Anika Therapeutics, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2018 September (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2018

For the transition period from                  to                  

Commission File Number 000-21326

Anika Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(781) 457-9000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A

(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x  No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  ☐  No  ☒

APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:

As of October 18, 2018, there were 14,211,457 outstanding shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share.

ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

References in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” and other similar references refer to Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and its subsidiaries unless the context otherwise indicates.

ANIKA, ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, CINGAL, HYAFF, MONOVISC, and ORTHOVISC are our registered trademarks. This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q also contains registered marks, trademarks, and trade names that are the property of other companies and licensed to us.

Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share data and per share data)

(unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.  

Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Anika Therapeutics, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

ANIKA THERAPEUTICS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts or as otherwise noted)

(unaudited)

You should read the following discussion in conjunction with our financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this report. In addition to historical information, this report contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 concerning our business, consolidated financial condition, and results of operations. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") encourages companies to disclose forward-looking statements so that investors can better understand a company’s prospects and make informed investment decisions. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by such words as "will," "likely," "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "seek," "designed," "develop," "would," "future," "can," "could," and other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and trends and that do not relate to historical matters. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this report regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans, and objectives are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding expected future operating results, expectations regarding the timing and receipt of regulatory results, anticipated levels of capital expenditures, and expectations of the effect on our financial condition of claims, litigation, and governmental and regulatory proceedings.

Please also refer to those factors described in Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and in Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” of this report for important factors that we believe could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Management Overview

We are a global, integrated orthopedic and regenerative medicines company committed to improving the lives of patients with degenerative orthopedic diseases and traumatic conditions with clinically meaningful therapies along the continuum of care, from palliative pain management to regenerative tissue repair. We have over two decades of global expertise developing, manufacturing, and commercializing our products based on our proprietary hyaluronic acid (“HA”) technology. Our orthopedic medicine portfolio includes ORTHOVISC, MONOVISC, and CINGAL, which alleviate pain and restore joint function by replenishing depleted HA, and HYALOFAST, a solid HA-based scaffold to aid cartilage repair and regeneration.

Our therapeutic offerings consist of products in the following areas: Orthobiologics, Dermal, Surgical, and Other, which includes our ophthalmic and veterinary products. All of our products are based on HA, a naturally occurring, biocompatible polymer found throughout the body. Due to its unique biophysical and biochemical properties, HA plays an important role in a number of physiological functions such as the protection and lubrication of soft tissues and joints, the maintenance of the structural integrity of tissues, and the transport of molecules to and within cells.

Our proprietary technologies for modifying the HA molecule allow product properties to be tailored specifically to therapeutic use. Our patented technology chemically modifies HA to allow for longer residence time in the body. We also offer products made from HA based on two other technologies: HYAFF, which is a solid form of HA, and ACP gel, an autocross-linked polymer of HA. Our technologies are protected by an extensive portfolio of owned and licensed patents.

Since our inception in 1992, we have utilized a commercial partnership model for the distribution of our products to end-users. Our strong, worldwide network of distributors has historically provided, and continues to provide, a solid foundation for our revenue growth and territorial expansion. For near-term opportunities in the U.S. market, we are evaluating a potential hybrid commercial approach that would see us balance a small direct model with an optimal form of strategic partnership. For longer-term future products in the U.S. market, we intend to evaluate the appropriate commercial model for each on a case-by-case basis, based on market dynamics and other factors. These models could include direct sales, distribution partnerships, or a hybrid of those forms. We believe that the combination of the direct and distribution commercial models will maximize the revenue potential from our current and future product portfolio.

Please see the section captioned “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Management Overview” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, for a description of each of the above therapeutic areas, including the individual products.

