Genticel
Written by
Genticel |
Final preclinical SIIL milestone achieved |
Business update |
Pharma & biotech |
19 December 2016 |
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Business description
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Genticel is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited |
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Genticel has received a milestone payment of $1.2m from the Serum Institute of India (SIIL). This is the last milestone Genticel will receive associated with the preclinical development of GTL003 in new multivalent vaccines that contain pertussis (whooping cough). SIIL can now finish formal preclinical development before moving to clinical development, which could unlock further milestone payments. Under the collaboration with SIIL, Genticel is entitled to up to $57m development and sales milestone payments and single-digit royalties on net sales. Cash and equivalents at end Q316 were €12.3m. Our valuation is under review following the termination of the GTL001 and GTL002 programmes.
Year |
Revenue |
PBT* |
EPS* |
DPS |
P/E |
Yield |
12/14 |
0.00 |
(10.81) |
(78.1) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/15 |
0.18 |
(11.19) |
(72.1) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/16e |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
12/17e |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: *PBT and EPS are normalised, excluding intangible amortisation, exceptional items and share-based payments. 2014 restated due to IFRS adjustments.
Collaboration with SIIL continues as planned
The agreement with SIIL involves the evaluation of GTL003 in multivalent vaccines containing pertussis antigens. The most important is the DTaP vaccine which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis in a single shot; 86% of children aged 12-23 months receive this vaccine (source: World Bank), representing a significant opportunity. SIIL is using Genticel's engineered Bordetella pertussis's adenlylate cyclase GTL003, which induces strong IFN gamma and IL-17 responses. This represents the last milestone that Genticel will receive for the preclinical development of GTL003. The next milestones will be related to clinical development and sales performance.
Search for projects continues, IP reinforced
Genticel has engaged Eumedix, a consultancy specialised in advising healthcare and biotech companies in fundraising and corporate transactions, to help in the process to access external drug candidates. We have placed our valuation under review pending any future deal(s). Additionally, the patent covering Vaxiclase, when used as a product (as in its partnership with SIIL), has been granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with number 9,499,809 and title “CyaA-based chimeric proteins comprising a heterologous polypeptide and their uses in the induction of immune responses”.
Valuation: Under review
We have placed our valuation and financial forecasts under review pending the in-licensing of new asset(s). Our previous valuation was €36m or €2.31/share before dilution based on the GTL001 programme. Genticel recently announced that it no longer intends to pursue the development of GTL001 and GTL002.
Deal with Serum Institute of India progresses
Genticel has received a milestone payment of $1.2m from the SIIL. This is the last milestone associated with preclinical research on GTL003 to which Genticel is entitled; hence, SIIL can now finish formal preclinical testing before starting clinical trials of GTL003 with multivalent vaccines that include Bordetella pertussis antigens, the causative agent of whooping cough.
The partnership with SIIL started in February 2015. As part of the agreement, Genticel licensed GTL003, its Vaxiclase technology, as an antigen to SIIL for use in the development of acellular multivalent combination vaccines that include pertussis antigens. The licence covers all countries of the world except the US, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel and Turkey. Genticel is eligible for up to $57m in upfront, development and sales milestone payments, as well as single-digit royalties on net sales. To date, Genticel has received a $100k upfront payment and $350k in milestone-related revenues from SIIL, in addition to the recent $1.2m milestone payment.
SIIL is the world's largest producer of vaccines, with more than 1.3 billion doses sold annually. Among other vaccines, SIIL produces the measles and DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) group of vaccines. Around 65% of children immunised globally are vaccinated with a product manufactured by SIIL. However, the commercial market in emerging countries is much smaller than developed countries, being 80% of the world’s population but only 20% of the market.
