AxoGen Inc (AXGN) 2025 Q3 法說會逐字稿

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  • Operator

  • Good morning. Joining me on today's call is Michael Dale, AxoGen 's Chief Executive Officer and Board Director and Lindsey Hartley, Chief Financial Officer. Michael will discuss 3rd Quarter of 2025 financial results and corporate highlights. Lindsay will then provide details on financial performance, guidance, and overall outlook for the year. This will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Today's call and presentation is being webcast live via webcast which is available on the investors section of Axoen's website. Following the end of the live call, a replay will be available in the investors section of the company's website at www.AxoGeninc.com.

  • Before we get started, I'd like to remind you that during the conference call, the company will make projections and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements relating to financial guidance, market development priorities, estimated market opportunities, timing for future product and application launches. And the company's expectations for approval of the biologics license application for Avance Nerve Graft in December 2025, including the anticipated timing of approval and the assumption that advanced nerve graft will be designated as a reference product for any future biosimilar nerve graft and that such designation will provide marketplace exclusivity.

  • Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the risks and uncertainties reflected in the company's SEC filings, including its most recent Form 10K.

  • The forward-looking statements are represented only as of the date they are made, and except as required by applicable law, the company assumes no responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

  • In addition, for a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures, please refer to today's press release, presentation with highlights from today's call, and the corporate presentation on the investment section of the company's website. I'll now turn the call over to Michael.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thank you, operator, and welcome to everyone joining us this morning as we discuss our 3rd Quarter 2025 financial results. I will begin today's call with a financial and corporate overview highlighting our progress through the 3rd Quarter and year-to-date implementing our strategic plan, followed by an update on the Biologics License Application or BLA for our Avance Nerve Graft. I will then pass the call to Lindsay to review the quarter's financials and outlook for the remainder of 2025, and then we will open the lines for question-and-answer session.

  • As remarked in this morning's earnings release, we are delighted with our 3rd Quarter performance and progress year-to-date for the business. Our strong revenue growth and notable milestone achievements during the quarter further validate our strategic plan objectives and market development strategies, and importantly, AxoGen's ability to operationally execute our plans. Indeed, I am proud of our executive team in each of the respective operating functions at AxoGen for the performance year-to-date that is at or above plan.

  • Looking ahead, we will continue to optimize our business models based on experience and have confidence in our ability to continue delivering growth consistent with the guidance we have provided for our strategic plan in both the near and longer-term. Regarding the quarter, Q3 sales increased to $60.1 million growing 23.5% compared to the same period last year. This performance reflects double-digit growth across all of our nerve repair target markets, including extremities, oral maxillofacial, and head, neck, and breast. Consistent with prior quarters, our growth is driven by expanding adoption of nerve care using AxoGen's nerve algorithm for the treatment of all types of peripheral nerve injuries, including traumatic, iatrogenic, and chronic nerve injuries. The advanced nerve graft is the primary growth driver often complemented based on the clinical situation by one or more of our nerve repair connection protection or termination products. In extremities, we continue to execute our high potential account strategy with solid growth in both traumatic and chronic nerve injury procedures in the quarter. In OMF and head and neck, search and adoption of the action algorithm during the quarter was strong across all products, excuse me, all procedures, but particularly in mandible reconstruction procedures. And likewise in breast, we continue to see strong adoption of our breast-resensation techniques supported by new surgeon activation, increased procedure volume and implant-based reconstruction cases, and the expansion of our commercial infrastructure.

  • In summary, we are encouraged by the broad-based adoption of our nerve care portfolio and momentum across each of our three target markets. To assess our progress, we continue to monitor key metrics tied to our plan in 2025 strategic priorities, including high potential accounts, commercial expansion, professional education, new product development, clinical research, and prostate market development.

  • I'll begin with an update on our performance and growth in high potential accounts. We continue to focus on expanding our presence in these accounts to drive more consistent customer creation, algorithm adoption, and improvements in Salesforce productivity. Our goal for 2025 is to generate at least 66% of total revenue growth from high potential accounts and average count productivity of 21%.

