Wave Life Sciences .(WVE) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q1 2025 was $9.2 million, down from$12.5 million in the prior year quarter, attributed to the timing of revenue recognition under the collaboration agreement with GSK [35] - Research and development expenses increased to $40.6 million from$33.4 million year-over-year, driven by spending on the Inhibin E program and RNA editing programs [35] - General and administrative expenses rose to $18.4 million from$13.5 million, primarily due to share-based compensation and professional fees [35] - Net loss for Q1 2025 was $46.9 million, compared to a net loss of$31.6 million in the prior year quarter [35] - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of Q1 2025 were $243.1 million, down from$302.1 million as of December 31, 2024, expected to fund operations into 2027 [35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is advancing its clinical pipeline, including obesity, AATD, DMD, and HD programs, with significant progress reported in the last twelve months [6][7] - WVE-007 for obesity is designed to provide sustainable weight loss with infrequent dosing, showing promising preclinical data [8][10] - WVE-006 for AATD is positioned as a first treatment addressing the root cause of the disease, with ongoing clinical trials demonstrating durability of effect [12][13] - WVE-N531 for DMD has shown statistically significant improvements in muscle health and function, with plans for NDA submission in 2026 [15][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The obesity treatment market is evolving with the introduction of WVE-007, which aims to overcome limitations of current GLP-1 therapies [8][10] - The DMD market has a significant unmet need, with approximately 20,000 new cases annually, and current exon skipping therapies generating about $1.1 billion in sales in 2024 [19] - The Huntington's disease market is also underserved, with no disease-modifying therapies available, affecting over 200,000 people in the US and Europe [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on unlocking the potential of RNA medicines, with a unique platform enabling a multimodal pipeline and pioneering RNA editing [6][7] - Plans include submitting NDAs for multiple candidates in 2026 and advancing a wholly owned discovery pipeline targeting both hepatic and extrahepatic diseases [14][30] - The company aims to differentiate its therapies through unique mechanisms of action and improved patient outcomes compared to existing treatments [8][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ongoing clinical trials and the potential for significant data disclosures throughout 2025 [38] - The company is committed to engaging with regulatory agencies to ensure alignment on accelerated approval pathways for its therapies [45][86] - Management highlighted the importance of comprehensive data to support filings and the potential for transformative impacts on patient health [20][90] Other Important Information - The company is actively engaged in discussions with prospective strategic partners for its Huntington's disease program [23] - Upcoming data releases are expected to provide insights into the efficacy and safety of the company's pipeline candidates [28][34] Q&A Session Summary Question: What triggers data disclosure for the inhibit E program? - The company will look at time points such as one month, three months, and six months for data disclosure, with an internal cutoff for target engagement, weight loss, and biomarkers [41][43] Question: Are all drugs slated for accelerated approval under CDER? - Yes, the company confirmed that all drugs are under CDER, and discussions with the agency have remained consistent regarding the accelerated approval pathway [44][45] Question: What are the major pros and cons of RNA editing versus DNA editing? - RNA editing avoids bystander edits and potential irreversible collateral effects seen in DNA editing, making it a safer option for patients [58][61] Question: Why divide the dataset for AATD into two separate announcements? - The company believes that the 200 mg multidose data will be highly informative and does not plan to hold back data for the 400 mg cohort [71][72] Question: Will monthly dosing data be included in the NDA submission for DMD? - Yes, the plan is to include monthly dosing in the label, with ongoing discussions with the agency to support this [75][84]