Burning Rock Reports Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Burning Rock Biotech Limited, a company focused on the application of next generation sequencing technology in the field of precision oncology, reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2021.

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burning Rock Biotech Limited (NASDAQ: BNR, the “Company” or “Burning Rock”), a company focused on the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the field of precision oncology, today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2021.

Business Updates

  • Early Detection
    • 6-cancer product: we have successfully signed contracts with a small number of pilot hospitals in China for the commercialization of our 6-cancer early detection product, and will focus on customer education and contracting more hospitals.
    • 9-cancer product: we expect our 9-cancer early detection product development read-out in the first half of 2022, with potential performance improvement over that of our 6-cancer early detection product.
  • Pharma Services
    • Pharma service contract backlog continues to build rapidly. The total value of new contracts we entered into during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 amounted to RMB144 million, which is approximately 4.5 times of the new contract value signed in full-year 2020.
    • Pharma projects involving our Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified and College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited laboratory in California continue to grow. For instance, in early November, we announced further collaboration with IMPACT Therapeutics where our Guangzhou and California laboratories would provide testing services in connection with IMPACT Therapeutics’ development of its ATR inhibitor IMP9064, which has received the Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Phase I/II clinical study.
  • Therapy Selection
    • Continued execution of our strategic shift towards more in-hospital testing, with industry-leading scale and growth rate. The volume of in-hospital NGS-based test kits grew 37% year-over-year to over 11,000 tests during the third quarter of 2021, despite the negative COVID-19 impact in August.

Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results

Revenues were RMB126.6 million (US$19.7 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 2.2% increase from RMB123.9 million for the same period in 2020, or a 0.5% sequential decrease from RMB127.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021.

  • Revenue generated from central laboratory business was RMB78.8 million (US$12.2 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 12.3% decrease from RMB89.9 million for the same period in 2020, primarily attributable to a decrease in the number of patients tested in the central laboratory channel to 7,808 for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 9.7% decrease from 8,644 for the same period in 2020.
  • Revenue generated from in-hospital business was RMB43.7 million (US$6.8 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 37.9% increase from RMB31.7 million for the same period in 2020, driven by in-hospital testing volume growth.
  • Revenue generated from pharma research and development services was RMB4.1 million (US$0.6 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 79.3% increase from RMB2.3 million for the same period in 2020, primarily attributable to increased testing performed for our pharma customers and growth in companion diagnostics development services.

Cost of revenues was RMB35.0 million (US$5.4 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing an 8.4% increase from RMB32.3 million for the same period in 2020, which was generally in line with the Company’s continued business growth.

Gross profit was RMB91.6 million (US$14.2 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, which was remained relatively stable compared to the same period in 2020. Gross margin was 72.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to 73.9% for the same period in 2020.

Operating expenses were RMB262.6 million (US$40.8 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 21.5% increase from RMB216.2 million for the same period in 2020. The increase was primarily driven by headcount growth to support our business expansion.

  • Research and development expenses were RMB69.6 million (US$10.8 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 0.5% increase from RMB69.3 million for the same period in 2020, primarily due to an increase in research and development personnel’s staff cost resulted from an increase in headcount, partially offset by a decrease in share-based compensation for research and development personnel.
  • Selling and marketing expenses were RMB76.7 million (US$11.9 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 73.6% increase from RMB44.2 million for the same period in 2020, primarily due to an increase in staff cost resulted from increase in headcount to strengthen our commercial presence in the therapy selection business and build up our early detection commercialization team.
  • General and administrative expenses were RMB116.3 million (US$18.1 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, representing a 13.2% increase from RMB102.7 million for the same period in 2020, primarily due to an increase in general and administrative personnel’s staff cost resulted from an increase in headcount and share-based compensation expenses.

Net loss was RMB170.5 million (US$26.5 million) for the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared to RMB127.1 million for the same period in 2020.

Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments were RMB1,685.4 million (US$261.6 million) as of September 30, 2021.

2021 Financial Guidance

Starting late October, another wave of COVID resurgence has been reported in multiples cities in China, and the relevant governmental authorities have imposed travel restrictions and other measures. As of the date of this earnings release, the current wave has not been cleared out and the corresponding travel restrictions and other measures have not been lifted. We expect our central-laboratory testing volumes and, to a lesser extent, the growth of our in-hospital testing volumes, to be significantly impacted. We thus expect our 2021 full-year revenue to be at or around RMB500 million, subject to future development of the current wave of COVID resurgence.

