SAN DIEGO, Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company committed to enabling healthier lives through the development of innovative products and services, today reported total revenues of $29.9 million for the third quarter of 2015, a decrease of 21% compared to revenues of $37.9 million for the third quarter of 2014. The decrease is primarily the result of lower cash collections related to services performed in prior periods. Over the course of the past year, Sequenom has collected claims for services more quickly, resulting in a lower balance of unrecorded receivables to recognize on a cash basis when collected.

"We are excited by the launch of the MaterniT(TM) GENOME laboratory-developed test and the enthusiastic reception it has received from the maternal fetal medicine specialist community. With MaterniT GENOME, Sequenom Laboratories is once again introducing a new paradigm in prenatal testing, which has the potential to increase Sequenom's revenue and market share," said Dr. Dirk van den Boom, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Sequenom, Inc. "During the third quarter, we also announced several collaborations with key opinion leaders for the advancement of our circulating cell-free tumor DNA assays, opening new market opportunities for Sequenom in oncology. Finally, we initiated a focused review of the Company's commercial operations, cost structure, and new product programs, and we plan to implement changes in these areas in the coming quarters that will improve revenues and reduce costs."

Third Quarter 2015 Results
Total revenues for the third quarter of 2015 were $29.9 million, a decrease of 21% compared to revenues of $37.9 million for the third quarter of 2014. Revenues for the third quarter of 2014 included approximately $8.4 million more in collections for services performed in prior periods. The timeliness of collections has improved throughout 2015 with additional payor contracts and the use of the specific CPT code for fetal aneuploidy tests, resulting in fewer unrecorded receivables available to collect in the third quarter of 2015. The conversion of a referring laboratory partner to a patent pool licensee at the beginning of 2015 resulted in a reduction of diagnostic services revenue of approximately $2.6 million in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the third quarter of 2014, although this conversion did contribute to higher license revenue.

License revenue increased to $2.2 million for the third quarter of 2015, compared to $0.6 million for the third quarter of 2014, reflecting the increase in test fees received under the Pooled Patents Agreement that was entered into in December 2014.

Total patient samples accessioned decreased by 12% to 41,000 patient samples during the third quarter of 2015, compared to the prior year third quarter. Approximately 35,500 of those patient samples accessioned were for noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPT), including the MaterniT21(® )PLUS, VisibiliT(TM) and MaterniT GENOME laboratory-developed tests, which is a 7.8% decrease in testing volume compared to the third quarter of 2014. This decline is primarily due to the transition of referring laboratories to licensees under the Pooled Patents Agreement.

Total cost of revenues decreased to $15.1 million for the third quarter of 2015, compared to $21.0 million for the prior year period. Cost of revenues decreased primarily due to the continued cost improvements for Sequenom Laboratories' existing tests as well as the decrease in test volumes.

Gross margin for the third quarter of 2015 was 50% as compared to gross margin of 45% for the third quarter of 2014. Higher license fee revenue and improved efficiencies in processing patient samples largely drove this increase.

Total operating expenses excluding cost of revenues for the third quarter of 2015 were $22.9 million, as compared to total operating expenses of $23.0 million for the third quarter of 2014. Total operating expenses for the third quarter of 2015 were down sequentially from total operating expenses of $23.2 million for the second quarter of 2015 which included $0.7 million in restructuring cost related to asset impairment and severance.

The operating loss for the third quarter of 2015 was $7.3 million, as compared to a loss of $6.0 million for the same period in 2014. A gain of $0.8 million related to the sale of the Grand Rapids laboratory assets was included in the operating loss for the third quarter of 2015. Net loss for the third quarter of 2015 was $9.4 million or $0.08 per share, as compared to a net loss of $6.1 million, or $0.05 per share, for the same period in 2014. An income tax benefit of $2.1 million was reflected in the net loss for the third quarter of 2014.

Cash burn for the third quarter of 2015 was $7.9 million, compared to $6.4 million in the same period of 2014 and $2.9 million in the second quarter of 2015. Cash burn in the third quarter includes semi-annual interest payments on the convertible debt.

Unrecorded accounts receivable for tests performed and recognized on a cash basis are estimated to be $19 to $21 million as of September 30, 2015.