On May 2, 2018, we publicly disclosed a voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products, HYALOFAST, HYALOGRAFT C, and HYALOMATRIX. We communicated with all affected distributors in advance of that announcement, and we are taking all required or otherwise appropriate actions with respect to applicable regulatory bodies. We initiated the recall following internal quality testing, which indicated that the products were at risk of not maintaining certain measures throughout their entire shelf life. While there was no indication of any safety or efficacy issue related to the products, we are committed to the highest standards of quality and removed the products from the field as a precautionary measure. During the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 we recorded a revenue reserve for this voluntary recall of $1.1 million of which $0.9 million was related to revenue recorded in prior periods. The adjustments related to the initial revenue reserve during the three-month period ended September 30, 2018 were immaterial. As a result of the voluntary recall, we had an inventory charge of $0.8 million for the related non-saleable inventory during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018. In addition, we incurred $0.6 million for future expenses associated with the administration and remediation of the voluntary recall. As of September 30, 2018, a majority of the affected products had been returned with no material change to the related reserves. Based on the facts currently known to us, we believe we can resolve this matter and resume production and shipment of these products by the end of 2018.

Research and Development

Our research and development efforts primarily consist of the development of new medical applications for our HA-based technology, the management of clinical trials for certain product candidates, the preparation and processing of applications for regulatory approvals or clearances at all relevant stages of product development, and process development and scale-up manufacturing activities for our existing and new products. Our development focus includes products for tissue protection, repair, and regeneration. We anticipate that we will continue to commit significant resources in the near future to research and development activities, including in relation to preclinical activities and clinical trials. These activities are aimed at the delivery of a steady cascade of new product development and launches over the next several years.

Our second single-injection osteoarthritis product under development in the United States, CINGAL, which is composed of our proprietary cross-linked HA material combined with an approved steroid and is designed to provide both short- and long-term pain relief to patients, is our lead pipeline product and a critical component of our growth strategy. We completed an initial CINGAL Phase III clinical trial, including the associated statistical analysis for 368 enrolled patients, during the fourth quarter of 2014 with data indicating that the product met all primary and secondary endpoints relative to placebo set forth for the trial. During the first half of 2015, we completed a CINGAL retreatment study with 242 patients who had participated in the Phase III clinical trial and reported safety data related to the retreatment study. This initial Phase III clinical trial and the associated retreatment study supported the Health Canada and CE Mark approval of the product, and the commercial launch of the product in both Canada and the European Union occurred in the second quarter of 2016. In the United States, after discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) related to the regulatory pathway for CINGAL, we conducted a formal meeting with the FDA’s Office of Combination Products (“OCP”) to present and discuss our data in September 2015, and we submitted a formal request for designation with OCP a month later. In its response to our formal request for designation, OCP assigned the product to the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (“CDER”) as the lead agency center for premarket review and regulation. We then held discussions with CDER to understand the requirements for submitting a New Drug Application (“NDA”) for CINGAL. We held a meeting with CDER in September 2016 to align on an approval framework and on submission requirements for this NDA for CINGAL, including the execution of an additional Phase III clinical trial to supplement our existing CINGAL pivotal study data. We submitted an Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) in late 2016, and discussions with CDER indicated that they did not have objections to our clinical protocol design. As a result, we commenced work on this second Phase III clinical trial (“CINGAL 16-02 Study”) in the first quarter of 2017, and the first patient was treated in the second quarter of 2017. Enrollment of the 576 patients in this second Phase III clinical trial was completed during October 2017, and we completed the six-month patient follow-up in April 2018. We received and analyzed the data from the CINGAL 16-02 Study during the second quarter of 2018, and, while substantial pain reduction associated with CINGAL was evident at each measurement point, we determined based on statistical analysis that it did not meet the primary study endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant difference in pain reduction between CINGAL and the approved steroid component of CINGAL at the six-month time point. In the third quarter of 2017, we initiated an additional three-month extended follow-up study in conjunction with the CINGAL 16-02 Study to investigate the efficacy of CINGAL over this longer period. The first patients were enrolled in this follow-up study in the fourth quarter of 2017 and we completed the nine-month patient follow-up in the third quarter of 2018. Given the results of the CINGAL 16-02 Study, we continue to evaluate multiple strategies to optimize the potential U.S. regulatory pathway for CINGAL. After completing the analysis of the results from the three-month extended follow-up study, we intend to meet with FDA to discuss the totality of our clinical data for CINGAL and to identify and execute an optimal approach towards a potential future regulatory approval in the United States.

