Abeona Therapeutics received FDA approval for ZEVASKYN™, a gene therapy for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, with commercial launch planned.
Quiver AI Summary
Abeona Therapeutics has received FDA approval for ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel), marking it as the first autologous cell-based gene therapy for treating wounds in patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The anticipated U.S. launch is set for the third quarter of 2025, with strong interest and positive insurance coverage already established with major payers. The company reported $226 million in cash reserves as of June 30, 2025, which is expected to fund operations for over two years before ZEVASKYN revenue begins. The initial treatment for ZEVASKYN is on track for 3Q 2025, with numerous patients already identified for treatment. Abeona also indicated successful efforts in securing payer coverage and expanding supply capacity for future treatments, while reporting significant financial results, including a net income of $108.8 million for the second quarter of 2025.
Potential Positives
- Received FDA approval for ZEVASKYN™, the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy specifically for treating wounds in patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), establishing a significant market position.
- Strong patient interest and treatment momentum have been demonstrated, with the first patient treatment expected in 3Q 2025 and over a dozen additional patients identified for treatment.
- Abeona has secured broad insurance coverage for ZEVASKYN, with 100% approval on prior authorization requests and favorable policies from major payers, enhancing patient access and potential revenue streams.
- Financially robust position with $226 million in cash and equivalents, expected to fund operations for over two years, supporting the anticipated commercial launch and operations of ZEVASKYN.
Potential Negatives
- Despite positive FDA approval, the company is still in the early stages of launching ZEVASKYN, with the first patient treatment expected in 3Q 2025, indicating potential delays or challenges in establishing market presence.
- The increase in selling, general, and administrative expenses to $17.1 million reflects significant costs associated with the ZEVASKYN launch, which may indicate financial strain as the company transitions to a commercial entity.
- The company reported a substantial loss from operations of $22.8 million, which highlights ongoing financial challenges despite recent revenue gains, particularly from the sale of the priority review voucher.
FAQ
What is ZEVASKYN and its FDA approval status?
ZEVASKYN (prademagene zamikeracel) is the first autologous cell-based gene therapy approved by the FDA for treating wounds in patients with RDEB.
When is the U.S. launch of ZEVASKYN expected?
The U.S. launch of ZEVASKYN is on track, with the first patient treatment expected in the third quarter of 2025.
How has patient interest in ZEVASKYN been described?
Patient interest for ZEVASKYN is strong, with multiple patients identified and advancing through the treatment process at qualified centers.
What financial position does Abeona Therapeutics hold?
Abeona Therapeutics reported $226 million in cash and equivalents as of June 30, 2025, expected to fund operations for over two years.
What coverage has been established for ZEVASKYN?
100% of prior authorization requests for ZEVASKYN have been approved, with strong support from multiple large national and regional payers.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$ABEO Insider Trading Activity
$ABEO insiders have traded $ABEO stock on the open market 14 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 14 have been sales.
Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $ABEO stock by insiders over the last 6 months:
- VISHWAS SESHADRI (Chief Executive Officer) has made 0 purchases and 3 sales selling 145,096 shares for an estimated $868,572.
- JOSEPH WALTER VAZZANO (Chief Financial Officer) has made 0 purchases and 3 sales selling 44,708 shares for an estimated $279,068.
- BRENDAN M. O'MALLEY (SVP, Chief Legal Officer) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 27,898 shares for an estimated $172,830.
- MARK ALVINO has made 0 purchases and 3 sales selling 23,093 shares for an estimated $134,868.
- CHRISTINE BERNI SILVERSTEIN sold 13,093 shares for an estimated $76,668
- FAITH L. CHARLES sold 10,738 shares for an estimated $62,878
- DONALD A. WUCHTERL sold 5,176 shares for an estimated $30,147
To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.
$ABEO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 61 institutional investors add shares of $ABEO stock to their portfolio, and 30 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- BLACKROCK, INC. added 2,481,675 shares (+479.6%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $14,095,914
- MILLENNIUM MANAGEMENT LLC removed 1,307,203 shares (-61.7%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $6,222,286
- ADAGE CAPITAL PARTNERS GP, L.L.C. removed 1,210,732 shares (-31.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2025, for an estimated $5,763,084
- GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC added 623,243 shares (+129.1%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $3,540,020
- JPMORGAN CHASE & CO added 597,373 shares (+255.6%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $3,393,078
- NAN FUNG TRINITY (HK) LTD added 560,770 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $3,185,173
- VANGUARD GROUP INC added 486,838 shares (+24.1%) to their portfolio in Q2 2025, for an estimated $2,765,239
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$ABEO Analyst Ratings
Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $ABEO in the last several months. We have seen 3 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.
Here are some recent analyst ratings:
- HC Wainwright & Co. issued a "Buy" rating on 07/14/2025
- Oppenheimer issued a "Outperform" rating on 06/02/2025
- Stifel issued a "Buy" rating on 05/16/2025
To track analyst ratings and price targets for $ABEO, check out Quiver Quantitative's $ABEO forecast page.
$ABEO Price Targets
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $ABEO recently. We have seen 5 analysts offer price targets for $ABEO in the last 6 months, with a median target of $19.0.
