Burning Rock Reports Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023
2023 Business Overview and Recent Updates
Corporate Updates Completed profitability-driven organizational optimization, execution towards profitability well underway
Early Detection Following the Breakthrough Device Designation granted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its OverCTM Multi-Cancer Detection Blood Test (MCDBT) in January 2023, Burning Rock’s OverCTM MCDBT also received the Breakthrough Device Designation by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in October 2023, making it the only test globally that has received Breakthrough Device Designation from both the FDA and the NMPA.
Therapy Selection and Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) Precision oncology diagnostics product supports advancement in late-stage breast cancer treatment, with results published in the New England Journal of Medicine in June 2023. The study, CAPItello-291, sponsored by Burning Rock’s pharma client AstraZeneca, is a phase 3 trial that assessed the efficacy and safety of Capivasertib–fulvestrant therapy in advanced breast cancer patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) cancer whose disease has progressed during or after aromatase inhibitor therapy. The study demonstrates that Capivasertib–fulvestrant combination therapy results in significantly longer progression-free survival than treatment with fulvestrant alone.
Pharma Services New companion diagnostics (CDx) development for breast and prostatic cancer announced with AstraZeneca in China.Entered into a Master Service Agreement in Oncology Companion Diagnostics (CDx) with Boehringer Ingelheim, focusing on advancing the clinical trials related to Boehringer Ingelheim’s MDM2-p53 antagonist, brigimadlin (BI 907828), and the development of CDx products in China.Total value of new contracts entered into during 2023 amounted to RMB310 million, representing a 24% increase from 2022.
Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results
Revenues were RMB121.1 million (US$17.1 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 14.9% decrease from RMB142.2 million for the same period in 2022.
Revenue generated from central laboratory business was RMB51.3 million (US$7.2 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 28.7% decrease from RMB72.0 million for the same period in 2022, primarily attributable to a decrease in the number of tests, as Burning Rock continued to focus on its in-hospital business.Revenue generated from in-hospital business was RMB28.8 million (US$4.1 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 32.3% decrease from RMB42.5 million for the same period in 2022, primarily attributable to one-off adjustment with two hospitals. Exclude such two, revenue generated from in-hospital business for the three months ended December 31, 2023 would have remained relatively stable (decreasing by 1%) year-over-year.Revenue generated from pharma research and development services was RMB41.0 million (US$5.8 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 47.8% increase from RMB27.7 million for the same period in 2022, primarily attributable to increased development and testing services performed for Burning Rock’s pharma customers.
Cost of revenues remained relatively stable at RMB43.0 million (US$6.1 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to RMB41.0 million for the same period in 2022.
Gross profit was RMB78.1 million (US$11.0 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 22.9% decrease from RMB101.3 million for the same period in 2022. Gross margin was 64.5% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 71.2% for the same period in 2022. By channel, gross margin of central laboratory business was 81.7% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 75.7% during the same period in 2022, primarily due to a decrease in inventory write down; gross margin of in-hospital business was 44.8% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 63.5% during the same period in 2022, primarily due to a decrease in revenue generated from two hospitals due to one-off adjustment. Exclude such two, gross margin of in-hospital business was 65.0% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 66.6% during the same period in 2022; gross margin of pharma research and development services was 56.9% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 71.2% during the same period of 2022, primarily due to a decrease in test volume of higher margin projects.
Non-GAAP gross profit, which excludes depreciation and amortization expenses, was RMB87.1 million (US$12.3 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 21.1% decrease from RMB110.4 million for the same period in 2022. Non-GAAP gross margin was 71.9% for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to 77.6% for the same period in 2022.
Operating expenses were RMB244.4 million (US$34.4 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 23.3% decrease from RMB318.7 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease was primarily driven by budget control measures, including headcount reduction, to improve Burning Rock’s operating efficiency.
Research and development expenses were RMB73.1 million (US$10.3 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing an 27.5% decrease from RMB100.8 million for the same period in 2022, primarily due to (i) a decrease in the expenditure for detection research, and (ii) a decrease in staff cost resulted from the reorganization of Burning Rock’s research and development department to improve operating efficiency.Selling and marketing expenses were RMB49.8 million (US$7.0 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 41.5% decrease from RMB85.2 million for the same period in 2022, primarily due to (i) a decrease in staff cost resulted from the reorganization of Burning Rock’s sales department to improve operating efficiency, and (ii) a decrease in marketing and conference fee.General and administrative expenses were RMB121.5 million (US$17.1 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, representing a 8.4% decrease from RMB132.7 million for the same period in 2022, primarily due to a decrease in professional service fee.
Net loss was RMB162.2 million (US$22.8 million) for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to RMB216.2 million for the same period in 2022.
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash were RMB615.2 million (US$86.7 million) as of December 31, 2023.
Full Year 2023 Financial Results
Revenues were RMB537.4 million (US$75.7 million) for 2023, representing a 4.6% decrease from RMB563.2 million for 2022.