(RTTNews.com) - Biotechnology company Seattle Genetics Inc. (SGEN) Monday reported a loss for the fourth quarter that narrowed from a year ago, due mainly to sales of Hodgkin Lymphoma drug Adcetris approved last August. Loss for the quarter was smaller when compared to analyst estimates, while revenues too came in ahead of expectations.

Looking ahead, Seattle Genetics detailed its revenue forecast for 2012. Nonetheless, investors were not too impressed with the results, sending Seattle Genetics shares down 7 percent in after hours trade on the Nasdaq.

The Bothell, Washington-based company reported fourth-quarter net loss of $27 million or $0.24 per share compared to net loss of $34.5 million or $0.34 per share last year.

On average, 14 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a loss of $0.31 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Results for the 2011 quarter include an $8.7 million valuation adjustment related to holdings in auction rate securities.

The company reported revenues of $48.9 million, compared to $8.1 million in the prior year. Street analysts expected revenues of $39.12 million.

Adcetris product sales for the quarter was $33.2 million. Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) was approved by the FDA last August for the treatment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not ASCT candidates.

The drug has been also approved for the treatment of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma after failure of at least one prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimen. Adcetris is the first drug approved by the FDA for Hodgkin lymphoma in more than 30 years.

CEO Clay Siegall said, "...We are also executing on a broad clinical development program of Adcetris to evaluate its potential in earlier lines of therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma and mature T-cell lymphomas, as well as in other CD30-positive malignancies."

Total expenses for the quarter rose to $67.6 million from $43 million last year, reflecting higher selling expenses related to the launch of Adcetris, and increased research expenses.

Seattle Genetics expects full year 2012 revenues from collaboration and license agreements between $55 million and $65 million.

Analysts currently expect the company to report revenues of $196.21 million for 2012.

SGEN closed Monday on the Nasdaq at $18.96, up $0.36 or 1.96%, on a volume of 1.6 million shares. In after hours, the stock lost $1.34 or 7.07%.

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Seattle Genetics Loss Narrows; But Stock Down - Update

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