  • Through the first three quarters, approximately 64% of revenue growth was driven by high potential accounts based on an average account productivity of 19%. These results are slightly below our planned target, but notably the result of the fact that we are also seeing double-digit revenue growth and account productivity growth year-to-date in our non-high potential designated accounts as well. Growth in all account types was amplified in the quarter by the discontinuation of our case stock sales program for advanced nerve graft in preparation for the anticipated BLA approval. These sales program previously allowed for advanced nerve grafts to be shipped for a case for an unused product to be returned to AxoGen.

  • With the discontinuation of the K-stock program, previous K-stock customers are transitioning to either order by direct sale or consignment. This shift in purchasing behavior contributed to our top-line performance and reduced revenue growth from high potential accounts by an estimated 4%. To be clear, high potential account growth was actually quite strong on an absolute basis. While it appears lower than last quarter, it's really just a function of the denominator getting larger because of the nice high potential base is performing better as well. The underlying fundamentals in all account types remains very positive, and after accounting for the case stock impact in the 3rd Quarter, we continue to realize that our focus on high potential accounts is enabling broader, more enduring adoption of nerve care and as such, more predictable growth.

  • During the first three quarters of 2025, there were 668 active high potential accounts of the approximately, 780 accounts that meet our high potential criteria, which represents an increase of 8 accounts or 1.2% as compared to the first three quarters of 2024.

  • Regarding our 2025 commercial infrastructure expansion goals, as of the end of the third quarter, we are now at or ahead of our high-end plan for each target market. And breast, we ended the quarter with 22 breast re-sensation sales specialists and two regional sales directors. We have met our goal to double the breast sales force in 2025 by the end of the year. To support broader adoption in non-breast markets, we ended the quarter with 125 sales professionals, including 15 regional sales directors.

  • In OMF and head and neck, we ended the quarter with 4 field-based market development managers. Surgeon training remains a core component of our customer creation and nerve repair algorithm adoption. Execution of our 2025 professional education programs are on track, and we fully expect to meet our 2025 surgeon training targets.

  • In breast, we have trained 62 surgeon pairs year-to-date with one program planned in the 4th quarter. We are confident we will meet our 2025 target of 75 surgeon pairs trained. Active breast re-sensation programs increased 7% in the third quarter of 2024, from 113 to 121. We estimate 281 surgeons performed a breast re-sensation procedure in the 3rd Quarter, which represents a 20% increase versus the 3rd Quarter of 2024.

  • In extremities, we have trained 97 surgeons year-to-date, of which 30 were trained in the 3rd Quarter with 3 additional programs planned in the 4th quarter. We expect to meet our 2025 target of 105 surgeons trained.

  • In OMF and head and neck, we have trained 57 surgeons year-to-date, up 16 from second quarter 2025, exceeding our 2025 target of 45 surgeons trained.

  • Next, I will provide an update on our clinical research priorities. We continue to advance our 2025 initiatives and are on track to complete a level 1 study protocol for implant-based neurotization, a clinical evidence plan for advanced versus autographed and mixed motor nerves, and a clinical evidence plan for oral maxillofacial and head neck.

  • Regarding research and development, as we have outlined in our strategic plan, innovation remains critical to our long-term growth through the 3 quarters of the 1st 3 quarters of the year, we continue to progress and advance our innovation platform across three pillars. Those include therapeutic reconstruction, ease of cooptation, and protection expansion.

  • Consistent with our clinical research objectives to build evidence in support of nerve care, in the 3rd Quarter, we received meaningful external validation of Axogen differentiated technologies and leadership in peripheral nerve repair. 10 new peer reviewed publications cited clinical uses for discussion of our products, bringing our total nerve repair related literature body to 339 publications.

  • This growing body of evidence underscores the clinical relevance and impact of our solutions. Notably, there has been a 70% increase in the number of nerve repair publications in the last 5 years, reflecting in part the growing experience and interest in nerve repair. For those interested, all peer reviewed studies are available on our website.