We have several research and development programs underway for new products, including for HYALOFAST (in the United States), an innovative product for cartilage tissue repair, and other early stage regenerative medicine development programs. HYALOFAST, which received CE Mark approval in September 2009, is commercially available in Europe and certain international countries. During the first quarter of 2015, we submitted an Investigational Device Exemption (“IDE”) for HYALOFAST to the FDA, which was approved in July 2015. We commenced patient enrollment in a clinical trial in December 2015, and we are advancing site initiations and patient enrollment activities. In the second quarter of 2016, a supplement to the HYALOFAST IDE was approved to expand the inclusion criteria for the clinical study, which was aimed at decreasing the time needed to complete the clinical trial. The voluntary recall described above does not impact the HYALOFAST clinical trial, as the product used in the clinical trial is not sourced from the affected production lots. Given the changing medical landscape with respect to the randomization arm for this trial, the microfracture procedure, we are actively pursuing alternative strategies to accelerate patient enrollment.

We are currently proceeding with other research and development programs, one of which utilizes our proprietary HA technology to treat pain associated with common repetitive overuse injuries, such as lateral epicondylitis, also known as tennis elbow. We submitted a CE Mark application for this treatment during the first quarter of 2016 and received a CE Mark for the treatment of pain associated with tennis elbow in December 2016. We expect to begin work in a post-market clinical study in relation to the CE Mark for this product before the end of 2018. Outside of the United States, this product is marketed under the trade name ORTHOVISC-T. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2016, we submitted an IDE to the FDA to conduct a Phase III clinical trial for this treatment, which was approved by the FDA in June 2016 and we expect will commence in 2019. We also have other research and development programs underway focused on expanding the indications of our current products, including one program being conducted and funded by our U.S. MONOVISC distribution partner, DePuy Synthes Mitek Sports Medicine, a division of DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., seeking to expand MONOVISC’s indication to include treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis of the hip. In third quarter of 2017, we also submitted an application to the FDA for 510(k) clearance of an injectable HA-based bone repair treatment, an injectable, self-setting, osteoconductive bone graft substitute that is reabsorbed by the body and replaced by the growth of new bone during the healing process. The 510(k) clearance was received from the FDA in December 2017, and we expect to make this product commercially available during 2019. In addition to other early stage research and development initiatives we are currently undertaking, we are working to expand our regenerative medicine pipeline with a new product candidate in the form of an implant for rotator cuff repair utilizing our proprietary solid HA. This implant could be used to repair partial and full-thickness rotator cuff tears, and we expect to have a fully-developed prototype by the end of the year.

In June 2015, we entered into an agreement with the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to collaborate on research to develop a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this research was to develop a novel modality for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The agreement with the University of Massachusetts Amherst was extended in January 2018, and it was terminated in October 2018 after discussions between the parties. In January 2018, we entered into an agreement with the University of Liverpool to develop an injectable mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of age-related osteoarthritis with the goal of bringing a therapeutics candidate through clinical trials to market to meet an unmet therapeutic need.

Results of Operations

* Percentage increase has been omitted due to magnitude.

Product Revenue

Product revenue for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018 was $26.8 million, a decrease of $0.4 million as compared to $27.2 million for the three-month period ended September 30, 2017. Product revenue for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 was $78.6 million, a decrease of $0.3 million as compared to $78.9 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, the decrease in product revenue was mainly driven by a decline in ORTHOVISC revenue and the effects of the previously-described voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products, partially offset by increases in MONOVSC and CINGAL revenue.

