BioSpecifics Technologies total revenues for first-quarter increase to $2.7M

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: BSTC; the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company also highlighted key commercial and regulatory progress during the quarter, and provided its expected milestones for the remainder of 2010.

"The first quarter of 2010 was a very exciting time here at BioSpecifics. The approval of XIAFLEX by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture was truly game changing for us," stated Thomas Wegman, President of BioSpecifics. "We look forward to the execution of a successful marketing and sales effort for this novel treatment option for Dupuytren's patients and we are also excited to support the further clinical development of XIAFLEX for additional indications, in particular, the anticipated commencement of a U.S. Phase 3 Peyronie's disease trial in the second half of this year."

Financial Results

The Company reported a net loss of $0.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, or $0.04 per basic and diluted common share, compared to a net loss of $0.9 million, or $0.16 per basic and diluted common share, for the same period in 2009.

Total revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 were $2.7 million as compared to $0.3 million for the same period in 2009. The increase in revenues was mainly attributable to the recognition of two milestone payments received:  $1.3 million from the Company's partner Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Auxilium") in respect to the commencement of the scientific/technical review procedure of the Marketing and Authorization Application ("MAA") for XIAFLEX™ for Dupuytren's contracture in Europe; and $0.85 million related to the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") of XIAFLEX for Dupuytren's contracture in February 2010. In addition, due to the U.S. approval of XIAFLEX for Dupuytren's contracture, the Company recognized the remaining portion of the original licensing fee allocated to this indication. For clarification, the amounts recognized under royalties represent the estimated earn-out revenue under the Company's agreement with DFB Biotech, Inc. and its affiliates.

Research and development expenses for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 were $0.9 million, compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2009. This increase in research and development expenses was primarily due to third party development costs that were reimbursable under the Company's agreement with Auxilium.

General and administrative expenses for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 totaled $2.0 million, compared to $1.2 million for the same period in 2009. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to outside legal fees, stock-based compensation, consulting and outside services related to investor relations.

As of March 31, 2010, BioSpecifics held cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $11.3 million, compared to $8.5 million on December 31, 2009.

First Quarter and Recent 2010 Highlights

• In January 2010, Auxilium announced that Pfizer, Inc., its European licensee for XIAFLEX, received notification from the European Medicines Agency that the MAA for XIAFLEX for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture completed the validation phase successfully and the scientific/technical review procedure had commenced. BioSpecifics received a $1.3 million milestone payment.
• In February 2010, XIAFLEX received U.S. marketing approval from the FDA for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture in adult patients with a palpable cord. BioSpecifics received an $850,000 milestone payment with an additional $150,000 still pending. With that approval, XIAFLEX became the first and only FDA-approved nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren's contracture.
• In March 2010, XIAFLEX became available by prescription in the U.S. for the treatment of adult Dupuytren's contracture patients with a palpable cord.
• In March 2010, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had scheduled its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Thursday, June 17, 2010 to consider among other items a proposal to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock in order to effectuate a two-for-one forward stock split to allow for additional liquidity.
• In its quarterly financial results press release issued on May 3, 2010, the Company's partner Auxilium reported that as of the end of April 2010, over 1,100 physicians had attested to completing the required training through XIAFLEX Xperience™ and were eligible to use XIAFLEX for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture. Additionally, three of the ten Medicare Administrative Contractors ("MAC") that manage claims processing across the MAC jurisdictions in the U.S. had issued final guidelines on covering XIAFLEX and two large commercial insurers, Aetna and HealthNet, had issued guidelines on covering XIAFLEX.

2010 Upcoming Milestones

Following are the Company's upcoming milestones for 2010:

• Auxilium plans to meet with the FDA in the second quarter of 2010 to discuss the Phase 2b results of XIAFLEX to treat Peyronie's disease. Assuming a successful meeting, Auxilium expects a U.S. Phase 3 study of XIAFLEX in Peyronie's disease to begin in the second half of 2010.
• There will be a presentation at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2010 Annual Meeting on June 1, 2010 on the Phase 2b results entitled: Improvement in Penile Curvature and a Patient Reported Outcome Endpoint in Patients with Peyronie's Disease: Results from a Phase II Study of Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum.
• BioSpecifics expects to initiate a clinical trial for injectable collagenase in a new indication in the second half of 2010.
• Auxilium stated that it plans to "prioritize the development of additional pipeline indications for XIAFLEX" in the remainder of 2010.