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Quarterly Investor Update – Q2 FY23 Test Volumes rise 36%

Quarterly Update16 October 2022PEBHealthcare

OCTOBER 2022
INSIDE

From the CEO 2

Test Volumes 3

Primary Care 4

Novitas Proposal 4

National Sales Meeting 5

Evidence Coverage and Guidelines 6

US Leadership 7

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022
2

Dear Shareholders,

In this second quarter shareholder

update, I am pleased to report the

investments we are making to drive

the adoption of Cxbladder tests

globally are delivering early results.

As we detail on page 3,

the volume of Cxbladder tests

processed at our US and New

Zealand laboratories has risen

strongly against the first quarter

and the prior year, with the increase

in throughput being mirrored by

an increase in the number of US

clinicians ordering our tests.

We have on-boarded 14 new

people since the end of March,

bringing our global team to 100

at the end of September. Most

of the new hires are charged

with advancing our revenue

growth objectives and increasing

awareness of the peer-reviewed

clinical evidence that underpins the

clinical value of Cxbladder.

We have hired effectively

against plan with the recruitment of

new Account Executives (AEs) and

marketing hires, while establishing

our new Medical Affairs Team

and new Virtual Sales Team. The

Virtual Sales team, responsible for

growing our sales pipeline through

prospecting activities, while

enhancing the Cxbladder customer

experience with streamlined

service, ordering, and delivery of

test results, is the first among these

new hires to have a clear impact.

We expect all commercial hires

to build further momentum in the

quarters ahead.

Our US National Sales Meeting

(see page 5), held in September

under the banner of ‘Unlocking Our

Potential’, was a key step towards

this goal. We assembled all staff

across the broader commercial

team and focused our training on

a standardized selling process,

maturing our new AEs, and

upskilling our tenured AEs, while

creating opportunities to share

successes, and reinforcing a culture

that celebrates excellence at Pacific

Edge.

“The increase in

throughput is being

mirrored by an increase

in the number of US

clinicians ordering our

tests”



In the New Zealand market,

we continue to make progress in

encouraging healthcare providers

to use Cxbladder earlier in the

patient care pathway (see page

4). We have also made further

steps into new markets such as

Australia and Singapore, including

the recruitment of a new business

development manager for

Southeast Asia, based in Singapore.

We continue to advance our

clinical evidence generation

program to strengthen the case

for Cxbladder to be included in

global standards of care and gain

coverage by healthcare payors.

Patient recruitment is steadily rising

for studies already underway, while

the more-recently initiated studies

are navigating key administrative

milestones (see page 6).

This important progress

continues despite the release

for public comment in July of a

proposed new Local Coverage

Determination (LCD) from Novitas,

the Medicare Administrative

Contractor with jurisdiction for our

US laboratory. If accepted without

change, this proposed LCD would

result in a loss of coverage for

Cxbladder tests by the US Centers

for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(CMS).

As demonstrated by the

continued increase in Cxbladder

testing volume, the proposal has

had little to no impact on demand

for our tests. Cxbladder remains

a covered test while submissions

on the proposed LCD are being

considered, and feedback from our

sales force is that it is not on the

radar of our key US customers and

physicians.

Pacific Edge maintains that in the

absence of any adverse reporting

event about the performance

of Cxbladder, it would be

unprecedented to lose coverage. To

this end, we have offered comments

on the proposal (see page 4). We

maintain our position that the

proposed LCD is unlikely to survive

in its current form and continue to

responsibly plan for all eventualities.

We look forward to providing

a further update when we release

our half year financial results on 24

November 2022.

Dr Peter Meintjes

Chief Executive

FROM THE CEO

BUILDING MOMENTUM IN

OUR MARKETS

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022
3

TEST VOLUMES

INVESTMENTS IN US SALES AND MARKETING

DRIVING RESULTS

Cxbladder tests processed at

Pacific Edge’s laboratories

in the US and New Zealand

have set another record in an

early demonstration that our

investments to drive adoption are

delivering results.

In the three months to the

end of September 2022, the

team processed 7,861 tests, a 36%

improvement on the 5,780 tests

processed in the same quarter

in the prior financial year and an

11% increase on the 7,055 tests

processed in the three months to

the end of June 2022. For the six-

month period, test volumes reached

14,916, a 34% increase on the 11,136

tests processed in the same period

in the prior financial year.