The following tables present product revenue by product group:

Orthobiologics

Our orthobiologics franchise consists of our orthopedic pain management and regenerative therapies. Overall, sales were flat for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017, as a result of increased unit demand offset by a decline in pricing in the U.S. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, sales increased by $1.1 million as compared to the same period in 2017. The overall increase in the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 was primarily due to strong growth in domestic MONOVISC revenue and international CINGAL revenue offset in part by declines in worldwide ORTHOVISC revenue. The growth of U.S. MONOVISC revenue remains strong. We expect orthobiologics product revenue in 2018 to increase as compared to 2017, due to the growth of worldwide MONOVISC and international CINGAL revenue offset by declines in ORTHOVISC revenue, U.S. viscosupplement product pricing declines, and the effects of the previously described voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products.

Surgical 

Our surgical franchise consists of products used to prevent surgical adhesions and to treat ear, nose, and throat (“ENT”) disorders. Sales of our surgical products declined $0.6 million and $0.7 million, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 to $1.2 million and $3.7 million, respectively, as compared to the same periods in 2017. The decrease in surgical product revenue for the three-month period was primarily due to a decrease in sales to our worldwide ENT commercial partner and a decrease in sales of our surgical anti-adhesion products. We expect surgical product revenue to decrease modestly in 2018 as compared to 2017 primarily due to decreased worldwide sales of our ENT and surgical anti-adhesion products.

Dermal

Our dermal franchise consists of advanced wound care products, which are based on our HYAFF technology, and aesthetic dermal fillers. Our advanced wound care products treat complex skin wounds ranging from burns to diabetic ulcers, with HYALOMATRIX and HYALOFILL as the lead products. For the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, dermal product sales decreased $0.3 million and $1.1 million, respectively, as compared to the same periods in 2017 due to the voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products previously described. As a result, we expect dermal revenue to decrease in 2018 as compared to 2017.

Other

Other product revenue includes revenues from our ophthalmic and veterinary franchises. Other product revenue increased for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018 by $0.3 million and increased for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 by $0.4 million or 8%, both as compared to the same periods in 2017. We expect other revenue to increase in 2018 as compared to 2017, primarily driven by increases in ophthalmic revenue.

Licensing, Milestone and Contract Revenue 

Licensing, milestone and contract revenue for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 was $6 thousand and $18 thousand, as compared to $6 thousand and $5.1 million for the same periods in 2017. Revenue for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017 included a $5.0 million milestone payment associated with our U.S. license agreement with Mitek for MONOVISC that was received and fully recognized as a result of U.S. MONOVISC 12-month end-user sales exceeding $100.0 million.

Product Gross Profit and Margin

Product gross profit for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 decreased $2.4 million and $5.9 million to $18.5 million and $54.3 million, respectively, representing 69% of product revenue for each period. Product gross profit for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017 was $20.9 million and $60.3 million, respectively, or 77% and 76% of product revenue for the periods. The decrease in product gross margin for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017, was due to higher production costs, revenue mix, including the impact of pricing declines for our ORTHOVISC and MONOVISC products in the U.S., and certain period costs related to inventory reserve charges. The decrease in product gross margin for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017, was due to an increase in inventory reserves related to certain raw materials, inventory write-offs associated with the previously described voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products, higher production costs, revenue mix and pricing dynamics, and voluntary recall related charges. We began remediation and mitigation plans during the first quarter of 2018 and currently expect to resolve the identified issues by the end of 2018. This current product gross margin may not be indicative of the rest of the year, and we expect to see continued improvement in product gross margin as we progress through 2018.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 were $4.2 million and $14.1 million, representing 16% and 18% of total revenue for the respective periods, a decrease of $1.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively, as compared to the same periods in 2017. The decrease in research and development expenses was primarily due to the completion of our CINGAL 16-02 Study in the second quarter of 2018. The decrease was partially offset by increased pre-clinical product development activities associated with certain product candidates in our research and development pipeline, including our new rotator cuff product candidate. Research and development spending is expected to increase in 2018 and thereafter, as compared to 2017, as we further develop new products and line extensions and initiate new clinical trials based on our existing technology assets, as well as increase research and development activities for other products in the pipeline.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 were $5.7 million and $28.2 million, representing 21% and 36% of total revenue for the respective periods, an increase of $0.9 million and $13.3 million as compared to the same periods in 2017. The increase in SG&A expenses for the three-month period ending September 30, 2018 was primarily related to increased personnel costs and external professional fees. SG&A expenses increased for the nine-month period ending September 30, 2018, as compared to prior period, primarily as a result of costs related to the retirement of our former Chief Executive Officer, certain accrued expenses related to the previously described voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products and increased personnel costs, external professional fees, and marketing expenses.

