8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

December 19, 2018

 

 

Twist Bioscience Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-38720   46-205888

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(I. R. S. Employer

Identification No.)

455 Mission Bay Boulevard South

Suite 545

San Francisco, CA 94158

(Address of principal executive offices, including ZIP code)

(800) 719-0671

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☒

 

 

 


Item 7.01

Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On December 19, 2018, Twist Bioscience Corporation (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 30, 2018. The full text of the press release issued in connection with the announcement is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The information furnished in this Item 2.02, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

No.

   Description
99.1    Press release dated December 19, 2018 titled “Twist Bioscience Reports Fiscal 2018 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results and Highlights Commercial and Operational Progress”


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: December 19, 2018     Twist Bioscience Corporation
   

/s/ Mark Daniels

    Mark Daniels
    Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, and Secretary
EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

Twist Bioscience Reports Fiscal 2018 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results and

Highlights Commercial and Operational Progress

— $25.4 million in total revenue; 136% year-over-year growth —

— Bolstered cash position with approximately $69 million in proceeds from IPO —

— Company to host conference call today 4:30 pm Eastern Time —

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — December 19, 2018 — Twist Bioscience Corporation (NASDAQ: TWST), a company enabling customers to succeed through its offering of high-quality synthetic DNA, today reported financial results and business highlights for the fiscal 2018 fourth quarter and full year ended September 30, 2018.

“It has been an exceptional year for Twist Bioscience, with significant top-line growth across all business areas and both operational and commercial accomplishments,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Twist. “We’ve doubled our revenue coming from our synthetic biology products, launched our target enrichment kits for next-generation sequencing, which is gaining traction in the marketplace, expanded internationally, and laid a foundation for both our drug discovery and DNA digital data storage verticals. In addition, we strengthened our balance sheet with the closing of both a private financing and our initial public offering.

“Looking ahead into fiscal 2019, we expect to continue to deliver on our mission to improve healthcare and sustainability through synthetic DNA as we expand our customer base, convert pilot customers to production, grow revenue across all product categories and geographic regions, as well as validate our GPCR and antibody optimization software for Twist Biopharma and pursue non-dilutive financing for digital data storage.”

Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights

 

   

Shipped approximately 71,000 genes in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to approximately 38,000 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017; shipped approximately 247,000 genes in fiscal 2018 compared to approximately 125,000 in fiscal 2017. Current turnaround time for genes is 15-20 days.

 

   

Continued progress in NGS product line, with eight customers now in production mode

 

   

Together with Microsoft and the University of Washington, announced plans to create an archive of knowledge encoded into Twist Bioscience DNA to be included in the Lunar Library™

 

   

Completed synthesis of wholly-owned G-coupled protein receptor (GPCR) library and development of antibody optimization software


   

Expanded international reach with new distributors in Asia Pacific

 

   

Completed an initial public offering (IPO), raising approximately $69 million in net proceeds, and began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “TWST”

Fiscal 2019 Milestones

 

   

Grow revenue across all product categories and geographic regions

 

   

Offer customers 5kb genes at disruptive price

 

   

Introduce Twist Application Product Interface (TAPI) for gene ordering

 

   

Implement and execute new product introductions roadmap

 

   

Convert pilot NGS customers to full production

 

   

Launch e-commerce platform for NGS product

 

   

Achieve ISO 13485 certification for quality management systems (NGS product line)

 

   

Leverage growth in top line to improve variable and gross margin

 

   

Launch back-end production in China for NGS and other products

 

   

Generate proof-of-concept data from the GPCR library and antibody optimization software for Twist Biopharma, and seek non-dilutive partnerships and/or out-licensing of therapeutic assets

 

   

Execute roadmap to increase synthesis density on silicon platform and reduce DNA writing cost for DNA digital data storage

 

   

Pursue non-dilutive funding for the continued development of DNA digital data storage

FISCAL 2018 FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS

Orders

Total orders received for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $12.8 million, compared to $6.2 million for the same period of fiscal 2017. The increase in orders is due primarily to the introduction of NGS as well as an increase in orders for synbio products, particularly genes.


