Lipocine Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial and Operational Results

SALT LAKE CITY, May 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lipocine Inc. (NASDAQ: LPCN), a specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, and provided a corporate update.

First Quarter and Recent Corporate Highlights

    --  Announced findings from the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
        clinical study (NCT03868059) ("ABPM Study") designed to study TLANDO's
        effects on blood pressure.  The results appear in line with recently
        approved testosterone replacement therapy.
    --  Announced top-line results from the 16-week Liver Fat Imaging Study
        ("Liver Fat Study") with LPCN 1144, designed to assess the therapeutic
        potential of LPCN 1144 in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis ("NASH").
        Treatment results demonstrated that 48% of the treated subjects had
        NAFLD resolution at the end of the study. Additionally, 100% of the
        subjects experiencing NAFLD resolution had at least a 35% relative liver
        fat reduction from baseline with a relative mean liver fat reduction of
        55% in this group.
    --  LPCN 1144 featured in late-breaker presentation at the EASL
        International Liver Conference, demonstrating reduction of liver fat
        (measured using magnetic resonance imaging, proton density fat fraction
        or "MRI-PDFF") and improvement in key serum biomarkers typically
        associated with NASH.
    --  Poster highlighting therapeutic potential of LPCN 1144 in NAFLD and NASH
        presented at ENDO 2019 meeting.
    --  Received clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for
        an Investigational New Drug ("IND") application to initiate a Phase 2
        clinical study of LPCN 1144 in patients with biopsy confirmed NASH.
    --  Filed suit against Clarus Therapeutics, Inc. ("Clarus") in the United
        States District Court alleging that Clarus's JATENZO(®) product
        infringes six of Lipocine's U.S. patents.

"We achieved important milestones in Lipocine's most advanced clinical programs during the first quarter of 2019, and in recent weeks," said Dr. Mahesh Patel, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lipocine. Dr. Patel further stated, "With the successful completion of the ABPM study for TLANDO, we look forward to resubmitting our NDA for TLANDO in May 2019. We announced positive 16-week results from the Liver Fat Study of LPCN 1144 and have received clearance from the FDA to initiate a Phase 2 clinical study of LPCN 1144 in patients with biopsy confirmed NASH."

First Quarter Ended March 31, 2019 Financial Results

Lipocine reported a net loss of $3.2 million, or ($0.14) per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared with a net loss of $2.7 million, or ($0.13) per diluted share, in the quarter ended March 31, 2018.

Research and development expenses were $1.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared with $1.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily due to increased contract research organization costs for TLANDO in connection with the ABPM Study, offset by decreases in outside service costs primarily related to the January 2018 TLANDO BRUDAC meeting, decreases in contract manufacturing costs related to LPCN 1107, and decreases in personnel costs.

General and administrative expenses were $1.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, compared with $1.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. The decrease in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to decreased personnel costs, decreased professional fees offset by an increase in other administrative costs related to overhead.

As of March 31, 2019, the Company had unrestricted and restricted cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities aggregating $22.5 million, compared to $20.3 million at December 31, 2018. The $5.0 million of restricted cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities becomes unrestricted upon approval of TLANDO by the FDA.

About Lipocine
Lipocine Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on metabolic and endocrine disorders using its proprietary drug delivery technologies. Lipocine's clinical development pipeline includes four development programs: TLANDO, LPCN 1144, LPCN 1111 and LPCN 1107. TLANDO, a novel oral prodrug of testosterone comprised of testosterone undecanoate, is designed to help restore normal testosterone levels in hypogonadal men. LPCN 1144, an oral product of bioidentical testosterone comprised of testosterone undecanoate, recently completed a proof-of-concept clinical study demonstrating the potential utility in the treatment of NASH. LPCN 1111, a novel oral prodrug of testosterone, originated and is being developed by Lipocine as a next-generation oral testosterone product with potential for once-daily dosing and is currently in Phase 2 testing. LPCN 1107 is potentially the first oral hydroxyprogesterone caproate product candidate indicated for the prevention of recurrent preterm birth and has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA. An End of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA has been completed. For more information, please visit www.lipocine.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and include statements that are not historical facts regarding Lipocine's product candidates and related clinical trials, the timing of completion of clinical trials, the potential uses and benefits of our product candidates, and our product development efforts. Investors are cautioned that all such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the risks that the FDA will not approve any of our products, risks related to our products, expected product benefits not being realized, clinical and regulatory expectations and plans not being realized, new regulatory developments and requirements, risks related to the FDA approval process including the receipt of regulatory approvals, the results and timing of clinical trials, patient acceptance of Lipocine's products, the manufacturing and commercialization of Lipocine's products, and other risks detailed in Lipocine's filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, its Form 10-K and other reports on Forms 8-K and 10-Q, all of which can be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Lipocine assumes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements contained in this release, except as required by law.


