Clearside Biomedical to explore strategic alternatives amid cash concerns

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSD), a biopharmaceutical company with a market capitalization of $65 million and impressive gross profit margins of 89%, announced Thursday it will explore strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value, including potential sale, licensing, or divestiture of assets, as well as partnership or merger options.

The biopharmaceutical company, which specializes in delivering therapies to the back of the eye through the suprachoroidal space, has retained investment bank Piper Sandler to support the evaluation process. According to InvestingPro data, the company’s stock has shown significant volatility with a beta of 2.05, reflecting the challenging market conditions in the biotech sector.

As part of cash conservation efforts, all employees including the CEO, CFO, and CMO will transition to consulting roles this week. The company will also pause all internal research and development programs during the review. While InvestingPro analysis shows the company maintains strong liquidity with a current ratio of 3.19, recent data indicates rapid cash burn, making these conservation measures crucial.

"Given the current unpredictable economic environment and challenging fundraising conditions in the biopharmaceutical industry, we are taking the necessary next steps to evaluate strategic alternatives," said George Lasezkay, President and CEO of Clearside.

Clearside’s primary asset is CLS-AX, a treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration that recently completed Phase 2b trials. The company reported it has received FDA alignment on a Phase 3 development plan following a successful end-of-Phase 2 meeting in February.

The company’s proprietary SCS Microinjector technology enables in-office, non-surgical delivery of therapies to the back of the eye. This platform has already resulted in one FDA-approved product and is being utilized in five commercial and late-stage development licensing collaborations with companies including Aura Biosciences, Bausch + Lomb, and REGENXBIO.

Clearside noted that no agreement for any strategic transaction has been reached, and there is no guarantee the process will result in a transaction. The company has not set a timetable for the strategic review and does not plan to provide updates until specific actions are approved.

The announcement was made in a press release issued by the company. For deeper insights into Clearside Biomedical’s financial health and future prospects, investors can access comprehensive analysis and additional ProTips through InvestingPro, which offers detailed research reports covering over 1,400 US stocks.

In other recent news, Clearside Biomedical reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, revealing revenue of $2.3 million. The company experienced a net loss of $8.2 million, or $0.11 per share, which was lower than the anticipated loss of $9.1 million. H.C. Wainwright adjusted its price target for Clearside Biomedical from $6.00 to $5.00, maintaining a Buy rating. JMP Securities also reaffirmed a Market Outperform rating with a steady price target of $5.00, expressing optimism about upcoming pivotal trials for Clearside’s CLS-AX treatment for wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Stifel analysts reiterated a Buy rating with a price target of $8.00, following Clearside’s alignment with the FDA on its Phase 3 program for CLS-AX. The company is actively seeking capital to advance its Phase 3 program and has sufficient cash to fund operations into the fourth quarter of 2025. Clearside Biomedical’s partnered programs, including those with Regenxbio and Aura Biosciences, are progressing well, showcasing the versatility of its SCS Microinjector platform. These developments reflect Clearside Biomedical’s strategic direction and potential market impact.

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