BioHeart Inc.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007
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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 001-33718
BIOHEART, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Florida
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65-0945967 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
incorporation or organization) |
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13794 NW 4th Street, Suite 212, Sunrise, Florida
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33325 |
(Address of principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code (954) 835-1500
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common Stock, $0.001 Par Value
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act. Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section
13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No þ
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 þ No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation
S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in
definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K
or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting
company. See definitions of large accelerated filer,
accelerated filer and smaller reporting
company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer o |
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Accelerated filer
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Non-accelerated filer
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Smaller Reporting Company o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of
the Act). Yes o No þ
On June 30, 2007, the last business day of the registrants most recently completed second
fiscal quarter, the registrants common equity was not listed on any exchange or quoted on any
over-the-counter market. Our common stock began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on February 19,
2008. As of March 17, 2008, the aggregate market value of the registrants common stock, $0.001 par
value, held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the closing sale price of the common stock
reported on the NASDAQ Global Market as of March 17 2008, was approximately $37.3 million. Shares
of the registrants common stock held by each executive officer and director and by each entity or
person that, to the registrants knowledge, owned 10% or more of the registrants outstanding
common stock as of March 17, 2008 have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be
affiliates of the registrant. This
determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other
purposes.
The number of shares outstanding of the registrants Common Stock, $0.001 Par Value, as of
March 17, 2008 was 14,447,138.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The Companys definitive Proxy Statement for the Companys 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of our fiscal
year ended December 31, 2007
(incorporated in Part III to the extent provided in Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 hereof)
BIOHEART, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2007
1
PART I
Item 1. Business
Overview
We are a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and, subject to
regulatory approval, commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic
and acute heart damage. Our lead product candidate is MyoCell, an innovative clinical therapy
designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patients heart with autologous muscle cells,
or cells from the patients body, for the purpose of improving cardiac function in chronic heart
failure patients. The core technology used in MyoCell has been the subject of human clinical trials
conducted over the last six years involving 89 enrollees and 75 treated patients. Our most recent
clinical trials of MyoCell include the SEISMIC Trial, a completed 40 patient Phase II clinical
trial in various countries in Europe, and the MYOHEART Trial, a completed 20 patient Phase I dose
escalation trial in the United States. We have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (the FDA) to proceed with a 330 patient, multicenter Phase II/III trial of MyoCell
in North America and Europe (the MARVEL Trial). We completed the MyoCell implantation procedure
on the first patient in the MARVEL Trial on October 24, 2007 and intend to seek to have final data
available for the MARVEL Trial in the fourth quarter of 2009. If the results of the MARVEL Trial
demonstrate statistically significant evidence of the safety and efficacy of MyoCell, we anticipate
having a basis to ask the FDA to consider the MARVEL Trial a pivotal trial. The SEISMIC, MYOHEART
and MARVEL Trials have been designed to test the safety and efficacy of MyoCell in treating
patients with severe, chronic damage to the heart. Upon regulatory approval of MyoCell, we intend
to generate revenue from the sale of MyoCell cell culturing services for treatment of patients by
interventional cardiologists.
In our pipeline, we have multiple product candidates for the treatment of heart damage,
including Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy, an autologous, adipose cell treatment for acute heart
damage, and MyoCell SDF-1, a therapy utilizing autologous cells genetically modified to express
additional growth factors. We hope to demonstrate that our various product candidates are safe and
effective complements to existing therapies for chronic and acute heart damage.
We were incorporated in the state of Florida in August 1999. Our principal executive offices
are located at 13794 NW 4th Street, Suite 212, Sunrise, Florida 33325 and our telephone number is
(954) 835-1500. Information about us is available on our corporate web site at www.bioheartinc.com.
Information contained on the web site does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated by
reference in, this report.
MyoCell
MyoCell is a clinical therapy intended to improve cardiac function and designed to be utilized
months or even years after a patient has suffered severe heart damage due to a heart attack or
other cause. We believe that MyoCell has the potential to become a leading treatment for severe,
chronic damage to the heart due to its perceived ability to satisfy, at least in part, what we
believe to be an unmet demand for more effective and/or more affordable therapies for chronic heart
damage. MyoCell uses myoblasts, cells that are precursors to muscle cells, from the patients own
body. The myoblasts are removed from a patients thigh muscle, isolated, grown through our
proprietary cell culturing process, and injected directly in the scar tissue of a patients heart.
An interventional cardiologist performs this minimally invasive procedure using an endoventricular
catheter. We have entered into an agreement with a Johnson & Johnson company to use its NOGA®
Cardiac Navigation System along with its MyoStar injection catheter for the delivery of MyoCell in
the MARVEL Trial.
When injected into scar tissue within the heart wall, myoblasts have been shown to be capable
of engrafting in the damaged tissue and differentiating into mature skeletal muscle cells. In a
number of clinical and animal studies, the engrafted skeletal muscle cells have been shown to
express various proteins that are important components of contractile function. By using myoblasts
obtained from a patients own body, we believe MyoCell is able to avoid certain challenges
currently faced by other types of cell-based clinical therapies including tissue rejection and
instances of the cells differentiating into cells other than muscle. Although a number of therapies
have proven to improve the cardiac function of a damaged heart, no currently available treatment
has demonstrated an ability to generate new muscle tissue within the scarred regions of a heart.
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Final twelve month data from the MYOHEART Trial was presented by the lead investigator of the
trial on January 18, 2008 at the Fourth Annual International Conference on Cell Therapy for
Cardiovascular Disease. The purpose of the MYOHEART Trial was to assess the safety and efficacy of
MyoCell delivered via MyoCath. Although only a limited subset of the data reached statistical
significance due, in part, to the limited number of patients treated, the lead investigator
indicated that the safety and preliminary efficacy of MyoCell is suggested. He further indicated
that, in combination with results from other non-randomized and randomized clinical trials,
including interim results from the SEISMIC Trial and final results from the Myoblast Autologous
Graft in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC) clinical trial sponsored by MG Biotherapeutics, LLC, there
is sufficient justification to proceed to a potentially pivotal, clinical end-point driven trial.
Interim data from the SEISMIC Trial was presented by the lead investigator of the trial on
January 18, 2007 at the Third Annual International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular
Diseases and was subsequently published in EuroIntervention Supplement B by the lead investigator
and other contributing authors (including our Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Physician
Relations). The purpose of the SEISMIC trial is to assess the safety and efficacy of MyoCell
delivered via MyoCath. The lead investigator for the SEISMIC Trial presented data for 16 treated
patients and nine control group patients for which at least one-month follow-up data was available.
He reported on three efficacy endpoints: Six-Minute Walk Distance scores, NYHA Class and left
ventricular ejection fraction, or LVEF. In the EuroIntervention article summarizing the same data
presented by the lead investigator, the authors noted that, although complete efficacy data are not
yet available and safety data are not yet fully adjudicated, these preliminary results suggested
that myoblast therapy for heart failure is largely safe and effective. The authors further
indicated that (i) the risk of irregular heartbeats is largely manageable with close observation
and prophylactic use of ICDs and anti-arrhythmic drug therapy and (ii) when irregular heartbeats do
occur, they typically appear during the first months following implantation and can largely be
mitigated with appropriate medical management. According to the authors, patients treated with
MyoCell also tend to show improvement in quality of life and mechanical function over time, as
evidenced by previously completed clinical studies and the initial reported trends from the interim
SEISMIC Trial data. As described in greater detail below in the Section entitled Clinical Trials
and Planned Clinical Trials, 18 treated patients in the MYOHEART and SEISMIC Trials experienced
serious adverse events, including three patient deaths, in the follow-up period. However, other
than irregular heartbeats, patients in these clinical trials have not experienced a larger number
of serious adverse events than would be expected to be experienced by patients of similar clinical
status. We continue to receive interim data from the SEISMIC Trial, which data, summarized in more
detail below, appear to be generally consistent with the interim data presented in January 2007.
We believe additional testing must be completed before we will, if ever, have sufficient data
to apply for and reasonably expect to receive regulatory approval of MyoCell. However, if the final
SEISMIC Trial data, expected to be available at the end of March 2008, is generally consistent
with the interim data, we intend to seek, in the second quarter of 2008, approval from various
European regulatory bodies to market MyoCell to treat the Class III Subgroup. Provided that we are
able to secure additional capital within the next three months, we intend to seek to enroll and
treat all of the clinical patients in the MARVEL Trial by the end of the fourth quarter of 2008. If
we meet that enrollment timeline, we would expect final trial results in the fourth quarter of
2009. If the final safety and efficacy results provide what we believe is significant evidence that
MyoCell is safe and effective, we anticipate submitting such data to the FDA to obtain regulatory
approval of MyoCell. However, we face the risks that future clinical test results will not assist
us in demonstrating the safety and efficacy of MyoCell and that the results of subsequent testing
will not corroborate earlier results.
In addition to studies we have sponsored, we understand that myoblast-based clinical therapies
have been the subject of at least eleven clinical trials involving more than 325 enrollees,
including at least 235 treated patients. Although we believe many of the trials are different from
the trials sponsored by us in a number of important respects, it is our view that the trials have
advanced the cell therapy industrys understanding of the potential opportunities and limitations
of myoblast-based therapies.
We believe the market for treating patients in NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart failure
is significant. According to the AHA Statistics and the European Society of Cardiology Task Force
for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure, in the United States and Europe there are approximately
5.2 million and 9.6 million, respectively, patients with heart failure. The AHA Statistics further
indicate that, after heart failure is diagnosed, the one-year mortality rate is high, with one in
five dying and that 80% of men and 70% of women under age 65 who have heart failure will die within
eight
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years. We believe that approximately 60% of heart failure patients are in either NYHA Class
II or NYHA Class III heart
failure based upon a 1999 study entitled Congestive Heart Failure Due to Diastolic or
Systolic Dysfunction Frequency and Patient Characteristics in an Ambulatory Setting by Diller,
PM, et. al.
Business Strategy
Our principal objective is to become a leading company that discovers, develops and
commercializes novel, autologous cell therapies, and related devices, for the treatment of chronic
and acute heart damage. To achieve this objective, we plan to pursue the following key strategies:
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Obtain initial regulatory approval of MyoCell by targeting patients with severe heart
damage. In July 2007, we treated the final patient in the SEISMIC Trial, which is comprised
of 40 patients, including 26 treated patients. If the final SEISMIC Trial data, expected to
be available at the end of March 2008, is generally consistent with the interim data, we
intend to seek, in the second quarter of 2008, approval from various European regulatory
bodies to market MyoCell to treat the Class III Subgroup. By targeting a class of patients
for whom existing therapies are very expensive, unavailable or not sufficiently effective,
we hope to expedite regulatory approval of MyoCell. Assuming our U.S. clinical trial
experience is comparable to our experience to date in European trials, we anticipate
utilizing a similar strategy in our efforts to secure U.S. regulatory approval of our lead
product candidate. |
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Obtain regulatory approval of MyoCell to treat patients with less severe heart damage.
If we obtain initial regulatory approval of MyoCell for the Class III Subgroup, we intend
to continue to sponsor clinical trials in an effort to demonstrate that MyoCell should
receive regulatory approval to treat all patients in NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart
failure and, provided we believe we have a reasonable basis to support such an indication,
we intend to seek regulatory approval for these patients. |
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Continue to develop our pipeline of cell-based therapies and related devices for the
treatment of chronic and acute heart damage. In parallel with our efforts to secure
regulatory approval of MyoCell, we intend to continue to develop and test other product
candidates for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage. These efforts are expected
to initially focus on our Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy, TGI 1200, MyoCell SDF-1, MyoCath and
MyoCath II product candidates. |
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Develop our sales and marketing capabilities. In advance of U.S. regulatory approval of
our lead product candidate, we intend to internally build a sales force which we anticipate
will market MyoCell primarily to interventional cardiologists. |
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Continue to refine our MyoCell cell culturing processes. We are seeking to automate a
significant portion of our cell culturing processes in an effort to further reduce our
culturing costs and processing times. In addition, we are seeking to further optimize our
processing times by building our facilities, or contracting with a small number of cell
culturing facilities, in strategic regional locations. |
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Expand and enhance our intellectual property rights. We intend to continue to expand and
enhance our intellectual property rights. |
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License, acquire and/or develop complementary products and technologies. We intend to
strengthen and expand our product development efforts through the license, acquisition
and/or development of products and technologies that support our business strategy. |
Industry Background
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
Myocardial infarction, or MI, commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when a blockage in a
coronary artery severely restricts or completely stops blood flow to a portion of the heart. When
blood supply is greatly reduced or blocked for more than a short period of time, heart muscle cells
die. If the healthy heart muscle cells do not replace the dead cells within approximately two
months, the injured area of the heart becomes unable to function properly. In the healing phase
after a heart attack, white blood cells migrate into the affected area and remove the dead heart
muscle cells. Then, fibroblasts, the connective tissue cells of the human body, proliferate and
form a collagen scar in the affected
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region of the heart. Following a heart attack, the hearts
ability to maintain normal function will depend on the location and amount of damaged tissue. The
remaining initially undamaged heart muscle tissue must perform more work to adequately maintain cardiac
output. Because the uninjured region is then compelled to work harder than
normal, the heart can progressively deteriorate until it is unable to pump adequate blood to
oxygenate the body properly leading to heart failure and ultimately death.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, is a debilitating condition that occurs as the heart becomes
progressively less able to pump an adequate supply of blood throughout the body resulting in fluid
accumulation in the lungs, kidneys and other body tissues. Persons suffering from NYHA Class II or
worse heart failure experience high rates of mortality, frequent hospitalization and poor quality
of life. CHF has many causes, generally beginning in patients with a life-long history of high
blood pressure or after a patient has suffered a major heart attack or some other heart-damaging
event. CHF itself may lead to other complicating factors such as pulmonary hypertension, edema,
pulmonary edema, liver dysfunction and kidney failure. Although medical therapy for CHF is
improving, it remains a major debilitating condition. According to the American Heart Association
Heart Disease Statistics 2007 Update, the estimated, total direct and indirect costs of heart
failure in the United States in 2006 were approximately $33.2 billion.
Classifying Heart Failure
The NYHA heart failure classification system provides a simple and widely recognized way of
classifying the extent of heart failure. It places patients in one of four categories based on how
limited they are during physical activity. NYHA Class I heart failure patients have no limitation
of activities and suffer no symptoms from ordinary activities. NYHA Class II heart failure patients
have a mild limitation of activity and are generally comfortable at rest or with mild exertion.
NYHA Class III heart failure patients suffer from a marked limitation of activity and are generally
comfortable only at rest. NYHA Class IV heart failure patients generally suffer discomfort and
symptoms at rest and should remain confined to a bed or chair.
The risk of hospitalization and death increases as patients progress through the various
stages of heart failure. The risk of hospitalization due to heart failure for patients in NYHA
Class II, NYHA Class III and NYHA Class IV is approximately 1.2, 2.3 and 3.7 times greater than for
patients in NYHA Class I heart failure according to a 2006 American Heart Journal article entitled
Higher New York Heart Association Classes and Increased Mortality and Hospitalization in Patients
with Heart Failure and Preserved Left Ventricular Function by Ahmed, A et al. Similarly,
according to this same article, the risk of death from all causes for patients in NYHA Class II,
NYHA Class III and NYHA Class IV is approximately 1.5, 2.6 and 8.5 times greater than for patients
in NYHA Class I heart failure.
The following chart illustrates the various stages of heart failure, their NYHA
classifications and the associated current standard of treatment.
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NYHA |
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NYHA Functional Classification(1) |
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Specific Activity Scale(2)(3) |
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Current Standard of Treatment(4) |
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Symptoms only with above normal
physical activity
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Can perform more than 7 metabolic equivalents
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ACE Inhibitor, Beta-Blocker |
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II
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Symptoms with normal physical activity
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Can perform more than 5 metabolic equivalents
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ACE Inhibitor, Beta-Blocker, Diuretics |
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III
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Symptoms with minimal physical activity
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Can perform more than 2 metabolic equivalents
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ACE Inhibitor, Beta-Blocker, Diuretics, Digoxin, Bi-ventricular pacers |
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IV
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Symptoms at rest
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Cannot perform more than 2 metabolic equivalents
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ACE Inhibitor, Beta-Blocker, Diuretics, Digoxin, Hemodynamic Support, Mechanical Assist Devices, Bi-ventricular pacers, Transplant |
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Symptoms include fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath and chest pain; normal activity
is equivalent to walking one flight of stairs or several blocks. |
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Based upon the Goldman Activity Classification of Heart Failure, which classifies severity of
heart failure based on estimated metabolic cost of
various activities; the four classes of the Goldman Activity Classification system correlate to
the NYHA Classes. |
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7 metabolic equivalents = shovel snow, carry 24 lbs. up 8 stairs, recreational sports; 5
metabolic equivalents = garden, rake, dance, walk 4 mph on level ground, have intercourse; 2
metabolic equivalents = shower without stopping, strip and make bed, dress without stopping. |
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Source: American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association 2005 Guideline Update for
the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult. |
Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death from 1950 through 2003 within the United
States according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, heart failure is
the single most frequent reason for hospitalization in the elderly according to a 2007 study
entitled Long-Term Costs and Resource Use in Elderly Participants with Congestive Heart Failure
by Liao, L., et al. The American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association 2005 Guideline
Update for the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult, or the ACC/ AHA
Guidelines, provides recommendations for the treatment of chronic heart failure in adults with
normal or low LVEF. The treatment escalates and becomes more invasive as the heart failure worsens.
Current treatment options for severe, chronic heart damage include, but are not limited to, heart
transplantation and other surgical procedures, bi-ventricular pacers, drug therapies, ICDs, and
ventricular assist devices. Therapies utilizing drugs, ICDs and bi-ventricular pacers are currently
by far the most commonly prescribed treatments for patients suffering from NYHA Class II or NYHA
Class III heart failure. Since the therapies generally each address a particular feature of heart
disease or a specific subgroup of heart failure patients, the therapies are often complementary and
used in combination.
Drug Therapies. The ACC/AHA Guidelines recommend that most patients with heart failure should
be routinely managed with a combination of ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and diuretics. The value
of these drugs has been established by the results of numerous large-scale clinical trials and the
evidence supporting a central role for their use is, according to the ACC/ AHA Guidelines,
compelling and persuasive. ACE inhibitors and beta blockers have been shown to improve a patients
clinical status and overall sense of well being and reduce the risk of death and hospitalization.
Side effects of ACE inhibitors include hypotension, worsening kidney function, potassium retention,
cough and angioedema. Side effects of beta-blockers include fluid retention, fatigue, bradycardia
and heart block and hypotension.
Bi-ventricular Pacers. The ACC/ AHA Guidelines recommend bi-ventricular pacers for persons
who, in addition to suffering from heart failure, have left and right ventricles that do not
contract in sync, known as ventricular dyssynchrony and who have a LVEF less than or equal to 35%,
sinus rhythm and NYHA Class III or NYHA Class IV symptoms despite recommended optimal medical
therapy. Bi-ventricular pacers are surgically implanted electrical generators that function
primarily by stimulating the un-damaged portion of the heart to beat more strongly using controlled
bursts of electrical currents in synchrony. Compared with optimal medical therapy alone,
bi-ventricular pacers have been shown in a number of clinical trials to significantly decrease the
risk of all-cause hospitalization and all-cause mortality as well as to improve LVEF, NYHA Class
and Quality of Life. According to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, there are certain risks associated with
the bi-ventricular pacer including risks associated with implantation and device-related problems.
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators. ACC/AHA Guidelines recommend ICDs primarily for
patients who have experienced a life-threatening clinical event associated with a sustained
irregular heartbeat and in patients who have had a prior heart attack and a reduced LVEF. ICDs are
surgically implanted devices that continually monitor patients at high risk of sudden heart attack.
When an irregular rhythm is detected, the device sends an electric shock to the heart to restore
normal rhythm. In 2001, ICDs were implanted in approximately 62,000 and 18,000 patients in the
United States and Europe, respectively. Although ICDs have not demonstrated an ability to improve
cardiac function, according to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, ICDs are highly effective in preventing
sudden death due to irregular heartbeats. However, according to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, frequent
shocks from an ICD can lead to a reduced quality of life, whether triggered appropriately or
inappropriately. In addition, according to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, ICDs have the potential to
aggravate heart failure and have been associated with an increase in heart failure
hospitalizations.
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Heart Transplantation and Other Surgical Procedures. According to the ACC/ AHA Guidelines,
heart transplantation is currently the only established surgical approach for the treatment of
severe heart failure that is not responsive to other therapies. Heart transplantation is a major
surgical procedure in which the diseased heart is removed from a patient and replaced with a
healthy donor heart. Heart transplantation has proven to dramatically improve cardiac
function in a majority of the patients treated and most heart transplant recipients return to
work, travel and normal activities within three to six months after the surgery. In addition, the
risk of hospitalization and mortality for transplant recipients is dramatically lower than the risk
faced by patients in NYHA Class III or NYHA Class IV heart failure. Heart transplants are not, for
a variety of reasons, readily available to all patients with severe heart damage. The availability
of heart transplants is limited by, among other things, cost and donor availability. In addition to
the significant cost involved and the chronic shortage of donor hearts, one of the serious
challenges in heart transplantation is potential rejection of the donor heart. For many heart
transplant recipients, chronic rejection significantly shortens the length of time the donated
heart can function effectively and such recipients are generally administered costly anti-rejection
drug regimens which can have adverse and potentially severe side effects.
There are a number of alternate surgical approaches for the treatment of severe heart failure
under development, including cardiomyoplasty, a surgical procedure where the patients own body
muscle is wrapped around the heart to provide support for the failing heart, the Batista procedure,
a surgical procedure that reduces the size of an enlarged heart muscle so that the heart can pump
more efficiently and vigorously, and the Dor procedure. According to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, both
cardiomyoplasty and the Batista procedure have failed to result in clinical improvement and are
associated with a high risk of death. The Dor procedure involves surgically removing scarred, dead
tissue from the heart following a heart attack and returning the left ventricle to a more normal
shape. While the early published single-center experience with the Dor procedure demonstrated early
and late improvement in NYHA Class and LVEF, according to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, this procedures
role in the management of heart failure remains to be defined.
Ventricular Assist Devices. Ventricular assist devices are mechanical heart pumps that replace
or assist the pumping role of the left ventricle of a damaged heart too weak to pump blood through
the body. Ventricular assist devices are primarily used as a bridge for patients on the waiting
list for a heart transplant and have been shown in published studies to be effective at halting
further deterioration of the patients condition and decreasing the likelihood of death before
transplantation. In addition, ventricular assist devices are a destination therapy for patients who
are in NYHA Class IV heart failure despite optimal medical therapy and who are not eligible for
heart transplant. According to the ACC/AHA Guidelines, device related adverse events are reported
to be numerous and include bleeding, infection, blood clots and device failure. In addition,
ventricular assist devices are very expensive, with the average first-year cost estimated at
$222,460.
We believe the heart failure treatment industry generally has a history of adopting therapies
that have proven to be safe and effective complements to existing therapies and using them in
combination with existing therapies. It is our understanding that there is no one or two
measurement criteria, either quantitative or qualitative, that define when a therapy for treating
heart failure will be deemed safe and effective by the FDA. We believe that the safety and efficacy
of certain existing FDA approved therapies for heart damage were demonstrated based upon a variety
of endpoints, including certain endpoints (such as LVEF) that individually did not demonstrate
large numerical differences between the treated patients and untreated patients. For instance, the
use of bi-ventricular pacers with optimal drug therapy has proven to significantly decrease the
risk of all-cause hospitalization and all-cause-mortality as well as to improve LVEF, NYHA Class
and quality of life as compared to the use of optimal drug therapy alone. In the Multicenter InSync
Randomized Clinical Evaluation (MIRACLE) trial, one of the first large studies to measure the
therapeutic benefits of bi-ventricular pacing, 69% of the patients in the treatment group
experienced an improvement in NYHA Class by one or more classes at six-month follow-up versus a 34%
improvement in the control group. However, patients in the treatment group experienced on average
only a 2.1% improvement in LVEF as compared with a 1.7% improvement for patients in the control
group. Although a number of the therapies described above have proven to improve the cardiac
function of a damaged heart, no currently available heart failure treatment has demonstrated an
ability to generate new muscle tissue within the scarred regions of a heart.
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Our Proposed Solution
Our lead product candidate is MyoCell. We believe MyoCell has the potential to become a
leading treatment for severe chronic damage to the heart due to its perceived ability to satisfy,
at least in part, what we believe to be a presently unmet demand for more effective and/or more
affordable therapies for chronic heart damage.
MyoCell
The human heart does not have cells that naturally repair or replace damaged heart muscle.
Accordingly, the human body cannot, without medical assistance, repopulate regions of scar tissue
within the heart with functioning muscle. MyoCell is a clinical therapy designed to improve cardiac
function by populating regions of scar tissue within a patients heart with myoblasts derived from
a biopsy of a patients thigh muscle. Myoblasts are precursors to muscle cells that have the
capacity to fuse with other myoblasts or with damaged muscle fibers to regenerate skeletal muscle.
When injected into scar tissue within the heart wall, myoblasts have been shown to be capable of
engrafting in the damaged tissue and differentiating into mature skeletal muscle cells. In a number
of clinical and animal studies, the engrafted skeletal muscle cells have been shown to express
various proteins that are important components of contractile function. By using myoblasts obtained
from a patients own body, we believe MyoCell is able to avoid certain challenges currently faced
by other cell-based clinical therapies intended to be used for the treatment of chronic heart
damage including tissue rejection and instances of the cells differentiating into cells other than
muscle.
Our clinical research to date suggests that MyoCell may improve the contractile function of
the heart. However, we have not yet been able to demonstrate a mechanism of action. The engrafted
skeletal muscle tissues are not believed to be coupled with the surrounding heart muscle by the
same chemicals that allow heart muscle cells to contract simultaneously. The theories regarding why
contractile function may improve include:
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the engrafted muscle tissue can contract in unison with the other muscles in the heart
by stretching or by the channeling of electric currents; |
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the myoblasts acquire certain characteristics of heart muscle or fuse with them; and/or |
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the injected myoblasts release various proteins that indirectly result in a limit on
further scar tissue formation. |
As part of the MyoCell therapy, a general surgeon removes approximately five to ten grams of
thigh muscle tissue from the patient utilizing local anesthesia, typically on an outpatient basis.
The muscle tissue is then express-shipped to a cell culturing site. At the cell culturing site, our
proprietary techniques are used to isolate and remove myoblasts from the muscle tissue. We
typically produce enough cells to treat a patient within approximately 21 days of his or her
biopsy. Such production time is expected to continue to decrease as we continue to refine our cell
culturing processes. After the cells are subjected to a variety of tests, the cultured cells are
packaged in injectate media and express shipped to the interventional cardiologist. Within four
days of packaging, the cultured myoblasts are injected via catheter directly into the scar tissue
of the patients heart. The injection process takes on average about one hour and can be performed
with or without general anesthesia. Following treatment, patients generally remain in the hospital
for approximately 48-72 hours for monitoring.
The MyoCell injection process is a minimally invasive procedure which presents less risk and
considerably less trauma to a patient than conventional (open) heart surgery. Patients are able to
walk immediately following the injection process and require significantly less time in the
hospital compared with surgically treated patients. In the 70 patients who have received MyoCell
injections delivered via percutaneous catheter, only two minor procedure-related events (2.9%) have
been reported. In both cases, however, no complications resulted from the event, with the patients
in each case remaining asymptomatic at all times during and after the procedure.
We use a number of proprietary processes to create therapeutic quantities of myoblasts from a
patients thigh muscle biopsy. We have developed and/or licensed what we believe are proprietary or
patented techniques to:
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transport muscle tissue and cultured cells; |
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disassociate muscle tissue with manual and chemical processes; |
8
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separate myoblasts from other muscle cells; |
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culture and grow myoblasts; |
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identify a cell population with the propensity to engraft, proliferate and adapt to the
cardiac environment, including areas of scar tissue; and |
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maintain and test the cell quality and purity. |
We have also developed and/or licensed a number of proprietary and/or patented processes
related to the injection of myoblasts into damaged heart muscle, including the following:
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package the cultured cells in a manner that facilitates shipping and use by the
physician administering MyoCell; |
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methods of using MyoCath; |
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the use of an injectate media that assists in the engraftment of myoblasts; |
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cell injection techniques utilizing contrast media to assist in the cell injection
process; and |
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cell injection protocols related to the number and location of injections. |
Assuming we secure regulatory approval of MyoCell for the treatment of all NYHA Class II and
NYHA Class III patients, we believe MyoCell will provide a treatment alternative for the millions
of NYHA Class II and NYHA Class III patients in the United States and Europe who either do not
qualify for or have access to heart transplant therapy. Furthermore, we anticipate that the time
incurred and cost of identifying patients qualified to receive MyoCell as well as the cost of
MyoCell, including any ICD, drug and bi-ventricular pacer therapies that are simultaneously
prescribed, if any, will be less expensive than the current cost of heart transplant therapy.
Moreover, MyoCell is less invasive than a heart transplant and is not subject to the tissue
rejection and immune system suppression issues associated with heart transplants.
We believe there is still a large population of patients exhibiting symptoms consistent with
NYHA Class II and NYHA Class III heart failure that is seeking an effective or more effective
therapy for chronic heart damage than ICDs, bi-ventricular pacers and drug therapies. We hope to
demonstrate that MyoCell is complementary to various therapies using ICDs, bi-ventricular pacers
and drugs. In the MYOHEART and SEISMIC Trials, enrolled patients are required to have an ICD and to
be on optimal drug therapy to be included in the study. While we do not require patients to have
previously received a bi-ventricular pacer to participate in our clinical trials, we plan to accept
patients in our MARVEL Trial who have had prior placement of a bi-ventricular pacer. We are hopeful
that the results of our future clinical trials will demonstrate that MyoCell is complementary to
existing therapies for treating heart damage.
Clinical Trials and Planned Clinical Trials of MyoCell
Several clinical trials have been conducted for the purpose of demonstrating the safety and
efficacy of MyoCell and MyoCath. We have sponsored six clinical trials and two registry studies of
MyoCell involving 89 enrollees, including 75 treated patients and 14 control patients who received
only optimal medical therapy. In addition to studies we have sponsored, we believe myoblast-based
clinical therapies have been the subject of at least eleven clinical trials involving more than 325
enrollees, including at least 235 treated patients. We believe additional testing must be completed
before we will, if ever, have sufficient data to apply for and reasonably expect to receive
regulatory approval of MyoCell. We face the risks that future clinical trial results will not
assist us in demonstrating the safety and efficacy of MyoCell and that the results of subsequent
testing will not corroborate earlier results.
The following table summarizes our planned, ongoing and completed clinical trials of MyoCell.
In addition to delivery via MyoCath, MyoCell has been tested in certain trials using MyoStar and
Medtronics TransAccess catheter, or the TransAccess catheter.
U.S. Focused Clinical Trials
9
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Number of |
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Clinical Trial |
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Clinical Trial |
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Patients |
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Sites |
|
Objective |
|
Status |
MARVEL
(Phase II/III
Clinical Trial)
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330
anticipated,
including
110
controls
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20 sites in the
United States and
Canada and up to
15 sites in Europe
anticipated
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Designed to be a
double-blind,
randomized,
placebo-controlled,
multicenter trial
to evaluate the
safety and efficacy
of MyoCell
delivered via
MyoStar
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MyoCell
implantation
procedure completed
on first patient in
October 2007;
six-month interim
data anticipated in
the second quarter
of 2009 and final
trial results
anticipated in the
fourth quarter of
2009 |
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MYOHEART
(Phase I Clinical
Trial)
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20 |
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5 sites in the
United States
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Phase I dose
escalation study to
assess safety,
feasibility and
efficacy of MyoCell
delivered via
MyoCath
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Trial commenced in
2003; treatment of
all 20 patients
completed in
October 2006; final
twelve-month data
presented in
January 2008 |
European Clinical Trials
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Number of |
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Clinical Trial |
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Clinical Trial |
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Patients |
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Sites |
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Objective |
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Status |
SEISMIC
(Phase II
Clinical Trial)
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40, including
14
controls
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12 sites in the
Netherlands,
Germany, Belgium,
Spain, Poland and
the United Kingdom
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Phase II European
study to assess the
safety and efficacy
of MyoCell
delivered via
MyoCath
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Trial commenced in
November 2005;
treatment of all
patients completed
in July 2007; final
results anticipated
at the end of March
2008 |
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Phase I/ II
Clinical Trial
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15 |
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3 sites in the
Netherlands,
Germany and Italy
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Phase I/II European
study to assess the
safety and efficacy
of MyoCell
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Trial commenced in
2002; twelve-month
follow-up completed
in June 2004 |
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Netherlands
Pilot Trial
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5 |
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1 site in the
Netherlands
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Pilot study to
assess safety and
feasibility of
MyoCell
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Trial commenced in
2001; six-month
follow- up
completed in
October 2003 |
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2002 Trial
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3 |
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1 site in the
Netherlands
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Designed to
evaluate the safety
and efficacy of
MyoCell delivered
via the TransAccess
catheter
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Trial commenced in
2002; discontinued
upon
Transvasculars
acquisition by
Medtronic |
Other Clinical Trials
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Number of |
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Clinical Trial |
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|
Clinical Trial |
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Patients |
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Sites |
|
Objective |
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Status |
Partial
Reimbursement
Registry Studies
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Up to 10
in the next
two years
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6 sites in Korea,
Mexico,
Switzerland, The
Bahamas, Singapore
and South Africa
anticipated
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Designed to
generate additional
safety and efficacy
data and revenues
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Requisite
regulatory approval
to conduct trials
received at all
sites; contracts in
place with an
institution in each
of Mexico, the
Bahamas,
Switzerland and
Korea; MyoCell
implantation
procedure completed
for four patients
in Korea and one
patient in Mexico |
Metrics Used to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of Heart Failure Treatments
The performance of therapies used to treat damage to the heart is assessed using a number of
metrics, which compare data collected at the time of initial treatment to data collected when a
patient is re-assessed at follow-up. The time periods for follow-up are usually three, six and
twelve months. Statistical data is often accompanied by a p-value, which is the mathematical
probability that the data are the result of random chance. A result is considered statistically
significant if the p-value is less than or equal to 5%. The common metrics used to evaluate the
efficacy of these therapies include:
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Metric |
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Description |
NYHA Class
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The NYHA heart failure classification system is a
functional and therapeutic classification system
based on how much cardiac patients are limited
during |
10
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Metric |
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Description |
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physical activity. |
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Six-Minute Walk Distance
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Six-Minute Walk Distance is an objective
evaluation of functional exercise capacity which
measures the distance a patient can walk in six
minutes. The distance walked during this test has
been shown to correlate with the severity of
heart failure. |
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LVEF
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LVEF is a measure of the hearts efficiency and
can be used to estimate the function of the left
ventricle, which pumps blood to the rest of the
body. The LVEF is the amount of blood pumped
divided by the amount of blood the ventricle
contains. A normal LVEF is more than 55% of the
blood volume. Damage to the heart impairs the
hearts ability to efficiently pump and therefore
reduces LVEF. |
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Quality of Life
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Quality of Life is evaluated by patient
questionnaire, which measures subjective aspects
of health status in heart failure patients. |
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Number of Hospital
Admissions and Mean
Length of Stay
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The Number of Hospital Admissions and Mean Length
of Stay measure the aggregate number of times
that a patient is admitted to the hospital during
a defined period and the number of days a patient
remains in the hospital during each such
admission. |
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Total Days Hospitalized
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The Total Days Hospitalized measures the
aggregate number of days a patient is admitted to
the hospital during a defined period. |
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End-Systolic Volume
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End-Systolic Volume is a measurement of the
adequacy of cardiac emptying, related to the
function of the heart during contraction. |
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End-Diastolic Volume
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End-Diastolic Volume is the amount of blood in
the ventricle immediately before a cardiac
contraction begins and is used as a measurement
of the function of the heart at rest. |
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LV Volume
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Left Ventricular Volume, or LV Volume, is
measured in terms of left ventricular
End-Diastolic Volume and left ventricular
End-Systolic Volume. Both measure the reduction
in volume of blood in the left ventricle of the
heart following expansion and contraction,
respectively. Reduction in volume generally is
reflective of positive ventricular remodeling and
improvement in the hearts ability to circulate
oxygenated blood through the arteries. |
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Wall Motion
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Wall Motion is a test designed to show whether
the heart is receiving adequate quantities of
oxygen-rich blood. Wall motion is generally
measured by a stress echocardiography test. |
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Cardiac Output
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Cardiac Output is a measure of the amount of
blood that is pumped by the heart per unit time,
measured in liters per minute. |
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BNP Level
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B-Type Natriuretic Peptide, or BNP, is a
substance secreted from the ventricles or lower
chambers of the heart in response to changes in
pressure that occur when heart failure develops
and worsens. The level of BNP in the blood
increases when heart failure symptoms worsen and
decreases when the heart failure condition is
stable. |
MARVEL Phase II/III Clinical Trial in the United States, Canada and certain countries in
Europe
The MARVEL Trial is designed to be a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter
trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MyoCell delivered via MyoStar. We submitted our
amended IND application setting forth the proposed protocol for this clinical trial to the FDA in
November 2006. In July 2007, we submitted to the FDA an additional amendment to the trial protocol
and, in August 2007, we received clearance from the FDA to proceed with the trial. We completed the
MyoCell implantation procedure on the first patient in the MARVEL Trial on October 24, 2007. We
intend to seek to have final data available for the MARVEL Trial in the fourth quarter of 2009. If
the results of the MARVEL Trial demonstrate statistically significant evidence of the safety and
efficacy of MyoCell, we anticipate having a basis to ask the FDA to consider the MARVEL Trial a
pivotal trial, although there can be no assurances that the FDA will consider the trial pivotal.
