Biostage Reports 2019 Financial Results

HOLLISTON, Mass., March 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Biostage, Inc. (OTCQB: BSTG) ("Biostage" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company developing next-generation esophageal implants, today announced its financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2019.

Conference Call

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the Company will not hold a conference call at this time. The Company anticipates that it will hold a future conference call to discuss its clinical and business plans based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removing the clinical hold on its Cellspan(TM) Esophageal Implant (CEI) study.

Operating Highlights

On October 30, 2019 Biostage announced the submission of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA for the Company's lead product candidate, the CEI, to treat patients with end-stage esophageal disease, absent of cancer, in adults that require a segmental surgical resection to repair the diseased tissue.

On March 24, 2020 the Company received a notification from the FDA which notified the Company that the clinical hold on its CEI study was removed and the Company may proceed with its study for its CEI. This FDA approval enables us to start our transition to a clinical-stage biotechnology company, and start clinical planning, including engaging with a clinical research organization and site readiness in advance of starting the clinical trial for our CEI product candidate.

Summary of Financial Results

For the three months ended December 31, 2019, the Company reported a net loss of $1.6 million, ($0.21 per share), compared to a net loss of $1.8 million, ($0.32 per share), for the three months ended December 31, 2018. The $0.2 million year-over-year decrease in net loss was due primarily to a $0.3 million decrease in research and development costs and a $0.1 decrease in general and administrative expenses, offset in part by a $0.2 million decrease in grant income for qualified expenditures from our SBIR grant.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company reported a net loss of $8.3 million, ($1.21 per share), compared to a net loss of $7.5 million, ($1.69 per share), for the year ended December 31, 2018. The $0.8 million year-over-year increase in net loss was due primarily to a $0.9 million increase in research and development costs and a $0.1 million increase in general and administrative expenses, offset in part by a $0.1 million net decrease in expense from change in the fair value of warrants. In addition, the Company recognized grant income for qualified expenditures from the SBIR grant of $473,000 for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to $401,000 for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Balance Sheet and Cash

At December 31, 2019, the Company had operating cash on-hand of $0.9 million and no debt. The Company used net cash in operations of $6.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2019.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company received $5.8 million from financing activities, including approximately $1.8 million from the issuance of approximately 488,000 shares of common stock and warrants to investors in private placement transactions, and approximately $4.0 million from the issuance of 1,994,000 shares of its common stock to a group of investors in connection with the exercise of previously issued warrants.

Subsequent to the end of the year, the Company received approximately $0.6 million from the issuance of 151,027 shares of common stock and warrants to investors in private placement transactions. The Company also received approximately $0.4 million from the issuance of 214,000 shares of common stock to a group of investors in exchange for the exercise of previously issued warrants.

About Biostage, Inc.

Biostage is a bioengineering company that is developing next-generation esophageal implants. The Company's Cellspan technology combines a proprietary, biocompatible scaffold with a patient's own cells to create an esophageal implant that could potentially be used to treat pediatric esophageal atresia and other conditions that affect the esophagus. The Company's esophageal implant leverages the body's inherent capacity to heal itself as it is a "living tube" that facilitates regeneration of esophageal tissue and triggers a positive host response resulting in a tissue-engineered neo-conduit that restores continuity of the esophagus. These implants have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for children and adults. At Biostage, we believe the future of medicine has been inside us all along.

For more information, please visit www.biostage.com and connect with the Company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking" and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our financing activities; development expectations and regulatory approval of any of the Company's products, including those utilizing its Cellspan and Cellframe(TM) technology, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency or otherwise, which expectations or approvals may not be achieved or obtained on a timely basis or at all; or success with respect to any collaborations, clinical trials and other development and commercialization efforts of the Company's products, including those utilizing its Cellspan and Cellframe technology, which such success may not be achieved or obtained on a timely basis or at all. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements set forth in this press release, including, among other things, the Company's inability to obtain needed funds in the immediate future; the potential impact of COVID-19 on our business and operations; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for its products; plus other factors described under the heading "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 or described in the Company's other public filings. The Company's results may also be affected by factors of which the Company is not currently aware. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Investor Relations Contacts

Shunfu Hu
Vice President of Business Development
774-233-7300
shu@biostage.com

Peter Chakoutis
Vice President of Finance
774-233-7300
pchakoutis@biostage.com

                                                                                              
           
              BIOSTAGE, INC.