Income Taxes

The provisions for income taxes were $1.5 million and $1.9 million for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, based on effective tax rates of 16.4% and 14.7%, respectively. Provisions for income taxes were $3.6 million and $12.6 million for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, based on an effective tax rate of 34.6%. The net decrease in the effective tax rate for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same periods in 2017, was primarily due to the reduction of Federal Corporate Income Tax rate as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Act”) tax reform legislation. This legislation makes significant changes to the U.S. tax law, including a reduction in the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% starting in 2018. In addition, the Company realized a windfall tax benefit for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 related to exercises of employee equity awards resulting in a discrete period income tax benefit of $1.6 million and a reduction in the effective tax rate of 12.1%. The Company realized a $0.1 million windfall tax benefit for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We require cash to fund our operating expenses and to make capital expenditures. We expect that our requirements for cash to fund these uses will increase as our operations expand. Historically we have generated positive cash flow from operations, which, together with our available cash, investments, and debt, have met our cash requirements. Cash, cash equivalents, and investments aggregated $149.0 million and $157.3 million, and working capital totaled $186.3 million and $193.3 million as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. In addition, as of September 30, 2018, we have $50.0 million of available credit under our senior revolving credit facility with Bank of America, N.A. We believe that we have adequate financial resources to support our business for at least the twelve months from the issuance date of our financial statements. As of September 30, 2018, we were in compliance with the terms of our credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A.

Cash provided by operating activities was $24.9 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to cash provided by operating activities of $33.8 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease in cash provided by operations for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017, was primarily related to our higher operating expenses in manufacturing operations, sales and marketing, decrease in accounts payable, and an increase in inventory on hand.

Cash used in investing activities was $47.7 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to cash used in investing activities of $11.8 million for the same period in 2017. The increase was due to increased purchases of investments, partially offset by lower capital expenditures as compared to 2017.

Cash used in financing activities was $28.8 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018, as compared to cash used in financing activities of $0.3 million for the same period in 2017. The decrease in cash used in financing activities for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 was primarily attributable to the utilization of $30.0 million cash to repurchase outstanding common stock under the previously-discussed Fixed Dollar Accelerated Share Repurchase program and $1.7 million of vested RSAs that were withheld for individual taxes and retired. This was partially offset by $2.9 million of proceeds received from the exercise of stock-based compensation awards.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

There were no other significant changes in our critical accounting policies during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 to augment the critical accounting policies disclosed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 other than those described in the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the adoption of the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606) effective January 1, 2018. As a result of our adoption of the new revenue recognition standard, we re-assessed the estimates, assumptions, and judgments that are most critical in our recognition of revenue and have revised our revenue recognition critical accounting policy.  For information regarding the impact of recently adopted accounting standards, refer to Note 3 to the condensed financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

There were no other significant changes in our critical accounting estimates during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 to augment the critical accounting estimates disclosed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 other than those described in the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including the estimated costs for the previously described voluntary recall of certain production lots of our HYAFF-based products.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

A discussion of Recent Accounting Pronouncements is included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and is updated in the Notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Contractual Obligations and Other Commercial Commitments

Our contractual obligations and other commercial commitments are summarized in the section captioned “Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Contractual Obligations and Other Commercial Commitments” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Except for $2.0 million of retirement and post-retirement consulting benefits we accrued on March 9, 2018 related to the retirement of our former Chief Executive Officer, we had no material changes outside the ordinary course to our contractual obligations reported in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K during the nine months ended September 30, 2018. For additional discussion, see Note 12 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

To the extent that funds generated from our operations, together with our existing capital resources, are insufficient to meet future requirements, we will be required to obtain additional funds through equity or debt financings, strategic alliances with corporate partners and others, or through other sources. No assurance can be given that any additional financing will be made available to us or will be available on acceptable terms should such a need arise.

