Vertex Pharmaceuticals 10-Q 2023-03-31
Filed 2023-05-02. 7 sections, 158K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
Cover and table of contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 2023
or
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO
Commission file number 000-19319
____________________________________________
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Massachusetts
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
(Address of principal executive offices)
04-3039129
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
02210
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (617) 341-6100
| Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: | ||||||||||||||
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||
| Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Per Share | VRTX | The Nasdaq Global Select Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒ Accelerated filer ☐ Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐ Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
| Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | 257,551,600 | Outstanding at April 25, 2023 |
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
FORM 10-Q
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||||
| Part I. Financial Information | ||||||||
| Item 1. | Financial Statements | 2 | ||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) | 2 | |||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income - Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 | 2 | |||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 | 3 | |||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 | 4 | |||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 | 5 | |||||||
| Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 | 6 | |||||||
| Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements | 7 | |||||||
| Item 2. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 21 | ||||||
| Item 3. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | 33 | ||||||
| Item 4. | Controls and Procedures | 33 | ||||||
| Part II. Other Information | ||||||||
| Item 1. | Legal Proceedings | 33 | ||||||
| Item 1A. | Risk Factors | 34 | ||||||
| Item 2. | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds | 35 | ||||||
| Item 6. | Exhibits | 36 | ||||||
| Signatures | 37 |
“Vertex,” “we,” “us,” and “our” as used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q refer to Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a Massachusetts corporation, and its subsidiaries.
“Vertex®,” “KALYDECO®,” “ORKAMBI®,” “SYMDEKO®,” “SYMKEVI®,” “TRIKAFTA®” and “KAFTRIO®” are registered trademarks of Vertex. Other brands, names and trademarks contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are the property of their respective owners.
We use the brand name for our products when we refer to the product that has been approved and with respect to the indications on the approved label. Otherwise, including in discussions of our development programs, we refer to our compounds by their scientific (or generic) name or VX developmental designation.
Part I. Financial Information
Item 1. Financial Statements
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(in millions, except per share amounts)(unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product revenues, net | $ | 2,374.8 | $ | 2,097.5 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Costs and expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of sales | 266.9 | 245.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development expenses | 742.6 | 601.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquired in-process research and development expenses | 347.1 | 2.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses | 241.1 | 215.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration | (1.9) | (7.5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total costs and expenses | 1,595.8 | 1,056.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income from operations | 779.0 | 1,040.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | 122.6 | 1.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (11.4) | (14.9) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | 1.3 | (72.8) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income before provision for income taxes | 891.5 | 954.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 191.7 | 192.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 699.8 | $ | 762.1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net income per common share: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | $ | 2.72 | $ | 2.99 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted | $ | 2.69 | $ | 2.96 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Shares used in per share calculations: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 257.4 | 255.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted | 260.3 | 257.9 |
Please refer to Note A, “Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies,” for an explanation of amounts reclassified from “Research and development expenses” to “Acquired in-process research and development expenses” for the three months ended March 31, 2022.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(in millions)(unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 699.8 | $ | 762.1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive income: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized holding gains (losses) on marketable securities, net of tax of $(0.8) and zero, respectively | 2.9 | (2.3) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized (losses) gains on foreign currency forward contracts, net of tax of $7.4 and $(2.2), respectively | (26.8) | 10.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | 10.0 | (12.4) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total other comprehensive loss | (13.9) | (4.6) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income | $ | 685.9 | $ | 757.5 |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in millions, except share data)(unaudited)
| March 31, | December 31, | ||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 9,289.9 | $ | 10,504.0 | |||||||
| Marketable securities | 1,124.2 | 274.5 | |||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | 1,547.8 | 1,442.2 | |||||||||
| Inventories | 535.1 | 460.6 | |||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 468.7 | 553.5 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 12,965.7 | 13,234.8 | |||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | 1,111.7 | 1,108.4 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 1,088.0 | 1,088.0 | |||||||||
| Intangible assets | 603.6 | 603.6 | |||||||||
| Deferred tax assets | 1,359.9 | 1,246.9 | |||||||||
| Operating lease assets | 336.3 | 347.4 | |||||||||
| Long-term marketable securities | 1,081.5 | 112.2 | |||||||||
| Other assets | 427.5 | 409.6 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 18,974.2 | $ | 18,150.9 | |||||||
| Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | 323.2 | $ | 303.9 | |||||||
| Accrued expenses | 2,326.0 | 2,126.7 | |||||||||
| Other current liabilities | 377.0 | 311.5 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 3,026.2 | 2,742.1 | |||||||||
| Long-term finance lease liabilities | 417.6 | 430.8 | |||||||||
| Long-term operating lease liabilities | 371.6 | 379.5 | |||||||||
| Other long-term liabilities | 726.5 | 685.8 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | 4,541.9 | 4,238.2 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | — | — | |||||||||
| Shareholders’ equity: | |||||||||||
| Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding | — | — | |||||||||
| Common stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 257,509,761 and 257,011,628 shares issued and outstanding, respectively | 2.6 | 2.6 | |||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 7,220.2 | 7,386.5 | |||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income | (13.1) | 0.8 | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 7,222.6 | 6,522.8 | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 14,432.3 | 13,912.7 | |||||||||
| Total liab |
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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
OVERVIEW
We are a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases, with a focus on specialty markets. We have four approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (“CF”), a life-threatening genetic disease, and we continue to focus on developing additional treatments for CF. Beyond CF, we have a pipeline that includes mid- and late-stage clinical programs in sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, acute and neuropathic pain, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and earlier-stage programs in diseases such as muscular dystrophies.