                        
            
              LIPOCINE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


                          
            Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets


                                       
            (Unaudited)




                                                               
            
      March 31,      
     
     December 31,


                                                                                   2019                  2018



             
            
              Assets



     Current assets:


                    Cash and cash
                     equivalents                                               $8,222,103            $8,077,539


                    Restricted cash                                             5,000,000             5,000,000


                    Marketable
                     investment
                     securities                                                 9,300,338             7,173,037


                    Accrued interest
                     income                                                        16,369                38,514


                    Prepaid and other
                     current assets                                               411,409               520,113




                    Total current
                     assets                                                    22,950,219            20,809,203




      Property and equipment, net of accumulated
       depreciation of $1,128,561 and $1,124,700,
       respectively                                                             15,136                18,997



     Other assets                                                              23,753                23,753




                    Total assets                                              $22,989,108           $20,851,953







                               Liabilities and
                                Stockholders'
                                    Equity



     Current liabilities:


                    Accounts payable                                             $517,725              $671,280


                    Accrued expenses                                              426,186               487,135


                    Debt -current
                     portion                                                    3,333,333             3,333,333


                    Total current
                     liabilities                                                4,277,244             4,491,748





     Debt - non-current portion                                             6,160,170             6,926,532




                    Total liabilities                                          10,437,414            11,418,280








     Commitments and contingencies





     Stockholders' equity:


                   Preferred stock,
                     par value $0.0001
                     per share,
                     10,000,000 shares
                     authorized; zero
                     issued and
                     outstanding




                   Common stock, par
                     value $0.0001 per
                     share,
                     100,000,000
                     shares
                     authorized;
                     24,580,663 and
                     21,737,196 issued
                     and 24,574,953
                     and 21,731,486
                     outstanding                                                    2,458                 2,174


                    Additional paid-
                     in capital                                               153,872,876           147,533,019


                    Treasury stock at
                     cost, 5,710
                     shares                                                      (40,712)             (40,712)


                    Accumulated other
                     comprehensive
                     income (loss)                                                  1,389                 (963)


                    Accumulated
                     deficit                                                (141,284,317)        (138,059,845)




                    Total
                     stockholders'
                     equity                                                    12,551,694             9,433,673




                    Total liabilities
                     and stockholders'
                     equity                                                   $22,989,108           $20,851,953


                                                             
              
                LIPOCINE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES


                                                
             Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss


                                                                             
              (Unaudited)




                                                                                                                   Three Months Ended March 31,



                                                                                                                                           2019                             2018






     Revenues:


                            License revenue                    
              $              -                                                              $428,031


                            Total revenues                                                                                                           428,031






     Operating expenses:


                            Research and
                             development                           1,949,321                                                           1,377,527


                            General and
                             administrative                        1,175,927                                                           1,687,490



                            Total operating
                             expenses                              3,125,248                                                           3,065,017





                            Operating loss                       (3,125,248)                                                        (2,636,986)






     Other income (expense):


                            Interest and
                             investment income                       125,265                                                             110,181


                            Interest expense                       (223,789)                                                          (192,466)



                            Total other
                             expense, net                           (98,524)                                                           (82,285)




                            Loss before
                             income tax
                             expense                             (3,223,772)                                                        (2,719,271)





     Income tax expense                                                                                                             (700)                           (700)




                            Net loss                                       $(3,224,472)                                                          $(2,719,971)





      Basic loss per share attributable to common stock                                                                            $(0.14)                         $(0.13)





      Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic                                                                         23,383,008                       21,264,539





      Diluted loss per share attributable to common stock                                                                          $(0.14)                         $(0.13)





      Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted                                                                       23,383,008                       21,264,539






     Comprehensive loss:


                            Net loss                                       $(3,224,472)                                                          $(2,719,971)


                           Net unrealized
                             gain (loss) on
                             available-
                             for-sale
                             securities                                2,352                                                            (15,035)




                            Comprehensive
                             loss                                          $(3,222,120)                                                          $(2,735,006)

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SOURCE Lipocine Inc.