US test volumes for the latest

three-month period increased to

6,696, a 42% improvement on the

4,706 in the same period a year ago

and up 10% on the 6,073 processed

in the three months to the end of

June. For the six-month period,

US test volumes were also up 42%

on the same period a year ago to

12,769.

We have also seen an increase

in US clinicians ordering our tests

to 979, a 42% increase on the 689

ordering clinicians at the same time

a year ago and 10% ahead of the

894 ordering clinicians at the end of

June 2022.

Our internal metrics show that

this increase in ordering clinicians

reflects an important contribution

from the new Virtual Sales Team,

a key element of the investment

program to drive growth we set

out in May 2022. This team has

had an immediate impact through

prospecting activities, and by

assisting on-the-ground teams with

the on-boarding of new clinicians

and urology practices, while

ensuring the streamlined ordering of

tests and results delivery.

We continue to prudently invest

in line with the investment program,

which as we mentioned in May is

linked to the achievement of certain

revenue milestones. In addition to

the hiring of a new Virtual Sales

team, our recruitment program

has included hiring of account

and marketing executives and the

establishment of a new Medical

Affairs team.

We are confident that these

investments will continue to build

sales momentum. The Account

Executives we hired last year are

beginning to hit their stride, while

new hires are learning the ropes

and bringing fresh insights and

energy to the team.

We are seeing early results with

opportunities emerging in previously

uncovered territories. Similarly,

our Medical Science Liaison team

is quickly upskilling, developing

strategies to drive enrolment in our

clinical studies and support our sales

efforts.

In the Asia Pacific, where test

numbers are dominated by the

relatively mature New Zealand

market, volumes in the three-month

period were 1,165, an 8% increase

on the same period a year ago and

a 19% increase on the June 2022

quarter. For the six-month period,

New Zealand test volumes were

largely flat on the same period a

year ago at 2,147 tests.

UNIQUE ORDERING CLINICIANS (US)

-

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000


Q1 FY23Q2 FY23Q4 FY22Q3 FY22Q2 FY22Q1 FY22Q4 FY21Q3 FY21Q2 FY21

Test volume

USNZ

42%

CAGR

2,791

3,110

3,824

4,277

4,706

4,591

5,290

6,073

6,696

1,073

1,079

1,074

1,117

952

982

1,165

943

1,088

-

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200


Q1 FY23Q2 FY23Q4 FY22Q3 FY22Q2 FY22Q1 FY22Q4 FY21Q3 FY21Q2 FY21

Physicians

46%

CAGR

462

516

530

657

689

740

782

894

979

TOTAL TESTING VOLUME (PACIFIC EDGE GROUP)

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022
4

PRIMARY CARE

CXBLADDER BUILDS MOMENTUM

IN THE COMMUNITY

NOVITAS PROPOSAL

SEEKING US REIMBURSEMENT CERTAINTY

Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o

Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral and

Te Whatu Ora Whanganui have

become the latest New Zealand

regional public healthcare providers

to adopt Cxbladder in the primary

care setting.

From the end of September

General Practitioners in Palmerston

North, the Horowhenua, Manawatu,

Otaki and the Whanganui districts

have been able to use Cxbladder

Triage (CxbT), together with

imaging to assist them to safely

rule out bladder cancer in patients

presenting with hematuria.

By identifying these patients

in primary care, CxbT reduces

the need for urology referral and

further invasive testing, such as

a cystoscopy. This new primary

care pathway offers a streamlined

standard of care and is receiving

increasing attention from patient

advocacy groups, as it provides

patients with greater comfort and

peace of mind.

The approach was pioneered in

Canterbury and was supported by a

clinical review published in the New

Zealand Medical Journal in 2020

1

.

The review showed fewer patients

were referred to secondary care

and required invasive procedures.

When cancer was diagnosed the

time to treatment was also reduced.

Meanwhile those who received a

negative CxbT test gained early

reassurance (within a couple of

weeks) that they did not have

bladder cancer.

More than 70% of New Zealand’s

population now has access to

Cxbladder through the public

health system and we are actively

engaging with the national system,

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand

and Te Aka Whai Ora, the new Māori

Health Authority, to expand access

for the remainder of the population.

Pacific Edge has seen no disruption

to demand for Cxbladder and it

remains a covered and reimbursed

test by the Centers for Medicare &

Medicaid Services (CMS), despite

the proposed Local Coverage

Determination (LCD) that would

see Cxbladder Detect and

Cxbladder Monitor lose coverage if

implemented without any changes.