  • During the 3rd Quarter, we also saw significant validation from medical societies. Both the American Association of Hand Surgery and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery released official position statements recognizing nerve allograft as a non-experimental and medically necessary standard medical practice option for the treatment of peripheral nerve defects.

  • These position statements add to the previously released clinical practice guidelines from the American Association of Oral and maxillofacial Surgeons. Together, these endorsements mark a critical step towards establishing peripheral nerve repair with allograft as a recognized standard of care, and we believe this support will be helpful in our efforts to expand coverage.

  • On the coverage and reimbursement front, we continue to see non-coverage policies removed within the Blue Cross Blue Shield network and within Medicare Advantage for nerve care, resulting in an estimated 1.1 million newly covered lives in the third quarter.

  • Year-to-date, we estimate 18.1 million additional lives are now covered for nerve repair for peripheral nerve injuries using synthetic conduits or allografts. This expansion brings coverage amongst commercial payers to more than 64%, reflecting continued momentum and expanding access.

  • And finally, I will provide an update on our prostate clinical and market development plan. We remain enthusiastic about the opportunity to improve nerve function outcomes in robotic assisted radical prostatectomy and are actively collaborating with key opinion leaders to advance surgical technique development.

  • During the 3rd Quarter, our clinical development team provided field-based support to surgeons and clinical sites incorporating nerve repair into the robotic assisted prostatectomy cases. We added 4 new clinical sites during the 3rd Quarter, bringing our total to 10 active sites meeting our year-end goal. Procedures are ongoing, and we remain on track to complete 100 cases by year end.

  • Before I hand it over to Lindsay, I would like to address the status of our biologic license application for advanced nerve graft. In August, the FDA extended the PDUFA goal date from September to December 5, 2025. In the communication from the FDA, it stated that a recent submission by AxoGen, a facility and manufacturing information provided in a response to an FDA information request constituted a major amendment to our BLA for the advanced nerve graft submission, which resulted in the 3-month extension.

  • Since our last public update, interactions with FDA have expanded to all elements of the BLA application. Based on these interactions, we remain confident we will successfully complete the application process, consistent with the new December 5 PDUFA date. The BLA approval will secure 12 years of market exclusivity from biosimilar nerve allografts and establish advanced nerve graft as the only implantable biologic indicated for the repair of functional deficits in peripheral nerves. With this, I will now turn it over to Lindsay.

  • Lindsey Hartley - Chief Financial Officer

  • Thanks, Mike. I'm pleased to report our third quarter results. We reported strong growth with revenue of $60.1million, reflecting a 23.5% growth compared to the third quarter of 2024, and a 6% sequential increase over the second quarter of 2025. Revenue growth continues to be fueled by strong sales of advanced nerve graft and the adoption of our comprehensive product algorithm across our target market, with unit volume and mix serving as the primary driver of our performance revenue performance.

  • As Mike noted during our 3rd Quarter, we successfully ended our pay stock sales program for advanced nerve graft in preparation of the anticipated BLA approval. We estimate our revenue for the 3rd Quarter was positively impacted by 1.6 million, or 3% as the result of customers transitioning away from purchasing advance through the case stock program and ordering through direct sales.

  • Our gross profit for the quarter came in at $46 million, up from 36.4 million in the third quarter of 2024 and $42 million in the second quarter of 2025. This represents a gross margin of 76.6%, up from 74.9% in the same period last year, and up from 74.2% in the second quarter of 2025. The year over year increase and sequential increase from second quarter were primarily driven by lower inventory write-offs and reduced shipping costs on products sold. These gains were partially offset by modestly higher product costs, which had a minimal impact of less than 0.5% point on gross margin compared to those periods.

  • Gross margin for the first three quarters of 2025 was 74.4%, 1.3% less than the first three quarters of 2024. The decrease of gross margin for the first three quarters of 2025 was driven by a 1.9% increase in year over year product cost. Product cost increased as a result of the transition of processing advanced nerve graft to our Axogen processing center and costs related to additional steps and tests required as we approach the transition to processing as a biologic anticipated in December.

