Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. - Quarter Report: 2017 September (Form 10-Q)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
☒ |
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2017
OR
☐ |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number: 001-37746
APTEVO THERAPEUTICS INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware |
81-1567056 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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2401 4th Avenue, Suite 1050 Seattle, Washington |
98121 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (206) 838-0500
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 ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant 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 and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
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.
Large accelerated filer |
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Accelerated filer |
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☐ |
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Non-accelerated filer |
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☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
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Smaller reporting company |
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☒ |
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Emerging growth company |
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act ). Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of November 6, 2017, the number of shares of Registrant’s common stock outstanding was 21,428,468.
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PART I. |
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Item 1. |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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Item 2. |
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
19 |
Item 3. |
28 |
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Item 4. |
28 |
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PART II. |
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Item 1. |
29 |
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Item 1A. |
29 |
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Item 2. |
60 |
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Item 3. |
60 |
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Item 4. |
60 |
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Item 5. |
60 |
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Item 6. |
61 |
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62 |
In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, “we,” “our,” “us,” “Aptevo,” and “the Company” refer to Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. and, where appropriate, its consolidated subsidiaries.
i
Aptevo Therapeutics Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts, unaudited)
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ASSETS |
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September 30, 2017 |
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December 31, 2016 |
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Current assets: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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$ |
75,830 |
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$ |
9,676 |
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Restricted cash |
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10,400 |
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400 |
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Short-term investments |
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20,946 |
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44,849 |
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Accounts receivable |
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528 |
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307 |
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Inventories |
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1,237 |
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461 |
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Current assets held for sale |
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— |
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10,155 |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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6,381 |
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5,566 |
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Total current assets |
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115,322 |
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71,414 |
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Property and equipment, net |
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6,163 |
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5,910 |
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Intangible assets, net |
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6,287 |
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6,910 |
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Long-term assets held for sale |
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— |
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7,624 |
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Other long-term assets |
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3,250 |
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— |
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Total assets |
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$ |
131,022 |
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$ |
91,858 |
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LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY |
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Current liabilities: |
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Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities |
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$ |
7,512 |
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$ |
10,518 |
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Accrued compensation |
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3,815 |
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4,009 |
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Sales rebates and discounts |
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378 |
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278 |
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Due to acquirer of discontinued operations |
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878 |
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— |
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Deferred revenue, current portion |
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— |
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811 |
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Other short-term liabilities |
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2,287 |
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— |
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Current liabilities held for sale |
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— |
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3,928 |
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Total current liabilities |
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14,870 |
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19,544 |
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Deferred revenue, net of current portion |
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— |
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2,896 |
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Long-term debt, net |
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17,484 |
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18,383 |
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Other liabilities |
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8,358 |
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469 |
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Total liabilities |
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40,712 |
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41,292 |
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Stockholders' equity: |
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Preferred stock: $0.001 par value; 15,000,000 shares authorized, zero shares issued or outstanding |
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— |
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— |
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Common stock: $0.001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 21,426,731 and 20,271,737 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively |
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21 |
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20 |
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Additional paid-in capital |
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154,257 |
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151,271 |
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Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
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(10 |
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(33 |
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Contribution receivable from former parent |
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— |
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(20,000 |
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Accumulated deficit |
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(63,958 |
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(80,692 |
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Total stockholders' equity |
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90,310 |
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50,566 |
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Total liabilities and stockholders' equity |
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$ |
131,022 |
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$ |
91,858 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
2
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts, unaudited)
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For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
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For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2017 |
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2016 Restated |
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2017 |
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2016 Restated |
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Revenues: |
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Product sales |
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$ |
2,506 |
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$ |
2,816 |
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$ |
8,131 |
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$ |
7,050 |
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Collaborations |
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3,666 |
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— |
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3,709 |
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153 |
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Total revenues |
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6,172 |
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2,816 |
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11,840 |
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7,203 |
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Costs and expenses: |
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Cost of product sales |
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1,872 |
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4,110 |
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3,114 |
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7,387 |
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Research and development |
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7,175 |
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7,077 |
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19,835 |
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22,759 |
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Selling, general and administrative |
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7,473 |
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11,141 |
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26,019 |
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27,950 |
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Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets |
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— |
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71,013 |
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— |
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71,013 |
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Loss from operations |
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(10,348 |
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(90,525 |
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(37,128 |
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(121,906 |
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Other income (expense): |
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Other expense, net |
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(436 |
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(492 |
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(1,356 |
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(417 |
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Total other expense, net |
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(436 |
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(492 |
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(1,356 |
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(417 |
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Loss before income taxes |
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(10,784 |
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(91,017 |
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(38,484 |
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(122,323 |
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Benefit from income taxes |
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13,768 |
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17,608 |
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15,587 |
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18,590 |
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Net income (loss) from continuing operations |
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2,984 |
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(73,409 |
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(22,897 |
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(103,733 |
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Discontinued operations (Note 2): |
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Income from discontinued operations, before income taxes |
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56,140 |
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3,959 |
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62,706 |
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9,514 |
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Income tax expense |
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(21,257 |
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(2,291 |
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(23,076 |
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(3,250 |
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Income from discontinued operations |
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34,883 |
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1,668 |
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39,630 |
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6,264 |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
37,867 |
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$ |
(71,741 |
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$ |
16,733 |
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$ |
(97,469 |
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Basic net income (loss) per share: |
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Net loss from continuing operations |
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$ |
0.14 |
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$ |
(3.63 |
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$ |
(1.08 |
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$ |
(5.13 |
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Net income from discontinued operations |
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$ |
1.63 |
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$ |
0.08 |
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$ |
1.87 |
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$ |
0.31 |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
1.77 |
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$ |
(3.55 |
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$ |
0.79 |
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$ |
(4.82 |
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Weighted-average shares used to compute per share calculation |
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21,385,381 |
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20,235,987 |
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21,138,332 |
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20,231,910 |
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Diluted net income (loss) per share: |
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Net loss from continuing operations |
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$ |
0.14 |
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$ |
(3.63 |
) |
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$ |
(1.08 |
) |
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$ |
(5.13 |
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Net income from discontinued operations |
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$ |
1.61 |
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$ |
0.08 |
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$ |
1.87 |
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$ |
0.31 |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
1.75 |
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$ |
(3.55 |
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$ |
0.79 |
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$ |
(4.82 |
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Weighted-average shares used to compute per share calculation |
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21,672,269 |
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20,235,987 |
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21,138,332 |
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20,231,910 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
3
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(in thousands, unaudited)
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For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
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For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2017 |
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2016 |
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2017 |
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2016 |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
37,867 |
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$ |
(71,741 |
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$ |
16,733 |
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$ |
(97,469 |
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Other comprehensive loss: |
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Unrealized losses on available-for-sale investments, net |
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(24 |
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(17 |
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(10 |
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(17 |
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Total comprehensive income (loss) |
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$ |
37,843 |
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$ |
(71,758 |
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$ |
16,723 |
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$ |
(97,486 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
4
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands, unaudited)
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For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2017 |
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2016 |
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Operating Activities |
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Net income (loss) |
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$ |
16,733 |
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$ |
(97,469 |
) |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
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Stock-based compensation |
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3,829 |
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2,067 |
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Depreciation and amortization |
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2,991 |
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2,912 |
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Gain on sale of Hyperimmune Business |
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(52,538 |
) |
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— |
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Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets |
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— |
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55,702 |
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Income taxes |
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7,489 |
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(506 |
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Change in fair value of contingent consideration |
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— |
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(261 |
) |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
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Accounts receivable |
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(221 |
) |
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3,497 |
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Inventories |
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(776 |
) |
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8,748 |
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Income taxes |
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— |
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1,376 |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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(815 |
) |
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(1,475 |
) |
Accounts payable, accrued compensation and other liabilities |
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(1,941 |
) |
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(1,155 |
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Change in assets and liabilities held for sale |
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2,700 |
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— |
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Due to Soal |
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4 |
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— |
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Sales rebates and discounts |
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100 |
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(208 |
) |
Deferred revenue |
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(3,707 |
) |
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(3,425 |
) |
Net cash used in operating activities |
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(26,152 |
) |
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(30,197 |
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Investing Activities |
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Cash proceeds from sale of Hyperimmune Business |
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60,477 |
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— |
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Proceeds from the maturity of investments |
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53,218 |
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— |
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Purchases of property and equipment |
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(1,105 |
) |
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(1,933 |
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Purchases of investments |
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(29,291 |
) |
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(49,802 |
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Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
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83,299 |
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(51,735 |
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Financing Activities |
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Transfer from former parent, prior to spin-off |
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— |
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45,000 |
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Settlement of contribution receivable from former parent |
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20,000 |
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25,549 |
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Proceeds from long-term debt, net of issuance costs |
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— |
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18,038 |
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Debt issuance costs |
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(150 |
) |
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— |
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Proceeds from the exercise of stock options |
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— |
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2 |
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Payments for taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards |
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(843 |
) |
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— |
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Restricted cash |
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(10,000 |
) |
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(400 |
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Net cash provided by financing activities |
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9,007 |
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88,189 |
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Increase cash and cash equivalents |
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66,154 |
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|
6,257 |
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Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
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9,676 |
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|
4,637 |
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Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
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$ |
75,830 |
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$ |
10,894 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
5
Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1. Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies
Organization and Basis of Presentation
Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. (Aptevo, or the Company) is a biotechnology company focused on novel oncology (cancer) and hematology (blood disease) therapeutics to meaningfully improve patients’ lives. Our core technology is the ADAPTIR™ (modular protein technology) platform. We currently have one revenue-generating product in the area of hematology, as well as various investigational stage product candidates in the area of immuno-oncology.
On September 28, 2017, Aptevo completed the sale of its hyperimmune business which consisted of the following products: WinRho® SDF for autoimmune platelet disorder and hemolytic disease of the newborn; HepaGam B® for the prevention of Hepatitis B following liver transplantation and for treatment following hepatitis B exposure; and VARIZIG® for treatment following exposure to varicella zoster virus for individuals with compromised immune systems (Hyperimmune Business). As of September 30, 2017, the Hyperimmune Business met all the conditions to be classified as a discontinued operation since the sale of Hyperimmune Business represented a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results. The Company will not have further significant involvement in the operations of the discontinued Hyperimmune Business. The operating results of the Hyperimmune Business are reported as income from the discontinued operations, both pre-tax and net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. The gain recognized on the sale of the Hyperimmune Business is presented in income (loss) from discontinued operations, both pre-tax and net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statement of operations. In addition, the consolidated and condensed balance sheets as of December 31, 2016, the assets and liabilities held for sale have been presented separately. See Note 2 - Sale of Hyperimmune Business for additional information.
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and include all adjustments, which include normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position.
On August 6, 2015, Emergent BioSolutions Inc., (Emergent or former parent), announced a plan to separate into two independent publicly traded companies. To accomplish this separation, Emergent created Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. or Aptevo, to be the parent company for the development-based biotechnology business focused on novel oncology and hematology therapeutics. Aptevo was incorporated in Delaware in February 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Emergent. To effect the separation, Emergent made a pro rata distribution of Aptevo’s common stock to Emergent’s stockholders on August 1, 2016. We are currently trading on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “APVO.”
Prior to August 1, 2016, the consolidated financial statements were prepared on a “carve-out” basis for the purpose of presenting Aptevo’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows, and were derived from Emergent’s consolidated financial statements and accounting records. Aptevo did not operate as a standalone entity in the past and accordingly the selected financial data presented herein is not necessarily indicative of Aptevo’s future performance and does not reflect what Aptevo’s performance would have been had Aptevo operated as an independent publicly-traded company prior to August 1, 2016. The consolidated financial statements reflect Aptevo’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as a separately operated business in conformity with GAAP post the August 1, 2016 spin-off.
Prior to August 1, 2016, the consolidated financial statements included an allocation of certain assets and liabilities that have historically been held at the Emergent corporate level but which were specifically identifiable or allocable to Aptevo. All Aptevo intracompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. All intercompany transactions between Aptevo and Emergent are considered to be effectively settled in the consolidated financial statements at the time the transaction was recorded. The total net effect of the settlement of these intercompany transactions is reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows as a financing activity and in the consolidated balance sheet as a net investment from Emergent. As of August 1, 2016, in connection with the separation and distribution, Emergent’s investment in the Company’s business was redesignated as stockholder’s equity and allocated between common stock and additional paid-in capital based on the number of shares issued at the distribution date.
Prior to August 1, 2016, Aptevo’s consolidated financial statements included an allocation of expenses related to certain Emergent corporate functions, including senior management, legal, human resources, finance, information technology, and quality assurance. These expenses were allocated to Aptevo based on direct usage or benefit where identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of expenses, headcount, square footage, or other measures. Aptevo considers the expense allocation methodology and results to be reasonable for all periods presented. However, the allocations may not be indicative of the actual expense that would have been incurred had Aptevo operated as an independent, publicly-traded company for the periods presented.
6
Prior to August 1, 2016, the income tax amounts in these consolidated financial statements were calculated based on a separate return methodology and presented as if Aptevo’s operations were a standalone taxpayer in each of its tax jurisdictions.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Accounts Receivable
Aptevo records accounts receivable net of an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon its assessment of collectability, and of applicable discounts. Aptevo performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral. As a result of its sale of its Hyperimmune Business in September 2017, accounts receivable net of an allowance for doubtful accounts has been revised to reflect the removal of its allowance for doubtful accounts, as the prior balance solely related to the Hyperimmune Business. See Note 2, Sale of Hyperimmune Business for additional information on the divestiture.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue if four basic criteria have been met: (1) there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, (3) the fee is fixed or determinable, and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. Where the revenue recognition criteria are not met, we defer the recognition of revenue by recording deferred revenue until such time as all criteria are met.
Income Taxes
Aptevo recognized a tax impact due to the restatement of our tax liability (see Note 10 – Restatement), as well as the exception to the Intraperiod Tax Allocation rules in accordance with ASC 740-20-45-7. The exception required that all items (including discontinued operations) be considered in determining the amount of the tax benefit resulting from the loss in continuing operations.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), an updated standard on revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 provides enhancements to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported by companies while also improving comparability in the financial statements of companies reporting using International Financial Reporting Standards or GAAP. The main purpose of the new standard is for companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard also will result in enhanced disclosures about revenue, provide guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date of the new revenue standard for periods beginning after December 15, 2016 to December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted but not earlier than the original effective date. Accordingly, the updated standard is effective for Aptevo in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. Aptevo has assembled a cross functional team to identify the population of contracts with customers and evaluate them under the provisions of ASU No. 2014-09. Aptevo intends to adopt the new standard on a modified retrospective basis. Under this implementation method, Aptevo will recognize the cumulative effect of initially applying the new guidance as an adjustment to the opening retained earnings balance for the annual reporting period of initial application. While Aptevo is continuing its assessment of all the potential impacts of the new standard, it does not expect the implementation of the standard to have a material impact on Aptevo’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flow.
In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No.2014-15 Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. Under the new guidance, management is required to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. The provisions of this standard are effective for annual periods ending after December 31, 2016, and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Aptevo adopted this guidance for the year ended December 31, 2016 and management believes that Aptevo’s existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments will be sufficient to fund its operations for twelve months from the date of this filing. Aptevo is required to reassess this position on a quarterly basis and future facts and circumstances may yield a different conclusion.
7
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for all leases (with the exception of short term leases) at the commencement date. Lessor accounting under ASU 2016-02 is largely unchanged. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning on or after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. Under ASU 2016-02, lessees (for capital and operating leases) and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. Lessees and lessors may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The ASU will be effective for the Company starting on January 1, 2019. Aptevo is continuing to evaluate the impact of the application of this ASU on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures. We expect to recognize right of use assets and lease liabilities.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” ASU 2016-09 simplifies the accounting for share-based payment award transactions including the financial statement presentation of excess tax benefits and deficiencies, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, accounting for forfeitures and classification on the statement of cash flows. Aptevo adopted this standard effective January 1, 2017. Upon adoption of the standard, excess tax benefits and deficiencies resulting from stock-based compensation awards vesting and exercises are now recognized as discrete items in the statement of operations. Aptevo has elected to maintain its current forfeitures policy and will continue to include an estimate of forfeitures when recognizing stock-based compensation expense. Additionally, cash paid by Aptevo when directly withholding shares for tax withholding purposes will continue to be classified as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows as required by the standard. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on Aptevo’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments,” which clarifies the classification and presentation of eight specific cash flow issues in the statement of cash flows. This standard is effective beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The new standard requires a retrospective transition. Aptevo is aware the adoption of this standard will have an impact for restricted cash, and evaluating further impacts on its consolidated financial statements.
Note 2. Sale of Hyperimmune Business
On August 31, 2017, Aptevo entered into a sale agreement with Saol International Limited (Saol) whereby Aptevo agreed to sell its Hyperimmune Business. The sale was completed on September 28, 2017.
At the closing of the sale, Saol paid an amount equal to $65.0 million, including $3.3 million which was deposited in an escrow account for the purposes of satisfying any indemnification claims brought by Saol pursuant to the LLC sale agreement. In addition, Aptevo may receive (1) an additional potential milestone payment totaling up to $7.5 million related to the achievement of certain gross profit milestones and (2) up to $2.0 million related to collection of certain accounts receivable after the closing.
The net gain on sale of the Hyperimmune Business totaling, $52.5 million, was calculated as the difference between the fair value of the consideration received for the Hyperimmune Business, the carrying value of the net assets transferred to Saol, less the transaction costs incurred and a working capital adjustment. The net gain on sale of the business may be adjusted in future periods by the contingent consideration based upon the achievement of certain gross profit milestones and collection of certain outstanding accounts receivable.
The following table summarizes the gain on sale (in thousands):
Cash payment received |
|
$ |
61,750 |
|
Escrow receivable |
|
|
3,250 |
|
Total consideration |
|
|
65,000 |
|
Less: |
|
|
|
|
Net carrying value of assets transferred to Saol |
|
|
10,315 |
|
Transaction costs |
|
|
1,273 |
|
Working capital adjustment |
|
|
874 |
|
Net gain on sale of business |
|
$ |
52,538 |
|
8
As a result of Aptevo’s decision to sell the Hyperimmune Business, the condensed consolidated balance sheets for the year ended December 31, 2016, the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2017, have been revised to reflect the results from the sale of the Hyperimmune Business, and related assets and liabilities, as discontinued operations. The amounts calculated for the discontinued operations include certain allocations that management believes fairly reflect the Hyperimmune Business operations.
The following table presents a reconciliation of the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities of the hyperimmune assets held for sale, net in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet (in thousands):
ASSETS |
December 31, 2016 |
|
|
Accounts receivable |
$ |
3,977 |
|
Inventories |
|
6,178 |
|
Total current assets, held for sale |
|
10,155 |
|
|
|
|
|
Intangible assets, net |
|
7,624 |
|
Total assets held for sale |
$ |
17,779 |
|
LIABILITIES |
|
|
|
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities |
$ |
3,928 |
|
Total current liabilities |
$ |
3,928 |
|
The following table represents the components attributable to the Hyperimmune Business presented as income from discontinued operations in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations (in thousands):
|
|
For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
||||
Revenues: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
Product sales |
|
$ |
6,380 |
|
|
$ |
6,589 |
|
|
$ |
18,886 |
|
|
$ |
20,462 |
|
Total revenues |
|
|
6,380 |
|
|
|
6,589 |
|
|
|
18,886 |
|
|
|
20,462 |
|
Costs and expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of product sales |
|
|
2,586 |
|
|
|
2,053 |
|
|
|
7,730 |
|
|
|
8,848 |
|
Research and development |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
37 |
|
|
|
44 |
|
|
|
92 |
|
Selling, general and administrative |
|
|
189 |
|
|
|
540 |
|
|
|
944 |
|
|
|
2,008 |
|
Income from operations |
|
|
3,602 |
|
|
|
3,959 |
|
|
|
10,168 |
|
|
|
9,514 |
|
Gain on sale of Hyperimmune Business |
|
|
52,538 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
52,538 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Income from discontinued operations, before income taxes |
|
|
56,140 |
|
|
|
3,959 |
|
|
|
62,706 |
|
|
|
9,514 |
|
Income tax expense |
|
|
(21,257 |
) |
|
|
(2,291 |
) |
|
|
(23,076 |
) |
|
|
(3,250 |
) |
Income from discontinued operations |
|
$ |
34,883 |
|
|
$ |
1,668 |
|
|
$ |
39,630 |
|
|
$ |
6,264 |
|
Amortization for the Hyperimmune Business was $0.3 million and $0.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016, respectively. There was no depreciation, capital expenditures or other significant operating or investing non-cash items for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016.
Note 3. Collaboration Agreements
Alligator
On July 20, 2017, our wholly owned subsidiary Aptevo Research and Development LLC (Aptevo R&D), entered into a collaboration and option agreement (Collaboration Agreement) with Alligator Bioscience AB, (Alligator), pursuant to which Aptevo and Alligator will collaboratively develop ALG.APV-527, a lead bispecific antibody candidate simultaneously targeting 4-1BB (CD137), a member of the TNFR superfamily of a costimulatory receptor found on activated T cells, and 5T4 a tumor antigen widely overexpressed in a number of different types of cancer. This product candidate is built on our novel ADAPTIR platform, which is designed to expand on the utility and effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies. Under this Collaboration Agreement, Alligator also granted to Aptevo a time-limited option to enter into a second agreement with Alligator for the joint development of a separate bispecific antibody candidate simultaneously targeting 4-1BB (CD137) and 5T4 a tumor antigen that Aptevo R&D and Alligator will collaboratively select.
9
In accordance with the terms of the Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to develop the lead bispecific antibody candidate targeting 4-1BB (CD137) and 5T4 through the completion of Phase II clinical trials in accordance with an agreed upon development plan and budget. Subject to certain exceptions for Aptevo’s manufacturing and platform technologies, the parties will jointly own intellectual property generated in the performance of the development activities under the Collaboration Agreement.
Following the completion of the anticipated development activities under the Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to seek a third-party commercialization partner for this product candidate, or, in certain circumstances, may elect to enter into a second agreement granting rights to either Aptevo R&D or Alligator to allow such party to continue the development and commercialization of this product candidate. Under the terms of this Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to share revenue received from a third-party commercialization partner equally, or, if the development costs are not equally shared under this Collaboration Agreement, in proportion to the development costs borne by each party.
