includes the factors described in our Form 10-K for fiscal 2017 and is updated in our periodic reports including our most recently quarterly report on Form 10-Q. Copies of our Form 10-K are available on the SEC's website, which is www.sec.gov and through a link on our website located at www.rockwellmed.com. The forward-looking statements made on this call are made as of the date of this call. As we disclaim any intent to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. This conference call includes the slides presentation which can be at Rockwell Medical Investor Relations webpage. This call is being recorded for audio rebroadcast and can also be accessed on the same webpage. The call will be followed by a question-and-answer session. At this time, I would like to turn the conference call over to Stuart Paul, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rockwell Medical. Please go ahead sir.

Stuart Paul

Management

Thank you, Christy [ph]. And good morning, thanks to everyone for joining us today. This is my first quarterly results call with all of you since becoming President and CEO of Rockwell Medical and while I look forward to meeting with investors and covering all aspects of the business overtime. Today I'm going to focus on several key topics including the market opportunity at hand and the final payment roll out of CMS rule out of CMS which provides us with much needed clarity around pricing and timing for US commercialization of Triferic. Over the last 70 days or so I've spent time getting to know our team, doing a top to bottom review of our business. And while this review remains ongoing I'd like to share with you what I found. First dialysate Triferic, the only FDA approved drug indicated to replace iron and maintain hemoglobin in hemodialysis patients suffering from anemia and the IV version of Triferic. If FDA approved have significant potential to change the way anemia is managed. Second, we have a great group of employees at Rockwell Medical. However I found that there were really no viable business plans in place for commercializing our therapies nor any marketing or performance target set therefore impacting our commercial launch readiness. And what's more there was need for additional capital. Third, Calcitriol while it may be an important patient need it is a challenging product to manufacture, it may not offer sufficient profitability based on our preliminary review of potential pricing and costs. And frankly, we'll require further study to determine if there is real potential for profitability. And fourth, despite the fact that Rockwell Medical serves more than a quarter of the US Concentrates market. We need to improve the profitability of this business as pricing and…

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] and you do have a question from David Bouchey of IFS Securities.

David Bouchey

Analyst

First of I've got to say I'm not used to seeing this level of effort and detail going into a quarterly conference call from Rockwell Medical. Congratulations on that.

Stuart Paul

Management

Thanks, Dave. Great to hear from you.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Yes, I would also like to say congratulations this was a pretty good quarter financial. You certainly did manage to beat the consensus analysts' expectations for the estimates for the quarter, so congratulations on that.

Stuart Paul

Management

Thank you.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Yes, let me move into real briefly Calcitriol and I know you've got a lot of work to do to decide exactly what your strategy is going to be there. Do you believe you have enough manufacturing capacity to handle whatever the demand is in the US as well as whatever your demand might be internationally when you start to commercialize Calcitriol, if you internationally.

Stuart Paul

Management

Great, Dave. That's a great question. And what I want to focus on around this is, not so much the capacity. I'm not concerned about the capacity but I'm really more concerned about the competitiveness of the space and the nature, the challenging nature to drive the manufacturing profitably. We have a significant opportunity here, but we need to carefully examine the potential for profitability around this product. There were assumptions in place previously that we've challenged and I feel right now, that the jury is out on this product. So I'll be back in the first quarter with more on this. The main opportunity obviously in front of us is IV Triferic and that's really where we need to be placing our initial focus and efforts. I'll be back on Calcitriol in the first quarter to you.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Well you do have some commitments to partner such as Langbank in China, I believe in places like Canada, Peru and Chile. Will you be going ahead with launches there and do you have an update on when the Chinese launch for Triferic and Calcitriol might occur?

Stuart Paul

Management

Sure. I can give you a little bit more color on that. So things are going well internationally again that's not our primary focus right now, IV Triferic and dialysates Triferic are the keys to really exploding the value of the company. I think things with Langbank [indiscernible] are moving nicely clinical trials are moving forward. If things go well, we may see some news on that in the back half of 2019, that's all I'm going to say about China right now. And we're moving forward with and some of the French international markets potential to get the products approved somewhere in the back half of 2019. So more to come in international, but I think you know you have to understand my position as to really pivot the focus to the company onto the US opportunity directly in front of us.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Okay, so there are clinical trials going on in China for Triferic.

Stuart Paul

Management

Correct.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Okay, let me ask you a question that I have been a little confused about. How will the initial price for IV Triferic be determined, what is that process?