  • We expect the cost of our advanced product to decrease over time as we gain economies of scale at the Axogen processing center, and once the BLA is approved, we can begin implementing more significant continuous improvement programs. Our operating expenses increased to 44.1 million, up from 36.8 million in the third quarter of 2024, and as a percentage of revenue decreased 2.2 million%, highlighting our ability to increase our operating leverage.

  • Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total revenue were up nearly 4% to 42.7% from 38.9% in the third quarter of 2024.

  • Research and development expenses increased 8.1% to 7.6 million from 7 million in the third quarter of 2024. As a percentage of total revenue, research and development expenses were down 1.8% to 12.6% from 14.4% in the third quarter of 2024.

  • General and administrative expenses remained flat, quarter over quarter at 10.8 million. As a percentage of total revenues, general and administrative expenses were down 4.2% to 18.1% from 22.3% in the third quarter of 2024.

  • Net income for the quarter was 0.7 million or $0.01 per share compared to a net loss of $1.9 million or $0.04 per share in the third quarter of 2024.

  • Adjusted net income for the quarter was $6.1 million or $0.12 per share compared to an adjusted net income of $3.1 million or $0.07 per share in the third quarter of 2024.

  • Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was 9.2 million compared to an adjusted EBITDA of 6.5 million in the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved 210 basis points to 15.4% from 13.3% in the same period last year, driven by revenue growth and increased operating leverage.

  • As of September 30th, our balance of cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments increased 3.9 million to 39.8 million from 35.9 million at the end of the second quarter of 2025. I am pleased to report that for the first three quarters of 2025, our balance of cash equivalents, restricted cash, and investments increased 0.3 million from a balance of 39.5 million on December 31 of 2024, demonstrating our ability to be free cash flow positive for the year.

  • Now turning to our full year financial guidance for 2025.

  • We are raising our revenue growth guidance to at least 19%, or revenue of at least 222.8 million. We reiterate our gross margin in the range of 73% to 75%, inclusive of one-time costs related to the BLA approval for advanced nerve grafts, which we are expecting to impact growth margin by approximately 1% or $2 million.

  • As a reminder, these costs will be incurred around the anticipated BLA approval date, currently expected in December. Also, we estimate that 2/3 of these costs relate to the vesting of our BLA milestone-related stock compensation awards and our non-cash.

  • We continue to expect to be net cash flow positive for the year. In summary, we are very pleased with our 3rd Quarter performance and the progress we have made. We remain focused on executing our strategy, investing in innovation, optimizing our resource allocation, and driving towards profitability. With that, we will now open the line for questions, operator.

  • Operator

  • Thank you.

  • [Operator instructions].

  • First question comes from the line of Chris...

  • Chris - Analyst

  • Congrats on the next quarter.

  • If I look back at the last few years, your fourth quarter revenue tends to be up slightly compared to 3. I know guidance is for at least 19% growth, so you're leaving the door open for something better than that. But at 19%, it would imply a 4% sequential decline. So, I want to make sure we understand how to think about this case stock program transition and whether that 1.6 million. Was in effect kind of pulled forward from 4Q into 3Q. And then there's anything else about the dynamics this year that we should be keeping in mind as we're updating our models, especially related to the BLA decision date would love to sort of.

  • Lindsey Hartley - Chief Financial Officer

  • Thanks, Chris. For our 4th quarter, we are expecting our typical seasonality, but in giving our guidance, we have been prudent as, because of the case stock program.

  • During the third quarter, we saw an increase of 1.6 million related to these customers transitioning mostly to direct sales. We could discontinue that program September 1st, so we're just 1 month in. So, we're still trying to get a grasp on what that full potential impact could be and if that was a one-time pick up as a result of a shift to direct sales. So, when modeling, I would exclude the 1.6 million that we saw from the KSO program in Q3.