Our triple combination regimen, TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor), was approved in 2019 in the United States (“U.S.”) and in 2020 in the European Union (“E.U.”). Collectively, our four medicines are being used to treat more than two-thirds of the approximately 88,000 people with CF in North America, Europe, and Australia. We are evaluating our medicines in additional patient populations, including younger children, with the goal of having small molecule treatments for all people who have at least one mutation in their cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (“CFTR”) gene that is responsive to our CFTR modulators. We also are pursuing messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”) and genetic therapies for people with CF who do not make CFTR protein and, as a result, cannot benefit from our current CF medicines.
In addition, we are preparing for near-term launches of potential new products in sickle cell disease (“SCD”), beta thalassemia, CF and acute pain. We recently completed regulatory submissions in the U.S., E.U. and the United Kingdom (“U.K.”) for exagamglogene autotemcel (“exa-cel”) for the treatment of SCD and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (“TDT”).
Financial Highlights
| Revenues | In the first quarter of 2023, our net product revenues increased to $2.4 billion as compared to $2.1 billion in the first quarter of 2022 primarily due to the strong uptake of TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO in multiple countries internationally and continued performance of TRIKAFTA in the U.S. | ||||
| Expenses | Our total research and development (“R&D”), acquired in-process research and development (“AIPR&D”), and selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased to $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to $818.3 million in the first quarter of 2022. The increase was primarily due to increased AIPR&D and the progression of several product candidates in mid- to late-stage clinical development. Cost of sales was 11% and 12% of our net product revenues in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. | ||||
| Cash | Our total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities increased to $11.5 billion as of March 31, 2023 as compared to $10.9 billion as of December 31, 2022 primarily due to our net product revenues and operating cash flows partially offset by our upfront payments to Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. (“Entrada”) and CRISPR Therapeutics AG (“CRISPR”), and repurchases of our common stock. |

Business Updates
Marketed Products
We expect to grow our CF business with (i) continued uptake by patients in countries where we are early in our launch, such as those with recently achieved reimbursement agreements, (ii) label expansions, including into younger patient groups, (iii) the development of mRNA therapies for people with CF who are not eligible for our approved CFTR modulators, and (iv) growth in the number of people living with CF. Recent progress in activities supporting continued uptake and label expansions is included below.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved TRIKAFTA in children with CF 2 to 5 years of age with at least one F508del mutation in the CFTR gene or a mutation in the CFTR gene that is responsive to TRIKAFTA. We have completed regulatory submissions with the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) in the U.K., Health Canada, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia for the use of KAFTRIO/TRIKAFTA in children with CF 2 to 5 years of age.
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We received a positive opinion from the EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for the use of ORKAMBI in children with CF 1 year to less than 2 years of age with two copies of the F508del mutation in the CFTR gene.
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We have submitted a supplemental new drug application to the FDA and marketing authorization applications (“MAAs”) to the EMA, MHRA, and Health Canada for the use of KALYDECO in children with CF from 1 month to less than 4 months of age. KALYDECO has been granted Priority Review designation in the U.S.
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TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO is approved and reimbursed or accessible in more than 30 countries outside the U.S.
Potential Near-Term Launch Opportunities
We are preparing for the following near-term launches of potential new products:
Exa-cel in SCD and TDT
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We recently completed rolling submissions of our biologics licensing applications (“BLAs”) for exa-cel in the U.S. Exa-cel has been granted Fast Track, Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy, Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease designations in the U.S.
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In the fourth quarter of 2022, we completed submissions for exa-cel with the EMA and MHRA in the E.U. and U.K., respectively. The EMA and MHRA have validated the MAAs, and exa-cel has been granted Priority Medicines and Orphan Drug designations in the E.U. In the U.K., exa-cel has been granted an Innovation Passport under the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway from the MHRA.
Vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor in CF
- In the fourth quarter of 2022, we completed enrollment in the pivotal SKYLINE 102 and SKYLINE 103 clinical trials, which evaluate the efficacy and safety of our new once-daily investigational triple combination vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor relative to TRIKAFTA in people with CF 12 years of age and older. We expect to complete these clinical trials by the end of 2023. In parallel, we have initiated a study of vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor in children with CF 6 to 11 years of age, known as the RIDGELINE clinical trial, and we expect to complete this clinical trial by the end of 2023.
VX-548 in Acute Pain
*•*We continue to enroll the Phase 3 pivotal program for our lead compound, VX-548, for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain, and we expect to complete the pivotal program in late 2023 or early 2024. VX-548 has been granted Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations in the U.S. for moderate to severe acute pain.