The Collaboration Agreement also contains several points in development at which either party may elect to “opt-out” (i.e., terminate without cause) and, following a termination notice period, cease paying development costs for this product candidate, which would be borne fully by the continuing party. Following an opt-out by a party, the continuing party will be granted exclusive rights to continue the development and commercialization of the product candidate, subject to a requirement to pay a percentage of revenue received from any future commercialization partner for this product, or, if the continuing party elects to self-commercialize, tiered royalties on the net sales of the product by the continuing party ranging from the low to mid-single digits, based on the point in development at which the ‘opt-out’ occurs. The parties have also agreed on certain technical criteria or ‘stage gates’ related to the development of this product candidate that, if not met, will cause an automatic termination and wind-down of this Collaboration Agreement and the activities thereunder, provided that the parties do not agree to continue.
The Collaboration Agreement contains industry standard termination rights, including for material breach following a specified cure period, and in the case of a party’s insolvency.
MorphoSys
In August 2014, Aptevo entered into a collaboration agreement with MorphoSys AG (MorphoSys Agreement) for the joint development of MOR209/ES414, a targeted immunotherapeutics protein, which activates host T-cell immunity specifically against cancer cells expressing prostate specific membrane antigen, an antigen commonly overexpressed on prostate cancer cells. Effective August 31, 2017, MorphoSys terminated the MorphoSys Agreement. As a result of the termination, Aptevo has no ongoing obligation related to this agreement and therefore recognized the total remaining deferred revenue balance of $3.7 million as Collaborations revenue in the third quarter of 2017.
Note 4. Fair Value Measurements
The Company’s estimates of fair value for financial assets and financial liabilities are based on the framework established in the fair value accounting guidance. The framework is based on the inputs used in valuation, gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets and requires that observable inputs be used in the valuations when available. The disclosure of fair value estimates in the fair value accounting guidance hierarchy is based on whether the significant inputs into the valuation are observable. In determining the level of the hierarchy in which the estimate is disclosed, the highest priority is given to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s significant market assumptions. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement is reported is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the hierarchy are as follows:
Level 1— Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities;
Level 2— Inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and
Level 3— Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
10
The Company’s financial assets measured at fair value consisted of the following as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
|
|
September 30, 2017 |
|
|||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
Level 1 |
|
|
Level 2 |
|
|
Level 3 |
|
|
Total |
|
||||
Financial Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money market funds |
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
Corporate bonds |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,973 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,973 |
|
US government and agency debt securities |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
11,973 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
11,973 |
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
|
$ |
20,946 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
37,724 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2016 |
|
|||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
Level 1 |
|
|
Level 2 |
|
|
Level 3 |
|
|
Total |
|
||||
Financial Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money market funds |
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
Corporate bonds |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
9,951 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
9,951 |
|
US government and agency debt securities |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
34,898 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
34,898 |
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
|
$ |
44,849 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
50,064 |
|
If quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets are not available to determine fair value, then the Company uses quoted prices of similar instruments and other significant inputs derived from observable market data obtained from third-party data providers. These investments are included in Level 2 and consist of debt securities of U.S government agencies and corporate bonds. There were no transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017.
Cash held in demand deposit accounts of $69.1 million and $4.4 million is excluded from our fair-value hierarchy disclosure as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The carrying amounts for receivables, accounts payable and other current monetary assets and liabilities approximate fair value because of the immediate or short-term maturity of these financial instruments.
11
Investments are classified as available-for-sale securities and are carried at fair value with unrealized temporary holding gains and losses excluded from net income or loss and reported in other comprehensive income or loss and also as a net amount in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss until realized. Available-for-sale securities are written down to fair value through income whenever it is necessary to reflect other than temporary impairments. The Company determined that the unrealized losses on its investments as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 were temporary in nature. The Company currently has the ability but does not intend to sell these investments before recovery of their amortized cost basis. All short-term investments are limited to a final maturity of less than one year from the reporting date.
|
|
September 30, 2017 |
|
|||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
Amortized Cost |
|
|
Gross Unrealized Holding Gains |
|
|
Gross Unrealized Holding (Losses) |
|
|
Estimated Fair Value |
|
||||
Cash equivalents: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money market fund |
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
Total cash equivalents |
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
16,778 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Short-term investments: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate bonds |
|
$ |
8,978 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
(5 |
) |
|
$ |
8,973 |
|
US government and agency debt securities |
|
|
11,978 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(5 |
) |
|
|
11,973 |
|
Total short-term investments |
|
$ |
20,956 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
(10 |
) |
|
$ |
20,946 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2016 |
|
|||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
Amortized Cost |
|
|
Gross Unrealized Holding Gains |
|
|
Gross Unrealized Holding (Losses) |
|
|
Estimated Fair Value |
|
||||
Cash equivalents: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money market fund |
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
Total cash equivalents |
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
5,215 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Short-term investments: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate bonds |
|
$ |
9,959 |
|
|
$ |
1 |
|
|
$ |
(9 |
) |
|
$ |
9,951 |
|
US government and agency debt securities |
|
|
34,923 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(25 |
) |
|
|
34,898 |
|
Total short-term investments |
|
$ |
44,882 |
|
|
$ |
1 |
|
|
$ |
(34 |
) |
|
$ |
44,849 |
|
Note 6. Inventories
Inventories consist of the following:
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
||
(in thousands) |
|
2017 |
|
|
2016(1) |
|
||
Raw materials and supplies |
|
$ |
240 |
|
|
$ |
260 |
|
Work-in-process |
|
|
57 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Finished goods |
|
|
940 |
|
|
|
197 |
|
Total inventories |
|
$ |
1,237 |
|
|
$ |
461 |
|
(1) The 2016 inventory balances have been updated to reflect the impact of the sale of the Hyperimmune Business. See Note 2 -Sale of Hyperimmune Business
Due to the sale of Aptevo’s Hyperimmune Business, the remaining inventory is solely related to IXINITY. CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc. (CMC) is the sole manufacturer of the bulk drug substance for our IXINITY product. During 2015, we ordered nine manufacturing lots of bulk drug substance from CMC and only one of those lots was successfully manufactured and released in 2015. On October 4, 2016, we provided a Notice of Interruption in Manufacturing, or Notice, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), notifying the FDA of a potential interruption in the supply of IXINITY due to the ongoing manufacturing challenges with the manufacturer of the bulk drug substance. On March 15, 2017, we announced the successful manufacture of a new bulk drug substance batch of IXINITY, providing new supply of IXINITY for the commercial market in May 2017.
12
On June 17, 2017, the Company and CMC entered into a new non-exclusive Amended and Restated Commercial Supply, or Restated Supply Agreement, for the commercial development and manufacture of IXINITY. Pursuant to the terms of the Restated Supply Agreement, CMC agreed to manufacture IXINITY in the quantity of batches provided to CMC on a twenty-four month rolling forecast. Beginning 2018, the minimum and maximum batches will be four and ten, respectively, in a calendar year. Multiple batches ordered in succession with no changeover to another product between batches, or a campaign, shall receive an incremental discounted price.
In accordance with the Restated Supply Agreement, a $7.0 million reserve held by CMC will be applied to, at a minimum, the next seven batches manufactured through the end of 2017 as a price concession. As a result, at least the next seven batches will have reduced raw materials or other related CMC costs associated with the inventory. Aptevo will also see an impact on the Company’s statement of operations due to a lower costs of goods sold associated with this inventory, which will also result in higher gross margins as sales are recognized. Any portion of the $7.0 million reserve held by CMC that remains unutilized as of December 25, 2017 shall be paid to the Company in cash on or before December 31, 2017. As of September 30, 2017, $2.6 million has been applied against the reserve and recorded as a reduced cost to inventory. The Restated Supply Agreement has a five-year term renewable with twenty-four months’ prior notice before the expiry of the term for successive two-year terms.
Note 7. Debt
Credit Facility
On August 4, 2016, we entered into a $35.0 million Credit and Security Agreement (the Credit Agreement) with MidCap Financial Trust. The Credit Agreement, prior to the amendments described below, provided us with up to $35.0 million of available borrowing capacity, available (subject to certain conditions) in two tranches of $20.0 million and $15.0 million. Amounts drawn under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 7.60% per annum. The first tranche of $20.0 million was funded on the closing date of the Credit Agreement with the second tranche of $15.0 million to become available (subject to certain conditions) following the date Aptevo and its subsidiaries: (1) achieve net commercial product revenue of $40.0 million on a trailing twelve-month basis, and (2) receive an additional $20.0 million in cash from Emergent. Emergent made this payment on January 13, 2017.We paid debt issuance costs of $1.9 million of which $1.5 million remains unamortized at September 30, 2017. The loan repayment included interest (no principal) through August 2018 and was set to transition to principal and interest as of August 2018 and to be repaid in full on February 1, 2021 (54 months). Amounts drawn under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 7.60% per annum.
The Credit Agreement contained financial covenants that require us and our subsidiaries to maintain increasing minimum net commercial product revenue for each twelve-month period ending on the last day of each calendar quarter, commencing with the twelve-month period ending September 30, 2016. As of March 31, 2017, the Company’s net minimum revenue did not meet the required minimum for the twelve months ended March 31, 2017.
As a result, on May 11, 2017, we and MidCap Financial Trust entered into an amendment to the Credit Agreement to, among other things, waive the existing event of default and revise the financial covenants pertaining to the minimum required commercial product revenue for the twelve months ended March 31, 2017 and future rolling twelve month periods. As a result of the amendment, the Company was in compliance with the modified minimum net revenue covenant for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. As such, amounts owed under the Credit Facility are classified based on their contractual maturities.
This first amendment revised the provisions of the Credit Agreement to: (1) extend the time period through which the Company could draw the second tranche from August 2017 to March 2018, (2) increase the exit fee of 5.75% of the aggregate principal amount under the Credit Agreement for repayment or prepayment other than scheduled amortization payments and the final payment of principal to 6.75% and (3) permit MidCap Financial Trust to obtain an affirmative lien on the intellectual property of the Company, upon the earlier of (i) the Company’s draw down of the second tranche or (ii) the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments balance descend below a minimum cash threshold of $25 million.
On September 28, 2017, the Company entered into a second amendment of the Credit Agreement (Amendment No. 2) in order to permit the sale under the LLC purchase agreement described in Note 2 Sale of Hyperimmune Business, and to reflect changes in the remaining business as a result of such sale.
Pursuant to the Amendment No. 2, the agent and the lenders consented to the LLC purchase agreement and the consummation of the sale transaction, released the agent’s liens on the assets transferred to Venus Bio Therapeutics Sub LLC (Venus) prior to the sale, and agreed that no prepayment of the term loans under the credit agreement would be required as a result the sale.
13
In addition, as part of the Amendment No. 2, the agent and the lenders agreed that: (i) the commitments of the lenders to make the remaining $15 million tranche of loans under the credit agreement were terminated, (ii) the covenant levels set forth in the minimum net commercial product revenue covenant were revised, (iii) a new covenant was added requiring the Company to maintain a minimum $10.0 million unrestricted cash balance, and (iv) the date on which the term loans begin to amortize will be extended to February 1, 2019 if the Company achieves net commercial product revenues of $16 million for the twelve month period ending June 30, 2018 and maintains such level of net commercial product revenues for each quarter prior to February 1, 2019 thereafter.
Note 8. Net Income (Loss) per Share
Basic net income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common share equivalents outstanding for the period using the as-if converted method. For the purpose of this calculation, stock options and restricted stock units are only included in the calculation of diluted net income per share when their effect is dilutive.
Prior to the spin-off, Aptevo did not operate as a separate entity and as a result did not have any common stock outstanding other than 1,000 shares held by Emergent. The calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share assumes that the 20,229,849 ordinary shares issued to Aptevo stockholders in connection with the spin-off were outstanding from the beginning of the periods presented.
Common stock equivalents include stock options and unvested RSUs.
The following table presents the computation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per share (in thousands, except share and per share amounts):
|
|
For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 Restated |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 Restated |
|
||||
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
37,867 |
|
|
$ |
(71,741 |
) |
|
$ |
16,733 |
|
|
$ |
(97,469 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic net income (loss) per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss from continuing operations |
|
$ |
0.14 |
|
|
$ |
(3.63 |
) |
|
$ |
(1.08 |
) |
|
$ |
(5.13 |
) |
Net income from discontinued operations |
|
$ |
1.63 |
|
|
$ |
0.08 |
|
|
$ |
1.87 |
|
|
$ |
0.31 |
|
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
1.77 |
|
|
$ |
(3.55 |
) |
|
$ |
0.79 |
|
|
$ |
(4.82 |
) |
Weighted-average shares used to compute per share calculation |
|
|
21,385,381 |
|
|
|
20,235,987 |
|
|
|
21,138,332 |
|
|
|
20,231,910 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
Diluted net income (loss) per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss from continuing operations |
|
$ |
0.14 |
|
|
$ |
(3.63 |
) |
|
$ |
(1.08 |
) |
|
$ |
(5.13 |
) |
Net income from discontinued operations |
|
$ |
1.61 |
|
|
$ |
0.08 |
|
|
$ |
1.87 |
|
|
$ |
0.31 |
|
Net income (loss) |
|
$ |
1.75 |
|
|
$ |
(3.55 |
) |
|
$ |
0.79 |
|
|
$ |
(4.82 |
) |
Weighted-average shares used to compute per share calculation |
|
|
21,672,269 |
|
|
|
20,235,987 |
|
|
|
21,138,332 |
|
|
|
20,231,910 |
|
The following table represents all potentially dilutive shares, which were all anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share:
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
||||
(in thousands, except for per share amounts) |
|
2017 |
|
2016 |
|
||
Outstanding options to purchase common stock |
|
|
2,989 |
|
|
2,053 |
|
Unvested RSUs |
|
|
1,256 |
|
|
3,324 |
|
14
Capitalization Upon Spin-off
On August 1, 2016, in connection with the spin-off of the Company from Emergent, we issued 20.2 million shares to Emergent stockholders and recorded a contribution from Emergent of $71.2 million. The transactions recorded in 2016 included a one-time payment of $45.0 million, and a working capital reimbursement for outstanding payments of $1.4 million, a noncash transfer of an intangible asset of $0.7 million, and a net transfer of cash from Emergent of $24.2 million. In addition, in the first quarter of 2017 we received $20.0 million as payment for a promissory note issued at the time of the spin-off.
Converted Equity Awards Incentive Plan
The Company had no stock-based compensation plans of its own prior to the spin-off from Emergent; however certain Aptevo employees participated in Emergent’s stock-based compensation plans (Emergent Plans), which provided for the grants of stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs). The expense associated with Aptevo employees who participated in the Emergent Plans was allocated to the Company in the accompanying Statements of Operations for the associated periods prior to the spin off.
In connection with the spin-off the Company adopted the Converted Equity Awards Incentive Plan (Converted Plan) and outstanding equity awards of Emergent held by Aptevo employees were converted into or replaced with equity awards of Aptevo (Conversion Awards) under the Converted Plan and were adjusted to maintain the economic value before and after the distribution date using the relative fair market value of the Emergent and Aptevo common stock based on the closing prices as of August 1, 2016. There was no significant incremental stock-based compensation expense recorded as a result of the equity award conversion. A total of 1.3 million shares of Aptevo common stock have been authorized for issuance under the Converted Plan. Options issued as Conversion Awards were priced according to the Converted Plan. RSUs issued as part of the Converted Plan provide for the issuance of a share of the Company’s stock at no cost to the holder.
2016 Stock Incentive Plan
On August 1, 2016, the Company adopted the 2016 Stock Incentive Plan (2016 SIP). A total of 3.1 million shares of Aptevo common stock have been authorized for issuance under the 2016 SIP in the form of incentive stock options.
Stock options under the 2016 SIP generally vest pro rata over a three-year period and terminate ten years from the grant date, though the specific terms of each grant are determined individually. The Company’s executive officers and certain other employees may be awarded options with different vesting criteria, and options granted to non-employee directors also vest over a three-year period. Option exercise prices for new options granted by the Company equal the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on the date of grant.
RSUs issued under the 2016 SIP provide for the issuance of a share of the Company’s common stock at no cost to the holder. RSUs granted to employees under the 2016 SIP generally provide for time-based vesting over an eighteen-month to three-year period, although certain employees may be awarded RSUs with different time-based vesting criteria. Prior to vesting, RSUs granted under the 2016 SIP do not have dividend equivalent rights, do not have voting rights and the shares underlying the RSUs are not considered issued or outstanding.
The equity compensation awards granted by the Company generally vest only if the employee is employed by the Company (or in the case of directors, the director continues to serve on the Board) on the vesting date.
On May 31, 2017, at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (Annual Meeting), the Company’s stockholders approved the amendment and restatement of the Company’s 2016 SIP (Restated 2016 Plan) to, among other things, increase the number of authorized shares issuable by 1.3 million shares of Aptevo common stock. The Restated 2016 Plan was previously approved, subject to stockholder approval, by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Restated 2016 Plan became effective immediately upon stockholder approval at the Annual Meeting.
15
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
Stock-based compensation expense includes amortization of stock options and RSUs granted to employees and non-employees and has been reported in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows:
|
|
For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
||||
Research and development |
|
$ |
555 |
|
|
$ |
1,027 |
|
|
$ |
1,791 |
|
|
$ |
1,761 |
|
Selling, general and administrative |
|
|
485 |
|
|
|
306 |
|
|
|
2,028 |
|
|
|
306 |
|
Total stock-based compensation expense |
|
$ |
1,040 |
|
|
$ |
1,333 |
|
|
$ |
3,819 |
|
|
$ |
2,067 |
|
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation by measuring the fair value of the award as of the grant date, recognizing the compensation expense for that fair value, reduced for an estimate of forfeitures, over the vesting period.
Stock Options
Aptevo utilizes the Black-Scholes valuation model for estimating the fair value of all stock options granted. Set forth below are the assumptions used in valuing the stock options granted:
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
|||||
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
||
Expected dividend yield |
|
0.00% |
|
|
|
0.00% |
|
Expected volatility |
|
75.00% |
|
|
|
75.00% |
|
Risk-free interest rate |
|
1.91% |
|
|
|
1.00% |
|
Expected average life of options |
6 years |
|
|
3 years |
|
Management applied an estimated forfeiture rate of 10%.
The following is a summary of option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2017:
|
|
Number of Shares |
|
|
Weighted- Average Exercise Price |
|
|
Weighted- Average Remaining Term |
|
|
Aggregate Intrinsic Value |
|
||||
Balance at December 31, 2016 |
|
|
2,085,214 |
|
|
$ |
2.57 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
164,767 |
|
Granted |
|
|
993,339 |
|
|
|
2.07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
Forfeited |
|
|
89,245 |
|
|
|
2.35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,769 |
|
Outstanding at September 30, 2017 |
|
|
2,989,308 |
|
|
$ |
2.41 |
|
|
|
6.88 |
|
|
$ |
328,052 |
|
Exercisable at September 30, 2017 |
|
|
1,292,727 |
|
|
$ |
2.42 |
|
|
|
4.58 |
|
|
$ |
110,082 |
|
As of September 30, 2017, we had $1.7 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to options expected to vest over a weighted average period of 2.1 years.
The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pretax intrinsic value (the difference between the closing stock price of Aptevo’s common stock on the last trading day of September 30, 2017 and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in the money options) that would have been received by the option holders had all the option holders exercised their options on September 30, 2017. The amount of aggregate intrinsic value will change based on the price of Aptevo’s common stock.
16
The following is a summary of RSU activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2017:
|
|
Number of Units |
|
|
Weighted Average Fair Value per Unit |
|
|
Aggregate Fair Value |
|
|||
Balance at December 31, 2016 |
|
|
3,034,195 |
|
|
$ |
2.88 |
|
|
$ |
— |
|
Granted |
|
|
19,803 |
|
|
|
2.00 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Vested |
|
|
(1,555,217 |
) |
|
|
2.84 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Forfeited |
|
|
(243,271 |
) |
|
|
2.94 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Outstanding at September 30, 2017 |
|
|
1,255,510 |
|
|
$ |
2.91 |
|
|
$ |
2,875,118 |
|
Expected to Vest |
|
|
1,181,266 |
|
|
$ |
2.91 |
|
|
$ |
2,705,100 |
|
As of September 30, 2017, we had $1.5 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs expected to vest over a period of 0.8 years. The weighted average remaining contractual life of unvested RSUs is 2.5 years.
The fair value of each RSU has been determined to be the closing trading price of the Company’s common shares on the date of grant as quoted in NASDAQ Global Market.
Note 10. Restatement
Restatement Background
Our December 31, 2015 financial statements include $41.8 million of intangible assets which resulted from the acquisition of in process research and development (IPR&D) programs related to TRU-016, a novel CD37-directed therapy for B-cell malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This amount was deemed to be an indefinite-lived asset, to remain as an indefinite-lived asset on the balance sheet until completion or abandonment of the associated research and development efforts. Following the spin-off of the Company in August 2016, the Company conducted an internal review of all deferred tax assets and liabilities acquired and it was determined that a deferred tax liability should have been recorded associated with the difference between the book basis and the tax basis of the asset as a part of the acquisition in 2010. The error has no effect on the net assets distributed in the spin-off.
Impact of Restatement
The Company has restated its statements of operations for the quarterly and nine month periods ended September 30, 2016. The restatement resulted in the recognition of a $15.3 million benefit from income taxes equal to the amount of the deferred tax liability recorded associated with the TRU-016 IPR&D asset when the $41.8 million was impaired. The restatement also resulted in an increase in the impairment expense recognized in the third quarter of 2016 due to the impairment of all goodwill, by the amount that goodwill would have been increased. These two restated captions on the statements of operations have the effect of offsetting each other, resulting in no impact to net loss for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The restatement adjustment did not impact the consolidated statement of operations for any periods prior to the third quarter of 2016.
The impact of the restatement on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations, including the impact of discontinued operations, is reflected and quantified for interim periods affected, as applicable, in the below tables.
