Vermillion Sees Q4 Revenue of $113K vs $196K Year Ago

Vermillion, Inc.

reported operational and preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2011. Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Preliminary Financial Results The company's product revenues for the fourth quarter and full year 2011 are subject to change pending receipt of the 2011 annual "true-up" report from Quest Diagnostics Incorporated and are therefore not being reported herein. In addition, receipt of the ruling in the Molecular Analytical Systems, Inc. binding arbitration is pending and could also impact our 2011 results. Therefore, the following financial data is unaudited and preliminary. License revenue for the fourth quarter of 2011 totaled $113,000, compared to $196,000 in the same year-ago period and related to the company's achievement of certain milestones under the Strategic Alliance Agreement with Quest Diagnostics. As of December 31, 2011, cash and cash equivalents totaled $22.5 million. The company utilized $5.0 million in cash in the fourth quarter, including $435,000 for the Correlogic asset acquisition. The company expects to reduce cash utilization to $3-4 million in the first quarter of 2012 and reduce cash-based operating expenses to approximately $12 million in fiscal 2012, as compared to $16.2 million in fiscal 2011. Total operating expenses decreased to $4.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, as compared to $4.5 million in the same quarter a year-ago. Operating expenses for the full year of 2011 were $19.5 million, as compared to $15.7 million in 2010. The annual increase was due primarily to increased average headcount in sales and marketing and related costs, higher clinical trial and collaboration costs for the ongoing development of the company's ovarian cancer program and VASCLIR®, as well as an increase in legal fees including those associated with the company's MAS litigation. Research and development expenses for 2011 also included $435,000 for the Correlogic asset acquisition. Fourth quarter 2011 operating expenses included $314,000 in non-cash stock-based compensation expense, as compared to $1.6 million in the same year-ago quarter. For the full year, non-cash stock-based compensation expense was $3.3 million, as compared to $4.9 million in 2010.