Pertussis as the backbone of current vaccination programmes
Most pertussis vaccines are administered in combination with diphtheria and tetanus, bacterial diseases that can be vaccinated against with a single shot (DTP). Approximately 86% of the world’s population is vaccinated with DTP, according to the WHO. The estimated global market for DTP vaccines that contain the acellular pertussis antigen exceeds $2bn per year according to Genticel. Additionally, Bordetella pertussis antigens are included in multiple complex vaccination schedules, often for hepatitis B (HB), polio (IPV) and influenza B (Hib). According to recent research, there is a resurgence of whooping cough in countries with high vaccination coverage due to short duration of efficacy from current acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines. Therefore, there is a need for an improved aP primary and boost vaccination for longer-lasting protection and greater effectiveness against colonisation.
Exhibit 1: Basics of whooping cough (pertussis).
Aspects |
Comments |
What is whooping cough? |
Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It takes about 7-10 days for symptoms to appear. Symptoms are usually mild at first and resemble those of a common cold (runny nose, nasal congestion, fever, mild cough). After one to two weeks symptoms worsen and can include vomiting, red or blue face, fatigue and a characteristic whooping sound during the next breath of air. |
Complications |
Complications arise in approximately 5-6% of cases, with bronchopneumonia and encephalitis the most common. In developed countries, there are around one in 1,000 deaths per year, which increases to 40 per 1,000 in infants in developing countries (source: WHO). According to the US CDC, there are an estimated 16 million cases of whooping cough worldwide and about 195,000 deaths per year. 90% of these are in developing countries. |
Vaccination schedule |
Whooping cough is prevented with the pertussis vaccine, which is included in multiple, complex vaccination schedules, eg DTP. All children should receive five doses of DTP vaccine at six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks, with a first booster at 16-18 months and a second booster at five years. |
Types of vaccines |
There are two types of pertussis vaccines: whole-cell (wP) and acellular (aP). wP has all antigens of Bordetella pertussis, manufacturing methods vary among producers, it has heterogeneous efficacy (46-92% protection for DTwP) and is used less often nowadays. aP has highly purified selected antigens, although the number and type of antigens vary across manufacturers, with homogeneous efficacy at 85%. Most are combined with tetanus and diphtheria, named DTwP or DTaP. |
Aspects |
What is whooping cough? |
Complications |
Vaccination schedule |
Types of vaccines |
Comments |
Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It takes about 7-10 days for symptoms to appear. Symptoms are usually mild at first and resemble those of a common cold (runny nose, nasal congestion, fever, mild cough). After one to two weeks symptoms worsen and can include vomiting, red or blue face, fatigue and a characteristic whooping sound during the next breath of air. |
Complications arise in approximately 5-6% of cases, with bronchopneumonia and encephalitis the most common. In developed countries, there are around one in 1,000 deaths per year, which increases to 40 per 1,000 in infants in developing countries (source: WHO). According to the US CDC, there are an estimated 16 million cases of whooping cough worldwide and about 195,000 deaths per year. 90% of these are in developing countries. |
Whooping cough is prevented with the pertussis vaccine, which is included in multiple, complex vaccination schedules, eg DTP. All children should receive five doses of DTP vaccine at six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks, with a first booster at 16-18 months and a second booster at five years. |
There are two types of pertussis vaccines: whole-cell (wP) and acellular (aP). wP has all antigens of Bordetella pertussis, manufacturing methods vary among producers, it has heterogeneous efficacy (46-92% protection for DTwP) and is used less often nowadays. aP has highly purified selected antigens, although the number and type of antigens vary across manufacturers, with homogeneous efficacy at 85%. Most are combined with tetanus and diphtheria, named DTwP or DTaP. |
Source: Edison Investment Research.
Genticel’s approach: Re-engineering Bordetella pertussis’s CyA
The enzyme adenylate cyclase (CyA) is used by Bordetella pertussis as a mechanism of protection from the immune system by rapidly entering white immune cells and breaking down the chemical energy source of the cell, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Scientists at the Institut Pasteur developed an antigen delivery technology based on CyA from Bordetella pertussis and engineered CyA to remove the toxic enzyme activity so that immune cells are unharmed by the engineered protein. CyA is an excellent delivery vehicle as it enters the cell quickly without damaging it. Institut Pasteur demonstrated that it was possible to insert an antigen in the CyaA protein to activate the immune system against cells marked by that antigen (eg cells infected by the HPV virus). The resulting recombinant protein is suited to the development of immunotherapies.