As of September 30, 2015, total cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities was $80.4 million.

Operational Updates
In the first nine months of 2015, Sequenom Laboratories accessioned approximately 114,000 NIPT tests and more than 138,000 total test samples for all of its laboratory-developed tests, compared to 119,000 NIPT tests and 146,000 total tests for the first nine months of 2014.

Sequenom Laboratories now has coverage for over 200 million commercial lives and 46 million lives under Medicaid programs.

On August 31, 2015, Sequenom Laboratories launched MaterniT GENOME, the first and only NIPT to detect genome-wide deletions/duplications 7 megabase level and greater, plus the seven clinically relevant microdeletions reported by the MaterniT21 PLUS test. Sequenom Laboratories has recently completed a large clinical validation study on MaterniT GENOME confirming the high sensitivity and specificity established through previous analytical studies.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
"GAAP" refers to financial information presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. To supplement the condensed consolidated financial statements and discussion presented on a GAAP basis, this press release includes non-GAAP financial measures with respect to the quarter ended September 30, 2015. Management uses non-GAAP financial measures because it believes that a cash flow metric incorporating cash used by operations and certain other uses of cash are important to understand the cash requirements of the business. The Company reported cash burn as a non-GAAP financial measure. This non-GAAP financial measure is not in accordance with or an alternative to GAAP.

Management uses cash burn to evaluate performance compared to forecasts. Cash burn is calculated as the sum of net cash used by operating activities, purchases of property, equipment and leasehold improvements, payments on long-term obligations, and payment of convertible note transaction costs. The reconciliations of cash used by operating activities, the GAAP measure most directly comparable to cash burn, is provided on the attached schedule.

Conference Call Information
A conference call hosted by Dr. Dirk van den Boom, Interim President and CEO, and other members of senior management will take place today, November 4, at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT) and will be webcast live on the Sequenom website. To access the live teleconference call, dial 877-883-0383 in the U.S. and Canada, and 412-902-6506 for other international callers. Please use code 0455461. For interested parties unable to listen to the live conference call, a replay will be available through Friday, December 4, 2015. The replay will be accessible by dialing 877-344-7529 or 412-317-0088 internationally, and entering the conference number 10075290.

The conference call webcast is also accessible through the "Invest" section of the Sequenom Website at www.sequenom.com/invest. An online replay will be available following the initial broadcast until Friday, December 4, 2015.

About Sequenom
Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is committed to enabling healthier lives through the development of innovative products and services. The Company serves patients and physicians by providing early patient management information. To learn how Sequenom is interpreting the genome to improve your life, visit www.sequenom.com.

About Sequenom Laboratories
Sequenom Laboratories, a CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified molecular diagnostics laboratory, has developed a broad range of laboratory tests, with a focus principally on prenatal care. Branded under the names HerediT(TM), HerediT(TM) UNIVERSAL, MaterniT(TM) GENOME, MaterniT21(®) PLUS, NextView(TM), SensiGene(®) and VisibiliT(TM), these molecular genetic laboratory-developed tests provide early patient management information for obstetricians, geneticists, and maternal fetal medicine specialists. Sequenom Laboratories is changing the landscape in genetic diagnostics using proprietary cutting edge technologies. Visit www.laboratories.sequenom.com and follow @SequenomLabs.

SEQUENOM(®), HerediT(TM), MaterniT(TM) GENOME, MaterniT21(®) PLUS, NextView(TM), SensiGene(®), VisibiliT(TM) and Sequenom Laboratories are trademarks of Sequenom, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements
The preliminary unaudited financial information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 set forth in this press release is based on information available at the time of this press release and is subject to further review by our independent accountants and management prior to our filing of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015. Furthermore, any results reported for any completed period should not be considered indications of our future performance.

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the development of innovative products and services, the potential of MaterniT GENOME to increase Sequenom's revenue and market share, the potential of Sequenom Laboratories' circulating cell-free tumor DNA assays to open new market opportunities for Sequenom in oncology and the ability of Sequenom to implement changes in the Company's commercial operations, cost structure, and new product programs in the coming quarters to improve revenues and reduce costs, Sequenom's ability to continue to improve the timeliness of collections of accounts receivable, and Sequenom Laboratories' ability to change the landscape in genetic diagnostics using proprietary cutting edge technologies. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks are described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation the Company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.