Novitas, the Medicare

Administrative Contractor with

jurisdiction for Pacific Edge’s

laboratory in Hershey Pennsylvania,

issued and sought public comment

on the LCD in July. Pacific Edge

submitted written comments

for consideration supported by

multiple Key Opinion Leading

customers, the patient advocacy

group BCAN (Bladder Cancer

Advocacy Network) and our

industry partner the Coalition

for 21st Century Medicine (C21),

which also coordinated with other

affected companies in its response.

Subsequent to the comment

period closing on 6 September

2022, Pacific Edge has requested

meetings with Novitas directly

and with the CEOs of Guidewell

(Novitas’ parent company)

and CMS with assistance and

coordination from C21.

Our view remains that

the proposed LCD contains

inconsistencies, unintended

consequences and a methodology

that may violate Medicare’s rules.

Most notably, the proposed

LCD appears focused on tests

for guiding therapeutic decisions

after a confirmed diagnosis (PGx

or Pharmacogenomics testing),

apparently excluding diagnostic

biomarker tests from clinical tool

kits. The LCD also takes the highly

unusual step of ‘outsourcing’

coverage determinations to third

party databases.

We have yet to hear how our

submissions have been received

and do not know when we will get

a response. However, we will get 45

days’ notice of the adoption of a

new LCD.

Meanwhile, a proposed LCD

must be withdrawn or adopted

within a year of the closure of

public comment. So, if Novitas

issues a new draft LCD the clock

starts again. We are looking

forward to gaining certainty from

Novitas.

1

Davidson P, McGeoch G, Shand B. Assessment of a clinical pathway for investigation of haematuria that reduces the need for cystoscopy. NZ Med J 2020. 133:1527

CMS delegates administrative authority to

Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)

NOVITAS is the MAC with jurisdiction for

Pacific Edge’s US Laboratory

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022
5

NATIONAL SALES MEETING

UNLOCKING OUR POTENTIAL

“Unlocking Our Potential” was

the theme of the Pacific Edge

Diagnostics USA (PEDUSA)

national sales meeting held in

Hershey, PA in mid-September.

Traditionally an annual event,

COVID restrictions forced us to

cancel two previous meetings,

so this was the first in-person

gathering of the entire sales

force in over three years.

The meeting was a key

initiative of our strategy to

build capability and capacity

within Pacific Edge to drive

the adoption of Cxbladder and

accelerate revenue growth. It

helped to build relationships

within the commercial team and

was a significant step towards

standardizing process and

training new hires, ensuring

new account executives benefit

from the insights of tenured

executives and they in turn

benefit from the energy and

insights new team members

bring to the company.

Over the course of three

productive days, the US sales,

and executive teams, with some

customer service, and laboratory

team involvement as well, were

able to interact and discuss ways

that we can better help clinicians

and patients in the diagnosis of

bladder cancer. The focus on

unlocking our potential reflected

our understanding that impactful

insights delivered at the right

moment can help solidify the

value that Cxbladder offers to

clinicians and patients.

“The meeting was

a key initiative to

build capacity and

capability”



To that end, the team heard

from a practicing urologist that

uses Cxbladder, a bladder cancer

patient, and a broad array of

Pacific Edge experts on how to

lead sales conversations with

impactful insights. We also

discussed the existing high-

quality peer reviewed evidence

for Cxbladder that answers the

range of questions that patients

and our customers regularly

face and how to present this

information in a meaningful

way that leads to increased

Cxbladder utilization at the

earliest point in patient care.

The sessions – along with a

team scavenger hunt around

Hershey and an evening event to

celebrate our retiring PEDUSA

Chief Executive Jackie Walker

– renewed and re-energized

relationships across the entire US

based Pacific Edge team. It was

also a great opportunity for staff

to meet the new team members

who have joined PEDUSA since

our last meeting three years ago.

Of course, all good sales reps

know that what matters from

here is the follow up – we will

be tracking their progress and

continuing to reinforce the new

enhanced selling model until a

review of the implementation in

early 2023.

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022
6

EVIDENCE COVERAGE AND GUIDELINES

CLINICAL EVIDENCE PROGRAM ADVANCES

Clinical evidence fundamentally underpins commercial success in healthcare and consequently is one of the key

pillars of our investment program. High-quality clinical evidence is needed by clinicians to make the decision to

adopt Cxbladder in clinical practice and by healthcare payors to make decisions to cover and reimburse a Cxbladder

test. The guidelines committees of professional medical societies, including the American Urological Association

(AUA), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the European Association of Urology (EAU), also

need the evidence to support embedding Cxbladder as a standard of care. All our studies made progress during the

last quarter.

