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Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc. (BOLT)·Q2 2024 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 2024 revenue was $1.275M in collaboration revenue (down 11% YoY) and net loss per share was $(0.56); operating loss widened due to $3.565M restructuring charges as part of May pipeline prioritization .
- Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were $97.5M at quarter-end, with runway guided through mid-2026; BDC-3042 advanced to Cohort 6 with no dose-limiting toxicities to date, and BDC-4182 progressed to IND-enabling activities with a poster accepted for SITC Nov-2024 .
- Management reiterated strategic focus on BDC-3042 (Dectin-2 agonist) and next-gen ISAC BDC-4182 (CLDN18.2), continuing collaborations with Genmab and Toray; leadership changes from Q1 were carried forward (Willie Quinn as CEO/CFO) .
- Consensus estimates from S&P Global for Q2 2024 were unavailable at the time of analysis; comparison vs Street could not be made and may limit immediate trading cues from a beat/miss framing (S&P Global consensus unavailable).
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Advanced BDC-3042 into Cohort 6 with continued tolerability; “completed the safety evaluation period for cohort 5 with no dose-limiting toxicities” and are “now enrolling patients into cohort 6,” underscoring R&D execution .
- BDC-4182 (CLDN18.2-targeting ISAC) in IND-enabling with strong preclinical activity; poster accepted for SITC Nov-2024, providing a near-term data/catalyst path .
- Cash runway extended through mid-2026, enabling early clinical milestones; management emphasized “our strong cash position allows us to move these programs through early clinical development and provides us with cash runway through mid-2026” .
What Went Wrong
- Collaboration revenue fell to $1.275M from $1.433M YoY; variability in collaboration activity contributed to a lower top line during the quarter .
- Operating loss increased to $(22.597)M from $(19.832)M YoY, driven by restructuring charges ($3.565M) following the pipeline prioritization and workforce reduction .
- Net loss widened to $(21.195)M vs $(18.057)M YoY, while interest income declined YoY ($1.402M vs $1.775M), providing less offset to operating losses .
Financial Results
Income Statement vs Prior Year and Prior Quarters
Notes: Q1 2024 Other Income includes $4.675M related to concluding the Innovent collaboration .
Balance Sheet Highlights
KPIs (R&D Execution)
- BDC-3042 cohorts progressed: into Cohort 4 by Q4 2023, Cohort 4 fully enrolled by Q1 2024, Cohort 6 enrolling by Q2 2024, with no DLTs through Cohort 5 .
- BDC-4182 advanced to IND-enabling; SITC poster accepted for Nov-2024 .
Guidance Changes
Restructuring (costs)
- Estimated charges: $3.0–$4.0M (announced Q1) .
- Actual charges recorded Q2: $3.565M (incl. $2.9M termination benefits and $0.7M stock-based comp) .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Note: No Q2 2024 earnings call transcript was found in the document catalog; thematic tracking relies on press releases and 8-Ks (Q4 2023, Q1 2024, Q2 2024).
Management Commentary
- “During the second quarter, we continued to make significant progress across our two programs, BDC-3042 and BDC-4182… completed the safety evaluation period for cohort 5 with no dose-limiting toxicities… now enrolling patients into cohort 6… poster on BDC-4182 at SITC… Our strong cash position allows us to move these programs through early clinical development and provides us with cash runway through mid-2026.” — Willie Quinn, CEO/CFO .
- “Our next-gen ISACs have outperformed cytotoxic ADCs in our preclinical studies… we have decided to discontinue all BDC-1001 development and focus resources on BDC-3042 and BDC-4182…” — Willie Quinn (Q1 update) .
- “We are excited to advance our first next-generation Boltbody ISAC, BDC-4182… BDC-4182 has advanced into IND-enabling studies and we look forward to sharing more details soon.” — Michael Alonso, SVP Research (Q1) .
Q&A Highlights
- No Q2 2024 earnings call transcript was available; the company furnished a press release (8-K Item 2.02). No Q&A themes could be extracted from transcripts in the document catalog .
Estimates Context
- Wall Street consensus estimates (S&P Global) for Q2 2024 EPS and revenue were unavailable at time of analysis due to data access limits; accordingly, beat/miss vs Street cannot be determined in this report (S&P Global consensus unavailable).
Key Takeaways for Investors
- R&D momentum: BDC-3042 tolerability remains favorable through Cohort 5; Cohort 6 underway. This supports continued advancement and potential for future combination with PD-1 per earlier program design .
- BDC-4182 (CLDN18.2) is the principal next-wave ISAC: IND-enabling work ongoing; SITC Nov-2024 poster provides a visible near-term scientific catalyst; clinical initiation targeted for 2025 .
- Cash runway extended to mid-2026 post restructuring; this reduces near-term financing risk and aligns capital with the narrowed pipeline priorities .
- Near-term financials impacted by restructuring charges ($3.565M in Q2), widening operating loss; collaboration revenue volatility is expected given milestone/service timing .
- Leadership transitions completed in Q1 with CEO/CFO assuming expanded role, and clinical and operations leadership realigned—execution continuity evidenced in Q2 progress .
- Street comparison unavailable: monitor updated consensus post-publication; absent a beat/miss lens, trade setups likely hinge on clinical milestones (SITC data signal, BDC-3042 safety/efficacy updates) and any collaboration developments (e.g., Genmab phase extension) .
- Medium-term thesis: Focused asset base with myeloid biology differentiation (Dectin-2), and next-gen ISAC platform targeting a validated antigen (CLDN18.2) positions BOLT for binary clinical catalysts over the next 12–24 months; ensure risk budgeting for early-stage clinical readouts .