  • Chris - Analyst

  • Okay, that's helpful. And then, looking ahead to 2026, consensus is right now betting about 16% revenue growth. You've actually done better than that now, three quarters in a row, but that's obviously going to create some tougher comps as well. I know you guys will give formal guidance in February, but just curious if there's any directional comments, you'd like to make now about how you're thinking about next year and maybe some of the key puts and takes, across the business.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Hi, Chris. We're not prepared at this point to give any color in 2026 beyond the general statement that we remain very positive about the business and have full confidence in the strategic plan. I realize you guys are looking for more granularity in that, but not ready to provide that.

  • Chris - Analyst

  • All right, thanks.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Michael Sharone.

  • Michael Sharone - Analyst

  • Hey, good morning and thanks for taking the questions. I guess just to start on the BLA, thanks for all the color, Mike. In the press release you had put out in late August, you mentioned the FDA was targeting November to maybe start talks around around the label. Is this still the expectation? And then I guess just the follow-up I'll throw out there just on the labeling front. Can you comment on, how you're thinking about, the label in terms of, being broad versus narrow, and you've made some good progress with the medical societies. Does the FDA, take that into account when kind of thinking about the label? Thanks.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Sure, with regards to the last part of your question, we do not know, explicitly whether or not the FDA takes that information into account, so I can't comment definitively. With regards to label, as I mentioned in my comments a moment ago, we have expanded already into all parts of the BL application to include a scope of label. And hence, why I was able to provide some color that based upon those interactions we believe that we will continue to serve the full scope of patient indications that we have been serving historically, so no diminution of our ability to provide support service for mixed and motor nerve. Patients, as we have historically.

  • Michael Sharone - Analyst

  • Great, thanks, Mike.

  • Operator

  • Our next question comes in the line of Caitlin Roberts with Canaccord Genuity.

  • Caitlin Roberts - Analyst

  • Congrats on the quarter and thanks for taking the questions. I guess just to start off, yeah, hi, I guess just to start off in terms of the commercial coverage, I mean, pretty impressive move up from last quarter, I mean, do you see this plateauing at a certain point prior to the BLA or can you give any more color in terms of the trajectory going forward?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Well, I think it's... I I'll tell you what, I'll let Rick answer that question.

  • Rick Ditto - VP, Global Health Economics, Reimbursement & Policy

  • All right, hey Caitlin. Great question. So, the increase in our percentage of commercially covered lives primarily reflects the refinement in our data. So, we acquired a data set that tracks health plan enrollment by state and metro area, and so that that is the main driver of the uplift from 55% coverage to 64% coverage.

  • We're really excited with the progress we've made and we're a few weeks away from engaging the national payers. There are 3 big national payers that currently list this investigational experimental and so that work is ongoing. I've been here 7 months, and I would say we're probably 5 or 6 months ahead of the initial plans on when we would engage them, so the society supports helpful.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • We're not going to speculate on when those payers will flip policy to cover us, but we're marching forward in our pursuit of making nerve repair and expected standard of care, and we're happy with the progress. The way we look at it in our strategic plan over time, Caitlin, is to use that phrase I often use like little engine that could. It's going to become fits and starts, but it's going to keep going up into the right simply because factually and objectively we have the information to justify these asks. What was what's happening over the last 12 months and going forward is that we are methodically engaging with the payers with regards to the information they need. And processes they utilize so that we can make these asks and when you do, when you have the high ground objectively to make the ask, most of the time you're going to win and so that that's really what's underway in the effort that Rick and his team is leading and all we can say is so far so good.

  • Caitlin Roberts - Analyst

  • That's awesome, thanks so much. And then just as a follow-up, Lindsey, I don't think I heard the breakdown in revenue growth this quarter between price and volume and mixed. Do you have that available?

  • Lindsey Hartley - Chief Financial Officer

  • Yeah, we're seeing about this typical, increase from price, our mix is the same as what we see historically.

  • Caitlin Roberts - Analyst

  • Okay, great. Thank you so much.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Jayson Bedford from Raymond James.