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
Nine Months Ended |
|
||||||||||||||||||
(in thousands) |
|
September 30, 2016 (As previously reported) |
|
|
Restatement Adjustment |
|
|
September 30, 2016 (Restated) |
|
|
September 30, 2016 (As previously reported) |
|
|
Restatement Adjustment |
|
|
September 30, 2016 (Restated) |
|
||||||
Impairment expense |
|
$ |
55,702 |
|
|
$ |
15,311 |
|
|
$ |
71,013 |
|
|
$ |
55,702 |
|
|
$ |
15,311 |
|
|
$ |
71,013 |
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(71,254 |
) |
|
|
(19,271 |
) |
|
|
(90,525 |
) |
|
|
(97,081 |
) |
|
|
(24,825 |
) |
|
|
(121,906 |
) |
Loss before income taxes |
|
|
(71,747 |
) |
|
|
(19,270 |
) |
|
|
(91,017 |
) |
|
|
(97,498 |
) |
|
|
(24,825 |
) |
|
|
(122,323 |
) |
Benefit from income taxes |
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
17,602 |
|
|
|
17,608 |
|
|
|
29 |
|
|
|
18,561 |
|
|
|
18,590 |
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(71,741 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,668 |
) |
|
$ |
(73,409 |
) |
|
$ |
(97,469 |
) |
|
$ |
(6,264 |
) |
|
$ |
(103,733 |
) |
17
The following table sets forth our unaudited quarterly consolidated statement of operations data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016:
(in thousands, except per share amounts) |
|
Three Months Ended September 30, (Restated)(1) |
|
|
Nine Months Ended September 30, (Restated)(1) |
|
||
Revenue |
|
$ |
2,816 |
|
|
$ |
7,203 |
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(90,525 |
) |
|
|
(121,906 |
) |
Loss before income taxes |
|
|
(91,017 |
) |
|
|
(122,323 |
) |
Benefit from income taxes |
|
|
17,608 |
|
|
|
18,590 |
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(73,409 |
) |
|
$ |
(103,733 |
) |
Net loss per share - basic and diluted |
|
$ |
(3.55 |
) |
|
$ |
(4.82 |
) |
(1) These amounts reflect a benefit from income taxes after giving effect to the goodwill and deferred tax liability restatement discussed above. The impairment of the Company’s IPR&D in the quarter ended September 30, 2016 resulted in a benefit from income taxes of $15.3 million related to the reversal of the associated deferred tax liability in that quarter. The Company’s interim financial statements included in Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 did not reflect this benefit from income taxes or the increase in impairment of goodwill.
18
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
This quarterly report on Form 10-Q includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements in this quarterly report, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans, intentions, expectations and objectives could be forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “designed,” “estimates,” “expects,” “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “pursuing,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions (including the negatives thereof) are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, expectations or objectives disclosed in our forward-looking statements and the assumptions underlying our forward-looking statements may prove incorrect. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations and objectives disclosed in the forward-looking statements that we make. Factors that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those discussed in “Risk Factors”, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this quarterly report. Our forward-looking statements in this quarterly report are based on current expectations and we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
You should read the following discussion and analysis together with the financial statements and the related notes to those statements included elsewhere in this report.
Restatement
The accompanying Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations gives effect to the restatement adjustments made to the previously reported consolidated financial statements that are discussed in Note 10- Restatement in the accompanying financial statements.
Overview
We are a biotechnology company focused on novel oncology (cancer) and hematology (blood disease) therapeutics to meaningfully improve patients’ lives. Our core technology is the ADAPTIR™ (modular protein technology) platform. We currently have one revenue-generating product in the areas of hematology, as well as various investigational stage product candidates in immuno-oncology and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
In August 2015, Emergent BioSolutions Inc., or Emergent, announced a plan to separate into two independent publicly traded companies, one a biotechnology company focused on novel oncology and hematology therapeutics to meaningfully improve patients’ lives and the other a global specialty life sciences company focused on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address intentional and naturally emerging public health threats. To accomplish this separation, Emergent created a new company, Aptevo Therapeutics Inc., or Aptevo, to be the parent company for the development-based biotechnology business focused on novel oncology, hematology, and autoimmune and inflammatory therapeutics. We were incorporated in Delaware in February 2016 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Emergent. To effect the separation, Emergent made a pro rata distribution of Aptevo’s common stock to Emergent’s stockholders on August 1, 2016.
In connection with the separation, we received certain assets from Emergent’s biosciences division, including commercial products and development programs, as well as the ADAPTIR platform technology. Certain historical operations that were included by Emergent in its biosciences segment have been reallocated to Emergent’s continuing operations, and as a result the financial statements and discussion and analysis contained herein differ from Emergent’s historically reportable biosciences segment.
Our historical consolidated financial statements for the periods prior to August 1, 2016 have been prepared on a standalone basis and are derived from Emergent’s consolidated financial statements and accounting records. The consolidated financial statements reflect our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as our business was operated as part of Emergent prior to the separation, in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
19
The consolidated financial statements include the allocation of certain assets and liabilities that have historically been held at the Emergent corporate level but which are specifically identifiable or allocable to us. Cash and cash equivalents held by Emergent were not allocated to us unless the cash was held by an entity that was transferred to us in the distribution. All of our intracompany transactions and accounts for the periods prior to August 1, 2016 have been eliminated. Most intercompany transactions between us and Emergent for the periods prior to August 1, 2016 were considered to be effectively settled in the consolidated financial statements at the time the transaction was recorded but for those transition related services. The total net effect of the settlement of these intercompany transactions is reflected in the consolidated statement of cash flows as payment from former parent upon spin-off, net of receivable and net transfer from former parent, prior to spin-off as a financing activity and in the consolidated balance sheet as former parent investment in subsidiary.
The historical financial statements do not necessarily include all of the expenses that would have been incurred had we been a separate, standalone entity and may not necessarily reflect our results of operations, financial position and cash flows had we been a standalone company during the periods presented. Our consolidated financial statements for the periods prior to August 1, 2016 include an allocation of expenses related to certain Emergent corporate functions, including senior management, legal, human resources, finance, information technology, and quality assurance. These expenses have been allocated to us based on direct usage or benefit where identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of expenses, headcount, square footage, or other measures. We consider the expense allocation methodology and results to be reasonable for all periods presented. However, the allocations may not be indicative of the actual expense that would have been incurred had we operated as an independent, publicly traded company for the periods presented.
On August 31, 2017, we entered into an LLC purchase agreement with Saol International Limited (Saol) whereby we agreed to sell our Hyperimmune Business, which consisted of the following products: WinRho® SDF for autoimmune platelet disorder and hemolytic disease of the newborn; HepaGam B® for the prevention of Hepatitis B following liver transplantation and for treatment following hepatitis B exposure; and VARIZIG® for treatment following exposure to varicella zoster virus for individuals with compromised immune systems.
On September 28, 2017, the Company announced that it completed the sale of its Hyperimmune Business to Saol for total consideration of up to $74.5 million. At the closing of the acquisition, Saol paid us an upfront payment totaling $65 million, including $3.25 million which was deposited in an escrow account for the purposes of satisfying any indemnification claims brought by Saol pursuant to the LLC purchase agreement. In addition, we may receive (1) an additional potential milestone payment totaling up to $7.5 million related to the achievement of certain gross profit milestones and (2) up to $2.0 million related to collection of certain accounts receivable after the closing. As a result of the sale of our Hyperimmune Business, we anticipate that our future product revenue will decline and that we may experience a reduction in expenses and overhead.
Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2017, was $37.9 million and the net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was $71.7 million. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, was $16.7 million and the net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $97.5 million. We had an accumulated deficit of $64.0 million as of September 30, 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, net cash provided by our operating activities was $26.2 million. Although we expect our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least fifteen months from the date of this filing, if we are unable to obtain additional financing when needed, we may have to delay, reduce the scope of, suspend or eliminate one or more of our research and development programs. Following the sale of the Hyperimmune Business, our sole marked product is IXINITY®, and therefore IXINITY will be our only source of product revenue. As such, our results of operations will be highly dependent on IXINITY sales unless or until we develop any of our development stage product candidates. We will not generate revenues from our development stage product candidates unless and until we or our collaborators successfully complete development and obtain regulatory approval for such product candidates, which we expect will take a number of years and is subject to significant uncertainty. If we obtain regulatory approval for one of our development stage product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses related to sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution, to the extent that such costs are not paid by collaborators. We do not have sufficient cash to complete the clinical development of any of our development stage product candidates and will require additional funding in order to complete the development activities required for regulatory approval of such product candidates.
Pipeline Highlights
We have one marketed product, IXINITY coagulation factor IX (recombinant), indicated in adults and children 12 years of age and older with Hemophilia B for control and prevention of bleeding episodes, and management of bleeding during operations.
We also have numerous investigational stage product candidates based on our ADAPTIRTM (modular protein technology) platform. The ADAPTIR platform technology can produce monospecific and multispecific immunotherapeutic proteins that specifically bind to one or more targets, for example, bispecific therapeutic molecules, which may have structural and functional
20
advantages over monoclonal antibodies. The structural differences of ADAPTIR molecules over monoclonal antibodies allow for the development of other ADAPTIR immunotherapeutics that engage immune effector cells and disease targets in a novel manner to produce unique signaling responses and ultimately kill tumors or modulate the immune system to kill tumors. We are skilled at product candidate generation, validation and subsequent preclinical and clinical development using the ADAPTIR platform. We have the ability to progress ADAPTIR molecules from concept to commercialization by way of our protein engineering, preclinical development and process development capabilities, cGMP manufacturing oversight and clinical development capabilities. We also have the ability to launch, market and commercialize these product candidates upon approval.
Our investigational stage product candidates are:
|
• |
APVO414 (formerly known as MOR209/ES414), a bispecific immunotherapeutic ADAPTIR protein, currently in Phase 1, that simultaneously targets prostate specific membrane antigen, or PSMA, an enzyme that is expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells and, CD3, a component of the T-cell receptor complex expressed on all T-cells. The mechanism of action of APVO414 is redirected T-cell cytotoxicity (RTCC), We are developing this candidate for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, which is advanced prostate cancer that has spread to other organs and no longer responds to hormone blocking therapies. |
|
• |
otlertuzumab, a monospecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic that is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL. |
|
• |
APVO436, a bispecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic currently in preclinical development targeting CD123, a cell surface receptor highly expressed on several hematological malignancies and CD3. APVO436 utilizes redirected RTCC to redirect T-cells to specifically kill tumor bearing CD123. |
|
• |
APVO210, a bispecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic the employs targeted cytokine delivery. This candidate targets monomeric IL-10 to CD86 expressing cells (primarily antigen presenting cells) and is currently in pre-clinical development for inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. |
|
• |
ALG.APV-527 a bispecific antibody candidate, featuring a novel mechanism of action designed to simultaneously target 4-1BB (CD137) and 5T4, a tumor antigen widely expressed on several solid tumors. |
|
• |
an immunotherapeutic protein targeting ROR1, an antigen found on several solid tumors and hematologic, or blood-related, malignancies. One pair of binding domains bind to ROR1 on tumors; the other pair of binding domains bind to CD3. |
|
• |
Other therapeutic protein product candidates primarily targeting cancer based on mechanisms of action that modulate the immune system (immuno-oncology based mechanism of action). |
Collaboration with Alligator Bioscience AB
On July 20, 2017, our wholly owned subsidiary, Aptevo Research and Development LLC, or Aptevo R&D, entered into a collaboration and option agreement with Alligator Bioscience AB, or Alligator, pursuant to which Aptevo R&D and Alligator will collaboratively develop ALG.APV-527, a lead bispecific antibody candidate simultaneously targeting 4-1BB (CD137), a member of the TNFR superfamily of a costimulatory receptor found on activated T cells, and 5T4, a tumor antigen widely overexpressed in a number of different types of cancer. This product candidate is built on our novel ADAPTIR platform, which is designed to expand on the utility and effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies. Under this collaboration agreement, Alligator also granted to Aptevo R&D a time-limited option to enter into a second agreement with Alligator for the joint development of a separate bispecific antibody candidate simultaneously targeting 4-1BB (CD137) and a different tumor antigen.
In accordance with the terms of this Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to develop the lead bispecific antibody candidate targeting 4-1BB (CD137) through the completion of Phase II clinical trials in accordance with an agreed upon development plan and budget. Subject to certain exceptions for Aptevo R&D’s manufacturing and platform technologies, the parties will jointly own intellectual property generated in the performance of the development activities under the Collaboration Agreement.
Following the completion of the anticipated development activities under the Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to seek a third-party commercialization partner for this product candidate, or, in certain circumstances, may elect to enter into a second agreement granting rights to either Aptevo R&D or Alligator to allow such party to continue the development and commercialization of this product. Under the terms of the Collaboration Agreement, the parties intend to share revenue received from a third-party commercialization partner equally, or, if the development costs are not equally shared under the Collaboration Agreement, in proportion to the development costs borne by each party.
21
The Collaboration Agreement also contains several points in development at which either party may elect to “opt-out” (i.e., terminate without cause) and, following a termination notice period, cease paying development costs for this product candidate, which would be borne fully by the continuing party. Following an opt-out by a party, the continuing party will be granted exclusive rights to continue the development and commercialization of this product candidate, subject to a requirement to pay a percentage of revenue received from any future commercialization partner for this product, or, if the continuing party elects to self-commercialize, tiered royalties on the net sales of this product by the continuing party ranging from the low to mid-single digits, based on the point in development at which the ‘opt-out’ occurs. The parties have also agreed on certain technical criteria or ‘stage gates’ related to the development of this product that, if not met, will cause an automatic termination and wind-down of the Collaboration Agreement and the activities thereunder, provided that the parties do not agree to continue.
The Collaboration Agreement contains industry standard termination rights, including for material breach following a specified cure period, and in the case of a party’s insolvency.
IXINITY
IXINITY® is our commercial product. It is a coagulation factor IX (recombinant) therapeutic indicated in adults and children 12 years of age and older with hemophilia B for control and prevention of bleeding episodes, and management of bleeding during operations. CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc., or CMC, is the sole manufacturer of bulk drug substance for IXINITY. Patheon UK Limited, acquired by Thermo Fischer Scientific, is currently the sole source fill-finish service manufacturer for IXINITY.
On October 4, 2016, we provided a Notice of Interruption in Manufacturing, or Notice, to the FDA, notifying the FDA of a potential interruption in the supply of IXINITY due to the ongoing manufacturing challenges associated with the manufacturer of the bulk drug substance. On March 15, 2017, we announced the successful manufacture of a new bulk drug substance batch of IXINITY, providing new supply of IXINITY for the commercial market in May 2017.
On June 17, 2017, we entered into a new non-exclusive Amended and Restated Commercial Supply, or Restated Supply Agreement, with CMC for the commercial development and manufacture of IXINITY. Pursuant to the terms of the Restated Supply Agreement, CMC agreed to manufacture IXINITY in the quantity of batches provided to CMC on a twenty-four month rolling forecast. Beginning 2018, the minimum and maximum batches will be four and ten, respectively in a calendar year. Multiple batches ordered in succession with no changeover to another product between batches, or a campaign, shall receive an incremental discounted price.
In accordance with the Restated Supply Agreement, a $7.0 million reserve held by CMC will be will be applied to, at a minimum, the next seven batches manufactured through the end of 2017 as a price concession. As a result, at least the next seven batches will have reduced raw materials or other related CMC costs associated with the inventory. We will also see an impact onour statement of operations due to a lower costs of goods sold associated with this inventory, which will also result in higher gross margins as sales are recognized. Any portion of the $7 million reserve held by CMC that remains unutilized as of December 25, 2017 shall be paid to us in cash on or before December 31, 2017. As of September 30, 2017, $2.6 million has been applied against the reserve and recorded as a reduced cost to inventory. The Restated Supply Agreement has a five-year term renewable with twenty-four months’ prior notice before the expiry of the term for successive two-year terms.
While we do not currently anticipate or foresee a supply shortage or supply interruption occurring, any supply shortage interruption of IXINITY would adversely affect its sales and could adversely affect its market position, commercial viability and the trading price of our common stock.
22
Except as otherwise stated below, the following discussions of our results of operations reflect the results of our continuing operations, excluding the results related to the Hyperimmune Business. The Hyperimmune Business has been separated from continuing operations and reflected as a discontinued operation. See Note 2 – Sale of Hyperimmune Business, to the accompanying financial statements for additional information.
Comparison of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016
Financial Summary
We recognized total net income of $37.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and a net loss of $71.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, and net income of $16.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and a net loss of $97.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The increase in net income for the three and nine month periods was primarily attributable to the proceeds from the Hyperimmune Business. We recognized net income from continuing operations of $3.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and a net loss from continuing operations of $73.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. We recognized a net loss from continuing operations of $22.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and a net loss from continuing operations of $103.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in net income (or decrease in net loss) during the 2017 periods was primarily attributable to an impairment of goodwill and intangible assets charge of $71.0 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our income from discontinued operations for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was $34.9 million, compared to income from discontinued operations for the three months ended September 30, 2016 of $1.7 million. Our income from discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $39.6 million, compared to income from discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 of $6.3 million. The increase during the 2017 periods was primarily attributable to the proceeds from the Hyperimmune Business.
Revenue
Product sales of IXINITY decreased by $0.3 million, to $2.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $2.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily related to decreased volumes shipped in the third quarter of 2017 as customers increased stock levels with increased orders in the second quarter of 2017 when additional IXINITY product came back to market.
Product sales of IXINITY increased by $1.0 million, to $8.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $7.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase was primarily related to the expansion of our current Hemophilia B patient base.
In addition to product sales in the third quarter 2017, we recognized $3.7 million of deferred collaboration revenue due to the termination of our collaboration agreement with MorphoSys. Previously we recognized this revenue as services that were performed. As a result of the termination of the collaboration agreement with MorphoSys, we will not recognize any additional revenue under such agreement in any future periods.
Cost of Product Sales
The primary expense we incur to deliver IXINITY, our sole marketed products to our customers is manufacturing costs consisting of fixed and variable costs. Variable product costs consist primarily of costs for materials and personnel-related expenses for direct and indirect manufacturing support staff, contract manufacturing and filling operations. Fixed product costs include facilities, utilities and amortization of intangible assets. We determine the cost of product sales for products sold during a reporting period based on the average cost per unit.
23
The following table provides information regarding our cost of products sales, including gross margin for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:
|
|
For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
Change |
|
Percent |
|
||||
Product sales |
|
$ |
2,506 |
|
|
$ |
2,816 |
|
|
$ |
(310 |
) |
|
-11% |
|
Cost of product sales |
|
|
1,872 |
|
|
|
4,110 |
|
|
|
(2,238 |
) |
|
-54% |
|
Gross profit |
|
$ |
634 |
|
|
$ |
(1,294 |
) |
|
$ |
1,928 |
|
|
|
|
Gross margin percent |
|
|
25 |
% |
|
|
-46 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
Change |
|
Percent |
|
||||
Product sales |
|
$ |
8,131 |
|
|
$ |
7,050 |
|
|
$ |
1,081 |
|
|
15% |
|
Cost of product sales |
|
|
3,114 |
|
|
|
7,387 |
|
|
|
(4,273 |
) |
|
-58% |
|
Gross profit |
|
$ |
5,017 |
|
|
$ |
(337 |
) |
|
$ |
5,354 |
|
|
|
|
Gross margin percent |
|
|
62 |
% |
|
|
-5 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of product sales decreased by $2.2 million, or 54%, to $1.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $4.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and decreased by $4.3 million, or 58%, to $3.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $7.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The decrease the three-month period was due to a $2.9 million third quarter 2016 write-off of unsaleable IXINITY product. The year-to-date decrease is due to a one-time $3.0 million settlement in the first six months of 2017 related to a dispute between Aptevo and CMC in regards to certain IXINITY batches from 2015 that did not meet manufacturing specifications. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Aptevo will not pay any additional amounts to CMC for the batches in question, as this was settled for non-cash consideration. This settlement satisfies the monies owed by Aptevo under a 2015 invoice and resolves any claims.
Due to the ongoing challenges with the manufacture of our IXINITY product that meets release specifications for the final drug product, in the third quarter of 2016, we wrote off approximately $2.9 million in unsaleable IXINITY inventory that was in process of being manufactured. This cost is included in cost of product sales.
Research and Development Expenses
We expense research and development costs as incurred. These expenses consist primarily of the costs associated with our research and discovery activities, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, fees to professional service providers for analytical testing, independent monitoring or other administration of our clinical trials and obtaining and evaluating data from our clinical trials and non-clinical studies, as well as costs of contract manufacturing services for clinical trial material, and costs of materials used in clinical trials and research and development. Our research and development expenses primarily consist of:
|
• |
employee salaries and related expenses, including stock-based compensation and benefits for our employees involved in our drug discovery and development activities; |
|
• |
external research and development expense incurred under agreements with third-party contract research organizations (CRO’s) and investigative sites; |
|
• |
manufacturing material expense for third-party manufacturing; |
|
• |
overhead costs such as rent, utilities and depreciation |
We expect our research and development spending will be dependent upon such factors as the results from our clinical trials, the availability of reimbursement of research and development spending, the number of product candidates under development, the size, structure and duration of any clinical programs that we may initiate, and the costs associated with manufacturing our product candidates on a large-scale basis for later stage clinical trials. While programs are still in the preclinical trial phase, we do not provide a breakdown of the initial associated expenses as we are often evaluating multiple product candidates simultaneously. Costs are reported in preclinical research and discovery until the program enters the clinic.
24
Our principal research and development expenses by program for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 are shown in the following table:
|
|
For the Three Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
(in thousands) |
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
Change |
|
|||
Clinical programs: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APVO414 |
|
$ |
1,425 |
|
|
$ |
562 |
|
|
$ |
863 |
|
otlertuzumab |
|
|
334 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
318 |
|
Total clinical programs |
|
|
1,759 |
|
|
|
578 |
|
|
|
1,181 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preclinical program, general research and discovery |
|
|
5,135 |
|
|
|
5,365 |
|
|
|
(230 |
) |
IXINITY |
|
|
281 |
|
|
|
1,134 |
|
|
|
(853 |
) |
Total |
|
$ |
7,175 |
|
|
$ |
7,077 |
|
|
$ |
98 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
(in thousands) |
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
|
Change |
|
|||
Clinical programs: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APVO414 |
|
$ |
2,792 |
|
|
$ |
2,572 |
|
|
$ |
220 |
|
otlertuzumab |
|
|
999 |
|
|
|
1,294 |
|
|
|
(295 |
) |
Total clinical programs |
|
|
3,791 |
|
|
|
3,866 |
|
|
|
(75 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preclinical program, general research and discovery |
|
|
14,326 |
|
|
|
13,627 |
|
|
|
699 |
|
IXINITY |
|
|
1,718 |
|
|
|
5,266 |
|
|
|
(3,548 |
) |
Total |
|
$ |
19,835 |
|
|
$ |
22,759 |
|
|
$ |
(2,924 |
) |
Research and development expenses did not change meaningfully between the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017 and decreased by $2.9 million, or 13%, to $19.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $22.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily comprised of:
|
• |
a decrease in expense for otlertuzumab related to the timing of clinical trial activities; and |
|
• |
a decrease in expense for IXINITY, our commercial product, resulting from decreased manufacturing process development activities and the timing of clinical trial activities; offset in part by |
|
• |
an increase in expense for APVO414 primarily due to the timing of manufacturing activities; and |
|
• |
an increase in the expenses for our preclinical program, general research and discovery programs is primarily related to research and development activities as new pipeline product candidates or programs are being evaluated. |
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel-related costs and professional fees in support of our executive, sales and marketing, business development, finance, accounting, information technology, legal and human resource functions. Other costs include facility costs not otherwise included in cost of product sales or research and development expenses.