                                                            SEQUENOM, INC.

                                            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

                                                              (Unaudited)

                                             (In thousands, except per share information)


                                                           Three Months Ended September
                                                                       30,                           Nine Months Ended September 30,

                                                                        2015                    2014                          2015           2014
                                                                        ----                    ----                          ----           ----

    Revenues:

    Diagnostic services, net                                         $27,688                 $37,376                       $94,283       $113,475

    License                                                            2,213                     561                         6,190          1,305
                                                                       -----                     ---

    Total revenues                                                    29,901                  37,937                       100,473        114,780
                                                                      ------                  ------                       -------        -------

    Costs and expenses:

    Cost of revenues                                                  15,069                  21,000                        50,971         66,180

    Selling and marketing                                              8,541                   7,448                        25,386         23,927

    Research and development                                           5,892                   6,073                        17,413         19,949

    General and administrative                                         8,431                   9,457                        25,617         36,527

    Restructuring costs and other charges                                  -                      -                          656          1,885
                                                                         ---                    ---

    Total costs and expenses                                          37,933                  43,978                       120,043        148,468

    Gain on pooled patents agreement and
     sale of assets                                                      750                       -                       21,750              -
                                                                         ---                     ---                       ------            ---

    Operating income (loss)                                          (7,282)                (6,041)                        2,180       (33,688)

    Interest and other expense, net                                  (2,077)                (2,144)                      (6,144)       (6,334)


    Loss from continuing operations before
     income taxes                                                    (9,359)                (8,185)                      (3,964)      (40,022)

    Income tax benefit (expense)                                        (84)                  2,107                         (207)         8,911
                                                                         ---                   -----                          ----          -----

    Loss from continuing operations                                  (9,443)                (6,078)                      (4,171)      (31,111)

    Discontinued operations:

    Earnings from discontinued operations,
     net of tax                                                            -                      -                            -        13,812
                                                                         ---                    ---                          ---        ------

    Net loss                                                        $(9,443)               $(6,078)                     $(4,171)     $(17,299)
                                                                     =======                 =======                       =======       ========


    Net loss per common share, basic

    Continuing operations                                            $(0.08)                $(0.05)                      $(0.04)       $(0.27)

    Discontinued operations                               $                -             $        -           $                -         $0.12

    Net loss                                                         $(0.08)                $(0.05)                      $(0.04)       $(0.15)

    Shares used in computing loss per share

    Basic                                                            118,432                 117,067                       118,098        116,516



                                                     SEQUENOM, INC.

                                          CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                                                       (Unaudited)

                                                     (In thousands)

                                                     September 30,              December 31,
                                                                        2015                      2014
                                                                        ----                      ----

    Assets

    Current assets:

    Cash,
     cash
     equivalents
     and
     marketable
     securities                                                      $80,401                   $93,897

    Accounts
     receivable,
     net                                                               6,329                     9,131

    Inventories                                                        4,562                     6,516

    Other
     current
     assets
     and
     prepaid
     expenses                                                          5,345                    12,112
                                                                       -----                    ------

    Total
     current
     assets                                                           96,637                   121,656

    Property,
     equipment
     and
     leasehold
     improvements,
     net                                                              11,209                    15,348

    Other
     assets                                                           20,859                    24,067
                                                                      ------                    ------

    Total
     assets                                                         $128,705                  $161,071
                                                                    ========                  ========


    Liabilities and stockholders' deficit

    Current liabilities:

    Accounts
     payable                                                          $6,423                    $6,089

    Accrued
     expenses                                                         13,498                    22,155

    Long-
     term
     debt and
     obligations,
     current
     portion                                                             346                     4,144

    Other
     current
     liabilities                                                         634                     2,581

    Deferred
     gain on
     pooled
     patents
     agreement                                                             -                   21,000
                                                                         ---                   ------

    Total
     current
     liabilities                                                      20,901                    55,969

    Long-
     term
     liabilities                                                     135,514                   136,266

    Total
     stockholders'
     deficit                                                        (27,710)                 (31,164)
                                                                     -------                   -------

    Total
     liabilities
     and
     stockholders'
     deficit                                                        $128,705                  $161,071
                                                                    ========                  ========



                                         SEQUENOM, INC.