Pipeline
We continue to advance a pipeline of potentially transformative small molecule, mRNA, and cell and genetic therapies aimed at treating serious diseases. Recent and anticipated progress in activities supporting these efforts is included below.
Cystic Fibrosis
- In collaboration with Moderna, we are developing VX-522, a CFTR mRNA therapeutic for the treatment of people with CF who do not produce any CFTR protein. We have initiated a single-ascending dose clinical trial for VX-522 in people with CF, which is active and enrolling patients. We expect to complete this single-ascending dose clinical trial and initiate a multiple-ascending dose clinical trial in 2023. The FDA has granted Fast Track designation for VX-522.
Beta Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease
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We are evaluating the use of exa-cel, a non-viral ex vivo CRISPR gene-editing therapy, for the treatment of SCD and TDT.
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Dosing in the Phase 3 CLIMB-111 and CLIMB 121 clinical trials evaluating exa-cel continues, as does the CLIMB 131 long-term follow-up clinical trial in patients 12 years of age and older.
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Two additional Phase 3 clinical trials evaluating exa-cel in children with SCD or TDT 5 to 11 years of age are ongoing.
Neuropathic Pain
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We have discovered multiple selective small molecule inhibitors of NaV1.8, with the objective of creating a new class of pain medicines that provide effective non-opioid pain relief, without abuse potential.
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We continue to enroll and dose patients in a Phase 2 dose-ranging clinical trial evaluating VX-548 in diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a common form of chronic peripheral neuropathic pain. We expect to complete this clinical trial in late 2023 or early 2024.
APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease
-
Inaxaplin is our small molecule for the treatment of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (“AMKD”), including APOL1-mediated focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (“FSGS”). We continue to enroll and dose patients in the pivotal program for inaxaplin, a single Phase 2/3 clinical trial, and we expect to complete the Phase 2B dose-ranging portion of the trial in 2023.
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The FDA granted inaxaplin Breakthrough Therapy designation for APOL1-mediated FSGS and the EMA granted inaxaplin Orphan Drug and PRIME designations for AMKD.
Type 1 Diabetes
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VX-880 is a stem cell-derived, fully differentiated, insulin-producing islet cell replacement therapy, using standard immunosuppression to protect the implanted cells. A clinical trial is ongoing to evaluate VX-880 as a potential treatment for type 1 diabetes (“T1D”), and proof-of-concept has been achieved. We have completed enrollment and dosing in Part B of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial and we expect to begin Part C of the trial with concurrent dosing. The EMA granted VX-880 PRIME designation.
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We continue to advance additional programs in T1D, in which these same stem cell-derived, fully differentiated, insulin-producing islet cells are encapsulated and implanted in an immunoprotective device or are modified to produce hypoimmune cells with the goal of eliminating the need for immunosuppression. The Investigational New Drug Application in the U.S., and the Clinical Trial Application (“CTA”) in Canada for VX-264, the cells and device program, have been cleared, and we plan to begin enrollment and dosing in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in the near term.
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Our hypoimmune cell research program continues to progress.
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A Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating VCTX-211, a hypoimmune cell program using ViaCyte cells that originated under the CRISPR and ViaCyte collaboration, is active and enrolling patients.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
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We are working to address the underlying genetic cause of alpha-1 antitrypsin (“AAT”) deficiency (“AATD”). We are developing novel small molecule correctors of Z-AAT protein folding, with the goal of enabling the secretion of functional AAT into the blood and addressing both the lung and the liver aspects of AATD. We continue to enroll and dose healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 clinical trial for VX-634, which is the first in a series of next-wave investigational molecules with significantly improved potency and drug-like properties as compared to our previous AAT correctors.
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We initiated a second Phase 2 clinical trial of VX-864, a first-generation AAT corrector, to assess the impact of longer-term treatment on the liver, as well as the levels of functional AAT in the plasma. This Phase 2 clinical trial continues to enroll and dose patients.
Additional Earlier Stage R&D Programs
Consistent with our overall strategy, we are taking a portfolio approach to all of our programs, with additional assets in CF, SCD, TDT, pain, AMKD, T1D and AATD in earlier stages of development.
We are also advancing preclinical assets in new disease areas, such as DMD and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (“DM1”). Additionally, we are working on preclinical molecules with the potential to expand our leadership in existing disease areas, including assets targeting gentler conditioning for exa-cel and NaV1.7 inhibitors in pain.
Investments in External Innovation
Recent investments in external innovation are included below:
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We announced a new licensing agreement for the use of CRISPR’s gene-editing technology, known as CRISPR/Cas9, to accelerate the development of our hypoimmune cell therapies for T1D.
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We closed our previously announced strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. (“Entrada”), focused on discovering and developing intracellular Endosomal Escape Vehicle (“EEV”) therapeutics for DM1.