This study is planned to include 330 patients, including 110 controls, at 20 sites in the United
States and Canada and up to 15 sites in Europe. Our primary and secondary endpoints will be
measured at three months and six months following treatment.
11
All of the patients selected for enrollment in the MARVEL Trial will have (i) symptoms
associated with NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart failure, (ii) suffered a previous heart
attack at least 90 days prior to the date of treatment, (iii) a LVEF of less than or equal to 35%,
(iv) been on optimal drug therapy for at least two months prior to enrollment and (v) had prior
placement of an ICD at least 60 days prior to enrollment. Patients will be required to use
Amiodarone, an anti-arrhythmic drug therapy, at least 24 hours prior to MyoCell implantation.
The patients will be divided into three groups. Patients in the first group will undergo
treatment consisting of 16 injections of an aggregate dosage of approximately 800 million myoblast
cells. Patients in the second group will undergo treatment consisting of 16 injections of an
aggregate dosage of approximately 400 million myoblast cells. Patients in the third group will
receive 16 placebo injections.
The MARVEL Trial will measure the following safety and efficacy endpoints of the MyoCell
treatment:
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Primary Safety |
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Primary Efficacy |
|
Secondary Efficacy |
|
Tertiary Efficacy |
Endpoint |
|
Endpoints |
|
Endpoints |
|
Endpoints |
Number of serious
adverse events in
treatment group as
compared to control
group
|
|
Change in
Six-Minute Walk
Distance from
baseline to six
months as compared
to control group,
or
Quality of Life
scores assessed
using Minnesota
Living with Heart
Failure
questionnaire from
baseline to six
months as compared
to control group
|
|
Total Days
Hospitalized in
treatment group as
compared to control
group
Cause-specific
hospitalizations in
treatment group as
compared to control
group
Proportion of
patients with an
improved NYHA Class
from baseline to
six months as
compared to control
group
Total days alive
out of hospital
over the six-month
study period
Change in LVEF from
baseline to six
months as compared
to control group
Change in LV Volume
and wall motion
from baseline to
six months as
compared to control
group
Change in BNP Level
from baseline to
six months as
compared to control
group
|
|
Total cost and
healthcare
utilization within
six months
Time to death or
CHF hospitalization
Change in degree of
mitral
regurgitation from
baseline to six
months
Change in
Six-Minute Walk
Distance from
baseline to three
months as compared
to control group
Quality of Life
scores assessed
using Minnesota
Living with Heart
Failure
questionnaire from
baseline to three
months as compared
to control group
Proportion of
patients with
improved NYHA Class
from baseline to
three months as
compared to control
group |
Provided
that we are able to secure additional capital within the next three months, we intend
to seek to enroll and treat all of the clinical patients in the MARVEL Trial by the end of the
fourth quarter of 2008. If we meet that enrollment timeline, we would expect final trial results in
the fourth quarter of 2009. If the results of the MARVEL Trial demonstrate statistically
significant evidence of the safety and efficacy of MyoCell, we anticipate having a basis to ask the
FDA to consider the MARVEL Trial a pivotal trial.
12
MYOHEART Phase I Dose Escalation Clinical Trial in the United States
In October 2006, we completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the final patient in our
20 patient Phase I dose escalation MYOHEART Trial in the United States. The purpose of the MYOHEART
Trial was to assess the safety, feasibility and efficacy of MyoCell delivered via MyoCath. We
divided the patients into four cohorts of five and each group received a progressively increasing
dose of myogenic cells, ranging from 25 million (first cohort) to 675 million (fourth cohort).
Safety endpoints were the evaluation of the nature and frequency of serious adverse events during
the twelve month period following MyoCell treatment. The MYOHEART Trial was conducted at five
clinical sites. Dr. Warren Sherman, the lead investigator, as well as two of the other MYOHEART
Trial investigators, Dr. Nicolas Chronos and Dr. Stephen Ellis, are members of our Scientific
Advisory Board.
All of the patients selected for enrollment in the MYOHEART Trial had (i) symptoms associated
with NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart failure, (ii) suffered a previous heart attack at least
twelve weeks prior to the date of treatment, (iii) a LVEF of between 20% to 40%, (iv) been on
optimal drug therapy and (v) prior placement of an ICD at least one month prior to enrollment. The
patients in the MYOHEART Trial did not take Amiodarone to reduce the potential incidence of
irregular heartbeats.
Dr. Sherman presented the final twelve month safety and efficacy data from the MYOHEART Trial
in January 2008 at the Fourth Annual International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular
Disease. We have summarized the final twelve safety and efficacy data from the MYOHEART Trial.
Due, in part, to the limited number of patients treated in the MYOHEART Trial, this trial was
not designed to and, except as indicated below, does not demonstrate the statistical significance
(i.e., p-value less than or equal to .05) of any of the efficacy endpoints. Notwithstanding the
limited trial size, with respect to the Six-Minute Walk Distance scores, the patients, taken
together, experienced statistically significant improvement at three months following treatment,
with apparent trends toward statistically significant improvement at six and twelve months. With
respect to Quality of Life scores, the patients, taken together, experienced statistically
significant improvement at three, six and twelve months following treatment. Where we indicate in
the tables below that the p-value is not determinable, please note that the statistical
significance of such data cannot be calculated due to the type of data being presented.
Six-Minute Walk Distance:
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|
for the 18 surviving patients able to complete the test at three months, patients
treated in the first, second, third and fourth cohorts demonstrated a 6%, 10%, 22% and 13%
respective improvement relative to their cohort baseline in their mean Six-Minute Walk
Distance at three months as depicted in the chart below; and |
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|
for the 15 surviving patients able to complete the test at six months, patients treated
in the first, second, third and fourth cohorts demonstrated a 5%, 23%, 7% and 10%
respective improvement relative to their cohort baseline in their mean Six-Minute Walk
Distance at six months as depicted in the chart below. |
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|
for the 17 surviving patients able to complete the test at twelve months, patients
treated in the first, second, third and fourth cohorts demonstrated a 11%, 4%, -3% and 36%
respective improvement relative to their cohort baseline in their mean Six-Minute Walk
Distance at twelve months as depicted in the chart below. |
One surviving patient was too ill to complete the test at three months. Three surviving
patients were unable to
13
complete the test at six months and one patient was unable to complete the
test at 12 months for various reasons, including knee replacement surgery, hip pain, inability to
walk without crutches and sprained ankles.
Quality of Life
Relative to a baseline Quality of Life score, for the 19, 18 and 18 patients for whom we had
three, six and twelve-month data available, respectively, there was reported improvement in mean
Quality of Life scores at three months, six months and twelve months as depicted in the chart
below.
LVEF
As depicted in the chart below, LVEF scores for the 19 surviving patients at three months
improved, on average, from 23.4% at baseline to 24.8% at three months following treatment and LVEF
scores for the 18 surviving patients at six months following treatment improved, on average, from
23.4% at baseline to 25.6% at six months following treatment. For the 19, 18 and 18 patients for
whom we had three, six and twelve-month data available, the chart below depicts the mean increase
or decrease in LVEF for each cohort at three, six and twelve months:
With regards to efficacy, in his presentation, Dr. Sherman provided data as to the percentage
of patients whose Six-Minute Walk Distance score, Quality of Life score and LVEF improved, stayed
the same and worsened from baseline to both three months and six months, as follows:
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|
|
|
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|
Six Minute Walk Distance |
|
Quality of Life |
|
LVEF |
|
|
Baseline to 3 |
|
Baseline to |
|
Baseline to |
|
Baseline to 6 |
|
Baseline to 3 |
|
Baseline to 6 |
|
|
Months |
|
6 Months |
|
3 Months |
|
Months |
|
Months |
|
Months |
Improved |
|
|
83 |
% |
|
|
67 |
% |
|
|
84 |
% |
|
|
83 |
% |
|
|
63 |
% |
|
|
61 |
% |
|
No Change |
|
|
0 |
% |
|
|
7 |
% |
|
|
5 |
% |
|
|
0 |
% |
|
|
5 |
% |
|
|
11 |
% |
|
Worsened |
|
|
17 |
% |
|
|
26 |
% |
|
|
11 |
% |
|
|
17 |
% |
|
|
32 |
% |
|
|
28 |
% |
In line with our expectations for the study, 18 serious adverse events were reported in nine
patients during follow-up. Two of the 20 patients died, adjudicated as possibly related to MyoCell.
Six patients experienced irregular heartbeats, four of which have been adjudicated as possibly
related to MyoCell. All of the six patients experiencing irregular heartbeats had previously
suffered from this condition prior to MyoCell implantation.
In his presentation, Dr. Sherman, noting that no patients experienced first-time arrhythmias
following MyoCell implantation and that there were no other unexpected serious adverse events
related to MyoCell, indicated that the safety was suggested in this small trial. He further noted
that the clinical efficacy of MyoCell with respect to Quality of Life and Six Minute Walk Distance
is suggested by the MYOHEART Trial. While acknowledging that the precise mechanisms of how MyoCell
works are not yet clearly understood, he indicated that, in combination with results from other
non-randomized and randomized clinical trials, including the SEISMIC Trial and Myoblast Autologous
Graft in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC) clinical trial sponsored by MG Biotherapeutics, LLC, there
is sufficient justification to proceed to a potentially pivotal, clinical end-point driven trial.
SEISMIC Phase II clinical trial in Europe
The purpose of the SEISMIC Trial is to assess the safety and efficacy of MyoCell delivered via
MyoCath. 26 patients, or the Treatment Group Patients, will receive a dosage of between 150 million
and 800 million myoblast cells
14
and 14 patients will comprise the control group, or the Control Group Patients. The primary
efficacy endpoint is the change in LVEF at three-month and six-month follow-up as compared to
baseline LVEF and secondary efficacy endpoints include change in NYHA Class, change in Six-Minute
Walk Distance, the effect of MyoCell treatment on hospitalizations or the need for medical
treatment outside of hospitalizations and improvements in global contractility, wall thickness,
coronary perfusion and change in scar size. The primary safety endpoint is the relative incidence
of serious adverse events at three-month and six-month follow-up experienced by the Treatment Group
Patients as compared to the Control Group Patients. Serious adverse events are defined to include
any adverse events that are fatal, life-threatening, result in permanent impairment or surgery to
preclude permanent impairment of a body function, or require in-patient hospitalization that is not
specifically required by the clinical trial protocol or is elective. Secondary safety endpoints
include the Number of Hospital Admissions and Mean Length of Stay in the six-month period following
MyoCell treatment in the Treatment Group Patients as compared to the Control Group Patients.
All of the patients selected for enrollment in the SEISMIC Trial have (i) symptoms associated
with NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart failure, (ii) suffered a previous heart attack at least
90 days prior to the date of treatment, (iii) a LVEF of between 20% to 45%, (iv) been on optimal
drug therapy for at least two months prior to enrollment and (v) had prior placement of an ICD at
least six months prior to enrollment. All of the patients in the SEISMIC Trial were prescribed
Amiodarone to reduce the potential incidence of irregular heartbeats. In Europe, twelve cardiology
centers in six countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland and the United
Kingdom are conducting the SEISMIC Trial. One of the SEISMIC Trial investigators, Pr. Nicholas
Peters, MD, PhD, is a member of our Scientific Advisory Board.
We originally anticipated that up to 46 patients would be randomized as part of the SEISMIC
Trial, with 30 of these patients allocated to the treatment arm of the study so that approximately
two-thirds of the patients would be randomized as Treatment Group Patients. As of July 31, 2007, we
have 40 patients in follow-up, including 26 Treatment Group Patients and 14 Control Group Patients.
We had previously made the determination to close enrollment of patients in the SEISMIC Trial at
the end of March 2007 so that we could focus on commencement of the MARVEL Trial and, accordingly,
we expect the final SEISMIC Trial results to include data on a total of 26 Treatment Group Patients
and 14 Control Group Patients.
We have summarized below the interim safety and efficacy data from the SEISMIC Trial available
to us as of May 14, 2007. Due, in part, to the limited number of patients treated in the SEISMIC
Trial, this trial was not designed to and, to our knowledge does not, conclusively demonstrate the
statistical significance of any of the efficacy endpoints. We do not currently have or expect to
have in the next few months sufficient data to independently calculate whether or not the results
described below are statistically significant (i.e., p-value less than or equal to .05).
For the efficacy metrics Six-Minute Walk Distance, NYHA Class and LVEF, we have presented mean
and median data measured at baseline and at three and six months following treatment for each
Treatment Group Patient and Control Group Patient for which we have follow-up data for such metric
at the measurement point, or the Follow-Up Patients. The baseline data presented in the following
tables only includes the baseline measurements for the Follow-Up Patients, or the Subset Baseline,
and, accordingly, excludes the baseline measurements for patients for whom we do not have available
follow-up data at this time. The median for each of the metrics presented is the midpoint of the
data after sorting all of the data in ascending order.
Six-Minute Walk Distance
The table below presents the mean and median Six-Minute Walk Distance data measured at the
Subset Baseline and at three and six months following treatment for each Follow-Up Patient. The
three-month data includes the test results of two Control Group Patients who completed the
Six-Minute Walk Distance Test more than three months following MyoCell implantation and the
six-month data includes the test results of two Treatment Group Patients who completed the
Six-Minute Walk Distance Test more than six months following MyoCell implantation.
15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six-Minute Walk Distance Data (Meters) |
|
|
Treatment Group |
|
Treatment Group |
|
Control Group Subset |
|
Control Group |
|
|
Subset Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
|
Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
Three-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
Mean |
|
|
414 ± 84.7 |
|
|
|
470 ± 70.7 |
|
|
|
397 ± 132.7 |
|
|
|
448 ± 99.3 |
|
Median |
|
|
437 ± 84.7 |
|
|
|
471 ± 70.7 |
|
|
|
430 ± 191 |
|
|
|
446 ± 99.3 |
|
Six-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Mean |
|
|
419 ± 90.4 |
|
|
|
461 ± 89.6 |
|
|
|
446 ± 88.6 |
|
|
|
484 ± 226.0 |
|
Median |
|
|
437 ± 90.4 |
|
|
|
477 ± 89.6 |
|
|
|
430 ± 88.6 |
|
|
|
432 ± 226.0 |
|
NYHA Class
The table below presents the mean and median NYHA Class data measured at the Subset Baseline
and at three and six months following treatment for each Follow-Up Patient. The three-month data
includes the test results of three Control Group Patients whose NYHA class was measured more than
three months following MyoCell implantation and the six-month data includes the test results of
three Treatment Group Patients whose NYHA class was measured more than six months following MyoCell
implantation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NYHA Class Data |
|
|
Treatment Group |
|
Treatment Group |
|
Control Group |
|
Control Group |
|
|
Subset Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
|
Subset Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
Three-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
Mean |
|
|
2.4 ± 0.51 |
|
|
|
2.2 ± 0.53 |
|
|
|
2.2 ± 0.42 |
|
|
|
2.4 ± 0.52 |
|
Median |
|
|
2.0 ± 0.51 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.53 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.42 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.52 |
|
Six-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Mean |
|
|
2.5 ± 0.52 |
|
|
|
2.2 ± 0.69 |
|
|
|
2.3 ± 0.46 |
|
|
|
2.5 ± 0.53 |
|
Median |
|
|
3.0 ± 0.52 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.69 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.38 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.53 |
|
At three months following treatment, 27% of the Treatment Group Patients had improved by at
least one NYHA Class. In contrast, none of the Control Group Patients had improved by at least one
NYHA Class at three months following treatment. At six months following treatment, 38% of the
Treatment Group Patients had improved by at least one NYHA Class. In contrast, 13% of the Control
Group Patients improved by at least one NYHA Class at six months following treatment.
LVEF
The table below presents the mean and median LVEF data measured at the Subset Baseline and at
three and six months following treatment for each Follow-Up Patient. The three-month data includes
the test results of one Treatment Group Patient whose LVEF class was measured more than three
months following MyoCell implantation and the six-month data includes the test results of two
Treatment Group Patients whose LVEF class was measured more than six months following MyoCell
implantation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LVEF Data |
|
|
Treatment Group |
|
Treatment Group |
|
Control Group Subset |
|
Control Group |
|
|
Subset Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
|
Baseline |
|
Follow-Up Data |
Three-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
Mean |
|
|
31.1 ± 10.1 |
|
|
|
29.3 ± 8.0 |
|
|
|
32.8 ± 11.1 |
|
|
|
35.8 ± 12.5 |
|
Median |
|
|
28.0 ± 10.1 |
|
|
|
27.0 ± 8.0 |
|
|
|
32.5 ± 11.1 |
|
|
|
38.0 ± 12.5 |
|
Six-Month Data |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# of Follow-Up Patients |
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Mean |
|
|
31.7 ± 11.5 |
|
|
|
28.0 ± 14.7 |
|
|
|
33.8 ± 12.5 |
|
|
|
32.7 ± 9.3 |
|
Median |
|
|
28.0 ± 11.5 |
|
|
|
25.0 ± 14.7 |
|
|
|
34.0 ± 12.5 |
|
|
|
31.0 ± 9.3 |
|
The table below presents, as of May 14, 2007, the baseline measurement data we had available
with respect to Six-Minute Walk Distance, NYHA Class and LVEF for 22 Treatment Group Patients and
13 Control Group Patients, or Full
16
Population Baseline Data, as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Full Population Baseline Data |
|
|
Treatment Group |
|
Control Group |
# of Patients |
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Minute Walk (Meters) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean |
|
|
414 ± 98.5 |
|
|
|
430 ± 191 |
|
Median |
|
|
437 ± 98.5 |
|
|
|
430 ± 191 |
|
NYHA Class |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean |
|
|
2.4 ± 0.49 |
|
|
|
2.2 ± 0.44 |
|
Median |
|
|
2.0 ± 0.49 |
|
|
|
2.0 ± 0.44 |
|
LVEF |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean |
|
|
30.0 ± 9.3 |
|
|
|
33.8 ± 12.9 |
|
Median |
|
|
28.5 ± 9.3 |
|
|
|
32.5 ± 12.9 |
|
Please note that the foregoing discussion summarizes our internal interim analysis of the
available efficacy data as of the dates indicated. The data has not yet been peer reviewed nor have
our validation processes with respect to the above data been completed. Accordingly, this interim
data is subject to change as we continue to collect data and undertake the processes necessary to
confirm the accuracy of the data.
As of May 14, 2007, we have safety data available for 22 Treatment Group Patients and 13
Control Group Patients. Nine of the 22 Treatment Group Patients (40.9%) experienced fifteen serious
adverse events, including one patient death from multiple organ failure 30 days following MyoCell
treatment determined by the investigator as possibly attributable to MyoCell. Nine of the fifteen
total serious adverse events experienced by the Treatment Group Patients involved irregular
heartbeats, eight of which have been investigator determined to be possibly attributable to
MyoCell. However, one-third of the patients experiencing irregular heartbeats following MyoCell
treatment did not comply with the trials protocol for Amiodarone use and all of these patients had
experienced irregular heartbeats prior to MyoCell implantation. Five Control Group Patients have
experienced 21 serious adverse events, including 14 events involving irregular heartbeats. The
Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board for the SEISMIC Trial reviewed the serious adverse
events experienced by the Treatment Group Patients and has not asked us to alter or terminate the
trial and is expected to continue to monitor the occurrence of any serious adverse events.
Interim data from the SEISMIC Trial, including interim safety data and interim efficacy data
on the Six-Minute Walk Distance, NYHA Class and LVEF endpoints, was presented by Professor Patrick
Serruys, MD, PhD, the lead investigator, at the Third Annual International Conference on Cell
Therapy for Cardiovascular Diseases on January 18, 2007 and the subject SEISMIC Trial data was
subsequently published in EuroIntervention Supplement B by Pr. Serruys and other contributing
authors (including our VP of Clinical Affairs and Physician Relations) with respect to the 16
Treatment Group Patients and nine Control Group Patients, for which at least one month follow-up
data was available. The 16 Treatment Group Patients received an average a dosage of 598
+/-110 million myoblast cells.
In the EuroIntervention article summarizing the same data presented by Pr. Serruys, the
authors noted that, although complete efficacy data are not yet available and safety data are not
yet fully adjudicated, these preliminary results suggest that myoblast therapy for heart failure is
largely safe and effective. The authors further indicated that the risk of irregular heartbeats is
largely manageable with close observation and prophylactic use of ICDs and anti-arrhythmic drug
therapy and that when irregular heart beats do occur, they typically appear during the first months
following implantation and can largely be mitigated with appropriate medical management. According
to the authors, patients treated with MyoCell also tend to show improvement in quality of life and
mechanical function over time, as evidenced by previously completed clinical studies and the
initial reported trends from the interim SEISMIC Trial data. We believe the interim safety and
efficacy data as of May 14, 2007 summarized above is generally consistent with the data presented
by Pr. Serruys in
January 2007.
We expect final six-month data for the balance of the SEISMIC Trial patients to be available
at the end of March 2008. If the final SEISMIC Trial data is generally consistent with the interim
data, in the second quarter of 2008, we intend to seek approval from various European regulatory
bodies to market MyoCell and MyoCath to treat the Class III
17
Subgroup.
Phase I/II Clinical Trials in Europe
Netherlands Pilot Trial
We were one of the financial sponsors of a five patient pilot clinical trial of MyoCell in
2002. The primary endpoint of the study was to assess the safety and feasibility of MyoCell,
measured by occurrence of serious adverse events at six months following treatment. The secondary
endpoint was to assess improvement of LVEF at one, three and six months following treatment. The
trial was performed in the Netherlands by physicians at the Thorax Center of the Erasmus Medical
Center. Each patient enrolled in this clinical trial had (i) symptoms associated with NYHA
Class II, NYHA Class III or NYHA Class IV heart failure, (ii) suffered a previous heart attack at
least four weeks prior to the date of treatment and (iii) a LVEF between 20% to 45%. Patients
received injections of between 25 million and 293 million myoblast cells.
For the five patients who participated in the trial, it was reported that, on average, the
patients LVEF increased from 36 ± 11% at the baseline to 41 ± 9% at three months (p = .009) and 45
± 8% at six months (p = .23).
Although not statistically significant due, in part, to the limited number of patients
treated, of these patients, we noted that:
|
|
|
100% and 60% of the patients improved one NYHA Class at three months and six months
following therapy, respectively; |
|
|
|
|
40% of the patients improved two NYHA Classes at both three months and six months
following therapy; |
|
|
|
|
100% of the patients LVEF improved by at least 4% at three months following therapy;
and |
|
|
|
|
60% of the patients LVEF improved by at least 20% at six months following therapy. |
All of the MyoCell injection procedures in the pilot clinical trial were without complication
and no serious adverse events occurred during the follow-up period. One patient who experienced
irregular heart contractions received an ICD within six months of the injection procedure.
The results of this pilot clinical trial were published by the physicians conducting the trial
in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in December 2003. In the published article,
the physicians concluded that the pilot study was the first to demonstrate the potential and
feasibility of percutaneous skeletal myoblast delivery as a stand-alone procedure for myocardial
repair in patients with post-heart attack heart failure. The physicians further concluded that more
data was needed to confirm safety.
Phase I/II Clinical Trial
We conducted a non-randomized, multicenter 15 patient Phase I/ II clinical trial of MyoCell at
institutions located in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy in 2003 to assess the safety of MyoCell
and its effect on global ventricular function. As part of this clinical trial, we also assessed the
safety and feasibility of MyoCell delivery via MyoCath. Each patient enrolled in the Phase I/ II
clinical trial had (i) symptoms associated with NYHA Class II or NYHA Class III heart failure,
(ii) suffered a previous heart attack at least four weeks prior to the date of treatment, (iii) a
LVEF of between 20% to 40% and (iv) been using beta-blocker therapy unless these drugs were not
tolerated or clearly contraindicated. Following treatment of the first six patients participating
in this clinical trial, we amended the trial protocol to require that patients have placement of an
ICD at least one month prior to enrollment and use of Amiodarone to reduce the potential incidence
of irregular heartbeats at least two months prior to and for at least two months following the
MyoCell implantation. Patients received injections of between 40 million and 448 million myoblast
cells, with an average dosage of
214 ± 117 million myoblast cells.
The primary efficacy endpoint of the Phase I/ II clinical trial was the effect of MyoCell on
global ventricular function at three, six and twelve months following implantation as determined
by, among other things, NYHA Class, LVEF, End-
18
Diastolic Volume, End-Systolic Volume, Cardiac Output
and Wall Motion as measured by stress echocardiography at rest and at low dose. The primary safety
endpoint was the clinical status of the patient as measured by, among other things, a comparison of
serious adverse events occurring before and following MyoCell implantation.
The clinical trial investigators observed a tendency towards statistically significant
improvement in systolic function at six and twelve-month follow-up. Efficacy data from this trial
is summarized in more detail in the following table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Endpoints |
|
Baseline |
|
3-month |
|
p-value |
|
6-month |
|
p-value |
|
12-month |
|
p-value |
NYHA Class(1) |
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
2.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
LVEF(2) |
|
|
36.3 ± 8.0 |
|
|
|
34.3 ± 9.1 |
|
|
|
0.3 |
|
|
|
34 ± 7.8 |
|
|
|
0.3 |
|
|
|
38.7 ± 9.4 |
|
|
|
0.4 |
|
End-Diastolic Volume(2) |
|
|
225 ± 83 |
|
|
|
186 ± 59 |
|
|
|
0.03 |
|
|
|
214 ± 37 |
|
|
|
0.7 |
|
|
|
197 ± 30 |
|
|
|
0.4 |
|
End-Systolic Volume(2) |
|
|
145 ± 64 |
|
|
|
124 ± 49 |
|
|
|
0.05 |
|
|
|
143 ± 37 |
|
|
|
0.9 |
|
|
|
122 ± 29 |
|
|
|
0.2 |
|
Cardiac output(3) |
|
|
4.6 ± 0.91 |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
N/A |
|
|
|
5.6 ± 1.6 |
|
|
|
0.06 |
|
|
|
5.4 ± 1.5 |
|
|
|
0.05 |
|
Wall motion as measured by stress
echocardiography at
rest(1) |
|
|
3.0 ± 0.5 |
|
|
|
2.9 ± 0.6 |
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
2.8 ± 0.6 |
|
|
|
0.95 |
|
|
|
2.8 ± 0.7 |
|
|
|
0.70 |
|
Wall motion as measured by stress
echocardiography at low
dose(3) |
|
|
2.8 ± 0.4 |
|
|
|
2.6 ± 0.5 |
|
|
|
0.65 |
|
|
|
2.5 ± 0.5 |
|
|
|
0.95 |
|
|
|
2.5 ± 0.6 |
|
|
|
0.70 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Matched data provided for 13 of the 15 patients. |
|
(2) |
|
Matched data provided for eight of the 15 patients. |
|
(3) |
|
Matched data provided for five of the 15 patients. |
Although the data showed a decrease in End-Diastolic Volume, trends towards a reduction in
End-Systolic Volume and an increase in LVEF, the data cannot be considered statistically
significant. The clinical trial investigators were, however, able to conclude from this data that
global left ventricular function remained stable and that no further deterioration of the left
ventricles occurred during the twelve months following treatment, which, given the clinical status
of the patient group, was determined by the researchers to be a significant observation.
Although not statistically significant due, in part, to the limited number of patients
treated, we noted that:
|
|
|
85% and 62% of the 13 surviving patients improved one NYHA Class at six months and
twelve months following therapy, respectively; |
|
|
|
|
31% and 23% of the 13 surviving patients improved two NYHA Classes at six months and
twelve months following therapy, respectively; |
|
|
|
|
of the eleven patients for which we have six-month data regarding LVEF, 36% of such
patients LVEF improved by at least 4% and 9% of such patients LVEF improved by at least
20% at six months following therapy; and |
|
|
|
|
of the twelve patients for which we have twelve-month data regarding LVEF, 50% of such
patients LVEF improved by at least 4% and 17% of such patients LVEF improved by at least
20% at twelve months following therapy. |
Eleven serious adverse events were reported in nine of the 15 patients during follow-up, seven
of which were investigator determined to be possibly attributable to MyoCell. Two of the seven
serious adverse events potentially attributable to MyoCell were death, which occurred relatively
shortly after receiving the MyoCell therapy. In the course of describing the cause of death,
electrophysiologists who reviewed and analyzed the data indicated that one of the deaths was most
likely attributable to irregular heart contractions brought on by the MyoCell injection procedure.
The cause of death for the other patient is unknown as permission for histology and autopsy
analysis were denied by the patients family. Following these patient deaths, we requested an
assessment by an independent European Data Safety Monitoring Board who, following their
investigation and our incorporation of their recommendations to, among other things, require prior
placement of an ICD and require holter and ICD readings every week for the first month following
the MyoCell injection procedure, supported the continuation of the trial. The other five serious
adverse events possibly attributable to MyoCell also involved irregular heart contractions. These
patients recovered and no other adverse events were reported
for such patients.
The results of this trial were presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American College of
Cardiology.
19
2002 Trial
In May 2002, we initiated a clinical trial of MyoCell in the Netherlands in collaboration with
Transvascular, Inc., or the 2002 Trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MyoCell using the
investigational TransAccess catheter. Three patients were treated in this clinical trial, which was
discontinued for reasons unrelated to the trial following the acquisition of Transvascular by
Medtronic in August 2003. All of the patients selected for enrollment in the 2002 Trial had
(i) symptoms associated with NYHA Class II, NYHA Class III or NYHA Class IV heart failure,
(ii) suffered a previous heart attack at least four weeks prior to the date of treatment, (iii) a
LVEF of between 20% to 40%, (iv) been on optimal drug therapy and (v) prior placement of an ICD at
least one month prior to enrollment. The primary safety endpoint of the study was the clinical
status of the patient as measured by, among other things, a comparison of serious adverse events
occurring before and following MyoCell implantation. The primary efficacy endpoints were the same
endpoints used in the Phase I/ II trial we conducted in Europe. Twelve month follow-up on these
three patients showed one death adjudicated by the physicians conducting the trial as unrelated to
MyoCell, with the other two patients event-free.
Paid Registry Studies
We have taken steps to initiate paid registry studies of MyoCell and MyoCath in six centers
and countries, including Korea, Mexico, Switzerland, the Bahamas, Singapore and South Africa and
finalized contracts with an institution in each of Korea, Mexico, Switzerland and The Bahamas. A
paid registry study is a research study conducted at a private hospital or research institution in
accordance with a specific protocol approved by the appropriate regulators in the country and
agreed to by contract between us and the institution conducting the study. The institution
conducting the registry study and/or the patients enrolled in the trial reimburse us for some or
all of the costs of cell culturing, biopsy processing and MyoCath. These registry studies are
primarily designed to generate revenues and to gather additional clinical research data regarding
the safety and efficacy of MyoCell and MyoCath.
As of March 1, 2008, four patients have undergone the MyoCell implantation procedure in Korea
and one patient has undergone the MyoCell implantation procedure at the Mexico center.
Other Trials of Myoblast Implantation in the Heart
In addition to studies we have sponsored, we believe myoblast-based clinical therapies have
been the subject of at least eleven clinical trials involving more than 325 enrollees, including at
least 235 treated patients. In an article published by Pr. Serruys and other contributing authors
(including our VP of Clinical Affairs and Physician Relations) in EuroIntervention Supplement B,
the authors, summarily commented on the state of the field based upon their review of preclinical
studies and at least seven Phase I or Phase II clinical trials involving, in the aggregate, at
least 80 treated patients. The authors noted that previous data derived from pre-clinical studies
demonstrated that the implantation of autologous skeletal myoblasts may lead to replacement of
non-functioning scar tissue in the heart with functional contractile tissue and consistent
improvement in global LVEF, regional wall motion and viability.
The authors further noted that results from the Phase I or II clinical trials reviewed suggest
that skeletal myoblast implantation during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery may lead to
similar effects, as do recent studies using percutaneous delivery of myoblasts as a stand-alone
procedure. We believe that the results of these clinical trials, as well as the results of our
clinical trials to date and the results of the MAGIC Trial discussed below, generally provide
support for our theory that MyoCell may add a new dimension to the interventional management of
deterioration of cardiac function in patients with severe heart damage.
MG Therapeutics Myoblast Autologous Grafting in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC) Trial
The following summary of the results of the Myoblast Autologous Graft in Ischemic
Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC) clinical trial sponsored by MG Biotherapeutics, LLC is based upon a
presentation given by Philippe Menasché, M.D., Ph.D. at the American Heart Associations Scientific
Sessions 2006 and news reports of the presentation.
Dr. Menasché reported that the MAGIC trial was a Phase II, randomized, double blind,
placebo-controlled
20
multicenter clinical trial in various countries in Europe to assess the safety
and efficacy of skeletal myoblast implantation injected during CABG surgery into the scarred region
of the heart. 97 patients were enrolled in the MAGIC trial before it was discontinued after an
analysis by an independent data-monitoring board indicated the trial was unlikely to show that the
treatment was superior to placebo on the primary efficacy endpoints: (i) functional improvements in
Wall motion and (ii) LVEF, as measured by echocardiography six months following myoblast
implantation. The secondary efficacy endpoints included End-Systolic Volume and End-Diastolic
Volume at six months.
Dr. Menasché reported that the 97 patients were randomized into three groups. The high-dose
group (30 patients) received direct injections of myoblasts in and around the scarred area totaling
about 800 million myoblasts via 30 injections, the low-dose group (33 patients) received direct
injections of about 400 million myoblasts and the third group, the placebo group (34 patients),
received injections of the suspension medium without active cells. Dr. Menasché reported that all
of the patients selected for enrollment in the MAGIC trial had (i) suffered a heart attack at least
four weeks prior to myoblast implantation, (ii) a LVEF between 15% and 35% and (iii) a planned
CABG. All patients in the MAGIC trial received ICDs before hospital discharge.
Although the study failed to find any significant differences in Wall Motion or LVEF as
measured by echocardiography, a significant decrease, or improvement, was documented (by 12-13%
from baseline preoperative values) of LV Volume in patients receiving the high dose of cells
whereas there were no significant changes in the placebo group. Reduction in LV volume generally is
reflective of positive ventricular remodeling and improvement in the hearts ability to circulate
oxygenated blood through the arteries. Because LV Volumes are often predictors of outcomes, we
believe that finding may be clinically relevant. Furthermore, LVEF was also measured by
radionuclide or nuclear angiography in a subgroup of 48 patients and was then found to be
significantly increased in those that had received the high dose of myoblasts compared with the
placebo group. In these patients, Dr. Menasché reported that the absolute change in LVEF in the
high-dose group was 3%, significantly greater than in the placebo group, where LVEF was unchanged
from baseline at six months.
The primary safety endpoints of the study were the nature and frequency of serious adverse
events and ventricular arrhythmias during the six months following myoblast implantation. There
were no statistically significant differences between either the high-dose or low-dose treatment
and placebo groups in terms of major adverse cardiac events and irregular heartbeats when measured
over six months. Serious adverse event rates and irregular heartbeats were no different between the
groups and none of the deaths in the myoblast groups were attributable to the procedure or to
irregular heartbeats.
We were surprised and were happy to show there was apparently no increased risk in the
procedure, and we also were encouraged by what appeared to be happening with the heart volume,
noted Dr. Menasché.
