ThermoGenesis Provides Update on Fiscal 2009 Results
06 Agosto 2009 - 5:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
PRODUCT LAUNCH EXPENSES AND NON-RECURRING CHARGES INCREASE
QUARTERLY LOSS RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif., Aug. 6
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ThermoGenesis Corp. (NASDAQ:KOOL), a
leading supplier of innovative products for processing and storing
adult stem cells, said today that it expects revenues for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, will be in the range of
$19.5-$20.0 million, subject to final audit adjustments. The
Company said revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 were
impacted by several factors, including delays in customer capital
equipment purchases of BioArchive Systems and reduced sales of AXP
AutoXpress(TM) ("AXP") bag sets due to the timing of orders from GE
Healthcare. These AXP orders are expected to be recovered over the
next two quarters. The Company said it expects to report a loss for
the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 in the range of $2.8-$3.3
million, subject to final audit and adjustments. Contributing to
the fourth quarter results are non-recurring costs of approximately
$1.6 million, including non-cash charges of approximately $0.7
million. The non-cash charges primarily include $0.3 million in
reserves for costs related to a transition to an upgraded AXP
device and write-downs of obsolete inventory at AXP bag set
suppliers and $0.2 million of excess surgical wound care inventory
reserved in connection with the planned divestiture of the CryoSeal
product line. Also included in non-recurring costs in the fourth
quarter are several cash charges totaling approximately $0.9
million. These include approximately $0.2 million to support the
release and launch of the Company's new Res-Q(TM) 60 BMC ("Res-Q")
System, $0.4 million in costs related to AXP device and disposable
design enhancements and the write down of excess inventories at
former AXP manufacturers, and $0.2 million in severance charges. In
a separate press release today the Company announced that its Res-Q
System, a point of care processing device for bone marrow aspirate
to concentrate stem cells, was formally launched in July. The Res-Q
System processes bone marrow in minutes and delivers a high rate of
stem cell recovery. The Company also announced today, in a separate
press release, an expanded collaboration agreement with Celling
Technologies ("Celling"), a subsidiary of SpineSmith, LLC, for the
marketing and distribution of the MX(TM) MarrowXpress(TM) ("MXP")
System and Res-Q. Key elements of this agreement include shared
funding for clinical studies to demonstrate the clinical
effectiveness of both the MXP and Res-Q Systems with Celling's
orthopedic applications, including spinal fusion. Celling will be
responsible for coordinating the clinical studies. The Company
believes the results of these studies, if successful, will
accelerate the market adoption of the Company's bone marrow
processing technologies and increase Company sales. J. Melville
Engle, Chief Executive Officer, stated that the Company is
committed to quality and expanding its market position as a leading
manufacturer in the stem cell industry. "A large portion of the
non-recurring charges are related to our AXP quality initiative,
which is a major focus for the Company. We have begun to streamline
the organization, outsource certain manufacturing activities and
implement changes to our structure to ensure we are properly
focused on our key customers." Engle said the following factors are
expected to drive growth and contribute to improved financial
performance for the Company in fiscal 2010: -- Solid stem cell
collection activity at our largest private cord blood banking
customer, Cord Blood Registry ("CBR"). CBR expects these positive
trends to continue during 2010. -- Recent addition of the New
England Cord Blood Bank as a customer for the AXP. The AXP is also
being evaluated at other prospective sites which, if successful, is
expected to generate additional revenues. -- Positive clinical
response to the MXP. The Company intends to add additional MXP
distribution partners in fiscal 2010. -- Launch of the Res-Q
System. Res-Q is expected to add incremental revenues in 2010
through its expanded distribution agreement with Celling
Technologies. -- Relaunch of ThermoLine(TM) product group.
Utilizing outsourced manufacturing, the Company expects improved
product availability, quality and cost. "The steps we took in the
fourth quarter to reduce overhead and to enhance our quality will
enable us to focus on our growth initiatives. We believe through
the expansion of both our cord blood business and our new
products--the MXP and Res-Q--we will be positioned to achieve
meaningful growth in revenues during 2010," Engle added. "We expect
to end fiscal 2009 with $15-$16 million in cash and short-term
investments, and given our revenue goals and expectations for
operating expenses, we believe we have the resources necessary to
drive the Company through breakeven in fiscal 2010," he added. The
Company said it will report its final operating results for fiscal
2009 and provide additional commentary regarding fiscal 2010 in
early September. About ThermoGenesis Corp. ThermoGenesis Corp.
(http://www.thermogenesis.com/) is a leader in developing and
manufacturing automated blood processing systems and disposable
products that enable the manufacture, preservation and delivery of
cell and tissue therapy products. These products include: -- The
BioArchive System, an automated cryogenic device, is used by cord
blood stem cell banks in more than 25 countries for cryopreserving
and archiving cord blood stem cell units for transplant. -- AXP
AutoXpress(TM) Platform (AXP), a proprietary family of automated
devices that includes the AXP and the MXP(TM) MarrowXpress and
companion sterile blood processing disposables for harvesting stem
cells in closed systems. The AXP device is used for the processing
of cord blood. GE Healthcare is the exclusive global distribution
partner for the AXP cord blood product except for Central and South
America, China and Russia/CIS, where ThermoGenesis markets through
independent distributors. The MXP is used for isolating stem cells
from bone marrow. -- The Res-Q(TM) 60 BMC (Res-Q), a point of care
system that is designed for bone marrow stem cell processing. This
product was launched in July 2009. -- The CryoSeal FS System, an
automated device and companion sterile blood processing disposable,
is used to prepare fibrin sealants from plasma in about an hour.
The CryoSeal FS System is approved in the U.S. for liver resection
surgeries. The CryoSeal FS System has received the CE-Mark which
allows sales of the product throughout the European community.
Asahi Medical is the exclusive distributor for the CryoSeal System
in Japan and the Company markets through independent distributors
in Europe and South America. This press release contains
forward-looking statements, and such statements are made pursuant
to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially
from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Several
factors, including timing of FDA approvals, changes in customer
forecasts, our failure to meet customers' purchase order and
quality requirements, supply shortages, production delays, changes
in the markets for customers' products, introduction timing and
acceptance of our new products scheduled for fiscal years 2009 and
2010, and introduction of competitive products and other factors
beyond our control, could result in a materially different revenue
outcome and/or in our failure to achieve the revenue levels we
expect for fiscal 2010 and 2010. Revenue and loss are unaudited
estimates, and subject to final audit. A more complete description
of these and other risks that could cause actual events to differ
from the outcomes predicted by our forward-looking statements is
set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our annual report on
Form 10-K and other reports we file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission from time to time, and you should consider each
of those factors when evaluating the forward-looking statements.
ThermoGenesis Corp. Web site: http://www.thermogenesis.com/
Contact: Investor Relations +1-916-858-5107, or DATASOURCE:
ThermoGenesis Corp. CONTACT: Investor Relations of ThermoGenesis
Corp., +1-916-858-5107, Web Site: http://www.thermogenesis.com/
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