Our Business Environment
Our net product revenues come from the sale of our medicines for the treatment of CF. Our CF strategy involves continuing to develop and obtain approval and reimbursement for treatment regimens that will provide benefits to all people with CF and increasing the number of people with CF eligible and able to receive our medicines, including through label expansions, expanded reimbursement, and the development of new medicines. We are advancing our pipeline of product candidates for the treatment of serious diseases outside of CF. Our strategy is to combine transformative advances in the understanding of causal human biology and the science of therapeutics to discover and develop innovative medicines. This approach includes advancing multiple compounds from each program, spanning multiple modalities, into early clinical trials to obtain patient data that can inform selection of the most promising compounds for later-stage development, and to inform discovery and development of additional compounds. We aim to rapidly follow our first-in-class therapies that achieve proof-of-concept with potential best-in-class candidates to provide durable clinical and commercial success.
In pursuit of new product candidates and therapies in specialty markets, we invest in research and development. We believe that pursuing research in diverse areas allows us to balance the risks inherent in product development and may provide product candidates that will form our pipeline in future years. To supplement our internal research programs, we acquire technologies and programs and collaborate with biopharmaceutical and technology companies, leading academic research institutions, government laboratories, foundations and other organizations, as needed, to advance research in our areas of therapeutic interest and to access technologies needed to execute on our strategy.
Discovery and development of a new pharmaceutical or biological product is a difficult and lengthy process that requires significant financial resources along with extensive technical and regulatory expertise. Across the industry, most potential drug or biological products never progress into development, and most products that do advance into development never
receive marketing approval. Our investments in product candidates are subject to considerable risks. We closely monitor the results of our discovery, research, clinical trials and nonclinical studies and frequently evaluate our product development programs in light of new data and scientific, business and commercial insights, with the objective of balancing risk and potential. This process can result in rapid changes in focus and priorities as new information becomes available and as we gain additional understanding of our ongoing programs and potential new programs, as well as those of our competitors.
Our business also requires ensuring appropriate manufacturing and reimbursement of our products. As we advance our product candidates through clinical development toward commercialization and market and sell our approved products, we build and maintain our supply chain and quality assurance resources. We rely on a global network of third parties and our internal capabilities to manufacture and distribute our products for commercial sale and post-approval clinical trials and to manufacture and distribute our product candidates for clinical trials. In addition to establishing supply chains for each new approved product, we adapt our supply chain for existing products to include additional formulations or to increase scale of production for existing products as needed. The processes for cell and genetic therapies can be more complex than those required for small molecule drugs and require additional investments in different systems, equipment, facilities and expertise. We are focused on ensuring the stability of the supply chains for our current products, as well as for our pipeline programs.
Sales of our products depend, to a large degree, on the extent to which our products are reimbursed by third-party payors, such as government health programs, commercial insurance and managed health care organizations. Reimbursement for our products, including our potential pipeline therapies, cannot be assured and may take significant periods of time to obtain. We dedicate substantial management and other resources to obtain and maintain appropriate levels of reimbursement for our products from third-party payors, including governmental organizations in the U.S. and ex-U.S. markets.
In the U.S., we have worked successfully with third-party payors to promptly obtain appropriate levels of reimbursement for our CF medicines. We plan to continue to engage in discussions with numerous commercial insurers and managed health care organizations, along with government health programs that are typically managed by authorities in the individual states, to ensure that payors recognize the significant benefits that our medicines provide and provide patients with appropriate levels of access to our medicines now and in the future. We cannot, however, predict how recent changes in the law, including through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, will affect our ability to negotiate successfully with third-party payors in the future. In ex-U.S. markets, we seek government reimbursement for our medicines on a country-by-country or region-by-region basis, as required. This is necessary for each new medicine, as well as for label expansions for our current medicines. We expect to continue to focus significant resources to obtain expanded reimbursement for our CF medicines and, ultimately, pipeline therapies, in U.S. and ex-U.S. markets.
Strategic Transactions
Acquisitions
As part of our business strategy, we seek to acquire technologies, products, product candidates and other businesses that are aligned with our corporate and research and development strategies and complement and advance our ongoing research and development efforts.
In the second quarter of 2022, we acquired Catalyst Biosciences, Inc.’s, or Catalyst’s, portfolio of protease medicines that target the complement system and related intellectual property for $60.0 million. In the third quarter of 2022, we acquired ViaCyte, a privately held biotechnology company with intellectual property, tools, technologies and assets with potential to accelerate development of our T1D programs, for $315.0 million.
We expect to continue to identify and evaluate potential acquisitions and may include larger transactions or later-stage assets.
Collaboration and In-Licensing Arrangements
We enter into arrangements with third parties, including collaboration and licensing arrangements, for the development, manufacture and commercialization of products, product candidates and other technologies that have the potential to complement our ongoing research and development efforts. Over the last several years, we entered into collaboration agreements with a number of companies, including Arbor Biotechnologies, Inc., CRISPR, Entrada, ImmunoGen, Inc., Kymera Therapeutics, Inc., Mammoth Biosciences, Inc., Moderna, Inc., Obsidian Therapeutics, Inc., and Verve Therapeutics, Inc. Generally, when we in-license a technology or product candidate, we make upfront payments to the collaborator, assume the costs of the program and/or agree to make contingent payments, which could consist of milestone, royalty and option
payments. Most of these collaboration payments are expensed as AIPR&D; however, depending on many factors, including the structure of the collaboration, the stage of development of the acquired technology, the significance of the in-licensed product candidate to the collaborator’s operations and the other activities in which our collaborators are engaged, the accounting for these transactions can vary significantly. We expect to continue to identify and evaluate collaboration and licensing opportunities that may be similar to or different from the collaborations and licenses that we have engaged in previously.