Pipeline
In addition to MyoCell, we have multiple cell therapies and related devices for the treatment
of chronic and acute heart damage in various stages of development. We have also acquired the
rights to use certain devices for the treatment of heart damage. We intend to allocate our capital,
material and personnel resources among MyoCell and the product candidates described below, a number
of which may have complementary therapeutic applications. For each product candidate, we have
developed or are in the process of developing a regulatory approval plan. Assuming such proposed
plans are able to be followed, we do not anticipate that the regulatory approval of MyoCell will be
necessary for our further development of our other product candidates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Candidate |
|
Proposed Use or Indication |
|
Status/Phase |
|
Comments |
Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy
|
|
Acute, autologous cell
therapy treatment for
acute MI
|
|
Preclinical
|
|
Animal studies
completed in the
fourth quarter of
2007; subject to
favorable test
results and
completion by
Tissue Genesis of
the Device Master
File for TGI 1200
in the second
quarter of 2008,
anticipate filing
IND application in
the third quarter
of |
21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Candidate |
|
Proposed Use or Indication |
|
Status/Phase |
|
Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008 |
|
TGI 1200 Adipose
Tissue Processing
System
|
|
Fully automated device
for the rapid processing
of patient derived fat
tissue
|
|
Tissue Genesis
performing
validation studies
and preparing
Device Master File
|
|
Upon approval of
IND application for
Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy, anticipate
seeking cost
reimbursement for
supplying TGI 1200
and related
disposable kits for
use in connection
with Bioheart Acute
Cell Therapy
clinical trials,
Tissue Genesis
expects to file for
510(k) approval in
the third quarter
of 2008 |
|
MyoCell SDF-1
|
|
Autologous cell therapy
treatment for severe
chronic damage to the
heart; cells modified to
express angiogenic
factors
|
|
IND application
filed in May 2007
|
|
Assuming approval
of IND application
and receipt of
grant proceeds,
anticipate
commencing Phase I
clinical trials
during the second
quarter of 2008 |
|
MyoCath
|
|
Disposable
endoventricular catheter
used for the delivery of
biologic solutions to the
myocardium
|
|
Used in European
Phase II clinical
trials of MyoCell;
used in Phase I
clinical trials of
MyoCell
|
|
Anticipate seeking
certification to
apply the CE Mark
for commercial sale
and distribution
within the European
Union in 2008
provided we enter
into a long term
manufacturing
contract with an
entity that
satisfies the
requirements of the
International
Standards
Organization |
|
MyoCath II
|
|
Second generation
disposable
endoventricular catheter
modified to provide
multidirectional cell
injection and used for
the delivery of biologic
solutions to the
myocardium
|
|
Preclinical
|
|
Laboratory studies
currently being
conducted;
commenced animal
studies in the
third quarter of
2007 |
|
BioPace
|
|
Treatment of chronic
abnormal heart rhythm due
to electrical
disturbances in the upper
chambers of the heart
|
|
Preclinical
|
|
Preclinical
development by
Bioheart |
|
AlloCell
|
|
Allogenic cell-therapy
treatment for severe
chronic damage to the
heart
|
|
Preclinical
|
|
Preclinical
development by
Bioheart |
Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy and TGI 1200 Adipose Tissue Processing System
We are seeking to develop Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy, a patient derived cell therapy for the
treatment of acute MI. Unlike MyoCell, which is intended to be used to treat severe heart damage
months or even years after a heart attack, Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy is being designed to be used
for the treatment of muscle damage immediately following a heart attack. We hope to demonstrate
that the injection of endothelial progenitor and stem cells derived from fat tissue by the TGI 1200
is a safe and effective means of limiting or reversing some of the effects of acute MI and
preventing or slowing a patients progression from MI to CHF. Fat tissue is an abundant and readily
available source of endothelial progenitor and stem cells and is easily extractable from a patient
using minimally invasive techniques. If approved, we intend to market the Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy primarily to interventional cardiologists.
We have secured the exclusive, worldwide right to sell or lease to medical practitioners and
related healthcare entities the following items for the treatment of acute MI:
|
|
|
the TGI 1200 and certain disposable products used in conjunction with the TGI 1200, or
the TGI Licensed Products; |
|
|
|
|
the processes that use the TGI Licensed Products, or the TGI Licensed Processes; and |
|
|
|
|
the cells derived using the TGI Licensed Products and/or TGI Licensed Processes. |
22
The TGI 1200 system is a compact, fully automated cell isolation device for the rapid
processing of patient-derived fat tissue to separate, isolate and produce large yields of
endothelial progenitor and stem cells. The fat tissue is extracted from the patient using a minor
liposuction-like procedure and processed using the TGI 1200. We anticipate that the TGI 1200 will
process cells within a one-hour time period.
We have developed a proposed pathway for seeking regulatory approval of Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy. Preclinical studies involving pigs testing the safety and efficacy of Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy commenced in the first quarter of 2007 at Indiana University and were completed in the
fourth quarter of 2007. Assuming favorable preclinical test results and provided that Tissue
Genesis completes its Device Master File for the TGI 1200 in the second quarter of 2008, we
anticipate submitting to the FDA an IND with respect to Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy in the third
quarter of 2008. Provided we secure FDA approval of the Phase I protocol set forth in the IND in
the third quarter of 2008, we anticipate commencing Phase I trials of Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy
in that quarter.
Until the TGI 1200 is readily available for research and clinical applications, we have been
manually isolating and separating endothelial progenitor and stem cells from fat tissue using
Tissue Genesis TGI 100 Wound Dressing Kit and its related manual cell isolation techniques. We are
currently in the process of negotiating a research agreement with Indiana University. To date, we
have provided training as well as the TGI 100 Wound Dressing Kits and catheters to Indiana
University for use in connection with these preclinical studies.
Tissue Genesis has finalized the design of the TGI 1200 and has completed validation studies
demonstrating that the TGI 1200 produces a pulpy composition comparable to the TGI 100. It is our
understanding that the TGI 1200 is now available for research and clinical applications. Tissue
Genesis has informed us that it anticipates filing for 510(k) approval in the third quarter of
2008. Tissue Genesis has informed us that it has entered into an agreement for the manufacture of
the TGI 1200. Upon approval of our IND application for Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy, we anticipate
that we will seek cost reimbursement for supplying TGI 1200 and the related disposable kits for use
in connection with our clinical trials of Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy.
MyoCell SDF-1
Our MyoCell SDF-1 product candidate, which has recently completed preclinical testing, is
intended to be an improvement to MyoCell. In February 2006, we signed a patent licensing agreement
with the Cleveland Clinic of Cleveland, Ohio which gave us exclusive license rights to pending
patent applications in connection with MyoCell SDF-1. We expect this collaboration to give us
access to the extensive underlying animal studies supporting the patent applications. In addition,
in connection with our establishment of this relationship with the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Marc Penn,
the Medical Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at the Cleveland Clinic and a staff
cardiologist in the Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cell Biology, joined our Scientific
Advisory Board.
We anticipate that MyoCell SDF-1 will be similar to MyoCell, except that the myoblast cells to
be injected will be modified prior to injection by an adenovirus vector or non-viral vector so that
they will release extra quantities of the SDF-1 protein, which expresses angiogenic factors.
Following injury which results in inadequate blood flow to the heart, such as a heart attack, the
human body naturally increases the level of SDF-1 protein in the heart. By modifying the myoblasts
to express additional SDF-1 prior to injection, we are seeking to increase the SDF-1 protein levels
present in the heart. We are seeking to demonstrate that the presence of additional quantities of
SDF-1 protein released by the myoblasts will stimulate the recruitment of the patients existing
stem cells to the cell transplanted area and, thereafter, the recruited stem cells will assist in
the tissue repair and blood vessel formation process. Preclinical animal studies showed a definite
improvement of cardiac function when the myoblasts were modified to express additional SDF-1
protein prior to injection as compared to when the myoblasts were injected without modification.
We filed an IND application in May 2007 for Phase I clinical trials of MyoCell SDF-1 and
received comments from the FDA in August and December of 2007. Assuming FDA approval of the
protocol for a Phase I Trial of MyoCell SDF-1 in the second quarter of 2008 and our receipt of
certain grants which we have applied for, we hope to begin enrolling patients in the Phase I Trial
during such quarter.
MyoCath and MyoCath II
23
MyoCath is a disposable endoventricular catheter used for the delivery of biologic solutions
to a targeted treatment site within the myocardium, the inner wall of the heart. MyoCath provides
for multiple injections to a pre-determined needle insertion depth with a single core needle of 25
gauge diameter that can be advanced and retracted from the tip of the catheter. MyoCath is intended
for use with commercially available Becton-Dickinson 1 milliliter and 3 milliliter syringes.
Although we hope to prove that MyoCell can be administered with a variety of different catheters,
such as MyoStar, MyoCath has been specifically designed to be used for the delivery of MyoCell and
has been used as the delivery mechanism in the majority of our clinical trials to date.
We are also developing MyoCath II, a second generation catheter. MyoCath II provides a
modified injection needle which has a closed tip and side holes that result in multidirectional
cell injection rather than injection solely from the tip of the needle. We are seeking to determine
whether MyoCath II will increase the bioretention of the cells injected in the heart and disperse
the cells more efficiently throughout the scar tissue. We commenced animal studies of MyoCath II in
the third quarter of 2007. Tricardia, LLC has granted us a sublicenseable license to certain
patents and patent applications covering the modified injection needle we intend to use as part of
MyoCath II, which license is exclusive with respect to products developed under these patents for
the delivery of therapeutic compositions to the heart.
It is our hope that MyoCath and/or MyoCath II will prove to be more cost effective than, and
as safe and effective as, other catheters at delivering MyoCell. Although MyoCath and MyoCath II
have been designed for use with MyoCell, we believe that there are a number of other clinical
therapies to treat heart disease currently in development by other companies that could be
delivered via MyoCath and/or MyoCath II including gene, protein, cytokine and growth factor
therapies. Three clinical trials have been initiated by biopharmaceutical companies and other
institutions utilizing MyoCath to deliver growth factors in an effort to increase blood supply to a
damaged heart.
BioPace
BioPace is an autologous cell-based therapy intended to be used as a biological pacemaker for
the treatment of sino-atrial nodal dysfunction disease, a disease in which the natural pacemaker
cells of the heart do not properly function due to electrical disturbances in the upper chambers of
the heart and which results in an abnormal heart rhythm. The sino-atrial node is the impulse
generating tissue located in the right atrium of the heart. As part of the BioPace therapy, cells
from the sino-atrial node are removed from the right atrium of a patients heart and cultured in
our temperature controlled cell culturing facility. These cells are cultured in vitro in a solution
containing oxygen and nutrients. While the cells are being cultured, we anticipate the patient will
receive an external pacemaker to pace the remaining portions of the patients sino-atrial node. The
cultured cells are then implanted into the myocardial tissue of the right ventricle to provide
biological pacing for the heart. We are currently establishing a preclinical development plan for
BioPace.
Allocell
We anticipate that Allocell will be similar to MyoCell, except that the myoblast cells to be
injected will be taken from third party donors. Like MyoCell, we hope to demonstrate that allogenic
myoblasts are a safe and effective treatment of severe heart damage. We anticipate that Allocell
may be administered in conjunction with immunosuppressive drugs to reduce the risk of tissue
rejection. We are exploring the storage life of myoblast cells and the feasibility of maintaining
an inventory of Allocell from which interventional cardiologists can select to perform the myoblast
implantation procedure.
We believe our license agreement with Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International provides us a
conditionally exclusive license in the United States to certain patents that include claims we
believe cover the use of cultured allogenic myoblast cells for the administration to diseased
muscle within the field of heart muscle repair and angiogenesis.
We are currently establishing a preclinical development plan for Allocell.
Collaboration with Biosense Webster involving MyoStar and the MyoStar System
We have been cleared by the FDA to proceed under the protocol for the MARVEL Trial, which
protocol will require participating trial investigators to use MyoStar for the delivery of MyoCell
to patients enrolled in the trial.
24
MyoStar is a multi-electrode, percutaneous catheter with a deflectable tip and injection
needle designed to inject
agents into the heart. The tip of the catheter is equipped with a Biosense Webster location
sensor and a retractable, hollow 27-gauge needle for fluid delivery. Use of the MyoStar is coupled
with the NOGA XP Cardiac Navigation System, which is a 510(k) cleared electroanatomical mapping
system used to create a 3D real-time mapping of a patients heart. The location information
displayed on the NOGA display screen is the location of the catheter tip sensor, which allows for
precise targeting of injections into infracted tissue.
We are not affiliated with Biosense Webster, the Cordis Corporation or any other Johnson and
Johnson company. On May 10, 2007, we entered into a supply agreement with Biosense Webster pursuant
to which they have agreed to:
|
|
|
deliver MyoStar to us at an agreed upon price as and when required for the MARVEL Trial; |
|
|
|
|
facilitate our purchasing access to its FDA approved mapping and reference catheters,
Nogastar and Reference Patch, respectively by setting us up as an approved purchaser; and |
|
|
|
|
providing technical training on the MyoStar System. |
This supply agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) two years and (ii) three months
after treatment of the last patient enrolled in the MARVEL Trial. In addition, either party may
terminate the agreement upon 30 days notice if the principal investigator for the MARVEL Trial
becomes unable or unwilling to continue performance of the trial.
Except as set forth above, we have no right to control the further development, clinical
testing and/or refinement of MyoStar or the MyoStar System. See Item 1A. Risk Factors We are
subject to numerous risks associated with seeking regulatory approval of MyoCell pursuant to a
protocol that requires the use of a catheter system which is still subject to FDA approval. The
catheter system we intend to use in connection with our MARVEL Trial is owned by an unaffiliated
third party. Although we have entered into a two-year supply agreement for delivery of the catheter
system for use in the MARVEL Trial, we are subject to a number of risks not addressed by the
parties in the supply agreement.
Research
We supervise and perform experimental work in the areas of improving cell culturing, cell
engraftment, and other advanced research projects related to our product candidates from our
Sunrise cell culturing facility. The primary focus of a substantial majority of our employees is
advancing our clinical trials, preclinical studies, research and product development.
In addition, we work with a number of third parties within and outside the United States on
various research and product development projects, including:
|
|
|
preclinical small and large animal testing for lead product candidate enhancements and
pipeline product candidate development; and |
|
|
|
|
contract research for clinical and preclinical testing of our pipeline product
candidates. |
Cell Culturing
We have an approximately 2,000 square foot cell culturing facility at our headquarters in
Sunrise, Florida. We began culturing cells at this facility for preclinical uses in the third
quarter of 2006. Upon commencement of the MARVEL Trial in the fourth quarter of 2007, we began
culturing cells at this facility for clinical uses. We believe our cell culturing facility and
processes comply with cGMP. We anticipate that this facility will manufacture substantially all of
the capacity needed in the United States through 2008 for the MARVEL Trial.
Over the last two years, we have significantly improved our ability to:
|
|
|
culture in excess of 800 million myoblast cells per biopsy; and |
25
|
|
|
produce cell cultures with a high percentage of viable myoblast cells. |
Accordingly, we have been able to increase the maximum dosage of myoblast cells injected as
part of the MyoCell therapy to approximately 800 million myoblast cells. We expect that we will
seek to further refine our MyoCell cell culturing processes. We are seeking to automate a
significant portion of our cell culturing processes in an effort to reduce our culturing costs and
processing times. We have licensed patents from Dr. Law relating to this automation process.
We have historically met and, with respect to the cell culturing of our product candidates in
Europe, expect to meet, our cell culturing needs by contracting with third party manufacturers.
In December 2006, we entered into a non-exclusive supply agreement with Pharmacell BV, or
Pharmacell. We anticipate that substantially all of the MyoCell inventory to be cultured or
purchased in Europe in 2008 will be cultured by Pharmacell at their facility in Massetricht,
Netherlands, which opened in June 2006. Pursuant to the supply agreement, Pharmacell has agreed to
provide us with MyoCell cell culturing at its cost plus a certain percentage per culture. We have
no minimum purchase obligation under the supply agreement. The supply agreement expires six months
following the completion of the SEISMIC and MARVEL Trials unless terminated earlier. Either party
may terminate the supply agreement upon the other partys insolvency or the other partys material
default or breach of any provision of the supply agreement.
We also have cell culturing contracts with Cambrex Bioscience for the culturing of cells at
their facilities in Maryland, United States and Verviers, Belgium. Pursuant to our agreements with
Cambrex Bioscience, we do not have any minimum purchase commitment and, while Cambrex has agreed to
use reasonable efforts to meet our manufacturing needs, they have not guaranteed that they will be
able to do so. We compensate Cambrex for its cell culturing services on a per patient basis at a
fixed cost per culture and at hourly rates for services they provide to us not directly related to
the scheduling and processing of a biopsy.
We are seeking to further optimize our processing times by building facilities or contracting
with a small number of cell culturing facilities in strategic regional locations. We have
established and/or are currently evaluating establishing joint venture manufacturing relationships
in Korea, China and Australia. We anticipate that a portion of the funds necessary to construct new
manufacturing facilities may be made available to us by the governments of the countries where we
seek to build such facilities.
Supply Agreements
In June 2007, we entered into an agreement with BioLife Solutions, Inc., or BioLife, pursuant
to which BioLife agreed to sell and we agreed to purchase all of our preservation media products
during the term of the agreement. The initial term of the agreement is for ten years and is subject
to renewal for additional one-year periods thereafter. Pursuant to the agreement, the purchase
prices we will be required to pay for these products will be at various discounts to the prevailing
list prices. We are also required to pay BioLife an annual fee, which we do not believe is
material. Upon the occurrence of certain events, including, but not limited to, BioLifes uncured
material breach of the agreement, the cessation of BioLifes business operations, or BioLifes
inability to supply us with the quantities of products we request in any two calendar quarters
under the term of the agreement, BioLife has agreed to grant us a non-transferable, non-exclusive,
worldwide, fully paid-up, royalty free license to its intellectual property, including its
formulation and manufacturing processes to permit us to manufacture, or cause to be manufactured,
the preservation media products subject to this agreement. Either party may terminate the agreement
upon the other partys uncured material breach of the agreement.
Third Party Reimbursement
Government and private insurance programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, health maintenance
organizations and private insurers, fund the cost of a significant portion of medical care in the
United States. As a result, government imposed limits on reimbursement of hospitals and other
healthcare providers have significantly impacted their spending budgets and buying decisions. Under
certain government insurance programs, a healthcare provider is reimbursed a fixed sum for services
rendered in treating a patient, regardless of the actual cost of such treatment incurred by the
healthcare
26
provider. Private third party reimbursement plans are also developing increasingly
sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs through redesign of benefits and exploration
of more cost-effective methods of delivering healthcare. In general, we believe that these
government and private measures have caused healthcare providers to be more selective in the
purchase of medical products.
As of the date of this report, CMS has agreed to reimburse certain of the centers that are
participating in the MYOHEART Trial for costs deemed routine in nature for patients suffering
from heart failure. Examples of these reimbursable costs include, but are not limited to, costs
associated with physical examination of the patients, x-rays, holter monitoring, MUGA scan and
echocardiography. However, at present, CMS reimbursement does not cover the cost of MyoCell
implantation.
Reimbursement for healthcare costs outside the United States varies from country to country.
In European countries, the pricing of prescription pharmaceutical products and services and the
level of government reimbursement are subject to governmental control. In these countries, pricing
negotiations with governmental authorities can take six to twelve months or longer after the
receipt of marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some
countries, we may be required to conduct one or more clinical trials that compare the cost
effectiveness of our product candidates to other available therapies. Conducting one or more
clinical trials would be expensive and result in delays in commercialization of our product
candidates.
Research Grants
Historically, part of our research and development efforts have been indirectly funded by
research grants to various centers and/or physicians that have participated in our MyoCell and
MyoCath clinical trials. As part of our development strategy, we intend to continue to seek to
develop research partnerships with centers and/or physicians.
Patents and Proprietary Rights
We own or hold licenses or hold sublicenses to an intellectual property portfolio consisting
of approximately 19 patents and 19 patent applications in the United States, and approximately
twelve patents and 57 patent applications in foreign countries, for use in the field of heart
muscle regeneration. We have described our most material license and sublicense agreements below in
the section entitled Business Technology In-Licenses and Other Agreements. References in this
report to our patents and patent applications and other similar references include the patents
and patent applications that are owned by, or licensed or sublicensed to us, and references to
patents and patent applications that are licensed to us and other similar references refer to
patents, patent applications and other intellectual property that are licensed or sublicensed to
us.
Our intellectual property strategy emphasizes method, product and device patents. We rely
primarily on one U.S. patent for MyoCell, or the Primary MyoCell Patent, one U.S. patent for
MyoCath, or the Primary MyoCath Patent and a number of patents for MyoCath II. We rely on three
pending U.S. patent applications and corresponding foreign patent applications for MyoCell SDF-1
and three U.S. patents for BioPace. For most of our other product candidates, we rely on one
primary patent, multiple patents in combination and/or proprietary processes.
The following provides a description of our key patents and pending applications and is not
intended to represent an assessment of claims, limitations or scope.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expiration Date Assuming |
Patent |
|
Subject Matter |
|
Related Product(s) |
|
No Patent Extension |
US5,130,141
|
|
Compositions for
and methods of
treating muscle
degeneration and
weakness
|
|
MyoCell; MyoCell
SDF-1
|
|
July 14, 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US5,972,013
|
|
Direct Pericardial
Access Device with
Deflecting
Mechanism and
Method
|
|
MyoCath; MyoCath II
|
|
Sep. 19, 2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US6,241,710
|
|
Hypodermic Needle
with Weeping Tip
and Method of Use
|
|
MyoCath II
|
|
Dec. 20, 2019 |
27
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expiration Date Assuming |
Patent |
|
Subject Matter |
|
Related Product(s) |
|
No Patent Extension |
US6,547,769
|
|
Catheter Apparatus
with Weeping Tip
and Method of Use
|
|
MyoCath II
|
|
Dec. 20, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US6,855,132
|
|
Apparatus with
Weeping Tip and Method of Use
|
|
MyoCath II
|
|
Dec. 20, 2019 (with
101 day adjustment: Mar. 30, 2020) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
US6,949,087
|
|
Apparatus with
Weeping Tip and
Method of Use
|
|
MyoCath II
|
|
Dec. 20, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
Patent Application |
|
Subject Matter |
|
Related Product(s) |
WO 04/056186
(US03/34411)(PCT)
|
|
Cell-Based VEGF Delivery
|
|
MyoCell SDF-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
US2004/0037811
|
|
Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 Mediates Stem
Cell Homing and Tissue Regeneration in Ischemic
Cardiomyopathy
|
|
MyoCell SDF-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
WO 04/017978
(US03/26013) (PCT)
|
|
Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1
Mediates Stem Cell
Homing and Tissue Regeneration in Ischemic
Cardiomyopathy
|
|
MyoCell SDF-1 |
Patent life determination depends on the date of filing of the application or the date of
patent issuance and other factors as promulgated under the patent laws. Under the U.S. Drug Price
Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, as amended, a patent which claims a product,
use or method of manufacture covering drugs and certain other products, including biologic
products, may be extended for up to five years to compensate the patent holder for a portion of the
time required for research and FDA review of the product. Only one patent applicable to an approved
drug or biologic product is eligible for a patent term extension. This law also establishes a
period of time following approval of a drug or biologic product during which the FDA may not accept
or approve applications for certain similar or identical drugs or biologic products from other
sponsors unless those sponsors provide their own safety and efficacy data.
We anticipate that we will seek to collaborate with the owners of the patent, Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants International, to extend the term of this patent. In the event MyoCell is approved by
the FDA prior to the patent expiration date and certain other material conditions are satisfied, we
believe that this patent will be eligible for a five-year extension of its term until July 2014. It
is likely, however, that the FDA will not complete review of and grant approval for MyoCell before
this patent expires. In such event, a regular patent term extension will not be available, but
Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International could request a one-year interim extension of the patent
term during the period beginning six months before and ending fifteen days before the patent
expiration. The request for interim extension must satisfy a number of material conditions
including those conditions necessary to receive a regular patent term extension. Under certain
circumstances the patent owner can request up to four additional one-year interim extensions.
However, we cannot assure you that Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International will seek to obtain,
or will be successful in obtaining, any regular or interim patent term extension.
MyoCell is not protected by patents outside of the United States, which means that competitors
will be free to sell products that incorporate the same or similar technologies that are used in
MyoCell without infringing our patent rights in those countries, including in European countries,
which we believe may be one of the largest potential markets for MyoCell. As a result, MyoCell, if
approved for use in any of these countries, may be vulnerable to competition. In addition, many of
the patent and patent applications that have been licensed to us that pertain to our other product
candidates do not cover certain countries within Europe.
Our commercial success will depend to a significant degree on our ability to:
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defend and enforce our patents and/or compel the owners of the patents licensed to us to
defend and enforce such
patents; |
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obtain additional patent and other proprietary protection for MyoCell and our other
product candidates; |
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obtain and/or maintain appropriate licenses to patents, patent applications or other
proprietary rights held by others with respect to our technology, both in the United States
and other countries; |
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preserve trade secrets and other intellectual property rights relating to our product
candidates; and |
28
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operate without infringing the patents and proprietary rights of third parties. |
In addition to patented intellectual property, we also rely on trade secrets and proprietary
know-how to protect our technology and maintain our competitive position, especially when we do not
believe that patent protection is appropriate or can be obtained. Our policy is to require each of
our employees, consultants and advisors to execute a confidentiality and inventions assignment
agreement before beginning their employment, consulting or advisory relationship with us. The
agreements generally provide that the individual must keep confidential and not disclose to other
parties any confidential information developed or learned by the individual during the course of
the individuals relationship with us except in limited circumstances. These agreements generally
also provide that we shall own all inventions conceived by the individual in the course of
rendering services to us. Moreover, some of our academic institution licensors, collaborators and
scientific advisors have rights to publish data and information to which we have rights, which may
impair our ability to protect our proprietary information or obtain patent protection in the
future.
We work with others in our research and development activities and one of our strategies is to
enter into collaborative agreements with third parties to develop our proposed products. Disputes
may arise about inventorship and corresponding rights in know-how and inventions resulting from the
joint creation or use of intellectual property by us and our licensors, collaborators, consultants
and others. In addition, other parties may circumvent any proprietary protection we do have. As a
result, we may not be able to maintain our proprietary position.
Except for the complaint filed against us by Dr. Law and Cell Transplants Asia, we are not
currently a party to any litigation or other adverse proceeding with regard to our patents or
intellectual property rights. However, if we become involved in litigation or any other adverse
intellectual property proceeding, for example, as a result of an alleged infringement, or a third
party alleging an earlier date of invention, we may have to spend significant amounts of money and
time and, in the event of an adverse ruling, we could be subject to liability for damages,
including treble damages, invalidation of our intellectual property and injunctive relief that
could prevent us from using technologies or developing products, any of which could have a
significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. In
addition, any claims relating to the infringement of third party proprietary rights, or earlier
date of invention, even if not meritorious, could result in costly litigation, lengthy governmental
proceedings, divert managements attention and resources and require us to enter royalty or license
agreements which are not advantageous, if available at all.
See Item 1A. Risk Factors Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property for a discussion of
additional risks we face with respect to our intellectual property rights.
Technology In-Licenses and Other Agreements
Primary MyoCell Patent
The Primary MyoCell Patent includes claims we believe cover a composition for the treatment of
muscle degeneration, comprised of cultured myogenic cells for use in their administration to
diseased muscle. The Primary MyoCell Patent expires in the United States in July 2009. In the event
MyoCell is approved by the FDA prior to the patent expiration date and certain other material
conditions are satisfied, we believe that this patent will be eligible for a five-year extension of
its term until July 2014. It is likely, however, that the FDA will not complete review of and grant
approval for MyoCell before this patent expires. In such event, a regular patent term extension
will not be available, but Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International could request a one-year
interim extension of the patent term during the period beginning six months before and ending
fifteen days before the patent expiration. The request for interim extension must satisfy a number
of material conditions including those conditions necessary to receive a regular patent term
extension. Under certain circumstances the patent owner can request up to four additional one-year
interim extensions.
In February 2000, we entered into a License Agreement, or the Law License Agreement, with
Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International pursuant to which Dr. Law and Cell Transplants
International granted us a conditionally exclusive license (i.e., a non-exclusive license with a
right of first refusal) to certain patent and patent applications, including the Primary MyoCell
Patent, or, collectively, the Law Patents, for the life of such Law Patents as well as future
29
developments related to heart muscle regeneration and angiogenesis for the purpose of developing a
commercially viable product within the field of heart muscle repair and angiogenesis, or,
collectively, the Law IP. We are not permitted to sublicense our rights under the Law License
Agreement to third parties. If Dr. Law or Cell Transplants International desires to license or
otherwise convey any rights in and to any of the Law Patents, including the Primary MyoCell Patent,
or any of their technology, inventions or other patent rights in the field of heart muscle
regeneration or angiogenesis to a third party, we have a right of first refusal, exercisable within
thirty days, to obtain either an exclusive or non-exclusive license for such rights. Dr. Law and
Cell Transplants International have agreed that they will not consider any such third party offer
if the aggregate consideration offered is less than $14 million. Pursuant to the Law License
Agreement, the exercise price of our right of first refusal will be equal to the lesser of the
price offered by the third party or $25 million.
Under the Law License Agreement, we are required to pay to Cell Transplants International a
$3 million payment upon commencement of a bona fide U.S. Phase II human clinical trial that
utilizes technology claimed under the Primary MyoCell Patent and a $5 million payment upon FDA
approval of patented technology for heart muscle regeneration. In addition, we are required to pay
royalties to Cell Transplants International equal to 5% of gross sales in the territories where the
licensed patents are issued for products and services that are covered by the Law IP. On
October 24, 2007, we completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the first patient in the
MARVEL Trial, our Phase II/ III Trial of
MyoCell. We have not yet made the $3 million payment that is now due. See Item 1A. Risk
Factors We have licensed and therefore do not own the intellectual property that is critical to
our business...
Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International have agreed to use reasonably diligent and prompt
efforts to enforce the patents licensed pursuant to the Law License Agreement by instituting
litigation against all third parties to whom Dr. Law and/or Cell Transplants International have a
reasonable basis for claiming infringement. Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International are entitled
to any and all damages recovered in connection with any such litigation. We do not have the right
to initiate or exercise any control over the prosecution, maintenance, defense or enforcement of
the Law IP. See Risk Factors Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property for a discussion of
additional risks we face with respect to our intellectual property rights.
Our interpretation of certain terms of the Law License Agreement, as well as our performance
of certain obligations under the Law License Agreement, have been disputed by Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants Asia, as described in Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Primary MyoCath Patent
The Primary MyoCath Patent includes device claims that we believe covers, among other things,
the structure of MyoCath. The Primary MyoCath Patent expires in the United States in September
2017. A patent application for the Primary MyoCath Patent has been filed in Europe and is currently
pending.
In January 2000, we entered into a license agreement with Comedicus Incorporated pursuant to
which Comedicus granted us a royalty-free, fully paid-up, non-exclusive and irrevocable license to
the Primary MyoCath Patent in exchange for a payment of $50,000. This agreement was amended in
August 2000 to provide us an exclusive license to the Primary MyoCath Patent in exchange for a
payment of $100,000 and our loan of $250,000 to Comedicus. Pursuant to this amendment we also
received the right, but not the obligation, with Comedicus consent, which consent is not to be
unreasonably withheld, to defend the Primary MyoCath Patent against third party infringers.
In June 2003, we entered into agreements with Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., or ACS,
originally a subsidiary of Guidant Corporation and now d/b/a Abbott Vascular, a division of Abbott
Laboratories, pursuant to which we assigned our rights under the license agreement with Comedicus,
as amended, committed to deliver 160 units of MyoCath and sold certain of our other catheter
related intellectual property, or, collectively, with the Primary MyoCath Patent, the Catheter IP,
for aggregate consideration of $900,000. In connection with these agreements, ACS granted to us a
co-exclusive, irrevocable, fully paid-up license to the Catheter IP for the life of the patents
related to the Catheter IP.
ACS has the exclusive right, at its own expense, to file, prosecute, issue, maintain, license,
and defend the Catheter
IP, and the primary right to enforce the Catheter IP against third party infringers. If ACS
fails to enforce the Catheter IP against a third party infringer within a specified period of time,
we have the right to do so at our expense. The party enforcing the Catheter IP is entitled to
retain any recoveries resulting from such enforcement. The asset purchase
30
agreement only pertains
to the Catheter IP developed or acquired by us prior to June 24, 2003. Our subsequent catheter
related developments and/or acquisitions, such as MyoCath II, were not sold or licensed to ACS.
MyoCell SDF-1 Patents
To develop our MyoCell SDF-1 product candidate, we intend to rely primarily on patents we have
licensed from the Cleveland Clinic in addition to the Primary MyoCell Patent. These patents relate
to methods of repairing damaged heart tissue by transplanting myoblasts that express SDF-1 and
other therapeutic proteins capable of recruiting other stem cells within a patients own body to
the cell transplant area. We believe we will also need to, among other things, license some
additional intellectual property to commercialize MyoCell SDF-1 in the form we believe may prove to
be the most safe and/or effective.
In February 2006, we signed a patent licensing agreement with the Cleveland Clinic which
provides us with the worldwide, exclusive rights to three pending U.S. patent applications and
certain corresponding foreign filings in the following jurisdictions: Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, Europe and Japan, or, collectively, the Cleveland Clinic IP, related to methods of repairing
damaged heart tissue by transplanting myoblasts that express SDF-1 and other therapeutic proteins
capable of recruiting other stem cells within a patients own body to the cell transplant area. The
term of our
agreement with the Cleveland Clinic extends to the date on which the last of the Cleveland
Clinic IP expires, at which time our license will become irrevocable, paid up and royalty-free.
Certain terms of this patent licensing agreement were amended in March 2007.
We have paid the Cleveland Clinic aggregate fees of $1.5 million and are required to pay an
annual maintenance fee of $150,000.
In addition, we are required to make payments upon our achievement of certain milestone
activities which we have agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to complete by target dates
agreed to by the parties. The table below sets forth the milestone activity, required milestone
payment and target completion date.
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Milestone |
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Milestone Activity |
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Payment |
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Target Completion Date |
FDA or foreign equivalent
approval of an IND
application covering
product candidates derived
from the Cleveland Clinic
IP
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$ |
200,000 |
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60 days following completion
of FDA required safety study,
or IND Target Completion Date |
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Full enrollment of an FDA
approved Phase I clinical
trial for the first product
candidate derived from the
Cleveland Clinic IP
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$ |
300,000 |
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One year following IND Target
Completion Date |
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Full enrollment of the last
clinical trial needed prior
to a Biologic License
Application submission to
the FDA or foreign
equivalent related to the
first product candidate
derived from the Cleveland
Clinic IP
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$ |
750,000 |
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Two years following IND
Target Completion Date |
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First commercial sale of an
FDA approved product
derived from the Cleveland
Clinic IP
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$ |
1,000,000 |
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Four years following IND
Target Completion Date |
In August and December of 2007, we received correspondence from the FDA requesting certain
additional information regarding the IND application for MyoCell SDF-1 submitted in May 2007. To
provide this information, we were required to complete an additional safety study of MyoCell SDF-1,
which we completed in the first quarter of 2008. We plan to submit this data to the FDA in the
second quarter of 2008.
To the extent we do not complete a milestone activity by the target completion date, we will
be required to pay $100,000, or the Extension Fee, to extend the target completion date for an
additional one year period, or the Extension Period. If such milestone activity is achieved during
the first six months of the Extension Period, the Extension Fee will be credited against the
applicable milestone payment. We will also be required to pay Cleveland Clinic royalty fees equal
to 5% of net sales of any product derived from the Cleveland Clinic IP until the expiration of
the patents. In addition, in the event we do not complete a milestone activity by the target
completion date and fail to achieve such milestone activity within 90 days of receiving written
notice from the Cleveland Clinic, our license to the Cleveland Clinic IP will automatically convert
into a non-exclusive license. In the event such milestone activity remains uncompleted one year
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following the target completion date and is not completed within 90 days of receiving written
notice from the Cleveland Clinic, our license to the Cleveland Clinic IP will automatically
terminate.
Pursuant to our license agreement with the Cleveland Clinic, we are permitted to sublicense
the Cleveland Clinic IP. However, prior to enrollment of the first human in an FDA approved
clinical trial, we are required to pay Cleveland Clinic 20% of all revenue received from our
granting of sublicenses to the Cleveland Clinic IP. Following enrollment of the first human in an
FDA approved clinical trial, we will be required to pay Cleveland Clinic 10% of all revenue
received from our granting of sublicenses to the Cleveland Clinic IP. These sublicense fees do not
include amounts paid by a sublicensee to us relating to, among other things, net sales of products
derived from the Cleveland Clinic IP.
