Last close As at 05/08/2026
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Research: Healthcare
BerGenBio’s (BGBIO’s) Q122 results are generally in line with recent trends, with a Q122 operating loss of NOK78.6m (-6% y-o-y). The reduction was largely due to lower clinical trial expenses as the company is now preparing for its next studies on lead candidate bemcentinib. Operating cash outflows increased year-on-year to NOK74.2m (vs NOK70.8m in Q121) primarily due to working capital movements, resulting in the company finishing the quarter with NOK367m in net cash, which, at current burn rates, should provide operating funding into Q223. Earlier in May, the company communicated an updated business strategy to focus bemcentinib, an oral AXL inhibitor, on first-line (1L) non-squamous non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) carrying the STK11 mutation and on hospitalised COVID-19 patients. The company expects to report key value drivers for these programmes over the next 18–24 months. Our forecasts remain under review.
BerGenBio |
No surprises as bemcentinib strategy progresses |
Q122 update |
Healthcare and biotech |
25 May 2022 |
Share price performance
Business description
Analysts
BerGenBio is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited |
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BerGenBio’s (BGBIO’s) Q122 results are generally in line with recent trends, with a Q122 operating loss of NOK78.6m (-6% y-o-y). The reduction was largely due to lower clinical trial expenses as the company is now preparing for its next studies on lead candidate bemcentinib. Operating cash outflows increased year-on-year to NOK74.2m (vs NOK70.8m in Q121) primarily due to working capital movements, resulting in the company finishing the quarter with NOK367m in net cash, which, at current burn rates, should provide operating funding into Q223. Earlier in May, the company communicated an updated business strategy to focus bemcentinib, an oral AXL inhibitor, on first-line (1L) non-squamous non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) carrying the STK11 mutation and on hospitalised COVID-19 patients. The company expects to report key value drivers for these programmes over the next 18–24 months. Our forecasts remain under review.
Year end |
Revenue (NOKm) |
PBT* |
EPS* |
DPS |
P/E |
Yield |
12/20 |
0.6 |
(257.0) |
(3.43) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/21 |
0.8 |
(309.4) |
(3.52) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: *PBT and EPS are normalised, excluding amortisation of acquired intangibles, exceptional items and share-based payments.
BerGenBio sees significant opportunity for bemcentinib in non-squamous NSCLCs with STK11 loss-of-function mutations (STK11m). Approximately 20% of such cancers carry this mutation, which we estimate would lead to a potential target market of c 30,000 new patients per year. Patients with STK11m are associated with impaired patient responses to PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapies and poor outcomes. Preclinical data showed systemic inhibition of AXL by bemcentinib restored therapeutic response to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
The company believes bemcentinib has a unique mechanism of action that can increase Type I interferon secretion from dendritic immune cells, thereby generating new tumour-specific CD8+ immune T cells, that can restore therapeutic response to PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy. The company’s Phase II BGB008 study in 2L NSCLC has already shown some efficacy in STK11m patients when combined with pembrolizumab. BerGenBio expects to start a Phase 1b/IIa study in 1L NSCLC with STK11m in late 2022.
In the nearer term, bemcentinib’s next study in the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients is scheduled to begin recruitment in Q322, within the EU-SolidAct platform trial, in a sub-protocol arm designed to enrol 500 patients across European sites. This comes after recently reported data analysis from its Phase II ACCORD2 study. In this, 90% (26 of 29) of patients experienced a clinical response by day 29 (median 7 days) when treated with bemcentinib + standard of care, compared to only 69% on standard of care alone. These results suggest bemcentinib provides broad inhibition across COVID-19 variants due to its unique mode of action.
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Research: Healthcare
Creo Medical reported 168% y-o-y growth in its FY21 revenue (to £25.2m), broadly in line with Edison (£25.9m) and consensus estimates (£25.1m). While the increase was largely driven by the full-year contribution from Albyn Medical (acquired in July 2020), we are encouraged by the improved momentum in the core asset Speedboat Inject in H221, as COVID-19 headwinds subside. Management also announced a multi-year robotics collaboration with market leader Intuitive Surgical to optimise certain Creo products to be compatible with Intuitive’s robotic technology. The terms of the agreement include joint clinical studies and the potential for royalty and milestone payments to be received by Creo. We believe this agreement strengthens the company’s differentiated positioning in a rapidly evolving subsegment. While we wait for more details to incorporate the announcement into our valuation, we believe there may be upside potential on successful commercialisation of the covered products.