In February 2023, we closed our strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Entrada. Upon closing, we made an upfront payment of $225.1 million to Entrada, and purchased $24.9 million of Entrada’s common stock.
In March 2023, we entered into a non-exclusive license agreement for the use of CRISPR’s CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to accelerate the development of our hypoimmune cell therapies for T1D, and made a $100.0 million upfront payment to CRISPR.
Acquired In-Process Research and Development Expenses
In the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, our AIPR&D included $347.1 million, which primarily related to our upfront payments to Entrada and CRISPR, and $2.0 million, respectively, related to upfront, contingent milestone, or other payments pursuant to our business development transactions, including the collaborations, licenses of third-party technologies, and asset acquisitions described above.
Out-License Agreements
We also have out-licensed internally developed programs to collaborators who are leading the development of these programs. Pursuant to these out-licensing arrangements, our collaborators are responsible for the research, development, and commercialization costs associated with these programs, and we are entitled to receive contingent milestone and/or royalty payments. As a result, we do not expect to incur significant expenses in connection with these programs and have the potential for future collaborative and royalty revenues resulting from these programs. None of our out-license agreements had a significant impact on our condensed consolidated statement of income during the first quarter of 2023 and 2022.
Strategic Equity Investments
In connection with our business development activities, we have periodically made equity investments in our collaborators. As of March 31, 2023, we held strategic equity investments in certain public and private companies, and we expect to make additional strategic equity investments in the future. We invest the majority of our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in instruments that meet specific credit quality standards and limit our exposure to any one issue or type of instrument. Our strategic equity investments are maintained and managed separately from our other cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. As discussed below in “Other Income (Expense), Net” in our Results of Operations, any changes in the fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values (including publicly traded securities) are recorded to other income (expense), net in our condensed consolidated statement of income.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages and per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product revenues, net | $ | 2,374.8 | $ | 2,097.5 | 13% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating costs and expenses | 1,595.8 | 1,056.6 | 51% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income from operations | 779.0 | 1,040.9 | (25)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other non-operating income (expense), net | 112.5 | (86.1) | ** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 191.7 | 192.7 | (1)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 699.8 | $ | 762.1 | (8)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income per diluted common share | $ | 2.69 | $ | 2.96 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted shares used in per share calculations | 260.3 | 257.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ** Not meaningful |
Product Revenues, net
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO | $ | 2,096.7 | $ | 1,761.6 | 19% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KALYDECO | 125.0 | 139.0 | (10)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ORKAMBI | 122.5 | 132.1 | (7)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI | 30.6 | 64.8 | (53)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product revenues, net | $ | 2,374.8 | $ | 2,097.5 | 13% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the first quarter of 2023, our net product revenues increased by $277.3 million, or 13%, as compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to the strong uptake of TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO in multiple countries internationally and the continued performance of TRIKAFTA in the U.S. Decreases in revenues for our products other than TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO were primarily the result of patients switching from these medicines to TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO.
Our net product revenues from the U.S. and from ex-U.S. markets were as follows:
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States | $ | 1,403.8 | $ | 1,368.2 | 3% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ex-U.S. | 971.0 | 729.3 | 33% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product revenues, net | $ | 2,374.8 | $ | 2,097.5 | 13% |
Operating Costs and Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of sales | $ | 266.9 | $ | 245.8 | 9% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development expenses | 742.6 | 601.1 | 24% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquired in-process research and development expenses | 347.1 | 2.0 | ** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses | 241.1 | 215.2 | 12% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration | (1.9) | (7.5) | ** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total costs and expenses | $ | 1,595.8 | $ | 1,056.6 | 51% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ** Not meaningful |
Cost of Sales
Our cost of sales primarily consists of third-party royalties payable on net sales of our products as well as the cost of producing inventories. Pursuant to our agreement with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation our tiered third-party royalties on sales of TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO, SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI, KALYDECO, and ORKAMBI, calculated as a percentage of net sales, range from the single digits to the sub-teens, with royalties on sales of TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO lower than for our other products. Over the last several years, our cost of sales has been increasing due to increased net product revenues. Our cost of sales as a percentage of our net product revenues was 11% and 12% in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Research and Development Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research expenses | $ | 166.8 | $ | 143.8 | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Development expenses | 575.8 | 457.3 | 26% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total research and development expenses | $ | 742.6 | $ | 601.1 | 24% |
Our research and development expenses include internal and external costs incurred for research and development of our products and product candidates. We do not assign our internal costs, such as salary and benefits, stock-based compensation expense, laboratory supplies and other direct expenses and infrastructure costs, to individual products or product candidates, because the employees within our research and development groups typically are deployed across multiple research and development programs. We assign external costs of services provided to us by clinical research organizations and other outsourced research by individual program. Our internal costs are significantly greater than our external costs. All research and development costs for our products and product candidates are expensed as incurred.