                        CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

                                          (Unaudited)

                                         (In thousands)

                                                                        Nine Months Ended

                                                                        September 30,

                                                                              2015              2014
                                                                              ----              ----

    Operating activities

    Net loss                                                              $(4,171)        $(17,299)

    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
     activities:

    Gain on pooled patents agreement
     and sale of assets                                                   (21,723)                -

    Earnings from discontinued
     operations, net of tax                                                      -         (13,812)

    Share-based compensation                                                 5,465             9,091

    Depreciation and amortization                                            8,049             9,247

    Non-cash restructuring costs and
     other charges                                                             386             1,885

    Other non-cash items                                                       925               143

    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    Accounts receivable                                                      2,801           (4,040)

    Inventories                                                              1,954             5,608

    Prepaid expenses and other assets                                          336               250

    Accounts payable and accrued
     expenses                                                              (8,546)          (4,074)

    Deferred taxes (benefit)                                                   494           (9,212)

    Other liabilities                                                      (1,994)            (129)
                                                                            ------              ----

    Net cash used in operating
     activities of continuing
     operations                                                           (16,024)         (22,342)
                                                                           -------           -------

    Investing activities

    Purchases of property, equipment
     and leasehold improvements                                            (1,691)          (1,007)

    Purchases of marketable securities                                    (20,150)         (40,149)

    Maturities of marketable securities                                     20,000            19,169

    Net cash received from sale of
     segment                                                                     -           29,291

    Proceeds from pooled patents
     agreement                                                               6,000                 -

    Proceeds from the sale of assets                                           750                 -

    Change in restricted cash                                                  500                 -

    Net cash provided by investing
     activities of continuing
     operations                                                              5,409             7,304
                                                                             -----             -----

    Financing activities

    Payments on term loan and capital
     lease obligations                                                     (4,042)          (5,641)

    Proceeds from common stock issued
     under employee stock plans                                              1,046             1,777


    Net cash used in financing
     activities of continuing
     operations                                                            (2,996)          (3,864)
                                                                            ------            ------

    Discontinued operations

    Net cash provided by operating
     activities of discontinued
     operations                                                                  -            2,816

    Net cash used in investing
     activities of discontinued
     operations                                                                  -            (164)
                                                                               ---             ----

    Net cash provided by discontinued
     operations                                                                  -            2,652
                                                                               ---            -----

    Effect of exchange rate changes on
     cash and cash equivalents                                                (33)                -
                                                                               ---               ---

    Net decrease in cash and cash
     equivalents                                                          (13,644)         (16,250)

    Cash and cash equivalents at
     beginning of period                                                    63,309            61,589

    Cash and cash equivalents at end of
     period                                                                $49,665           $45,339
                                                                           =======           =======








                                                      SEQUENOM, INC.

                                                RECONCILIATION OF CASH BURN

                                                    (Unaudited)

                                                  (In thousands)


                                           Three Months Ended September
                                                     30,                             Nine months ended September 30,
                                          -----------------------------                     -------------------------------

                                                   2015                        2014                           2015             2014
                                                   ----                        ----                           ----             ----

    Cash Burn:

    Net cash used in
     operating
     activities                                  $7,677                      $4,156                        $16,024          $22,342

    Purchases of
     property,
     equipment and
     leasehold
     improvements                                    65                         456                          1,691            1,007

    Payments on long-
     term obligations                               108                       1,827                          4,042            5,641

    Payment of
     convertible note
     exchange
     transaction costs                                -                          -                       (1,605)               -
                                                    ---                        ---                        ------              ---

    Cash burn(1)                                 $7,850                      $6,439                        $20,152          $28,990
                                                 ======                      ======                        =======          =======


    (1) See accompanying Non-GAAP Financial Measures section for description of adjustments.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20040415/SQNMLOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040415/SQNMLOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sequenom-inc-reports-financial-results-for-the-third-quarter-of-2015-300172728.html

SOURCE Sequenom, Inc.