Daniel Lochner
Analyst · Cowen. Your line is open
Thank you, John. I will now provide a brief overview of Oyster Point Pharma’s fourth quarter financial results. Additional detail about our fourth quarter as well as our annual financial results can be found in our Form 10-K that was filed with the SEC this evening. For the fourth quarter of 2021, Oyster Point Pharma reported a net loss of $42.1 million compared to a net loss of $22.2 million for the same period in 2020. As of December 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents were $193.4 million compared to $192.6 million as of December 31, 2020. Based on our current business plan, we believe the company’s available cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund the company’s planned operation for at least 12 months from our 10-K filing this evening. Net product revenues for the fourth quarter of 2021 were approximately $1.2 million, following the FDA approval of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray on October 15, 2021, and our subsequent commercial launch in the U.S. in November 2021. Approximately half of the TYRVAYA net product revenue was attributable to channel building by distributors upon launch of the product. In addition, pursuant to our license agreement with Ji Xing, the company also recognized $5.4 million in milestone and license revenue following the FDA approval of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray, which includes the non-cash consideration of Ji Xing senior common shares. The company did not generate any revenues during the third – 3 months ended December 31, 2020. Cost of product revenue for the 3 months ended December 31, 2021, was $1.5 million and consisted mainly of third-party manufacturing costs, which included pre-approval costs, reserves for inventory obsolescence and damaged goods and product royalty expense related to Pfizer. The cost of product revenue included a reserve for inventory obsolescence of $0.9 million. The inventory manufactured prior to FDA approval of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray was charged to R&D expense. And as a result, the company expects the unit cost of product revenue will be lower until the company fully utilizes this product that was manufactured pre-FDA approval. The company started expensing pre-approval inventory in 2020 and recorded an R&D expense of approximately $4.3 million for pre-approval inventory during the year ended December 31, 2021. The company anticipates selling the remaining pre-approval inventory by the end of 2022. The company’s sales and marketing expense increased by $21.8 million during the 3 months ended December 31, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase was primarily due to higher payroll related expenses of $11.7 million, inclusive of sales commission expense, as well as an increase in stock-based compensation expense of $0.5 million, both of which were primarily driven by onboarding a commercial field force in the second half of 2021. The company also incurred higher marketing, market access, commercial and other expenses of $10.1 million in anticipation of, and in connection with, the U.S. launch of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray. The company’s general and administrative expenses increased by $6.2 million during the 3 months ended December 31, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. The increase is primarily due to higher G&A expense of $3.8 million related to accounting, consulting, legal and other professional expenses incurred in connection with the credit agreement as well as the company’s transition from a clinical stage to a commercial stage company. The company also incurred higher payroll-related expenses of $2.4 million, including recruiting expense due to an increase in headcount to support an ongoing effort to commercialize TYRVAYA. The company’s research and development expenses decreased by $6.2 million during the 3 months ended December 31, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. The company’s decrease in R&D expense is primarily due to the company receiving FDA approval of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray in October 2021. The company expensed inventory prior to receiving FDA approval and expensed approximately $3.5 million as R&D during the 3 months ended December 31, 2020. The company also incurred a fee of $2.9 million in connection with the New Drug Application submitted to the FDA in December 2020. The company incurred interest expense of $2.6 million during the 3 months ended December 31, 2021, primarily related to the credit agreement with OrbiMed. Interest expense included contractual interest of $1.7 million as well as non-cash expense of $0.9 million related to the amortization of loan commitment fees and accretion of other long-term debt-related costs. The company had no interest expense during the 3 months ended December 31, 2020. Now as we turn to our outlook, for 2022, our goal is to continue to achieve broad ECP and patient experience with TYRVAYA, including both optometry and ophthalmology offices, in order to reach the total addressable dry eye market opportunity of TYRVAYA Nasal Spray. We anticipate the three large national commercial plans will make their coverage determinations by the midpoint of the year. While we await such coverage determinations, we will continue to provide patient-assisted programs to support eligible commercial patients in gaining access to TYRVAYA. With that overview of our financials, I will now turn the call back over to the operator to open up the line for questions.