Biotech Survival Index: Boston Life Sciences Companies Brace for Long, Hard Winter

Exact Sciences (NASDAQ: [[ticker:EXAS]]). This Marlborough, MA-based company said it had enough cash to run through the end of June 2009. It had $6.1 million in cash on hand at the end of September.

Genzyme (NASDAQ: [[ticker:GENZ]]). The Cambridge, MA-based biotech company had almost $1 billion in cash at the end of September, and $119 million in profit in the quarter. It had another $646 million in long-term and equity investments on its balance sheet, so this company ought to be able to withstand a pretty strong jolt.

Hologic (NASDAQ: [[ticker:HOLX]]). This Bedford, MA-based medical imaging company had $99 million in cash at the end of September, almost identical to what it started the year with. It acquired Madison, WI-based Third Wave Technologies in the third quarter for $600 million.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IDIX]]). The Cambridge, MA-based company had $60.1 million in cash and investments, and expects to finish the year with $45 million to $50 million. It started the year with $88 million.

Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IDRA]]). The Cambridge, MA-based drug developer had $59.1 million in cash and investments at the end of September, enough to run through the end of the first quarter of 2010.

ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMGN]]). This Waltham, MA-based company had $44.6 million in cash at the end of September, and has cut its cash spending rate in half from a year earlier. The company expects to get a milestone payment from its partner, Genentech, in the first half of next year when it starts a Phase III clinical trial of a souped-up version of trastuzumab (Herceptin) that uses ImmunoGen’s technology.

Indevus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IDEV]]). This Lexington, MA-based company is reporting third quarter financials today. It had $52.6 million in the bank at the end of June.

Infinity Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:INFI]]). This Cambridge, MA-based cancer drug developer “may never access capital markets again,” said Christopher Raymond, an analyst with Robert W. Baird, in a note to clients last week. That’s because Infinity struck a partnership with Purdue Pharma that brings in $75 million upfront, and fully covers development costs of several drugs in its pipeline. Infinity had $80.8 million in cash and investments at the end of September and a $12.4 million net loss in the quarter.

Inverness Medical Innovations (NASDAQ: [[ticker:IMA]]). This Waltham, MA-based diagnostics company is sitting on a much smaller cash horde than the beginning of the year. It had $154.2 million in cash at the end of September, compared with $414 million at the beginning of the year.

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MIPI]]). This Cambridge, MA-based company had stockpiled $118.5 million at the end of September, although this figure includes long-term investments. It felt the need to tell investors it has money in U.S. Treasuries, in case anybody’s wondering whether the loot is safe.

Momenta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker:MNTA]]). The Cambridge, MA-based drug developer had $95.4 million in cash and investments, and a $16 million net loss in the quarter.

Author: Luke Timmerman

Luke is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences. He has served as national biotechnology editor for Xconomy and national biotechnology reporter for Bloomberg News. Luke got started covering life sciences at The Seattle Times, where he was the lead reporter on an investigation of doctors who leaked confidential information about clinical trials to investors. The story won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and several other national prizes. Luke holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.