Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023

29 April 2024

Oxford, UK – 29 April 2024:

One OXB: Building a pure-play cell and gene therapy CDMO; existing financial guidance affirmed

• Chief Executive Officer Dr. Frank Mathias, one year into his role, is successfully leading the transformation of OXB into a global, pure-play, quality and innovation-led cell and gene therapy CDMO 

“One OXB” strategy well underway, optimising operations across the UK, US and EU with a streamlined workforce and site-based model 

Over 50% growth in both orders and pipeline in 2023: 

    • An increase of 54% in contracted value of client orders signed; grew from £85 million in 2022 (excluding COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing) to £131 million in 2023
    • An increase of 51% in the business development pipeline; from $291 million to $438 million from January to December 2023

Significant commercial momentum with strong demand for OXB’s CDMO services across all key viral vector types, with an expanded client portfolio including 35 clients and 51 programmes as of April 2024 (April 2023: 18 clients and 34 programmes), now includes new clients gained through Oxford Biomedica (France) 

Acquisition of ABL Europe (recently renamed Oxford Biomedica (France)) from Institut Mérieux, completed post-period end, enhances OXB’s bioprocessing and manufacturing footprint in the EU, strengthening the Group’s multi-vector, multi-site model spanning the UK, US and the EU 

Reiterates its existing financial guidance communicated to the market 

Briefing and webcast for analysts to be held today at 13:00 BST / 08:00 ET – see details below 

Oxford, UK – 29 April 2024: Oxford Biomedica plc (“Oxford Biomedica” or “the Group”) (LSE: OXB), a quality and innovation-led cell and gene therapy CDMO, today announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023. 

Dr. Frank Mathias, Oxford Biomedica’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “2023 was a year of transformation for Oxford Biomedica. We are building our position as a global pure-play cell and gene therapy CDMO and through our ‘One OXB’ strategy are unifying our operations in the UK, US and the EU, including our newly-acquired sites in France. 

I am delighted with the positive outcomes of our strategy, which have already resulted in a substantial increase in contracted client orders and our business development pipeline. Despite challenging market conditions, we continue to see strong demand for our CDMO services, further solidifying our position as a world-leading global CDMO in the rapidly expanding cell and gene therapy market. 

Our focus in 2024 remains on growing our global portfolio of clients and projects across all stages of clinical development whilst completing the integration of our sites. This integration will allow us to better align to the demands of performing as a pure-play CDMO. With a highly experienced Corporate Executive Team and a focus on delivering high-quality CDMO services to our clients, our realigned business is well-positioned to help our clients deliver their transformative treatments to patients and drive long-term sustainable growth for the Group. 

“I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all our employees for their tireless efforts, as well as their perseverance and commitment during a period of significant change for the Group. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in our transformation into a pure-play CDMO and achieving the significant milestones along the way.” 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (including post-period events) 

• Stable core business revenues:

    • Small increase in core business revenues whilst total revenues decreased by 36% to £89.5 million (2022: £140.0 million) due to the non-recurrence of vaccine manufacturing revenues

• Rebased business with streamlined cost base

    • Operating EBITDA1 loss of £(52.8) million (2022: £1.6 million)
    • Operating loss of £(184.2) million (2022: £(30.2) million) included £99.3 million impairment charge to the US business driven by the cessation of revenues from Homology
    • Completed c.£30 million reduction in ongoing cost base (on an annualised basis compared to 2023)
    • Due to the decision by Homology to cease clinical activities, the Group performed an impairment assessment of OXB (US) LLC, resulting in an impairment of £99.3 million (2022: £nil).