The Cleveland Clinic has agreed to diligently prosecute and maintain the rights to the
Cleveland Clinic IP and has the right, but not the obligation, to prosecute and/or defend, at its
own expense, any infringement of, and/or challenge to, the patent rights. To the extent the
Cleveland Clinic determines not to initiate suit against any infringer, we have the right, but not
the obligation, to commence litigation for such alleged infringement. Any damages recovered will be
treated as royalties received by us from sublicensees and shared by us and the Cleveland Clinic
accordingly.
In addition to the Cleveland Clinics right to terminate due to our failure to complete
milestone activities as described
above, the Cleveland Clinic may terminate our agreement with the Cleveland Clinic if we breach
the agreement and fail to cure such breach within a specified cure period. The agreement also will
terminate automatically in the event of our bankruptcy. Upon the Cleveland Clinics termination of
the agreement due to our default, breach or bankruptcy, we have granted the Cleveland Clinic an
automatic, non-exclusive, no-cost, royalty free license, with the right to sublicense, to any
patents created by us and our affiliates during the term of the license agreement that are required
for the development of product candidates derived from the Cleveland Clinic IP. Upon such
termination, we have also granted the Cleveland Clinic the exclusive right to negotiate for a
license on a worldwide basis, in the field of use and upon commercially reasonable terms, to
license any patent rights created by us or our affiliates that may be useful for the development of
the product candidates derived from the Cleveland Clinic IP.
MyoCath II Patents
In April 2006, we entered into an agreement with Tricardia, LLC pursuant to which Tricardia
granted us a sublicenseable license to certain patents and patent applications in the United
States, Australia, Canada, Europe and Japan covering the modified injection needle we intend to use
as part of MyoCath II, or the MyoCath II Patents, in exchange for a one-time payment of $100,000.
Our license covers and is exclusive with respect to products developed under the MyoCath II Patents
for the delivery of therapeutic compositions to the heart. Unless earlier terminated by mutual
consent of the parties, our agreement with Tricardia will terminate upon the expiration date of the
last MyoCath II Patent.
Tricardia has the obligation to take all actions necessary to file, prosecute and maintain the
MyoCath II Patents. We are required to reimburse Tricardia, on a pro-rata basis with other
licensees of Tricardia of the MyoCath II Patents, for all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and
expenses incurred by Tricardia in prosecuting and maintaining the MyoCath II Patents. To the extent
we do not wish to incur the cost of any undertaking or defense of any opposition, interference or
similar proceeding involving the MyoCath II Patents with respect to any jurisdiction, the license
granted to us pursuant to agreement will be automatically amended to exclude such jurisdiction.
Tricardia also has the first right, but not the obligation, to take any actions necessary to
prosecute or prevent any infringement or threatened infringement of the MyoCath II Patents. To the
extent Tricardia determines not to initiate suit against any infringer, we have the right, but not
the obligation, to commence litigation for such alleged infringement. Our share of any recovery
will equal 50% in the event Tricardia commences litigation and 90% in the event we commence
litigation.
TGI 1200 Patent
On December 12, 2006, or the Effective Date, we entered into an agreement with Tissue Genesis,
or the Tissue
Genesis Agreement, that provides us an exclusive, worldwide right to individually use or to
sell or lease to medical practitioners and related healthcare entities the following items, for the
treatment of acute MI and heart failure, or the Field of Use:
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the TGI 1200 and certain disposable products used in conjunction with the devices, or,
the TGI Licensed Product Candidates; |
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processes that use the TGI Licensed Product Candidates, or the TGI Licensed Processes;
and |
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the cells derived using the TGI Licensed Product Candidates and/or the TGI Licensed
Processes, or the TGI Licensed Cells. |
Under the Tissue Genesis Agreement, we are restricted from transferring or sublicensing our
rights to distribute and use, respectively, the TGI Licensed Product Candidates and related
technology, or the TGI Product Candidate Technology.
Under the Tissue Genesis Agreement, we have agreed to diligently pursue commercialization of
the TGI Licensed Product Candidates for the treatment of acute MI and heart failure. We have also
agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain FDA approval for the TGI Licensed Product
Candidates within five years of the Effective Date and to make the first sale of a TGI Licensed
Product Candidate within seven years of the Effective Date. Tissue Genesis has agreed to provide us
with reasonable assistance to obtain regulatory approvals.
Tissue Genesis has agreed to sell us equipment and disposables on pricing terms as favorable
as the terms offered to any other direct customer. Tissue Genesis has agreed to provide us with any
reasonably available information and instructions related to the operation and maintenance of any
equipment we purchase.
We have granted Tissue Genesis an exclusive, worldwide license to use, for purposes other than
the treatment of acute MI and heart failure, any improvements we make to the TGI Product Candidate
Technology. Tissue Genesis has granted us a right of first refusal to acquire any improvements made
or acquired by Tissue Genesis to the TGI Licensed Product Candidates or TGI Product Candidate
Technology.
We may terminate the Tissue Genesis Agreement for any reason upon 90 days written notice to
Tissue Genesis. In the event we terminate the Tissue Genesis Agreement, the warrant we granted
Tissue Genesis (described below) will immediately become fully vested. In the event we fail to
obtain FDA approval for a TGI Licensed Product Candidate within seven years of the Effective Date,
our exclusive license and distribution right will automatically become non-exclusive. In the event
we fail to obtain FDA approval for a TGI Licensed Product Candidate within eight years of the
Effective Date, our license and distribution right will automatically terminate. In the event we
pay Tissue Genesis royalties of less than $1 million over any one year royalty period at any time
after two years following the receipt of FDA approval for a TGI Licensed Product Candidate, our
exclusive license and distribution right will automatically terminate 30 days after receipt of
notice from Tissue Genesis unless we demonstrate that we continue to pursue commercialization and
FDA approval of TGI Licensed Product Candidates and have spent at least the following cumulative
amounts toward our commercialization and FDA approval efforts:
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$500,000 within two years of the Effective Date; |
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$1,250,000 within three years of the Effective Date; |
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$2,000,000 within four years of the Effective Date; and |
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an additional $100,000 each year after four years of the Effective Date. |
Tissue Genesis also has the right to terminate the agreement if we are in material breach
thereof and we do not cure the breach within 30 days of receiving written notice of such breach. We
have the right, but not the obligation, to request that Tissue Genesis commence litigation against
a third party infringer of the patents, including certain patents licensed by Tissue Genesis from
Thomas Jefferson University, or the TJU Patents, necessary for our customers use of the TGI
Licensed Product Candidates, the TGI Licensed Processes and the TGI Licensed Cells within the Field
of Use. In the event (i) Tissue Genesis fails to bring suit within 120 days of receipt of our
written request, which request must be
accompanied by an opinion of counsel as to the alleged infringement and (ii) sales of the
infringing products reduce our net sales of the TGI Licensed Product Candidates by at least
$250,000 per year, we will be relieved of our obligation to
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pay Tissue Genesis royalty fees until
Tissue Genesis initiates litigation against the third party infringer or obtains discontinuance of
the infringement. If requested by Tissue Genesis, we may be required to pay for one third of the
expenses, including legal fees, of any such litigation. To the extent we are required to contribute
to the costs of litigation, we will have the right to participate in the prosecution of the alleged
infringement and to receive one third of any damages recovered by Tissue Genesis.
As consideration for the license, we issued to Tissue Genesis 13,006 shares of our common
stock and granted Tissue Genesis a warrant to purchase 1,544,450 shares of our common stock with an
exercise price of $7.69 per share. The warrant is scheduled to vest and become exercisable as
follows:
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617,780 shares will vest upon our successful completion of any internationally
recognized Phase I clinical trial of a TGI Licensed Product Candidate; |
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463,335 shares will vest upon the earlier of our net sales of $10 million of TGI
Licensed Product Candidates or our receipt of $2 million of net profits from the sale of
TGI Licensed Product Candidates; and |
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463,335 shares will vest upon the earlier of our net sales of $100 million of TGI
Licensed Product Candidates or our receipt of $20 million of net profits from the sale of
TGI Licensed Product Candidates. |
In the event we merge or are acquired, the warrant will immediately become fully vested as to
all 1,544,450 shares. Any vested portion of the warrant will be exercisable at any time and from
time to time until December 31, 2026.
We have also agreed to pay Tissue Genesis royalty fees equal to 2% of net sales of any TGI
Licensed Product Candidate, TGI Licensed Processes and TGI Licensed Cells, up until such time as
the items are no longer qualified for legal protection by a valid patent claim or trade secret.
Tissue Genesis has agreed that we and our customers will not be liable for damages for
directly or indirectly infringing various patents, including the TJU patents necessary for our
customers use of the TGI Licensed Product Candidates, the TGI Licensed Processes and the TGI
Licensed Cells for the treatment of acute MI. Tissue Genesis has, subject to certain conditions,
also agreed to indemnify and hold harmless us and our customers from all claims that the products
infringe any patents, copyrights or trade secret rights of a third party. However, if our use of
the products is enjoined or if Tissue Genesis wishes to minimize its liability, Tissue Genesis may,
at its option and expense, either:
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substitute a substantially equivalent non-infringing product for the infringing product; |
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modify the infringing product so that it no longer infringes but remains functionally
equivalent; or |
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obtains for us the right to continue using such item. |
If none of the foregoing is feasible, Tissue Genesis is required to accept a return of the
infringing product and refund to us the amount paid for such product. Our agreement with Tissue
Genesis provides that Tissue Genesis entire liability and obligation with respect to claims of
infringement are limited to the liabilities and obligations described above.
Other License Agreements
In June 2000, we entered into an agreement with William Beaumont Hospital, or WBH, pursuant to
which WBH granted to us a worldwide, exclusive, non-sublicenseable license to two U.S. method
patents covering the inducement of human adult myocardial cell proliferation in vitro, or the WBH
IP. The term of the agreement is for the life of the patents, which expire in 2015. We utilize the
methods under these patents in connection with our BioPace and certain other product candidates in
development. We do not have rights to patents outside the United States relating to BioPace. In
addition to a payment of $55,000 we made to acquire the license, we are required to pay WBH an
annual license fee of $10,000 and royalties ranging from 2% to 4% of net sales of products that are
covered by the WBH IP. In order to maintain these exclusive license rights, our aggregate royalty
payments in any calendar year must exceed a minimum threshold as established by the agreement. The
minimum threshold was $50,000 for 2005, $100,000 for 2006 and
$200,000 for 2007. This minimum threshold will remain $200,000 for 2008 and thereafter. To the
extent that our annual net sales of products covered by the WBH IP do not exceed the minimum
threshold for such year, we have the option of
34
paying any shortfall in cash to WBH by the end of
the applicable year or having our license to the WBH IP become non-exclusive. In addition to the
patents licensed from WBH, we purchased a U.S. patent and its corresponding Japanese filing, which
are directed to biological pacemakers, by assignment from Angeion Corporation on September 1, 2000.
As of the date of this report, we have not made any payments to WBH other than the initial
payment to acquire the license. Accordingly, WBH may terminate the license to the WBH IP at any
time at their sole option. We are currently in negotiations with WBH to amend the terms of the
license agreement. Unless earlier terminated by WBH or by either party upon the other partys
breach of the agreement, the agreement will terminate upon the expiration date of the last patent
covered by the WBH Agreement.
Sales and Marketing
In advance of any expected commercial approval of our lead product candidate in the United
States, we intend to internally develop a direct sales and marketing force. We anticipate the team
will be comprised of salespeople, clinical and reimbursement specialists and product marketing
managers.
We intend to market MyoCell to interventional cardiologists. In the typical healthcare system
the interventional cardiologist functions as a gate keeper for determining the course of
appropriate medical care for our target patient population.
We anticipate our marketing efforts will be focused on informing interventional cardiologists
of the availability of a our treatment alternative through the following channels of communication:
(i) articles published in medical journals by
widely recognized interventional cardiologists, including cardiologists that have participated
in our clinical trials; (ii) seminars and speeches featuring widely recognized interventional
cardiologists; and (iii) advertisements in medical journals.
Collaborative Arrangements for Seeking Regulatory Approvals and Distribution of Products Outside of
the United States and Europe
Japan
On November 19, 2001, we entered into an agreement with Getz Brothers Co., Ltd. pursuant to
which we appointed Getz Brothers as the exclusive distributor of all of our products in Japan.
Pursuant to this agreement, during the three-year period following the Reimbursement Date (as
defined below), Getz Brothers has agreed to purchase a minimum number of units of our products per
year at prices to be negotiated upon our receipt of approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health,
Labor and Welfare to sell our products in Japan, or the Japan Regulatory Approval. Under this
distribution agreement, Getz Brothers has agreed to use its best efforts to obtain government
approval for, promote and distribute our products in Japan using generally the same channels and
methods, exercising the same diligence and adhering to the same standards which Getz Brothers
employs for its own products and other medical products it distributes. To assist Getz Brothers in
registering and marketing our products in Japan, we have agreed to provide them with, among other
things, written materials necessary to obtain the Japan Regulatory Approval, information on our
marketing and promotional plans for our products, certificates of analysis concerning any products
purchased by Getz Brothers, certificates of free sale, trademark authorizations and any other
documents they may reasonably request.
This agreement with Getz Brothers terminates five years following the date that the necessary
Japanese regulatory authorities approve reimbursement for MyoCell, or the Reimbursement Date. Getz
Brothers may terminate the agreement upon 30 days written notice. In the event that the
Reimbursement Date does not occur by November 19, 2009, we may terminate the agreement upon 30 days
written notice. If our agreement with Getz Brothers is not terminated prior to the end of the five
year period following the Reimbursement Date, the agreement will be automatically renewed for
additional one-year periods unless either party provides 180 days advance written notice to the
other party of its desire not to renew the agreement.
We may also terminate this agreement at any time upon 180 days notice subject to our one-time
payment of a buy-out fee to Getz Brothers. If we exercise this buy-out option prior to our receipt
of the Japan Regulatory Approval, the payment
to Getz Brothers will be equal to the greater of (i) $5 million and (ii) two times the sum of
Getz Brothers
35
expenditures incurred in connection with seeking regulatory approvals and conducting
clinical trials for our product candidates. If we exercise this buy-out option subsequent to our
receipt of the Japan Regulatory Approval, the payment to Getz Brothers will be equal to the greater
of (ii) $10 million and (ii) the product of 24 and the monthly average of Getz Brothers gross
revenues received from sales of our products during the six months preceding our exercise of this
buy-out option.
Korea
On February 1, 2005, we entered into a joint venture agreement with Bioheart Korea, Inc., the
predecessor entity of BHK, Inc., or BHK, pursuant to which we and BHK agreed to create a joint
venture company called Bioheart Manufacturing, Inc., or Bioheart Manufacturing, located in Korea to
own and operate a cell culturing facility. The joint venture agreement contemplates that we will
engage Bioheart Manufacturing to provide all cell culturing processes for our products and
processes sold in Korea for a period of no less than ten years. Pursuant to the joint venture
agreement, we agreed to contribute approximately $59,000 for an 18% equity interest in Bioheart
Manufacturing, and BHK agreed to contribute approximately $9,592,032 for an 82% equity interest in
Bioheart Manufacturing. It is our understanding that BHK subsequently transferred a portion if
equity interest 12% interest to On April 1, 2006, we entered into an in-kind investment agreement
with Bioheart Manufacturing pursuant to which we agreed to provide Bioheart Manufacturing with the
technology to manufacture MyoCell and MyoCath and, in exchange, received 15,090 common shares of
Bioheart Manufacturing.
Pursuant to the joint venture agreement, we have agreed to provide Bioheart Manufacturing with
standard operating procedures, tests and testing protocols, cell selection methods, cell
characterization methods, and all materials necessary to carry out the activities of the cell
culturing facility in the manner required by us. Under the joint venture agreement, we agreed to
enter into a shareholders agreement with BHK which will include, among others, a provision
providing for a
five-member board of directors and provisions setting forth certain operation related matters
that will require prior written agreement by us and BHK.
The joint venture agreement terminates upon Bioheart Manufacturings inability to continue its
operations by reason of operation of law, governmental order or regulation or Bioheart
Manufacturings dissolution or liquidation for any reason.
It is our understanding that in February 2006, Bioheart Manufacturing entered into an
industrial site lease with Gyeonggi Provincial Government of the Republic of Korea and commenced
construction of a cell culturing facility in September 2006. Construction of the facility was
completed by September 2007. Since September 2006, our employees have been visiting Korea to train
Bioheart Manufacturings employees regarding how to culture myoblasts.
In August 2007, we entered into a clinical registry supply agreement with BHK pursuant to
which we agreed to supply MyoCell and MyoCath to BHK for use in registry studies of MyoCell
anticipated to be conducted by BHK at purchase prices established by the agreement. We may
terminate this agreement at any time.
Government Regulation
The research and development, preclinical studies and clinical trials, and ultimately, the
culturing, manufacturing, marketing and labeling of our product candidates are subject to extensive
regulation by the FDA and other regulatory authorities in the United States and other countries. We
believe MyoCell and MyoCath are subject to regulation in the United States and Europe as a
biological product and a medical device, respectively.
Biological products are subject to regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,
or the FD&C Act, the Public Health Service Act, or the PHS Act and their respective regulations as
well as other federal, state, and local statutes and regulations. Medical devices are subject to
regulation under the FD&C Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder as well as other federal,
state, and local statutes and regulations. The FD&C Act and the PHS Act and the regulations
promulgated thereunder govern, among other things, the testing, cell culturing, manufacturing,
safety, efficacy, labeling, storage, record keeping, approval, clearance, advertising and promotion
of our product candidates. Preclinical studies, clinical trials and the regulatory approval process
typically take years and require the expenditure of substantial resources. If regulatory approval
or clearance of a product is granted, the approval or clearance may include
36
significant limitations
on the indicated uses for which the product may be marketed.
FDA Regulation Approval of Biological Products
The steps ordinarily required before a biological product may be marketed in the United States
include:
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completion of preclinical studies according to good laboratory practice regulations; |
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the submission of an IND application to the FDA, which must become effective before
human clinical trials may commence; |
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performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials according to good
clinical practices to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed biological product
for its intended use; |
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satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility
or facilities at which the product is manufactured, processes, packaged or held to assess
compliance cGMP; and |
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the submission to, and review and approval by, the FDA of a biologics license
application, or BLA, that includes satisfactory results of preclinical testing and clinical
trials. |
Preclinical tests include laboratory evaluation of the product candidate, its formulation and
stability, as well as animal studies to assess the potential safety and efficacy of the product
candidate. The FDA requires that preclinical tests be conducted in compliance with good laboratory
practice regulations. The results of preclinical testing are submitted as part of an IND
application to the FDA together with manufacturing information for the clinical supply, analytical
data, the protocol for the initial clinical trials and any available clinical data or literature. A
30-day waiting period after the filing of each IND application is required by the FDA prior to the
commencement of clinical testing in humans. In addition, the FDA may, at any time during this
30-day waiting period or any time thereafter, impose a clinical hold on proposed or
ongoing clinical trials. If the FDA imposes a clinical hold, clinical trials cannot commence
or recommence without FDA authorization.
Clinical trials to support BLAs involve the administration of the investigational product to
human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators. Clinical trials are conducted
under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the study, the parameters to be
used in monitoring safety and the efficacy criteria to be evaluated.
Clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, but the phases may
overlap.
In Phase I clinical trials, the initial introduction of the biological product candidate into
human subjects or patients, the product candidate is tested to assess safety, dosage tolerance,
absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion, including any side effects associated with
increasing doses.
Phase II clinical trials usually involve studies in a limited patient population to identify
possible adverse effects and safety risks, preliminarily assess the efficacy of the product
candidate in specific, targeted indications; and assess dosage tolerance and optimal dosage.
If a product candidate is found to be potentially effective and to have an acceptable safety
profile in Phase II evaluations, Phase III trials are undertaken within an expanded patient
population at multiple study sites to further demonstrate clinical efficacy and safety, further
evaluate dosage and establish the risk-benefit ratio of the product and an adequate basis for
product labeling.
Phase IV, or post-marketing, trials may be mandated by regulatory authorities or may be
conducted voluntarily. Phase IV trials are typically initiated to monitor the safety and efficacy
of a biological product in its approved population and indication but over a longer period of time,
so that rare or long-term adverse effects can be detected over a much larger patient population and
time than was possible during prior clinical trials. Alternatively, Phase IV trials may be used to
test a new method of product administration, or to investigate a products use in other
indications. Adverse effects detected by Phase IV trials may result in the withdrawal or
restriction of a drug.
37
If the required Phase I, II and III clinical testing is completed successfully, the results of
the required clinical trials, the results of product development, preclinical studies and clinical
trials, descriptions of the manufacturing process and
other relevant information concerning the safety and effectiveness of the biological product
candidate are submitted to the FDA in the form of a BLA. In most cases, the BLA must be accompanied
by a substantial user fee. The FDA may deny a BLA if all applicable regulatory criteria are not
satisfied or may require additional data, including clinical, toxicology, safety or manufacturing
data. It can take several years for the FDA to approve a BLA once it is submitted, and the actual
time required for any product candidate may vary substantially, depending upon the nature,
complexity and novelty of the product candidate.
Before approving an application, the FDA will inspect the facility or facilities where the
product is manufactured. The FDA will not approve a BLA unless it determines that the manufacturing
processes and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements.
If the FDA evaluations of the BLA and the manufacturing facilities are favorable, the FDA may
issue either an approval letter or an approvable letter. The approvable letter usually contains a
number of conditions that must be met to secure final FDA approval of the BLA. When, and if, those
conditions have been met to the FDAs satisfaction, the FDA will issue an approval letter. If the
FDAs evaluation of the BLA or manufacturing facility is not favorable, the FDA may refuse to
approve the BLA or issue a non-approvable letter that often requires additional testing or
information.
FDA Regulation Approval of Medical Devices
Medical devices are also subject to extensive regulation by the FDA. To be commercially
distributed in the United States, medical devices must receive either 510(k) clearance or
pre-market approval, or PMA, from the FDA prior to marketing. Devices deemed to pose relatively low
risk are placed in either Class I or II, which requires the manufacturer to submit a pre-market
notification requesting permission for commercial distribution, or 510(k) clearance. Devices deemed
by the FDA to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or implantable
devices, devices deemed not substantially equivalent to a previously 510(k) cleared device and
certain other devices are placed in Class III which
requires PMA. We anticipate that MyoCath will be classified as a Class III device.
To obtain 510(k) clearance, a manufacturer must submit a pre-market notification demonstrating
that the proposed device is substantially equivalent in intended use and in safety and efficacy to
a previously 510(k) cleared device, a device that has received PMA or a device that was in
commercial distribution before May 28, 1976. The FDAs 510(k) clearance pathway usually takes from
four to twelve months, but it can last longer.
After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its
safety or efficacy, or that would constitute a major change in its intended use, requires a new
510(k) clearance or could require PMA. The FDA requires each manufacturer to make this
determination, but the FDA can review any such decision. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturers
decision not to seek a new 510(k) clearance, the agency may retroactively require the manufacturer
to seek 510(k) clearance or PMA. The FDA also can require the manufacturer to cease marketing
and/or recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA is obtained.
A product not eligible for 510(k) clearance must follow the PMA pathway, which requires proof
of the safety and efficacy of the device to the FDAs satisfaction. The PMA pathway is much more
costly, lengthy and uncertain than the 510(k) approval pathway. A PMA application must provide
extensive preclinical and clinical trial data and also information about the device and its
components regarding, among other things, device design, manufacturing and labeling. As part of the
PMA review, the FDA will typically inspect the manufacturers facilities for compliance with
quality system regulation requirements, which impose elaborate testing, control, documentation and
other quality assurance procedures. Upon acceptance by the FDA of what it considers a completed
filing, the FDA commences an in-depth review of the PMA application, which typically takes from one
to two years, but may last longer. The review time is often significantly extended as a result of
the FDA asking for more information or clarification of information already provided.
If the FDAs evaluation of the PMA application is favorable, and the applicant satisfies any
specific conditions (e.g., changes in labeling) and provides any specific additional information
(e.g., submission of final labeling), the FDA will issue a PMA for the approved indications, which
can be more limited than those originally sought by the manufacturer.
38
The PMA can include post-approval conditions that the FDA believes necessary to ensure the safety and efficacy of the
device including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution.
Failure to comply with the conditions of approval can result in an enforcement action, which could
have material adverse consequences, including the
loss or withdrawal of the approval.
Even after approval of a pre-market application, a new PMA or PMA supplement is required in
the event of a modification to the device, its labeling or its manufacturing process.
FDA Regulation Post-Approval Requirements
Even if regulatory clearances or approvals for our product candidates are obtained, our
products and the facilities manufacturing our products will be subject to continued review and
periodic inspections by the FDA. For example, as a condition of approval of a new drug application,
the FDA may require us to engage in post-marketing testing and surveillance and to monitor the
safety and efficacy of our products. Holders of an approved new BLA, PMA or 510(k) clearance
product are subject to several post-market requirements, including the reporting of certain adverse
events involving their products to the FDA, provision of updated safety and efficacy information,
and compliance with requirements concerning the advertising and promotion of their products.
In addition, manufacturing facilities are subject to periodic inspections by the FDA to
confirm the facilities comply with cGMP requirements. In complying with cGMP, manufacturers must
expend money, time and effort in the area of production and quality control to ensure full
compliance. For example, manufacturers of biologic products must establish validated systems to
ensure that products meet high standards of sterility, safety, purity, potency and identity.
Manufacturers must report to the FDA any deviations from cGMP or any unexpected or unforeseeable
event that may affect the safety, quality, or potency of a product. The regulations also require
investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP and impose documentation requirements.
In addition to regulations enforced by the FDA, we are also subject to regulation under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Toxic Substances Control
Act, the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act and other federal, state and local regulations. Our research and development
activities involve the controlled use of hazardous materials, chemicals, biological materials and
radioactive compounds.
International Regulation
Our product candidates are subject to regulation in every country where they will be tested or
used. Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product candidate, we must obtain the necessary
approvals from the comparable regulatory authorities of foreign countries before we can commence
testing or marketing of a product candidate in those countries. The requirements governing the
conduct of clinical trials and the approval processes vary from country to country and the time
required may be longer or shorter than that associated with FDA approval.
In the European Economic Area, composed of the 25 European Union Member States, plus Norway,
Iceland and Lichtenstein, marketing authorization applications for medicinal products may be
submitted under a centralized or national procedure. Detailed preclinical and clinical data must
accompany all marketing authorization applications that are submitted in the European Union. The
centralized procedure provides for the grant of a single marketing authorization, referred to as a
community authorization, that is valid for the entire European Economic Area. Under the national or
decentralized procedure, a medicinal product may only be placed on the market when a marketing
authorization, referred to as a national authorization, has been issued by the competent authority
of a European Economic Area country for its own territory. If marketing authorization is granted,
the holder of such authorization may submit further applications to the competent authorities of
the remaining member states via either the decentralized or mutual recognition procedure. The
decentralized procedure enables applicants to submit an identical application to the competent
authorities of all member states where approval is sought at the same time as the first
application. We believe that, by virtue of the nature of MyoCell, we are eligible to seek
commercial approval of MyoCell under either the centralized or national procedure. We anticipate
that we will first seek to obtain commercial approval of MyoCell in the Netherlands, Belgium and
Germany pursuant to the national procedure.
Under the mutual recognition procedure, products are authorized initially in one member state,
and other member
39
states where approval is sought are subsequently requested to recognize the
original authorization based upon an assessment report prepared by the original authorizing
competent authority. The other member states then have 90 days to recognize the decision of the
original authorizing member state. If the member states fail to reach an agreement because one of
them believes that there are grounds for supposing that the authorization of the medicinal product
may present a
potential serious risk to public health, the disagreement may be submitted to the Committee
for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency for arbitration. The decision
of this committee is binding on all concerned member states and the marketing authorization holder.
Other member states not directly concerned at the time of the decision are also bound as soon as
they receive a marketing application for the same product. The arbitration procedure may take an
additional year before a final decision is reached and may require the delivery of additional data.
The European Economic Area requires that manufacturers of medical devices obtain the right to
affix the CE Mark to their products before selling them in member countries. The CE Mark is an
international symbol of adherence to quality assurance standards and compliance with applicable
European medical device directives. In order to obtain the right to affix the CE Mark to a medical
device, the medical device in question must meet the essential requirements defined under the
Medical Device Directive (93/42/ EEC) relating to safety and performance, and the manufacturer of
the device must undergo verification of regulatory compliance by a third party standards
certification provider, known as a notified body. Provided that we enter into a long term
manufacturing contract with an entity that satisfies the requirements of the International
Standards Organization, we anticipate that we will file an application to obtain the right to affix
the CE Mark to MyoCath in 2008.
In addition to regulatory clearance, the conduct of clinical trials in the European Union is
governed by the European Clinical Trials Directive (2001/20/ EC), which was implemented in May
2004. This directive governs how regulatory bodies in member states may control clinical trials. No
clinical trial may be started without authorization by the national competent authority and
favorable ethics approval.
Manufacturing facilities are subject to the requirements of the International Standards
Organization. In complying with these requirements, manufacturers must expend money, time and
effort in the area of production and quality control to ensure full compliance.
Despite efforts to harmonize the registration process in the European Union, the different
member states continue to have different national healthcare policies and different pricing and
reimbursement systems. The diversity of these systems may prevent a simultaneous pan-European
launch, even if centralized marketing authorization has been obtained.
In some cases, we plan to submit applications with different endpoints or other elements
outside the United States due to differing practices and requirements in particular jurisdictions.
However, in cases where different endpoints will be used outside the United States, we expect that
such submissions will be discussed with the FDA to ensure that the FDA is comfortable with the
nature of human trials being conducted in any part of the world. As in the United States,
post-approval regulatory requirements, such as those regarding product manufacture, marketing, or
distribution, would apply to any product that is approved in Europe.
Competition
Our industry is subject to rapid and intense technological change. We face, and will continue
to face, competition from pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology
companies developing heart failure treatments both in the United States and abroad, as well as
numerous academic and research institutions, governmental agencies and private organizations
engaged in drug funding or discovery activities both in the United States and abroad. We also face
competition from entities and healthcare providers using more traditional methods, such as surgery
and pharmaceutical regimens, to treat heart failure. We believe there are a substantial number of
heart failure products under development by numerous pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical
device and biotechnology companies, and it is likely that other competitors will emerge.
Many of our existing and potential competitors have substantially greater research and product
development capabilities and financial, scientific, marketing and human resources than we do. As a
result, these competitors may succeed in developing competing therapies earlier than we do; obtain
patents that block or otherwise inhibit our ability to further develop and commercialize our
product candidates; obtain approvals from the FDA or other regulatory agencies
40
for products more
rapidly than we do; or develop treatments or cures that are safer or more effective than those we
propose to develop. These competitors may also devote greater resources to marketing or selling
their products and may be better able to withstand price competition. In addition, these
competitors may introduce or adapt more quickly to new technologies or scientific advances, which
could render our technologies obsolete, and may introduce products that make the continued
development of our product candidates uneconomical. These competitors may also be more successful
in negotiating third party licensing or collaborative arrangements and may be able to take
advantage of acquisitions or other strategic opportunities more readily than we can.
Our ability to compete successfully will depend on our continued ability to attract and retain
skilled and experienced scientific, clinical development and executive personnel, to identify and
develop viable heart failure product candidates and to exploit these products and compounds
commercially before others are able to develop competitive products.
We believe the principal competitive factors affecting our markets include, but are not
limited to:
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the safety and efficacy of our product candidates; |
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the freedom to develop and commercialize cell-based therapies, including appropriate
patent and proprietary rights protection; |
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the timing and scope of regulatory approvals; |
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the cost and availability of our products; |
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the availability and scope of third party reimbursement programs; and |
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the availability of alternative treatments. |
We are still in the process of determining, among other things:
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if MyoCell is safe and effective; |
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the timing and scope of regulatory approvals; and |
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the availability and scope of third party reimbursement programs. |
Accordingly, we have a limited ability to predict how competitive MyoCell will be relative to
existing treatment alternatives and/or treatment alternatives that are under development. See
Business Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure.
If approved, MyoCell will compete with surgical, pharmaceutical and mechanical based
therapies. Surgical options include heart transplantation and left ventricular reconstructive
surgery. Although not readily accessible, heart transplantation has proven to be an effective
treatment for patients with severe damage to the heart who locate a donor match and are in
sufficiently good health to undergo major surgery. Mechanical therapies such as biventricular
pacing, ventricular restraint devices and mitral valve therapies have been developed by companies
such as Medtronic, Inc., Acorn Cardiovascular, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., World Heart
Corporation, Guidant Corporation, a part of Boston Scientific, and Edwards Lifesciences Corp.
Pharmaceutical therapies include anti-thrombotics, calcium channel blockers such as Pfizers
Norvasc® and ACE inhibitors such as Sanofis Delix®.
The field of regenerative medicine is rapidly progressing, as many organizations are
initiating or expanding their research efforts in this area. We are also aware of several
competitors seeking to develop cell-based therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease,
including Baxter International, Inc., Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., MG Biotherapeutics, LLC (a joint
venture between Genzyme Corporation and Medtronic, Inc.), Mytogen, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.), Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., ViaCell, Inc. (a wholly-owned
subsidiary of PerkinElmer, Inc.), and potentially others.
It is our understanding that some of our large competitors have devoted considerable resources
to developing a myoblast-based cell therapy for treating severe damage to the heart. For instance,
Mytogen and MG Biotherapeutics, like
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Bioheart, have been seeking to develop cell-based therapies
utilizing skeletal myoblasts isolated from muscle, expanded in culture, and injected into a
patients heart to repair scar tissue. In September 2006, Mytogen completed treating patients
enrolled in its U.S. Phase I clinical trial of catheter injections of myoblasts and announced
results in March 2007. Mytogen has announced that they anticipate they will commence enrollment in
a Phase II, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in mid-2008. MG Biotherapeutics
announced in February 2006 that it had ceased enrollment of new patients in its Phase II trial, the
MAGIC Trial, after its data monitoring committee concluded there was a low
likelihood that the trial would result in the hypothesized improvements in heart function.
Some organizations are involved in research using alternative cell sources, including bone
marrow, embryonic and fetal tissue, umbilical cord and peripheral blood, and adipose tissue. For
instance, Baxter Healthcare is currently conducting a U.S. Phase II study using stem cells
extracted from peripheral blood as an investigational treatment for myocardial ischemia. Osiris
Therapeutics is conducting a Phase I study using mesenchymal stem cells isolated from donor bone
marrow, expanded in culture to treat damage caused by acute MI. Cytori Therapeutics is conducting a
European Phase I study using autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells as a treatment for heart
attacks. ViaCell is currently in preclinical development using allogeneic cells derived from
umbilical cord blood for cardiac disease.
For further information regarding our competitive risks, see Item 1A. Risk Factors We face
intense competition in the biotechnology and healthcare industries.
Our Executive Officers
Set forth below are: (1) the names and ages of our executive officers at March 17, 2008,
(2) all positions with the Company presently held by each such person and (3) the positions held
by, and principal areas of responsibility of, each such person during the last five years.
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Position with the Company |
William M. Pinon
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President Chief Executive Officer and Director |
William H. Kline
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63 |
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Chief Financial Officer |
Howard J. Leonhardt
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Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer |
Richard T. Spencer IV
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Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Physician
Relations |
Nicholas M. Burke
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Vice President of Financial Operations |
Catherine Sulawske-Guck
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Vice President of Administration and Human Resources |
William M. Pinon. Mr. Pinon was appointed as our President and Chief Executive Officer in
March 2007 and as a director in June 2007. He has nearly 20 years of operational and sales
experience in the cardiovascular treatment industry. Mr. Pinon spent the past four years at Cordis
Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, where he served most recently, from May 2006 until
February 2007, as Worldwide Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the cardiovascular business
and the drug eluting CYPHERtm stent. In that position, he was responsible for
all aspects of sales and marketing management for interventional cardiology products worldwide. He
previously served, from January 2005 to April 2006, as General Manager and Vice President of the
Cordis business unit, Biologics Delivery Systems, a company focused on the delivery of biologics to
treat congestive heart failure. There he helped to develop the company into a fully-integrated
business, and managed all aspects of sales and marketing, including profitability, company vision,
and long-range strategic planning. Mr. Pinon also served, from January 2003 until December 2004, as
Vice President of Commercial Operations for Cordis Cardiology, the business unit of Cordis focused
on cardiovascular disease management. Prior to joining Cordis, Mr. Pinon worked for Centocor, Inc.,
also a Johnson & Johnson company, where he served as Executive Director of Sales for its
cardiovascular business unit from August 2000 through December 2002, and before that for Boehringer
Mannheim Corporation Therapeutics from March 1992 to February 1998, where he managed the congestive
heart failure business. Mr. Pinon received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Oregon in 1988.
