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Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc (SNDX)·Q4 2024 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q4 marked SNDX’s first commercial quarter: Revuforj generated $7.68M net product sales in the initial five weeks post-approval; Q4 net loss was $94.2M ($1.10/sh); cash and investments ended at $692.4M .
- Early launch metrics are constructive: ~33% of Tier 1/2 accounts had ordered by end-Feb; vast majority of prescriptions reimbursed; formulary policies cover ~56% of commercial lives and 53% of all managed-care lives; channel inventory targeted at ~2–3 weeks, with ~1/3 of initial Q4 revenue from stocking .
- Pipeline/expansion: sNDA for R/R mNPM1 AML expected in Q2’25 (positive pivotal Phase 2), with potential approval around YE25; frontline trials (ven/aza triplet) initiating in unfit AML via HOVON, with multiple fit-AML combo trials planned 2H25 .
- 2025 OpEx outlook: Q1’25 R&D $65–$70M; total R&D+SG&A $105–$110M; FY’25 R&D $260–$280M; total R&D+SG&A $415–$435M; no revenue guidance. Management expects cash plus product revenue and interest to fund to profitability .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Strong initial Revuforj uptake: $7.7M in five weeks; management “very encouraged by early patient demand, breadth of prescribing, and coverage from payers” .
- Market access execution: “Vast majority” of prescriptions reimbursed; medical-exception process bridging where policies still building; 56% of commercial lives and 53% of all managed-care lives already have formal coverage policies .
- Compelling clinical momentum: R/R mNPM1 pivotal Phase 2 met primary endpoint (CR/CRh 23% in protocol-defined population; 26% in expanded efficacy-evaluable set); BEAT AML triplet showed ORR 100% and CRc 95% in newly-diagnosed elderly AML (mNPM1/KMT2Ar) .
What Went Wrong
- Losses widened as commercialization scaled: Q4 net loss $94.2M vs $72.5M prior-year; R&D and SG&A rose YoY as SNDX ramped for launch .
- No revenue guidance provided for 2025; investors must extrapolate from early qualitative KPIs and pipeline milestones .
- Early quarter revenue includes ~1/3 channel inventory; management targets ~2–3 weeks in-channel, implying some initial stocking normalization risk as sell-through patterns establish .
Financial Results
Three-month comparisons (oldest → newest):
Q4 revenue mix and product metrics:
KPIs and commercial readiness:
Note: Dashes indicate line item not present in that period’s results disclosure.
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We are off to a strong start with the U.S. launch of Revuforj and are very encouraged by the early patient demand, breadth of prescribing, and coverage from payers.” — CEO Michael Metzger .
- “Roughly 3 months into the launch… formal coverage policies [are] in place for ~56% of commercially covered lives and 53% of all managed care lives… the vast majority of prescriptions are being reimbursed.” — CCO Steven Closter .
- “We expect to file the sNDA [for mNPM1 AML] in the second quarter and believe we could receive approval around year-end [2025].” — President/Head of R&D Neil Gallagher .
- “We are initiating a pivotal randomized, placebo-controlled trial of revumenib with venetoclax/azacitidine in newly diagnosed… patients who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.” — President/Head of R&D Neil Gallagher .
Q&A Highlights
- Inventory normalization: Management targets ~2–3 weeks in-channel; initial ~1/3 Q4 sales were stocking; as revenue grows absolute inventory may rise but weeks in channel should remain stable .
- Prescriber depth: Majority of ordering accounts have written more than one prescription; focus on activating remaining Tier 1/2 sites over 2025 .
- Off-label dynamics: Anecdotal early use in NPM1 and in combinations; EAP transitions low single digits with most eligible already transitioned .
- Gross-to-net: “Very tight” gross-to-net; no rebates anticipated; low single-digit patient assistance usage .
- Frontline path: HOVON unfit-AML pivotal is OS-powered primarily in NPM1; fit-AML combination trials to start 2H’25; exploring MRD as a potential surrogate with regulators (no specifics) .
Estimates Context
- We attempted to retrieve Wall Street consensus (S&P Global) for Q4 2024 EPS and revenue; data could not be pulled due to daily limit constraints. As such, comparisons versus consensus are unavailable in this report (Values retrieved from S&P Global were unavailable due to access limits).*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Early commercial read-through is positive: breadth of ordering, rapid reimbursement, and fast time-to-fill signal favorable product/market fit; watch sequential demand normalization as stocking effects dissipate .
- Expansion catalysts remain robust: mNPM1 sNDA in Q2’25 (positive pivotal results) and potential YE25 approval, plus initiation of the frontline HOVON pivotal and additional fit-AML combo trials in 2H’25 .
- Operating leverage hinges on execution: Q4 OpEx elevated with go-to-market build; management guides 2025 OpEx without revenue; monitor quarterly sell-through, payer policy expansion, and Niktimvo profit-share progression .
- Clinical differentiation: Consistent efficacy in KMT2Ar and mNPM1 and strong combination data (BEAT AML) support potential leadership and “first-mover” stickiness among prescribers .
- Balance sheet de-risks roadmap: YE cash/investments of $692.4M plus Royalty Pharma proceeds expected to fund to profitability, reducing financing risk through launch scaling and pivotal programs .
- Near-term stock movers: Quarterly Revuforj demand run-rate vs Q4 stocking base; payer/formulary coverage updates; sNDA filing for mNPM1 (Q2’25); clarity on HOVON trial start and enrollment trajectory .
Footnote: *Estimates were requested from S&P Global via our tool, but access was rate-limited at the time of query; we will update comparisons to consensus upon availability.
Citations:
- Q4 press release/financials:
- 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 (press release):
- Q4 earnings call transcript:
- Q3 press release and call:
- ASH/clinical updates (Dec 2024):