Ceapro Inc. Reports 2020 First Quarter Financial Results and Highlights

– Maintained production operations during COVID-19 pandemic crisis, providing our customers essential products while ensuring the health and safety of our employees –

–  R&D activities focused on the development of innovative delivery systems –

First quarter 2020 sales increased 34% vs. first quarter 2019 –

– Net profit of $1,126,000 for Q1 2020 vs. net loss of $637,000 for Q1 2019 –

EDMONTON, Alberta, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ceapro Inc. (TSX-V: CZO) (“Ceapro” or the “Company”), a growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, today announced financial results and operational highlights for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020.

“We are very pleased with the progress we have made on multiple fronts during the first quarter of this year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. While our first quarter financial results were very strong, our focus remains on the health and safety of our associates during these unprecedented times, followed by business continuity. These solid results are a clear testament to the dedication and hard work of every one of our employees during these challenging times and we are very proud of their commitment to support our customers heightened demand by delivering high quality products. Importantly, these results also reflect the sound foundation and the strength of our base business deliberately built over the last few years,” stated Gilles Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA, President and CEO.

Corporate and Operational Highlights

Pipeline Development:

  • Received approval from Health Canada for an amendment to the beta glucan clinical trial protocol to allow evaluation of subjects with confirmed pathophysiological condition of hyperlipidemia who voluntary request to be treated with beta glucan only, without regular dosing of statins. This, allowing patients to receive beta glucan as a stand-alone therapy, should accelerate patient enrollment and expand target addressable patient population.
  • Received approval from Health Canada Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch for a research license with medical cannabis for the formulation of unique solid cannabinoid delivery systems using PGX technology.
  • Published Results from a collaborative project with University of Alberta researchers in Journal of Supercritical Fluids in an article titled Preparation of PGX-dried gum arabic and its loading with coQ10 by adsorptive precipitation.”
  • Continued to monitor stability studies for liquid beta glucan and avenanthramides produced at a new manufacturing site as well as for the pharmaceutical-grade dry powder formulation of avenanthramides to be used in a human bioavailability study.
  • Developed new PGX-dried chemical complexes like sodium alginate and gum arabic impregnated with coenzyme Q10 demonstrating the versatility of the PGX technology and the potential to develop significant bioactives delivery systems.

Technology:

  • Advanced conversations with interested potential partners to out-license applications developed using Ceapro’s innovative technology.
  • Conducted a technical assessment of available equipment in Europe and North America and are actively evaluating locations for a future commercial scale-up of the PGX technology.
  • Advanced research and development efforts to pursue the development of new PGX-dried chemical complexes for potential applications under various forms like pills, capsules, fast dissolving strips and face masks.
  • Executed on research collaboration projects with Universities of Alberta and McMaster for the impregnation of various bio actives using PGX-processed dry beta glucan as a potential delivery system for multiple applications in healthcare.
  • Subsequent to quarter, announced research project with McMaster University for PGX-processed yeast beta glucan as a potential treatment for COVID-19 patients.

Corporate:

  • Hired an international consulting firm to support licensing activities.
  • Secured DTC Eligibility for publicly traded shares under Ticker OTCQZ: CRPOF.
  • Increased Company exposure through investor relations activities.

Financial Highlights for the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2020

  • Total sales of $4,273,000 for the first quarter of 2020 compared to $3,197,000 for the comparative period in 2019; an increase of 34% over last year. Avenanthramides sales volumes increased by 68% for Q1 2020 vs Q1 2019.
  • Net income after taxes of $1,126,000 for the first quarter of 2020 compared to a net loss after taxes of $637,000 for the comparative period in 2019.
  • Research and Development of $503,000 in Q1 2020 vs $801,000 in 2019. This decreased investment was partly due to a slowdown of recruitment of patients for the beta glucan trial during the pandemic crisis.
  • Cash generated from operations of $531,000 in Q1 2020 vs. cash flows generated from operations of $367,000 in Q1 2019.
  • Positive working capital balance of $6,263,817 as of March 31, 2020.

“As we respond to the potential impacts and uncertainties of COVID-19 by taking the necessary steps to preserve our financial position, we continue to execute on our transition to a new business model from a contract manufacturer to a biopharmaceutical company. We remain dedicated to executing on our milestones ahead and depending on the pandemic situation, look forward to what we believe will be an exciting year,” concluded Mr. Gagnon.