For the three months ended September 30, 2017 selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $3.6 million, or 33%, to $7.5 million for 2017 from $11.1 million for 2016. This decrease was primarily due to decreased personnel costs in the period.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2017 selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $1.9 million, or 7%, to $26.0 million for 2017 from $27.9 million for 2016. This decrease was primarily due to lower marketing costs for IXINITY and reduced personnel costs.
Other Income (Expense), net
Other income (expense), net, consists primarily of interest on debt financing. For the three months ended September 30, 2017, other income (expense) remained flat at an expense of $0.4 million, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, increased by $0.9 million, both due to the interest on the loan entered into with Midcap Financial Trust in the last half of 2016.
25
Benefit from income taxes decreased for the three months ended September 30, 2017 to $13.8 million from $17.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, and decreased to $15.6 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $18.6 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This tax impact is due to the restatement of our tax liability (see Note 10 – Restatement), as well as the exception to the Intraperiod Tax Allocation rules in accordance with ASC 740-20-45-7. The exception requires that all items (including discontinued operations) be considered in determining the amount of the tax benefit that results for the loss in continuing operations. This deferred tax liability was released to benefit from income taxes upon the impairment of the related IPR& D.
Income tax expense increased to $21.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017, from $2.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, and increased to $23.1 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $3.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This income tax expense is due to the impact of the sale of our Hyperimmune Business (see Note 2 – Sale of Hyperimmune Business) and is expected to be reversed in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgements and Estimates
The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances; however, actual results could differ from those estimates. An accounting policy is considered critical if it is important to a company’s financial condition and results of operations and if it requires the exercise of significant judgment and the use of estimates on the part of management in its application. Although we believe that our judgments and estimates are appropriate, actual results may differ materially from our estimates.
We believe the judgments, estimates and assumptions associated with the following critical accounting policies have the greatest potential impact on our consolidated financial statements:
|
• |
Revenue recognition; |
|
• |
Collaborations; |
|
• |
Research and development; and |
|
• |
Stock-based compensation |
For a detailed discussion of these critical accounting policies and significant judgments and estimates, refer to “Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates” within “Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 that was filed with the SEC on March 31, 2017. There have not been any material changes in our critical accounting policies and significant judgments and estimates as disclosed in our Annual Report Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of September 30, 2017.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
As of September 30, 2017, we had cash, cash equivalents and investments in the amount of $96.8 million.
On August 1, 2016, in connection with the spin-off of the Company from Emergent, we issued 20.2 million shares of our common stock to Emergent stockholders and recorded a contribution from Emergent of $71.2 million. The transactions recorded in 2016 included a one-time payment of $45.0 million, and a working capital reimbursement for outstanding payments of $1.4 million, a noncash transfer of an intangible asset of $0.7 million, and a net transfer of cash from Emergent of $24.2 million. In addition, in the first quarter of 2017 we received $20.0 million as payment for a promissory note issued at the time of the spin-off.
In addition, on August 4, 2016, we entered into a $35.0 million Credit and Security Agreement (Credit Agreement), with MidCap Financial Trust. The original Credit Agreement provided us with up to $35.0 million of available borrowing capacity composed of two tranches of $20.0 million and $15.0 million. The first tranche of $20.0 million was made available to us, and drawn,
26
on the closing date of the Credit Agreement and the second tranche of $15.0 million to become available (subject to certain conditions) following the date we: (1) achieve net commercial product revenue of $40.0 million on a trailing twelve-month basis, and (2) receive payment of the additional $20.0 million in cash committed by Emergent. Emergent’s promise to pay such $20.0 million in cash was evidenced by a non-negotiable, unsecured promissory note issued to us and was paid in the first quarter of 2017. Once drawn, interest would be paid monthly while principal would have been paid on a monthly basis commencing in August 2018. The credit agreement will mature on February 1, 2021. Amounts drawn under the Credit Agreement accrue interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 7.60% per annum.
The Credit Agreement covenants require us and our subsidiaries to maintain increasing minimum net commercial product revenue for each twelve-month period ending on the last day of each calendar quarter. An event of default could result in the acceleration of the amounts owed under the Credit Agreement, and we may not have sufficient funds or be able to obtain additional financing to make any accelerated payments. Under these circumstances, our lenders could seek to enforce security interests in our assets securing our indebtedness.
On May 11, 2017, we and MidCap Financial Trust entered into an amendment to the Credit Agreement to, among other things, waive the existing event of default and revise the financial covenants pertaining to the minimum required commercial product revenue. The amendment revises the following covenants of the Credit Agreement to: (1) extend the time period through which we can draw the second tranche from August 2017 to March 2018, (2) increase the exit fee of 5.75% of the aggregate principal amount under the Credit Agreement for repayment or prepayment other than scheduled amortization payments and the final payment of principal to 6.75% and (3) permit MidCap Financial Trust to obtain an affirmative lien on our intellectual property, upon the earlier of (i) our draw down of the second tranche or (ii) our cash balance descending below a minimum cash threshold of $25 million.
On September 28, 2017, we and MidCap Financial Trust entered into a second amendment to the Credit Agreement in order to permit the sale under the LLC purchase agreement, and to reflect changes in the remaining business as a result of such sale. Pursuant to the second Amendment, the agent and the lenders consented to the LLC purchase agreement and the consummation of the sale transaction, released the agent’s liens on the assets transferred to one of our subsidiaries prior to the sale, and agreed that no prepayment of the term loans under the credit agreement would be required as a result the sale. As part of the second amendment, the agent and the lenders agreed that: (i) the commitments of the lenders to make the remaining $15.0 million tranche of loans under the credit agreement were terminated, (ii) the covenant levels set forth in the minimum net commercial product revenue covenant were revised, (iii) a new covenant requiring us to maintain a minimum $10.0 million unrestricted cash balance, and (iv) the date on which the term loans begin to amortize will be extended to February 1, 2019 if we achieve net commercial product revenues of $16.0 million for the twelve month period ending June 30, 2018 and maintains such level of net commercial product revenues for each quarter prior to February 1, 2019 thereafter.
On September 28, 2017, Saol paid us an upfront payment totaling $65.0 million, including $3.3 million which was deposited in an escrow account for the purposes of satisfying any indemnification claims brought by Saol pursuant to the LLC purchase agreement.
Capital Requirements
We expect to incur losses from operations for the foreseeable future primarily due to research and development expenses, including expenses related to conducting clinical trials. The Company’s future capital requirements will depend on a number of factors, including:
|
• |
the level, timing and cost of product sales; |
|
• |
the collection of accounts receivable from customers; |
|
• |
the extent to which we invest in products or technologies; |
|
• |
capital improvements to new or existing facilities; |
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• |
the payment obligations under any future indebtedness; |
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• |
the scope, progress, results and costs of our development activities; and |
|
• |
the costs of commercialization activities, including product marketing, sales and distribution; |
We expect our cash, cash equivalents and investments will support our operations for the next twelve months, at least, based on current operating plans and financial forecasts.
27
The following table provides information regarding our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:
|
|
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|
|||||
(in thousands) |
|
2017 |
|
|
2016 |
|
||
Net cash provided by (used in): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating activities |
|
|
(26,152 |
) |
|
|
(30,197 |
) |
Investing activities |
|
|
83,299 |
|
|
|
(51,735 |
) |
Financing activities |
|
|
9,007 |
|
|
|
88,189 |
|
Increase in cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
66,154 |
|
|
$ |
6,257 |
|
Net cash used in operating activities of $26.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily due to the gain on sale of the Hyperimmune Business. Net cash used in operating activities of $30.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was primarily due to our net loss of $97.5 million, which included a one-time impairment of goodwill and intangible assets of $71.0 million.
Net cash provided by investing activities was primarily due to the cash proceeds from the sale of the Company’s Hyperimmune Business and the maturity and redemption of investments of $53.2 million, offset by investment purchases of $29.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the largest component of the cash used in investing was $49.8 million in purchases of corporate bonds and US government and agency debt securities.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 includes the net proceeds received from Emergent at the time of the spin-off in support of a promissory note to support the operations of the Company, offset by $10.0 million in restricted cash in accordance with loan agreement. The net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 includes $18.0 million in proceeds from long-term debt, as well as $70.5 million for two contributions from Emergent.
Contractual Obligations
Our future minimum contractual commitments and obligations were reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 that was filed with the SEC on March 14, 2017. Our future minimum contractual obligations and commitments have not changed materially from the amounts previously reported.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Our exposure to market risk is primarily confined to our investment securities and notes payable. The primary objective of our investment activities is to preserve our capital to fund operations. We also seek to maximize income from our investments without assuming significant risk. To achieve our objectives, we maintain a portfolio of investments in high-credit-quality securities. In accordance with our investment policy, we invest funds in highly liquid, investment-grade securities. These securities in our investment portfolio are not leveraged and are classified as available-for-sale. We currently do not hedge interest rate exposure. Because of the short-term maturities of our investments, we do not believe that an increase in market rates would have a material negative impact on the realized value of our investment portfolio. We actively monitor changes in interest rates and, with our current portfolio of short term investments, we are not exposed to potential loss due to changes in interest rates.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act) required by Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that as of the end of the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at a reasonable assurance level.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended September 30, 2017, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
We may from time to time be named as a party to legal claims, actions and complaints, including matters involving employment claims, our intellectual property or other third-party claims. Our management believes that there are currently no claims or actions pending against us, the ultimate disposition of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
You should carefully consider the following risks and other information in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q in evaluating us and our common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect Aptevo’s results of operations, financial condition or financial prospects.
Financial Risks
We have a history of losses and may not be profitable in the future.
Our historical consolidated financial data prior to August 1, 2016 was prepared on a “carve-out” basis from the financial information of Emergent and shows that had we been a standalone company, we would have had a history of losses, and we may be unable to achieve profitability going forward.
Although for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, we had net income of $37.9 million and $16.7 million, respectively this net income was the result of our receipt of proceeds from the sale of the Hyperimmune Business in September 2017. We have experienced net losses in all other periods since our spinout from Emergent and as of September 30, 2017, we had an accumulated deficit of $64.0 million as of September 30, 2017. If we cannot achieve profitability or generate positive cash from operating activities, our business operations may be adversely impacted and the trading value of our common stock may decline.
We will require additional capital and may be unable to raise capital when needed or on acceptable terms.
As of September 30, 2017, we had cash, cash equivalents and investments in the amount of $96.8 million. We will require additional funding to grow our business including to develop additional products, support commercial marketing activities or otherwise provide additional financial flexibility. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:
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• |
the level, timing and cost of product sales; |
|
• |
the collection of accounts receivable from customers; |
|
• |
the extent to which we invest in products or technologies; |
|
• |
the ability to satisfy the payment obligations and covenants under such credit facility; |
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• |
the ability to secure partnerships and/or collaborations that generate additional cash; |
|
• |
capital improvements to new or existing facilities; |
|
• |
the payment obligations under our current or any future indebtedness; |
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• |
the scope, progress, results and costs of our development activities; |
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• |
the costs of commercialization activities, including product marketing, sales and distribution; |
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• |
the ongoing costs associated with the separation from Emergent and performance under agreements with Emergent; |
29
|
• |
the ability to collect the milestone payments totaling up to $7.5 million related to the achievement of certain gross profit milestones and up to $2.0 million related to collection of certain accounts receivable from Saol. |
If our capital resources are insufficient to meet our future capital requirements, we will need to finance our cash needs through bank loans, public or private equity or debt offerings, a sale of commercial assets, collaboration and licensing arrangements or other strategic transactions. Public or bank debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, pursuing acquisition opportunities or declaring dividends. If we raise funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders will experience dilution. If we raise funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements with third parties or enter into other strategic transactions, it may be necessary to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us.
Current economic conditions may make it difficult to obtain additional financing on attractive terms, or at all. If financing is unavailable or lost, our business, results of operations, financial condition and financial prospects would be adversely affected and we could be forced to delay, reduce the scope of or eliminate many of our planned activities.
Our business depends on the continued success of IXINITY.
We currently have only one revenue-generating product, IXINITY, following the sale of our three hyperimmune products, WinRho SDF, HepaGam B and VARIZIG. We expect revenues from our product sales to continue to account for a portion of our revenue. The commercial success of IXINTY depends upon:
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• |
the continued acceptance by regulators, physicians, patients and other key decision-makers of IXINITY as safe, therapeutic and cost-effective options; |
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• |
our ability to further develop IXINITY and obtain marketing approval for their use in additional patient populations and the clinical data we generate to support expansion of the product label; |
|
• |
the ability of CMC ICOS Biologics Inc. and our third-party service providers to provide us with sufficient saleable quantities of IXINITY; |
|
• |
the impact of competition from existing competitive products and from competitive products that may be approved in the future; |
|
• |
the continued safety and efficacy IXINITY; |
|
• |
to what extent and in what amount government and third-party payors cover or reimburse for the costs IXINITY; and |
|
• |
our success and the success of our third-party distributors in selling and marketing IXINITY. |
The failure to maximize the financial contribution of IXINITY could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. We may choose to increase the price of IXINITY, and these price adjustments may negatively affect our sales volumes. In addition, our product sales may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, depending on the number of patients receiving treatment, the availability of supply to meet the demand for IXINITY, the dosing requirements of treated patients and other factors. If sales of IXINTY were to decline, we could be required to make an allowance for excess or obsolete inventory, increase our provision for product returns, or we could incur other costs related to operating our business, each of which could negatively impact our results of operations and our financial condition. We are constantly evaluating commercial and strategic transactions to generate revenue that include any current collaborations and collaborations or a sale of assets in the future.
30
We may not be able to engage in certain corporate transactions.
To preserve the tax-free treatment of the distribution related to the separation, together with certain related transactions, we are restricted under the tax matters agreement that we entered into with Emergent, from taking any action that prevents such transactions from being tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, for a period of two years following the separation, we are restricted from taking certain actions (including restrictions on share issuances, business combinations, sales of assets, amendments to organizational documents and similar transactions) that could cause the distribution, together with certain related transactions, to fail to qualify as a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. These restrictions may limit our ability to pursue certain strategic transactions or engage in other transactions that might increase the value of our business, including use of our common stock to make acquisitions and equity capital market transactions. In addition, under the tax matters agreement, we are required to indemnify Emergent against any tax liabilities and related expenses arising from the failure of the distribution, together with certain related transactions, to be tax-free to the extent such failure is attributable to actions, events or transactions relating to our stock, assets or business, including the acquisition of our stock even if we did not participate in or otherwise facilitate the acquisition.
We may not achieve profitability in future periods or on a consistent basis.
Although for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, we had net income of $37.9 million and $16.7 million, respectively, this net income was the result of our receipt of proceeds from the sale of our three hyperimmune products in September 2017. Our ability to become profitable in future periods will be substantially dependent on our product sales revenues from the sales of IXINITY and revenues from any current collaboration and licensing arrangements and any arrangements entered into in the future. Accordingly, our ability to become profitable may be adversely affected as we progress through various stages of ongoing or planned clinical trials for our product candidates. We may not be able to achieve profitability. We anticipate needing to generate greater revenue in future periods from IXINITY or our product candidates in development. If we are unable to generate greater revenue, we may not achieve profitability in future periods, and may not be able to maintain any profitability we do achieve. If we are unable to generate sufficient revenues, we will not become profitable and may be unable to continue operations without additional funding.
The terms of our credit agreement may restrict the operation of our business and limit the cash available for investment in our business operations.
On August 4, 2016, we entered into a Credit and Security Agreement, or the Credit Agreement, by and among us and certain our subsidiaries as borrowers, MidCap Financial Trust, as agent, and the lenders from time to time party thereto. The terms of the Credit Agreement, and its subsequent amendments, and borrowings we may make under the Credit Agreement in the future, could have significant adverse consequences for our business, including:
|
• |
requiring us to dedicate a substantial portion of any cash flow from operations to payment on our debt, which would reduce the amounts available to fund other corporate initiatives; |
|
• |
increasing the amount of interest that we have to pay on borrowings under the Credit Agreement if market rates of interest increase; |
|
• |
not complying with restrictive covenants restricting, among other things, indebtedness, liens, dividends and other distributions, repayment of subordinated indebtedness, mergers, dispositions, investments (including licensing), acquisitions, transactions with affiliates and modification of organizational documents or certain other agreements; |
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• |
not complying with affirmative covenants including payment, reporting and revenue covenants; and |
|
• |
placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt, better debt servicing options or stronger debt servicing capacity. |
As of March 31, 2017, our net commercial product revenue did not meet the required minimum for the twelve months ended March 31, 2017. As a result, on May 11, 2017, we and MidCap Financial Trust entered into an amendment to the Credit Agreement to, among other things, waive the existing event of default and revise the financial covenants pertaining to the minimum required commercial product revenue. The amendment revises the following covenants of the Credit Agreement to: (1) extend the time period through which we can draw the second tranche from August 2017 to March 2018 (2) increase the exit fee of 5.75% of the aggregate principal amount under the Credit Agreement for repayment or prepayment other than scheduled amortization payments and the final payment of principal to 6.75% and (3) permit MidCap Financial Trust to obtain an affirmative lien on our intellectual property, upon the earlier of (i) our draw down of the second tranche or (ii) our cash balance descending below a minimum cash threshold of $25 million.
31
On September 28, 2017, we entered into a second amendment of the Credit Agreement (Amendment No. 2) in order to permit the sale of the Hyperimmune Business under the LLC purchase agreement (described in Note 2 - Sale of Hyperimmune Business, in the notes to the financial statements), and to reflect changes in the remaining business as a result of such sale.
Pursuant to the amendment, the agent and the lenders consented to the LLC purchase agreement and the consummation of the sale transaction, released Midcap Financial Trust’s liens on the assets transferred to Venus BioTherapeutics Sub LLC (Venus), one of our subsidiaries, prior to the sale, and agreed that no prepayment of the term loans under the credit agreement would be required as a result the sale.
As part of the amendment, the agent and the lenders agreed that: (i) the commitments of the lenders to make the remaining $15.0 million tranche of loans under the credit agreement were terminated, (ii) the covenant levels set forth in the minimum net commercial product revenue covenant were revised, (iii) a new covenant requiring us to maintain minimum unrestricted cash balances was added to the credit agreement, and (iv) the date on which the term loans begin to amortize will be extended to February 1, 2019 if we achieve commercial product revenues of $16.0 million for the twelve month period ending June 30, 2018 and maintain such level of net commercial product revenues for each quarter prior to February 1, 2019 thereafter.
We may not have sufficient funds or be able to obtain additional financing to pay the amounts due under any future borrowings under the Credit Agreement. In addition, failure to comply with the covenants, including but not limited to the revenue covenants, under the Credit Agreement could result in an event of default. An event of default could result in the acceleration of amounts due under the Credit Agreement, and we may not be able to obtain additional financing to make any accelerated payments. Under these circumstances, our lenders could seek to enforce security interests in our assets securing our indebtedness.
Our results of operations and liquidity needs could be materially negatively affected by market fluctuations and economic downturns.
Our results of operations could be materially negatively affected by general economic conditions, both in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Continuing concerns over inflation, energy costs, geopolitical issues, and the availability and cost of credit have contributed to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and the markets going forward. Domestic and international equity markets continue to experience heightened volatility and turmoil. These events and the continuing market upheavals may have an adverse effect on us. In the event of a continuing market downturn, our results of operations could be adversely affected by those factors in many ways, including making it more difficult for us to raise funds, if necessary, and our stock price may further decline.
The way that we account for our operational and business activities is based on estimates and assumptions that may differ from actual results.
The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, our management evaluates its critical estimates and judgments, including, among others: those related to revenue recognition, including product rebates, chargeback and return accruals; inventory; clinical research costs; business combinations; intangible assets and impairment; income taxes; stock-based compensation; and contingent consideration. Those critical estimates and assumptions are based on our historical experience, future projections, our observance of trends in the industry, and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, and they form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values and fair values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. If actual results differ from these estimates as a result of unexpected conditions or events occurring which cause us to have to reassess our assumptions, there could be a material adverse impact on our financial results and the performance of our stock.
We face product liability exposure, which could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The nature of our business exposes us to potential liability inherent in pharmaceutical products, including with respect to the sale of IXINITY, any other product candidates that we successfully develop and the testing of our product candidates in clinical trials. Product liability claims might be made by patients in clinical trials, consumers, health care providers or pharmaceutical companies or others that sell our products. These claims may be made even with respect to those products that are manufactured in licensed and regulated facilities or otherwise possess regulatory approval for commercial sale or study. We cannot predict the frequency, outcome or cost to defend any such claims.
32
If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against future claims that IXINITY or our product candidates caused injuries, we may incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit or eventual outcome, product liability claims may result in:
|
• |
decreased demand or withdrawal of a product; |
|
• |
adverse publicity and/or injury to our reputation; |
|
• |
withdrawal of clinical trial participants; |
|
• |
costs to defend the related litigation; |
|
• |
substantial monetary awards to trial participants or patients; |
|
• |
loss of revenue; and |
|
• |
an inability to commercialize products that we may develop. |
The amount of insurance that we currently hold may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that may occur. Further product liability insurance may be difficult and expensive to obtain. We may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost and we may not be able to obtain insurance coverage that will be adequate to satisfy all potential liabilities. Claims or losses in excess of our product liability insurance coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The cost of defending any products liability litigation or other proceeding, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of products liability litigation or other proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace. Product liability claims, regardless of merit or eventual outcome, may absorb significant management time and result in reputational harm, potential loss of revenue from decreased demand for our products and/or product candidates, withdrawal of clinical trial participants and potential termination of clinical trial sites or entire clinical programs, and could cause our stock price to fall.