Off-balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not use special purpose entities or other off-balance sheet financing techniques, except for operating leases, that we believe have, or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, or capital resources.

Our market risks and the ways we manage them are summarized in the section captioned “Part II, Item 7A, Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. There have been no material changes in the first nine months of 2018 to our market risks or to our management of such risks.

As required by Rule 13a-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by our company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. On an on-going basis, we review and document our disclosure controls and procedures, and our internal control over financial reporting, and may from time to time make changes aimed at enhancing their effectiveness and to ensure that our systems evolve with our business. 

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controls over financial reporting. In January 2018, we placed in service our new enterprise resource planning software. In this regard, we reviewed and modified our internal controls, as necessary.

PART II: OTHER INFORMATION

We are involved from time-to-time in various legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. Although the outcomes of these legal proceedings are inherently difficult to predict, we do not expect the resolution of these occasional legal proceedings to have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flow. There have been no material changes to the information provided in the section captioned “Part I, Item 3, Legal Proceedings” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Except as set forth below, there have been no material changes to the risk factors described in the section captioned “Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in the section captioned “Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which could materially affect our business, financial condition, or future results. The risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q are not the only risks facing our Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and/or operating results.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Failure to obtain, or any delay in obtaining, FDA or other U.S. and foreign governmental approvals for our products may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Several of our current products, and any future products we may develop, will require clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy for United States and international marketing approval by regulatory bodies, including the FDA. Product development and approval within the FDA framework takes a number of years and involves the expenditure of substantial resources. There can be no assurance that the FDA will accept submissions related to our new products or the expansion of the indications of our current products, and, even if submissions are accepted, there can be no guarantee that the FDA will grant approval for our new products, including CINGAL, HYALOFAST, or other line extensions of our current products, or for the expansion of indications of our current products on a timely basis, if at all.

In the second quarter of 2018, we received and analyzed the results of our second Phase III clinical trial for CINGAL, our lead product candidate, and found that, while substantial pain reduction associated with CINGAL was evident at each measurement point, the data did not meet the primary study endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant difference in pain reduction between CINGAL and the approved steroid component of CINGAL at the six-month time point. These results could have a substantial negative impact on the timeline for, and the cost associated with, CINGAL regulatory approval, if any, which could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position in the market in which we do business, and our overall business, financial condition, and results of operations.

In addition to regulations enforced by the FDA, we are subject to other existing and future federal, state, local, and foreign regulations applicable to product approval, which may vary significantly across jurisdictions. Additional approval of existing products may be required when changes to such products may affect the safety and effectiveness, including for new indications for use, labeling changes, process or manufacturing changes, the use of a different facility to manufacture, process or package the device, and changes in performance or design specifications. Failure to obtain regulatory approvals of our products, including any changes to existing products, could have an adverse material impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Even if ultimately granted, FDA and international regulatory approvals may be subject to significant, unanticipated delays throughout the regulatory approval process. Internally, we make assumptions regarding product approval timelines, both in the United States and internationally, in our business planning, and any delay in approval could materially affect our competitive position in the relevant product market and our projections related to future business results.

We cannot be certain that product approvals, both in the United States and internationally, will not include significant limitations on the product indications, and other claims sought for use, under which the products may be marketed. The relevant approval or clearance may also include other significant conditions of approval such as post-market testing, tracking, or surveillance requirements. Any of these factors could significantly impact our competitive position in relation to such products and could have a negative impact on the sales of such products.