STUDY ENROLLED SITES

AND LOCATIONS

Q2* FY23 PROGRESS AND TARGETS

US and Singapore studiesComplete

- Enrolment and analysis complete, under peer

review and pending publication

STRATA

(Safe Testing of Risk for

Asymptomatic Microhematuria)

11

USA and Canada

- Enrolment total is 412, including 100 ‘low risk’

subjects that are the focus of the study

- Target (Q4 2023) 600 subjects, including 120

low risk subjects randomized to test arm

DRIVE

(Detection and Risk Stratification in

Veterans Presenting with Hematuria)

10

USA

- Enrolment total is 491

- Target (Q2 2025) ~600 patients

LOBSTER

(Longitudinal Bladder Cancer Study

for Tumor Recurrence)

2/10

- Two sites are open and another 8 are at

pre-activation. Enrolment is now 27 patients.

- Each site will enroll 100 patients within 12

months and follow up for another 12 months

DEDUCT

(Detection of Disease in the Upper

Tract)

1/3

- One site is open for this pilot study and the

first patient in is expected by Dec 2022

MONSTER

(Monitoring Study of Post-Treatment

Effectiveness for Residual Disease)

0/1

New Zealand

- Finalizing protocol documentation and

commenced engagement with ethics

committee

- Target (Q1 2023) first patient

*Dates are calendar year not financial years

THE STRATEGIC RATIONALE OF OUR STUDIES

Our clinical studies are principally aimed at delivering two types of evidence: clinical validity evidence (evidence that Cxbladder accurately

identifies a patient’s clinical status in an independent patient cohort) and clinical utility evidence (evidence that Cxbladder is clinically useful for

physicians for a defined population and indication). We are also undertaking studies to deliver analytical validity evidence (evidence that a test is

repeatable in laboratory conditions).

US and Singapore Studies – studies to further develop the clinical validity of Cxbladder tests in facilitating the early detection, intensifying or de-

intensify hematuria evaluation and assistance in adjudicating equivocal cystoscopy.

ST R ATA – a study to further demonstrate the clinical utility of Cxbladder in safely risk-stratifying patients presenting with hematuria into those

that may receive a less intense evaluation for the presence of urothelial cancer and those that should continue with a standard evaluation. The

aim is to show how Cxbladder can safely de-intensify evaluation for a significantly higher proportion of low risk patients than the current AUA

guidelines.

DRIVE – a study underway in partnership with the US Veterans Health Administration (VA). It seeks to demonstrate to VA urologists the clinical

validity of Cxbladder in a cohort of VA patients, but it is also relevant to Pacific Edge’s drive for the inclusion of Cxbladder in the AUA guidelines

for the evaluation of patients with gross hematuria and micro hematuria.

LOBSTER – a study aimed at further demonstrating the clinical validity of Cxbladder in assisting clinicians to reduce the frequency of cystoscopies

for patients under surveillance for the recurrence of urothelial cancer. Like the STRATA study, LOBSTER aims to further demonstrate Cxbladder

can reduce the burden of invasive and expensive cystoscopy evaluations, spare patients the potential risks, discomfort, and anxiety from

cystoscopy and potentially overcome entrenched patient noncompliance with management and surveillance regimes.

DEDUCT – a study to demonstrate the clinical validity of Cxbladder for the detection of urothelial carcinoma in the urinary upper tract (UTUC)

where the ureters connect the bladder to the kidney. It is aimed at evaluating Cxbladder’s potential to safely avoid ureteroscopy, risk-stratify

patients suspected to have UTUC and avoid unnecessary ureteroscopy and radiation exposure through imaging. It is foundational evidence

necessary for the inclusion of Cxbladder in AUA guidelines for the treatment of UTUC.

MONSTER – a pilot study to analytically validate the performance characteristics of Cxbladder against white light cystoscopy during the

surveillance of urothelial cancer. This is a study to determine the presence of a tumor and safely risk-stratify patients for residual disease prior to

the 6-week re-resection for high grade patients or the 3-month flexible cystoscopy check for all patients. The study could be expanded to the US

depending on the outcome of the pilot.