  • Jayson Bedford - Equity Research

  • Good morning and congrats on the progress. Maybe just a quick financial. Hey, Mike, the case stock program that was there, I realized it's relatively small, but was there any impact on gross margin either in Q3 or an expected impact in Q4?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • From [case] stock specifically?

  • Jayson Bedford - Equity Research

  • Yeah, on the on the gross margin line.

  • Lindsey Hartley - Chief Financial Officer

  • We're not seeing it yet. In the future, we do anticipate some savings just from the nature of that program. It required a lot of additional resources shipping back and forth. With one month in right now, it's hard to say what that total impact is going to be, but we hope to see in the next quarter or two.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • But there will be no negative impact. The only question is to what degree, the [case stock] program was not a very efficient program.

  • Jayson Bedford - Equity Research

  • Okay. Internationally, I think historically you've talked about addressing the international market, I'm just wondering what the timing is and is it somewhat dependent on the BLA at all?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Completely hinge connected to the BLA in terms of any formative efforts going forward. So, until we actually have that and then can then re-engage with competent authorities overseas, we're not going to make any significant investment changes.

  • Jayson Bedford - Equity Research

  • Okay, thank you.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • So bottom line, at some point during the first half of 2026, we'll come to a conclusion as to what we will do and where we will do it, and then we'll be providing updates at that point.

  • Jayson Bedford - Equity Research

  • Helpful, thank you.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes from Michael Jacks at Lee Equity Partners.

  • Michael Jacks - Vice President

  • Hi, everyone. Congrats on the strong quarter. You provided some really helpful color on the dynamics between high productivity accounts and other accounts. So, what seems to be driving some of the adoption in the non-high productivity accounts, and have you seen any signs of utilization growth in those or how you could convert some of those to high productivity accounts over time? Thanks.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Sure, are you on the call still?

  • Rick Ditto - VP, Global Health Economics, Reimbursement & Policy

  • I am.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Go ahead.

  • Rick Ditto - VP, Global Health Economics, Reimbursement & Policy

  • So, yeah, so our strategy continues to be really focusing the majority of our efforts in the high potential cohort, which is about 800, accounts. The reason for focusing, in that segment, is because that's where the majority of the nurse repair. Takes place in the hospital segment. Now we do have, of course, a lot of other accounts, and the progress that we've been making and the support that we're getting from societies and the increased awareness of the Axogen nerve repair algorithm also. Basically, means that you have more procedures adopting the exigent algorithm outside of our hyper potential focus. So, in some ways the progress that we're making within these academic institutions also has a spillover effect in the other non-hyperemia accounts.

  • Michael Jacks - Vice President

  • Understood. Thanks very much.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes in line of Ross Osborn from Cantor Fitzgerald.

  • Ross Osborn - Director, Lead Research Analyst

  • Hi, good morning. Thanks for taking our questions. So, what are the next steps for targeting the prostate market following the completion of your targeted 100 procedures by your end?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • At the conclusion of the initial clinical trials that we're running and development of the procedure guides, we will follow those patients, and we will evaluate those outcomes.

  • And based upon those outcomes, that will determine the velocity that we invest thereafter. So we're assuming it will be positive, but we are watching and Realistically, we won't see the clinical feedback on that initial 100 patients that we are enrolling in this trial until sometime towards the middle part of 2026 at the earliest. In the meantime, what we are doing. In terms of work product is we are further characterizing the market, refining the support plans and beginning the process to think through what would be required in terms of a control study, level one type studies. So that's what's underway with prostate.

  • Ross Osborn - Director, Lead Research Analyst

  • Perfect. And then outside of prostate, would you provide some more color on where you stand on generating level one evidence across your portfolio?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • So, we have protocols in development, with respect to breast, and then, we will have the same, really for each of the segments to be prioritized, we will have one or more studies, that will be looking to kick off formally during 2026.

  • Actual dates and timing of that have not been confirmed, but as soon as we do, we will update everyone publicly.