Here are some recent targets:
- Raghuram Selvaraju from HC Wainwright & Co. set a target price of $20.0 on 07/16/2025
- Andreas Argyrides from Oppenheimer set a target price of $19.0 on 06/02/2025
- Dae Gon Ha from Stifel set a target price of $20.0 on 05/16/2025
Full Release
- Received FDA approval for ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel), the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) -
- U.S. launch on track and first ZEVASKYN patient treatment expected in 3Q 2025, momentum building with strong patient interest at qualified treatment centers and referrals, positive insurance coverage established with multiple national and regional payers -
- $226M in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2025, expected to fund operations for over two years before accounting for anticipated ZEVASKYN revenue beginning in 3Q 2025 and projected profitability in 1H 2026 -
CLEVELAND, Aug. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO) today reported financial results and business highlights for the second quarter of 2025 and shared recent operational progress.
"ZEVASKYN's launch is demonstrating positive early momentum,” said Vish Seshadri, Chief Executive Officer of Abeona. “The first ZEVASKYN patient treatment is on track for the third quarter of 2025 with multiple additional patients identified and advancing through the process to initiate treatment. The enthusiasm from the RDEB community and clinicians, alongside our substantial progress with payer coverage, affirms ZEVASKYN's crucial role in transforming patient care."
Recent Developments
FDA approval and commercial launch of ZEVASKYN
- FDA approval of first-in-class RDEB therapy: In April 2025, the U.S. FDA approved ZEVASKYN (prademagene zamikeracel) for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with RDEB.
- ZEVASKYN now available at Qualified Treatment Centers (QTCs): RDEB patients can access ZEVASKYN at both Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. The Company is on track and expects to activate additional sites in 2025.
- Strong demand for ZEVASKYN with several patients identified and treatment process initiated: The first ZEVASKYN patient has been biopsied and treatment is expected in 3Q 2025. Demand for ZEVASKYN continues to grow with more than a dozen patients identified within the two QTCs and several advancing through the administrative process. In addition, more than three dozen patients have already been identified as candidates for ZEVASKYN at referring sites (non-QTCs).
- Secured broad patient access: So far, 100% of submitted prior authorization requests have been approved. Among commercial insurers that cover approximately 60% of RDEB lives, positive coverage for ZEVASKYN has been established with multiple large national and regional payers. United Healthcare, the nation’s largest payer covering more than 43 million lives or approximately 16% of the U.S. insured population, published a favorable coverage policy for ZEVASKYN consistent with the FDA-approved label without imposing any additional restrictions. Abeona has entered into the National Drug Rebate Agreement (NDRA) with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to facilitate expedited coverage and reimbursement for ZEVASKYN across all 51 state Medicaid programs and Puerto Rico. Some states have already implemented favorable coverage criteria for ZEVASKYN.
- Ramping up supply of ZEVASKYN: Abeona remains on-track to scale-up supply capacity for up to 10 patients per month in mid-2026.
- Broadening ZEVASKYN medical awareness: In June, The Lancet , a respected global medical journal, published results from the pivotal Phase 3 VIITAL™ study (NCT04227106) evaluating the efficacy and safety of ZEVASKYN for the treatment of RDEB wounds.
Other corporate updates
- Licensing agreement for novel AAV204 capsid for ophthalmology gene therapy: Beacon Therapeutics exercised its option to license from Abeona the AAV204 capsid for use in potential gene therapies for a range of prevalent and rare retinal diseases.
- Secured non-dilutive capital: Abeona closed the sale of its Rare Pediatric Disease priority review voucher (PRV) for gross proceeds of $155 million. Abeona was awarded the PRV upon FDA approval of ZEVASKYN.
Financial Results
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments totaled $225.9 million as of June 30, 2025, including net proceeds from the PRV sale. The current cash position, without accounting for anticipated revenue from ZEVASKYN, is expected to be sufficient to fund current and planned operations for over two years.
As Abeona transitions into a commercial organization, its second quarter financial results show the reclassification of certain manufacturing and development costs from research and development (R&D) expense to inventory or selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses.
R&D spending for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $5.9 million, compared to $9.2 million for the same period of 2024. The reduction in R&D expense was primarily due to costs capitalized into inventory and select costs, such as engineering runs and other production costs, reclassified as SG&A following FDA approval of ZEVASKYN. SG&A expenses were $17.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $8.6 million for the same period of 2024. In addition to the reclassification of select R&D expense to SG&A, the increase in SG&A reflects increased headcount and professional costs associated with the commercial launch of ZEVASKYN.
Net income was $108.8 million for the second quarter of 2025, or $2.07 per basic and $1.71 per diluted common share, including the gain from the sale of the PRV. Net income in the second quarter of 2024 was $7.4 million, or $0.19 per basic and a net loss of $(0.26) per diluted common share.
Conference Call Details
The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET, to discuss the financial results and corporate progress. To access the call, dial 877-545-0320 (U.S. toll-free) or 973-528-0002 (international) and Entry Code: 829076 five minutes prior to the start of the call. A live, listen-only webcast and archived replay of the call can be accessed on the Investors & Media section of Abeona’s website at https://investors.abeonatherapeutics.com/events. The archived webcast replay will be available for 30 days following the call.