William H. Kline. Mr. Kline has served as our Chief Financial Officer since August 2006.
Previously, from October 1999 until August 2006, Mr. Kline served as Senior Vice President for
WildCard Systems, Inc., a debit card processing company that provides technology for electronic
stored-value accounts and related Web-based software. At WildCard Systems, Mr. Kline was
responsible for, among other things, the implementation of accounting, financial reporting and
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budget systems. He also was involved in all capital transactions at WildCard Systems, including the
sale of the company to eFunds, Inc. in July 2005. Prior to joining WildCard Systems, Mr. Kline was
the Partner-in-charge of the financial services practice for KPMG LLP in South Florida. Mr. Kline
has over 30 years of diversified financial, operational and managerial experience and was the
managing partner of KPMGs healthcare practice in Tulsa and Boston. Mr. Kline received an M.B.A. in
Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1972, an M.S.
in Statistics from the University of Delaware in 1971, and a B.A. in Mathematics from Harvard
College in 1967.
Howard J. Leonhardt. Mr. Leonhardt is the co-founder of Bioheart. He has served as our
Chairman of the Board since our incorporation in August 1999 and served as our Chief Executive
Officer from August 1999 until March 2007. Effective March 2007, Mr. Leonhardt began serving as our
Chief Technology Officer. From March 2007 through March 2008, Mr. Leonhardt also served as our
Executive Chairman. In 1986, Mr. Leonhardt founded World Medical Manufacturing Corporation, or
World Medical, and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 1986 until December 1998 when World
Medical was acquired by Arterial Vascular Engineering, Inc., or AVE. AVE was acquired by Medtronic,
Inc. in January 1999. Mr. Leonhardt was the co-inventor of World Medicals primary product, the
TALENT (Taheri-Leonhardt) stent graft system. From December 1998 until June 1999, Mr. Leonhardt
served as President of World Medical Manufacturing Corporation, a subsidiary of Medtronic.
Scientific articles written by Mr. Leonhardt have been published in a number of publications
including Techniques in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and the Journal of Cardiovascular
Surgery. Mr. Leonhardt received a diploma in International Trade from the Anoka-Hennepin Technical
College, attended the University of Minnesota and Anoka-Ramsey Community College and holds an
honorary Doctorate Degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Northern California.
Richard T. Spencer IV. Mr. Spencer has served as our Vice President of Clinical Affairs and
Physician Relations since September 2004. Mr. Spencer has eight years of experience in the medical
device industry, including two years, from 1997 until 1999, as Technical Support Manager of
Marketing at Medtronic Vascular, Inc., a company dedicated to the treatment of vascular disease and
more recently, from August 2000 until September 2004, as Product Director of Global Drug Eluting
Stent Marketing for the Cordis Cardiology Division of Johnson & Johnson, a cardiology concern
dedicated to the treatment of coronary artery disease. Mr. Spencer received an M.B.A. from Columbia
Business School in 2000, a J.D. from the University of Florida in 1997, and a B.A. in Political
Science from Columbia University in 1994.
Nicholas M. Burke, C.P.A. Mr. Burke was appointed as our Vice President of Financial
Operations in July 2007. From October 2001 through June 2007, Mr. Burke served as Vice President
and Controller of Viragen, Inc., a publicly-traded bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in the
research, development, manufacture and commercialization of therapeutic proteins for the treatment
of cancers and viral diseases. Prior to joining Viragen, from October 1999 until October 2001,
Mr. Burke served as Corporate Controller of SmartDisk Corporation, a computer peripherals
technology
company whose securities were publicly traded from October 1999 until May 2003. From September
1994 until September 1999, Mr. Burke was a senior member of the audit staff of Ernst & Young LLP,
concentrating his practice in the computer technology and biotechnology industries. Mr. Burke
received a Masters Degree in Accounting from Florida International University in 1996 and a
Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Florida International University in 1993.
Catherine Sulawske-Guck. Since January 2007, Ms. Sulawske-Guck has served as our Vice
President of Administration and Human Resources. Ms. Sulawske-Guck joined Bioheart in the full-time
capacity as Director of Administration and Human Resources in January 2004 after having served us
in a consulting capacity since December 2001. Prior to joining Bioheart, from May 1989 until
November 2001, Ms. Sulawske-Guck served as Director of Operations and Customer Service for World
Medical.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing us. Other events that
we do not currently anticipate or that we currently deem immaterial also may affect our results of
operations and financial condition. If any events described in the risk factors actually occur, our
business, operating results, prospects and financial condition could be materially harmed. In
connection with the forward looking statements that appear elsewhere in this quarterly report, you
should also carefully review the cautionary statement referred to under Cautionary Statement
Regarding Forward Looking Statements.
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Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Potential Need for Additional Financing
We will need to secure additional financing within the next five months in order to continue to
finance our operations and will need substantial additional capital to develop our business and
product candidates as otherwise planned. We may be unable to secure additional capital when
needed. An inability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms could adversely affect our
business, financial condition, results of operations, and could even prevent us from continuing our
business.
As of March 1, 2008, we had cash and cash equivalents of $6.5 million and a working capital
deficit of $5.8 million. Provided that we continue to defer our payment of $3.0 million to Dr. Law
and Cell Transplants International, we project that our existing cash resources will be sufficient
to finance our operations for approximately the next five months. See We have licensed and
therefore do not own the intellectual property that is critical to our business ... We will need to
secure additional sources of capital to develop our business and product candidates as planned.
For instance, our ability to enroll patients in the MARVEL Trial in accordance with our current trial schedule is
contingent on our ability to secure additional funding within the
next three months and we believe we will need to raise approximately
$10.0-$12.0 million of funds to finance the
completion of the MARVEL Trial. If we do not secure $5.0 million of financing within the next three months, we will be
required to restrict enrollment in the MARVEL Trial pending receipt of additional capital, which
will delay our projected date for completing the MARVEL Trial.
Additionally, unless and until we secure a total of approximately
$20.0 million
of financing, we intend to focus our capital resources on the advancement of the MARVEL trial and
expect to seek to minimize our expenditures on other product candidates in our research and
development pipeline.
In addition, subject to obtaining regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we
expect to incur significant commercialization expenses for product sales and marketing,
manufacturing the product and/or securing commercial quantities of product from manufacturers and
product distribution. We also anticipate that we will need to raise additional funds to satisfy our
outstanding debt obligations and make projected payments under our license agreements.
The extent of our need for additional capital will depend on numerous factors, including, but
not limited to:
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resolution, whether by mutual agreement or court order, of our payment obligations under
the Law License Agreement and the timing of such payments; |
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the scope, rate of scientific progress, results and cost of our clinical trials and
other research and development activities; |
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the costs and timing of seeking FDA and other regulatory approvals; |
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our ability to obtain sufficient third-party insurance coverage or reimbursement for our
product candidates; |
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the effectiveness of commercialization activities (including the volume and
profitability of any sales achieved); |
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our ability to establish additional strategic, collaborative and licensing relationships
with third parties with respect to the sales, marketing and distribution of our products,
research and development and other matters and the economic and other terms and timing of
any such relationships; |
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the ongoing availability of funds from foreign governments to build new manufacturing
facilities; |
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the costs involved in any potential litigation that may occur; |
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decisions by us to pursue the development of new product candidates or technologies or
to make acquisitions or investments; and |
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the effect of competing products, technologies and market developments. |
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We have no commitments or arrangements from third parties for any additional financing to fund
our research and
development and/or other operations. We will need to seek substantial additional financing
through public and/or private financing, which may include equity and/or debt financings, and
through other arrangements, including collaborative arrangements. We may also seek to satisfy some
of our obligations to the Guarantors through the issuance of various forms of securities or debt on
negotiated terms. However, financing and/or alternative arrangements with the Guarantors may not
be available when we need it, or may not be available on acceptable terms.
Pursuant to our underwriting agreement, dated February 19, 2008, or the Underwriting Agreement
Date, with Dawson James Securities, Inc, as representative for the underwriters, we have agreed
that we will not, without the consent of Dawson James Securities, Inc. issue any securities (except
for shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options) for 180 days following the
Underwriting Agreement Date, subject to certain customary extension periods. Accordingly, our
ability to obtain additional equity financing during this period is subject to our obtaining the
prior agreement of Dawson James Securities, Inc.
In addition, our ability to obtain additional debt financing and/or alternative arrangements
with the Guarantors may be limited by the amount of, terms and restrictions of our then current
debt. For instance, we do not anticipate repaying the BlueCrest Loan until its scheduled maturity
in May 2010. Accordingly, until such time, we will generally be restricted from, among other
things, incurring additional indebtedness or liens, with limited exceptions. See We have a
substantial amount of debt... and Our outstanding indebtedness to BlueCrest Capital Finance,
L.P. imposes certain restrictions... Additional debt financing, if available, may involve
restrictive covenants that limit or further limit our operating and financial flexibility and
prohibit us from making distributions to shareholders. If we raise additional funds and/or secure
alternative arrangements with the Guarantors by issuing equity, equity-related or convertible
securities, the economic, voting and other rights of our existing shareholders may be diluted, and
those securities may have rights superior to those of our common stock. If we obtain additional
capital through collaborative arrangements, we may be required to relinquish greater rights to our
technologies or product candidates than we might otherwise have or become subject to restrictive
covenants that may affect our business.
If we are unable to raise additional funds when we need them, we may be required to delay,
scale back or eliminate expenditures for our development programs, curtail efforts to commercialize
our product candidates or reduce the scale of our operations, any of which could adversely affect
our business, financial condition, results of operations, and could even prevent us from continuing
our business at all.
Our independent registered public accounting firm has expressed substantial doubt about our ability
to continue as a going concern.
Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued its report dated March 19, 2008
in connection with the audit of our financial statements as of December 31, 2007 that included an
explanatory paragraph describing the existence of conditions that raise substantial doubt about our
ability to continue as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements as of December 31,
2007 have been prepared under the assumption that we will continue as a going concern. If we are
not able to continue as a going concern, it is likely that holders of our common stock will lose
all of their investment. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result
from the outcome of this uncertainty.
We are a development stage life sciences company with a limited operating history and a history of
net losses and negative cash flows from operations. We may never be profitable, and if we incur
operating losses and generate negative cash flows from operations for longer than expected, we may
be unable to continue operations.
We are a development stage life sciences company and have a limited operating history, limited
capital, limited sources of revenue and have incurred losses since inception. Our operations to
date have been limited to organizing our company, developing and engaging in clinical trials of our
lead product candidate, MyoCell, expanding our pipeline of complementary product candidates through
internal development and third party licenses, expanding and strengthening our intellectual
property position through internal programs and third party licenses and recruiting management,
research and clinical personnel. Consequently, you may have difficulty in predicting our future
success or viability due to our lack of operating history. As of December 31, 2007, we have
accumulated a deficit during our development stage of approximately $82.6 million. Our lead product
candidate has not received regulatory approval or generated any material
45
revenues and is not
expected to generate any material revenues until early 2009, if ever. Since inception, we have
generated substantial net losses, including net losses of approximately $18.1 million, $13.2
million and $7.3 million in 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively and substantial negative cash flows
from operations. We anticipate that we will continue to incur significant and increasing net losses
and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future as we:
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commence full scale enrollment of the MARVEL Trial; |
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continue research and development and undertake new clinical trials with respect to our
pipeline product candidates, including clinical trials related to MyoCell SDF-1; |
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seek to raise additional capital; |
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apply for regulatory approvals; |
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make capital expenditures to increase our research and development and cell culturing
capabilities; |
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add operational, financial and management information systems and personnel and develop
and protect our intellectual property; |
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make payments pursuant to license agreements upon achievement of certain milestones; and |
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establish sales and marketing capabilities to commercialize products for which we obtain
regulatory approval, if any. |
Our limited experience in conducting and managing preclinical development activities, clinical
trials and the application process necessary to obtain regulatory approvals might prevent us from
successfully designing or implementing a preclinical study or clinical trial. If we do not succeed
in conducting and managing our preclinical development activities or clinical trials, or in
obtaining regulatory approvals, we might not be able to commercialize our product candidates, or
might be significantly delayed in doing so, which will materially harm our business.
None of the products that we are currently developing has been approved by the FDA or any
similar regulatory authority in any foreign country. Our ability to generate revenues from any of
our product candidates will depend on a number of factors, including our ability to successfully
complete clinical trials, obtain necessary regulatory approvals and implement our commercialization
strategy. In addition, even if we are successful in obtaining necessary regulatory approvals and
bringing one or more product candidates to market, we will be subject to the risk that the
marketplace will not accept those products. We may, and anticipate that we will need to, transition
from a company with a research and development focus to a company capable of supporting commercial
activities and we may not succeed in such a transition.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with our product development and
commercialization efforts, we are unable to predict the extent of our future losses or when or if
we will become profitable. Our failure to successfully commercialize our product candidates or to
become and remain profitable could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business,
diversify our product offerings and continue our operations.
Our outstanding indebtedness to BlueCrest Capital Finance, L.P. imposes certain restrictions on how
we conduct our business. In addition, all of our assets, except our intellectual property, are
pledged to secure this indebtedness. If we fail to meet our obligations to BlueCrest Capital, our
payment obligations may be accelerated and the collateral securing the debt may be sold to satisfy
these obligations.
Pursuant to a Loan and Security Agreement, dated May 31, 2007, BlueCrest Capital Finance,
L.P., or BlueCrest Capital, agreed to provide us a three-year, $5.0 million term loan, or the
BlueCrest Loan. For the first three months of the
BlueCrest Loan, we were only required to make payments of interest. Commencing in October
2007, we are required to make 33 equal monthly payments of principal and interest. Interest accrues
at an annual rate of 12.85%. In the event we seek to repay the BlueCrest Loan prior to maturity, we
are subject to a prepayment penalty equal to 3% of the outstanding principal if paid during the
first year of the BlueCrest Loan, 2% of the outstanding principal if paid during the second year of
the BlueCrest Loan and 1% of the outstanding principal if paid during the third year of the
BlueCrest Loan. As collateral to secure our repayment obligations to BlueCrest Capital, we have
granted it a first priority security interest in
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all of our assets, excluding our intellectual
property but including the proceeds from any sale of any of our intellectual property.
The Loan and Security Agreement contains various provisions that restrict our operating
flexibility.
Pursuant to the agreement, we may not, among other things:
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incur additional indebtedness, except for certain permitted indebtedness. Permitted
indebtedness is defined to include accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
business, leases of equipment or property incurred in the ordinary course of business not
to exceed, in the aggregate, $250,000, any unsecured debt less than $20,000 or any debt not
secured by the collateral pledged to BlueCrest Capital that is subordinated to the rights
of BlueCrest Capital pursuant to a subordination agreement satisfactory to BlueCrest
Capital in its sole discretion; |
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make any principal, interest or other payments arising under or in connection with our
loan from Bank of America or any other debt subordinate to the BlueCrest Loan; |
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incur additional liens on any of our assets, including any liens on our intellectual
property, except for certain permitted liens including but not limited to non-exclusive
licenses or sub-licenses of our intellectual property in the ordinary course of business
and licenses or sub-licenses of intellectual property in connection with joint ventures and
corporate collaborations (provided that any proceeds from such licenses be used to pay down
the BlueCrest Loan); |
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voluntarily prepay any debt prior to maturity, except for accounts payable incurred in
the ordinary course of business, leases of equipment or property incurred in the ordinary
course of business not to exceed, in the aggregate, $250,000 and any unsecured debt less
than $20,000; |
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convey, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of property, except for sales of inventory
in the ordinary course of business, sales of obsolete or unneeded equipment and transfers
or our intellectual property related to product candidates other than MyoCell or MyoCell
SDF-1 to a currently operating or newly formed wholly owned subsidiary; |
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merge with or acquire any other entity if we would not be the surviving person following
such transaction; |
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pay dividends (other than stock dividends) to our shareholders; |
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redeem any outstanding shares of our common stock or any outstanding options or warrants
to purchase shares of our common stock except in connection with a share repurchase
pursuant to which we offer to pay our then existing shareholders not more than $250,000; |
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enter into transactions with affiliates other than on arms-length terms; and |
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make any change in any of our business objectives, purposes and operations which has or
could be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on our business. |
These provisions could have important consequences for us, including (i) making it more
difficult for us to obtain additional debt financing from another lender, or obtain new debt
financing on terms favorable to us, because such new lender will have to be willing to be
subordinate to BlueCrest Capital, (ii) causing us to use a portion of our available cash for debt
repayment and service rather than other perceived needs and/or (iii) impacting our ability to take
advantage of significant, perceived business opportunities. Our failure to timely repay our
obligations under the BlueCrest Loan or meet the covenants set forth in the Loan and Security
Agreement could give rise to a default under the agreement. In the event of an uncured default, the
agreement provides that all amounts owed to BlueCrest Capital are immediately due and payable and
that BlueCrest Capital has the right to enforce its security interest in the assets securing the
BlueCrest Loan. In such event, BlueCrest Capital could take possession of any or all of our assets
in which they hold a security interest, and dispose of those assets to the extent necessary to pay
off our debts, which would materially harm our business.
We have a substantial amount of debt and may incur substantial additional debt, which could
adversely affect our
ability to pursue certain business objectives, obtain financing in the future and/or react to
changes in our business.
In addition to the BlueCrest Loan, on June 1, 2007, we borrowed $5.0 million from Bank of
America under an eight month loan, which was subsequently extended for an additional four months.
As of December 31, 2007, we had an
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aggregate of $9.6 million in principal amount of outstanding
indebtedness. We and Bank of America have agreed with BlueCrest Capital that we will not
individually make any payments due under the Bank of America Loan while the BlueCrest Loan is
outstanding. Certain persons, including our Chairman of the Board, two of our other directors and
two of our shareholders, or, collectively, the Guarantors, have agreed to provide Bank of America
in the aggregate up to $5.5 million of funds and/or securities to make these payments. As of
January 31, 2008, these individuals had paid an aggregate of $315,000 of interest on the Bank of
America Loan on our behalf. Upon our repayment in full of the BlueCrest Loan, we are required to
reimburse these persons with interest at an annual rate of the prime rate plus 5.0% for any and all
payments made by them under the Bank of America Loan. We anticipate that the BlueCrest Loan will
need to be serviced and both the BlueCrest Loan and any amounts advanced by the Guarantors will
need to be repaid with existing cash or cash generated from security or loan placements, if any. If
we are unable to generate cash through additional financings, we may have to delay or curtail
research, development and commercialization programs.
In addition to the limitations imposed on our operational flexibility by the BlueCrest Loan as
described above, the BlueCrest Loan, our obligations to the Guarantors, and any other indebtedness
incurred by us could have significant additional negative consequences, including, without
limitation:
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requiring the dedication of a portion of our available cash to service our indebtedness,
thereby reducing the amount of our cash available for other purposes, including funding our
research and development programs and other capital expenditures; |
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increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; |
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limiting our ability to obtain additional financing; |
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limiting our ability to react to changes in technology or our business; and |
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placing us at a possible competitive disadvantage to less leveraged competitors. |
Risks Related to Product Development
All of our product candidates are in an early stage of development and we may never succeed in
developing and/or commercializing them. We depend heavily on the success of our lead product
candidate, MyoCell. If we are unable to commercialize MyoCell or any of our other product
candidates or experience significant delays in doing so, our business may fail.
We have invested a significant portion of our efforts and financial resources in our lead
product candidate, MyoCell, and depend heavily on its success. MyoCell is currently being tested in
clinical trials. Even if MyoCell progresses through clinical trials as we anticipate, we do not
expect MyoCell to be commercially available until, at the soonest, the second quarter of 2008. We
need to devote significant additional research and development, financial resources and personnel
to develop commercially viable products, obtain regulatory approvals and establish a sales and
marketing infrastructure.
We are likely to encounter hurdles and unexpected issues as we proceed in the development of
MyoCell and our other product candidates. There are many reasons that we may not succeed in our
efforts to develop our product candidates, including the possibility that:
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our product candidates will be deemed ineffective, unsafe or will not receive regulatory
approvals; |
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our product candidates will be too expensive to manufacture or market or will not
achieve broad market acceptance; |
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others will hold proprietary rights that will prevent us from marketing our product
candidates; or |
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our competitors will market products that are perceived as equivalent or superior. |
Our approach of using cell-based therapy for the treatment of heart damage is risky and unproven
and no products
using this approach have received regulatory approval in the United States or Europe.
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No company has yet been successful in its efforts to obtain regulatory approval in the United
States or Europe of a cell-based therapy product for the treatment of heart damage. Cell-based
therapy products, in general, may be susceptible to various risks, including undesirable and
unintended side effects, unintended immune system responses, inadequate therapeutic efficacy or
other characteristics that may prevent or limit their approval by regulators or commercial use.
Many companies in the industry have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials,
despite promising results in earlier trials. One of our competitors exploring the use of skeletal
myoblasts has announced its intent to cease to enroll new patients in its European Phase II
clinical trial based on the determination of its monitoring committee that there was a low
likelihood that the trial would result in the hypothesized improvement in heart function. Although
our clinical research to date suggests that MyoCell may improve the contractile function of the
heart, we have not yet been able to demonstrate a mechanism of action and additional research is
needed to precisely identify such mechanism.
If our clinical trials are unsuccessful or significantly delayed, or if we do not complete our
clinical trials, we will not receive regulatory approval for or be able to commercialize our
product candidates.
Our lead product candidate, MyoCell, is still in clinical testing and has not yet received
approval from the FDA or any similar foreign regulatory authority for any indication. MyoCell may
never receive regulatory approval or be commercialized in the United States or other countries.
Although we intend to seek regulatory approval of MyoCell in the United States based upon the
results of the Phase II/III MARVEL Trial, there can be no assurances that the FDA will consider the
MARVEL Trial pivotal. Accordingly, we may be required to conduct additional trials prior to
obtaining commercial approval, if ever, in the United States.
We cannot market any product candidate until regulatory agencies grant approval or licensure.
In order to obtain regulatory approval for the sale of any product candidate, we must, among other
requirements, provide the FDA and similar foreign regulatory authorities with preclinical and
clinical data that demonstrate to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities that our product
candidates are safe and effective for each indication under the applicable standards relating to
such product candidate. The preclinical studies and clinical trials of any product candidates must
comply with the regulations of the FDA and other governmental authorities in the United States and
similar agencies in other countries.
Even if we achieve positive interim results in clinical trials, these results do not
necessarily predict final results, and positive results in early trials may not be indicative of
success in later trials. For example, MyoCell has been studied in a limited number of patients to
date. Even though our early data has been promising, we have not yet completed any large-scale
pivotal trials to establish the safety and efficacy of MyoCell. A number of participants in our
clinical trials have experienced serious adverse events adjudicated or determined by trial
investigators to be potentially attributable to MyoCell. See Our product candidates may never
be commercialized due to unacceptable side effects and increased mortality that may be associated
with such product candidates. There is a risk that safety concerns relating to our product
candidates or cell-based therapies in general will result in the suspension or termination of our
clinical trials.
We may experience numerous unforeseen events during, or as a result of, the clinical trial
process that could delay or prevent regulatory approval and/or commercialization of our product
candidates, including the following:
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the FDA or similar foreign regulatory authorities may find that our product candidates
are not sufficiently safe or effective or may find our cell culturing processes or
facilities unsatisfactory; |
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officials at the FDA or similar foreign regulatory authorities may interpret data from
preclinical studies and clinical trials differently than we do; |
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our clinical trials may produce negative or inconclusive results or may not meet the
level of statistical significance required by the FDA or other regulatory authorities, and
we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional preclinical studies
and/or clinical trials or to abandon one or more of our development programs; |
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the FDA or similar foreign regulatory authorities may change their approval policies or
adopt new regulations; |
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there may be delays or failure in obtaining approval of our clinical trial protocols
from the FDA or other regulatory authorities or obtaining institutional review board
approvals or government approvals to conduct clinical trials at prospective sites; |
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we, or regulators, may suspend or terminate our clinical trials because the
participating patients are being exposed to unacceptable health risks or undesirable side
effects; |
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we may experience difficulties in managing multiple clinical sites; |
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enrollment in our clinical trials for our product candidates may occur more slowly than
we anticipate, or we may experience high drop-out rates of subjects in our clinical trials,
resulting in significant delays; |
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we may be unable to manufacture or obtain from third party manufacturers sufficient
quantities of our product candidates for use in clinical trials; and |
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our product candidates may be deemed unsafe or ineffective, or may be perceived as being
unsafe or ineffective, by healthcare providers for a particular indication. |
In the SEISMIC Trial, we experienced delays attributable to slower than anticipated enrollment
of patients. We may continue to experience difficulties in enrolling patients in our clinical
trials, which could increase the costs or affect the timing or outcome of these trials and could
prevent us from completing these trials.
Failures or perceived failures in our clinical trials would delay and may prevent our product
development and regulatory approval process, make it difficult for us to establish collaborations,
negatively affect our reputation and competitive position and otherwise have a material adverse
effect on our business.
Our product candidates may never be commercialized due to unacceptable side effects and increased
mortality that may be associated with such product candidates.
Possible side effects of our product candidates may be serious and life-threatening. A number
of participants in our clinical trials of MyoCell have experienced serious adverse events
potentially attributable to MyoCell, including six patient deaths and 18 patients experiencing
irregular heartbeats. A serious adverse event is generally an event that results in significant
medical consequences, such as hospitalization, disability or death, and must be reported to the
FDA. The occurrence of any unacceptable serious adverse events during or after preclinical and
clinical testing of our product candidates could temporarily delay or negate the possibility of
regulatory approval of our product candidates and adversely affect our business. Both our trials
and independent trials have reported the occurrence of irregular heartbeats in treated patients, a
significant risk to patient safety. We and our competitors have also, at times, suspended trials
studying the effects of myoblasts, at least temporarily, to assess the risk of irregular heartbeats
and it has been reported that one of our competitors studying the effect of myoblast implantation
prematurely discontinued a study because of the high incidence of irregular heartbeats. While we
believe irregular heartbeats may be manageable with the use of certain prophylactic measures
including an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, and antiarrhythmic drug therapy, these
risk management techniques may not prove to sufficiently reduce the risk of unacceptable side
effects. Although our early results suggest that patients treated with MyoCell do not face
materially different health risks than heart failure patients with similar levels of damage to the
heart who have not been treated with MyoCell, we are still in the process of seeking to demonstrate
that our product candidates do not pose unacceptable health risks. We have not yet treated a
sufficient number of patients to allow us to make a determination that serious unintended
consequences will not occur.
We depend on third parties to assist us in the conduct of our preclinical studies and clinical
trials, and any failure of those parties to fulfill their obligations could result in costs and
delays and prevent us from obtaining regulatory approval or successfully commercializing our
product candidates on a timely basis, if at all.
We engage consultants and contract research organizations to help design, and to assist us in
conducting, our preclinical studies and clinical trials and to collect and analyze data from those
studies and trials. The consultants and contract research organizations we engage interact with
clinical investigators to enroll patients in our clinical trials. As a result, we depend on these
consultants and contract research organizations to perform the studies and trials in accordance
with the investigational plan and protocol for each product candidate and in compliance with
regulations and standards, commonly referred to as good clinical practice, for conducting,
recording and reporting results of clinical trials to assure that the data and results are credible
and accurate and the trial participants are adequately protected, as required by the FDA and
foreign regulatory agencies. We may face delays in our regulatory approval process if these parties
do not perform their obligations in a timely or competent fashion or if we are forced to change
service providers. The risk of
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delays is heightened for our clinical trials conducted outside of
the United States, where it may be more difficult for us to ensure that studies are conducted in
compliance with foreign regulatory requirements. Any third parties that we hire to
conduct clinical trials may also provide services to our competitors, which could compromise
the performance of their obligations to us. If these third parties do not successfully carry out
their duties or meet expected deadlines, or if the quality, completeness or accuracy of the data
they obtain is compromised due to their failure to adhere to our clinical trial protocols or for
other reasons, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or terminated or may otherwise prove to
be unsuccessful. If there are delays or failures in clinical trials or regulatory approvals as a
result of the failure to perform by third parties, our development costs will increase, and we may
not be able to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates. In addition, we may not be
able to establish or maintain relationships with these third parties on favorable terms, if at all.
If we need to enter into replacement arrangements because a third party is not performing in
accordance with our expectations, we may not be able to do so without undue delays or considerable
expenditures or at all.
Risks Related to Government Regulation and Regulatory Approvals
Our cell-based product candidates are based on novel technologies and the FDA and regulatory
agencies in other countries have limited experience reviewing product candidates using these
technologies.
We are subject to the risks of failure inherent in the development of product candidates based
on new technologies. The novel nature of our product candidates creates significant challenges in
regards to product development and optimization, government regulation, third party reimbursement
and market acceptance. These include:
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the scientific basis of our technology could be determined to be less sound than we
believe; |
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the time and effort required to solve novel technical problems could delay the
development of our product candidates; |
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the FDA and regulatory agencies in other countries have relatively limited experience
with therapies based upon cellular medicine generally and, as a result, the pathway to
regulatory approval for our cell-based product candidates may be more complex and lengthy;
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the healthcare community has relatively little experience with therapies based upon
cellular medicine and, accordingly, following regulatory approval, if any, our product
candidates may not become widely accepted by physicians, patients, third party payors or
the healthcare community. |
As a result, the development and commercialization pathway for our cell-based therapies may be
subject to increased uncertainty, as compared to the pathway for new conventional drugs.
We are subject to numerous risks associated with seeking regulatory approval of MyoCell pursuant to
a protocol that requires the use of a catheter system which is still subject to FDA approval. The
catheter system we intend to use in connection with our MARVEL Trial is owned by an unaffiliated
third party. Although we have entered into a two-year supply agreement for delivery of the catheter
system for use in the MARVEL Trial, we are subject to a number of risks not addressed by the
parties in the supply agreement.
We have been cleared by the FDA to proceed under the protocol for our MARVEL Trial, which
protocol requires participating trial investigators to use Biosense Websters, a Johnson & Johnson
company, NOGA® Cardiac Navigation System along with the MyoStar injection catheter, or MyoStar, or
collectively with the NOGA® Cardiac Navigation System, the MyoStar System, for the delivery of
MyoCell to patients enrolled in the trial. We further anticipate that if MyoCell receives
regulatory approval, such approval will require MyoCell to be injected with a catheter system that
has also secured regulatory approval. Accordingly, the commercial deployment of MyoCell is
dependent upon MyoStar, MyoCath or some other catheter system securing regulatory approval for use
with MyoCell. Although MyoStar has received CE mark approval in Europe, neither MyoStar, MyoCath
nor any other catheter system is commercially available in the United States and they may only be
used pursuant to FDA approved investigational protocols. Notwithstanding the devotion of
considerable resources to the development and testing of MyoStar and MyoCath, they may never
receive additional or any, respectively, regulatory approval that will allow for their commercial
use with MyoCell.
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We are not affiliated with Biosense Webster, the Cordis Corporation or any other Johnson &
Johnson company. Although we entered into a supply agreement with Biosense Webster on May 10, 2007
pursuant to which it has agreed to deliver MyoStar to us for a two year period at an agreed upon
price as and when required by the MARVEL Trial, we currently have no right to control the further
development, clinical testing and/or refinement of MyoStar. Biosense
Webster currently has the right to make the following types of decisions without consulting
with or even considering our views, which decisions could directly or indirectly negatively impact
our efforts and/or ability to secure regulatory approval of MyoCell:
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the terms and conditions under which MyoStar will be made available for use to trial
investigators, if at all, after the term of the supply agreement; |
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the terms and conditions under which the diagnostic consoles that are part of the NOGA®
Cardiac Navigation System will be made available for use to trial investigators, if at all; |
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the modification or not of the MyoStar System or any of its components and its protocol
for use as a result of information obtained during trials; |
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the license or sale of the MyoStar System related intellectual property to a third
party, potentially including our competitors; |
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the use of the MyoStar System or any of its components in myoblast-based clinical
therapies other than ours; and |
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the suspension or abandonment of other clinical trials involving MyoStar. |
The unavailability of the MyoStar System, for any reason, would have a material adverse effect on
our product development and commercialization efforts as we will be unable to recover the time and
money expended on the MARVEL Trial prior to such determination of unavailability.
We must comply with extensive government regulations in order to obtain and maintain marketing
approval for our products in the United States and abroad. If we do not obtain regulatory approval
for our product candidates, we may be forced to cease our operations.
Our product candidates are subject to extensive regulation in the United States and in every
other country where they will be tested or used. These regulations are wide-ranging and govern,
among other things:
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product design, development, manufacture and testing; |
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product safety and efficacy; |
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product labeling; |
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product storage and shipping; |
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record keeping; |
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pre-market clearance or approval; |
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advertising and promotion; and |
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product sales and distribution. |
We cannot market our product candidates until we receive regulatory approval. The process of
obtaining regulatory approval is lengthy, expensive and uncertain. Any difficulties that we
encounter in obtaining regulatory approval may have a substantial adverse impact on our business
and cause our stock price to decline significantly.
In the United States, the FDA imposes substantial requirements on the introduction of
biological products and many medical devices through lengthy and detailed laboratory and clinical
testing procedures, sampling activities and other costly and time-consuming procedures.
Satisfaction of these requirements typically takes several years and the time required to do so may
vary substantially based upon the type and complexity of the biological product or medical device.
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In addition, product candidates that we believe should be classified as medical devices for
purposes of the FDA regulatory pathway may be determined by the FDA to be biologic products subject
to the satisfaction of significantly more stringent requirements for FDA approval.
The requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials and cell culturing and marketing of
our product candidates
outside the United States vary widely from country to country. Foreign approvals may take
longer to obtain than FDA approvals and can require, among other things, additional testing and
different clinical trial designs. Foreign regulatory approval processes generally include all of
the risks associated with the FDA approval processes. Some foreign regulatory agencies also must
approve prices of the products. Regulatory approval in one country does not ensure regulatory
approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may
negatively impact the regulatory process in others. We may not be able to file for regulatory
approvals and may not receive necessary approvals to market our product candidates in any foreign
country. If we fail to comply with these regulatory requirements or fail to obtain and maintain
required approvals in any foreign country, we will not be able to sell our product candidates in
that country and our ability to generate revenue will be adversely affected.
We cannot assure you that we will obtain FDA or foreign regulatory approval to market any of
our product candidates for any indication in a timely manner or at all. If we fail to obtain
regulatory approval of any of our product candidates for at least one indication, we will not be
permitted to market our product candidates and may be forced to cease our operations.
Even if some of our product candidates receive regulatory approval, these approvals may be subject
to conditions, and we and our third party manufacturers will in any event be subject to significant
ongoing regulatory obligations and oversight.
Even if any of our product candidates receives regulatory approval, the manufacturing,
marketing and sale of our product candidates will be subject to stringent and ongoing government
regulation. Conditions of approval, such as limiting the category of patients who can use the
product, may significantly impact our ability to commercialize the product and may make it
difficult or impossible for us to market a product profitably. Changes we may desire to make to an
approved product, such as cell culturing changes or revised labeling, may require further
regulatory review and approval, which could prevent us from updating or otherwise changing an
approved product. If our product candidates are approved by the FDA or other regulatory authorities
for the treatment of any indications, regulatory labeling may specify that our product candidates
be used in conjunction with other therapies. For instance, we currently anticipate that prior
implantation of an ICD and treatment with optimal drug therapy will be required at least initially
as a condition to treatment with MyoCell.
Once obtained, regulatory approvals may be withdrawn for a number of reasons, including the
later discovery of previously unknown problems with the product. Regulatory approval may also
require costly post-marketing follow-up studies, and failure of our product candidates to
demonstrate sufficient efficacy and safety in these studies may result in either withdrawal of
marketing approval or severe limitations on permitted product usage. In addition, numerous
additional regulatory requirements relating to, among other processes, the labeling, packaging,
adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and record-keeping will also apply.
Furthermore, regulatory agencies subject a marketed product, its manufacturer and the
manufacturers facilities to continual review and periodic inspections. Compliance with these
regulatory requirements is time consuming and requires the expenditure of substantial resources.