CEAPRO INC.    
Consolidated Balance Sheets    
Unaudited    
     
  March 31, December 31,
  2020 2019
  $ $
     
ASSETS    
Current Assets    
Cash and cash equivalents 2,254,986 1,857,195
Trade receivables 3,923,939 3,659,541
Other receivables 70,888 46,812
Inventories (note 3) 1,016,858 669,005
Prepaid expenses and deposits 233,094 178,908
     
  7,499,765 6,411,461
Non-Current Assets    
Investment tax credits receivable 607,700 607,700
Deposits 85,755 85,755
Licences (note 4) 20,736 21,477
Property and equipment (note 5) 19,324,874 19,764,122
Deferred tax assets 378,643 378,643
     
  20,417,708 20,857,697
     
TOTAL ASSETS 27,917,473 27,269,158
     
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY    
Current Liabilities    
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 827,761 1,291,204
Current portion of long-term debt (note 6) 63,899 111,865
Current portion of lease liabilities (note 7) 268,611 265,123
Current portion of CAAP loan (note 9) 75,677 72,942
     
  1,235,948 1,741,134
Non-Current Liabilities    
Long-term lease liabilities (note 7) 2,707,152 2,775,627
CAAP loan (note 9) 63,953 61,580
Deferred tax liabilities 378,643 378,643
     
  3,149,748 3,215,850
     
TOTAL LIABILITIES 4,385,696 4,956,984
     
Equity    
Share capital (note 8 (b)) 16,503,089 16,401,677
Contributed surplus (note 8 (e)) 4,642,226 4,650,090
Retained earnings 2,386,462 1,260,407
     
  23,531,777 22,312,174
     
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 27,917,473 27,269,158
     


CEAPRO INC.      
Consolidated Statements of Net Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Unaudited      
       
       
  2020   2019  
Three Months Ended March 31, $   $  
       
Revenue (note 15) 4,273,374   3,196,930  
Cost of goods sold 1,901,223   1,840,298  
       
Gross margin 2,372,151   1,356,632  
       
Research and product development 502,542   800,504  
General and administration 865,034   733,019  
Sales and marketing 48,228   107,678  
Finance costs (note 12) 101,609   108,374  
       
Income (loss) from operations 854,738   (392,943 )
       
Other income (expenses) (note 11) 271,317   (243,685 )
       
Income (loss) before tax 1,126,055   (636,628 )
       
Income taxes -   -  
       
Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period 1,126,055   (636,628 )
       
Net income (loss) per common share (note 18):      
Basic 0.01   (0.01 )
Diluted 0.01   (0.01 )
       
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding (note 18):  
Basic 77,538,314   77,046,786  
Diluted 77,880,861   77,046,786  
         


CEAPRO INC.    
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows    
Unaudited    
     
  2020   2019  
Three Months Ended March 31, $   $  
OPERATING ACTIVITIES    
Net income (loss) for the period adjusted for non-cash and working capital items 1,126,055   (636,628 )
Adjustments for items not involving cash    
Finance costs 40,947   43,703  
Transaction costs 554   2,526  
Depreciation and amortization 460,088   456,209  
Foreign exchange gain on long-term debt -   (307 )
Accretion 5,108   7,145  
Share-based payments 93,548   97,628  
Net income (loss) for the period adjusted for non-cash items 1,726,300   (29,724 )
CHANGES IN NON-CASH WORKING CAPITAL ITEMS    
Trade receivables (264,398 ) 490,366  
Other receivables (24,076 ) 11,515  
Inventories (347,853 ) (257,846 )
Prepaid expenses and deposits (54,186 ) 46,008  
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities relating to operating activities (463,443 ) 150,553  
Total changes in non-cash working capital items (1,153,956 ) 440,596  
         
Net income (loss) for the period adjusted for non-cash and working capital items 572,344   410,872  
Interest paid (40,947 ) (43,703 )
CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATIONS 531,397   367,169  
INVESTING ACTIVITIES    
Purchase of property and equipment (20,099 ) (14,754 )
Deposits relating to investment in equipment -   (53,239 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities relating to investing activities -   (3,458 )
CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES (20,099 ) (71,451 )
FINANCING ACTIVITIES    
Stock options exercised -   1,283  
Repayment of long-term debt (48,520 ) (164,963 )
Repayment of lease liabilities (64,987 ) (76,053 )
CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES (113,507 ) (239,733 )
Increase in cash and cash equivalents 397,791   55,985  
     
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 1,857,195   1,844,134  
     
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period 2,254,986   1,900,119  
         

The complete financial statements are available for review on SEDAR at https://www.sedar.com/DisplayProfile.do?lang=EN&issuerType=03&issuerNo=00010110 and on the Company’s website at www.ceapro.com.

About Ceapro Inc.

Ceapro Inc. is a Canadian biotechnology company involved in the development of proprietary extraction technology and the application of this technology to the production of extracts and “active ingredients” from oats and other renewable plant resources. Ceapro adds further value to its extracts by supporting their use in cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and therapeutics products for humans and animals. The Company has a broad range of expertise in natural product chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, immunology and process engineering. These skills merge in the fields of active ingredients, biopharmaceuticals and drug-delivery solutions. For more information on Ceapro, please visit the Company’s website at www.ceapro.com.

For more information contact:

Jenene Thomas
JTC Team, LLC
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Advisor
T (US): +1 (833) 475-8247
E: czo@jtcir.com

Issuer:
Gilles R. Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA
President & CEO
T: 780-421-4555

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


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Source: Ceapro Inc.