Since January 2021, we have incurred approximately $6.8 billion in total research and development and AIPR&D expenses associated with product discovery and development. The successful development of our product candidates is highly uncertain and subject to a number of risks. In addition, the duration of clinical trials may vary substantially according to the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidate and the disease indication being targeted. The FDA and comparable agencies in foreign countries impose substantial requirements on the introduction of therapeutic pharmaceutical products, typically requiring lengthy and detailed laboratory and clinical testing procedures, sampling activities and other costly and time-consuming procedures. Data obtained from nonclinical and clinical activities at any step in the testing process may be adverse and lead to discontinuation or redirection of development activities. Data obtained from these activities also are susceptible to varying interpretations, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. The duration and cost of discovery, nonclinical studies and clinical trials may vary significantly over the life of a project and are difficult to predict. Therefore, accurate and meaningful estimates of the ultimate costs to bring our product candidates to market are not available.
Any estimates regarding development and regulatory timelines for our product candidates are highly subjective and subject to change. Until we have data from Phase 3 clinical trials, we cannot make a meaningful estimate regarding when, or if, a clinical development program will generate revenues and cash flows.
Research Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research Expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salary and benefits | $ | 45.5 | $ | 40.2 | 13% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation expense | 20.2 | 22.9 | (12)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outsourced services and other direct expenses | 53.6 | 39.5 | 36% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Infrastructure costs | 47.5 | 41.2 | 15% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total research expenses | $ | 166.8 | $ | 143.8 | 16% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Our research expenses have been increasing over the last several years as we have invested in our pipeline and expanded our cell and genetic therapy capabilities, resulting in increased headcount, outside services and other direct expenses and infrastructure costs associated with our research facilities. We expect to continue to invest in our research programs with a focus on creating transformative medicines for serious diseases.
Development Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Development Expenses: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salary and benefits | $ | 144.2 | $ | 109.9 | 31% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stock-based compensation expense | 56.1 | 57.5 | (2)% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outsourced services and other direct expenses | 295.3 | 212.7 | 39% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Infrastructure costs | 80.2 | 77.2 | 4% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total development expenses | $ | 575.8 | $ | 457.3 | 26% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Our development expenses increased by $118.5 million, or 26%, in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to increased costs to support clinical trials associated with our advancing pipeline programs, including pain, our CF triple combination of vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor, exa-cel and T1D. We are significantly investing in internal headcount, leveraging outsourced services, and investing in infrastructure to support these programs.
Acquired In-process Research and Development Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acquired in-process research and development expenses | $ | 347.1 | $ | 2.0 | ** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ** Not meaningful |
AIPR&D in the first quarter of 2023 was primarily related to our upfront payments of $225.1 million to Entrada and $100.0 million to CRISPR. Our AIPR&D has historically fluctuated, and is expected to continue to fluctuate, from one period
to another due to upfront, contingent milestone, and other payments pursuant to our existing and future business development transactions, including collaborations, licenses of third-party technologies, and asset acquisitions.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative expenses | $ | 241.1 | $ | 215.2 | 12% |
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 12% in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to the continued investment to support the commercialization of our medicines and increased support for our pipeline product candidates.
Contingent Consideration
The fair value of our contingent consideration decreased by $1.9 million and $7.5 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Other Non-Operating Income (Expense), Net
Interest Income
Interest income increased to $122.6 million in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to $1.6 million in the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to increased market interest rates and increased cash equivalents and available-for-sale debt securities. Our future interest income is dependent on the amount of, and prevailing market interest rates on, our outstanding cash equivalents and available-for-sale debt securities.
Interest Expense
Interest expense was $11.4 million and $14.9 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The majority of our interest expense in these periods was related to imputed interest expense associated with our leased corporate headquarters in Boston.
Other Income (Expense), Net
Other income (expense), net was income of $1.3 million and expense of $72.8 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. The vast majority of these amounts relate to net unrealized gains or losses resulting from changes in the fair value of our strategic equity investments. As of March 31, 2023, the fair value of our investments in publicly traded companies was $148.1 million. To the extent that we continue to hold strategic equity investments in publicly traded companies, we will record other income (expense) related to these investments on a quarterly basis. We expect that due to the volatility of the stock price of biotechnology companies, our other income (expense), net will fluctuate in future periods based on increases or decreases in the fair value of our strategic equity investments.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate fluctuates from period to period due to the global nature of our operations. The factors that most significantly impact our effective tax rate include changes in tax laws, variability in the allocation of our taxable earnings among multiple jurisdictions, the amount and characterization of our research and development expenses, the levels of certain deductions and credits, adjustments to the value of our uncertain tax positions, acquisitions and third-party collaboration and licensing transactions.
