Seres Therapeutics Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates

Core Insights - Seres Therapeutics is advancing SER-155, a live biotherapeutic candidate aimed at preventing bloodstream infections in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), with a significant 77% relative risk reduction in bloodstream infections reported in Phase 1b studies [3][4][14] - The FDA has granted SER-155 Breakthrough Therapy designation, facilitating expedited development and communication with the agency [4][14] - The company plans to submit a draft study protocol for the next phase of SER-155 to the FDA in Q2 2025, with potential study designs being either a standalone Phase 2 or a Phase 2/3 seamless design [3][6] Financial Performance - For the full year 2024, Seres reported a net loss from continuing operations of $125.8 million, an improvement from a net loss of $190.1 million in 2023 [10][24] - Research and development expenses decreased to $64.6 million in 2024 from $117.6 million in 2023, reflecting a strategic focus on SER-155 [10][24] - The company had $30.8 million in cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2024, and expects to fund operations into Q1 2026 based on current cash and anticipated payments from Nestlé [11][10] Strategic Developments - Seres is in discussions for strategic partnerships to accelerate the development of SER-155 and explore its application in other high-risk patient populations [3][6] - The company has identified significant market opportunities for SER-155, with an estimated 9,300 allo-HSCT procedures conducted annually in the US and approximately 20,000 in Europe [6][10] - The recent exploratory biomarker data from the Phase 1b study supports the therapeutic mechanisms of SER-155 and its potential to address inflammatory and immune diseases [6][10] Corporate Updates - In September 2024, Seres sold its VOWST business to Nestlé for approximately $175 million, which included an upfront payment and future milestone payments based on sales [5][7] - The company appointed Dr. Hans-Juergen Woerle as a director, fulfilling rights granted to Nestlé as part of their investment in Seres [7] - Seres plans to present SER-155 data at upcoming medical meetings to engage with potential European investigators [10]