Vaxiclase is Genticel’s proprietary technology that overcomes the limitation of current CyA that only one antigen per CyA protein can be delivered. More variants of CyA could be produced, but that is expensive. Thus, Vaxiclase uses a next-generation CyA protein to enable more antigens to be incorporated. Genticel has used Vaxiclase as a vector to carry other antigens to activate antigen-specific killer and helper T cells. In particular, Genticel's immunotherapeutic product, GTL002, contains antigens of six HPV types, compared to GTL001, which contains antigens of two HPV types.
In contrast, the deal with SIIL involves the use of Vaxiclase as an antigen (GTL003), with no exogenous antigens inserted. GTL003 aims to improve the duration of protection of aP vaccines, but with a good tolerability ie to achieve equivalent protection as the old generation of whole-cell pertussis vaccines but without their high reactogenicity.
Exhibit 2: Financial summary
€000s |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Year end 31 December |
IFRS |
IFRS |
|
PROFIT & LOSS |
|||
Revenue |
|
0 |
178 |
Cost of Sales |
0 |
0 |
|
Gross Profit |
0 |
178 |
|
EBITDA |
|
(10,885) |
(11,361) |
Operating Profit (before amort. and except.) |
(10,912) |
(11,412) |
|
Intangible Amortisation |
(8) |
(4) |
|
Exceptionals |
0 |
0 |
|
Other |
0 |
0 |
|
Operating Profit |
(10,920) |
(11,417) |
|
Net Interest |
105 |
223 |
|
Profit Before Tax (norm) |
|
(10,808) |
(11,189) |
Profit Before Tax (FRS 3) |
|
(10,815) |
(11,193) |
Tax |
0 |
0 |
|
Profit After Tax (norm) |
(10,780) |
(11,137) |
|
Profit After Tax (FRS 3) |
(10,815) |
(11,193) |
|
Average Number of Shares Outstanding (m) |
13.8 |
15.4 |
|
EPS - normalised (c) |
|
(78.1) |
(72.1) |
EPS - (IFRS) (c) |
|
(78.4) |
(72.5) |
Dividend per share (p) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
|
Gross Margin (%) |
NA |
NA |
|
EBITDA Margin (%) |
NA |
NA |
|
Operating Margin (before GW and except.) (%) |
NA |
NA |
|
BALANCE SHEET |
|||
Fixed Assets |
|
228 |
346 |
Intangible Assets |
19 |
54 |
|
Tangible Assets |
95 |
156 |
|
Fixed term investments |
10,076 |
5,154 |
|
Other |
114 |
137 |
|
Current Assets |
|
25,899 |
20,388 |
Stocks |
31 |
53 |
|
Debtors |
236 |
653 |
|
Cash |
22,727 |
16,682 |
|
Other |
2,904 |
3,000 |
|
Current Liabilities |
|
(3,960) |
(3,331) |
Creditors |
(3,448) |
(2,710) |
|
Short term borrowings |
(512) |
(621) |
|
Long Term Liabilities |
|
(2,026) |
(2,223) |
Long term borrowings |
(1,646) |
(1,901) |
|
Other long term liabilities |
(380) |
(322) |
|
Net Assets |
|
20,141 |
15,180 |
CASH FLOW |
|||
Operating Cash Flow |
|
(9,952) |
(11,968) |
Net Interest |
105 |
223 |
|
Tax |
0 |
0 |
|
Capex |
(73) |
(152) |
|
Acquisitions/disposals |
0 |
0 |
|
Equity Financing |
41,353 |
318 |
|
Other items |
(2,602) |
568 |
|
Net Cash Flow |
28,831 |
(11,010) |
|
Opening net debt/(cash) |
|
(2,125) |
(30,645) |
HP finance leases initiated |
0 |
0 |
|
Other |
(311) |
(433) |
|
Closing net debt/(cash) |
|
(30,645) |
(19,203) |
Source: Edison Investment Research, Genticel accounts
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