                                                                                            
       
              CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                                                                                         
     
         (In thousands, except par value and share data)




                                                                                                                                                       December 31,           December 31,

                                                                                                                                                              2019              2018




            
              ASSETS                                                                                                                           (Unaudited)



            Current assets:



            Cash                                                                                                                                      $
            913     $
            1,305



            Restricted cash                                                                                                                                      50                  50



            Grant receivable                                                                                                                                                       176



            Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                                                           444                 623




            Total current assets                                                                                                                              1,407               2,154



            Property, plant and equipment, net                                                                                                                  394                 479



            Right-of-use assets                                                                                                                                 191




            Total non-current assets                                                                                                                            585                 479




            Total assets                                                                                                                            $
            1,992     $
            2,633






            
              LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY



            Current liabilities:



            Accounts payable                                                                                                                          $
            241       $
            160



            Accrued and other current liabilities                                                                                                               438                 404



            Warrant liability                                                                                                                                    33                  98



            Current portion of operating lease liability                                                                                                        102




            Total current liabilities                                                                                                                           814                 662



            Operating lease liability, net of current portion                                                                                                    89




            Total liabilities                                                                                                                         $
            903       $
            662






            Stockholders' equity:



            Undesignated preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 984,000 shares authorized at                                                         
     $                 
     $
         December 31, 2019 and 2018, none issued and outstanding



            Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, 60,000,000 and 120,000,000 shares                                                                           82                  57
    authorized at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively; 8,155,555 and
    5,669,645 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively



            Additional paid-in capital                                                                                                                       65,102              57,677



            Accumulated deficit                                                                                                                            (64,095)           (55,763)




            Total stockholders' equity                                                                                                                        1,089               1,971




            Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                                                                                              $
            1,992     $
            2,633




                                                                       
              
                BIOSTAGE, INC.

                                                               
           
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

                                                                         
              
                (Unaudited)

                                                             
           
                (In thousands, except per share amounts)




                                                                       Three Months ended                                            Twelve Months ended

                                                                       December 31,                                            December 31,


                                                          2019                                         2018                                        2019                2018






     Revenues                                          
        $                                               
              $                                
     $                
     $





     Operating expenses:



     Research and development                                                 845                                                   1,148                           4,852               3,916



     Selling, general and administrative                                      824                                                     952                           4,018               3,925




     Total operating expenses                                               1,669                                                   2,100                           8,870               7,841






     Operating loss                                                       (1,669)                                                (2,100)                        (8,870)            (7,841)






     Other income (expense):



     Grant income                                                                                                                    176                             473                 401



     Change in fair value of warrant liability                                 70                                                      89                              65                (82)



     Other expense                                                                                                                                                                     (7)




      Total other income (expense), net                                        70                                                     265                             538                 312






     Net loss                                                   $
            (1,599)                                         $
         (1,835)                    $
      (8,332)        $
      (7,529)






     Basic and diluted net loss per share                        $
            (0.21)                                          $
         (0.32)                     $
      (1.21)         $
      (1.69)






     Weighted average common shares, basic and diluted                      7,748                                                   5,669                           6,898               4,463




                                                                                    
       
                BIOSTAGE, INC.

                                                                                  
     
         CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

                                                                                      
       
                (Unaudited)

                                                                                    
       
                (In thousands)




                                                                                                                                           Twelve Months Ended

                                                                                                                                           December 31,



                                                                                                                                2019                           2018




     
                CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES



     Net loss                                                                                                                       $
           (8,332)               $
        (7,529)



     Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:



     Share-based compensation expense                                                                                                          1,654                          755



     Depreciation                                                                                                                                214                          261



     Amortization of right-of-use assets                                                                                                          97



     Change in fair value of warrant liability                                                                                                  (65)                          82



     Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment                                                                                                                         7



     Changes in operating assets and liabilities:



     Grant receivable                                                                                                                            176                        (176)



     Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                                                   179                        (297)



     Accounts payable                                                                                                                             81                        (763)



     Accrued and other current liabilities                                                                                                        34                           22



     Lease liabilities                                                                                                                          (97)




     Net cash used in operating activities                                                                                                   (6,059)                     (7,638)






     
                CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES



     Purchases of property, plant and equipment                                                                                                (129)                       (131)



     Cash received from sale of property, plant and equipment                                                                                                                 64




     Net cash used in investing activities                                                                                                     (129)                        (67)






     
                CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES



     Repayment of related party advance                                                                                                                                    (300)



     Proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrants, net of offering costs                                                                1,807                        5,322



     Proceeds from exercise of warrants                                                                                                        3,989




     Net cash provided by financing activities                                                                                                 5,796                        5,022




     Net decrease in cash and restricted cash                                                                                                  (392)                     (2,683)



     Cash and restricted cash at the beginning of the year                                                                                     1,355                        4,038




     Cash and restricted cash at the end of the year                                                                                   $
            963                  $
        1,355






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SOURCE Biostage, Inc.