Ariad Pharma Q4 Loss Narrows, Results Beat View - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARIA) reported fourth-quarter net loss of $5.75 million or $0.03 per share, narrower than net loss of $74.16 million or $0.40 per share in the year-ago period.

The narrower net loss is primarily due to the $50 million received from Bellicum in the quarter, an increase of $13.2 million in Iclusig product revenue, and a decrease in operating expenses of $8.0 million.

On average, sixteen analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report loss of $0.20 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Total revenue for the quarter surged to $66.84 million from $8.35 million in the year-ago period. Net product revenues from sales of Iclusig were $21.35 million in the quarter. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $39.49 million.

Looking ahead to fiscal 2015, Ariad Pharma forecast net product revenues from sales of Iclusig in a range of $130 million to $140 million. This guidance includes sales of Iclusig in the U.S., Europe, and other select countries where Ariad has distributorships in place.

Street expects the company to report revenues of $161.97 million.

Harvey Berger, chairman and CEO of Ariad said, "In 2015, our focus is on expanding the global commercial opportunity for Iclusig and strategically investing in value-driving clinical initiatives to position the Company for sustained growth and anticipated profitability in 2018."

The company said that three new Iclusig clinical trials are planned to begin in 2015, two of which will evaluate Iclusig in earlier lines of treatment.