Stuart Paul

Management

For IV? Okay, so it's a good question I think as you know when I came in the door there were a lot of pushes from all sides to get the NDA and IV Triferic filed. I did not think that was a prudent move and decided to delay the filing. We clearly now think that was a good decision and the key for pricing around IV Triferic in terms of optimizing will be to see a PDUFA action as I mentioned on or post 01/01/2020. So with that in mind and the 505(b)1 pathway basically giving us a new drug classification for IV Triferic puts us in a great position where CMD policy and TDAPA should make this product eligible for separate billing code, separate J-code and with that in mind, I think we also have the next year to really focus leading up to the IV launch. The great opportunities develop data that are going to be critical in supporting the price points we envisioned for this therapeutic.

David Bouchey

Analyst

Well that's really kind of what I'm getting after is, it's too early I think for you to be giving us guidance about what the initial price for IV Triferic would be, but is this determined will you make contract negotiations with people like [indiscernible] and some of the independent clinics to determine what the initial price will be, is that how it eventually you'll get to ASP. Is that how that is, actually determined?

Stuart Paul

Management

I'm a classic business guy, right? And I've got a marketing background and the way you want to do, this is you want to get some primary research in-house. So number one, we're working on that okay. That was not something that was in place previously so once we get through some of the initial market studies I mentioned which is targeted toward understanding the pricing optimization. Well I'll be able to comment more on that clearly we're inside the bundle, clearly it's not going to be at price points that might have been envisioned in some people's models at much higher level, but I can tell you that even within the bundle this is a profitable product. I'm excited about it and again it just points me right back to immediate opportunity in front of us, which is to get in market. This product has been on the shelf for three years and it's time, it really is time for action. This is a significant product and therapeutic that means a significant unmet patient need in hemodialysis.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. Your next question is from Casey Zimmerman, Private Investor.

Casey Zimmerman

Analyst

I've been a shareholder since about 2002. My share price is about the same as it is in the 2002. We've been promised all sorts of things or told different things. I realize you've only been on the job for 70 days so I'll cut you some slack, but is this ever going to be a company?

Stuart Paul

Management

Okay, Casey I think what the real question that you're asking is, why would I come to Rockwell Medical, perhaps right? I left the great world at Abbott Labs and what really struck me about this opportunity is the opportunity to focus on realizing the full potential of the assets of this company. I think we were falling short in prior years clearly and I sympathize with the frustration you've been around 15, 16 years. But improving patient outcomes, creating shareholder value is what I've done my whole career. I love working in turnaround situations. I've had one after the next, after the next at Gambro AB in the renal space was a clear example of that. And spent time out in Asia Pacific, in the US. My top priorities in the last 70 days have been to really get to know the team, understand the products, the operations. I'm really energized by this opportunity. I think I made a great decision, but I have to tell you. There is a lot to do. I've been doing my top to bottom review of the business. It remains on ongoing, this doesn't happen just in 70 days given the history of what we've been through here and I'm working to re-establish credibility with all stakeholders. So hopefully, that answers your questions and which I really do appreciate and sympathize.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. Your next question comes from Joey [ph] Moss [ph], Private Investor.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Welcome, Mr. Paul. Appreciate the call and the information. I too am a very long-term investor and to be honest with you I never invested in Rockwell. I invested in Triferic and so the commercialization of Triferic is what's most important to me as well as it sounds like to you. My question is simply this, dialysates and IV Triferic are molecularly exactly the same. The view that the IV Triferic when approved by the FDA in 2020 is would be a new J-code classification as a new drug. Can you say that for sure knowing that they're molecularly identical or not?

Stuart Paul

Management

Thanks for the question. I mean I think the key here is the CMS ruling providing clarity. Our experts that I brought in and I and the team have gone through this over and over the past week. We're positioned to move quickly to capitalize on the US market with respect to 2020 and J-codes we think we are in an outstanding position to achieve that success. I do want to mention the margins and profitability for this product are good at most price points. So even inside the bundle of dialysates we're going to be able to drive profitability and that's important. The 505(b)1 pathway provides us a new drug designation, consistent with their policy despite the fact that the molecular structures maybe similar we have a new drug and I think the eligibility again is only for two-year period right. We have the next year to build our data. We have the next year to build experience with the dialysates version of the product and establish its credibility and that's what's most important about the opportunity in front of us and it should bode well. There are no guarantees obviously, but I think we're in very good position.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. Your next question is from John Crowley, Private Investor.

John Crowley

Analyst

I have two brief questions. The first is, what will be the status of the free dialysates Triferic program and is there any plan to bring that to an end in the near term. And secondly is, Raymond Pratt, MD is still working for Rockwell as the Scientific Director?

