TearLab Corporation Reports Third Quarter and September Year-To-Date 2017 Financial Results


SAN DIEGO, Nov. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TearLab Corporation (OTCQB:TEAR) (TSX:TLB) (“TearLab” or the “Company”) today reported its consolidated financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2017. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. currency and results are reported in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles except where noted otherwise.

Third Quarter 2017 and Recent Operational Highlights

  • Announced updated U.S. regulatory strategy for TearLab Discovery™ System; Company remains on-track to submit 510(k) application to FDA by year-end
  • Expanded the active U.S. user base of TearLab Osmolarity Systems in key programs by 74 units to 4,522 devices
  • Further reduction in operating expenses; operating loss improved 6.9% compared to 3Q 2016
  • Amended loan agreement with CRG to lower the minimum revenue levels for years 2017 through 2019
  • Cash position of $7.7 million as of September 30, 2017

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, TearLab’s net revenues were $6.5 million, compared with $7.2 million for the same period in 2016. A net total of 80 TearLab Osmolarity® Systems were added in the third quarter of 2017, of which 48 were under the Company’s Flex program and 22 were purchased outside of the United States.

The following table sets forth the estimated annualized revenue per U.S. device and account analysis for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017.  The table below includes devices and accounts under the Company’s Purchased, Masters and Flex programs only.  Accounts and devices under the Company’s discontinued Use program are no longer meaningful to the Company’s results. 

         
      Annualized Annualized
  Active Active Revenue Revenue
Program Devices Accounts Per Device Per Account
Purchased 839 735 $2,684 $3,064
Masters 1,705 211 $3,092 $24,984
Flex 1,978 763 $8,100 $20,999
Total   4,522     1,709     
         

The Company’s reported net loss for the 2017 third quarter was approximately $3.8 million, or ($0.67) loss per share which included a pre-tax charge of approximately $0.7 million to cost of goods sold related to a settlement with a supplier.  This compared to a reported net loss of approximately $4.0 million, or ($0.75) loss per share, in the third quarter of 2016. In addition, the Company’s cash burn in the third quarter was approximately $2.5 million, resulting in an ending cash balance of $7.7 million as of September 30, 2017.

“During the third quarter, we continued to execute against our refocused commercial model, and remain optimistic with respect to the longer-term prospects for our business despite some revenue softness in the quarter, primarily related to our international business. In the U.S., we are intently focused on the Flex business for our current-generation TearLab Osmolarity System, and we are pleased with the performance of this segment which added both accounts and devices during Q3. Importantly, our continued expense management efforts contributed to improvements in both operating expenses and net loss compared to the third quarter of 2016,” said Seph Jensen, TearLab’s Chief Executive Officer. “Looking ahead, we recently announced a shift in our U.S. regulatory strategy for the TearLab Discovery™ System, which will have us pursue initial FDA clearance on the device and a test card measuring osmolarity and a single inflammatory biomarker, MMP-9. Both MMP-9 and osmolarity have FDA-cleared predicates with established reimbursement codes, which we believe could reduce the review period for our application, once submitted.”

Business Outlook

Tearlab expects to file its 510(k) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for clearance of the TearLab Discovery™ System by the end of 2017. 

The company is taking the necessary steps to complete a capital raise by the end of the fourth quarter of 2017. TearLab plans to utilize the net proceeds from this funding round to support the clearance and launch of the TearLab Discovery™ System, expected to occur in 2018, as well as to continue the development work on follow-on tests for the Discovery™ platform. 