Conference Call Information

Burning Rock will host a conference call to discuss the third quarter 2021 financial results at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (9:00 p.m. Hong Kong time) on November 16, 2021.

Details of the conference call are as follows:

International: +65 67135590
U.S.: +1 3322089468
U.K.: +44 2036928125
Hong Kong: +852 30186771
China Mobile: 4008205286
China Landline: 8008208659
Conference ID: 2277434

A replay of the conference call will be available for one week (dial-in number: +61 2 8199 0299; same conference ID as shown above).

About Burning Rock

Burning Rock Biotech Limited (NASDAQ: BNR), whose mission is to guard life via science, focuses on the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the field of precision oncology. Its business consists of i) NGS-based therapy selection testing for late-stage cancer patients, with the leading market share in China and over 273,000 tissue and liquid-based tests completed cumulatively, and ii) cancer early detection, which has moved beyond proof-of-concept R&D into the clinical validation stage.

For more information about Burning Rock, please visit: ir.brbiotech.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “target,” “confident” and similar statements. Burning Rock may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Burning Rock’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon management’s current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Burning Rock’s control. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Burning Rock does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

Contact: IR@brbiotech.com

Selected Operating Data

For the three months ended
March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
Central Laboratory Channel:
Number of patients tested 4,680 7,252 8,644 7,989 7,716 8,155 7,808
Number of ordering physicians(1) 810 1,175 1,194 1,114 1,082 1,013 920
Number of ordering hospitals(2) 232 284 289 294 303 300 287
(1) Represents physicians who on average order at least one test from us every month during a relevant period in the central laboratory channel.
(2) Represents hospitals whose residing physicians who on average order at least one test from us every month during a relevant period in the central laboratory channel.
As of
March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
In-hospital Channel:
Pipeline partner hospitals(1) 23 23 22 23 22 22 24
Contracted partner hospitals(2) 21 24 25 29 32 34 34
Total number of partner hospitals 44 47 47 52 54 56 58
(1) Refers to hospitals that are in the process of establishing in-hospital laboratories, laboratory equipment procurement or installation, staff training or pilot testing using the Company’s products.
(2) Refers to hospitals that have entered into contracts to purchase the Company’s products for use on a recurring basis in their respective in-hospital laboratories the Company helped them establish. Kit revenue is generated from contracted hospitals.

Selected Financial Data

For the three months ended
Revenues March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
(RMB in thousands)
Central laboratory channel 46,141 74,607 89,899 86,695 74,561 79,999 78,817
In-hospital channel 17,123 27,588 31,704 41,457 28,994 40,502 43,714
Pharma research and development channel 4,065 4,776 2,278 3,570 3,068 6,778 4,084
Total revenues 67,329 106,971 123,881 131,722 106,623 127,279 126,615
For the three months ended
Gross profit March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,|
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
(RMB in thousands)
Central laboratory channel 32,434 56,556 67,804 66,588 55,212 58,681 58,387
In-hospital channel 10,126 19,269 22,410 30,218 20,070 29,426 31,111
Pharma research and development channel 2,224 2,573 1,373 2,347 1,658 2,124 2,098
Total gross profit 44,784 78,398 91,587 99,153 76,940 90,231 91,596
For the three months ended
Share-based compensation expenses March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
(RMB in thousands)
Cost of revenues 176 183 160 277 339 406 267
Research and development expenses 2,072 25,314 10,572 11,843 22,404 20,825 (9,559 )
Selling and marketing expenses 253 491 341 2,372 2,633 2,809 2,044
General and administrative expenses 1,665 1,639 57,805 58,057 59,382 59,369 60,803
Total share-based compensation expenses 4,166 27,627 68,878 72,549 84,758 83,409 53,555

Burning Rock Biotech Limited
Unaudited Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)