  • Ross Osborn - Director, Lead Research Analyst

  • Thanks for taking our questions and congrats on progress.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thank you.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of David Turkaly with Citizens JMP.

  • David Turkaly - Analyst

  • Hey, good morning. Like I know the society updates are, positive and I know you've been working on them for a while, but I was curious if you could just comment on sort of the process there and maybe why you think this happened kind of right in front of the BLA. Is there anything to read into that?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Well, fortunately, it's serendipitously coincidental, but this is really a process of socialization of clinical evidence and the society's understanding that for nerve care to go forward, they, as the leaders of their membership need to take an effort formally.

  • To provide the guidelines and the expectations because that's part of their duties and roles as a society and for any novel therapies until societies do that, it's very difficult for these types of new therapies to be adopted to go forward. And furthermore, it directly impacts coverage and payment as coverage and payment is really driven by medical care and clinical guidelines.

  • David Turkaly - Analyst

  • And then just as a quick follow-up, is there any thoughts on sort of Your other products, maybe the lines and such in terms of the societies may be looking at them and maybe having a policy at some point down the line that may include them or incorporate them as well.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • There is nothing imminent in that regard and frankly it will be really dependent upon evidence in the future for them to take up the mantle of something like that, and that's work that still has to be done. So, some of these algorithms that are being adopted are things that people believe in based on their clinical practice and experience, but objectively we also need to develop the evidence to support them the way you want to create, to put them into the guidelines. So that's underway, but that won't happen this year and unlikely to actually complete next year either, more like a 2027 event.

  • Operator

  • Our next question comes from the line of Frank Takkinen with Lake Street Capital Markets.

  • Frank Takkinen - Senior Research Analyst

  • Great thanks for taking the questions. Hey Mike, thanks for taking the questions. Congrats on the next quarter. I was hoping to start with some more guideline commentary as well. How should we think about impacts commercially? Can you do anything differently? Would you maybe pull hiring forward even more? Sounds like you've already been hiring a little faster than anticipated, but with some of these, positive guidelines, do you change strategy and get a little bit more aggressive in any of those areas?

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • No, we won't change strategy, although I think maybe to provide open clarity on this, what we have decided is with respect to the strategic plan is we will incrementally hire on a quarterly basis across all target markets. So, we believe that we do not touch every customer and in every opportunity. And that the most important thing we can do for our therapies to ensure that we have coverage in order to develop use of nerve care in all locations of service. So, to that end, and we'll continue to update everybody, but actually will be. Incrementally expanding the sales footprint for several years going forward on an incremental basis, but we will also do that within the constraints we previously described in terms of financials. So, we'll do this with our operating cash flow, and we'll do this only as we can maintain positive leverage.

  • Frank Takkinen - Senior Research Analyst

  • Got it. That's helpful. I know there was previously some street perception that the government shutdown could impact the delay process based on your commentary today that feels like those conversations are going well and potentially ahead of ahead of expectations in some areas. I assume it's fair to think that the government shutdown is not having an impact on any of your FDA interactions at this point.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • That that is fair. So, to date, we've maintained productive discussions and as I've just described, we've already extended our discussions to future labeling and scope and expectations, so these things are not finalized yet, but directionally we're already receiving sites.

  • Frank Takkinen - Senior Research Analyst

  • Perfect, I'll stop there. Thanks for taking the questions.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thank you.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Anthony Petrone at Mizuho Group.

  • Anthony Petrone - Managing Director

  • Thank you and congrats on the. Hi Mike, how are you?

  • Congrats on the quote. Apologize to just hopping between earnings calls. So, I had some phone difficulties. It's actually a follow-up question to the one I was just asked just on timing just to get that down a little bit more closely so the the label will, I think the original communication was that label could come before BLA announcement targeted December 5. Is that still the thinking or will those sort of, coincide more in a December time frame and then I'll have a quick follow-up.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Well, we will I think the way everyone should plan for this is explicit to the guidance previously provided. In other words, the FDA said November would then be labeling, and then the final date would be December 5th. So could it come earlier? Yes, but There's no discussion to that effect, and we have no insight that that will occur. All we know is that the work product that supports labeling and all the rest of the BLA application is continuing to pace and some of it a little bit ahead of the official schedule. So, I think for the sake of planning and assumptions, everyone should still assume because we are that this will go through December 5.