If any of our product candidates is approved, we will be required to report certain adverse
events involving our products to the FDA, to provide updated safety and efficacy information and to
comply with requirements concerning the advertisement and promotional labeling of our products. As
a result, even if we obtain necessary regulatory approvals to market our product candidates for any
indication, any adverse results, circumstances or events that are subsequently discovered, could
require that we cease marketing the product for that indication or expend money, time and effort to
ensure full compliance, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In response to recent events regarding questions about the safety of certain approved
prescription products, including the lack of adequate warnings, the FDA and the U.S. Congress are
currently considering new regulatory and legislative approaches to advertising, monitoring and
assessing the safety of marketed drugs, including legislation authorizing the
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FDA to mandate
labeling changes for approved products, particularly those related to safety. It is possible that
congressional and FDA initiatives pertaining to ensuring the safety of marketed biologics and
similar initiatives in other countries, or other developments pertaining to the pharmaceutical
industry, could require us to expend additional resources to comply with such initiatives and could
adversely affect our operations.
In addition, the FDA and similar foreign governmental authorities have the authority to
require the recall of commercialized products in the event of any failure to comply with applicable
laws and regulations or defects in design or
manufacture. In the event any of our product candidates receives approval and is
commercialized, a government-mandated or voluntary product recall by us could occur as a result of
component failures, device malfunctions, or other negative events such as serious injuries or
deaths, or quality-related issues such as cell culturing errors or design or labeling defects.
Recalls of any of our potential products could divert managerial and financial resources, harm our
reputation and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and stock price.
Any failure by us, or by any third parties that may manufacture or market our products, to
comply with the law, including statutes and regulations administered by the FDA or other U.S. or
foreign regulatory authorities, could result in, among other things, warning letters, fines and
other civil penalties, suspension of regulatory approvals and the resulting requirement that we
suspend sales of our products, refusal to approve pending applications or supplements to approved
applications, export or import restrictions, interruption of production, operating restrictions,
closure of the facilities used by us or third parties to manufacture our product candidates,
injunctions or criminal prosecution. Any of the foregoing actions could have a material adverse
effect on our business.
We must comply with federal, state and foreign laws, regulations and other rules relating to the
healthcare business, and, if we do not fully comply with such laws, regulations and other rules, we
could face substantial penalties.
We are, or will be directly or indirectly through our customers, subject to extensive
regulation by the federal government, the states and foreign countries in which we may conduct our
business. The laws that directly or indirectly affect our ability to operate our business include
the following:
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the federal Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback law, which prohibits persons from
knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly
or indirectly, in cash or in kind, to induce either the referral of an individual or
furnishing or arranging for a good or service, for which payment may be made under federal
healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; |
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other Medicare laws, regulations, rules, manual provisions and policies that prescribe
the requirements for coverage and payment for services performed by our customers,
including the amount of such payment; |
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the Federal False Claims Act, which imposes civil and criminal liability on individuals
and entities who submit, or cause to be submitted, false or fraudulent claims for payment
to the government; |
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the Federal False Statements Act, which prohibits knowingly and willfully falsifying,
concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statement in
connection with delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or services; and |
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state and foreign law equivalents of the foregoing. |
If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws, regulations, rules or
policies described above or any other law or governmental regulation to which we or our customers
are or will be subject, or if the interpretation of the foregoing changes, we may be subject to
civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs and
the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Similarly, if our customers are found
non-compliant with applicable laws, they may be subject to sanctions, which could also have a
negative impact on us. Any penalties, damages, fines, curtailment or restructuring of our
operations would adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results.
The risk of our being found in violation of these laws is increased by the fact that 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, and additional legal or regulatory change. Any action
against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us
to incur significant legal expenses, divert our managements attention from the operation of our
business and damage our reputation.
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Our business involves the use of hazardous materials that could expose us to environmental and
other liability.
Our facility in Sunrise, Florida is subject to various local, state and federal laws and
regulations relating to the use and disposal of hazardous or potentially hazardous substances,
including chemicals and microorganisms used in connection with our research and development
activities. In the United States, these laws include the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the
Toxic Test Substances Control Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Although we
believe that our safety procedures for handling and disposing of these materials comply with the
standards prescribed by these regulations, we cannot assure you that accidental contamination or
injury to employees and third parties from these
materials will not occur. Although we have insurance coverage of up to $250,000 to cover
claims arising from our use and disposal of these hazardous substances, the insurance that we
currently hold may not be adequate to cover all liabilities relating to our use and disposal of
hazardous substances.
Risks Related to Commercialization of our Product Candidates
If we are successful in securing regulatory approval of MyoCell utilizing a protocol that requires
the use of
MyoStar, we will be subject to numerous risks associated with commercializing a therapy that
requires the use of a product that we do not control.
Except for the agreement pursuant to which Biosense Webster has agreed to deliver MyoStar to
us in connection with the MARVEL Trial, we have no agreement in place with Biosense Webster that
defines our relationship with them and our prospective customers. Accordingly, Biosense Webster
currently has the right to make the following types of decisions without consulting with or even
considering our views, which decisions could directly or indirectly negatively impact our efforts
and/or ability to commercialize MyoCell:
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the temporary or permanent suspension of production, marketing or distribution of the
MyoStar System; |
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the terms and conditions under which the MyoStar System will be made available to
customers, if at all; |
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the modification or refinement of the MyoStar System and its protocols for use as a
result of information obtained from patients; and |
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the branding and/or use of the MyoStar System in conjunction with myoblast-based
clinical therapies other than ours. |
Similarly, we have no control over the intellectual property rights underlying MyoStar or the
MyoStar System, no ability to protect or defend any such intellectual property rights and no
ability to prevent Biosense Webster from licensing or selling these intellectual property rights to
one of our competitors.
The healthcare community has relatively little experience with therapies based on cellular medicine
and, accordingly, if our product candidates do not become widely accepted by physicians, patients,
third party payors or the healthcare community, we may be unable to generate significant revenue,
if any.
We are developing cell-based therapy product candidates for the treatment of heart damage that
represent novel and unproven treatments and, if approved, will compete with a number of more
conventional products and therapies manufactured and marketed by others, including major
pharmaceutical companies. We cannot predict or guarantee that physicians, patients, healthcare
insurers, third party payors or health maintenance organizations, or the healthcare community in
general, will accept or utilize any of our product candidates. We anticipate that, if approved, we
will market MyoCell primarily to interventional cardiologists, who are generally not the primary
care physicians for patients who may be eligible for treatment with MyoCell. Accordingly, our
commercial success may be dependent on third party physicians referring their patients to
interventional cardiologists for MyoCell treatment.
If we are successful in obtaining regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, the
degree of market acceptance of those products will depend on many factors, including:
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our ability to provide acceptable evidence and the perception of patients and the
healthcare community, including third party payors, of the positive characteristics of our
product candidates relative to existing treatment methods, including their safety,
efficacy, cost effectiveness and/or other potential advantages; |
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the incidence and severity of any adverse side effects of our product candidates; |
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the availability of alternative treatments; |
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the labeling requirements imposed by the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies, including
the scope of approved indications and any safety warnings; |
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our ability to obtain sufficient third party insurance coverage or reimbursement for our
products candidates; |
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the inclusion of our products on insurance company coverage policies; |
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the willingness and ability of patients and the healthcare community to adopt new
technologies; |
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the procedure time associated with the use of our product candidates; |
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our ability to manufacture or obtain from third party manufacturers sufficient
quantities of our product candidates with acceptable quality and at an acceptable cost to
meet demand; and |
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marketing and distribution support for our products. |
Failure to achieve market acceptance would limit our ability to generate revenue and would
have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if any of our product candidates
achieve market acceptance, we may not be able to maintain that market acceptance over time if
competing products or technologies are introduced that are received more favorably or are more
cost-effective.
There is substantial uncertainty as to the coverage that may be available and the reimbursement
rates that may be established for our product candidates. Any failure to obtain third party
coverage or an adequate level of reimbursement for our product candidates will likely have a
material adverse effect on our business.
If we successfully develop, and obtain necessary regulatory approvals for, our product
candidates we intend to sell them initially in Europe and the United States. We have not yet
submitted any of our product candidates to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS,
or any private or governmental third party payor in the United States to determine whether or not
our product candidates will be covered under private or public health insurance plans or, if they
are covered, what coverage or reimbursement rates may be available. Although we believe hospitals
may be entitled to some procedure reimbursement for MyoCell, we cannot assure you that such
reimbursement will be adequate or available at all.
In Europe, the pricing of prescription pharmaceutical products and services and the level of
government reimbursement generally are subject to governmental control. Reimbursement and
healthcare payment systems in European markets vary significantly by country, and may include both
government-sponsored healthcare and private insurance. In these countries, pricing negotiations
with governmental authorities can take six to twelve months or longer after the receipt of
marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we
may be required to conduct one or more clinical trials that compare the cost effectiveness of our
product candidates to other available therapies. Conducting one or more clinical trials for this
purpose would be expensive and result in delays in commercialization of our product candidates. We
may not obtain coverage or reimbursement or pricing approvals from countries in Europe in a timely
manner, or at all. Any failure to receive coverage or reimbursement or pricing approvals from one
or more European countries could effectively prevent us from selling our product candidates in
those countries, which could materially adversely affect our business.
In the United States, our revenues will depend upon the coverage and reimbursement rates and
policies established for our product candidates by third party payors, including governmental
authorities, managed-care providers, public health insurers, private health insurers and other
organizations. These third party payors are increasingly attempting to contain healthcare costs by
limiting both coverage and the level of reimbursement for new healthcare products approved for
marketing by the FDA or regulatory agencies in other countries. As a result, significant
uncertainty exists as to whether newly approved medical products will be eligible for coverage by
third party payors or, if eligible for coverage,
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what the reimbursement rates will be for those
products. Furthermore, cell-based therapies like MyoCell may be more expensive than
pharmaceuticals, due to, among other things, the higher cost and complexity associated with the
research, development and production of these therapies. This, in turn, may make it more difficult
for us to obtain adequate reimbursement from third party payors, particularly if we cannot
demonstrate a favorable cost-benefit relationship. Third party payors may also deny coverage or
offer inadequate levels of reimbursement for our potential products if they determine that the
product has not received appropriate clearances from the FDA or other government regulators or is
experimental, unnecessary or inappropriate. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that adequate third
party coverage or reimbursement will be available for any of our product candidates to allow us to
successfully commercialize these product candidates.
Coverage and reimbursement rates for our product candidates may be subject to increased
restrictions both in the United States and in other countries in the future. Coverage policies and
reimbursement rates are subject to change and we cannot guarantee that current coverage policies
and reimbursement rates will be applicable to our product candidates in
the future. U.S. federal, state and foreign agencies and legislatures from time to time may
seek to impose restrictions on coverage, pricing, and reimbursement level of drugs, devices and
healthcare services in order to contain healthcare costs.
We have only limited experience culturing our cell-based product candidates, and we may not be able
to culture our product candidates in quantities sufficient for clinical studies or for commercial
sale. We also face certain risks in connection with our use of third party manufacturers and cell
culturing service providers.
We may encounter difficulties in the production of our cell-based product candidates,
including MyoCell, due to our limited experience internally culturing our product candidates. We
have a cell culturing facility in Sunrise, Florida, which we believe has the capacity to meet
substantially all of our projected demand for MyoCell in the United States for the balance of 2008.
We began culturing cells at this facility for preclinical uses in the third quarter of 2006. Prior
to such date, we outsourced our various cell culturing needs. Upon commencement of the MARVEL Trial
in the fourth quarter of 2007, we began culturing cells at this facility for clinical uses. We have
no experience in culturing our product candidates for the number of patients that will be required
for later stage clinical studies or commercialization and may be unable to culture sufficient
quantities of our product candidates for our clinical trials or our commercial needs on a timely
and cost-effective basis. Difficulties arising from our limited cell culturing experience could
reduce sales of our products, increase our costs or cause production delays, any of which could
adversely affect our results of operations.
We intend to further optimize our processing times by building our facilities or contracting
with a small number of cell culturing facilities in strategic regional locations. We anticipate
that a portion of the funds necessary to construct new manufacturing facilities may be made
available to us by the governments of the countries where we seek to build such facilities. To the
extent these funds are not available to us, we may be unable to construct these facilities or may
need to seek additional capital.
We anticipate that we will continue to use third party cell culturing service providers,
including Pharmacell, to supply a portion of our cell-based product candidates, including MyoCell,
for clinical trials and commercial sales outside of the United States. We may not be able to, and
in our Phase I/II clinical trial experienced delays because we were not at times able to, obtain
sufficient quantities of MyoCell from third party cell culturing service providers. In addition,
our third party cell culturing providers may be unable to culture commercial quantities of our
product candidates on a timely and cost-effective basis. The term of our supply agreement with
Pharmacell expires six months following the end of completion of the SEISMIC and MARVEL Trials
unless terminated earlier. We cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain our relationships
with our third party cell culturing service providers, including Pharmacell, or establish
relationships with other cell culturing service providers on commercially acceptable terms.
We currently use and expect to continue to use third party manufacturers to supply our device
product candidates, including MyoCath. Our contract with our only MyoCath manufacturer terminated
in September 2007. We anticipate negotiating a new agreement with another manufacturer. The
transition to a replacement contract manufacturer has additional risks, including those risks
associated with the development by the replacement contract manufacturer of sufficient levels of
expertise in the manufacturing process. If we are unable to enter into a replacement agreement with
another contract manufacturer on reasonable terms and in a timely manner, or if any replacement
contract manufacturer is unable to develop sufficient manufacturing expertise in a timely manner,
we could experience shortages of clinical trial
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materials, which could adversely affect our
business.
Our cell culturing facility and those of our contract manufacturers and other cell culturing
service providers will be subject to ongoing, periodic inspection by the FDA to confirm that the
facilities comply with the FDAs current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP, if the facility
manufactures biologics, and quality system regulations if the facility manufactures devices.
Foreign regulatory agencies, for example, the International Standards Organization and the European
authorities related to obtaining a CE mark on a device in Europe, may also impose similar
requirements on us and conduct similar inspections of the facilities that manufacture our product
candidates. Failure to follow and document adherence to such cGMP regulations or other regulatory
requirements by us or our contract manufacturers or third party cell culturing service providers
may lead to significant delays in the availability of our product candidates for commercial use or
clinical study, may result in the delay or termination of a clinical trial, or may delay or prevent
filing of applications for or our receipt of regulatory approval of our product candidates. If we
or such third parties fail to comply with applicable regulations, the FDA or other regulatory
authorities could impose sanctions on us, including fines, injunctions, civil penalties, denial of
marketing approval of our product candidates, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals,
license revocation, seizures or recalls of our product candidates, operating restrictions and
criminal prosecutions. Any of
these events could adversely affect our financial condition, profitability and ability to
develop and commercialize products on a timely and competitive basis.
If we are unable to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third
parties to market and sell our product candidates, we may be unable to generate product revenues.
We do not have a sales and marketing force and related infrastructure and have limited
experience in the sales, marketing and distribution of our product candidates. To achieve
commercial success for any approved product, we must either develop a sales and marketing force or
outsource these functions to third parties. Currently, we intend to internally develop a direct
sales and marketing force in both Europe and the United States as we approach commercial approval
of our product candidates. In other regions, we intend to seek to enter into exclusive or
non-exclusive distribution arrangements. The development of our own sales and marketing force will
result in us incurring significant costs before the time that we may generate revenues. We may not
be able to attract, hire, train and retain qualified sales and marketing personnel to build a
significant or effective marketing and sales force for sales of our product candidates.
Product liability and other claims against us may reduce demand for our products or result in
substantial damages. We anticipate that we will need to obtain and maintain additional or increased
insurance coverage, and we may not be able to obtain or maintain such coverage on commercially
reasonable terms, if at all.
A product liability claim, a clinical trial liability claim or other claim with respect to
uninsured liabilities or for amounts in excess of insured liabilities could have a material adverse
effect on our business. Our business exposes us to potential liability risks that may arise from
the clinical testing of our product candidates in human clinical trials and the manufacture and
sale of any approved products. Any clinical trial liability or product liability claim or series of
claims or class actions brought against us, with or without merit, could result in:
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liabilities that substantially exceed our existing clinical trial liability insurance,
or any clinical trial liability or product liability insurance that we may obtain in the
future, which we would then be required to pay from other sources, if available; |
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an increase in the premiums we pay for our clinical trial liability insurance and any
clinical trial liability or product liability insurance we may obtain in the future or the
inability to renew or obtain clinical trial liability or product liability insurance
coverage in the future on acceptable terms, or at all; |
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withdrawal of clinical trial volunteers or patients; |
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damage to our reputation and the reputation of our products, including loss of market
share; |
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regulatory investigations that could require costly recalls or product modifications; |
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litigation costs; and |
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diversion of managements attention from managing our business. |
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Although we have clinical trial liability insurance, our current clinical trial liability
insurance is subject to deductibles and coverage limitations. This insurance currently covers
claims of up to $5 million each and up to $10 million in the aggregate each year. Our current
clinical trial liability insurance may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms, if
at all, and, if available, the coverage may not be adequate to protect us against future clinical
trial liability claims.
We do not currently have product liability insurance because none of our product candidates
has yet been approved for commercialization. While we plan to seek product liability insurance
coverage if any of our product candidates are sold commercially, we cannot assure you that we will
be able to obtain product liability insurance on commercially acceptable terms, if at all, or that
we will be able to maintain such insurance at a reasonable cost or in sufficient amounts to protect
against potential losses.
Claims may be made by consumers, healthcare providers, third party strategic collaborators or
others selling our products if one of our products or product candidates causes, or appears to have
caused, an injury. We may be subject to claims against us even if an alleged injury is due to the
actions of others. For example, we rely on the expertise of physicians, nurses and other associated
medical personnel to perform the medical procedures and processes related to our product
candidates. If these medical personnel are not properly trained or are negligent in using our
product candidates,
the therapeutic effect of our product candidates may be diminished or the patient may suffer
injury, which may subject us to liability. In addition, an injury resulting from the activities of
our suppliers may serve as a basis for a claim against us.
We do not intend to promote, or to in any way support or encourage the promotion of, our
product candidates for off-label or otherwise unapproved uses. However, if our product candidates
are approved by the FDA or similar foreign regulatory authorities, we cannot prevent a physician
from using them for any off-label applications. If injury to a patient results from such an
inappropriate use, we may become involved in a product liability suit, which will likely be
expensive to defend.
These liabilities could prevent or interfere with our clinical efforts, product development
efforts and any subsequent product commercialization efforts, all of which could have a material
adverse effect on our business.
Our success will depend in part on establishing and maintaining effective strategic partnerships,
collaborations and licensing agreements.
Our strategy for the development, testing, culturing and commercialization of our product
candidates relies on establishing and maintaining numerous collaborations with various corporate
partners, consultants, scientists, researchers, licensors, licensees and others. While we are
continually in discussions with a number of companies, universities, research institutions,
consultants, scientists, researchers, licensors, licensees and others to establish additional
relationships and collaborations, which are typically complex and time consuming to negotiate,
document and implement, we may not reach definitive agreements with any of them. Even if we enter
into these arrangements, we may not be able to maintain these relationships or establish new ones
in the future on acceptable terms.
Furthermore, any collaboration that we enter into may not be successful. The success of our
collaboration arrangements, if any, will depend heavily on the efforts and activities of our
collaborators. Possible future collaborations have risks, including the following:
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our collaboration agreements are likely to be for fixed terms and subject to termination
by our collaborators in the event of a material breach or lack of scientific progress by
us; |
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our collaborators are likely to have the first right to maintain or defend our
intellectual property rights and, although we would likely seek to secure the right to
assume the maintenance and defense of our intellectual property rights if our collaborators
do not, our ability to do so may be compromised by our collaborators acts or omissions; |
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our collaborators may utilize our intellectual property rights in such a way as to
invite litigation that could jeopardize or invalidate our intellectual property rights or
expose us to potential liability; |
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our collaborators may underfund or not commit sufficient resources to the testing,
marketing, distribution or development of our product candidates; and |
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our collaborators may develop alternative products either on their own or in
collaboration with others, or encounter conflicts of interest or changes in business
strategy or other business issues, which could adversely affect their willingness or
ability to fulfill their obligations to us. |
These arrangements also may require us to grant certain rights to third parties, including
exclusive marketing rights to one or more products, or may have other terms that are burdensome to
us, and may involve the issuance of our securities. If any of our partners terminates its
relationship with us or fails to perform its obligations in a timely manner, the development or
commercialization of our technology and product candidates may be substantially delayed. Further,
disputes may arise with our collaborators about inventorship and corresponding rights in know-how
and inventions resulting from the joint creation or use of intellectual property by us and our
collaborators.
We have provided a non-affiliated Korean entity certain technology to manufacture MyoCell and
MyoCath and face the risk that such action and/or the actions of the Korean entity may materially
damage our business, expose us to liability and/or result in the termination of various
intellectual property licenses that are important to us.
On February 1, 2005, we entered into a joint venture agreement with Bioheart Korea, Inc., the
predecessor entity of BHK, Inc., pursuant to which we and Bioheart Korea agreed to create a joint
venture company called Bioheart
Manufacturing which intends to provide cell culturing services in Korea. We do not have
operating control over Bioheart Manufacturing. In addition, our minority interest in Bioheart
Manufacturing and our agreements to provide Bioheart Korea certain technologies are governed, in
part, by South Korean laws and do not define in a comprehensive manner our various contractual and
legal rights. As a result, at times our various rights have been subject to varying
interpretations, and we may encounter comparable challenges in the future. We have also had limited
operational experience with Bioheart Manufacturing and BHK and are still in the process of defining
our relationship with them and how we will work together.
Our agreements to provide Bioheart Manufacturing with the technology to manufacture MyoCell
and MyoCath are subject to varying interpretations that may increase our risk of disputes with
Bioheart Manufacturing, BHK and certain parties that licensed to us certain technology related to
MyoCell and/or MyoCath. We also face the risk that Bioheart Manufacturing may not utilize or may
not be perceived as utilizing our intellectual property rights in accordance with the terms of our
agreements with them and/or our agreements with various third parties that have licensed technology
to us. For instance, a complaint filed against us by Peter K. Law, Ph.D. and Cell Transplants Asia
appears to question our rights to provide certain intellectual property to Bioheart Manufacturing
and/or Bioheart Manufacturings right to use certain intellectual property. See Item 3. Legal
Proceedings for a description of the complaint and the reasons we believe the complaint should be
dismissed. If Bioheart Manufacturing were to misuse our intellectual property rights, such misuse
could, among other things, materially damage our business, expose us to potential liability and/or
result in the termination of various intellectual property licenses that are important to us.
Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property
We have licensed and therefore do not own the intellectual property that is critical to our
business. Any events or circumstances that result in the termination or limitation of our rights
under any of the agreements between us and the licensors of our intellectual property could have a
material adverse effect on our business.
The intellectual property that is critical to our business has been licensed to us by various
third parties. The operative terms of some of our material license agreements are vague or subject
to interpretations which may increase the risks of dispute with our licensors.
Under certain of our patent license agreements, we are subject to development, payment,
commercialization and other obligations and, if we fail to comply with any of these requirements or
otherwise breach those agreements, our licensors may have the right to terminate the license in
whole or in part, terminate the exclusive nature of the license to the extent such license is
exclusive or otherwise limit our rights thereunder, which could have a material adverse effect on
our business. For instance, we are obligated to:
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pay fees of $3 million and $5 million to Cell Transplants International, LLC, or Cell
Transplants International, upon commencement of a U.S. Phase II human clinical trial of
MyoCell and upon FDA approval of patented technology for heart muscle regeneration,
respectively; |
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make certain payments to the Cleveland Clinic in the aggregate amount of $2.25 million
upon our achievement of certain development and commercialization objectives in connection
with the development of MyoCell SDF-1; and |
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deliver 160 units of MyoCath to a corporation that is now a division of Abbott
Laboratories. |
On October 24, 2007, we completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the first patient in
the MARVEL Trial, our Phase II/III trial of MyoCell. We have not yet made the $3 million payment
that is now due. Although we have proposed to Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International a schedule
for making such payments, we do not intend to make these payments to Dr. Law and Cell Transplants
International until the parties mutually agree upon a payment schedule or we are compelled to. If
Dr. Law and/or Cell Transplants International assert claims that we have failed to make certain
payments, we intend to advance various counterclaims and defenses, including Dr. Laws and Cell
Transplant Internationals failure to honor certain obligations to us. These obligations include
Dr. Laws and Cell Transplant Internationals contractual obligation to provide us with all
pertinent and critical information necessary for us to file an IND with the FDA for MyoCell and
have it approved by the FDA, including information concerning the cell culturing process and
pre-clinical testing data, as well as their obligation to conduct research with the funding we
provided. As a result of Dr. Laws and Cell Transplant Internationals failure to fulfill these
obligations, we were forced to incur substantial costs for, among other things, conducting our own
research, validation studies and pre-clinical testing in connection with the IND for MyoCell. There
is a risk that a court may take the position that our delay in the payment of the $3 million was
not justified and direct us to immediately pay the $3 million and award Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants International monetary damages and certain other yet to be requested remedies,
including the termination of the license agreement. Any such order or award would adversely affect
our MyoCell commercialization efforts and have a significant impact on our results of operations
and financial condition.
On March 9, 2007, Dr. Law and Cell Transplants Asia an entity wholly owned by Dr. Law, filed a
complaint against us and Howard J. Leonhardt, individually, in the United States District Court for
the Western District of Tennessee alleging, among other things, certain breaches of our licensing
agreement with them. On July 26, 2007, the court granted the motion to dismiss Mr. Leonhardt in his
individual capacity but denied the motion to dismiss the claims against us. Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants International are the licensors of the primary patent protecting MyoCell. See Item 3.
Legal Proceedings for a description of the allegations made in the complaint. While the complaint
does not appear to challenge our rights to license this patent and we believe this lawsuit is
without merit, this litigation, if not resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, may adversely
impact our relationship with Dr. Law and could, if resolved unfavorably to us, adversely affect our
MyoCell commercialization efforts and have a significant negative impact on our results of
operations and financial condition.
Any termination or limitation of, or loss of exclusivity under, our exclusive or conditionally
exclusive license agreements would have a material adverse effect on us and could delay or
completely terminate our product development efforts.
We generally do not have the right under our material license agreements to control the protection
of the patents licensed thereunder and, as a result, our licensors may take actions and make
decisions that could materially adversely affect our business.
Under our material license agreements, including, but not limited to, our license agreement
for the Primary MyoCell Patent, our licensors generally have the right to control the filing,
prosecution, maintenance and defense of all licensed patents and patent applications and, if a
third party infringes on any of those licensed patents, to control any legal or other proceedings
instituted against that third party for infringement. As a result, our licensors may take actions
or make decisions relating to these matters with which we do not agree or which could have a
material adverse effect on our business. Likewise, our licensors may in the future grant licenses
outside the field of heart damage treatment to third parties to use the patents and other
intellectual property to which we have rights under our exclusive or conditionally
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exclusive license agreements. Should our licensors elect not to pursue the filing, prosecution
or maintenance of a licensed patent application or patent or institute legal or other proceedings
against a third party for infringements of those patents, then we may be required to undertake
these proceedings alone or jointly with others, who may have interests that are different from
ours. Under certain of our license agreements, we have no right to undertake these proceedings even
if our licensors refuse to do so. As a result, we may have no control or only limited control over
the prosecution, maintenance, defense and enforcement of patent applications and patents that are
critical to our business. In that regard, certain of our license agreements require that we
contribute to the costs of filing, prosecuting, maintaining, defending and enforcing the licensed
patent applications, patents and other intellectual property, whether or not we agree with those
actions. Further, such actions typically require the expenditure of considerable time and money.
We do not have patent protection for MyoCell outside of the United States and we may not be able to
effectively enforce our intellectual property rights in certain countries, which could have a
material adverse effect on our business.
We are seeking or intend to seek regulatory approval to market our product candidates in a
number of foreign countries, including various countries in Europe. MyoCell, however, is not
protected by patents outside of the United States, which means that competitors will be free to
sell products that incorporate the same technologies that are used in MyoCell in those countries,
including in European countries, which we believe may be one of the largest potential markets for
these product candidates. In addition, the laws and practices in some of those countries, or others
in which we may seek to market our other product candidates in the future, may not protect
intellectual property rights to the same extent as in the United States. We or our licensors may
not be able to effectively obtain, maintain or enforce rights with respect to the intellectual
property relating to our product candidates in those countries. Our lack of patent protection in
one or more countries, or the inability to obtain, maintain or enforce intellectual property rights
in one or more countries, could adversely affect our ability to commercialize our products in those
countries and otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our success depends on the protection of our intellectual property rights, particularly the patents
that have been licensed to us, and our failure to secure and maintain these rights would materially
harm our business.
Our commercial success depends to a significant degree on our ability to:
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obtain and/or maintain protection for our product candidates under the patent laws of
the United States and other countries; |
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defend and enforce our patents once obtained; |
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obtain and/or maintain appropriate licenses to patents, patent applications or other
proprietary rights held by others with respect to our technology, both in the United States
and other countries; |
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maintain trade secrets and other intellectual property rights relating to our product
candidates; and |
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operate without infringing upon the patents and proprietary rights of third parties. |
The degree of intellectual property protection for our technology is uncertain, and only
limited intellectual property protection may be available for our product candidates, which may
prevent us from gaining or keeping any competitive advantage against our competitors. Although we
believe the patents that have been licensed or sublicensed to us, and the patent applications that
we own or that have been licensed to us, generally provide us a competitive advantage, the patent
positions of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and medical device companies are generally highly
uncertain, involve complex legal and factual questions and have been the subject of much
litigation. Neither the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office nor the courts have a consistent policy
regarding the breadth of claims allowed or the degree of protection afforded under many
biotechnology patents. Even if issued, patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or
circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing similar products or
limit the length of term of patent protection we may have for our products. Further, a court or
other government agency could interpret our patents in a way such that the patents do not
adequately cover our current or future product candidates. Changes in either patent laws or in
interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of
our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection.
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In particular, we cannot assure you that:
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we or the owners or other inventors of the patents that we own or that have been
licensed to us or that may be issued or licensed to us in the future were the first to file
patent applications or to invent the subject matter claimed in patent applications relating
to the technologies upon which we rely; |
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others will not independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate
any of our technologies; |
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any of our patent applications will result in issued patents; |
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the patents and the patent applications that we own or that have been licensed to us or
that may be issued or licensed to us in the future will provide a basis for commercially
viable products or will provide us with any competitive advantages, or will not be
challenged by third parties; |
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the patents and the patent applications that have been licensed to us are valid and
enforceable; |
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we will develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable; |
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we will be successful in enforcing the patents that we own or that have been licensed to
us and any patents that may be issued or licensed to us in the future against third
parties; or |
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the patents of third parties will not have an adverse effect on our ability to do
business. |
Accordingly, we may fail to secure meaningful patent protection relating to any of our
existing or future product candidates or discoveries despite the expenditure of considerable
resources. Further, there may be widespread patent infringement in countries in which we may seek
patent protection, including countries in Europe, which may instigate expensive and time consuming
litigation which could adversely affect the scope of our patent protection. In addition, others may
attempt to commercialize products similar to our product candidates in countries where we do not
have adequate patent protection. Failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our product
candidates, or the failure by particular countries to enforce patent laws or allow prosecution for
alleged patent infringement, may impair our ability to be competitive. The availability of
infringing products in markets where we have patent protection, or the availability of competing
products in markets where we do not have adequate patent protection, could erode the market for our
product candidates, negatively impact the prices we can charge for our product candidates, and harm
our reputation if infringing or competing products are manufactured to inferior standards.
The patent we believe is the primary basis for the protection of MyoCell is scheduled to expire in
the United States in July 2009 and if we are unable to secure a patent term extension, we will have
to seek to protect MyoCell through a combination of patents on other aspects of our technology and
trade secrets, which may not prove to be effective.
We anticipate that we will seek to collaborate with the owners of the patent, Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants International, to extend the term of this patent. In the event MyoCell is approved by
the FDA prior to the patent expiration date and certain other material conditions are satisfied, we
believe that this patent will be eligible for a five-year extension of its term until July 2014. It
is likely, however, that the FDA will not complete review of and grant approval for MyoCell before
this patent expires. In such event, a regular patent term extension will not be available, but Dr.
Law and Cell Transplants International could request a one-year interim extension of the patent
term during the period beginning six months before and ending fifteen days before the patent
expiration. The request for interim extension must satisfy a number of material conditions
including those conditions necessary to receive a regular patent term extension. Under certain
circumstances the patent owner can request up to four additional one-year interim extensions.
However, we cannot assure you that Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International will seek to obtain,
or will be successful in obtaining, any regular or interim patent term extension.
Once this patent expires, competitors will not be prevented from developing or marketing their
own similar or identical compositions for the treatment of muscle degeneration, assuming they
receive the requisite regulatory approval.
Our most important license agreement with respect to MyoCath is co-exclusive and the co-licensor of
the intellectual property, a division of Abbott Laboratories, may also seek to commercialize
MyoCath.
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In June 2003, we assigned our exclusive license to the primary patent protecting MyoCath to
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., or ACS, originally a subsidiary of Guidant Corporation and
now d/b/a Abbott Vascular, a division of Abbott Laboratories. In connection with this agreement,
ACS granted to us a co-exclusive, irrevocable, fully paid-up license to this patent for the life of
the patent. Because our license is co-exclusive with ACS, ACS may, parallel to our efforts, seek to
commercialize MyoCath if MyoCath secures regulatory approval. Accordingly, even if ACS does nothing
to assist us to secure regulatory approval of MyoCath, ACS may become a direct competitor in the
MyoCath manufacturing and supply business. In addition, pursuant to our agreement with ACS, we are
prohibited from contracting with third parties for the distribution of MyoCath.
Our proposed pathway for securing regulatory approval of Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy is dependent
on Tissue Genesis timely and successful completion of a Device Master File for the TGI 1200.
We have developed a proposed pathway for seeking regulatory approval of Bioheart Acute Cell
Therapy, which pathway depends on Tissue Genesis timely completing its Device Master File for the
TGI 1200. A Device Master File is a voluntary submission to the FDA to provide confidential
detailed information on a specific manufacturing facility, process, methodology, or component used
in the manufacture, processing, or packaging of a medical device. Based upon our discussions with
Tissue Genesis, we anticipate that the detailed information to be contained in the Device Master
File to be filed by Tissue Genesis will be used in support of our IND application for Bioheart
Acute Cell Therapy which, assuming favorable preclinical test results, we hope to file in the third
quarter of 2008. We have no control over the content of the Device Master File and limited
influence on the timing of its submission to the FDA. Our dependence upon Tissue Genesis to timely
complete the Device Master File places us in a position where we cannot reliably predict our
ability to meet our projected development timeline for Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy.
We have limited recourse available in the event that the processes necessary for the use by our
customers of the TGI 1200 product candidate, certain disposable products used in conjunction with
this product candidate or processes or cells derived from this product candidate directly or
indirectly infringe any patent rights of a third party.
Our customers use of the TGI 1200 product candidate, certain disposable products used in
conjunction with this product candidate and processes or cells derived from this product candidate
may be determined to directly or indirectly infringe on patent rights held by third parties,
including Thomas Jefferson University, or Third Party Patent Rights.
The recourse available to us in the event that these activities or products are determined to
directly or indirectly infringe any of the Third Party Patent Rights is limited by the terms of our
exclusive license and distribution agreement with Tissue Genesis. Pursuant to this agreement,
Tissue Genesis has agreed that we and our customers will not be liable for damages for directly or
indirectly infringing any Third Party Patent Rights for the treatment of acute heart attacks.
Tissue Genesis has, subject to certain conditions, also agreed to indemnify and hold harmless us
and our customers from all claims that the products infringe any patents, copyrights or trade
secret rights of a third party. However, if our use of the products is enjoined or if Tissue
Genesis wishes to minimize its liability, Tissue Genesis may, at its option and expense, either:
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substitute a substantially equivalent non-infringing product for the infringing product; |
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modify the infringing product so that it no longer infringes but remains functionally
equivalent; or |
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obtain for us the right to continue using such item. |
If none of the foregoing is feasible, Tissue Genesis is required to accept a return of the
infringing product and refund to us the amount paid for such product. Any termination of our right
to use, lease or sell the TGI 1200, certain disposable products used in conjunction with this
product candidate and/or the processes or cells derived from this product candidate or any
inability by Tissue Genesis to refund to us the amounts we paid for such products could have a
material adverse effect on us.
Patent applications owned by or licensed to us may not result in issued patents, and our
competitors may commercialize the discoveries we attempt to patent.