• Balance sheet sufficient to achieve strategic objectives

    • Cash of £103.7 million at 31 December 2023 (2022: £141.3 million); Net cash at 31 December 2023 was £65.2 million (2022: £101.5 million)

• Commercial KPIs give confidence in future growth

    • Contracted value of client orders signed in the year ended 31 December 2023 was £131 million, an increase of over 50% compared to £85 million in 2022
    • Revenue backlog2(including France) at 31 March 2024 stood at £104 million, a growth of 11% from £94 million at 31 December 2023 (excludes order from recently signed commercial agreement); this is the amount of future revenue available to earn from current orders

OUTLOOK AND FINANCIAL GUIDANCE 

• The Group reiterates its existing near term and medium-term financial guidance communicated to the market:

    • 2024 total Group revenues of between £126 million and £134 million, with a three-year revenue CAGR of more than 35% for 2023-2026
    • Broadly breakeven EBITDA in 2024, excluding the impact of the acquisition of ABL Europe (recently renamed Oxford Biomedica (France))
    • A modest operating loss in 2024 is expected due to the recently acquired sites in France, which will be fully funded by the €10 million cash funding in ABL Europe (recently renamed Oxford Biomedica (France)) from Institut Mérieux as part of the acquisition
    • The Group expects to achieve Operating EBITDA margins in excess of 20% by the end of 2026, and to be profitable on an EBITDA level in 2025.

1. Operating EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, Impairment, revaluation of investments and assets at fair value through profit and loss, and Share Based Payments) is a non-GAAP measure often used as a surrogate for operational cash flow as it excludes from operating profit or loss all non-cash items, including the charge for share based payments. However, deferred bonus share option charges are not added back to operating profits in the determination of Operating EBITDA as they may be paid in cash upon the instruction of the Remuneration Committee. A reconciliation to GAAP measures is provided on page 17. 

2. Revenue backlog represents ordered CDMO revenues available to earn. The value of customer orders included in revenue backlog only includes the value of work for which the customer has signed a financial commitment for OXB to undertake, whereby any changes to agreed values will be subject to either change orders or cancellation fees. 

ANALYST BRIEFING 

Oxford Biomedica’s management team, led by CEO, Dr. Frank Mathias, CFO, Stuart Paynter, CCO, Dr. Sebastien Ribault and COO, Thierry Cournez, will be hosting a briefing and Q&A session for analysts at 13:00 BST / 8:00 EST today, 29 April, at One Moorgate Place Chartered Accountants Hall, 1 Moorgate Pl, London EC2R 6EA, United Kingdom. 

A live webcast of the presentation will be available via this link.

The presentation will be available on Oxford Biomedica’s website at www.oxb.com

If you would like to dial in to the call and ask a question during the live Q&A, please email Oxfordbiomedica@consilium-comms.com

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Read the OXFORD BIOMEDICA PLC Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023 in full:

Download PDF here

Notes 

Unless otherwise defined, terms used in this announcement shall have the same meaning as those used in the Annual report and accounts. 

ENQUIRIES

Oxford Biomedica plc:
Sophia Bolhassan, VP, Corporate Affairs and IR

T: +44 (0)1865 783 000 / E: ir@oxb.com

ICR Consilium:
Mary-Jane Elliott  / Angela Gray / Davide Salvi, T: +44 (0)20 3709 5700

RBC Capital Markets (Joint Corporate Brokers):
Rupert Walford /Kathryn Deegan, T: +44 (0)20 7653 4000

J.P. Morgan Cazenove (Joint Corporate Brokers):
James Mitford  / Manita Shinh / Jem de los Santos, T: +44 (0)20 7134 7329

ABOUT OXFORD BIOMEDICA 

Oxford Biomedica (LSE: OXB) is a quality and innovation-led cell and gene therapy CDMO with a mission to enable its clients to deliver life changing therapies to patients around the world. 

One of the original pioneers in cell and gene therapy, the Company has more than 25 years of experience in viral vectors; the driving force behind the majority of gene therapies. The Company collaborates with some of the world’s most innovative pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, providing viral vector development and manufacturing expertise in lentivirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV), adenoviral vectors, and other viral vector types. Oxford Biomedica’s world-class capabilities span from early-stage development to commercialisation. These capabilities are supported by robust quality-assurance systems, analytical methods and depth of regulatory expertise. 

Oxford Biomedica, a FTSE4Good constituent, is headquartered in Oxford, UK. It has bioprocessing and manufacturing facilities across Oxfordshire, UK, Lyon and Strasbourg, France, and near Boston, MA, US. Learn more at www.oxb.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.