  • Anthony Petrone - Managing Director

  • And then just a higher level one it was kind of asked a couple times here, but you know you did get some medical society positive announcements and also a Blue Cross Blue Shield as well as Medicare Advantage extended number of covered lives and so when you think about what a BLA can do, to Maybe incremental society announcements and or coverage expansion.

  • Is that just something that we should be expecting in 2026 under a scenario where you do get a positive outcome on the BLA. Thanks again and congrats.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thank you.

  • So, the PLA will no doubt be a positive support for all of our market development efforts and guidelines development. There are still institutions, there are still certain quarters of the medical community who, based upon the current regulatory status, consider advanced aircraft as experimental. So, with the conclusion of the BLA, that question, will be resolved, and we will have as part of our regulatory status and now codified official benefit risk profile, that we can all refer to in reference, and all of our future data will build off of that. So, strategically, and tactically, it will have an impact. What I want to caution everybody about though is it will not be a light switch effect. So, there's, for many customers, they are barely aware that this process is underway, but there are exceptions. So, it'll be positive, but I don't want anyone to think that this is going to be like a traditional market approval where you're not on the market and then all of a sudden, the floodgates open, that, that's not what will transpire. Yeah. Thanks, Anthony.

  • Operator

  • Our final question this morning comes from line of Yi Chen with H.C. Wainwright & Co.

  • Yi Chen - H.C. Wainwright & Co.

  • Hi, how's it going? I guess to follow-up a little bit on the segment growth, I'm curious about if you're seeing, particular profitability. I know you have different fragmentations of each of these markets and breast and extremity and. And OMF. I'm curious if you see anyone to be more specifically profitable and if that's guiding any of your strategic decisions and investing.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Good question. The simple answer is all the segments are from a profitability standpoint, very positive.

  • The pri the markets that we have established were part of a process to determine what would be the most. Efficient as well as effective ways to further our business purpose and so in that sense we love all of our children to use that expression. So, they were selected explicitly because we thought they were addressable in different ways. So, I know it's a little bit of a non-answer, but it's because they're all positive in that we make progress and is accretive to the business.

  • Yi Chen - H.C. Wainwright & Co.

  • Got it. And then just following up, if you could, you mentioned how the BLA would obviously unlock better coverage potentially. I'm curious if you could quantify that. You obviously again have pretty good support within the medical groups and societies and like you mentioned.

  • Reimbursement is largely driven by these medical guidelines. I'm curious if you could quantify the impact, of the BLA. You mentioned international markets and kind of focusing, obviously that would be a gate to open up international market discussions, but I guess focusing on, more local in the US.

  • Rick Ditto - VP, Global Health Economics, Reimbursement & Policy

  • This is Rick. I'm happy to happy to chime in and answer that. Sorry, in terms of the BLA unlocking incremental coverage and quantifying the impact, I think the way to think about it is that it helps unlock portions of the TAM that may have not been accessible prior rather than thinking about it in terms of a direct impact to revenue in 2026. In the way Mike said it, this isn't a light switch and so that's how I would think about it.

  • Yi Chen - H.C. Wainwright & Co.

  • Got it. Thanks for answering the questions and congrats on the quarter.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thanks.

  • Operator

  • Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our question-and-answer session. I'll turn the phone back to Mr. Dale for any final comments.

  • Michael Dale - Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

  • Thank you, operator. On behalf of the Axogen team, I want to thank everyone for their time and interest in our work to fulfill the promise and potential for all stakeholders and our business purpose to restore health and improve quality of life by making restoration of peripheral nerve function an expected standard of care. We look forward to updating you on our continued progress and plans for on our earnings call next quarter.

  • Thank you.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. This concludes today's teleconference. You may disconnect your lines at this time.