Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), a commercial-stage developer of innovative RNA-targeted therapeutics, today reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

“We are thrilled that the first patient has been infused with EXONDYS 51. We are pleased with the early stages of the launch and that multiple insurance carriers are providing coverage for patients to have access to EXONDYS 51. We plan on providing a corporate update at the 35^th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, after EXONDYS 51 has been available for a full quarter,” said Edward Kaye, Sarepta’s chief executive officer.

“We believe our recent financing puts us in a strong financial position to execute on both our internal and external clinical development programs and global manufacturing development plans. We continue to evaluate the sale of the priority review voucher as a potential source of non-dilutive financing to help support these efforts and advance potential therapies for patients with DMD,” said Sandy Mahatme, Sarepta’s chief financial officer.

Financial Results

For the third quarter of 2016, Sarepta reported a net loss of $56.7 million, or $1.18 per share, compared to a net loss of $51.9 million for the third quarter of 2015, or $1.25 per share. The incremental loss of $4.8 million was primarily the result of increased expenses related to the launch of EXONDYS 51.

Excluding $10.8 million of stock-based compensation expense and restructuring expenses, non-GAAP net loss for the third quarter of 2016 was $45.9 million, or $0.95 per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss excluding $5.7 million of stock-based compensation expense of $46.3 million for the third quarter of 2015, or $1.11 per share.

No revenue was recognized for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015.

Research and development expenses were $34.3 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $36.7 million for the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of $2.4 million. Non-GAAP research and development expenses (excluding $3.4 million of stock-based compensation and restructuring expenses) were $30.9 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $34.0 million (excluding $2.6 million of stock-based compensation expense) for the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of $3.1 million.

General and administrative expenses were $22.2 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $15.1 million for the third quarter of 2015, an increase of $7.1 million. Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses (excluding $7.4 million of stock-based compensation and restructuring expenses) were $14.8 million for the third quarter of 2016, compared to $12.0 million (excluding $3.1 million of stock-based compensation expense) for the third quarter of 2015, an increase of $2.8 million.

The Company had $406.6 million in cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash as of September 30, 2016 compared to $204.0 million as of December 31, 2015, an increase of $202.6 million. The increase was driven by the net proceeds received from the Company’s public offerings in June and September 2016, offset by the use of cash to fund the Company’s ongoing operations.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

In addition to the GAAP financial measures set forth in this press release, the Company has included certain non-GAAP measurements: non-GAAP research and development expenses, non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP operating expense adjustments, non-GAAP net loss, and non-GAAP basic and diluted net loss per share, which present operating results on a basis adjusted for stock-based compensation and restructuring expenses.

Stock-based compensation expenses represent non-cash charges related to equity awards granted by Sarepta. Although these are recurring charges to operations, management believes the measurement of these amounts can vary substantially from period to period and depend significantly on factors that are not a direct consequence of operating performance that is within management’s control. Therefore, management believes that excluding these charges from non-GAAP research and development expenses, non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share facilitates comparisons of the Company’s operational performance in different periods.

Restructuring related expenses have been excluded from non-GAAP research and development expenses, non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share as the Company believes that the adjustments for these items represent more closely the sustainability of the Company’s operating performance and understanding of its financial results.

The Company uses these non-GAAP measures as key performance measures for the purpose of evaluating operational performance and cash requirements internally. The Company also believes these non-GAAP measures increase comparability of period-to-period results and are useful to investors as they provide a similar basis for evaluating the Company’s performance as is applied by management. These non-GAAP measures are not intended to be considered in isolation or to replace the presentation of the Company’s financial results in accordance with GAAP. Use of the terms non-GAAP research and development expenses, non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP operating expense adjustments, non-GAAP net loss, and non-GAAP basic and diluted net loss per share may differ from similar measures reported by other companies, which may limit comparability, and are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. All relevant non-GAAP measures are reconciled from their respective GAAP measures in the attached table “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Net Loss.”

Recent Corporate Developments

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Program

Corporate Updates

Conference Call

The Company will be hosting a conference call at 8:00 a.m. EDT, to discuss these financial results and other corporate updates. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (844) 534-7313 for domestic callers and (574) 990-1451 for international callers. The passcode for the call is 7029987. Please specify to the operator that you would like to join the “Sarepta Third Quarter 2016 Earnings Call.” The conference call will be webcast live under the investor relations section of Sarepta’s website at www.sarepta.com and will be archived there following the call for 90 days. Please connect to Sarepta’s website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary.

 About EXONDYS 51™

EXONDYS 51 uses Sarepta’s proprietary phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) chemistry and exon-skipping technology to skip exon 51 of the dystrophin gene. EXONDYS 51 is designed to bind to exon 51 of dystrophin pre-mRNA, resulting in exclusion of this exon during mRNA processing in patients with genetic mutations that are amenable to exon 51 skipping. Exon skipping is intended to allow for production of an internally truncated dystrophin protein. Data from clinical studies of EXONDYS 51 in a small number of DMD patients have demonstrated a consistent safety and tolerability profile. The pivotal trials were not designed to evaluate long-term safety and a clinical benefit of EXONDYS 51 has not been established.

About Sarepta Therapeutics

Sarepta Therapeutics is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of unique RNA-targeted therapeutics for the treatment of rare neuromuscular diseases. The Company is primarily focused on rapidly advancing the development of its potentially disease-modifying DMD drug candidates. For more information, please visit us at www.sarepta.com.