Revenue

Total revenues were $8.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018 compared to $3.5 million for the same period of fiscal 2017. The increase in revenue was due to increasing sales of genes, oligo pools and DNA libraries as well as the introduction of NGS tools products across all geographies and market segments.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $9.1 million compared to $6.8 million for the similar period of fiscal 2017. The increase in cost of revenues is due to increased headcount, consumption of reagents and production materials.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $6.1 million compared to $4.9 million for the period ended September 30, 2017. The main driver for the increase was the beginning of investment in the Twist Biopharma vertical.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2018 were $13.0 million compared to $8.4 million for the same period of 2017. The increase was primarily due to increased headcount, advertising and marketing expenses, professional and legal expenses, stock compensation expenses and information technology-related charges.

Net Loss

Net loss for the fiscal 2018 fourth quarter was $19.8 million, or $6.59 per share, compared to $17.0 million, or $6.68 per share, for the fiscal 2017 fourth quarter.

Cash Position

As of September 30, 2018, the company had $80.8 million in cash and cash equivalents. The fourth quarter ending cash position does not include approximately $69 million in net proceeds from the initial public offering, which was received in the first quarter of fiscal 2019.

FISCAL 2018 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Orders

Total orders received for fiscal 2018 were $39.4 million compared to $17.6 million in fiscal 2017.


Revenue

Total revenues were $25.4 million for fiscal 2018 compared to $10.8 million in fiscal 2017. The increase in revenue was due to increasing sales of genes, oligo pools and DNA libraries, which increased 136% year over year, as well as the introduction of our NGS tools products across all geographies and market segments.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues for fiscal 2018 were $32.2 million compared to $24.0 million for fiscal 2017. The increase in cost of revenues is due to increased payroll expenses, consumption of reagents and production materials.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses for fiscal 2018 were $20.3 million compared to $19.1 million for fiscal 2017.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses for fiscal 2018 were $43.5 million compared to $26.1 million for the period ended September 30, 2017. The increase was primarily due to increased headcount, advertising and marketing expenses, professional and legal expenses, stock compensation expenses and information technology-related charges.

Net Loss

Net loss for fiscal 2018 was $71.2 million, or $25.51 per share, compared to $59.3 million, or $24.49 per share for fiscal 2017.

For the full fiscal year 2019, Twist expect to report:

Revenue in the range of $46 million to $48 million

Net loss in the range of $80 million to $82 million

Conference Call Information

The company plans to hold a conference call and live audio webcast for analysts and investors at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results and provide an update on the company’s business. The call can be accessed by dialing (866) 688-0947 (domestic) or (409) 217-8781 (international) and refer to the conference ID 8279646. A telephonic replay will be available beginning approximately four hours after the call through January 2, 2019, and may be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international). The replay conference ID is 8279646. The webcast replay will be available for two weeks.


About Twist Bioscience Corporation

Twist Bioscience is a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by “writing” DNA on a silicon chip. Twist is leveraging its unique technology to manufacture a broad range of synthetic DNA-based products, including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing (NGS) preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and development. Twist is also pursuing longer-term opportunities in digital data storage in DNA and biologics drug discovery. Twist make products for use across many industries including healthcare, industrial chemicals, agriculture and academic research.

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Investor Relations Information

Twist uses the investor relations section on its website as a means of complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor Twist’s investor relations website in addition to following Twist’s press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, Twist Bioscience’s anticipated fiscal 2019 milestones, conversion of pilot customers , revenue growth across all product categories and geographic regions, validation of Twist’s GPCR and antibody optimization software for Twist Biopharma and delivery on Twist’s mission to improve healthcare and sustainability through synthetic DNA. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause Twist Bioscience’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risks and uncertainties of the ability to attract new customers and retain and grow sales from existing customers; risks and uncertainties of rapidly changing technologies and extensive competition in synthetic biology could make the products Twist Bioscience is developing obsolete or non-competitive; uncertainties of the retention of a significant customer; risks of third party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate Twist Bioscience’s patents or proprietary rights; and the risk that Twist Bioscience’s proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect its technologies. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Twist Bioscience’s business in general, see Twist Bioscience’s risk factors set forth in Twist Bioscience’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 that


is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the prospectus dated October 30, 2018 relating to its initial public offering of common stock. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Twist Bioscience specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACTS:

Investor Contact:

Argot Partners

Maeve Conneighton

212-600-1902

maeve@argotpartners.com

Media Contact:

Angela Bitting

925- 202-6211

media@twistbioscience.com

# # #


Twist Bioscience Corporation

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended September 30,      Year Ended September 30,  
     2017      2018      2017      2018  

Revenues

   $ 3,466      $ 8,407      $ 10,767      $ 25,427  

Operating expenses:

           

Cost of revenues

     6,829        9,093        24,020        32,189  

Research and development

     4,851        6,065        19,169        20,347  

Selling, general and administrative

     8,409        12,953        26,060        43,450  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     20,089        28,111        69,249        95,986  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Loss from operations

     (16,623      (19,704      (58,482      (70,559

Interest income

     187        409        412        999  

Interest expense

     (248      (386      (905      (1,313

Other income (expense), net

     (206      (45      (55      (121

Provision for income taxes

     (119      (76      (280      (242
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net loss and comprehensive loss

   $ (17,009    $ (19,802    $ (59,310    $ (71,236
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net loss per common share, basic and diluted

   $ (6.68    $ (6.59    $ (24.49    $ (25.51
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Shares used to compute net loss per common share, basic and diluted

     2,551,318        3,013,818        2,422,243        2,792,743  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 


Twist Bioscience Corporation

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     September 30,
2017
    September 30,
2018
 

Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 31,227     $ 80,757  

Short-term investments

     30,977       —    

Accounts receivable, net

     2,346       5,419  

Inventory

     1,827       6,028  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     1,492       3,467  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     67,869       95,671  

Property and equipment, net

     14,834       12,331  

Goodwill

     1,138       1,138  

Intangible assets, net

     920       712  

Restricted cash, non-current

     202       579  

Other non-current assets

     694       5,360  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

     85,657       115,791  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Current liabilities

    

Accounts payable

   $ 2,849     $ 7,531  

Accrued expenses

     2,092       2,166  

Accrued payroll

     3,470       5,401  

Current portion of long-term debt

     —         2,500  

Other current liabilities

     1,066       939  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     9,477       18,537  

Redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability

     644       631  

Long-term debt, net of current portion

     9,154       7,218  

Other non-current liabilities

     107       344  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     19,382       26,730  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Redeemable convertible preferred stock

     199,633       290,483  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Common stock

     —         —    

Additional paid-in capital

     6,228       9,346  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     33       87  

Accumulated deficit

     (139,619     (210,855
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     (133,358     (201,422
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity (deficit)

   $ 85,657     $ 115,791  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 


Twist Bioscience Corporation

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
September 30,
     Year Ended
September 30,
 
     2017      2018      2017     2018  

Cash flows from operating activities

          

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

   $ (17,009    $ (19,802    $ (59,310   $ (71,236

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities

          

Depreciation and amortization

     1,247        1,329        5,021       5,727  

Loss on disposal of property and equipment

     620        —          507       55  

Stock-based compensation

     864        1,086        1,891       2,961  

Non-cash interest expense

     128        104        363       254  

Change in fair value of redeemable convertible preferred stock warrant liability

     83        (80      261       (13

Amortization of debt discount

     29        79        95       308  

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of impact of business combination:

          

Accounts receivable, net

     (274      (1,130      (1,623     (3,073

Inventory, net

     (16      (1,776      (599     (4,202

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     (360      (964      (324     (1,760

Other non-current assets

     (228      640        (481     (812

Accounts payable

     498        2,220        560       3,759  

Accrued expenses

     2,544        (426      621       (114

Accrued payroll

     585        2,022        1,067       1,932  

Other liabilities

     (169      208        650       50  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in operating activities

     (11,458      (16,490      (51,301     (66,164
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities

          

Purchases of property and equipment

     (3,339      (1,047      (6,594     (3,688

Proceeds from sale of property and equipment

     (255      —          266       17  

Purchases of investments

     (20,457      (149      (40,587     (3,523

Maturity of investments

     9,600        1,600        36,925       34,500  

Change in restricted cash

     120        (434      120       (434

Cash acquired through business combination

     —          —          —         —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     (14,331      (30      (9,870     26,872  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities

          

Proceeds from issuance of common stock and exercise of stock options

     187        40        205       331  

Proceeds from issuance of Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock, net of issuance costs

     444        6,977        65,596       90,850  

Payments of deferred offering costs

     —          (640      —         (2,359

Borrowings of long-term debt

     2,174        —          2,174       —    

Repayments of long-term debt

     (1,743      —          (4,173     —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

     1,062        6,377        63,802       88,822  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     (24,727      (10,143      2,631       49,530  

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

     55,954        90,900        28,596       31,227  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

   $ 31,227      $ 80,757      $ 31,227     $ 80,757