Derma Sciences, Inc. (Derma Sciences), a wound care devices company, has reported net sales of $50.19 million for the full year of 2008, up 47.1%, compared with the net sales of $34.13 million in the previous year-end. It has reported a net loss of $3.96 million or $0.10 per share, for the full year of 2008, compared with a net loss of $2.28 million or $0.09 per share, in the previous year-end.
Chairman and chief executive officer Ed Quilty commented, ‘Our advanced wound care products made great strides in 2008. Sales for our silver alginate product, ALGICELL(R) Ag, nearly doubled to over $1.1 million. Sales of our MEDIHONEY product, launched in October 2007, grew consistently each quarter, and ended the year at $1.5 million in 2008 versus $0.1 million for the final three months of 2007. MEDIHONEY continues to get great media coverage, typified by a cluster of television and print articles reporting that the product was credited for saving a patient’s leg from having to be amputated at Long Island Jewish Hospital in January 2009. Its coverage in medical journals continues to be strong, as seven separate articles on the emerging use of MEDIHONEY were published in the major wound care journals since December of 2008.
‘In the fourth quarter and early 2009, we launched three additional promising new products,’ Quilty stated. ‘Our proprietary lines now include the TCC-EZ(TM) Total Contact Casting system, XTRASORB(TM) Super Absorbent Dressings and the MOBILITY1(TM) Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy system for ambulatory patients. Last month we received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for the marketing and sale of BIOGUARD(TM) Barrier Dressings, our novel line of infection control products. We are also pleased to report that patients are currently enrolling into the Phase II efficacy study of DSC127, a novel angiotensin analog licensed from the University of Southern California in November 2007 for use in wound healing and scar reduction. The great synergies between all these innovative products will get us closer to our goal of becoming a leader in the $4.1 billion advanced wound care market.’
At December 31, the Company had a current ratio of 1.6:1. Total assets were $36.2 million vs total liabilities of $14.8 million. Shareholder’s equity grew to $21.4 million, or approximately $0.53 per share. Quilty pointed out that the Company’s common stock is trading below book value, in spite of growing sales and successful proprietary products added to the company’s portfolio. ‘It’s a sign of the times,’ he said, ‘but clearly not a satisfactory valuation from our point of view. We will stick to our strategic plan, reduce expenses wherever we are able to without adversely affecting our products and customer service, and continue to build sales and value for our shareholders.
‘Getting through a difficult economic time like this requires hard work and dedication on the part of our staff, and a willingness to follow financial priorities rigorously,’ Quilty continued. ‘The integration of our FAD acquired in November 2007 was more costly than we had expected in 2008, and we had to continue working in a high-cost plant until we successfully transitioned manufacturing. Although that manufacturing transition took significantly longer than expected, we achieved our target margins for FAD in Q4. We expect further margin improvements in 2009, and we anticipate continuously improving EBITDA and cash flow as well.’