Biodesix announces Q4 and fiscal year 2023 results and business highlights

Biodesix, Inc. provided a corporate update and announced its financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2023 (fiscal 2023).

“I am exceptionally proud of the Biodesix team and our record of accomplishments in 2023,” said Scott Hutton, CEO of Biodesix. “We were focused on three goals: driving increased revenue through adoption of our Lung Diagnostic tests and Biopharmaceutical Services, implementing operational efficiencies to improve gross margins, and maintaining a strict cost discipline. I am very pleased with our significant progress on each of these goals.”

Hutton continued, “The Biodesix team delivered 65% growth in Lung Diagnostic test volume for the full year 2023 and a sixth straight quarter of over 50% year-over-year growth, with the fourth quarter FY23 growing 54% over the fourth quarter of FY22. We made tremendous progress driving Lung Diagnostic test adoption in 2023, but we have just scratched the surface of a massive market opportunity addressing a critical unmet need to help improve the lives of patients with potentially cancerous lung nodules and lung cancer with our five blood-based tests. At the same time, our focus on growing Biodesix while maintaining a cost disciplined approach has resulted in a dramatic 77% gross profit margin and 55% improvement in Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter FY23 compared to the fourth quarter FY22, and a clear path towards profitability. In 2024 we are committed to executing on those same three goals and we expect to deliver $65 to $68 million in total revenue.”

Fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results

• Total revenue of $14.7 million and $49.1 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, an increase of 52% and 49% over the respective prior year comparable periods excluding Covid testing revenues, and an increase of 53% and 28% over the respective prior year comparable periods including Covid testing revenues;
  • Lung Diagnostic revenue of $12.8 million and $45.1 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, an increase of 55% and 54% over the respective prior year comparable periods, primarily driven by the continued adoption of Nodify Lung® Nodule Risk Assessment tests;
  • Biopharma Services and other revenue of $1.9 million and $3.9 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, an increase of 38% and 6% over the respective prior year comparable periods, a result of both delivering against our expanding book of business and securing new agreements; entering 2024 with increasing dollars under contract;
• Gross profit was $11.3 million or 77% and $36.1 million or 73% for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, as a percentage of revenue compared to 66% and 63% in the prior year comparable periods, primarily driven by growth in Lung Diagnostic testing and optimization of testing workflows that resulted in improvements in costs per test, the ongoing recovery of our Biopharma Services business, and the commercial discontinuation of lower-margin Covid-19 testing;
• Operating expenses (excluding direct costs and expenses) of $18.2 million and $77.4 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, a decrease of 10% and increase of 4% over the respective prior year comparable periods;
  • Decrease in fourth quarter 2023 is primarily attributable to a decrease in research and development costs, partially offset by increased sales and marketing costs to support Lung Diagnostic sales growth, enhance product awareness and drive adoption, while the full year increase in operating expenses was driven by an increase in sales and marketing costs, partially offset by a reduction in research and development costs;
  • Includes non-cash stock compensation expense of $1.1 million and $5.4 million during fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, a decrease of 48% and 10% over the respective prior year comparable periods;
• Net loss of $9.1 million and $52.1 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, an improvement of 55% and 20% over the respective prior year comparable periods;
  • Fourth quarter and fiscal 2023 included a gain of $0.1 million and loss of $1.3 million, respectively, from the change in fair value of warrant liabilities associated with our term loan facility with Perceptive Advisors (Perceptive);
  • Fourth quarter and fiscal 2022 included loss on debt extinguishment and modification of $4.0 million and $7.0 million, respectively;
• Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $4.9 million and $32.7 million for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, respectively, an improvement of 55% and 24% over the respective prior year comparable periods;
• Cash and cash equivalents of $26.3 million as of December 31, 2023;
  • The Company successfully drew down the second tranche of $10 million from its $50 million term loan facility with Perceptive in the fourth quarter of 2023;
  • Cash balance includes the remaining $12.2 million of the $27.5 million private placement announced in August 2023.

2024 financial outlook
The Company anticipates generating between $65 million to $68 million in total revenue in 2024, representing an approximate 32% to 39% year-over-year growth rate.
MB Bureau