We are facing an unforeseen delay in the pathway to commercialize our CINGAL product in the United States, and we may face other unforeseen difficulties and delays in implementing new commercial models for CINGAL and other products, which could affect our business and financial results.

In the first half of 2018, we began the initial, pre-launch phases of implementing a direct sales model to commercialize and promote CINGAL in the United States. In the second quarter of 2018, we received and analyzed the results of our second Phase III clinical trial for CINGAL and found that, while substantial pain reduction associated with CINGAL was evident at each measurement point, the data did not meet the primary study endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant difference in pain reduction between CINGAL and the approved steroid component of CINGAL at the six-month time point. Because these results could have a substantial negative impact on the timeline for and the cost associated with a potential CINGAL regulatory approval, if any, our overall business condition, financial results, and competitive position could be affected.

We initially intended to use a direct sales model, at least in part, to potentially commercialize CINGAL and other of our products in the United States in the future. Given the delay of a potential CINGAL regulatory approval, we reevaluated our commercial strategy for our products in the U.S. market. In general, we believe that the hybrid of small direct and partnership distribution models will maximize the revenue potential from our current and near-term future product portfolio. We have ceased additional U.S. direct sales pre-launch activities for CINGAL as we evaluate its regulatory pathway in the United States. For longer-term future products in the U.S. market, we intend to evaluate the appropriate commercial model for each on a case-by-case basis, based on market dynamics and other factors. These models could include direct sales, distribution partnerships, or a hybrid of those forms. We cannot assure you that there will not be unforeseen roadblocks or delays in the implementation of any commercial model, and we cannot be certain that any given commercial model for any specific product will maximize the revenues to be generated for us by such product. Failure to effectively implement any commercial model for CINGAL or other future products could materially impact our competitive position, business, and financial results.

Substantial competition could materially affect our financial performance.

We compete with many companies, including large pharmaceutical companies, specialized medical products companies, and healthcare companies. Many of these companies have substantially greater financial resources, larger research and development staffs, more extensive marketing and manufacturing organizations, and more experience in the regulatory process than us. We also compete with academic institutions, government agencies, and other research organizations that may be involved in research, development, and commercialization of products similar to our own. Because a number of companies are developing or have developed HA products for similar applications and have received FDA approval, the successful commercialization of a particular product will depend in part upon our ability to complete clinical studies and obtain FDA marketing and foreign regulatory approvals prior to our competitors, or, if regulatory approval is not obtained prior to our competitors, to identify markets for our products that may be sufficient to permit meaningful sales of our products. For example, we are aware of several companies that are developing and/or marketing products utilizing HA for a variety of human applications. In some cases, competitors have already obtained product approvals, submitted applications for approval, or have commenced human clinical studies, either in the United States or in certain foreign countries. There exist major competing products for the use of HA in ophthalmic surgery. In addition, certain HA products made by our competitors for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the knee received FDA approval before ours and have been marketed in the United States since 1997, as well as select markets in Canada, Europe, and other countries. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete against current or future competitors or that competition will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. 

In the second quarter of 2018, we received and analyzed the results of our second Phase III clinical trial for CINGAL and found that, while substantial pain reduction associated with CINGAL was evident at each measurement point, the data did not meet the primary study endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant difference in pain reduction between CINGAL and the approved steroid component of CINGAL at the six-month time point. These results could have a substantial negative impact on the timeline for CINGAL’s commercial launch in the United States, if regulatory approval is ultimately achieved, which could negatively impact our competitive position and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Under our equity compensation plans, and subject to the specific approval of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors, grantees have the option of electing to satisfy tax withholding obligations at the time of vesting or exercise by allowing us to withhold shares of stock otherwise issuable to the grantee. During the three-month period ended September 30, 2018, there were no shares withheld to satisfy grantee tax withholding obligations on restricted stock award vesting events.

Following is a summary of stock repurchases for the three-month period ended September 30, 2018 (in thousands, except share data):

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

25