EX-99.1 3 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE

Exhibit 99.1

 

[Autoimmune Inc. Letterhead]

 

Contact:

Robert C. Bishop, Ph.D.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

AutoImmune Inc.

626-792-1235

website: http://www.autoimmuneinc.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

AUTOIMMUNE INC. REPORTS 2003 THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

 

Pasadena, California, November 11, 2003—AutoImmune Inc. (Nasdaq: AIMM) today reported a net loss of $0.16 million, or $0.01 per share basic and diluted, for the three months ended September 30, 2003, compared with a net loss of $0.25 million, or $0.01 per share basic and diluted, for the three months ended September 30, 2002. For the nine months ended September 30, 2003, net income was $0.74 million, or $0.04 per share basic and diluted, compared with a net loss of $0.64 million, or $0.04 per share basic and diluted, for the nine months ended September 30, 2002. Results for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 reflect receipt of the final payment in March 2003 from a subsidiary of Elan Corporation plc for its purchase of AutoImmune’s rights to certain patent applications. As of September 30, 2003, the Company reported $10.9 million in cash and marketable securities.

 

Robert C. Bishop, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer stated, “ This past quarter, Colloral LLC, AutoImmune’s joint venture with Deseret Laboratories International, began market testing in geographically limited areas several approaches to increase the sales of Colloral®, its product for nutritional support of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Under the currently applicable accounting model, AutoImmune will begin to recognize income when profits exceed cumulative start-up costs.

 

BioMS has confirmed that it expects to begin an advanced phase clinical trial of MBP8298 treatment for chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, which utilizes intellectual property rights exclusively licensed from AutoImmune, within the next several months. BioMS makes monthly diligence payments to AutoImmune and has a royalty obligation on sales of MBP8298 should it reach the market.

 

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. reports that during the first quarter of 2004 it hopes to begin the next human clinical studies on an oral formulation of COPAXONE® (glatiramer acetate), a product for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, which utilizes intellectual property rights exclusively licensed from AutoImmune. If Teva is successful in bringing this product to market, AutoImmune will receive both a milestone payment and a royalty on sales.


AutoImmune co-sponsored a successful New York Academy of Sciences meeting titled “Oral Tolerance: Mechanisms and Applications” held at Mt Sinai Medical Center in New York City, October 23-26, 2003. Abstracts of the scientific presentations can be read at the conference website http://nyas.org/aeb/ot.

 

AutoImmune is a biopharmaceutical company involved in the development of a new class of mucosally administered therapies for the treatment of autoimmune and cell-mediated inflammatory diseases and conditions.

 

This release contains forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results may differ significantly from results discussed in the forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, including, but not limited to the uncertainties of clinical trial results, the Company’s dependence on third parties for licensing revenue, and the risks of technological change and competition. These factors are more fully discussed in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the section “Business-Factors to be Considered.” The discussion in the Annual Report on Form 10-K is hereby referenced into this release.

 

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AUTOIMMUNE INC.

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)

 

     Three months ended
September 30,


   

Nine months ended

September 30,


 
     2002

    2003

    2002

    2003

 

Revenue

   $ 18,000     $ 25,000     $ 48,000     $ 1,415,000  
    


 


 


 


Costs and expenses:

                                

Research and development

     211,000       70,000       329,000       241,000  

General and administrative

     100,000       114,000       506,000       508,000  
    


 


 


 


Total costs and expenses

     311,000       184,000       835,000       749,000  
    


 


 


 


Interest income

     48,000       29,000       149,000       95,000  

Equity in net loss of unconsolidated affiliate

     —         (25,000 )     —         (25,000 )
    


 


 


 


       48,000       4,000       149,000       70,000  
    


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

   ($ 245,000 )   ($ 155,000 )   ($ 638,000 )   $ 736,000  
    


 


 


 


Net income (loss) per share—basic

   ($ 0.01 )   ($ 0.01 )   ($ 0.04 )   $ 0.04  
    


 


 


 


Net income (loss) per share—diluted

   ($ 0.01 )   ($ 0.01 )   ($ 0.04 )   $ 0.04  
    


 


 


 


Weighted average common shares outstanding—basic

     16,919,623       16,919,623       16,919,623       16,919,623  
    


 


 


 


Weighted average common shares outstanding—diluted

     16,919,623       16,919,623       16,919,623       17,242,475  
    


 


 


 


 

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET

(Unaudited)

 

     December 31,    September 30,
     2002

   2003

Cash and marketable securities

   $ 10,018,000    $ 8,804,000

Other current assets

     81,000      55,000

Long term marketable securities

     —        2,060,000
    

  

Total assets

   $ 10,099,000    $ 10,919,000
    

  

Current liabilities

   $ 187,000    $ 118,000

Total stockholders’ equity

     9,912,000      10,801,000
    

  

Total liabilities and equity

   $ 10,099,000    $ 10,919,000