Product recalls may be issued at our discretion or at the discretion of our suppliers, government agencies and other entities that have regulatory authority for pharmaceutical sales. Any recall of IXINITY could materially adversely affect our business by rendering us unable to sell IXINITY for some time and by adversely affecting our reputation. A recall could also result in product liability claims by individuals and third-party payors. In addition, product liability claims could result in an investigation of the safety or efficacy of IXINITY, our manufacturing processes and facilities, or our marketing programs conducted by the FDA, the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, or the competent authorities of the EU Member States. Such investigations could also potentially lead to a recall of IXINITY or more serious enforcement actions, limitations on the indications for which they may be used, or suspension, variation, or withdrawal of approval. Any such regulatory action by the FDA, the EMA or the competent authorities of the EU Member States could lead to product liability lawsuits as well.
We rely significantly on information technology systems and any failure, inadequacy, interruption or security lapse of that technology, including any cyber security incidents, could harm our ability to operate our business effectively or result in data leakage of proprietary and confidential business and employee information.
Our business is increasingly dependent on critical, complex and interdependent information technology systems, including Internet-based systems, to support business processes as well as internal and external communications. The size and complexity of our computer systems make them potentially vulnerable to interruption, invasion, computer viruses, destruction, malicious intrusion and additional related disruptions, which may result in the impairment of production and key business processes.
In addition, our systems are potentially vulnerable to data security breaches—whether by employee error, malfeasance or other disruption—which may expose sensitive data to unauthorized persons. Such data security breaches could lead to the loss of trade secrets or other intellectual property, or could lead to the public exposure of personal information, including sensitive personal information, of our employees, clinical trial patients, customers and others. A significant business disruption or a breach in security resulting in misappropriation, theft or sabotage with respect to our proprietary and confidential business and employee information could result in financial, legal, business or reputational harm to us, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
33
Our success is dependent on our continued ability to attract, motivate and retain key personnel, and any failure to attract or retain key personnel may negatively affect our business.
Because of the specialized scientific nature of our business, our ability to develop products and to compete with our current and future competitors largely depends upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified managerial and key scientific and technical personnel. If we are unable to retain the services of one or more of the principal members of senior management, including our Chief Executive Officer, Marvin L. White, our Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey G. Lamothe, and our Chief Medical Officer, Scott C. Stromatt, or other key employees, our ability to implement our business strategy could be materially harmed. Our industry has experienced a high rate of turnover of management personnel in recent years. We face intense competition for qualified employees from biotechnology companies, research organizations and academic institutions. Attracting, retaining or replacing these personnel on acceptable terms may be difficult and time-consuming given the high demand in our industry for similar personnel. We believe part of being able to attract, motivate and retain personnel is our ability to offer a competitive compensation package, including equity incentive awards. If we cannot offer a competitive compensation package or otherwise attract and retain the qualified personnel necessary for the continued development of our business, we may not be able to maintain our operations or grow our business.
We are subject to periodic litigation, which could result in losses or unexpected expenditure of time and resources.
From time to time, we may be called upon to defend ourselves against lawsuits relating to our business. Any litigation, regardless of its merits, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources that are needed to successfully run our business. Due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such proceedings. An unfavorable outcome in any such proceedings could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If our stock price is volatile, we may become involved in securities class action lawsuits in the future.
Commercialization Risks
Our ability to grow revenues and execute on our long-term strategy depends heavily on our ability to discover, develop, and obtain marketing approval for additional products or product candidates.
In order for us to achieve our long-term business objectives, we will need to successfully discover and/or develop and commercialize additional products or product candidates. Although we have made, and expect to continue to make, significant investments in research and development, we have had only a limited number of our internally-discovered product candidates reach the clinical development stage. Drug discovery and development is a complex, time-consuming and expensive process that is fraught with risk and a high rate of failure. Failure to successfully discover and/or develop, obtain marketing approval for and commercialize additional products and product candidates would likely have a material adverse effect on our ability to grow revenues and improve our financial condition.
We may not be successful in our efforts to use and further develop our ADAPTIR platform.
A key element of our strategy is to expand our product pipeline of immunotherapeutics based on our ADAPTIR platform technology. We plan to select and create product candidates for early development, potentially with other collaborative partners. We expect to continue to develop the platform to address unmet medical needs through directed cytokine delivery via monospecifics and bispecifics in areas including oncology, and multispecific molecules in oncology, autoimmune disease and other therapeutic areas. Our goal is to leverage this technology to make targeted investment in bispecific ADAPTIR therapeutics. Even if we are successful in continuing to build our pipeline, the potential product candidates that we identify may not be suitable for clinical development, including as a result of being shown to have harmful side effects or other characteristics that indicate that they are unlikely to be products that will receive marketing approval and achieve market acceptance. If we do not successfully develop and commercialize product candidates based on our ADAPTIR platform technology, our ability to obtain product revenues in future periods may be adversely affected, which likely would result in harm to our financial position and our financial prospects and adversely affect our stock price.
34
We face substantial competition.
The development and commercialization of new biotechnology products is highly competitive and subject to rapid technological advances. We may face future competition with respect to IXINITY, our current product candidates and any product candidates we may seek to develop or commercialize in the future obtained from other companies and governments, universities and other non-profit research organizations. Our competitors may develop products that are safer, more effective, more convenient or less costly than any products that we may develop or market, or may obtain marketing approval for their products from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, or equivalent foreign regulatory bodies more rapidly than we may obtain approval for our products. Our competitors may devote greater resources to market or sell their products, research and development capabilities, adapt more quickly to new technologies, scientific advances or patient preferences and needs, initiate or withstand substantial price competition more successfully, or more effectively negotiate third-party licensing and collaborative arrangements.
We believe that our most significant competitors in the hematology/oncology, inflammation and transplantation markets include: AbbVie Inc., Affirmed, Amgen Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Baxalta US Inc., Bayer AG, Biogen Idec Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, CSL Behring, a subsidiary of CSL Limited, Dendron Corp., Genentech Inc. (a subsidiary of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.), Genmab A/S, Gilead Sciences, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Grifols USA LLC, ImmunoGen, Inc., Janssen BioTech Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Macrogenics, Inc., Novartis International AG, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi-Adventis US LLC, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., Xencor, Inc. and Zymeworks Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. We compete, in the case of IXINITY, and expect to compete, in the cases of our product candidates in development, on the basis of product efficacy, safety, ease of administration, price and economic value compared to drugs used in current practice or currently being developed. If we are not successful in demonstrating these attributes, physicians and other key healthcare decision makers may choose other products over our products, switch from our products to new products or choose to use our products only in limited circumstances, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, many of our competitors are able to deploy more personnel to market and sell their products than we do. We currently have a relatively small number of sales representatives compared with the number of sales representatives of most other biotechnology companies with marketed products. Each of our sales representatives is responsible for a territory of significant size. The continued growth of IXINITY and the launch of any future products may require expansion of our sales force and sales support organization internationally, and we may need to commit significant additional funds, management and other resources to the growth of our sales organization. We may not be able to achieve any necessary growth in a timely or cost-effective manner or realize a positive return on our investment, and we may not have the financial resources to achieve the necessary growth in a timely manner or at all. We also have to compete with other biotechnology and life sciences companies to recruit, hire, train and retain sales and marketing personnel, and turnover in our sales force and marketing personnel could negatively affect sales IXINITY. If our specialty sales force and sales organization are not appropriately-sized to adequately promote any current or potential future products, the commercial potential of IXINITY and any future products may be diminished. We compete with a significant number of pharmaceutical and life sciences companies with extensive sales, marketing and promotional experience in the hematology/oncology markets, and our failure to compete effectively in this area could negatively affect our sales of IXINITY.
IXINITY and our product candidates may also compete in the future with new products currently under development by others. Any products that we develop are likely to be in a highly competitive market, and many of our competitors may succeed in developing products before we do or in developing products that may render our products obsolete or noncompetitive.
IXINITY may face risks of competition from biosimilar manufacturers.
Competition for IXINITY, may be affected by follow-on biologics, or biosimilars, in the United States and other jurisdictions. Biologics are medical products made from a variety of natural sources (human, animal or microorganism) intended to prevent, diagnose or treat diseases and medical conditions.
In the United States, biosimilars are biologics that are highly similar to licensed reference biological products, notwithstanding minor differences in clinically inactive components, and for which there are no clinically meaningful differences between the biosimilar and the reference product in terms of safety, purity and potency. Regulatory and legislative activity in the United States and other countries may make it easier for our competitors to manufacture and sell biosimilars of IXINITY, which might affect our results of operations or commercial viability of our IXINITY. Under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2010, the FDA cannot approve an application for a biosimilar until the 12-year exclusivity period for the reference product has expired. Thus, if a competitor were to seek regulatory approval for a biosimilar product citing IXINITY as the reference product, such approval could not be granted until April 2027.
Regulators in the EU review biosimilar products using a similar regulatory process. IXINITY has not received marketing authorization by the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, and is not sold in Europe.
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If a biosimilar version of IXINTY is approved, it could have a material adverse effect on the sales and gross profits of IXINTY and could adversely affect our business and operating results.
The commercial success of IXINITY and any of our product candidates will depend upon the degree of market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors and others in the medical community.
The success of IXINITY and our product candidates, if approved, will depend upon, among other things, their acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payors and other members of the medical community as a therapeutic and cost-effective alternative to competing products and treatments. If IXINITY or any of our product candidates do not achieve and maintain an adequate level of acceptance, we may not generate material revenues from sales of these products. The degree of market acceptance of our products will depend on a number of factors, including: our ability to provide acceptable evidence of safety and efficacy; the prevalence and severity of any side effects; availability, relative cost and relative efficacy of alternative and competing treatments; the ability to offer our products for sale at competitive prices; our ability to continuously supply the market without interruption; the relative convenience and ease of administration; the willingness of the target patient population to try new products and of physicians to prescribe these products; the strength of marketing and distribution support; publicity concerning our products or competing products and treatments; and the sufficiency of coverage or reimbursement by third parties.
If IXINITY and our product candidates do not gain or maintain market acceptance, or do not become widely accepted, by physicians, patients, third-party payors and other members of the medical community, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
Changes in health care systems and payor reimbursement policies could result in a decline in our potential sales and a reduction in our expected revenue from IXINITY and our product candidates.
The revenues and profitability of biotechnology companies like ours may be affected by the continuing efforts of government payors, including Medicare and Medicaid, and other third-party payors to contain or reduce the costs of health care through various means. For example, in certain foreign markets, the pricing or profitability of therapeutic and other pharmaceutical products is subject to governmental control. In the United States, there have been, and we expect that there will continue to be, a number of federal and state proposals to implement similar governmental control. Recent U.S. legislation, rules and regulations instituted significant changes to the U.S. healthcare system that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The trend toward managed health care in the United States, as well as the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), collectively referred to as the Affordable Care Act, and the concurrent growth of organizations such as managed care organizations, accountable care organizations and integrated delivery networks, may result in increased pricing pressures for pharmaceutical products, including any products that may be offered by us in the future. Cost-cutting measures that health care providers are instituting, and the implementation of health care reform, could adversely affect our ability to sell any drug products that are successfully developed by us. We cannot predict what effects, if any, this legislation might have on our company and IXINITY and our product candidates as this legislation continues to be further implemented over the next few years, nor can we predict whether additional legislative or regulatory proposals may be adopted.
In the United States and internationally, sales of IXINITY and our ability to generate revenues on such sales are dependent, in significant part, on the availability and level of reimbursement from third-party payors, including state and federal governments and private insurance plans. Insurers have implemented cost-cutting measures and other initiatives to enforce more stringent reimbursement standards and likely will continue to do so in the future. These measures include the establishment of more restrictive formularies and increases in the out-of-pocket obligations of patients for such products. Third-party payors are also increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and services. Third-party payors may limit access to biotechnology products through the use of prior authorizations and step therapy. Any reimbursement granted may not be maintained, or limits on reimbursement available from third parties, may reduce the demand for or negatively affect the price and potential profitability of those products. If these payors do not provide sufficient coverage and reimbursement for IXINITY or any future drug product we may market, these products may be too costly for general use, and physicians may prescribe them less frequently. Our ability to successfully commercialize our products and product candidates and the demand for our products depends, in part, on the extent to which reimbursement and access is available from such third-party payors.
In addition, particularly in the United States and increasingly in other countries, we are required to provide discounts and pay rebates to state and federal governments and agencies in connection with purchases IXINITY that are reimbursed by such entities. Various provisions of the Affordable Care Act increased the levels of rebates and discounts that we have to provide in connection with sales of IXINITY that are paid for, or reimbursed by, certain state and federal government agencies and programs. It is possible that future legislation and regulatory changes in the United States and other jurisdictions could be enacted, which could potentially impact the reimbursement rates for IXINITY and also could further impact the levels of discounts and rebates we are required to pay to state and federal government entities.
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Certain government pricing programs, including Medicare Part B, the Medicaid rebate program, the 340B/PHS drug pricing program and Federal Supply Schedule, affect the revenues that we derive from IXINITY and product candidates. Any future legislation or regulatory actions altering these programs or imposing new ones could have an adverse impact on our business. There have been, and we expect there will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory actions and proposals to control and reduce health care costs. These measures may, among other things: negatively impact the level of reimbursement for pharmaceutical products; require higher levels of cost-sharing by beneficiaries; change the discounts required to be provided to government payors and/or providers; extend government discounts to additional government programs and/or providers; or reduce the level of reimbursement for health care services and other non-drug items. Any such measures could indirectly affect demand for pharmaceutical products because they can cause payors and providers to apply heightened scrutiny and/or austerity actions to their entire operations, including pharmacy budgets.
Our revenues also depend on the availability outside the United States of adequate pricing and reimbursement from third-party payors for IXINITY and future drug products, if any.
Outside the United States, certain countries, including a number of EU Member States, set prices and reimbursement for pharmaceutical products, or medicinal products as they are commonly referred to in the EU, with limited participation from the marketing authorization holders. We cannot be sure that these prices and reimbursement will be acceptable to us or our collaborative partners. If the regulatory authorities in these foreign jurisdictions set prices or reimbursement that are not commercially attractive for us or our collaborative partners, our revenues from sales, and the potential profitability of our drug products, in those countries would be negatively affected. An increasing number of countries are taking initiatives to attempt to reduce large budget deficits by focusing cost-cutting efforts on pharmaceuticals for their state-run health care systems. These international price control efforts have impacted all regions of the world, but have been most drastic in the EU.
An inability to convince hospitals and managed care organizations to include IXINITY on their approved formulary lists, may result in our failure to meet revenue expectations.
Hospitals and managed care organizations establish formularies, which are lists of drugs approved for use in the hospital or under a managed care plan. If a drug is not included on the formulary, the ability of our engagement partners and engagement managers to promote and sell the drug may be limited or denied. If we fail to secure and maintain formulary inclusion for IXINITY on favorable terms or are significantly delayed in doing so, we may have difficulty achieving market acceptance of IXINITY and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
If we are unable to negotiate and maintain satisfactory arrangements with group purchasing organizations our financial condition could be adversely affected.
Our ability to sell IXINITY, to hospitals and clinics in the United States depends in part on our relationships with group purchasing organizations, or GPOs. GPOs negotiate pricing arrangements and contracts, sometimes on an exclusive basis, with medical supply manufacturers and distributors. These negotiated prices are then made available to a GPO’s affiliated hospitals and clinics and other members. If we are not one of the providers selected by a GPO, affiliated hospitals, clinics and other members may be less likely to purchase IXINITY, and if the GPO has negotiated a strict sole source, market share compliance or bundling contract for another manufacturer’s products, we may be precluded from making sales to members of the GPO for the duration of the contractual arrangement. Our failure to renew contracts with GPOs may cause us to lose market share and could have a material adverse effect on our sales, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot assure you that we will be able to renew these contracts on the current or substantially similar terms. If we are unable to keep our relationships and develop new relationships with GPOs, our competitive position may suffer.
We rely on third parties to distribute IXINITY and those third parties may not perform.
We rely on the sales and marketing strength of these distributors and the distribution channels through which they operate for a portion of our revenues. If third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, or if there is a delay or interruption in the distribution of our products, it could negatively impact our revenues from product sales.
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The loss of any of our sole source manufacturers, or delays or problems in the manufacture of IXINITY or our product candidates, could result in product shortages and loss in revenue or delays in clinical development.
We do not have manufacturing capabilities and do not plan to develop such capacity in the foreseeable future. We depend on a limited number of sole source third-party manufacturers, including CMC ICOS Biologics, Inc., for our products and product candidates. Accordingly, our ability to develop and deliver products in a timely and competitive manner depend on our third-party manufacturers being able to continue to meet our ongoing commercial and clinical trial needs and perform their contractual obligations. We have a limited ability to control the manufacturing process or costs related to the manufacture of IXINITY and our product candidates. Increases in the prices we pay our manufacturers, interruptions in the supply of raw materials or IXINITY themselves or lapses in quality could adversely impact our margins, profitability, cash flows and prospects.
If, for any reason, CMC, sole manufacturer of bulk drug substance for our IXINITY product, does not continue to supply us with IXINITY in a timely fashion and in compliance with applicable quality and regulatory requirements, or otherwise fails or refuses to comply with its obligations to us under our manufacturing arrangement, we may not have adequate remedies for any breach of contract, and its failure to supply us could result in a shortage of IXINITY, which could lead to lost revenue and otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects. In addition, if CMC fails or refuses to supply us for any reason, we may be forced to consider entering into additional manufacturing arrangements with other third-party manufacturers. In each case, we will incur significant costs and time in obtaining the regulatory approvals for these third-party facilities and in taking the necessary steps to prepare these third parties for the manufacture of IXINITY. Because of contractual restraints and the lead-time necessary to obtain FDA approval of a new manufacturer, replacement of any of these manufacturers may be expensive and time consuming and may cause interruptions in our supply of IXINITY to our customers or an inability to manufacture.
For example, during 2015, we ordered nine manufacturing lots of bulk drug substance from CMC and only one of those lots was successfully manufactured and released in 2015. During 2016, we ordered five manufacturing lots of bulk drug substance from CMC and none of these lots satisfied product release specifications.
On October 4, 2016, we provided a Notice of Interruption in Manufacturing, or Notice, to the FDA, notifying the FDA of a potential interruption in the supply of IXINITY due to the ongoing manufacturing challenges associated with the manufacturer of the bulk drug substance. On March 15, 2017, we announced the successful manufacture of a new bulk drug substance batch of IXINITY, providing new supply of IXINITY for the commercial market in May 2017.
On June 17, 2017, we entered into a new non-exclusive Amended and Restated Commercial Supply, or Restated Supply Agreement, with CMC for the commercial development and manufacture of IXINITY. Pursuant to the terms of the Restated Supply Agreement, CMC agreed to manufacture IXINITY in the quantity of batches provided to CMC on a twenty-four month rolling forecast. Beginning 2018, the minimum and maximum batches will be four and ten, respectively in a calendar year. Multiple batches ordered in succession with no changeover to another product between batches, or a campaign, should receive an incremental discounted price.
In accordance with the Restated Supply Agreement, a $7.0 million reserve held by CMC will be will be applied to, at a minimum, the next four batches manufactured through the end of 2017 as a price concession in the form of no raw materials or other related costs associated with the inventory. As this reserve is utilized, Aptevo will also see an impact on the Company’s income statement due to a lower costs of goods sold associated with this inventory, which will also result in higher gross margins as sales are recognized. Any remaining reserve amount outstanding as of December 25, 2017 shall be paid to the Company on or before December 31, 2017. The Restated Supply Agreement has a five-year term renewable with twenty-four months’ prior notice before the expiry of the term for successive two-year terms.
While we do not currently anticipate or foresee a supply shortage or supply interruption occurring, any supply shortage or supply interruption of IXINITY would adversely affect its sales and could adversely affect its market position, commercial viability and the trading price of our common stock.
Manufacturing biologic products, especially in large quantities, is complex and time consuming.
IXINITY and all of our current product candidates are biologics. IXINITY and our product candidates must be made consistently and in compliance with a clearly defined manufacturing process. Problems may arise during manufacturing for a variety of reasons, including problems with raw materials, equipment malfunction or replacement and failure to follow specific protocols and procedures. Slight deviations anywhere in the manufacturing process, including obtaining materials, maintaining master seed or cell banks and preventing genetic drift, seed or cell growth, fermentation and contamination including from, among other things, particulates, filtration, filling, labeling, packaging, storage and shipping, and quality control testing, may result in lot failures or manufacturing shut-down, delays in the release of lots, product recalls, spoilage or regulatory action.
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Failure of our third-party manufacturers to successfully manufacture material that conforms to our specifications and the FDA’s or foreign regulatory authorities’ strict regulatory requirements, may prevent regulatory approval of those manufacturing facilities.
We rely on third parties to manufacture all clinical trial materials for our product candidates, and we will rely on third parties to manufacture commercial supplies, if any such product candidates are ultimately approved for commercial sale. Our product candidates, including APVO414, APVO210, otlertuzumab, APVO436 and ALG.APV-527, will not be approved for marketing by the FDA or other foreign regulatory authorities unless the FDA or their foreign equivalents also approve the facilities used by our third-party manufacturers to produce them for commercialization. If our third-party manufacturers cannot successfully manufacture material that conforms to our specifications and the FDA’s or foreign regulatory authorities’ strict regulatory requirements, the FDA or their foreign counterparts will not approve their manufacturing facilities, which would result in significant delays in obtaining FDA or foreign marketing approvals for our product candidates. In order to successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates in a timely manner, we and our third-party manufacturers must be able to develop and execute on manufacturing processes, and reach agreement on contract terms.
We and our third-party manufacturers may not be able to meet these manufacturing process requirements for any of our current product candidates, all of which have complex manufacturing processes, which make meeting these requirements even more challenging. If we are unable to develop manufacturing processes for our clinical product candidates that satisfy these requirements, we will not be able to supply sufficient quantities of test material to conduct our clinical trials in a timely or cost effective manner, and as a result, our development programs will be delayed, our financial performance will be adversely impacted and we will be unable to meet our long-term goals.
Development and commercialization of IXINITY and our product candidates may be terminated or delayed.
