FibroGen to cut 75% of U.S. workforce amid restructuring By Investing.com

FibroGen Inc . (NASDAQ:), a biopharmaceutical company, announced on Monday a significant reduction of its U.S. workforce as part of a restructuring plan. This decision follows the disappointing clinical trial data for pamrevlumab, which was disclosed earlier in the week.

The San Francisco-based company detailed that the workforce reduction would affect approximately 75% of its U.S. employees, with 127 being notified on the same day. The move is a strategic effort to decrease operating expenses in response to the clinical trial outcomes.

FibroGen expressed deep appreciation for the contributions of the affected employees to the company’s culture and scientific advancements in the biotechnology field.

The company anticipates incurring non-recurring costs between $16 million and $18 million associated with the restructuring. These expenses will primarily cover severance, notice pay, accrued vacation, payroll taxes, and employee benefits contributions. It is expected that most of these charges will be recorded in the second half of 2024, with the headcount reductions and associated cash payments largely completed by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

However, the process may extend beyond this timeline in certain jurisdictions due to varying legal requirements. FibroGen cautioned that the actual expenses and savings might deviate from current estimates, and additional costs not presently anticipated could arise in connection to the workforce reduction.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements, and the company cautions that actual future events may differ materially from those planned or expected. FibroGen has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

The information reported is based on a press release statement and reflects the company’s current expectations regarding the restructuring plan’s timing, details, and financial impact.

In other recent news, FibroGen Inc. has been making strides in its clinical trials and partnerships. The company received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Investigational New Drug, FG-3165, a targeted therapy for solid tumors, and is set to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial in the latter half of 2024. Another therapy, FG-3175, is expected to have its Investigational New Drug submission in 2025.

In collaboration with Regeneron (NASDAQ:) Pharmaceuticals, FibroGen will test two of its experimental cancer drugs in conjunction with Regeneron’s LIBTAYO® therapy in patients with specific solid tumors. The trials will evaluate the efficacy of FG-3165 and FG-3175 as standalone treatments and in combination with LIBTAYO®.

FibroGen’s first quarter of 2024 financial results revealed a total revenue of $55.9 million and a net loss of $32.9 million. Despite the loss, the company maintains a strong cash position and expects its funds to support operations until 2026. The company also reported positive Phase 1 results for FG-3246 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

These are the recent developments in FibroGen’s ongoing efforts to advance its clinical programs and partnerships. The company continues to focus on its clinical trials, particularly the development of pamrevlumab and FG-3246.

InvestingPro Insights

As FibroGen Inc. (NASDAQ:FGEN) navigates through its restructuring process, the company’s financial health and stock performance metrics provide critical insights. According to real-time data from InvestingPro, FibroGen’s market cap stands at a modest $46.65 million. The company’s revenue has grown by 33.11% over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, showing a potential upside in its operational scale despite the challenges it faces.

However, the stock price has experienced a significant decline, with a one-month total return of -39.02%, reflecting investor concerns and the impact of the recent clinical trial setbacks. An InvestingPro Tip highlights that the stock is in oversold territory, which could interest contrarian investors looking for potential recovery plays. Additionally, analysts suggest caution as they do not anticipate the company will be profitable this year.

For a deeper analysis and more InvestingPro Tips on FibroGen, including considerations of shareholder yield and cash burn rate, investors can refer to the full list of 15 tips available at InvestingPro.

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