For the three months ended
March 31,
2020
June 30,
2020
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
March 31,
2021
June 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB US$
Revenues 67,329 106,971 123,881 131,722 106,623 127,279 126,615 19,650
Cost of revenues (22,545 ) (28,573 ) (32,294 ) (32,569 ) (29,683 ) (37,048 ) (35,019 ) (5,435 )
Gross profit 44,784 78,398 91,587 99,153 76,940 90,231 91,596 14,215
Operating expenses:
Research and development expenses (40,016 ) (71,176 ) (69,330 ) (83,418 ) (77,414 ) (108,071 ) (69,649 ) (10,809 )
Selling and marketing expenses (29,815 ) (37,992 ) (44,174 ) (56,606 ) (55,130 ) (68,058 ) (76,687 ) (11,902 )
General and administrative expenses (34,295 ) (42,272 ) (102,731 ) (114,502 ) (116,259 ) (116,130 ) (116,304 ) (18,050 )
Total operating expenses (104,126 ) (151,440 ) (216,235 ) (254,526 ) (248,803 ) (292,259 ) (262,640 ) (40,761 )
Loss from operations (59,342 ) (73,042 ) (124,648 ) (155,373 ) (171,863 ) (202,028 ) (171,044 ) (26,546 )
Interest income 3,985 44 698 1,341 787 681 958 149
Interest expense (1,178 ) 1,939 (776 ) (652 ) (510 ) (565 ) (367 ) (57 )
Other (expense) income, net (151 ) 122 (176 ) (682 ) 118 433 20 3
Foreign exchange loss, net 611 (118 ) (2,228 ) (1,112 ) 57 (560 ) 380 59
Change in fair value of warrant liability 3,503 - - - - - - -
Loss before income tax (52,572 ) (71,055 ) (127,130 ) (156,478 ) (171,411 ) (202,039 ) (170,053 ) (26,392 )
Income tax expenses - - - - - (1,626 ) (424 ) (66 )
Net loss (52,572 ) (71,055 ) (127,130 ) (156,478 ) (171,411 ) (203,665 ) (170,477 ) (26,458 )
Net loss attributable to Burning Rock Biotech Limited’s shareholders (52,572 ) (71,055 ) (127,130 ) (156,478 ) (171,411 ) (203,665 ) (170,477 ) (26,458 )
Accretion of convertible preferred shares (26,288 ) (38,400 ) - - - - - -
Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (78,860 ) (109,455 ) (127,130 ) (156,478 ) (171,411 ) (203,665 ) (170,477 ) (26,458 )
Loss per share:
Ordinary shares - basic and diluted (3.15 ) - - - - - -
Class A ordinary shares - basic and diluted - (2.68 ) (1.22 ) (1.51 ) (1.65 ) (1.96 ) (1.64 ) (0.25 )
Class B ordinary shares - basic and diluted - (2.68 ) (1.22 ) (1.51 ) (1.65 ) (1.96 ) (1.64 ) (0.25 )
Weighted average shares outstanding used in loss per share computation:
Ordinary shares - basic and diluted 25,031,575 - - - - - -
Class A ordinary shares - basic and diluted - 23,461,319 86,479,686 86,511,799 86,721,263 86,764,260 86,908,975 86,908,975
Class B ordinary shares - basic and diluted - 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax of nil:
Foreign currency translation adjustments 11,422 (2,336 ) (91,093 ) (94,881 ) 14,080 (34,980 ) 6,146 954
Total comprehensive loss (41,150 ) (73,391 ) (218,223 ) (251,359 ) (157,331 ) (238,645 ) (164,331 ) (25,504 )
Total comprehensive loss attributable to Burning Rock Biotech Limited’s shareholders (41,150 ) (73,391 ) (218,223 ) (251,359 ) (157,331 ) (238,645 ) (164,331 ) (25,504 )

Burning Rock Biotech Limited

Unaudited Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Loss

(in thousands, except for share and per share data)