About TearLab Corporation

TearLab Corporation (www.tearlab.com) develops and markets lab-on-a-chip technologies that enable eye care practitioners to improve standard of care by objectively and quantitatively testing for disease markers in tears at the point-of-care. The TearLab Osmolarity Test, for diagnosing Dry Eye Disease, is the first assay developed for the award-winning TearLab Osmolarity System.  TearLab Corporation's common shares trade on the OTCQB Market Place under the symbol 'TEAR' and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol 'TLB'.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning the market for dry eye patients, the potential success in developing and commercializing the TearLab Discovery™ System and the TearLab Osmolarity System, the timeframe and ability to file and secure U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the next generation commercial test card and testing device, the ability to quickly train and maintain stability in our sales force for continued execution, the ability to raise capital needed to gain clearance for and maximize the launch of our new platform under acceptable terms or at all. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Many factors, risks and uncertainties may cause our actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, including the factors, risks, and uncertainties detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including but not limited to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2017,and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, which TearLab expects to file with the SEC on November 13, 2017. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law.

 
TearLab Corp.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Expressed in U.S. Dollars (000's) except for number of shares and net loss per share)
(Unaudited)


  Three months
   ended September 30,
   2017   2016 
Revenue    
  Product sales $  5,733   $  6,463 
  Reader equipment rentals    790      760 
Total revenue  6,523    7,223 
Cost of goods sold    
Cost of goods sold  (excluding amortization of intangible assets)  3,028    2,564 
Cost of goods sold - reader equipment depreciation  415    527 
Gross profit  3,080    4,132 
Operating expenses    
Sales and marketing  2,659    3,109 
Clinical, regulatory and research & development     898      1,007 
General and administrative    2,260      2,598 
Amortization of intangible assets    -       359 
Total operating expenses    5,817      7,073 
Loss from operations     (2,737)    (2,941)
Other income (expense)    (1,084)    (1,041)
Net loss and comprehensive loss $  (3,821) $  (3,982)
Weighted average shares outstanding     5,742,234      5,334,891 
Net loss per share $  (0.67) $  (0.75)
     


 
TearLab Corp.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Expressed in U.S. Dollars (000's) except for number of shares and net loss per share)
(Unaudited)
  Nine months
   ended September 30,
   2017   2016 
Revenue    
  Product sales $  17,949   $  17,393 
  Reader equipment rentals    2,289      3,500 
Total revenue  20,238    20,893 
Cost of goods sold    
Cost of goods sold  (excluding amortization of intangible assets)  8,252    7,569 
Cost of goods sold - reader equipment depreciation  1,328    1,635 
Gross profit  10,658    11,689 
Operating expenses    
Sales and marketing  9,294    11,109 
Clinical, regulatory and research & development     3,572      2,805 
General and administrative    6,755      9,490 
Amortization of intangible assets    -       966 
Total operating expenses    19,621      24,370 
Loss from operations     (8,963)    (12,681)
Other income (expense)    (3,172)    (2,898)
Net loss and comprehensive loss $  (12,135) $  (15,579)
Weighted average shares outstanding     5,615,903      4,404,203 
Net loss per share $  (2.16) $  (3.54)
     


 
TearLab Corp.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Expressed in U.S. Dollars (000's)
(Unaudited)


  September 30, December 31,
  2017  2016 
ASSETS      
Current assets      
Cash  $  7,713    $  15,471 
Accounts receivable, net     1,656       2,279 
Inventory     2,590       3,193 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     775       1,226 
Total current assets   12,734    22,169 
       
Fixed assets, net   3,432    4,178 
Intangible assets, net   15    60 
Other non-current assets   289    220 
Total assets  $  16,470    $  26,627 
       
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
Current liabilities      
Accounts payable  $  1,909    $  1,858 
Accrued liabilities   3,855    3,958 
Deferred Rent   49    83 
Total current liabilities   5,813    5,899 
       
Long-term debt     27,843     26,449 
       
Total liabilities   33,656    32,348 
       
Exchange right        
       
Stockholders’ equity (deficit)      
Capital stock      
Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value, 10,000,000 authorized, 0 and 2,764 issued and outstanding at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively        
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 9,500,000 authorized, 5,742,453 and 5,360,198 issued and outstanding at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively   6    5 
Additional paid-in capital   507,651    506,982 
Accumulated deficit   (524,843)   (512,708)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)     (17,186)     (5,721)
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity  $  16,470    $  26,627 

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