AC
Absci Corp (ABSI)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 2025 revenue was $0.593M and diluted net loss per share was $0.24; Street consensus expected $1.214M revenue* and $0.209 EPS*, implying a material revenue and EPS miss .
- Balance sheet strengthened in July via $50M underwritten offering and ~$14M via ATM; company now guides cash runway into 1H 2028 versus 1H 2027 previously .
- Pipeline catalysts remain the near-term stock drivers: ABS-101 Phase 1 interim readout in 2H 2025, and ABS-201 Phase 1/2a initiation in early 2026 with interim efficacy expected 2H 2026 .
- Business development momentum: expanded Almirall collaboration (second target) with up to ~$650M total milestones across two programs; management continues to anticipate signing one or more large pharma partnerships in 2025 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- “We have strengthened our financial position and now have cash runway into 2028” following the July capital raises, removing financing overhang near-term .
- ABS-101 advancing: Phase 1 trial initiated in May; interim readout expected 2H 2025; management emphasized potential quarterly dosing and sustained target engagement .
- Almirall expanded its AI drug discovery collaboration, selecting a second dermatology target; Absci is eligible for up to ~$650M in milestones plus royalties across both programs .
What Went Wrong
- Revenue and EPS missed Street estimates: Q2 revenue $0.593M vs $1.214M* and EPS -$0.24 vs -$0.209*, reflecting milestone-timing lumpiness and limited near-term partnered revenue recognition .
- Operating expenses increased YoY: R&D $20.5M vs $15.3M, driving net loss of $30.6M vs $24.8M YoY, as internal programs progressed into clinical and IND-enabling phases .
- Revenue concentration and timing remain a concern; CFO reiterated partnership revenue will be “relatively lumpy,” highlighting dependency on signing and milestone schedules .
Financial Results
Note: Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
No segment revenue breakdown disclosed; revenue comprised partner program revenue only .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We have strengthened our financial position and now have cash runway into 2028.”
- “We expect to close at least one new large pharma deal this year.”
- On ABS-201 dosing: “We expect to see a six month treatment cycle… two or three doses over a period of six months delivered subcutaneously.”
- On ABS-101 differentiation: “The data readout will be able to confirm the half life, which we are anticipating to be once quarterly.”
- On revenue recognition: “Partnership agreements… are milestone oriented. So the revenue is going to be relatively lumpy.”
Q&A Highlights
- ABS-101 Phase 1 readout scope: management aims to validate extended half-life supporting Q8–12W dosing, low immunogenicity, and sustained target engagement via elevated soluble TL1A over time .
- ABS-201 formulation/dosing: plan for subcutaneous delivery; SAD IV then MAD SC; target high concentration (180–200 mg/mL) enabling 2–3 doses over 6 months; potential for controlled, provider-led administration initially .
- Competitive TL1A landscape: management views quarterly dosing alignment with clinic visits; sees differentiation via bispecific with a novel arm versus common combos (e.g., IL‑23/α4β7) .
- BD pipeline and capacity: capacity assessed quarterly; platform efficiencies enable more programs per unit cost while pursuing a large pharma partnership in 2025 .
- Revenue timing: lumpy milestone recognition expected for platform and asset transactions with large upfronts followed by milestones .
Estimates Context
- Q2 2025: Revenue miss ($0.593M vs $1.214M*), EPS miss (-$0.24 vs -$0.209*). Prior quarter Q1 2025 saw revenue miss ($1.179M vs $1.313M*) but EPS beat (-$0.21 vs -$0.223*). Q4 2024 revenue and EPS also missed consensus ($0.665M vs $1.768M*; -$0.25 vs -$0.224*) .
- Implication: Street models likely need to reflect continued milestone timing variability and limited near-term revenue scale; focus should be on pipeline milestones and partnering cadence (ABS-101 interim, Almirall progress, large pharma platform deal) .
Note: Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Near-term stock drivers are clinical and BD catalysts (ABS-101 interim in 2H 2025; ABS-201 initiation early 2026; large pharma platform deal), not quarterly revenue prints .
- Balance sheet de-risked: ~$64M gross raised in July; runway extended into 1H 2028, enabling execution through multiple potential value inflections without immediate financing needs .
- ABS-101 aims for quarterly dosing, high bioavailability, and lower immunogenicity risk profile; watch interim PK/PD/immunogenicity and any partnering announcements .
- ABS-201 targets a large, under-served, self-pay aesthetic market; subcutaneous high-concentration formulation and 2–3 doses per 6 months could be commercially attractive if efficacy is confirmed .
- Revenue/margins remain non-informative near-term due to milestone lumpiness and low partner revenue; model cash burn and milestone probabilities rather than quarterly beats/misses .
- Expanded Almirall deal validates platform’s ability to drug difficult targets; milestone potential (~$650M across programs) provides upside optionality .
- The AI compute partnerships (AMD) and platform advances are strategic moats reinforcing BD narrative and potential economics in future deals .