We recorded provisions for income taxes of $191.7 million and $192.7 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our effective tax rate of 21.5% in the first quarter of 2023 was higher than the U.S. statutory rate primarily due to an increase in our unrecognized tax benefits partially offset by excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation. Our effective tax rate of 20.2% in the first quarter of 2022 was lower than the U.S. statutory rate primarily due to excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
The following table summarizes the components of our financial condition as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022:
| As of March 31, 2023 | As of December 31, 2022 | Change | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | |||||||||||||||||
| Total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities | $ | 11,495.6 | $ | 10,890.7 | 6% | ||||||||||||
| Working Capital: | |||||||||||||||||
| Total current assets | $ | 12,965.7 | $ | 13,234.8 | (2)% | ||||||||||||
| Total current liabilities | (3,026.2) | (2,742.1) | 10% | ||||||||||||||
| Total working capital | $ | 9,939.5 | $ | 10,492.7 | (5)% |
Working Capital
As of March 31, 2023, total working capital was $9.9 billion, which represented a decrease of $553.2 million from $10.5 billion as of December 31, 2022. The decrease in total working capital in the first quarter of 2023 was primarily related to increased investment in long-term marketable securities and repurchases of our common stock partially offset by $899.9 million of cash provided by operations.
Cash Flows
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | |||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in): | |||||||||||
| Operating activities | $ | 899.9 | $ | 956.2 | |||||||
| Investing activities | $ | (1,833.6) | $ | (51.0) | |||||||
| Financing activities | $ | (294.7) | $ | (95.4) |
Operating Activities
Cash provided by operating activities were $899.9 million in the first quarter of 2023 as compared to $956.2 million in the first quarter of 2022, primarily due to a $62.3 million decrease in net income resulting from increased AIPR&D partially offset by increased net product revenues.
Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities were $1.8 billion and $51.0 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. In the first quarter of 2023, the largest portion of our investing activities were purchases of marketable securities. In the first quarter of 2022, the largest portion of our investing activities were purchases of property and equipment.
Financing Activities
Cash used in financing activities were $294.7 million and $95.4 million in the first quarter of 2023 and 2022, respectively. In the first quarter of 2023, the largest portions of our financing activities were payments related to our employee stock benefit plans and repurchases of our common stock pursuant to our Share Repurchase Program. In the first quarter of 2022, the largest portion of our financing activities were payments related to our employee stock benefit plans.
Sources and Uses of Liquidity
As of March 31, 2023, we had total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $11.5 billion, which represented an increase of $604.9 million from $10.9 billion as of December 31, 2022. We intend to rely on our existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities together with cash flows from product sales as our primary source of liquidity.
We expect that cash flows from our product sales together with our current cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next twelve months. The adequacy of our available funds to meet our future operating and capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our future product sales, and the potential introduction of one or more of our other product candidates to the market, our business development activities, and the number, breadth, cost and prospects of our research and development programs.
Credit Facilities & Financing Strategy
We may borrow up to a total of $500.0 million pursuant to a revolving credit facility that we entered into in July 2022 and could repay and reborrow amounts under this revolving credit agreement without penalty. Subject to certain conditions, we could request that the borrowing capacity be increased by an additional $500.0 million, for a total of $1.0 billion. Negative covenants in our credit agreement could prohibit or limit our ability to access this source of liquidity. As of March 31, 2023, the facility was undrawn, and we were in compliance with these covenants.
We may also raise additional capital by borrowing under credit agreements, through public offerings or private placements of our securities or securing new collaborative agreements or other methods of financing. We will continue to manage our capital structure and will consider all financing opportunities, whenever they may occur, that could strengthen our long-term liquidity profile. There can be no assurance that any such financing opportunities will be available on acceptable terms, if at all.
Future Capital Requirements
We have significant future capital requirements, including:
-
Expected operating expenses to conduct research and development activities, manufacture and commercialize our existing and future products, and to operate our organization.
-
Facility and finance lease obligations.
-
Royalties we pay to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on sales of our CF products.
-
Cash paid for income taxes.
In addition, we have significant potential future capital requirements including:
-
We have entered into certain business development-related agreements with third parties that include the funding of certain research, development, and commercialization efforts. Certain of our transactions, including collaborations, licensing arrangements, and asset acquisitions, include the potential for future milestone and royalty payments by us upon the achievement of pre-established developmental and regulatory targets and/or commercial targets. Our obligation to fund these research and development and commercialization efforts and to pay these potential milestone and royalties is contingent upon continued involvement in the programs and/or the lack of any adverse events that could cause the discontinuance of the programs associated with our collaborations, licensing arrangements and acquisitions. We may enter into additional business development transactions, including acquisitions, collaborations, licensing arrangements and equity investments, that require additional capital.
-
To the extent we borrow amounts under our existing credit agreement, we would be required to repay any outstanding principal amounts in 2027.
-
As of March 31, 2023, we had $2.9 billion remaining authorization available under our Share Repurchase Program.