Stuart Paul

Management

Okay, great. Let me take the second question first. So I've got great respect for Dr. Pratt. He's done a lot of amazing things in his career and I think his position Rockwell. Obviously he's wearing multiple hats. We do have a Chief Science Officer and Dr. Ajay Gupta and I would say Ray and Ajay can benefit from working together more intensively than they have in the past. I've great respect for both of them. I would not to say the scientific and R&D part solely falls into Ray's area. I think Ray has done a great job over the years. This is kind of an all hands on deck. We need to breakdown the silos, get the team working together better around our key R&D and scientific and clinical strategies and that's exactly what I'm doing turning down silos, bringing team together. Great respect for both these gentlemen in terms of their contributions to the company and to the field. Regarding the sample program, which is your first question? What we've done is we've engaged a third party firm to help collect and consolidate and harness the data as we prepare sites for the initial launch phase. This was a bit of surprise to me that we did not have a very prospective focus around data, coming out of that program, right. That program is been in effect for three years, so one of the most surprising elements or components of what I found coming in was the lack of prospected design and focus to get the data out of the sample sites. I've now addressed that. I put an external team in place. We want it done properly. But for the most part right now, we have a retrospective review. I intent to bring that to a conclusion at some point in the fourth quarter and we'll share more in the first quarter about that, in the next call.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. Your next question is from Greg [indiscernible], Private Investor.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Couple of quick questions. It seems a like common theme here of - lot of private investors who have been in the company for a while and have seen the share price unfortunately dwindle down to the price of Happy Meal right now which is obviously where not you need to be. I got into the company with the launch of C and it seems like we've had C approved for over three years, but for whatever one or reason or another, whether it's manufacturing or not, it hasn't been launched. I appreciate your comments regarding C currently and if you were a betting man, would you say 50-50, 60-40. We start selling it and in the next three to four months.

Stuart Paul

Management

Okay, well again. I appreciate the frustration about Calcitriol and what you may have heard in the past. I can tell you this, as I mentioned earlier we need to do a fairly rigorous deep dive here to ensure pricing, cost, manufacture ability all work out. This is a very competitive market space. I do think there is an opportunity here. I haven't come to a conclusion on it yet, but I can tell you perhaps assumptions that have been made in the past about pricing could use a lot of sharpening and we're carefully examining the potentials. So I'll be back in the first quarter with more on this. Thanks for the question.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Appreciate the comment. And if I may, you mentioned that we've had the powder form of T on the shelf for three years just sitting there and hopefully we're moving quickly to bring that to market. If everything goes according to plan, how soon do you think we'll be cash flow positive. One quarter, two quarters.

Stuart Paul

Management

I'll tell you this, again top to bottom review underway. Building a significant business plan for the company. On cash, we secured sufficient capital to fund the business into 2020, we're in excellent position. The company has not had a formal business plan in place previously. I'm calling this our Grade A business plan and it will certainly map out our ability to remain strong into the future and that's why I'm here is to basically take this now and turn it to a positive P&L trajectory that will drive cash. I mean for me it's all about improving. We're going to focus on improving the patient outcomes and creating shareholder value. So I'm here to build value.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. Your next question is from Richard Maleno [ph], Private Investor.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Just wanted to ask you, I heard a comment about cash flow and that we had enough. And I don't know if I misunderstood you to get all the way through the year 2020 or up to the year 2020? And if nothing change then our cash flow did not approve. Are we thinking ahead, that then we have to another cash rate, what are your thoughts on that?

Stuart Paul

Management

To be clear in my comment. We have sufficient cash on hand to go into 2020, not up to 2020 but into 2020. There are no immediate plans to raise additional cash.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Thank you sir and I appreciate. I've listened to a lot of these conference calls been a long time holder of the stock. I appreciate to me, I just feel this is the first time I've heard a call with a plan. And I thank you for that.

Stuart Paul

Management

You're welcome. I think it's been long overdue and do sympathize with all the investors and shareholders.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. We have reached our allotted time for questions-and-answers. I will turn the call back over to Stuart Paul for any additional or closing remarks.

Stuart Paul

Management

Thank you, Christy [ph]. So in closing we have innovative products that have the potential to drive medical advancements for patients and create value for our shareholders and on behalf of everyone at Rockwell Medical, we appreciate your investments and continued interest. Christy [ph] we can end the call now.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. This concludes today's Rockwell Medical conference call. You may now disconnect.