For the nine months ended
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB USD
Revenues 298,181 360,517 55,952
Cost of revenues (83,412 ) (101,750 ) (15,791 )
Gross profit 214,769 258,767 40,161
Operating expenses:
Research and development expenses (180,522 ) (255,134 ) (39,596 )
Selling and marketing expenses (111,981 ) (199,875 ) (31,020 )
General and administrative expenses (179,298 ) (348,693 ) (54,116 )
Total operating expenses (471,801 ) (803,702 ) (124,732 )
Loss from operations (257,032 ) (544,935 ) (84,571 )
Interest income 4,727 2,426 377
Interest expense (15 ) (1,442 ) (224 )
Other (expense) income, net (205 ) 571 88
Foreign exchange loss, net (1,735 ) (123 ) (19 )
Change in fair value of warrant liability 3,503.00 - -
Loss before income tax (250,757 ) (543,503 ) (84,349 )
Income tax expenses - (2,050 ) (318 )
Net loss (250,757 ) (545,553 ) (84,667 )
Net loss attributable to Burning Rock Biotech Limited’s shareholders (250,757 ) (545,553 ) (84,667 )
Accretion of convertible preferred shares (64,688 ) - -
Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (315,445 ) (545,553 ) (84,667 )
Loss per share:
Class A ordinary shares - basic and diluted (5.56 ) (5.24 ) (0.81 )
Class B ordinary shares - basic and diluted (5.56 ) (5.24 ) (0.81 )
Weighted average shares outstanding used in loss per share computation:
Class A ordinary shares - basic and diluted 39,446,747 86,798,854 86,798,854
Class B ordinary shares - basic and diluted 17,324,848 17,324,848 17,324,848
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of nil:
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Foreign currency translation adjustments
(82,007 ) (14,754 ) (2,290 )
Total comprehensive loss (332,764 ) (560,307 ) (86,957 )
Total comprehensive loss attributable to Burning Rock Biotech Limited’s shareholders (332,764 ) (560,307 ) (86,957 )

Burning Rock Biotech Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In thousands)

As of
December 31,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB US$
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents 1,895,308 1,621,641 251,675
Restricted cash 29,898 28,069 4,356
Short-term investment 362,132 35,670 5,536
Accounts receivable, net 88,218 92,868 14,413
Contract assets 22,534 37,268 5,783
Amounts due from related parties 212 966 150
Inventories 68,021 115,785 17,970
Prepayments and other current assets 57,329 60,912 9,453
Total current assets 2,523,652 1,993,179 309,336
Non-current assets:
Equity method investment 1,417 982 152
Property and equipment, net 111,481 296,383 45,999
Operating Right-of-use assets - 86,813 13,473
Intangible assets, net 3,457 4,236 657
Other non-current assets 23,021 44,692 6,936
Total non-current assets 139,376 433,106 67,217
TOTAL ASSETS 2,663,028 2,426,285 376,553

Burning Rock Biotech Limited

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued)

(in thousands)

As of
December 31,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB US$
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ (DEFICIT) EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable 35,482 49,122 7,624
Deferred revenue 74,402 122,715 19,045
Capital lease obligations, current 4,816 - -
Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities 83,648 90,966 14,116
Customer deposits 1,120 1,042 162
Short-term borrowing 7,370 7,370 1,144
Current portion of long-term borrowings 34,695 - -
Current portion of operating lease liabilities - 35,357 5,487
Current portion of financing lease liabilities - 787 122
Total current liabilities 241,533 307,359 47,700
Non-current liabilities:
Deferred government grants 263 - -
Operating lease liabilities - 57,530 8,929
Other non-current liabilities 228 227 35
Total non-current liabilities 491 57,757 8,964

TOTAL LIABILITIES
242,024 365,116 56,664
Shareholders’ equity:
Class A ordinary shares 116 116 18
Class B ordinary shares 21 21 3
Additional paid-in capital 4,006,616 4,220,944 655,080
Accumulated deficits (1,418,160 ) (1,977,569 ) (306,913 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (167,589 ) (182,343 ) (28,299 )
Total shareholders’ equity 2,421,004 2,061,169 319,889
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 2,663,028 2,426,285 376,553

Burning Rock Biotech Limited

Unaudited Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

For the three months ended
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB US$
Net cash generated from (used in) operating activities (37,052 ) (133,394 ) (20,705 )
Net cash generated from (used in) investing activities (365,373 ) (72,085 ) (11,183 )
Net cash generated from (used in) financing activities (20,939 ) (32,995 ) (5,122 )
Effect of exchange rate on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (81,043 ) 4,919 763
Net increase cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (504,407 ) (233,555 ) (36,247 )
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of period 2,566,236 1,883,265 292,278
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of period 2,061,829 1,649,710 256,031
For the nine months ended
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2021
RMB RMB US$
Net cash generated from (used in) operating activities 17,116 (365,537 ) (56,728 )
Net cash generated (used in) investing activities (72,884 ) 148,667 23,071
Net cash generated from (used in) financing activities 2,097,242 (46,118 ) (7,158 )
Effect of exchange rate on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (77,889 ) (12,508 ) (1,941 )
Net increase cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 1,963,585 (275,496 ) (42,756 )
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of period 98,244 1,925,206 298,787
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of period 2,061,829 1,649,710 256,031


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