Our development and commercialization strategy involves entering into arrangements with corporate and academic collaborators, contract research organizations, distributors, third-party manufacturers, licensors, licensees and others to conduct development work, manage or conduct our clinical trials, manufacture IXINITY and our product candidates and market and sell our products outside of the United States and maintaining our existing arrangements with respect to the commercialization or manufacture of our products. We may not have the expertise or the resources to conduct all of these activities for all products and product candidates on our own and, as a result, are particularly dependent on third parties in many areas. Any current or future arrangements for development and commercialization may not be successful. If we are not able to establish or maintain agreements relating to IXINITY and our product candidates in development, our results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
Third parties may not perform their contractual obligations as expected. The amount and timing of resources that third parties devote to developing, manufacturing and commercializing our products candidates are not within our control. Our collaborative partners may develop, manufacture or commercialize, either independently or with others, products and services that are similar to or competitive with the products that are the subject of the collaboration with us. Furthermore, our interests may differ from those of third parties that manufacture or commercialize our products. Our collaborative partners may reevaluate their priorities from time to time, including following mergers and consolidations, and change the focus of their development, manufacturing or commercialization efforts. Disagreements that may arise with these third parties could delay or lead to the termination of the development or commercialization of our product candidates, or result in litigation or arbitration, which would be time consuming and expensive.
If any third-party that manufactures or supports the development or commercialization of IXINITY and our product candidates breaches or terminates its agreement with us, or fails to commit sufficient resources to our collaboration or conduct its activities in a timely manner, or fails to comply with regulatory requirements, such breach, termination or failure could delay or otherwise adversely impact the manufacturing, development or commercialization of IXINITY, our products in development or any additional products or product candidates that we may develop; require us to seek a new collaborator or undertake unforeseen additional responsibilities or devote unforeseen additional resources to the manufacturing, development or commercialization IXINITY and our product candidates; or result in the termination of the development or commercialization of IXINITY and our product candidates.
If we are unable to successfully develop our business infrastructure and operations, our ability to generate future product revenue will be adversely affected.
To manage our existing and planned future growth, including our ability to support the sales and marketing of IXINITY and our product candidates in the United States and globally, and the increasing breadth and complexity of our activities, we need to properly invest in personnel, infrastructure, information management systems and other operational resources. Developing our business infrastructure and operations may be more difficult, more expensive or take longer than we anticipate. We may also need to revise our strategy for developing the proper infrastructure and operations periodically.
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We are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties associated with our international activities and operations.
We currently have limited operations outside of the United States. However, we have manufacturing, collaboration, clinical trial and other relationships outside the United States, and our products are marketed internationally through collaborations. We may seek to grow our international operations significantly over the next several years. Our future results of operations will depend in part on our ability to grow our product sales in foreign markets, particularly in Europe. Our foreign operations subject us to additional risks and uncertainties, particularly because we have limited experience in marketing, servicing and distributing our products or otherwise operating our business outside of the United States and Canada. These risks and uncertainties include: political and economic determinations that adversely impact pricing or reimbursement policies; our customers’ ability to obtain reimbursement for procedures using our products in foreign markets; export licensing requirements, political and economic instability, trade restrictions, and changes in tariffs and difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations; cross border restrictions on the movement of cash funds and repatriation of earnings; foreign currency fluctuations; longer accounts receivable collection times; reduced protection of intellectual property rights in some foreign countries; the interpretation of contractual provisions governed by foreign laws in the event of a contract dispute; and compliance with foreign or U.S. laws, rules and regulations, including data privacy requirements, labor relations laws, tax laws, anti-competition regulations, anti-bribery/anti-corruption laws, including but not limited to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, which could subject us to investigation or prosecution under such U.S. or foreign laws.
Regulatory and Compliance Risks
Our long term success depends, in part, upon our ability to develop, receive regulatory approval for and commercialize our product candidates.
Our product candidates and the activities associated with their development, including testing, manufacture, recordkeeping, storage and approval, are subject to comprehensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory agencies in the United States and by comparable authorities in other countries. Generally, failure to obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate will prevent us from commercializing the product candidate. We have limited resources for use in preparing, filing and supporting the applications necessary to gain regulatory approvals and expect to rely on third-party contract research organizations and consultants to assist us in this process.
The FDA and other comparable regulatory agencies in foreign countries impose substantial and rigorous requirements for the development, production, marketing authorization and commercial introduction of drug products. These requirements include preclinical, laboratory and clinical testing procedures, sampling activities, clinical trials and other costly and time-consuming procedures. In addition, regulation is not static, and regulatory authorities, including the FDA evolve in their staff interpretations and practices and may impose more stringent or different requirements than currently in effect, which may adversely affect our planned and ongoing drug development and/or our sales and marketing efforts.
In the United States, to obtain approval from the FDA to market any of our future biologic products, we will be required to submit a biologics license application, or BLA, to the FDA. Ordinarily, the FDA requires a sponsor to support a BLA with substantial evidence of the product’s safety, purity and potency in treating the targeted indication based on data derived from adequate and well-controlled clinical trials, including Phase III safety and efficacy trials conducted in patients with the disease or condition being targeted.
The process of obtaining these regulatory approvals is expensive, often takes many years if approval is obtained at all, and can vary substantially based upon the type, complexity and novelty of the product candidate involved. Changes in the regulatory approval process during the development period, changes in or the enactment of additional statutes or regulations, or changes in the regulatory review for a submitted product application may cause delays in the approval or rejection of an application.
The FDA has substantial discretion in the approval process and may refuse to accept any application or may decide that our data are insufficient to support approval and require additional preclinical, clinical or other studies. In addition, varying interpretations of the data obtained from preclinical and clinical testing could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval of a product candidate.
We have a pipeline of clinical and preclinical stage product candidates, including:
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APVO414, a bispecific immunotherapeutic ADAPTIR protein, currently in Phase 1, targeting prostate specific membrane antigen, or PSMA, an enzyme that is expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells and, a component of the T-cell receptor complex expressed on all T-cells. The mechanism of action of APVO414 is RTCC; |
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APVO210, a bispecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic the employs targeted cytokine delivery. This candidate targets monomeric IL-10 to CD86 expressing cells (primarily antigen presenting cells) and is currently in pre-clinical development for inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases; |
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otlertuzumab, a monospecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic currently in Phase 2 clinical development for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, or CLL; |
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APVO436, a bispecific ADAPTIR protein therapeutic currently in preclinical development targeting CD123, a cell surface receptor highly expressed on several hematological malignancies and CD3, a component of the T-cell receptor. Similar to APVO414 and the ROR1 preclinical program, APVO436 utilizes redirected RTCC to initiate killing of tumor cells; |
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ALG.APV-527 a bispecific antibody candidate, featuring a novel mechanism of action targeting 4-1BB (CD137) and 5T4, a tumor antigen widely expressed on several solid tumors; |
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an immunotherapeutic ADAPTIR protein targeting ROR1 (preclinical candidate) built on our novel ADAPTIR platform, which is designed to expand on the utility and effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies and an antigen found on solid tumors and hematologic or blood-related, malignancies; and |
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other protein therapeutic product candidates primarily targeting tumor based on mechanisms of action that modulate the immune system (immuno-oncology based mechanism of action). |
Developing and obtaining regulatory approval for product candidates is a lengthy process, often taking a number of years, is uncertain and is expensive. All of the product candidates that we are developing, or may develop in the future, require research and development, preclinical studies, nonclinical testing and clinical trials prior to seeking regulatory approval and commencing commercial sales. In addition, we may need to address a number of technological challenges in order to complete development of our product candidates. As a result, the development of product candidates may take longer than anticipated or not be successful at all.
Generally, no product can receive FDA approval, marketing authorization from the European Commission or the competent authorities of the EU Member States, or approval from comparable regulatory agencies in foreign countries unless data generated in human clinical trials demonstrates both safety and efficacy for each target indication in accordance with such authority’s standards.
The large majority of product candidates that begin human clinical trials fail to demonstrate the required safety and efficacy characteristics necessary for marketing approval. Failure to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of any of our product candidates for each target indication in clinical trials would prevent us from obtaining required approvals from regulatory authorities, which would prevent us from commercializing those product candidates. Negative or inconclusive results from the clinical trials or adverse medical events during the trials could lead to requirements that trials be repeated or extended, or that additional trials be conducted, any of which may not be clinically feasible or financially practicable, that the conduct of trials be suspended, or that a program be terminated.
Any regulatory approval we ultimately obtain may limit the indicated uses for the product or subject the product to restrictions or post-approval commitments that render the product commercially non-viable. Securing regulatory approval requires the submission of extensive non-clinical and clinical data, information about product manufacturing processes and inspection of facilities and supporting information to the regulatory authorities for each therapeutic indication to establish the product’s safety and efficacy. If we are unable to submit the necessary data and information, for example, because the results of clinical trials are not favorable, or if the applicable regulatory authority delays reviewing or does not approve our applications, we will be unable to obtain regulatory approval.
Delays in obtaining or failure to obtain regulatory approvals may: delay or prevent the successful commercialization of any of the products or product candidates in the jurisdiction for which approval is sought; diminish our competitive advantage; and defer or decrease our receipt of revenue.
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Certain of our products in development have experienced regulatory and/or clinical setbacks in the past. For example, in December 2015, after a joint review of data from the Phase 1 dose escalation study of APVO414 in prostate cancer patients, Aptevo and MorphoSys concluded that the dosing regimen and administration required adjustment. Patients receiving weekly doses of APVO414 developed antibodies against the drug; which are called anti-drug antibodies, or ADA. ADA developed in most patients including those receiving the maximum tolerated dose of drug that could be given safely on a weekly basis. These antibodies bind to the drug and reduce the concentration of active APVO414 in the blood and thus could potentially reduce its efficacy. However, we observed no safety issues related to the development of ADA. The cause of these antibodies is unclear but could be due to the weekly administration of the drug. Hence, the protocol has been amended to continuous intravenous infusion as a way to administer higher levels of drug and prevent the development of ADA. There is no guarantee that this change in administration will enable higher dosing and/or prevent the development of ADA. The procedures to obtain marketing approvals vary among countries and can involve additional clinical trials or other pre-filing requirements. The time required to obtain foreign regulatory approval may differ from that required to obtain FDA approval. The foreign regulatory approval process may include all the risks associated with obtaining FDA approval, or different or additional risks. Regulatory agencies may have varying interpretations of the same data, and approval by one regulatory authority does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions. Accordingly, approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by the regulatory authorities in other countries, and approval by one foreign regulatory authority does not ensure approval by the FDA or regulatory authorities in other foreign countries. We may not be able to file for regulatory approvals and may not receive necessary approvals to commercialize our products and products in development in any market on a timely basis, if at all.
The APVO414 Phase I clinical trial under the amended protocol, providing continuous intravenous infusion as a way to administer higher levels of drug and prevent the development of ADA, commenced December 2016. As a result of the required dosing regimen change and the impact to the overall development timeline and technical risk, our co-development agreement with MorphoSys was restructured. Under the terms of the restructured agreement, MorphoSys’ cost sharing in the years 2016 to 2018 was reduced and future milestone payments payable by MorphoSys to us were reduced to a total of up to $74.0 million. As a result of the required change in dosing regimen for APVO414, the lead RTCC candidate, the termination provisions under the MorphoSys collaboration agreement were amended to give MorphoSys a one-time right to terminate the collaboration agreement, without notice, at either the end of 2016 or after review of clinical data from the first six patients enrolled and dosed in the Phase 1 trial. The requirement for further adjustments to the dosing regimen or other parts of the program could delay our development timeline or delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval for APVO414. In December 2016, the agreement was modified to adjust the allocation of certain manufacturing and development costs and extend MorphoSys’ convenience termination rights. Under the amendment, the timeframe for a one-time right to terminate the collaboration agreement by MorphoSys has been extended from December 31, 2016 to June 30, 2017, or after review of clinical data from the first six patients enrolled and dosed in the APVO414 Phase I clinical trial. Effective August 31, 2017, MorphoSys terminated the MorphoSys collaboration agreement with Company in accordance with the terms of the Fourth Amendment which was effective December 7, 2015.
The procedures to obtain marketing approvals vary among countries and can involve additional clinical trials or other pre-filing requirements. The time required to obtain foreign regulatory approval may differ from that required to obtain FDA approval. The foreign regulatory approval process may include all the risks associated with obtaining FDA approval, or different or additional risks. Regulatory agencies may have varying interpretations of the same data, and approval by one regulatory authority does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions. Accordingly, approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by the regulatory authorities in other countries, and approval by one foreign regulatory authority does not ensure approval by the FDA or regulatory authorities in other foreign countries. We may not be able to file for regulatory approvals and may not receive necessary approvals to commercialize our products and products in development in any market on a timely basis, if at all.
Biotechnology company stock prices have declined significantly in certain instances where companies have failed to obtain FDA or foreign regulatory authority approval of a product candidate or if the timing of FDA or foreign regulatory authority approval is delayed. If the FDA’s or any foreign regulatory authority’s response to any application for approval is delayed or not favorable for any of our product candidates, our stock price could decline significantly.
Regulatory approval for any approved product is limited by the FDA to those specific indications and conditions for which clinical safety and efficacy have been demonstrated, and we may incur significant liability if it is determined that we are promoting the “off-label” use of any of our products.
Any regulatory approval is limited to those specific diseases and indications for which a product is deemed to be safe and effective by the FDA. For example, the FDA-approved label for IXINITY is not approved for use in patients younger than twelve years old. In addition to the FDA approval required for new formulations, any new indication for an approved product also requires FDA approval. If we are not able to obtain FDA approval for any desired future indications for our products and product candidates, our ability to effectively market and sell our products may be reduced and our business may be adversely affected.
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While physicians may choose to prescribe drugs for uses that are not described in the product’s labeling and for uses that differ from those tested in clinical studies and approved by the regulatory authorities, our ability to promote the products is limited to those indications that are specifically approved by the FDA. These “off-label” uses are common across medical specialties and may constitute an appropriate treatment for some patients in varied circumstances. Regulatory authorities in the United States generally do not regulate the behavior of physicians in their choice of treatments. Regulatory authorities do, however, restrict communications by pharmaceutical companies on the subject of off-label use. If our promotional activities fail to comply with the FDA’s regulations or guidelines, we may be subject to warnings from, or enforcement action by, these authorities. In addition, our failure to follow FDA rules and guidelines relating to promotion and advertising may cause the FDA to issue warning letters or untitled letters, suspend or withdraw an approved product from the market, require a recall or institute fines, which could result in the disgorgement of money, operating restrictions, injunctions or civil or criminal enforcement, any of which could harm our business.
Notwithstanding the regulatory restrictions on off-label promotion, the FDA and other regulatory authorities allow companies to engage in truthful, non-misleading and non-promotional scientific exchange concerning their products. We engage in medical education activities and communicate with investigators and potential investigators regarding our clinical trials. If the FDA or another regulatory or enforcement authority determines that our communications regarding our marketed products are not in compliance with the relevant regulatory requirements and that we have improperly promoted off-label uses, we may be subject to significant liability, including civil and administrative remedies as well as criminal sanctions.
Our products may face regulatory, legal or commercial challenges even after approval.
Any drug or, biologic for which we receive FDA approval, along with the manufacturing processes, post-approval clinical data, labeling, advertising and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, record keeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences, providing the FDA with updated safety and efficacy information, product sampling and distribution requirements, current good manufacturing practices, or cGMP, and restrictions on advertising and promotion. Adverse events that are reported after marketing approval can result in additional limitations being placed on the product’s distribution or use and, potentially, withdrawal or suspension of the product from the market. In addition, various state laws require that companies that manufacture and/or distribute drug products within the state obtain and maintain a manufacturer or distributor license, as appropriate. Because of the breadth of these laws, it is possible that some of our business activities, or those of our third-party manufacturers and distributors, could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws.
In addition, the FDA has post-approval authority to require post-approval clinical trials and/or safety labeling changes if warranted by the appearance of new safety information. In certain circumstances, the FDA may impose a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, or REMS, after a product has been approved. Facilities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved products are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA for compliance with cGMP and other laws. The FDA also closely monitors advertising and promotional materials we may disseminate for our products for compliance with restrictions on off-label promotion and other laws. We may not promote our products for conditions of use that are not included in the approved package inserts for our products. Certain additional restrictions on advertising and promotion exist for products that have so-called boxed warnings in their approved package inserts.
Failure by CMC or our other third-party manufacturers to comply with regulatory requirements could adversely affect their ability to supply products or ingredients to us. All facilities and manufacturing techniques used for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products must be operated in conformity with the FDA’s current cGMP requirements. The FDA enforces its cGMP and other requirements through periodic unannounced inspections of manufacturing facilities. If, in connection with any future inspection, the FDA finds that any of our third-party manufacturers is not in substantial compliance with cGMP requirements, or if the FDA is not satisfied with the corrective actions such manufacturer may take, the FDA may undertake certain enforcement actions, including product seizure or withdrawal of the product from the market, imposition of restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of a product and suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals or refusal to approve pending applications or supplements.
Similar actions may be taken against us should we fail to comply with regulatory requirements, or later discover previously unknown problems with our products. Even if regulatory approval of a product is granted, the approval may be subject to limitations on the indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for costly post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or efficacy of the product. If we experience any of these post-approval events, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
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If we fail to comply with federal and state healthcare laws, including fraud and abuse and health information privacy and security laws, we could face substantial penalties and our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects could be adversely affected.
As a biotechnology company, even though we do not provide healthcare services or receive payments directly from or bill directly to Medicare, Medicaid or other third-party payors for our products, certain federal and state healthcare laws and regulations pertaining to fraud and abuse and patients’ rights are and will be applicable to our business. We are subject to healthcare fraud and abuse and patient privacy regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct our business. The laws that may affect our ability to operate include:
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the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which constrains our marketing practices, educational programs, pricing policies and relationships with healthcare providers or other entities by prohibiting, among other things, soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce, or in return for, the purchase, prescribing or recommendation of an item or service reimbursable under federally funded healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs; |
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federal civil and criminal false claims and false statement laws and civil monetary penalty laws, which prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment from Medicare, Medicaid or other payors that are false or fraudulent or making any materially false statement in connection with the delivery or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services; |
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Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which creates federal criminal and civil statutes that prohibit executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program; and Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health, or HITECH, and its implementing regulations, which imposes certain requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information; |
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federal physician self-referral laws, such as the Stark law, which prohibit a physician from making a referral to a provider of certain health services with which the physician or the physician’s family member has a financial interest, and prohibit submission of a claim for reimbursement pursuant to a prohibited referral; |
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the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which imposes disclosure requirements on pharmaceutical manufacturers of payments made to physicians, healthcare providers and institutions; and |
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state law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, such as anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including commercial insurers, and state laws governing the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. |
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available under the U.S. federal Anti-Kickback Statute, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. Moreover, recent health care reform legislation has strengthened these laws. For example, the Affordable Care Act, among other things, amends the intent requirement of the federal anti-kickback and criminal health care fraud statutes, so that a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it. In addition, the Affordable Care Act provides that the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the false claims statutes. Federal false claims laws prohibit any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false statement to get a false claim paid.
Recently, several pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies have been prosecuted under the federal false claims laws for allegedly inflating drug prices they report to pricing services, which in turn are used by the government to set Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, and for allegedly providing free product to customers with the expectation that the customers would bill federal programs for the product. In addition, certain marketing practices, including off-label promotion, may also violate false claims laws. To the extent that any product we make is sold in a foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws and regulations.
Further, there has been a recent trend in the increase of federal and state laws and regulations regarding financial arrangements with physicians. The Affordable Care Act imposes new requirements to report certain financial arrangements with physicians and others, including reporting any “transfer of value” made or distributed to prescribers and other healthcare providers and reporting any ownership or investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members during each calendar year, subject to federal implementation and enforcement policies.
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In addition, certain states mandate that we comply with a state code of conduct, adopt a company code of conduct under state criteria, disclose marketing payments made to physicians, and/or report compliance information to the state authorities. The shifting compliance environment and the need to build and maintain robust and expandable systems to comply in multiple jurisdictions with different compliance and reporting requirements increase the possibility that a pharmaceutical company may violate one or more of the requirements. Any failure to comply with these reporting requirements could result in significant fines and penalties.
The risks of complying with these laws cannot be entirely eliminated. The risk of violation of such laws is also increased because many of them have not been fully interpreted by the regulatory authorities or the courts, and their provisions are open to a variety of interpretations. Any action against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management’s attention from the operation of our business. Moreover, achieving and sustaining compliance with applicable federal and state privacy, security and fraud laws may prove costly. If our past or present operations, or those of our distributors are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from participation in U.S. federal or state health care programs and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could materially adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results. Similarly, if healthcare providers, distributors or other entities with whom we do business are found to be out of compliance with applicable laws and regulations, they may be subject to sanctions, which could also have a negative impact on us.
If we fail to comply with our obligations under U.S. governmental pricing programs, we could be required to reimburse government programs for underpayments and could pay penalties, sanctions and fines.
On August 2, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011, which, among other things, created the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to recommend to Congress proposals in spending reductions. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction did not achieve a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2 trillion for the years 2013 through 2021, triggering mandatory reductions in federal spending by as much as $1.1 trillion from 2013 through 2021, referred to as sequestration. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 and subsequent legislation provide billions in sequester relief, but also extends the 2% reduction in Medicare payments, discussed below through fiscal year 2025. Sequestration-related spending reductions may have a significant adverse impact on our business.
The issuance of regulations and coverage expansion by various governmental agencies relating to the Medicaid rebate program will continue to increase our costs and the complexity of compliance and will be time-consuming. Changes to the definition of “average manufacturer price,” or AMP, and the Medicaid rebate amount under the Affordable Care Act and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’, or CMS’s, issuance of final regulations implementing those changes also has affected and could further affect our 340B “ceiling price” calculations. Because we participate in the Medicaid rebate program, we are required to report “average sales price,” or ASP, information to CMS for certain categories of drugs that are paid for under Part B of the Medicare program, including IXINITY. Future statutory or regulatory changes or CMS binding guidance could affect the ASP calculations for our products and the resulting Medicare payment rate, and could negatively impact our results of operations.
Pricing and rebate calculations vary among products and programs, involve complex calculations and are often subject to interpretation by us, governmental or regulatory agencies and the courts. The Medicaid rebate amount is computed each quarter based on our submission to CMS of our current AMP and “best price” for the quarter. If we become aware that our reporting for a prior quarter was incorrect, or has changed as a result of recalculation of the pricing data, we are obligated to resubmit the corrected data for a period not to exceed twelve quarters from the quarter in which the data originally were due. Any such revisions could have the impact of increasing or decreasing our rebate liability for prior quarters, depending on the direction of the revision. Such restatements and recalculations increase our costs for complying with the laws and regulations governing the Medicaid rebate program. Price recalculations also may affect the “ceiling price” at which we are required to offer our products to certain covered entities, such as safety-net providers, under the 340B/PHS drug pricing program.
