Eyenovia, Inc. is an ophthalmic technology company focused on developing and commercializing advanced products leveraging its proprietary Optejet® topical ophthalmic medication dispensing platform. The company's journey has been marked by both strategic advancements and financial challenges, as it navigates the complex landscape of ophthalmic drug delivery innovation.
Business Overview and History
Eyenovia was founded in 2014 with the mission of transforming the way topical ophthalmic medications are delivered to patients. The company's core technology, the Optejet®, is designed to address the limitations of traditional eye drop administration, offering enhanced safety, tolerability, and the potential for improved compliance.
In 2018, Eyenovia took a significant step forward by entering into a license agreement with Bausch + Lomb. This partnership granted Bausch + Lomb the rights to develop and commercialize the Bausch Licensed Product in the United States and Canada. The collaboration proved to be strategically important, as it helped derisk Eyenovia's Optejet technology from a regulatory standpoint, with MydCombi becoming the first FDA-approved product using the Optejet device.
However, Eyenovia faced challenges in 2020 when a portion of the clinical supply product sold to Bausch + Lomb was determined to be defective. The company worked diligently with Bausch + Lomb to resolve this issue, ultimately recording a charge in 2023 for the defective supply.
Despite this setback, Eyenovia continued to pursue growth opportunities. In 2020, the company entered into a license agreement with Formosa Pharmaceuticals Inc., acquiring the exclusive U.S. rights to commercialize a novel formulation of clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension, 0.05%. This product, later named Clobetasol, received FDA approval in 2024 and was successfully launched in the U.S. market by Eyenovia.
Throughout its history, Eyenovia has remained committed to advancing the development of its proprietary Optejet technology. A major milestone was achieved in 2023 with the FDA approval of MydCombi, the first FDA-approved fixed combination of the two leading mydriatic agents delivered via the Optejet device. This approval not only validated the Optejet® platform but also paved the way for the commercialization of additional Optejet®-enabled products.
In addition to its internal development efforts, Eyenovia has actively pursued strategic partnerships to leverage the Optejet for the development of novel ophthalmic products. The company has established collaborations with Formosa, Senju, and SGN Nanopharma, further expanding the potential applications of its innovative technology.
Financials
Eyenovia's financial performance has been heavily impacted by the ongoing investment in research and development, as well as the commercial launch of its products. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the company reported annual revenue of $3,790, a net loss of $27.26 million, annual operating cash flow of -$23.84 million, and annual free cash flow of -$27.81 million.
For the third quarter of 2024, Eyenovia reported revenue of $1,620, a decrease compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to the company still being in the early commercialization stage of its products. The net loss for the quarter was $7.89 million, an increase from the previous year, attributed to higher research and development and selling, general and administrative expenses as the company continues to advance its pipeline and commercialize its products.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, Eyenovia reported revenue of $29,240, which was offset by cost of revenue of $825,910. This resulted in a gross loss, primarily due to write-downs of $800,000 in commercial inventory. Research and development expenses increased 40% year-over-year to $12.5 million, while selling, general and administrative expenses rose 23% to $11.1 million. The company reported a net loss of $29.86 million for the nine-month period.
Eyenovia primarily sells its products in the United States, as it is a small cap company.
Liquidity
As of September 30, 2024, Eyenovia had a cash and cash equivalents balance of $7.19 million and a working capital deficit of $4.09 million. The company's total debt stood at $12.37 million, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Eyenovia has a $15 million credit facility with Avenue Capital Management, of which $12.37 million was outstanding as of September 30, 2024.
The company's current ratio was 0.74, and its quick ratio was 0.55, indicating potential liquidity challenges. Eyenovia has experienced negative cash flows from operations and has primarily funded its activities through proceeds from equity and debt financings. The company's financial condition and going concern status raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue operations in the near term without securing additional capital or entering into new collaborations.
To address these liquidity concerns, Eyenovia has taken steps to restructure its debt, including an amendment to its loan agreement with Avenue Capital Management that defers principal and interest payments until the end of February 2025. Additionally, Eyenovia has engaged Chardan as a financial advisor to assist in the evaluation of strategic alternatives, including a potential business combination, sale of the company, or other transactions.
Operational Developments and Strategic Initiatives
Despite the challenges faced with the MicroPine program, Eyenovia has remained focused on advancing its other key initiatives. The company has made significant progress in the development of its next-generation Optejet® device, the Gen-2 system, which is designed to be more cost-effective to manufacture and compatible with its digital compliance monitoring program, OptiCare.
Eyenovia's product segments and offerings include:
Mydcombi Segment: Mydcombi is Eyenovia's first FDA-approved product, a fixed combination of tropicamide and phenylephrine delivered with the Optejet technology. Commercialization began in 2023, with the first commercial sale on August 3, 2023. The company expanded its Mydcombi launch by hiring and onboarding ten sales representatives through September 30, 2024. However, Eyenovia has experienced negative gross margins on Mydcombi sales during the early commercialization stage.
Clobetasol Segment: On August 15, 2023, Eyenovia acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to commercialize a novel formulation of clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.05% from Formosa Pharmaceuticals Inc. The company launched the clobetasol product in the U.S. on September 26, 2024.
MicroPine Segment: MicroPine, a pre-NDA candidate, is being developed for the treatment of pediatric progressive myopia, which the company believes represents a multi-billion-dollar addressable market globally.
In addition to its internal R&D efforts, Eyenovia has forged strategic partnerships to expand the reach of its Optejet® technology. In 2024, the company announced collaboration agreements with Formosa Pharmaceuticals, Senju Pharmaceuticals, and SGN Nanopharma to develop novel therapeutic formulations for the treatment of acute and chronic dry eye disease.
These partnerships not only provide Eyenovia with additional funding and resources but also validate the potential of the Optejet® platform to address unmet needs in the ophthalmic market. The company's licensing agreement with Arctic Vision for the development and commercialization of its products in China and South Korea also represents a promising avenue for long-term, non-dilutive funding.
Risks and Outlook
Eyenovia's journey has not been without its risks and challenges. The failure of the CHAPERONE study for MicroPine has cast uncertainty over the future of this program and the company's ability to address the significant market opportunity in pediatric progressive myopia. Additionally, the company's ongoing financial constraints and the need to evaluate strategic alternatives add further uncertainty to its long-term outlook.
However, Eyenovia's progress in advancing its Optejet® platform, its successful commercialization of Mydcombi and Clobetasol, and the promising partnerships in the dry eye space suggest that the company may have the potential to navigate these challenges and capitalize on the broader opportunities in the ophthalmic market.
Eyenovia is preparing for an analysis of the 3-year efficacy data from their ongoing Phase III CHAPERONE trial of MicroPine in pediatric progressive myopia. If the analysis is positive, it may allow them to significantly advance their development timeline for MicroPine. Specifically, the company stated that a positive analysis could potentially lead to filing a New Drug Application (NDA) for MicroPine in the first half of 2026, which would be about 2 years earlier than their previous plans.
As Eyenovia continues to execute on its strategic initiatives and explore various options to strengthen its financial position, investors will closely monitor the company's ability to successfully transition from a development-stage entity to a commercial-stage organization capable of delivering long-term value.