Seres is significantly scaling back all non-partnered R&D programs and activities other than the completion of the SER-155 Phase 1b study. The Company maintains extensive proprietary microbiome therapeutic drug development capabilities and know-how that may be used to support future R&D efforts. These include proprietary capabilities related to microbiome biomarker discovery, consortia design, pharmacological validation, and advanced manufacturing techniques. In addition, Seres owns a valuable intellectual property estate related to the discovery, development, and manufacture of microbiome therapeutics.
Workforce Reduction: Seres is reducing its workforce by 41% across the organization, which will result in the elimination of approximately 160 positions.
Expected Cost Savings: The workforce reduction and other cost-saving measures, including significantly scaling back all non-partnered research and development activities and reducing general and administrative expenses, are expected to result in annual cash savings of approximately $75-$85 million in 2024, excluding any one-time charges. Seres anticipates incurring a one-time charge of $5.0-$5.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily related to the workforce reduction.
Cash Runway: The restructuring is expected to yield significant savings for the Company and position it for longer-term business sustainability. Seres anticipates that its cash, cash equivalents and investments balance as of September 30, 2023, of $169.9 million, in conjunction with the anticipated savings from the restructuring and the expected receipt of the $45 million Tranche B under its existing senior secured debt facility (the Term Loan Facility) with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (Oaktree) will support its operations into the fourth quarter of 2024. The Company is eligible for Tranche B under the Term Loan Facility upon the achievement of trailing 6-month VOWST net sales of at least $35 million, no later than September 30, 2024, and other applicable conditions.
Financial Results
Seres reported a net loss of $47.9 million for the third quarter of 2023, as compared with a net loss of $60.0 million for the same period in 2022. Net sales of VOWST for the third quarter of 2023, the first full quarter following launch, were $7.6 million based on 506 units. Following the first commercial sale of VOWST, Seres shares equally with Nestle, its collaborator, in the VOWST commercial profits and losses. Seres’ share of the VOWST net loss for the third quarter of 2023 was $6.5 million, which was included in the Company’s operating results within Collaboration (profit) loss sharing—related party.
Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2023 were $28.3 million, compared with $43.1 million for the same period in 2022. The research and development expenses were primarily related to Seres’ VOWST clinical development program and manufacturing costs, as well as personnel costs. The year-over-year decrease in R&D expenses is primarily driven by VOWST commercial manufacturing costs no longer being recognized in the Seres P&L following the product approval in April 2023, but instead capitalized and recognized on the Company’s balance sheet.