There have not been any material changes to our future capital requirements disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on February 10, 2023.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. The
preparation of these financial statements requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. These items are monitored and analyzed by management for changes in facts and circumstances, and material changes in these estimates could occur in the future. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results for the period in which the change occurs. We base our estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from our estimates if past experience or other assumptions do not turn out to be substantially accurate. During the three months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes to our critical accounting policies as reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023.
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
For a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, please refer to Note A, “Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies.”
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Information required by this item is incorporated by reference from the discussion in Part II, Item 7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management (under the supervision and with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer), after evaluating the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, has concluded that, based on such evaluation, as of March 31, 2023 our disclosure controls and procedures were effective and designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, our management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and our management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
Changes in Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
No change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2023 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. Other Information
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
We are not currently subject to any material legal proceedings.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Information regarding risk factors appears in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023. There have been no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and, in particular, our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations set forth in Part I, Item 2, contain a number of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not purely historical and may be accompanied by words such as “anticipates,” “may,” “forecasts,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potentially,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Such statements may relate to:
-
our expectations regarding the amount of, timing of, and trends with respect to our financial performance, including revenues, costs and expenses, and other gains and losses;
-
our expectations regarding clinical trials, including expectations for patient enrollment, development timelines, the expected timing of data from our ongoing and planned clinical trials, and regulatory authority filings and other submissions for our therapies;
-
our ability to maintain and obtain adequate reimbursement for our products, our ability to launch, commercialize and market our products or any of our other therapies for which we obtain regulatory approval and our ability to obtain label expansions for existing therapies;
-
our expectations regarding our ability to continue to grow our CF business by increasing the number of people with CF eligible and able to receive our medicines, providing improved treatment options for people who are already eligible for one of our medicines, and pursuing genetic therapies for people with CF who cannot currently benefit from our medicines;
-
the data that will be generated by ongoing and planned clinical trials and the ability to use that data to advance compounds, continue development or support regulatory filings;
-
our beliefs regarding the support provided by clinical trials and preclinical and nonclinical studies of our therapies for further investigation, clinical trials or potential use as a treatment;
-
our plans to continue investing in our research and development programs, including anticipated timelines for our programs, and our strategy to develop our pipeline programs, alone or with third party-collaborators;
-
our beliefs regarding the approximate patient populations for the disease areas on which we focus;
-
the potential benefits and therapeutic scope of our acquisitions and collaborations, including the expectation that the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology will accelerate the development of our T1D hypoimmune cell therapy program;
-
the establishment, development and maintenance of collaborative relationships, including potential milestone payments or other obligations;
-
potential business development activities, including the identification of potential collaborative partners or acquisition targets;
-
our ability to expand and protect our intellectual property portfolio and otherwise maintain exclusive rights to products;
-
potential fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and the effectiveness of our foreign currency management program;
-
our expectations regarding cash generated by operations, our cash balance and expected generation and interest income;
-
our expectations regarding our provision for or benefit from income taxes and the utilization of our deferred tax assets;
-
our ability to use our research programs to identify and develop new product candidates to address serious diseases and significant unmet medical needs;
-
our plans to expand, strengthen, and invest in our global supply chains and manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities, including for cell and gene therapies; and
-
our liquidity and our expectations regarding the possibility of raising additional capital.
Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, or other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in any such statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, those described in our “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023, and those described from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Any such forward-looking statements are made on the basis of our views and assumptions as of the date of the filing and are not estimates of future performance. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such statements.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities
In February 2023, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program (our “Share Repurchase Program”), pursuant to which we are authorized to repurchase up to $3.0 billion of our common stock. Our Share Repurchase Program does not have an expiration date and can be discontinued at any time. The table set forth below shows repurchases of securities by us during the three months ended March 31, 2023 under our Share Repurchase Program.
| Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (1) | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| January 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||
| February 1, 2023 to February 28, 2023 | 172,784 | $ | 293.43 | 172,784 | $ | 2,949,299,420 | |||||||||||||||||
| March 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023 | 286,233 | $ | 296.56 | 286,233 | $ | 2,864,413,554 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 459,017 | $ | 295.38 | 459,017 | $ | 2,864,413,554 |
(1) Under our Share Repurchase Program, we are authorized to purchase shares from time to time through open market or privately negotiated transactions. Such purchases may be pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans or other means as determined by our management and in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Item 6. Exhibits
| Exhibit Number | Exhibit Description | ||||
| 10.1 | Amendment No. 2 to Employment Agreement, between Jeffrey M. Leiden and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, dated as of February 8, 2023. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 10, 2023).* | ||||
| 31.1 | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | ||||
| 31.2 | Certification of the Chief Financial Officer under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | ||||
| 32.1 | Certification of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer under Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. | ||||
| 101.INS | XBRL Instance - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | ||||
| 101.SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema | ||||
| 101.CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation | ||||
| 101.LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels | ||||
| 101.PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation | ||||
| 101.DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition | ||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File––the cover page interactive data file does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | ||||
| * Management contract, compensatory plan or agreement. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | ||||||||
| May 2, 2023 | By: | /s/ Charles F. Wagner, Jr. | ||||||
| Charles F. Wagner, Jr. | ||||||||
| Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer and duly authorized officer) |