US LEADERSHIP
NAVIGATING KNOWN CHALLENGES

David Levison assumed the new role of Pacific Edge Diagnostics USA (PEDUSA) President from the start of

September, taking direct strategic and operational control of our largest and fastest growing operations.

David brings to the business more than 25 years in the healthcare industry, working across a range of sectors from

pharmaceuticals to services and diagnostics. He has been the founder and CEO of several high growth medical

and medical technology businesses and for the four years until November 2020 was a Non-Executive Director on

the Pacific Edge Board.

You have moved from being Executive Chairman of PEDUSA to President

Americas; why have you taken on the role?

The investments that we have made in Pacific Edge recently and have

planned for the future will allow the global organization to attain new

levels of clinical acceptance and financial progress. In the US, the addition

of Medical Affairs, Market Access and Reimbursement teams, and local

clinical evidence development capabilities are solidifying the foundation for

our future growth. I am excited by the opportunity to make the Cxbladder

products a more important tool for all US based urologists.

What gives you confidence that you can drive the adoption of Pacific

Edge’s technologies in the world’s largest healthcare market?

The current standard of care for both hematuria evaluation and bladder

cancer surveillance has not been optimized for the advances in molecular

diagnostic signatures like Cxbladder. Established procedures and tests, like

cystoscopy and cytology, were introduced many years ago as stand-alone

products before the development of molecular medicine. When integrated

into clinical pathways, Cxbladder can help clinicians target the specific

patients that are likely to benefit from a full urology work-up as well as

those patients that can be spared the time, expense, and discomfort.

Our customer Kaiser Permanente, known for its innovative approach to

healthcare, is adopting Cxbladder in this integrated way and we believe will

serve as a model for further clinical adoption.

What do you see as the biggest challenges?

The good news is that our challenges are known, and we have plans in

place for overcoming them. Our products have historically not had the

level of published clinical evidence that is required to drive adoption and

be included in standard of care guidelines. The pipeline of clinical evidence

that is in development will allow us to show urologists the full range of

benefits they can derive from the use of Cxbladder products.

What is the professional experience that has been most helpful to you in

this role?

There have been multiple. Having been the founding CEO of molecular

diagnostics companies, from start-up to full commercialization, helps me

understand the road that Pacific Edge is traveling and anticipate the next

twist and turn of our journey. Having worked with the Centers for Medicare

& Medicaid Services, commercial insurance companies, and the US Food

and Drug Administration has provided me with insights into the transition

from scientific insights to commercial success. And lastly, having been

on the Board of Directors of both Pacific Edge as well as other firms, I

understand the importance of effective communication with investors,

Directors, and the wide variety of parties interested in the success of

Pacific Edge.

Where are you most likely to be found on a Saturday afternoon?

I am likely to be doing some combination of the following: working in our

fruit and vegetable garden, cooking a meal for family and friends, visiting

with one of our five children, or trying to fit in a run or walk for some

exercise.

PACIFIC EDGE LIMITED INVESTOR UPDATE | OCTOBER 2022

7

DAVID LEVISON

- Pacific Edge Diagnostics

USA – President Americas

Former roles:

- Pacific Edge -

Non-Executive Director

- Qlarity Imaging -

Chief Executive Officer

- CardioDx – Director Chief

Executive Officer and Chief

Strategic Officer

- CareDx - Board member

- Texas Pacific Ventures -

Venture Partner

- iScribe - Founder,

President, and Director

Education:

- B.A. (Williams)

- MBA (Stanford)

ABOUT US
Pacific Edge Limited (NZX/ASX: PEB) is a

global cancer diagnostics company leading the

way in the development and commercialization

of bladder cancer diagnostic and prognostic

tests for patients presenting with hematuria

or surveillance of recurrent disease.

Headquartered in Dunedin, New Zealand, the

company provides its suite of Cxbladder tests

globally through its wholly owned, and CLIA

certified, laboratories in New Zealand and the

USA.

VISIT US ONLINE:

www.pacificedgedx.com

www.cxbladder.com

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

www.facebook.com/PacificEdgeLtd

www.facebook.com/Cxbladder

www.twitter.com/PacificEdgeLtd

www.twitter.com/Cxbladder

www.linkedin.com/company/pacific-edge-ltd

CONTACT US:

Centre for Innovation

87 St David Street

PO Box 56

Dunedin 9016, New Zealandd

T: +64 3 479 5800

E: investors@pacificedge.co.nz

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