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In addition to retroactive rebate liability and the potential for 340B program refunds, if we are found to have made a misrepresentation in the reporting of ASP, we are subject to civil monetary penalties for each such price misrepresentation and for each day in which such price misrepresentation was applied. If we are found to have knowingly submitted false AMP or “best price” information to the government, we may be liable for civil monetary penalties per item of false information. Any refusal of a request for information or knowing provision of false information in connection with an AMP survey verification also would subject us to civil monetary penalties. In addition, our failure to submit monthly/quarterly AMP or “best price” information on a timely basis could result in a civil monetary penalty per day for each day the information is late beyond the due date. Such failure also could be grounds for CMS to terminate our Medicaid drug rebate agreement, pursuant to which we participate in the Medicaid program. In the event that CMS terminates our rebate agreement, no federal payments would be available under Medicaid or Medicare Part B for our covered outpatient drugs. Governmental agencies may also make changes in program interpretations, requirements or conditions of participation, some of which may have implications for amounts previously estimated or paid. We cannot assure you that our submissions will not be found by CMS to be incomplete or incorrect.
In order for our products to be reimbursed by the primary federal governmental programs, we report certain pricing data to the U.S. federal government. Compliance with reporting and other requirements of these federal programs is a pre-condition to: (i) the availability of federal funds to pay for our products under Medicaid and Medicare Part B; and (ii) procurement of our products by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or DVA, and by covered entities under the 340B/PHS program. The pricing data reported are used as the basis for establishing Federal Supply Schedule, or FSS, and 340B/PHS program contract pricing and payment and rebate rates under the Medicare Part B and Medicaid programs, respectively. Pharmaceutical companies have been prosecuted under federal and state false claims laws for submitting inaccurate and/or incomplete pricing information to the government that resulted in increased payments made by these programs. The rules governing the calculation of certain reported prices are highly complex. Although we maintain and follow strict procedures to ensure the maximum possible integrity for our federal pricing calculations, the process for making the required calculations involves some subjective judgments and the risk of errors always exists, which creates the potential for exposure under the false claims laws. If we become subject to investigations or other inquiries concerning our compliance with price reporting laws and regulations, and our methodologies for calculating federal prices are found to include flaws or to have been incorrectly applied, we could be required to pay or be subject to additional reimbursements, penalties, sanctions or fines, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
To be eligible to have our products paid for with federal funds under the Medicaid and Medicare Part B programs as well as to be purchased by certain federal agencies and certain federal grantees, we also must participate in the DVA FSS pricing program. To participate, we are required to enter into an FSS contract with the DVA, under which we must make our innovator “covered drugs” available to the “Big Four” federal agencies—the DVA, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the DoD, the Public Health Service (including the Indian Health Service), and the Coast Guard—at pricing that is capped pursuant to a statutory federal ceiling price, or FCP, formula set forth in Section 603 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, or VHCA. The FCP is based on a weighted average wholesale price known as the Non-Federal Average Manufacturer Price, or Non-FAMP, which manufacturers are required to report on a quarterly and annual basis to the DVA. Pursuant to the VHCA, knowing provision of false information in connection with a Non-FAMP filing can subject us to penalties of $100,000 for each item of false information. If we overcharge the government in connection with our FSS contract or Section 703 Agreement, whether due to a misstated FCP or otherwise, we are required to disclose the error and refund the difference to the government. The failure to make necessary disclosures and/or to identify contract overcharges can result in allegations against us under the False Claims Act and other laws and regulations. Unexpected refunds to the government, and responding to a government investigation or enforcement action, would be expensive and time-consuming, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The failure to obtain or maintain regulatory approval in international jurisdictions could prevent us from marketing our products abroad and could limit the growth of our business.
We currently sell and intend to continue to sell our products outside the United States. To market our products in the EU and many other foreign jurisdictions, we may need to obtain separate regulatory approvals and comply with numerous and varying regulatory requirements. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by foreign regulatory authorities. The approval procedures in foreign jurisdictions can vary widely and can involve additional clinical trials and data review. We and our collaborative partners may not be able to obtain foreign regulatory approvals on a timely basis, if at all, and therefore we may be unable to commercialize our products internationally. The failure to obtain these approvals could harm our business.
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Our international operations increase our risk of exposure to potential claims of bribery and corruption.
As we expand our commercialization activities outside of the United States, we are subject to an increased risk of inadvertently conducting activities in a manner that violates the FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, Canada’s Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, or other similar foreign laws, which prohibit corporations and individuals from paying, offering to pay, or authorizing the payment of anything of value to any foreign government official, government staff member, political party, or political candidate in an attempt to obtain or retain business or to otherwise influence a person working in an official capacity. In the course of establishing and expanding our commercial operations and seeking regulatory approvals outside of the United States, we will need to establish and expand business relationships with various third parties and will interact more frequently with foreign officials, including regulatory authorities and physicians employed by state-run healthcare institutions who may be deemed to be foreign officials under the FCPA or similar foreign laws. If our business practices outside the United States are found to be in violation of the FCPA or similar foreign laws, we and our senior management may be subject to significant civil and criminal penalties, potential debarment from public procurement and reputational damage, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
Our operations, including our use of hazardous materials, chemicals, bacteria and viruses, require us to comply with regulatory requirements and expose us to significant potential liabilities.
Our operations involve the use of hazardous materials, including chemicals, and may produce dangerous waste products. Accordingly, we, along with the third parties that conduct clinical trials and manufacture our products and product candidates on our behalf, are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations that govern the use, manufacture, distribution, storage, handling, exposure, disposal and recordkeeping with respect to these materials. We are also subject to a variety of environmental and occupational health and safety laws. Compliance with current or future laws and regulations can require significant costs and we could be subject to substantial fines and penalties in the event of noncompliance. In addition, the risk of contamination or injury from these materials cannot be completely eliminated. In such event, we could be held liable for substantial civil damages or costs associated with the cleanup of hazardous materials.
Our failure to comply with data protection laws and regulations could lead to government enforcement actions and significant penalties against us, and adversely impact our operating results.
EU Member States, Switzerland and other countries have adopted data protection laws and regulations, which impose significant compliance obligations. For example, the EU Data Protection Directive, as implemented into national laws by the EU Member States, imposes strict obligations and restrictions on the ability to collect, analyze and transfer personal data, including health data from clinical trials and adverse event reporting. Data protection authorities from the different EU Member States may interpret the EU Data Protection Directive and national laws differently, which adds to the complexity of processing personal data in the European Union, and guidance on implementation and compliance practices are often updated or otherwise revised. Our failure to comply with these laws could lead to government enforcement actions and significant penalties against us, and adversely impact our operating results. The revised EU Data Protection Directive adopted in April 2016 may also increase our responsibility and liability in relation to personal data that we process, and we may be required to put in place additional mechanisms ensuring compliance with the new EU data protection rules.
Product Development Risks
Our business depends on our success in developing and commercializing our product candidates.
We have invested significant effort and financial resources in the development of our therapeutics and product candidates. In addition to our product sales, our ability to generate revenue is dependent on a number of factors, including the success of our development programs, the interest of commercial entities and non-governmental organizations and others in funding the development of our product candidates, the ability to attract and establish external development partnerships and the commercial viability of our developed product candidates. The commercial success of our product candidates will depend on many factors, including accomplishing the following in an economical manner:
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successful development and formulation that meets FDA requirements; |
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successful completion of clinical or non-clinical development, including toxicology studies; |
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receipt of marketing approvals from the FDA and equivalent foreign regulatory authorities; |
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establishment of commercial manufacturing and product supply arrangements; |
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training of a commercial sales force for the product, whether alone or in collaboration with others; |
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successful registration and maintenance of relevant patent and/or other proprietary protection; and |
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acceptance of the product by potential government customers, physicians, patients, healthcare payors and others in the medical community. |
If we are delayed or prevented from developing or commercializing a product candidate in a profitable manner, or if doing so requires us to incur significant unanticipated costs, our growth could be materially and adversely affected.
Clinical trials of product candidates are expensive and time-consuming, and their outcome is uncertain.
Before obtaining regulatory approval for the sale of our product candidates, we and our collaborative partners, where applicable, must conduct extensive preclinical studies and clinical trials to establish proof of concept and demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates. Preclinical and clinical testing is expensive, difficult to design and implement, can take many years to complete and is uncertain as to outcome. Success in preclinical testing and early clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful, and interim results of a clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results. An unexpected result in one or more of our clinical trials can occur at any stage of testing.
We may experience unforeseen events or issues during, or as a result of, preclinical testing or clinical trials. These issues and events, which could delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval for a product candidate, include, among others:
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lack of efficacy of product candidates during the trials; |
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safety issues or inconclusive or incomplete testing, trial or study results; |
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our inability or the inability of Emergent and our other third-party manufacturers to manufacture sufficient quantities of materials for use in trials; |
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the unavailability or variability in the number and types of subjects for each study; |
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government or regulatory restrictions or delays; and |
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greater than anticipated costs of trials. |
For example, in December 2015, after a joint review of data from the Phase 1 dose escalation study of APVO414 in prostate cancer patients, the Company and MorphoSys concluded that the dosing regimen and administration required adjustment. Patients receiving weekly doses of APVO414 developed ADA. ADA developed in most patients including those receiving the maximum tolerated dose of drug which could be given safely on a weekly basis. These antibodies bind to the drug and reduce the concentration of active APVO414 in the blood and thus could potentially reduce its efficacy. However, we observed no safety issues related to the development of ADA. The cause of these antibodies is unclear but could be due to the weekly administration of the drug. We and MorphoSys amended the clinical protocol to provide continuous intravenous infusion as a way to administer higher levels of drug and prevent the development of ADA. There is no guarantee that this change in administration will enable higher dosing and/or prevent the development of ADA. Further adverse or inconclusive clinical results could require additional adjustments to the dosing regimen or other parts of the program and could delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval for APVO414.
In addition, product candidates that experience success in preclinical testing and early-stage clinical trials will not necessarily experience the same success in late-stage clinical trials, which are required for marketing approval. The FDA and other countries’ regulatory authorities will allow us to begin clinical trials under an IND, or similar document in other countries only if we demonstrate in our submission that the potential product candidate will not expose humans to unreasonable risks and that the compound has pharmacological activity that justifies clinical development. It takes significant time and expense to generate the requisite data to support an IND or similar document. In many cases, companies spend the time and resources only to discover that the data are not sufficient to support an IND or similar document and therefore are unable to enter human clinical trials.
Even if we are successful in advancing a product candidate into the clinical development stage, before obtaining regulatory and marketing approvals, we must demonstrate through extensive human clinical trials that the product candidate is safe and effective for its intended use. Human clinical trials must be carried out under protocols that are acceptable to regulatory authorities and to the independent committees responsible for the ethical review of clinical studies. There may be delays in preparing protocols or receiving approval for them that may delay the start or completion of the clinical trials. This is applicable both domestically and internationally. Clinical practices vary globally, and there is a lack of harmonization among the guidance provided by various regulatory bodies of different regions and countries with respect to the data that is required to receive marketing approval, which makes designing global trials increasingly complex.
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Serious adverse events, undesirable side effects or other unexpected properties of our product candidates may be identified that could delay, prevent or cause the withdrawal of regulatory approval, limit the commercial potential, or result in significant negative consequences following marketing approval.
Serious adverse events or undesirable side effects caused by, or other unexpected properties of any of our product candidates could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or halt our manufacturing and distribution operations and could result in a more restrictive label, the imposition of distribution or use restrictions or the delay or denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities. If any of our product candidates are associated with serious adverse events or undesirable side effects or have properties that are unexpected, we may need to abandon their development or limit development to certain uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective. Many compounds that initially showed promise in clinical or earlier stage testing have later been found to cause undesirable or unexpected side effects that prevented further development of the compound.
For example, as noted above, APVO414 is currently being tested in its first clinical trial in humans. Twenty-one patients have received the drug. One of the significant serious adverse events associated with the drug is infusion reactions. Infusion reactions are often associated with the infusion of a protein and are expected with this drug that activates T-cells. The events that have been reported with infusion of the drug include: fever, fatigue, hypertension, bronchospasm, chills and rigors. The severity of these reactions varied by patient and were managed medically and resolved. In addition, in December 2015, we discovered that patients receiving weekly doses of our product candidate APVO414 developed ADA during use. This ADA, which was not associated with safety issues, developed in most patients including those receiving the maximum tolerated dose of drug which could be given safely on a weekly basis. Undesirable side effects, such as this, or other unexpected adverse events or properties of any of our candidates, could arise or become known either during clinical development or, if approved, after the approved product has been marketed. If such an event occurs during development, our trials could be suspended or terminated and the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities could order us to cease further development of or deny approval of our other product candidates. If such an event occurs, a number of potentially significant negative consequences may result, including:
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regulatory authorities may require additional warnings on the label or impose distribution or use restrictions; |
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regulatory authorities may require one or more post-market studies; |
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we may be required to create a medication guide outlining the risks of such side effects for distribution to patients; |
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we could be sued and held liable for harm caused to patients; and |
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our reputation may suffer. |
Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected product candidate, or could substantially increase commercialization costs and expenses, which could delay or prevent us from generating revenue from the sale of our products and harm our business and results of operations.
We depend on third parties to conduct our clinical and non-clinical trials.
We do not have the ability to independently conduct the clinical and non-clinical trials required to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates. We depend on third parties, such as independent clinical investigators, contract research organizations and other third-party service providers to conduct the clinical and non-clinical trials of our product candidates and expect to continue to do so. We rely heavily on these third parties for successful execution of our clinical and non-clinical trials, but we do not exercise day-to-day control over their activities. Our reliance on these service providers does not relieve us of our regulatory responsibilities, including ensuring that our trials are conducted in accordance with the FDA-approved good clinical practices, or GCPs, and the plan and protocols contained in the relevant regulatory application. In addition, these organizations may not complete these activities on our anticipated or desired timeframe. We also may experience unexpected cost increases that are beyond our control. Problems with the timeliness or quality of the work of a contract research organization may lead us to seek to terminate the relationship and use an alternative service provider, which may prove difficult, costly and result in a delay of our trials. Any delay in or inability to complete our trials could delay or prevent the development, approval and commercialization of our product candidates.
If we, contract research organizations or other third parties assisting us or our study sites fail to comply with applicable GCPs, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or its non-U.S. counterparts may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. We cannot assure you that, upon inspection, the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory agencies will determine that any of our clinical trials comply with GCPs. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under GCPs and similar regulations outside of the United States. Our failure, or the failure of our product manufacturers, to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat or redesign clinical trials, which would increase our development costs and delay or impact the likelihood of regulatory approval.
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If third parties do not carry out their duties under their agreements with us, if the quality or accuracy of the data they obtain is compromised due to the failure to adhere to our clinical protocols, including dosing requirements, or regulatory requirements, or if they otherwise fail to comply with clinical trial protocols or meet expected deadlines, our clinical trials may not meet regulatory requirements. If our clinical trials do not meet regulatory requirements or if these third parties need to be replaced, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed, suspended or terminated. If any of these events occur, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates or succeed in our efforts to create approved line extensions for certain of our existing products or generate additional useful clinical data in support of these products.
In certain cases, government entities conduct studies of our product candidates, and we may seek to rely on these studies in applying for marketing approval for certain of our product candidates. These government entities have no obligation or commitment to us to conduct or complete any of these studies or clinical trials and may choose to discontinue these development efforts at any time.
If we are unable to obtain any necessary third-party services on acceptable terms or if these service providers do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or meet expected deadlines, our efforts to obtain regulatory approvals for our product candidates may be delayed or prevented.
We may fail to select or capitalize on the most scientifically, clinically or commercially promising or profitable product candidates.
We continue to evaluate our business strategy and, as a result, may modify our strategy in the future. In this regard, we may, from time to time, focus our product development efforts on different product candidates or may delay or halt the development of various product candidates. This could require changes in our facilities and our personnel. Any product development changes that we implement may not be successful. In particular, we may fail to select or capitalize on the most scientifically, clinically or commercially promising or profitable product candidates.
Our decisions to allocate our research and development, management and financial resources toward particular product candidates or therapeutic areas may not lead to the development of viable commercial products and may divert resources from better opportunities. Similarly, our decisions to delay or terminate product development programs may also prove to be incorrect and could cause us to miss valuable opportunities.
Intellectual Property Risks
If we are unable to protect our intellectual proprietary rights, our business could be harmed.
Our commercial success will depend, in large part, on our ability to obtain and maintain protection in the United States and other countries for the intellectual property covering or incorporated into our technology, products and product candidates. Obtaining and maintaining this protection is very costly. The patentability of technology in the biotechnology field generally is highly uncertain and involves complex legal and scientific questions. We cannot be certain that our patents and patent applications, including our own and those that we have rights through licenses from third parties, will adequately protect our intellectual property. Our success protecting our intellectual property depends significantly on our ability to:
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obtain and maintain U.S. and foreign patents, that are meaningful to our products, including defending those patents against adverse claims; |
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secure patent term extension for the patents covering our approved products; |
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protect trade secrets; |
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operate without infringing the proprietary rights of others; and |
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prevent others from infringing our proprietary rights. |
We may not be able to obtain issued patents relating to our technology or products. Even if issued, patents may inadvertently lapse or be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing similar products or limit the duration of patent protection we may have for our products. In the past, we have abandoned the prosecution and/or maintenance of patent applications related to patent families in the ordinary course of business. In the future we may choose to abandon such prosecution and/or maintenance in a similar fashion. If these patent rights are later determined to be valuable or necessary to our business, our competitive position may be adversely affected. Changes in patent laws or administrative patent office rules or changes in interpretations of patent laws in the United States and in other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection, or result in costly defensive measures.
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The cost of litigation to uphold the validity of patents, once obtained, to prevent infringement or to otherwise protect or enforce our proprietary rights could be substantial and, from time to time, our patents are subject to patent office proceedings. Some of our competitors may be better able to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation because they may have substantially greater financial resources. Intellectual property lawsuits are expensive and unpredictable and would consume management’s time and attention and other resources, even if the outcome were successful. In addition, there is a risk that a court would decide that our patents are not valid and that we do not have the right to stop the other party from using the inventions covered by or incorporating them. There is also a risk that, even if the validity of a patent were upheld, a court would refuse to stop the other party from using the invention(s), including on the grounds that its activities do not infringe the patent. If any of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
In addition to patent litigation, we may be a party to adversarial proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), or the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office (EPO). Potential proceedings before the PTAB include inter partes review proceedings, post-grant review proceedings and interference proceedings. Depending on our level of success at the PTAB and Opposition Division of the EPO, these proceedings could adversely impact our intellectual property rights with respect to our products and technology.
In addition, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. This combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once obtained, and with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future. Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents that we might obtain in the future.
Our collaborative partners and licensors may not adequately protect our intellectual property rights. These third parties may have the first right to maintain or defend intellectual property rights in which we have an interest and, although we may have the right to assume the maintenance and defense of such intellectual property rights if these third parties do not do so, our ability to maintain and defend such intellectual property rights may be compromised by the acts or omissions of these third parties.
Our patents, once obtained, also may not afford us protection against competitors with similar technology. Because patent applications in the United States and many foreign jurisdictions are typically not published until eighteen months after filing, or in some cases not at all, and because publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind actual discoveries, neither we nor our licensors can be certain that others have not filed or maintained patent applications for technology used by us or covered by our pending patent applications without our being aware of these applications.
We also will rely on current and future trademarks to establish and maintain recognized brands. If we fail to acquire and protect such trademarks, our ability to market and sell our products, and therefore our business, financial condition and operating results, could be materially and adversely affected.
Status of patent opposition proceedings in Europe relating to IXINITY
A European Patent Opposition is a European Patent Office proceeding that allows for a 3rd party (opponent) to challenge the validity of an issued patent. In a European Patent Opposition only the validity of the patent can be challenged; the European Patent Office cannot rule on whether a party infringes a patent (this is a matter for the courts across Europe). To initiate an Opposition at the European Patent Office, an opponent files a notice that it wishes to oppose the patent within a nine-month period following the publication of the patent grant. After the opponent files the notice, it may be a few years before the merits of the opposition are heard and decided by the European Patent Office Opposition Division and several more years before the Boards of Appeal hears and decides on any appeals. We were previously involved in five opposition proceedings in Europe relating to factor IX proteins. Baxter International Inc. (or Baxalta) was the sole counter-party in all proceedings. Two oppositions were decided in our favor and cannot be further appealed. Of the three remaining oppositions, Baxter either withdrew its patents or withdrew its opposition of a UNC patent (a licensed patent asset). Accordingly, we are no longer involved in adversarial proceedings with Baxter (or Baxalta) relating to these assets in Europe.
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International patent protection is particularly uncertain, and if we are involved in additional opposition proceedings in foreign countries, we may have to expend substantial sums and management resources.
Patent and other intellectual property laws outside the United States are even more uncertain than in the United States and are continually undergoing review and revisions in many countries. Further, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States. For example, certain countries do not grant patent claims that are directed to business methods and processes. In addition, we may have to participate in additional opposition proceedings, like the proceedings described above, to determine the validity of our foreign patents or our competitors’ foreign patents, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of our efforts.
Third parties may choose to file patent infringement claims against us.
Our development and commercialization activities, as well as any product candidates or products resulting from these activities, may infringe or be claimed to infringe patents and other intellectual property rights of third parties under which we do not hold sufficient licenses or other rights. Third parties may be successful in obtaining patent protection for technologies that cover development and commercialization activities in which we are already engaged. These third parties may have substantially greater financial resources than us and could bring claims against us that could cause us to incur substantial expenses to defend against these claims and, if successful against us, could cause us to pay substantial damages. If a patent infringement or other similar suit were brought against us, we could be forced to stop or delay development, manufacturing or sales of the product or product candidate that is the subject of the suit. Intellectual property litigation in the biotechnology industry is common, and we expect this trend to continue.
As a result of patent infringement or other similar claims, or to avoid potential claims, we may choose or be required to seek a license from the third party and be required to pay license fees or royalties or both. These licenses may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all. Even if we were able to obtain a license, the rights may be non-exclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual property. Ultimately, we could be prevented from commercializing a product, or be forced to cease some aspect of our business operations, if, as a result of actual or threatened patent infringement claims, we are unable to enter into licenses on acceptable terms, if at all, or if an injunction is granted against us, which could harm our business significantly.