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The patent applications that we own and that have been licensed to us, and any future patent
applications that we may own or that may be licensed to us, may not result in the issuance of any
patents. The standards that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and foreign patent offices use to
grant patents are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change. Consequently, we
cannot be certain as to the type and scope of patent claims to which we may in the future be
entitled under our license agreements or that may be issued to us in the future. These applications
may not be sufficient to meet the statutory requirements for patentability and therefore may not
result in enforceable patents covering the product candidates we want to commercialize. Further,
patent applications in the United States that are not filed in other countries generally are not
published until at least 18 months after they are first filed and patent applications in certain
foreign countries generally are not published until many months after they are filed. Scientific
and patent publication often occurs long after the date of the scientific developments disclosed in
those publications. As a result, we cannot be certain that we or any of our licensors was or will
be the first creator of inventions covered by our (or their) patents or applications or the first
to file such patent applications. As a result, our issued patents and patent applications could
become subject to challenge by third parties that created such inventions or filed patent
applications before us or our licensors, resulting in, among other things, interference proceedings
in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to determine priority of discovery or invention.
Interference proceedings, if resolved adversely to us or our licensors, could result in the loss of
or significant limitations on patent protection for our products or technologies. Even in the
absence of interference proceedings, patent applications now pending or in the future filed by
third parties may prevail over the patent applications that have been or may be owned by or
licensed to us or that we or our licensors may file in the future or may result in patents that
issue alongside patents issued to us or our licensors or that may be issued or licensed to us in
the future, leading to uncertainty over the scope of the patents owned by or licensed to us or that
may in the future be owned by us or our freedom to practice the claimed inventions.
Our patents may not be valid or enforceable, and may be challenged by third parties.
We cannot assure you that the patents that have been issued or licensed to us would be held
valid by a court or administrative body or that we would be able to successfully enforce our
patents against infringers, including our competitors. The issuance of a patent is not conclusive
as to its validity or enforceability, and the validity and enforceability of a patent is
susceptible to challenge on numerous legal grounds. Challenges raised in patent infringement
litigation brought by or against us may result in determinations that patents that have been issued
or licensed to us or any patents that may be issued to us or our licensors in the future are
invalid, unenforceable or otherwise subject to limitations. In the event of any such
determinations, third parties may be able to use the discoveries or technologies claimed in these
patents without paying licensing fees or royalties to us, which could significantly diminish the
value of our intellectual property and our competitive advantage. Even if our patents are held to
be enforceable, others may be able to design around our patents or develop products similar to our
products that are not within the scope of any of our patents.
In addition, enforcing the patents that have been licensed to us and any patents that may be
issued to us in the future against third parties may require significant expenditures regardless of
the outcome of such efforts. Our inability to enforce our patents against infringers and
competitors may impair our ability to be competitive and could have a material adverse effect on
our business.
Issued patents and patent licenses may not provide us with any competitive advantage or provide
meaningful protection against competitors.
We own, hold licenses or hold sublicenses to an intellectual property portfolio consisting of
approximately 19 patents and 19 patent applications in the United States, and approximately twelve
patents and 57 patent applications in foreign countries, for use in the field of heart muscle
regeneration. However, the discoveries or technologies covered by these patents and patent licenses
may not have any value or provide us with a competitive advantage and many of these discoveries or
technologies may not be applicable to our product candidates at all. With the exception of the
technology related to MyoCell, we have devoted limited resources to identifying competing
technologies that may have a competitive advantage relative to ours, especially those competing
technologies that are not perceived as infringing on our intellectual property rights. In addition,
the standards that courts use to interpret and enforce patent rights are not always applied
predictably or uniformly and can change, particularly as new technologies develop. Consequently, we
cannot be certain as to how much protection, if any, will be afforded by these patents with respect
to our products if we or our licensors attempt to enforce these patent rights and those rights are
challenged in court.
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The existence of third party patent applications and patents could significantly limit our
ability to obtain meaningful patent protection. If patents containing competitive or conflicting
claims are issued to third parties, we may be enjoined from pursuing research, development or
commercialization of product candidates or may be required to obtain licenses, if available, to
these patents or to develop or obtain alternative technology. If another party controls patents or
patent applications covering our product candidates, we may not be able to obtain the rights we
need to those patents or patent applications in order to commercialize our product candidates or we
may be required to pay royalties, which could be substantial, to obtain licenses to use those
patents or patent applications. We believe we will need to, among other things, license additional
intellectual property to commercialize a number of our product candidates, including MyoCell SDF-1,
in the form we believe may prove to be the most safe and/or effective.
In addition, issued patents may not provide commercially meaningful protection against
competitors. Other parties may seek and/or be able to duplicate, design around or independently
develop products having effects similar or identical to our patented product candidates that are
not within the scope of our patents. For example, we believe that a number of our competitors have
proposed catheter designs that are apparently intended to avoid infringing upon our catheter
related technology.
Limitations on patent protection in some countries outside the United States, and the
differences in what constitutes patentable subject matter in these countries, may limit the
protection we have under patents issued outside of the United States. We do not have patent
protection for our product candidates in a number of our target markets and, under our license
agreements, we may not have the right to initiate proceedings to obtain patents in those countries.
The failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our product candidates in any country would
impair our ability to be commercially competitive in that country.
Litigation or other proceedings relating to patent and other intellectual property rights could
result in substantial costs and liabilities and prevent us from commercializing our product
candidates.
Our commercial success depends significantly on our ability to operate in a way that does not
infringe or violate the intellectual property rights of third parties in the United States and in
foreign countries. Except for the complaint filed against us by Dr. Law and Cell Transplants Asia,
we are not currently a party to any litigation or other adverse proceeding with regard to our
patents or intellectual property rights. However, the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and medical
device industries are characterized by a large number of patents and patent filings and frequent
litigation based on allegations of patent infringement. Competitors may have filed patent
applications or have been issued patents and may obtain additional patents and proprietary rights
related to products or processes that compete with or are similar to ours. We may not be aware of
all of the patents potentially adverse to our interests that may have been issued to others.
Because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently pending
applications, unknown to us, which may later result in issued patents that our product candidates
or proprietary technologies may infringe. Third parties may claim that our products or related
technologies infringe their patents. Further, we, or our licensors, may need to participate in
interference, opposition, protest, reexamination or other potentially adverse proceedings in the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or in similar agencies of foreign governments with regards to our
patents and intellectual property rights. In addition, we or our licensors may need to initiate
suits to protect our intellectual property rights.
Certain of our competitors in the field have acquired patents which might be used to attempt
to prevent commercialization of MyoCell. We are aware of at least three such patent families. We
believe the patents in these three families are narrow, and that we do not infringe any valid
claims of these patents in our current practice. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has commenced
a re-examination relating to one of these patent families. There is no assurance that we will
receive a favorable ruling in this proceeding. In the event that the proceeding fails to result in
limitation of the claims of the subject patent, such outcome may have a material adverse effect on
our business, financial condition and results of operation.
Litigation or any other proceeding relating to intellectual property rights, even if resolved
in our favor, may cause us to incur significant expenses, divert the attention of our management
and key personnel from other business concerns and, in certain cases, result in substantial
additional expenses to license technologies from third parties. Some of our competitors may be able
to sustain the costs of complex patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have
substantially greater resources. An unfavorable outcome in any patent infringement suit or other
adverse intellectual
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property proceeding could require us to pay substantial damages, including possible treble
damages and attorneys fees, cease using our technology or developing or marketing our products, or
require us to seek licenses, if available, of the disputed rights from other parties and
potentially make significant payments to those parties. There is no guarantee that any prevailing
party would offer us a license or that we could acquire any license made available to us on
commercially acceptable terms. Even if we are able to obtain rights to a third partys patented
intellectual property, those rights may be nonexclusive and therefore our competitors may obtain
access to the same intellectual property. Ultimately, we may be unable to commercialize our product
candidates or may have to cease some of our business operations as a result of patent infringement
claims, which could materially harm our business. We cannot guarantee that our products or
technologies will not conflict with the intellectual property rights of others.
If we need to redesign our products to avoid third party patents, we may suffer significant
regulatory delays associated with conducting additional studies or submitting technical, cell
culturing, manufacturing or other information related to any redesigned product and, ultimately, in
obtaining regulatory approval. Further, any such redesigns may result in less effective and/or less
commercially desirable products if the redesigns are possible at all.
Additionally, any involvement of us in litigation in which we or our licensors are accused of
infringement may result in negative publicity about us or our products, injure our relations with
any then-current or prospective customers and marketing partners and cause delays in the
commercialization of our products.
If we are not able to protect and control unpatented trade secrets, know-how and other
technological innovation, we may suffer competitive harm.
In addition to patented intellectual property, we also rely on unpatented technology, trade
secrets, confidential information and proprietary know-how to protect our technology and maintain
our competitive position, especially when we do not believe that patent protection is appropriate
or can be obtained. Trade secrets are difficult to protect. In order to protect proprietary
technology and processes, we rely in part on confidentiality and intellectual property assignment
agreements with our employees, consultants and others.
These agreements generally provide that the individual must keep confidential and not disclose
to other parties any confidential information developed or learned by the individual during the
course of the individuals relationship with us except in limited circumstances. These agreements
generally also provide that we shall own all inventions conceived by the individual in the course
of rendering services to us. These agreements may not effectively prevent disclosure of
confidential information or result in the effective assignment to us of intellectual property, and
may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of confidential
information or other breaches of the agreements. In addition, others may independently discover
trade secrets and proprietary information that have been licensed to us or that we own, and in such
case we could not assert any trade secret rights against such party. Enforcing a claim that a party
illegally obtained and is using trade secrets that have been licensed to us or that we own is
difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts
outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. Costly and time-consuming
litigation could be necessary to seek to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights,
and failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could have a material adverse effect on
our business. Moreover, some of our academic institution licensors, collaborators and scientific
advisors have rights to publish data and information to which we have rights. If we cannot maintain
the confidentiality of our technologies and other confidential information in connection with our
collaborations, our ability to protect our proprietary information or obtain patent protection in
the future may be impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Other Risks Related to Our Business
Our operations are consolidated primarily in one facility. A disaster at this facility is possible
and could result in a prolonged interruption of our business.
All of our administrative operations and substantially all of our U.S. cell culturing
operations are located at our facilities in Sunrise, Florida. Our business is and will continue to
be influenced by local economic, financial and other conditions affecting the South Florida area.
This may include prolonged or severe inclement weather in the South Florida area or a catastrophic
event such as a hurricane, tropical storm or tornado, all of which are common events in Florida. In
2005, two named storms made landfall in the South Florida area. Hurricane and tropical storm damage
could adversely
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affect our financial condition in a number of ways. Although we have a back-up generator and
fuel tank capable of powering our offices for an estimated five to seven days in the event of a
power outage, damage to our offices, road inaccessibility, flooding and employee dislocation could
result in our inability to advance our research efforts or provide cell culturing services,
temporary closure and the inability of our employees to report for work.
We depend on attracting and retaining key management and scientific personnel and the loss of these
personnel could impair the development of our products candidates.
Our success depends on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified
management, clinical and scientific personnel and on our ability to develop and maintain important
relationships with academic institutions, clinicians and scientists. In March 2007, we hired Mr.
William M. Pinon to serve as our President and Chief Executive Officer and appointed Mr. Howard J.
Leonhardt, who is the Chairman of our Board of Directors and who served as our Chief Executive
Officer from inception until March 2007, as our Chief Technology Officer. We are highly dependent
upon our senior scientific staff, many of whom have developed very specialized expertise in their
position. The loss of services of one or more members of our senior scientific staff could
significantly delay or prevent the successful completion of our clinical trials or
commercialization of our product candidates. The employment of each of our employees with us is at
will, and each employee can terminate his or her employment with us at any time. We do not have a
succession plan in place for any of our officers and key employees. We do not carry insurance on
any of our other key employees and, accordingly, their death or disability may have a material
adverse effect on our business.
The competition for qualified personnel in the life sciences field is intense. We will need to
hire additional personnel, including regulatory and sales personnel, as we continue to expand our
development activities. We may not be able to attract and retain quality personnel on acceptable
terms given our geographic location and the competition for such personnel among life sciences,
biotechnology, pharmaceutical and other companies. If we are unable to attract new employees and
retain existing employees, we may be unable to continue our development and commercialization
activities and our business may be harmed.
If we acquire other businesses and technologies our performance may suffer.
If we are presented with opportunities, we may seek to acquire additional businesses and/or
technologies. The acquisition of businesses and technologies may require significant expenditures
and management resources that could otherwise be available for development of other aspects of our
business and, despite the expenditures and use of resources, we may not immediately seek to further
develop such technologies or seek to develop such technologies at all. In the past, we have
expended resources to acquire rights to future product candidates which we have not chosen to
develop to date as we have focused our efforts on the development of our lead product candidate.
Future acquisitions may require the issuance of additional shares of stock or other securities
which would further dilute your investment or the incurrence of additional debt and liabilities
which could create additional expenses, any of which may negatively impact our financial results
and result in restrictions on our business that may harm our future outlook and cause our stock
price to decline.
We may not be able to effectively manage our future growth.
If we are able to commercialize one or more of our product candidates, we may not be able to
manage future growth following such commercialization because:
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we may be unable to effectively manage our personnel and financial operations; |
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we may be unable to hire or retain key management and staff; and |
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commercial success may stimulate competitive challenges that we may be unable to meet,
resulting in declining market share and sales of our products. |
Although certain members of our management team have prior experience in successfully
developing, seeking regulatory approval for and commercializing medical products, we have never
successfully developed, obtained regulatory approval for and commercialized any drug, device or
therapy or operated our business outside of the
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development stage and our ability to successfully do so is unproven. Any inability to manage our
growth effectively could adversely affect our business.
Expansion into international markets is important to our long-term success, and our inexperience in
operations outside the United States increases the risk that our international operations may not
be successful.
We believe that our future growth depends on obtaining regulatory approvals to sell our
product candidates in foreign countries and our ability to sell our product candidates in those
countries. It is our intention to initially seek regulatory approval of MyoCell in certain
countries in Europe. We and our management team have only limited experience with operations
outside the United States. We believe that many of the risks we face in the United States are
heightened in international markets because, among other things, our existing management team has
devoted the vast majority of their professional careers to businesses located in the United States.
As a result, our management team may be more likely than their European counterparts to
inaccurately assess, estimate or project:
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whether the foreign regulatory authorities will require, among other things, additional
testing and different clinical designs than the FDA; |
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the amount, type and relative statistical significance of the safety and efficacy data
that the foreign regulatory authorities will require prior to granting regulatory approval
of our product candidates; |
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which countries will adopt reimbursement policies that are favorable to us; |
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the number of patients that will be eligible to use MyoCell if it ever receives
regulatory approval; and |
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subject to regulatory approval of our product candidates, whether the international
marketplace will accept our product candidates. |
In addition, our goal of selling our products into international markets will require
management attention and resources and is subject to inherent risks, which may adversely affect us,
including:
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unusual or burdensome foreign laws or regulations and unexpected changes in regulatory
requirements, including potential restrictions on the transfer of funds; |
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no or less effective protection of our intellectual property; |
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foreign currency risks; |
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political instability, including adverse changes in trade policies between countries in
which we may maintain operations; and |
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longer accounts receivable payment cycles and difficulties in collecting payments. |
These factors and other factors could adversely affect our ability to execute our
international marketing strategy or otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business.
Because we operated as a private company until October 2007, we have limited experience complying
with public company obligations. Compliance with these requirements will increase our costs and
require additional management resources, and we may still fail to comply.
We will incur significant additional legal, accounting, insurance and other expenses as a
result of being a public company that we have not incurred as a private company. For example, laws
and regulations affecting public companies, including the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and rules related to corporate governance and other matters
subsequently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, and the NASDAQ Global
Market will result in substantially increased costs to us, including legal and accounting costs,
and may divert our managements attention from other matters that are important to our business.
These rules and any related regulations that may be proposed in the future will likely make it more
difficult or more costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including directors and
officers liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or
incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. The impact of these laws,
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rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified
persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers. We
cannot predict or estimate the amount of the additional costs we may incur, but we expect our
operating results will be adversely affected by the costs of operating as a public company.
Our internal control over financial reporting may be insufficient to detect in a timely manner
misstatements that could occur in our financial statements in amounts that may be material.
In connection with the audit of our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005,
we identified a significant deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting which
constituted a material weakness. A material weakness is a significant deficiency, or combination of
significant deficiencies, that results in more than a remote likelihood that a material
misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected. The
significant deficiency related to our year-end closing methodologies and was based on the number
and size of year-end adjustments we recorded. As of December 31, 2006, our management determined
that this material weakness and significant deficiency was remediated through, among other things,
our addition of a chief financial officer and a corporate controller. We may still experience
material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in the future, which, if not remediated, may
render us unable to prevent or detect in a timely manner material misstatements that could occur in
our financial statements.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance
with
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could have a material adverse effect on our business.
As a company subject to the Exchange Act reporting requirements, commencing with our annual
report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, we will be required to document and test our
internal financial control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which will require annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our
internal control over financial reporting and, commencing with our annual report for the year
ending December 31, 2009, a report by our independent registered public accounting firm that
addresses the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. During the course of
our testing, we may identify deficiencies which we may not be able to remediate in time to meet our
deadline for compliance with Section 404, and we may also identify inaccuracies or deficiencies in
our financial reporting that could require revisions to or restatement of prior period results.
Testing and maintaining internal control over financial reporting also will involve significant
costs and can divert our managements attention from other matters that are important to our
business. We may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that our internal control over
financial reporting is effective in accordance with Section 404, and our independent registered
public accounting firm may not be able or willing to issue a favorable assessment of our
conclusions. Failure to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment could harm
our operating results and could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations and could
require that we restate our financial statements for prior periods, any of which could cause
investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and cause a decline, which could
be material, in the trading price of our common stock.
We face intense competition in the biotechnology and healthcare industries.
We face, and will continue to face, intense competition from pharmaceutical,
biopharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies developing heart failure treatments
both in the United States and abroad, as well as numerous academic and research institutions,
governmental agencies and private organizations engaged in drug discovery activities or funding
both in the United States and abroad. We also face competition from entities and healthcare
providers using more traditional methods, such as surgery and pharmaceutical regimens, to treat
heart failure. We believe there are a substantial number of heart failure products under
development by numerous pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology
companies, and it is likely that other competitors will emerge. We are also aware of several
competitors developing cell-based therapies for the treatment of heart damage, including MG
Biotherapeutics, LLC (a joint venture between Genzyme Corporation and Medtronic, Inc.), Mytogen,
Inc., Baxter International, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Viacell, Inc., Cytori Therapeutics,
Inc. and potentially others. We also recognize that there may be competitors and competing
technologies, therapies and/or products that we are not aware of.
These third parties also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel,
establishing clinical trial sites and registering patients for clinical trials, as well as
acquiring or licensing intellectual property and technology.
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Many competitors have more experience than we do in research and development, marketing, cell
culturing, manufacturing, preclinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining FDA and
foreign regulatory approvals and marketing approved products. The competitors, some of which have
their own sales and marketing organizations, have greater financial and technical resources than we
do and may be better equipped than we are to sell competing products, obtain patents that block or
otherwise inhibit our ability to further develop and commercialize our product candidates, obtain
approvals from the FDA or other regulatory agencies for products more rapidly than we do, or
develop treatments or cures that are safer or more effective than those we propose to develop. In
addition, academic institutions, governmental agencies, and other public and private organizations
conducting research in the field of heart damage may seek patent protection with respect to
potentially competitive products or technologies and may establish exclusive collaborative or
licensing relationships with our competitors.
MyoCell is a clinical therapy designed to be utilized at least a few months after a patient
has suffered heart damage. Our competitors may discover technologies and techniques for the acute
treatment of heart failure, which, if successful in treating heart failure shortly after its
occurrence, may reduce the market size for treatments for chronic heart damage, including MyoCell.
Our industry is subject to rapid technological change.
Our industry is subject to rapid technological change and our cellular-based therapies involve
new and rapidly developing technology. Our competitors may discover and develop new technologies
and techniques, or enter into partnerships with collaborators in order to develop, competing
products that are more effective or less costly than the product candidates we hope to secure
regulatory approval for. In light of the industrys limited experience with cell-based therapies
and the dedication of significant resources to a better understanding of this field, we expect
these cell-based technologies to undergo significant change in the future. For example, some of our
competitors are exploring whether the use of cells, other than myoblasts, is safer or more
effective than MyoCell. If there is rapid technological development or new product introductions,
our current and future product candidates or methods may become obsolete or noncompetitive before
or after we commercialize them.
We have a contingent liability under California law due to our issuances of some securities that
may have violated California securities laws.
We believe that we may have issued options to purchase common stock to certain of our
employees, directors and consultants in California in violation of the registration or
qualification provisions of applicable California securities laws. As a result, we intend to make a
rescission offer to these persons pursuant to a registration statement we expect to file in the
second quarter of 2008 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and
pursuant to California securities laws. We will make this offer to all persons who have a
continuing right to rescission, which we believe to include two persons. In the rescission offer,
in accordance with California law, we will offer to repurchase all options issued to these persons
at 77% of the option exercise price multiplied by the number of option shares, plus interest at the
rate of 7% from the date the options were granted. Based upon the number of options that may be
subject to rescission as of March 1, 2008, assuming that all such options are tendered in the
rescission offer, we estimate that our total rescission liability would be up to approximately
$350,000. However, as we believe there is only a remote likelihood the rescission offer will be
accepted by any of these persons in an amount that would result in a material expenditure by us, no
liability has been recorded in our financial statements.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
An active, liquid and orderly trading market for our common stock may not develop.
Prior to our initial public offering, there was no public market for our common stock.
Although our common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on February 19, 2008, there
has been limited trading volume to date. During the period from February 19, 2008 through March 17,
2008, the average daily trading volume of our common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Global Market
was approximately 15,000 shares. We cannot offer any assurance that an active trading market for
our common stock will develop or how liquid that market may become. As a result, relatively small
trades may have a disproportionate impact on the price of our common stock, which may contribute to
the price volatility of our common stock and could limit your ability to sell your shares.
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The market price of our common stock could also be subject to wide fluctuations in response to
many risk factors described in this section and other matters, including:
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publications of clinical trial results by clinical investigators or others about our
products and competitors products and/or our industry; |
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changes by securities analysts in financial estimates of our operating results and the
operating results of our competitors; |
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publications of research reports by securities analysts about us, our competitors or our
industry; |
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fluctuations in the valuation of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to
us; |
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actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results; |
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retention and departures of key personnel; |
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our failure or the failure of our competitors to meet analysts projections or guidance
that we or our competitors may give to the market; |
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strategic decisions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions, divestitures,
spin-offs, joint ventures, strategic investments or changes in business strategy; |
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the passage of legislation or other regulatory developments affecting us or our
industry; |
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speculation in the press or investment community; and |
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natural disasters, terrorist acts, acts of war or periods of widespread civil unrest. |
Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that
have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies,
especially life sciences and pharmaceutical companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated
or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and
industry fluctuations, as well as general economic, political and market conditions, may negatively
affect the market price of our common stock. As a result, the market price of our common stock is
likely to be similarly volatile and investors in our common stock may experience a decrease, which
could be substantial, in the value of their stock. In the past, many companies that have
experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class
action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities
litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our managements attention from
other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
If a substantial number of shares become available for sale and are sold in a short period of time,
the market price of our common stock could decline.
If our existing shareholders sell a large number of shares of our common stock or the public
market perceives that these sales may occur, the market price of our common stock could decline. As
of March 17, 2008 we had 14,447,138 shares of common stock outstanding. The 1,100,000 shares sold
in our initial public offering are freely tradable without restriction or further registration
under the federal securities laws, unless purchased by our affiliates. Our Chairman of the Board
purchased 110,000 shares in our initial public offering, all of which shares are subject to the
lockup restrictions described below.
All of our remaining shares of common stock (13,347,138 shares) are subject to lock-up
restrictions that do not expire until at least August 2008. Upon expiration of these lock-up
restrictions, all of these shares will be available for sale pursuant to Rule 144 and Rule 701,
subject in some cases to volume limitations.
Dawson James Securities, Inc., as representative of the underwriters, may at any time without
notice, agree to release all or any portion of the shares subject to the lock-up agreements, which
would result in more shares being available for sale in the public market at earlier dates. Sales
of common stock by existing shareholders in the public market, the
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availability of these shares for sale, our issuance of securities or the perception that any
of these events might occur could materially and adversely affect the market price of our common
stock.
Our Chairman of the Board has significant control of our management and affairs, which he could
exercise against your best interests.
Mr. Leonhardt, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer, owns approximately
32.7% of our outstanding common stock based on shares outstanding as of March 17, 2008.
Since our inception, Mr. Leonhardt has, at various times, provided us with financial support,
including by:
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providing a $3.3 million limited personal guarantee of the Bank of America Loan and
pledging securities accounts with Bank of America to back-up this limited personal
guarantee; |
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providing a personal guarantee of our obligations under the lease for our facilities in
Sunrise, Florida; and |
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providing a personal guarantee of our corporate credit cards. |
We anticipate that we may continue to enter into transactions with Mr. Leonhardt in the
future. Although we believe that all prior transactions with Mr. Leonhardt were on terms no less
favorable to us than could have been obtained from unaffiliated third parties, there can be no
assurances that future transactions or arrangements between us and Mr. Leonhardt will be
advantageous to us, that conflicts of interest will not arise with respect to such transactions or
arrangements, or that if such conflicts arise, they will be resolved in a manner favorable to us.
The following transactions or events, among others, could increase Mr. Leonhardts direct or
indirect influence over our management by increasing his ownership of our common stock and
otherwise:
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Mr. Leonhardt could purchase additional shares of our common stock pursuant to the
exercise of outstanding warrants and options; |
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Mr. Leonhardt could purchase additional shares of our common stock in the secondary
market; |
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Mr. Leonhardt could receive additional options to purchase shares of our common stock in
his capacity as a director, our Chairman of the Board and/or Chief Technology Officer; and |
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upon our request, Mr. Leonhardt could agree to accept shares of our common stock and/or
other securities, rights or privileges as payment in kind for obligations we owe to him
under various existing and/or future obligations. |
For instance, we anticipate that we might offer common stock or other securities to satisfy
our various obligations to Mr. Leonhardt and various other guarantors of the Bank of America Loan.
We cannot predict the terms, if any, upon which Mr. Leonhardt would agree to accept such
securities.
Anti-takeover provisions of Florida law, our articles of incorporation and our bylaws may prevent
or delay an acquisition of us that shareholders may consider favorable or attempts to replace or
remove our management that could be beneficial to our shareholders.
Our articles of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions, such as the right of our
directors to issue preferred stock from time to time with voting, economic and other rights
superior to those of our common stock without the consent of our shareholders, all of which could
make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us without the consent of our board of
directors. In addition, our bylaws impose restrictions on the persons who may call special
shareholder meetings. Furthermore, the Florida Business Corporation Act contains an affiliated
transaction provision that prohibits a publicly-held Florida corporation from engaging in a broad
range of business combinations or other extraordinary corporate transactions with an interested
shareholder unless, among others, (i) the transaction is approved by a majority of disinterested
directors before the person becomes an interested shareholder; (ii) the interested shareholder has
owned at least 80% of the corporations outstanding voting shares for at least five years; or (iii)
the transaction is approved by the holders of two-thirds of the corporations voting shares other
than those owned by the interested shareholder. An
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interested shareholder is defined as a person who together with affiliates and associates
beneficially owns more than 10% of the corporations outstanding voting shares. The Florida
Business Corporation Act also prohibits the voting of shares in a publicly-held Florida corporation
that are acquired in a control share acquisition unless the holders of a majority of the
corporations voting shares (exclusive of shares held by officers of the corporation, inside
directors or the acquiring party) approve the granting of voting rights as to the shares acquired
in the control share acquisition or unless the acquisition is approved by the corporations Board
of Directors. These provisions may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of
our company even if this change of control would benefit our shareholders.
We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future and,
accordingly, capital appreciation of our common stock, if any, will be a shareholders sole source
of gain from an investment in our common stock.
Our policy is to retain earnings to provide funds for the operation and expansion of our
business and, accordingly, we have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock or
other securities and do not currently anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable
future. Consequently, shareholders will need to sell shares of our common stock to realize a return
on their investments, if any and this capital appreciation, if any, will be a shareholders sole
source of gain from an investment in the common stock. The declaration and payment of dividends by
us are subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and the restrictions specified in our
articles of incorporation and by applicable law. In addition, under the terms of the BlueCrest
Loan, we are restricted from paying cash dividends to our shareholders while this loan is
outstanding. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will depend on our results of
operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors
deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.
Our common stock may be considered a penny stock, and thereby be subject to additional sale and
trading regulations that may make it more difficult to sell.
Our common stock may be considered to be a penny stock if it does not qualify for one of the
exemptions from the definition of penny stock under Section 3a51-1 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Our common stock may be a penny stock if it meets one
or more of the following conditions (i) the stock trades at a price less than $5.00 per share; (ii)
it is not traded on a recognized national exchange or (iii) it is not quoted on the NASDAQ Global
Market, or has a price less than $5.00 per share. The principal result or effect of being
designated a penny stock is that securities broker-dealers participating in sales of our common
stock will be subject to the penny stock regulations set forth in Rules 15-2 through 15g-9
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act. For example, Rule 15g-2 requires broker-dealers
dealing in penny stocks to provide potential investors with a document disclosing the risks of
penny stocks and to obtain a manually signed and dated written receipt of the document at least two
business days before effecting any transaction in a penny stock for the investors account.
Moreover, Rule 15g-9 requires broker-dealers in penny stocks to approve the account of any investor
for transactions in such stocks before selling any penny stock to that investor. This procedure
requires the broker-dealer to (i) obtain from the investor information concerning his or her
financial situation, investment experience and investment objectives; (ii) reasonably determine,
based on that information, that transactions in penny stocks are suitable for the investor and that
the investor has sufficient knowledge and experience as to be reasonably capable of evaluating the
risks of penny stock transactions; (iii) provide the investor with a written statement setting
forth the basis on which the broker-dealer made the determination in (ii) above; and (iv) receive a
signed and dated copy of such statement from the investor, confirming that it accurately reflects
the investors financial situation, investment experience and investment objectives. Compliance
with these requirements may make it more difficult and time consuming for holders of our common
stock to resell their shares to third parties or to otherwise dispose of them in the market or
otherwise.
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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
Item 2. Properties
Our headquarters are located in Sunrise, Florida and consists of 8,600 square feet of space,
which we lease at a current rent of approximately $116,000 per year. The lease is scheduled to
expire in January 2010. In addition to our corporate offices, at this location, we maintain:
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our MyoCell cell culturing facility for supply within the United States; and |
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a fully equipped cell culturing laboratory where we perform experimental work in the
areas of cell culturing, cell engraftment, and other advanced research projects related to
our core business. |
We believe the space available at our headquarters will be sufficient to meet the needs of our
operations for the foreseeable future.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
On March 9, 2007, Peter K. Law, Ph.D. and Cell Transplants Asia, Limited, or the Plaintiffs,
filed a complaint against us and Howard J. Leonhardt, individually, in the United States District
Court, Western District of Tennessee. On February 7, 2000, we entered a license agreement, or the
Original Law License Agreement, with Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International pursuant to which
Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International granted us a license to certain patents, including the
Primary MyoCell Patent, or the Law IP. The parties executed an addendum to the Original Law License
Agreement, or the License Addendum, in July 2000, the provisions of which amended a number of terms
of the Original License Agreement.
More specifically, the License Addendum provided, among other things:
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The parties agreed that we would issue, and we did issue, to Cell Transplants
International a five-year warrant exercisable for 1.2 million shares of our common stock at
an exercise price of $8.00 per share instead of, as originally contemplated under the
Original Law License Agreement, issuing to Cell Transplants International or Dr. Law
600,000 shares of our common stock and options to purchase 600,000 shares of our common
stock at an exercise price of $1.80. The share amounts and exercise prices do not take into
account any subsequent recapitalizations or reverse stock splits. |
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The parties agreed that our obligation to pay Cell Transplants International a $3
million milestone payment would be triggered upon our commencement of a bona fide U.S.
Phase II human clinical trial that utilizes technology claimed under the Law IP instead of,
as originally contemplated under the Original Law License Agreement, upon initiation of an
FDA approved human clinical study of such technology in the United States. |
The Plaintiffs are not challenging the validity of our license of the Law IP, but rather are
alleging and seeking, among other things, a declaratory judgment that the License Addendum fails
for lack of consideration. Based upon this argument, the Plaintiffs allege that we are in breach of
the terms of the Original Law License Agreement for failure to, among other things, (i) issue to
Cell Transplants International or Dr. Law the 600,000 shares of our common stock and options to
purchase 600,000 shares of our common stock contemplated by the Original Law License Agreement and
(ii) pay Cell Transplants International the $3 million milestone payment upon our commencement of
an FDA approved human clinical study of MyoCell in the United States.
The Plaintiffs have alleged, among other things, certain other breaches of the Original Law
License Agreement not modified by the License Addendum including a purported breach of our
obligation to pay Plaintiffs royalties on gross sales of products that directly read upon the
claims of the Primary MyoCell Patent and a purported breach of the contractual restriction on
sublicensing the Primary MyoCell Patent to third parties. The Plaintiffs are also alleging that we
and Mr. Leonhardt engaged in a civil conspiracy against the Plaintiffs and that the court should
toll any periods of
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limitation running against the Plaintiffs to bring any causes of action arising from or which
could arise from the alleged breaches.
In addition to seeking a declaratory judgment that the License Addendum is not enforceable,
the Plaintiffs are also seeking an accounting of all revenues, remunerations or benefits derived by
us or Mr. Leonhardt from sales, provision and/or distribution of products and services that read
directly on the Law IP, compensatory and punitive monetary damages and preliminary and permanent
injunctive relief to prohibit us from sublicensing our rights to third parties.
We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend the action vigorously. On July
26, 2007, the court granted our motion to dismiss Mr. Leonhardt in his individual capacity and the
civil conspiracy claim. The court denied our motion to dismiss all other claims. We have filed and
served our answer to the Plaintiffs complaint. We have also asserted counterclaims against the
Plaintiffs for declaratory judgment that the License Addendum is a valid and subsisting agreement,
and for breach of contract with respect to various obligations undertaken by the Plaintiffs in the
Original License Agreement, as amended by the License Addendum. Trial of the action is currently
scheduled for September 2008 and the parties commenced discovery.
While the complaint does not appear to challenge our rights to license the Law IP and we
believe this lawsuit is without merit, this litigation, if not resolved to the satisfaction of both
parties, may adversely impact our relationship with Dr. Law and could, if resolved unfavorably to
us, adversely affect our MyoCell commercialization efforts.
Except as described above, we are not presently engaged in any material litigation and are
unaware of any threatened material litigation. However, the biotechnology and medical device
industries have been characterized by extensive litigation regarding patents and other intellectual
property rights. In addition, from time to time, we may become involved in litigation relating to
claims arising from the ordinary course of our business. See Item 1A. Risk Factors for a
discussion of various litigation related risks we face.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
No matter was submitted during the fourth quarter of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2007
to a vote of security holders through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise.
76
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrants Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of
Equity Securities
Market Information
Our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, commenced trading on February 19, 2008, on the
NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol BHRT.
The following table sets forth the range of high and low sales prices of our common stock
since February 19, 2008, the date our common stock commenced trading on the NASDAQ Global Market
through March 20, 2008.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Price |
Period |
|
High |
|
Low |
February 19, 2008 through March 20, 2008 |
|
$ |
5.25 |
|
|
$ |
3.61 |
|
Holders
As of March 20, 2008, there were approximately 500 shareholders of record of our common stock.
Dividends
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock or other securities and
do not currently anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The declaration
and payment of dividends by us are subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors and the
restrictions specified in our articles of incorporation and by applicable law. In addition, under
the terms of the BlueCrest Loan, we are restricted from paying cash dividends to our shareholders
while this loan is outstanding. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will depend on our
results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions and
other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.
