REYKJAVIK, Iceland, August 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- deCODE genetics (Nasdaq:DCGN) today announced its consolidated financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2009. A conference call to discuss these results and recent developments in the company's business will be webcast live tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11, at 8:00am Eastern Daylight Time/12 noon GMT/1pm British Summer Time (details below).

The financial results presented below reflect deCODE's strategic focus on utilizing its leadership in human genetics to develop and commercialize DNA-based risk assessment tests, personal genome scans, and intellectual property. deCODE is pursuing various options aimed at underpinning and advancing product development and commercialization in this core business. One likely component of this effort is the sale of some or all of deCODE's US medicinal chemistry and structural biology units. Although these units continue to operate and contribute to deCODE, in view of their prospective sale the company has accounted for these businesses as 'discontinued operations.' With the exception of combined net loss figures, the operating results discussed below are thus all for deCODE's continuing operations in its core business of employing the company's capabilities in gene discovery to advance DNA-based diagnostics, personal genome analysis, intellectual property licensing opportunities, and contract genotyping. The results of operations and related cashflows from deCODE's US operations, and for the company's core and US operations combined, for the three and six-month periods ended June 30, 2009 and 2008, are broken out in the table at the end of this presentation.

Net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 was $12.1 million, compared to $17.6 million for the second quarter 2008. Net loss for the first six months of 2009 was $24.3 million, compared to $43.6 million for the first six months of last year. Figures for both 2008 periods include non-operating losses resulting from the revaluation of auction rate securities (ARS) then held by the company. Basic and diluted net loss per share was $0.20 and $0.39 for the second quarter and first six months of 2009, respectively, compared to $0.29 and $0.71 for the same periods last year. At June 30, 2009, the company had approximately 61.8 million shares outstanding. For continuing and discontinued operations combined, net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 was $13.1 million, compared to $18.4 million for the second quarter 2008. Net loss for the first six months of 2009 for combined operations was $25.8 million, compared to $45.0 million for the first six months of last year. Basic and diluted net loss per share for combined operations was $0.21 and $0.42 for the second quarter and first six months of 2009, respectively, compared to $0.30 and $0.73 for the 2008 periods.

Revenue for the second quarter 2009 was $3.5 million, versus $9.0 million for the second quarter last year. Revenue for the first half of 2009 was $7.6 million, compared to $18.1 million for the first half 2008. These figures reflect the impact of lower year-on-year contract service revenues. At June 30, 2009, the company had $21.3 million in deferred revenue, to be recognized over future reporting periods, including the upfront payment from the Celera partnership signed in April.

Research and development expense for proprietary programs was $2.8 million for the second quarter of this year, compared to $8.0 million for the same period last year. For the first six months of the year, research and development expense was $6.9 million in 2009 and $20.6 million in 2008. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $4.3 million for the second quarter 2009, compared to $5.9 million for the second quarter 2008, and $8.6 million for the first half 2009 versus $11.7 million for the first half of last year. These figures reflect the company's current focus on controlling costs in its core genetics activities creating intellectual property and novel content for its diagnostic tests, deCODEme scans, and outlicensing opportunities, as well as costs related to the restructuring of the company.

At June 30, 2009, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $3.8 million, compared to $3.7 million at December 31, 2008. In early 2009 the company sold its ARS for approximately $11.0 million in cash, and in April the company signed licensing agreements with Celera Corporation under which it received an upfront payment and will receive royalties on sales of Celera testing products and services incorporating deCODE genetic risk markers. The company believes it has sufficient resources to fund operations only into the latter half of the third quarter.