There has been substantial litigation and other proceedings regarding patent and other intellectual property rights in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In addition to infringement claims against us, we may become a party to other patent litigation and other adversarial proceedings such as proceedings before the PTAB and opposition proceedings in the European Patent Office, regarding intellectual property rights with respect to our products and technology.
Patent litigation and other proceedings may also absorb significant management time. The cost to us of any patent litigation or other proceeding, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we can because of their substantially greater financial resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of patent litigation or other proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace. Patent litigation and other proceedings may also absorb significant management time.
Our Aptevo trademarks may be opposed which could have a material and adverse effect on our business.
We have applications pending that cover the APTEVO, APTEVO THERAPEUTICS, APTEVO BIOTHERAPEUTICS and APTEVO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT trademarks. We refer to these trademarks as our house marks. If a third party opposes any of these house marks and we are unable to reach settlement prior to the commencement of an opposition proceeding, we may incur significant expense in the course of participating in the opposition process, which can be expensive and lengthy. Any settlement with a third party may result in our agreeing to be subject to restrictions on our use of the relevant house mark. In addition, if we are unsuccessful in an opposition against a house mark, we would lose the ability to obtain trademark registration for one or more uses of the relevant mark both in the United States and in other territories which could have a material and adverse effect on our business.
Synoptis Pharma Sp. z.o.o., or Synoptis, has opposed several of our house marks in the European Union. Despite efforts to initiate discussions with Synoptis regarding use of our house marks, Synoptis has refused to enter into settlement agreements. Our foreign counsel is investigating possible cancellation of Synoptis' registrations based on nonuse, which may allow the parties to enter negotiation discussions. If the event we are unsuccessful with our efforts to negotiate a settlement with Synoptis, we may lose our ability to obtain trademark registration for one or more of the house marks in the European Union, where Synoptis has opposed the marks, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business.
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The Bristol Myers Squibb Company, or BMS, previously opposed several of our house marks in and outside the United States. We entered into a settlement and co-existence agreement with BMS and its licensee, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd on July 5, 2017. BMS subsequently withdrew oppositions of our house marks. The settlement and co-existence agreement places restrictions on how we can use our house marks and how we can seek trademark protection for our house marks.
Third parties may file trademark infringement claim against us.
Defending ourselves against such trademark infringement claims could be costly, time-consuming and distracting to management, and if we are unsuccessful in our defense, we could face an injunction and damages.
Defending ourselves against claims could be costly, time-consuming and distracting to management, and if we are unsuccessful in our defense, we could face an injunction prohibiting us from using the Aptevo trademarks and damages, all which could have a material and adverse effect on our business.
We may be subject to claims that our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their former employers.
As is common in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, we employ individuals who were previously employed at other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. We may be subject to claims that these employees or we have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.
Failure to comply with our obligations in our intellectual property licenses with third parties, could result in loss of license rights or other damages.
We are a party to a number of license agreements and expect to enter into additional license agreements in the future. Our existing licenses impose, and we expect future licenses will impose, various diligence, milestone payment, royalty, insurance and other obligations on us. If we fail to comply with these obligations, the licensor may have the right to terminate the license in whole or in part, terminate the exclusive nature of the license and/or sue us for breach, which could cause us to not be able to market any product that is covered by the licensed patents and may be subject to damages.
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information and know-how, the value of our technology and products could be adversely affected.
In addition to patented technology, we rely upon unpatented proprietary technology, information processes and know-how. These types of trade secrets can be difficult to protect. We seek to protect this confidential information, in part, through agreements with our employees, consultants and third parties as well as confidentiality policies and audits, although these may not be successful in protecting our trade secrets and confidential information. These agreements may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach. In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known, including through a potential cyber security breach, or may be independently developed by competitors. If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information and know-how, competitors may be able to use this information to develop products that compete with our products, which could adversely impact our business.
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Risks Related to Collaborations
We may not be successful in establishing and maintaining collaborations that leverage our capabilities in pursuit of developing and commercializing our product candidates.
For each of our product candidates, including otlertuzumab, we plan to evaluate the merits of entering into collaboration arrangements with third parties, including leading biotechnology companies or non-governmental organizations. In addition, in July 2017, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Alligator Bioscience AB, or Alligator, pursuant to which Aptevo R&D and Alligator will collaboratively develop ALG.APV-527, a lead bispecific antibody candidate simultaneously targeting 4-1BB (CD137), a member of the TNFR superfamily of a costimulatory receptor found on activated T cells, and 5T4 a tumor antigen widely overexpressed in a number of different types of cancer. We expect to selectively pursue collaboration arrangements with third parties that have particular technology, expertise or resources for the development or commercialization of our product candidates or for accessing particular markets. We face, and will continue to face, significant competition in seeking appropriate partners for our product candidates. If we are unable to identify partners whose capabilities complement and integrate well with ours and reach collaboration arrangements with such partners on a timely basis, on acceptable terms or at all, or if the arrangements we establish are unproductive for us, we may fail to meet our business objectives for the particular product candidate. Our ability to enter into such arrangements with respect to products in development that are subject to licenses may be limited by the terms of those licenses.
Any collaboration that we have entered into, such as agreements with MorphoSys and Alligator, or may consider entering into, may not be successful and the success of our collaboration arrangements will depend heavily on the efforts and activities of our collaborative partners. It is likely that our collaborative partners will have significant discretion in determining the efforts and resources that they will apply to these collaborations.
The risks that we are subject to in any of our collaborations include, among others:
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our collaborative partners may not commit adequate resources to the development, marketing and distribution of any collaboration products, limiting our potential revenues from these products; |
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our collaborative partners may experience financial difficulties and may therefore be unable to meet their commitments to us; |
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our collaborative partners may pursue a competing product candidate developed either independently or in collaboration with others, including our competitors; and |
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our collaborative partners may terminate our relationship. |
The failure of any of our current or future collaboration partners to perform as expected could place us at a competitive disadvantage and adversely affect us financially, including delay and increased costs of development, loss of market opportunities, lower than expected revenues and impairment of the value of the related product candidate. A loss of Aptevo’s collaboration agreement with Alligator would result in a burden of locating a replacement partner under potentially less favorable terms at an additional cost. Collaborations are a critical part of our business strategy, and any inability on our part to establish and successfully maintain such arrangements on terms favorable to us or to work successfully with our collaborative partners could have an adverse effect on our operations and financial performance.
Risks Related to the Separation
Emergent may fail to perform under various transaction agreements that were executed as part of the separation or we may fail to have necessary systems and services in place when certain of the transaction agreements expire.
In connection with the separation, we entered into a separation and distribution agreement and various other agreements with Emergent, including a transition services agreement, a tax matters agreement, an employee matters agreement, a manufacturing services agreement, a Canadian distributor agreement, a trademark license agreement and a product license agreement. Certain of these agreements provide for the performance of services by Emergent for a period of time after the separation. We will rely on Emergent to satisfy its performance obligations under these agreements. If Emergent is unable to satisfy its obligations under these agreements, including its indemnification obligations, we could incur operational difficulties or losses.
If we do not have in place our own systems and services, or if we do not have agreements with other providers of these services when the transition services or longer-term agreements terminate, we may not be able to operate our business effectively and our results of operations may be adversely affected. We may not be successful in effectively or efficiently implementing these systems and services or in transitioning data from Emergent’s systems to ours. These systems and services may also be more expensive or less efficient than the systems and services Emergent is expected to provide during the transition period.
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Our accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared to meet the ongoing financial reporting and other requirements of a standalone publicly-traded company.
Prior to our separation from Emergent, our financial results were included within the consolidated results of Emergent. We are now directly subject to substantial reporting and other obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or Exchange Act. These reporting and other obligations place significant demand on our management, administrative and operational resources, including accounting resources. We may not have sufficient time to meet these obligations by the applicable deadlines.
Moreover, to comply with these requirements, we have migrated our systems, including information technology systems, implement additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures. We expect to incur additional annual expenses related to these steps, and those expenses may be significant. If we are unable to upgrade our financial and management controls, reporting systems, information technology and procedures in a timely and effective fashion, our ability to comply with our financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies under the Exchange Act could be impaired. Any failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
If we do not continue to develop effective internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results and our business could be harmed.
We and our independent registered public accounting firm identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and for quarters through September 30, 2016. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Specifically, it was determined that a deferred tax liability should have been recorded associated with the difference between the book basis and the tax basis of the in-process research and development asset that was recorded as a part of an acquisition in 2010. As a result, we were required to restate our previously issued audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 and unaudited financial information for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, included in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 10, and unaudited financial information for the quarters ended June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016 included in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting annually and the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures quarterly. In particular, beginning in 2018, Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or Section 404, will require us to perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal control over financial reporting to allow management to report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm potentially to attest to, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. As an emerging growth company, we have availed ourselves of the exemption from the requirement that our independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting under Section 404. However, we may no longer avail ourselves of this exemption when we cease to be an emerging growth company. When our independent registered public accounting firm is required to undertake an assessment of our internal control over financial reporting, the cost of our compliance with Section 404 will correspondingly increase. Our compliance with applicable provisions of Section 404 will require that we incur substantial accounting expense and expend significant management time on compliance-related issues as we implement additional corporate governance practices and comply with reporting requirements. Moreover, if we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 applicable to us in a timely manner, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identifies deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.
Investor perceptions of our company may suffer if material weaknesses are found, and this could cause a decline in the market price of our common stock. Irrespective of compliance with Section 404, any failure of our internal control over financial reporting could harm our operating results and reputation. If we are unable to implement these requirements effectively or efficiently, it could harm our operations, financial reporting, or financial results and could result in an adverse opinion on our internal controls from our independent registered public accounting firm.
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In connection with our separation from Emergent, we and Emergent agreed to indemnify the other party for certain liabilities. The Emergent indemnity may not be sufficient to hold us harmless from the full amount of liabilities for which Emergent will be allocated responsibility, and Emergent may not be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations in the future.
Pursuant to the separation agreement and certain other agreements with Emergent, Emergent has agreed to indemnify us for certain liabilities, and we agreed to indemnify Emergent for certain liabilities. Indemnities that we may be required to provide Emergent are not subject to any cap, may be significant and could negatively impact our business, particularly indemnities relating to our actions that could impact the tax-free nature of the distribution. Third parties could also seek to hold us responsible for any of the liabilities that Emergent has agreed to retain. Any amounts we are required to pay pursuant to these indemnification obligations and other liabilities could require us to divert cash that would otherwise have been used in furtherance of our operating business. Further, the indemnity from Emergent may not be sufficient to protect us against the full amount of such liabilities, and Emergent may not be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations. Moreover, even if we ultimately succeed in recovering from Emergent any amounts for which we are held liable, we may be temporarily required to bear these losses ourselves. Each of these risks could negatively affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
If the distribution, together with certain related transactions, does not qualify as a tax-free transaction described under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, our stockholders could be subject to significant tax liabilities, and, in certain circumstances, we could be required to indemnify Emergent for taxes and related expenses resulting from the failure of the transaction to so qualify.
It is intended that the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will generally be tax-free to Emergent and its stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Emergent has received a favorable private letter ruling from the IRS regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the distribution and certain related transactions. It was a condition to the distribution that (i) the private letter ruling from the IRS continue to be valid and in full force and effect and (ii) Emergent receive an opinion from WilmerHale LLP, in a form and substance satisfactory to Emergent, substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the distribution and certain related transactions, taken together, will qualify as a transaction described under Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code. The IRS private letter ruling is based upon certain facts and representations submitted by Emergent to the IRS. In addition, the opinion from WilmerHale LLP was based upon and rely on, among other things, the IRS private letter ruling and certain facts and assumptions, as well as certain representations and covenants of Emergent and Aptevo contained in the tax matters agreement and certain representations contained in representation letters provided by Emergent, Aptevo and certain stockholders to WilmerHale LLP, including representations and covenants relating to the past and future conduct of Emergent, Aptevo and such stockholders. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations, or covenants is, or becomes, inaccurate or incomplete, the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of WilmerHale LLP may be invalid and the conclusions reached therein could be jeopardized. In addition, the IRS private letter ruling only addresses certain limited matters relevant to determining whether the distribution, together with certain related transactions, qualifies as a transaction described under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, and the opinion of WilmerHale LLP represents the judgment of such counsel which is not binding on the IRS or any court. Accordingly, notwithstanding the IRS private letter ruling and the opinion of WilmerHale LLP, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not assert that the distribution and/or certain related transactions should be treated as a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes or that a court would not sustain such a challenge.
If the distribution, together with certain related transactions, does not qualify as a tax-free transaction described under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in general, (i) Emergent would recognize taxable gain on the distribution equal to the amount by which the fair market value of the Aptevo common stock distributed to Emergent stockholders exceeds Emergent’s tax basis in its shares of our common stock and (ii) each Emergent stockholder would be treated as receiving a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Aptevo common stock received by such stockholder.
Under the tax matters agreement that we entered into with Emergent, we may be required to indemnify Emergent against any tax liabilities and related expenses resulting from the failure of the distribution, together with certain related transactions, to qualify as a transaction described under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code to the extent that the failure to so qualify is attributable to actions, events or transactions relating to our stock, assets or business, or a breach of the relevant representations or covenants made by us in the tax matters agreement or the IRS private letter ruling or in the representation letters provided to WilmerHale LLP.
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Certain of our executive officers and/or directors may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their previous positions at Emergent.
The ownership by our executive officers and/or directors of shares of Emergent common stock, stock options or other equity awards may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest. Because of their current or former positions with Emergent, certain of our executive officers and/or directors own shares of Emergent common stock, stock options to purchase Emergent common stock or other equity awards. Shares of Emergent common stock, stock options to purchase Emergent common stock or other equity awards may comprise a significant portion of some of these individuals’ total personal financial assets. Even though our executive officers and/or directors who were previously employees of Emergent have ceased to be employees of Emergent, some of our executive officers and/or directors continue to have a financial interest in Emergent common stock, which may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest when these individuals are faced with decisions that could have different implications for Emergent than the decisions have for us.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
We cannot be certain that an active trading market for our common stock will be sustained and our stock price may fluctuate significantly.
An active trading market for our common stock may not sustained, nor can we predict the prices at which shares of our common stock may trade in the future.
Our stock price has fluctuated in the past and is likely to be volatile in the future. Since August 1, 2016, the reported sale price of our common stock has fluctuated between $1.19 and $3.33 per share. The stock market in general, and the market for biotechnology companies in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly due to a number of factors, some of which may be beyond our control or unrelated to our operations, including, among others:
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changes in earnings estimated by securities analysts or management, or our ability to meet those estimates; |
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investor perceptions or negative announcements by our customers, competitors or suppliers regarding their own performance; |
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the success of competitive products or technologies; |
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the timing, expenses and results of clinical and non-clinical trials of our product candidates; |
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announcements regarding clinical trial results and product introductions by us or our competitors; |
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announcements of acquisitions, collaborations, financings or other transactions by us; |
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public concern as to the safety of our products; |
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termination or delay of a development program; |
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the recruitment or departure of key personnel; |
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actual or anticipated variations in our product revenue and results of operations; |
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the operating and stock price performance of comparable companies; |
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general industry conditions and domestic and worldwide financial, economic and political instability; and |
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the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section. |
In addition, when the market price of a company’s common stock drops significantly, stockholders often institute securities class action lawsuits against the company. A lawsuit against us could cause us to incur substantial costs and could divert the time and attention of our management and other resources.
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The restatement of our previously issued financial statements, the misstatements that resulted in such restatement, and the material weakness that has been identified in our internal control over financial reporting, could expose us to additional risks that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations and could cause the market value of our common stock to decline.
As discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and in Note 10 – Restatement, to the financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q we restated our previously issued audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 and the unaudited financial information related to March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016 and the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. This restatement, along with the material weakness that were identified in our internal control over financial reporting, could expose us to potential claims and additional risks that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations and could cause the market value of our common stock to decline. We have implemented actions with respect to our internal controls but to the extent these steps are not successful, we could be forced to incur additional time and expense or we may not be able to produce accurate and timely financial results. As a result of the restatement and the material weakness in our internal controls, we could be subject to stockholder, governmental, or other actions in connection with the restatement or related or other matters. Any such proceedings would, regardless of the outcome, consume a significant amount of management’s time and attention and would result in additional legal, accounting and other costs. If we were not to prevail in any such proceedings, we could be required to pay substantial damages or settlement costs. In addition, the restatement and related matters could impair our reputation or could lead to a loss of investor confidence.
The public announcement of data from clinical studies or news of any developments related to our product pipeline may cause significant volatility in our stock price.
The announcement of data from clinical studies by us or our collaborative partners or news of any developments related to our key pipeline product candidates may cause significant volatility in our stock price. Furthermore, the announcement of any negative or unexpected data or the discontinuation of development of any of our key pipeline product candidates, or any delay in our anticipated timelines for filing for regulatory approval, could cause our stock price to decline significantly. There can be no assurance that data from clinical studies will support a filing for regulatory approval or even if approved, that any of our key pipeline products will become commercially successful.
Your percentage of ownership in Aptevo may be diluted in the future.
In the future, your percentage ownership in Aptevo may be diluted because of equity issuances for acquisitions, capital market transactions or otherwise, including equity awards to our directors, officers and employees. Our employees have options to purchase shares of our common stock and we have issued significant number of restricted stock units that will vest over time. From time to time, we may issue additional options or other stock-based awards to our employees under our employee benefits plans.
In addition, our restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue, without the approval of our stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, including preferences over our common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as our board of directors generally may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could dilute the voting power or reduce the value of our common stock. For example, we could grant the holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of our directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences we could assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock.
Fuad El-Hibri, the chairman of our Board of Directors, has significant influence over us through his substantial beneficial ownership of our common stock, including an ability to influence the election of the members of our Board of Directors, or delay or prevent a change of control of us.
Mr. El-Hibri has the ability to significantly influence the election of the members of our Board of Directors due to his substantial beneficial ownership of our common stock. As of September 30, 2017, Mr. El-Hibri was the beneficial owner of approximately 15% of our outstanding common stock. As a result, Mr. El-Hibri could delay or prevent a change of control of us that may be favored by other directors or stockholders and otherwise exercise substantial control over all corporate actions requiring board or stockholder approval, including any amendment of our certificate of incorporation or by-laws. The control by Mr. El-Hibri may prevent other stockholders from influencing significant corporate decisions. In addition, Mr. El-Hibri’s significant beneficial ownership of our shares could present the potential for a conflict of interest.
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Provisions under Delaware law and in our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws may discourage acquisition proposals, delay a change in control or prevent transactions that stockholders may consider favorable.
Certain provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated by-laws, and under Delaware law, may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other changes in control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions may also prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our incumbent directors and management.
These provisions include:
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the classification of our directors; |
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limitations on the removal of directors; |
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limitations on filling vacancies on the board; |
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advance notice requirements for stockholder nominations of candidates for election to the Board of Directors and other proposals; |
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the inability of stockholders to act by written consent; |
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the inability of stockholders to call special meetings; and |
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the ability of our Board of Directors to designate the terms of and issue a new series of preferred stock without stockholder approval. |
The affirmative vote of holders of our capital stock representing at least 75% of the voting power of all outstanding stock entitled to vote is required to amend or repeal the above provisions of our certificate of incorporation. The affirmative vote of either a majority of the directors present at a meeting of our Board of Directors or holders of our capital stock representing at least 75% of the voting power of all outstanding stock entitled to vote is required to amend or repeal our by-laws.
In addition, Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware prohibits a corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder, generally a person which, together with its affiliates, owns or within the last three years has owned 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock, for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. Accordingly, Section 203 may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of us.
In addition, under the tax matters agreement, for a period of two years following the separation, we are restricted from taking certain actions (including restrictions on business combinations and share issuances) that could cause the distribution, together with certain related transactions, to fail to qualify as a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We would be required to indemnify Emergent for any taxes and related expenses resulting from the failure of the transactions to so qualify to the extent that the failure is attributable to actions, events or transactions relating our stock, assets or business, and this indemnity obligation might discourage, delay or prevent a change of control that you may consider favorable.
Our by-laws include an exclusive forum provision that could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a judicial forum viewed by stockholders as more favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees or certain stockholders.
Our by-laws provide that the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for certain legal proceedings, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum. This exclusive forum provision may limit the ability of our stockholders to bring a claim in a judicial forum that such stockholders find favorable for disputes with us or our directors or officers, which may discourage lawsuits against us or our directors or officers. Alternatively, if a court outside of Delaware were to find this exclusive forum provision inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the types of actions or proceedings described above, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
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Because we currently do not expect to pay dividends, investors will benefit from an investment in our common stock only if it appreciates in value.
We anticipate that we will retain all our future earnings, if any, to support our operations and our proprietary drug development programs and product candidates and pursue other opportunities. In addition, our credit facility limits our ability to pay dividends. As a result, we currently do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, restrictions contained in future financing instruments and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant. We cannot guarantee that we will pay any dividends in the future or continue to pay any dividend if we were to commence paying dividends. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our common stock will be the sole source of gain for our stockholders for the foreseeable future.
A significant portion of our shares may be sold into the market at any time which could depress our stock price
If our stockholders sell a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, our market price could decline. In addition, holders of an aggregate of approximately three million shares of our common stock have the right to require us to register these shares of common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, under specified circumstances.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
Not applicable.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
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Exhibit Index
Exhibit Number |
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Description |
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2.1*†# |
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3.1 |
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3.2 |
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4.1 |
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4.2 |
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10.1 |
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10.2*† |
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31.1* |
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31.2* |
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32.1* |
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32.2* |
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101.INS* |
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XBRL Instance Document |
101.SCH* |
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XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL* |
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XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
101.DEF* |
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XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document |
101.LAB* |
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XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
101.PRE* |
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XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |
* |
Filed herewith. |
† |
Portions of this Exhibit have been omitted and filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to a confidential treatment request under Rule 24b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
# |
Schedules to the LLC Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2017, by and among Aptevo BioTherapeutics LLC, Aptevo Therapeutics Inc., Venus Bio Therapeutics Sub LLC, and Saol International Limited have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The registrant will furnish copies of any such schedules to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request. |
61
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.
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APTEVO THERAPEUTICS INC. |
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Date: November 9, 2017 |
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By: |
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/s/ Marvin White |
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Marvin White |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Date: November 9, 2017 |
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By: |
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/s/ Jeffrey G. Lamothe |
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Jeffrey G. Lamothe |
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Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer |
62