About Abeona Therapeutics
Abeona Therapeutics Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell and gene therapies for serious diseases. Abeona’s ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel) is the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adults and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The Company’s fully integrated cell and gene therapy cGMP manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Ohio serves as the manufacturing site for ZEVASKYN commercial production. The Company’s development portfolio features adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for ophthalmic diseases with high unmet medical need. Abeona’s novel, next-generation AAV capsids are being evaluated for a variety of devastating diseases. For more information, visit www.abeonatherapeutics.com.
ZEVASKYN™, Abeona Assist™, Abeona Therapeutics ® , and their related logos are trademarks of Abeona Therapeutics Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and that involve risks and uncertainties. We have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by such terminology as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “potential,” and similar words and expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances), which constitute and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, our ability to commercialize ZEVASKYN; the therapeutic potential of ZEVASKYN; whether the unmet need and market opportunity for ZEVASKYN are consistent with the Company’s expectations; continued interest in our rare disease portfolio; our ability to enroll patients in clinical trials; the outcome of future meetings with and inspections by the FDA or other regulatory agencies, including those relating to preclinical programs and to the cGMP manufacturing of ZEVASKYN; the ability to achieve or obtain necessary regulatory approvals for our pre-clinical programs; the impact of any changes in the financial markets and global economic conditions; risks associated with data analysis and reporting; and other risks disclosed in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise these forward-looking statements or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by the federal securities laws.
ABEONA THERAPEUTICS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) (Unaudited) |
|||||||
For the three months ended June 30, | |||||||
2025 | 2024 | ||||||
Revenues: | |||||||
License and other revenues | $ | 400 | $ | — | |||
Expenses: | |||||||
Royalties | 100 | — | |||||
Research and development | 5,943 | 9,218 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative | 17,149 | 8,646 | |||||
Total expenses | 23,192 | 17,864 | |||||
Loss from operations | (22,792 | ) | (17,864 | ) | |||
Interest income | 1,027 | 1,191 | |||||
Interest expense | (957 | ) | (1,072 | ) | |||
Change in fair value of warrant and derivative liabilities | (5,388 | ) | 24,927 | ||||
Gain from sale of priority review voucher, net | 152,366 | — | |||||
Other income | 89 | 224 | |||||
Income before income taxes | 124,345 | 7,406 | |||||
Income tax expense | 15,512 | — | |||||
Net income | $ | 108,833 | $ | 7,406 | |||
Basic income per common share | $ | 2.07 | $ | 0.19 | |||
Dilutive income (loss) per common share | $ | 1.71 | $ | (0.26 | ) | ||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: | |||||||
Basic | 52,524,510 | 40,010,481 | |||||
Dilutive | 66,640,620 | 51,226,715 | |||||
Other comprehensive income: | |||||||
Change in unrealized gains related to available-for-sale debt securities | 22 | 50 | |||||
Comprehensive income | $ | 108,855 | $ | 7,456 | |||
ABEONA THERAPEUTICS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) (Unaudited) |
|||||||
June 30, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | ||||||
ASSETS | |||||||
Current assets: | |||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 163,535 | $ | 23,357 | |||
Short-term investments | 61,983 | 74,363 | |||||
Restricted cash | 338 | 338 | |||||
Inventory | 2,686 | — | |||||
Other receivables | 1,630 | 1,652 | |||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2,090 | 1,143 | |||||
Total current assets | 232,262 | 100,853 | |||||
Property and equipment, net | 9,489 | 4,430 | |||||
Operating lease right-of-use assets | 4,144 | 3,552 | |||||
Other assets | 338 | 96 | |||||
Total assets | $ | 246,233 | $ | 108,931 | |||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | |||||||
Current liabilities: | |||||||
Accounts payable | $ | 7,337 | $ | 3,441 | |||
Accrued expenses | 5,495 | 6,333 | |||||
Current portion of long-term debt | 5,556 | 5,926 | |||||
Current portion of operating lease liability | 537 | 823 | |||||
Accrued taxes | 15,512 | — | |||||
Other current liabilities | 80 | 64 | |||||
Total current liabilities | 34,517 | 16,587 | |||||
Long-term operating lease liabilities | 3,978 | 3,262 | |||||
Long-term debt | 14,005 | 13,037 | |||||
Warrant liabilities | 30,157 | 32,014 | |||||
Total liabilities | 82,657 | 64,900 | |||||
Commitments and contingencies | |||||||
Stockholders' equity: | |||||||
Preferred stock - $0.01 par value; authorized 2,000,000 shares; No shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | — | — | |||||
Common stock - $0.01 par value; authorized 200,000,000 shares; 51,248,032 and 45,644,091 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 512 | 457 | |||||
Additional paid-in capital | 879,563 | 856,824 | |||||
Accumulated deficit | (716,454 | ) | (813,258 | ) | |||
Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss | (45 | ) | 8 | ||||
Total stockholders' equity | 163,576 | 44,031 | |||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 246,233 | $ | 108,931 | |||