Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:RYTM) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

Jennifer Chien: So speaking to the seasonality, particularly it’s unusual for the fourth quarter to potentially be light as far as November holidays, as well as holidays in general. What is interesting is, for this particular therapy as far as those family gatherings are surrounded by food. And it’s also a potential opportunity as children are out of school for initiated on therapy during a period where they are on break. And so we did see some of that happening as well or heard some of those who wanted to actually initiate therapy during this time that may have been a downtime in other areas. But with that said, I don’t think that there’s going to be much like seasonality. I think it’s really more based in terms of the physician, when they see the patient and getting through the reimbursement process to then be able to initiate therapy. So it’s an ongoing process there.

Derek Archila: Yes, that’s very helpful. And then just on Germany, I know you guys are prepping for launch and maybe kind of discuss what you’re doing there. And then I think you said there is 1,500 BBS patients that are identified in Europe. I guess how many of those are in Germany?

David Meeker: Yann, can you take that?

Yann Mazabraud: Yes, sure. So I will not may be tell you the exact number, because, first, we don’t know it exactly, but of course, it’s a significant portion of it. And as often in Europe, I would say that this patients are localized in centers of excellence. So many centers with a lot of patients in each.

Derek Archila: Thank you very much.

David Meeker: I think — Yes. I mean, we’re optimistic about Germany and I . And I think just to reinforce some — under some comments part of our goal in trying to give you a little more insight in terms of the breakdown between U.S. and Europe is, as we learn and we try to help you understand how Europe evolves as you do a tremendous amount of groundwork to get through the market access, get pricing established and the like. We have the advantage of better organized patient communities and centers of excellence, if you will. But there is this steady gradual start up. So it’s not a world where you tend to get a large bolus and you have a very big quarter. We expect this to build very steadily over time with Germany leading us as we get approval for BBS here.

Derek Archila: Got it. Helpful.

David Meeker: Thank you, Derek.

Operator: Please standby for our next question. Our next question comes from Corinne Jenkins with Goldman Sachs. Your line is now open.

Corinne Jenkins: Yeah. Good morning, everyone. You mentioned this earlier, but can you just expand on the degree of white space that remains among those 125 current prescribers for IMCIVREE based on maybe the additional patients that are under their care and might be appropriate for the drug?

David Meeker: Yes. So Jennifer, so of the 125 physicians who’ve written prescriptions, how many do you think are holding other patients that they may be acting on or going to be acting?

Jennifer Chien: So of the subscribers, I would say approximately a quarter of or have written — sorry, there are around 20% or so that have written more than one scrap. So we do have already physicians who have written more than one script. Within the area of rare disease, I would say that a lot of physicians only have one patient. So it’s not as normal as it would only have one patient at this point of time. But there’s still, once again, remains opportunity within other physicians who have yet to prescribe for very different reasons in terms of , but again identifying additional physician as well.