Securities Authorized For Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table provides certain information regarding our existing equity compensation
plans as of December 31, 2007:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
Number of securities |
|
|
Number of securities |
|
average exercise |
|
remaining available |
|
|
to be issued upon |
|
price of |
|
for issuance under |
|
|
exercise of |
|
outstanding |
|
equity compensation |
|
|
outstanding options |
|
options |
|
plans |
Equity compensation
plans approved by
security holders
(1) |
|
|
2,160,199 |
|
|
$ |
5.34 |
|
|
|
895,532 |
|
Equity compensation
plans not approved
by security holders
(2) |
|
|
2,251,836 |
|
|
$ |
7.52 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Consists of our 1999 Officers and Employees Stock Option Plan and our 1999 Directors and
Consultants Stock Option Plan |
|
(2) |
|
Includes: |
|
|
|
a warrant issued to Tissue Genesis, Inc. to purchase 1,544,450 shares of our common
stock at $7.69 per share, which expires in December 2026 (See Note 3 Collaborative License
and Research/Development Agreements of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial
Statements); |
|
|
|
|
warrants issued to the Guarantors in connection with the Bank of America Loan to
purchase an aggregate of 417,007 shares of our common stock at $7.69 per share, which
expire at various dates from May 2017 through |
77
|
|
|
September 2017 (See Note 6 Notes Payable Eight-Month Note Payable of the Notes to the
Consolidated Financial Statements); |
|
|
|
a warrant issued to one of our officers to purchase 188,423 shares of our common stock
at $5.67 per share, which expires in August 2016; |
|
|
|
|
a warrants issued to BlueCrest Capital in connection with the BlueCrest Loan to purchase
an aggregate of 65,030 shares of our common stock at $7.69 per share, which expire in May
2017 (See Note 6 Notes Payable Three-Year Note Payable of the Notes to the Consolidated
Financial Statements); |
|
|
|
|
a warrant issued to a strategic partner to purchase 32,515 shares of our common stock at
$7.69 per share, which expires in February 2016; and |
|
|
|
|
a warrant issued to a consultant to purchase 4,411 shares of our common stock at $7.69
per share, which expires in March 2017. |
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During 2007, we issued the following securities, not previously disclosed in our Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30, 2007, in unregistered transactions pursuant to Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act and the following regulations promulgated thereunder.
Rule 701
We issued, to directors, employees and consultants, stock options to purchase an aggregate of
6,800 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $8.47 per share and an aggregate exercise
price of $57,596. We issued 13,514 shares of our common stock upon the exercise of stock options.
The issuances listed above were deemed exempt from registration under the Securities Act,
pursuant to Rule 701 thereunder. In accordance with Rule 701, the shares were issued pursuant to a
written compensatory benefit plan and/or written compensation contract and the issuances did not,
during any consecutive 12 month period, exceed 15% of the then outstanding shares of our common
stock, calculated in accordance with the provisions of Rule 701.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
None.
Use of Proceeds
On February 22, 2008, we completed our initial public offering of 1,100,000 shares of our
common stock pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-140672).
Dawson James Securities, Inc. acted as the representative of the underwriters.
As a result of the initial public offering:
|
|
|
we raised approximately $1.5 million in net proceeds from the sale of shares of our
common stock in the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and
offering costs of approximately $4.3 million; and |
|
|
|
|
we generated approximately $4.6 million of cash proceeds from the offering, which is
approximately $3.1 million greater than the net proceeds of this offering due to our
payment of $3.1 million of various offering expenses prior the completion of the offering. |
Pending the use of cash proceeds from our initial public offering, we have deposited the
proceeds in an interest bearing account. There has been no material change in the actual or planned
use of proceeds from our initial public offering as described in the final prospectus with respect
to our initial public offering filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b).
78
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The following tables present selected consolidated historical financial data and should be
read together with Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations, the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and other financial
information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We derived the selected
consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and
consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2006 and 2007 from our audited financial
statements and notes thereto that are included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We
derived the selected consolidated statement of operations data for the years ended December 31,
2003 and 2004 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005 from
our audited financial statements that do not appear in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data) |
|
Consolidated Statement of Operations
Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
$ |
46 |
|
|
$ |
86 |
|
|
$ |
135 |
|
|
$ |
106 |
|
|
$ |
313 |
|
Cost of sales |
|
|
30 |
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
|
87 |
|
|
|
73 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit |
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
40 |
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
|
247 |
|
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development |
|
|
3,502 |
|
|
|
3,787 |
|
|
|
4,534 |
|
|
|
6,878 |
|
|
|
11,314 |
|
Marketing, general and administrative |
|
|
2,523 |
|
|
|
1,731 |
|
|
|
2,831 |
|
|
|
6,372 |
|
|
|
3,436 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
31 |
|
|
|
34 |
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
|
91 |
|
|
|
184 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses |
|
|
6,056 |
|
|
|
5,552 |
|
|
|
7,411 |
|
|
|
13,341 |
|
|
|
14,934 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(6,040 |
) |
|
|
(5,512 |
) |
|
|
(7,363 |
) |
|
|
(13,308 |
) |
|
|
(14,687 |
) |
Net interest income (expense) |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
(7 |
) |
|
|
36 |
|
|
|
127 |
|
|
|
(3,380 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes |
|
|
(6,038 |
) |
|
|
(5,519 |
) |
|
|
(7,327 |
) |
|
|
(13,181 |
) |
|
|
(18,067 |
) |
Income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(6,038 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,519 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,327 |
) |
|
$ |
(13,181 |
) |
|
$ |
(18,067 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted net loss per share |
|
$ |
(0.75 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.60 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.69 |
) |
|
$ |
(1.10 |
) |
|
$ |
(1.37 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding
- basic and diluted |
|
|
8,022 |
|
|
|
9,189 |
|
|
|
10,653 |
|
|
|
12,015 |
|
|
|
13,210 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, |
|
|
2003 |
|
2004 |
|
2005 |
|
2006 |
|
2007 |
|
|
(In thousands) |
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
635 |
|
|
$ |
182 |
|
|
$ |
5,158 |
|
|
$ |
5,025 |
|
|
$ |
5,492 |
|
Working capital (deficit) |
|
|
(784 |
) |
|
|
(2,000 |
) |
|
|
4,210 |
|
|
|
3,204 |
|
|
|
(7,687 |
) |
Total assets |
|
|
921 |
|
|
|
729 |
|
|
|
5,869 |
|
|
|
6,508 |
|
|
|
11,324 |
|
Notes payable current (a) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,671 |
|
Note payable long-term |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,943 |
|
Deficit accumulated during the
development stage |
|
|
(37,877 |
) |
|
|
(44,005 |
) |
|
|
(51,332 |
) |
|
|
(64,513 |
) |
|
|
(82,580 |
) |
Total shareholders equity (deficit) |
|
|
(554 |
) |
|
|
(1,857 |
) |
|
|
4,586 |
|
|
|
4,311 |
|
|
|
(5,505 |
) |
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Subsequent to December 31, 2007, we entered into agreements to extend the maturity date of
the Bank of America Loan from January 31, 2008 to June 1, 2008. |
79
Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis by our management of our financial condition and results
of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the
accompanying notes included in this annual report.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This report may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, and we intend that such
forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking
statements are based on our managements beliefs and assumptions and on information currently
available to our management. Any such forward-looking statements would be contained principally in
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Risk
Factors. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future
results of operations, business strategies, financing plans, competitive position, industry
environment, potential growth opportunities and the effects of regulation. Forward-looking
statements include all statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by terms such
as anticipates, believes, could, estimates, expects, hopes, intends, may, plans,
potential, predicts, projects, should, will, would or similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
We discuss many of these risks in greater detail in Risk Factors. Given these uncertainties, you
should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking
statements represent our managements beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this report.
You should read this report and the documents that we reference in this report and have filed as
exhibits to the report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be
materially different from what we expect. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to
update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could
differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new
information becomes available in the future.
Our Ability To Continue as a Going Concern
Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued its report dated March 19, 2008
in connection with the audit of our financial statements as of December 31, 2007 that included an
explanatory paragraph describing the existence of conditions that raise substantial doubt about our
ability to continue as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements as of December 31,
2007 have been prepared under the assumption that we will continue as a going concern. If we are
not able to continue as a going concern, it is likely that holders of our common stock will lose
all of their investment. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result
from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Overview
We are a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and, subject to
regulatory approval, commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic
and acute heart damage. Our lead product candidate is MyoCell, an innovative clinical therapy
designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patients heart with muscle tissue for the
purpose of improving cardiac function in chronic heart failure patients. Since our inception in
August 1999, our principal activities have included:
|
|
|
developing and engaging in clinical trials of our lead product candidate, MyoCell, and
our MyoCath product candidate; |
|
|
|
|
expanding our pipeline of complementary product candidates through internal development
and third party licenses; |
|
|
|
|
expanding and strengthening our intellectual property position through internal programs
and third party licenses; and |
80
|
|
|
recruiting management, research and clinical personnel. |
Our principal objective is to become a leading company that discovers, develops and
commercializes novel, autologous cell therapies, and related devices, for the treatment of heart
damage. To achieve this objective, we plan to pursue the following key strategies:
|
|
|
obtain initial regulatory approval of MyoCell by targeting patients with severe heart
damage; |
|
|
|
|
obtain regulatory approval of MyoCell to treat patients with less severe heart damage; |
|
|
|
|
continue to develop our pipeline of cell-based therapies and related devices for the
treatment of chronic and acute heart damage; |
|
|
|
|
develop our sales and marketing capabilities in advance of regulatory approval, if any; |
|
|
|
|
continue to refine our MyoCell cell culturing processes to further reduce our costs and
processing times; |
|
|
|
|
expand and enhance our intellectual property rights; and |
|
|
|
|
license, acquire and/or develop complementary products and technologies. |
We completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the final patient in the SEISMIC Trial in
July 2007. If the final SEISMIC Trial data is available at the end of March 2008 and is generally
consistent with the interim data we intend to seek, in the second quarter of 2008, approval from
various European regulatory bodies to market MyoCell to treat the Class III Subgroup.
In November 2006, we submitted our amended IND application setting forth the proposed protocol
for the MARVEL Trial to the FDA. As further amended, this study is planned to include 330 patients,
including 110 controls, at 20 sites in the United States and Canada and up to 15 sites in Europe.
In August 2007, we received clearance from the FDA to proceed with the MARVEL Trial and, on October
24, 2007, we completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the first patient in the MARVEL Trial.
We are a development stage company and our lead product candidate has not received regulatory
approval or generated any material revenues and is not expected to until early 2009, if ever. We
have generated substantial net losses and negative cash flow from operations since inception and
anticipate incurring significant and increasing net losses and negative cash flows from operations
for the foreseeable future as we continue clinical trials, undertake new clinical trials, apply for
regulatory approvals, make capital expenditures, add information systems and personnel, make
payments pursuant to our license agreements upon our achievement of certain milestones, continue
development of additional product candidates using our technology, establish sales and marketing
capabilities and incur the additional cost of operating as a public company. In particular, we
expect that our research and development and general and administrative expenses will increase
substantially from prior periods. As of December 31, 2007, our deficit accumulated during our
development stage was approximately $82.6 million. From inception in August 1999 through December
31, 2007, we have financed our operations through private placements of our common stock in which
we have raised an aggregate of $55.7 million and through incurrence of debt, of which we had $9.6
million in principal outstanding at December 31, 2007. In February 2008, we completed an initial
public offering of our common stock. We sold 1,100,000 shares of our common stock at $5.25 per
share resulting in cash proceeds of $4.6 million.
We conduct operations in one business segment. We may organize our business into more discrete
business units when and if we generate significant revenue from the sale of our product candidates.
Substantially all of our revenue since inception has been generated in the United States, and the
majority of our long-lived assets are located in the United States.
Financial Operations Overview
Revenues
81
We have not generated any material revenues from our lead product candidate. The revenues we
have recognized to date are related to (i) sales of MyoCath to ACS and other parties in connection
with the testing of MyoCell, (ii) fees associated with our assignment to ACS of our rights relating
to the primary patent covering MyoCath, or the Primary
MyoCath Patent, (iii) revenues generated from a paid registry trial in Mexico and (iv)
revenues generated for providing cell culturing services under an exclusive supply agreement.
In June 2003, we entered into agreements with ACS pursuant to which we assigned to ACS our
rights relating to the Primary MyoCath Patent, committed to deliver 160 units of MyoCath and sold
other related intellectual property for aggregate consideration of $900,000. We initially recorded
payments received by us pursuant to these agreements as deferred revenue. We are recognizing the
$900,000 as revenue on a pro rata basis as the catheters are delivered.
We have recorded as deferred revenue payments received by us pursuant to a clinical supply
agreement entered into in August 2007 with BHK. Revenues are recognized on a pro rata basis as the
cell culturing services are provided. The costs associated with earning these revenues are expensed
as incurred and are included in research and development in our statements of operations.
We do not anticipate that our revenues will materially increase unless and until our lead
product candidate, MyoCell, receives regulatory approval. Our revenue may vary substantially from
quarter to quarter and from year to year. We believe that period-to-period comparisons of our
results of operations are not meaningful and should not be relied upon as indicative of our future
performance.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales consists primarily of the costs associated with the production of MyoCath and
the costs associated with the culturing of cells for paid registry trials and under an exclusive
supply agreement.
Research and Development
Our research and development expenses consist of costs incurred in identifying, developing and
testing our product candidates. These expenses consist primarily of costs related to our clinical
trials, the acquisition of intellectual property licenses and preclinical studies. We expense
research and development costs as incurred.
Clinical trial expenses include costs related to the culture and preparation of cells in
connection with our clinical trials, costs of contract research, costs of clinical trial
facilities, costs of delivery systems, salaries and related expenses for clinical personnel and
insurance costs. Preclinical study expenses include costs of contract research, salaries and
related expenses for personnel, costs of development biopsies, costs of delivery systems and costs
of lab supplies.
We are focused on the development of a number of autologous cell-based therapies, and related
devices, for the treatment of heart damage. Accordingly, many of our costs are not attributable to
a specifically identified product candidate. We use our employee and infrastructure resources
across several projects, and we do not account for internal research and development costs on a
product candidate by product candidate basis. From inception through December 31, 2007, we incurred
aggregate research and development costs of approximately $56.7 million related to our product
candidates. We estimate that at least $11.9 million and $27.0 million of these expenses relate to
our preclinical and clinical development of MyoCell, respectively, and at least $1.8 million and
$3.4 million of these expenses relate to our preclinical and clinical development of MyoCath,
respectively.
Clinical trials and preclinical studies are time-consuming and expensive. Our expenditures on
current and future preclinical and clinical development programs are subject to many uncertainties.
We generally test our products in several preclinical studies and then conduct clinical trials for
those product candidates that we determine to be the most promising. As we obtain results from
clinical trials, we may elect to discontinue or delay trials for some product candidates in order
to focus our resources on more promising product candidates. Completion of clinical trials may take
several years or more, but the length of time generally varies substantially according to the type,
size of trial and intended use of the product candidate.
82
Due to the risks inherent in the clinical trial process, development completion dates and
costs vary significantly for each product candidate, are difficult to estimate and are likely to
change as clinical trials progress. We currently estimate that, in addition to the costs we have
incurred through December 31, 2007, it will cost us approximately $14.4 million to complete the
MARVEL Trial.
The cost of clinical trials may vary significantly over the life of a project as a result of a
variety of factors, including the number of patients who participate in the clinical trials, the
number of sites included in the clinical trials, the length of time required to enroll trial
participants, the efficacy and safety profile of our product candidates and the costs and timing of
and our ability to secure regulatory approvals.
Marketing, General and Administrative
Our marketing, general and administrative expenses primarily consist of the costs associated
with our general management and clinical marketing and trade programs, including, but not limited
to, salaries and related expenses for executive, administrative and marketing personnel, rent,
insurance, legal and accounting fees, consulting fees, travel and entertainment expenses,
conference costs and other clinical marketing and trade program expenses.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation reflects our recognition as an expense of the value of stock options
and other equity instruments issued to our employees and non-employees over the vesting period of
the options and other equity instruments. We have granted to our employees options to purchase
shares of common stock at exercise prices equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares
of common stock at the time of each grant, as determined by our Board of Directors, with input from
management.
We granted stock options in 2005, during the first two quarters of 2006 and during part of the
third quarter of 2006 at an exercise price of $5.67 per share. In part of the third quarter of 2006
and the fourth quarter of 2006, we granted stock options at an exercise price of $7.69 per share.
In 2007, we granted stock options at an exercise price of $8.47 per share.
In valuing our common stock, our Board of Directors considered a number of factors, including,
but not limited to:
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our financial position and historical financial performance; |
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the illiquidity of our capital stock as a private company; |
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arms length sales of our common stock; |
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the development status of our product candidates; |
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the business risks we face; |
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vesting restrictions imposed upon the equity awards; |
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an evaluation and benchmark of our competitors; and |
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the prospects of a liquidity event, such as a public offering. |
During 2005, 2006 and 2007, we recognized stock-based compensation expense of $2.0 million,
$4.8 million and $1.0 million, respectively. A substantial portion of the expense recognized in
2006 relates to our issuance of common stock, stock options and stock warrants to an employee as
part of a settlement agreement in August 2006. We intend to grant stock options and other
stock-based compensation in the future and we may therefore recognize additional stock-based
compensation in connection with these future grants. See Liquidity and Capital Resources.
Interest Expense
On June 1, 2007, we entered into the BlueCrest Loan and the Bank of America Loan, both in the
principal amount of $5.0 million, with current interest rates of 12.85% and 6.75%, respectively.
Interest expense primarily consists of interest incurred on the principal amount of the BlueCrest
Loan and the Bank of America Loan, accrued fees payable to the
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Guarantors, the amortization of
related deferred loan costs and the amortization of the fair value of warrants issued in connection
with the loans. The deferred loan costs and fair value of warrants issued in connection with the
loans are being amortized to interest expense over the terms of the respective loans using the
effective interest method.
Critical Accounting Policies
This discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on
our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements
requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets,
liabilities, revenues and expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various
other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which
form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are
not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under
different assumptions or conditions. While our critical accounting policies are described in Note 1
to our consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this report, we believe the
following policies are important to understanding and evaluating our reported financial results:
Stock-Based Compensation
Prior to January 1, 2006, we accounted for stock-based compensation arrangements with
employees under the intrinsic value method specified in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25
(APB No. 25). Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation (SFAS No. 123), as amended by SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
Transition and Disclosure, established the use of the fair value based method of accounting for
stock-based compensation arrangements, under which compensation cost is determined using the fair
value of stock-based compensation determined as of the grant date, and is recognized over the
periods in which the related services are rendered. SFAS No. 123 permitted companies to elect to
continue using the intrinsic value accounting method specified in APB No. 25 to account for
stock-based compensation related to option grants and stock awards to employees. In 2005, we
elected to retain the intrinsic value based method for such grants and awards and disclosed the pro
forma effect of using the fair value based method to account for our stock-based compensation in
Note 1 to our financial statements. Option grants to non-employees are valued using the fair value
based method prescribed by SFAS No. 123 and expensed over the period services are provided.
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 123
(revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, or SFAS No. 123R. SFAS No. 123R eliminates, among other items,
the use of the intrinsic value method of accounting and requires companies to recognize the cost of
employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments, based on the grant date
fair value of those awards, in the financial statements. SFAS No. 123R became effective for us as
of January 1, 2006, resulting in an increase in our stock-based compensation expense. We expense
amounts related to employee stock options granted after January 1, 2006 utilizing the Black-Scholes
option pricing model to measure the fair value of stock options. We amortize the estimated fair
value of employee stock option grants over the vesting period. Additionally, we are required to
apply the provisions of SFAS No. 123R on a modified prospective basis to awards granted before
January 1, 2006. Stock-based compensation expense for 2006 and future periods will include the
unamortized portion of employee stock options granted prior to January 1, 2006. Our future
equity-based compensation expense will also depend on the number of equity instruments granted and
the estimated value of the underlying common stock at the date of grant.
Revenue Recognition
Since inception, we have not generated any material revenues from our lead product candidate.
In accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements,
as amended by SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104, Revenue Recognition, our revenue policy is to
recognize revenues from product sales and service transactions generally when persuasive evidence
of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determined, collection is reasonably assured and
delivery of product or service has occurred.
We initially recorded payments received by us pursuant to our agreements with ACS as deferred
revenue. Revenues are recognized on a pro rata basis as the catheters are delivered pursuant to
those agreements.
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We have recorded as deferred revenue payments received by us pursuant to a clinical supply
agreement entered into in August 2007 with BHK. Revenues are recognized on a pro rata basis as the
cell culturing services are provided. The costs associated with earning these revenues are expensed
as incurred and are included in research and development in our statements of operations.
Research and Development Activities
Research and development expenditures, including payments to collaborative research partners,
are charged to expense as incurred. We expense amounts paid to obtain patents or acquire licenses
as the ultimate recoverability of the amounts paid is uncertain.
Results of Operations
We are a development stage company and our lead product candidate has not received regulatory
approval or generated any material revenues and is not expected to until early 2009, if ever. We
have generated substantial net losses and negative cash flow from operations since inception and
anticipate incurring significant and increasing net losses and negative cash flows from operations
for the foreseeable future as we continue clinical trials, undertake new clinical trials, apply for
regulatory approvals, make capital expenditures, add information systems and personnel, make
payments pursuant to our license agreements upon our achievement of certain milestones, continue
development of additional product candidates using our technology, establish sales and marketing
capabilities and incur the additional cost of operating as a public company. In particular, we
expect that our research and development and marketing, general and administrative expenses will
increase substantially from prior periods.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006
Revenues
We recognized revenues of $313,000 in 2007 compared to revenues of $106,000 in 2006. During
2007, we delivered 30 MyoCath catheters to ACS pursuant to our agreement with them. In connection
with these shipments, we recognized $191,000 of revenue and a corresponding decrease to deferred
revenue. In 2007, we also recognized $101,000 of revenue from the shipment of MyoCath catheters to
parties other than ACS and $21,000 from cell culturing services. In 2006, our revenues were
primarily generated from the delivery of MyoCath catheters to parties other than ACS and from cell
culturing services in connection with the paid registry trial in Mexico.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales was $66,000 in 2007 compared to $73,000 in 2006. Our cost of sales in 2007
consisted primarily of $60,000 of costs associated with the production of MyoCath catheters and
$6,000 of costs associated with the cell culturing services. The cost per MyoCath catheter
delivered in 2007 was slightly less than the cost per MyoCath catheter delivered in 2006.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses were $11.3 million in 2007, an increase of $4.4 million from
research and development expenses of $6.9 million in 2006. The increase in research and development
expenses is partially due to our accrual of $3.0 million for a license payment which, upon
commencement of our MARVEL Trial in October 2007, became due to Dr. Law and Cell Transplants
International pursuant to the terms of our license agreement with them. Excluding this accrued
license payment, of the expenses incurred in 2007, approximately $3.0 million relates to the
MYOHEART and SEISMIC Trials, approximately $3.0 million relates to start-up costs for the MARVEL
Trial and approximately $801,000 relates to advanced research and business development.
Marketing, General and Administrative
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Marketing, general and administrative expenses were $3.4 million in 2007, a decrease of $3.0
million from marketing, general and administrative expenses of $6.4 million in 2006. The decrease
in marketing, general and administrative expenses during 2007 is primarily attributable to $3.5
million of stock-based compensation and related expenses recognized in 2006 related to equity
instruments issued to a related party pursuant to a settlement agreement. This decrease was
partially offset by increases in legal fees, professional recruiting fees, salary expense for our
Chief Financial Officer hired in August 2006 and our Chief Executive Officer hired in March 2007
and lease expenses for additional office space.
Interest Income
Interest income consists of interest earned on our cash and cash equivalents. Interest income
was $328,000 in 2007, compared to interest income of $128,000 in 2006. The increase in interest
income was primarily attributable to higher cash balances in 2007 compared to 2006, primarily
resulting from sales of our common stock in the third and fourth quarters of 2006 and the first
quarter of 2007 and our receipt of $10.0 million of loan proceeds in June 2007.
Interest Expense
Interest expense primarily consists of interest incurred on the principal amount of our
outstanding loans, accrued fees payable to the Guarantors, the amortization of related deferred
loan costs and the amortization of the fair value of warrants issued in connection with the loans.
On June 1, 2007, we entered into the BlueCrest Loan and the Bank of America Loan, both in the
principal amount of $5.0 million, with interest rates of 12.85% and 8.75% (prime plus 1.5%),
respectively, at December 31, 2007. Interest incurred on the principal amount of the loans and
accrued fees payable to the Guarantors totaled $811,000 in 2007. Amortization of deferred loan
costs and amortization of the fair value of warrants issued in connection with the loans totaled
$2.9 million in 2007.
The fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Bank of America Loan will be
amortized in full by January 31, 2008.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005
Revenues
Total revenues were $106,000 and $135,000 in 2006 and 2005, respectively. In 2006, we
generated revenue primarily from $82,000 of sales of MyoCath and $20,000 from a paid registry trial
in Mexico.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales was $73,000 in 2006 as compared to $87,000 in 2005. Our cost of sales in 2006
consisted primarily of $55,000 of costs associated with the production of MyoCath and $18,000 of
costs associated with the culturing of cells for the paid registry trial in Mexico. The decrease in
cost of sales in 2006 as compared to 2005 was primarily attributable to our decreased sales of
MyoCath in 2006.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses were $6.9 million in 2006, an increase of $2.4 million from
research and development expenses of $4.5 million in 2005. Our increase in research and development
expenses in 2006 was primarily attributable to $1.5 million of expenses recognized in connection
with the licensing agreement with the Cleveland Clinic, stock-based compensation costs of $303,000
and increased clinical costs of $192,000. Approximately $2.7 million of the expenses incurred in
2006 were related to the MYOHEART Trial and the SEISMIC Trial, including $952,000 of fees paid to
our clinical trial investigators, $632,000 of costs related to cell culturing and $576,000 of
clinical site expenses.
On February 1, 2006, we entered into a patent licensing agreement with the Cleveland Clinic
pursuant to which we acquired worldwide exclusive licenses to five pending U.S. patent applications
related to our MyoCell SDF-1 product
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candidate. Pursuant to this agreement, we paid Cleveland
Clinic an upfront license fee of $250,000 and additional license fees of $1.25 million in 2006.
Marketing, General and Administrative
Marketing, general and administrative expenses were $6.4 million in 2006, an increase of $3.6
million from marketing, general and administrative expenses of $2.8 million in 2005. The increase
in marketing, general and administrative expenses during 2006 was primarily attributable to $3.5
million of stock-based compensation and related expenses related to equity instruments issued to a
related party pursuant to a settlement agreement.
Interest Income
Interest income was $128,000 in 2006 compared to interest income of $45,000 in 2005. The
increase in interest income was primarily attributable to higher cash balances resulting from sales
of our common stock received in the third and fourth quarters of 2006.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
In 2007, we continued to finance our considerable operational cash needs with cash generated
from financing activities.
Net cash used in operating activities was $9.7 million in 2007 as compared to $7.8 million of
cash used in 2006. Our use of operating cash in 2007 reflected a net loss generated during the
period of $18.1 million, adjusted for non-cash items such as amortization of warrants granted in
connection with the BlueCrest Loan and Bank of America Loan of $2.4 million, stock-based
compensation of $931,000 and amortization of loan costs incurred in connection with the BlueCrest
Loan and Bank of America Loan of $487,000. Our use of cash was partially tempered by the following
items:
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an increase in accrued expenses and deferred rent of $3.4 million; and |
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an increase in accounts payable of $1.3 million. |
The increase in accrued expenses and deferred rent is primarily attributable to our accrual of
$3.0 million for the license payment which became due to Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International
upon our commencement of the MARVEL Trial in October 2007 pursuant to the terms of our license
agreement with them.
Our use of operating cash in 2006 reflected a net loss generated during the period of $13.2
million, adjusted for non-cash items such as stock-based compensation of $4.5 million, including
equity instruments issued in connection with a settlement agreement. Our use of cash was also
partially offset by an increase in accounts payable of $357,000 and an increase in accrued expenses
of $235,000.
Net cash used in investing activities was $102,000 in 2007 as compared to $203,000 in 2006.
All of the cash utilized in investing activities for 2007 and 2006 related to our acquisition of
property and equipment.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $10.3 million during 2007 as compared to $7.9
million during 2006. In June 2007, we entered into the BlueCrest Loan and the Bank of America Loan,
each in the principal amount of $5.0 million. We also generated $4.1 million from our issuance of
common stock. These sources of cash were partially offset by $2.6 million related to the payment of
offering costs in connection with our initial public offering completed in February 2008 and
$854,000 related to the payment of costs incurred in connection with our incurrence of the
BlueCrest Loan and Bank of America Loan. In 2006, we generated $8.1 million from our issuance of
common stock, which was partially offset by $224,000 related to the payment of various offering
costs.
Existing Capital Resources and Future Capital Requirements
Our lead product candidate has not received regulatory approval or generated any material
revenues. We do not expect to generate any material revenues or cash from sales of our lead product
candidate until early 2009, if ever. We
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have generated substantial net losses and negative cash
flow from operations since inception and anticipate incurring significant and increasing net losses
and negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future. Historically, we have relied on
proceeds from the private placement of our common stock and our incurrence of debt to provide the
funds necessary to conduct our research and development activities and to meet our other cash
needs.
At December 31, 2007, we had cash and cash equivalents totaling $5.5 million; however, our
working capital deficit as of such date was $7.7 million. Our independent registered public
accounting firm has issued its report dated March 19, 2008 in connection with the audit of our
financial statements as of December 31, 2007 that included an explanatory paragraph describing the
existence of conditions that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going
concern.
In February 2008, we completed an initial public offering of our common stock. We sold
1,100,000 shares of our common stock at $5.25 per share resulting in cash proceeds of $4.6 million.
As of March 1, 2008, we had cash and cash equivalents of $6.5 million and a working capital
deficit of $5.8 million. Provided that we continue to defer our payment of $3.0 million to Dr.
Law, we project that our existing cash resources will be sufficient to finance our operations for
approximately the next five months. See Item 1A. Risk Factors We have licensed and therefore do
not own the intellectual property that is critical to our business ... We will need to secure
additional sources of capital to develop our business and product candidates as planned. For
instance, our ability to enroll patients in the MARVEL Trial in accordance with our current trial schedule is
contingent on our ability to secure additional funding within the
next three months and we believe we will need to raise approximately
$10.0-$12.0 million of funds to finance the completion
of the MARVEL Trial. If we do not secure $5.0 million of financing within the next three months, we will be
required to restrict enrollment in the MARVEL Trial pending receipt of additional capital, which
will delay our projected date for completing the MARVEL Trial.
Additionally, unless and until we secure a total of approximately
$20.0 million of
financing, we intend to focus our capital resources on the advancement of the MARVEL trial and expect
to seek to minimize our expenditures on other product candidates in our research and development
pipeline. We are seeking a number of grants to assist in the development of our product
candidates.
Subject to obtaining regulatory approval for any of our product candidates, we expect to incur
significant commercialization expenses for product sales and marketing, manufacturing the product
and/or securing commercial quantities of product from manufacturers and product distribution.
We expect that our expenses and capital expenditures will increase significantly during 2008
and beyond as a result of a number of factors, including:
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costs related to our commencement of full scale enrollment of the MARVEL Trial; |
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costs related to our continued research and development and new clinical trials with
respect to our pipeline product candidates; |
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costs of applying for regulatory approvals; |
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capital expenditures to increase our research and development and cell culturing
capabilities; |
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costs associated with our addition of operational, financial and management information
systems and personnel and development and protection of our intellectual property; |
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our obligations to make payments pursuant to license agreements upon achievement of
certain milestones, including a $3 million payment to Dr. Law; and |
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costs associated with our establishment of sales and marketing capabilities to
commercialize products for which we obtain regulatory approval, if any. |
The magnitude of our future expenditures and cash requirements will depend on numerous
factors, including, but not limited to:
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resolution, whether by mutual agreement or court order, of our payment obligations under
the Law License Agreement and the timing of such payments; |
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the scope, rate of scientific progress, results and cost of our clinical trials and
other research and development activities; |
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the costs and timing of seeking FDA and other regulatory approvals; |
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our ability to obtain sufficient third-party insurance coverage or reimbursement for our
product candidates; |
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the effectiveness of commercialization activities (including the volume and
profitability of any sales achieved); |
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our ability to establish additional strategic, collaborative and licensing relationships
with third parties with respect to the sales, marketing and distribution of our products,
research and development and other matters and the economic and other terms and timing of
any such relationships; |
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the ongoing availability of funds from foreign governments to build new manufacturing
facilities; |
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the costs involved in any potential litigation that may occur; |
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decisions by us to pursue the development of new product candidates or technologies or
to make acquisitions or investments; and |
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the effect of competing products, technologies and market developments. |
We have no commitments or arrangements from third parties for any additional financing to fund
our research and development and/or other operations. We will need to seek substantial additional
financing through public and/or private financing, which may include equity and/or debt financings,
and through other arrangements, including collaborative arrangements. We may also seek to satisfy
some of our obligations to the Guarantors through the issuance of various forms of securities or
debt on negotiated terms. However, financing and/or alternative arrangements with the Guarantors
may not be available when we need it, or may not be available on acceptable terms. Pursuant to our
underwriting agreement, dated February 19, 2008, or the Underwriting Agreement Date, with Dawson
James Securities, Inc, as representative for the underwriters, we have agreed that we will not,
without the consent of Dawson James Securities, Inc. issue any securities (except for shares
issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options) for 180 days following the Underwriting
Agreement Date, subject to certain customary extension periods. Accordingly, our ability to obtain
additional equity financing during this period is subject to our obtaining the prior agreement of
Dawson James Securities, Inc. In addition, our ability to obtain additional debt financing and/or
alternative arrangements with the Guarantors may be limited by the amount of, terms and
restrictions of our then current debt. For instance, we do not anticipate repaying the BlueCrest
Loan until its scheduled maturity in May 2010. Accordingly, until such time, we will generally be
restricted from, among other things, incurring additional indebtedness or liens, with limited
exceptions. See Item 1A. Risk Factors We have a substantial amount of debt... and Item 1A.
Risk Factors Our outstanding indebtedness to BlueCrest Capital Finance, L.P. imposes certain
restrictions... Additional debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants that
limit or further limit our operating and financial flexibility and prohibit us from making
distributions to shareholders. If we raise additional funds and/or secure alternative arrangements
with the Guarantors by issuing equity, equity-related or convertible securities, the economic,
voting and other rights of our existing shareholders may be diluted, and those securities may have
rights superior to those of our common stock. If we obtain additional capital through collaborative
arrangements, we may be required to relinquish greater rights to our technologies or product
candidates than we might otherwise have or become subject to restrictive covenants that may affect
our business.
BlueCrest Loan
On May 31, 2007, we entered into a Loan and Security Agreement with BlueCrest Capital pursuant
to which they agreed to provide us a three year, $5.0 million term loan. The transaction closed on
June 1, 2007. For the first three months of the BlueCrest Loan, we were only required to make
payments of interest. Commencing in October 2007, we are required to make 33 equal monthly payments
of principal and interest. Interest accrues at an annual rate of 12.85%. As consideration for
providing us the BlueCrest Loan, we issued to BlueCrest Capital a warrant to purchase 65,030 shares
of our common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share. The warrant, which is not exercisable
until the date that is one year following the date the warrant was issued, has a ten year term.
This warrant had a fair value of $432,635, which amount was accounted for as additional paid in
capital and reflected as a component of deferred loan costs to be amortized as interest expense
over the term of the BlueCrest Loan using the effective interest method. We also paid BlueCrest
Capital a fee of $100,000 to cover diligence and other costs and expenses incurred in connection
with the loan.
We may voluntarily prepay the BlueCrest Loan in whole but not in part. However, we are subject
to a prepayment penalty equal to 3% of the outstanding principal if paid during the first year of
the BlueCrest Loan, 2% of the outstanding principal if paid during the second year of the BlueCrest
Loan and 1% of the outstanding principal if paid during the third
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year of the BlueCrest Loan. As
collateral to secure our repayment obligations to BlueCrest Capital, we have granted them a first
priority security interest in all of our assets, excluding our intellectual property but including
the proceeds from any sale of any of our intellectual property.
Pursuant to the agreement, we may not, among other things:
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incur additional indebtedness, except for certain permitted indebtedness. Permitted
indebtedness is defined to include accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
business, leases of equipment or property incurred in the ordinary course of business not
to exceed, in the aggregate, $250,000, any unsecured debt less than $20,000 or any debt not
secured by the collateral pledged to BlueCrest that is subordinated to the rights of
BlueCrest pursuant to a subordination agreement satisfactory to BlueCrest in its sole
discretion; |
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make any principal, interest or other payments arising under or in connection with our
loan from Bank of America or any other debt subordinate to the BlueCrest Loan; |
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incur additional liens on any of our assets, including any liens on our intellectual
property, except for certain permitted liens including but not limited to non-exclusive
licenses or sub-licenses of our intellectual property in the ordinary course of business
and licenses or sub-licenses of intellectual property in connection with joint ventures and
corporate collaborations (provided that any proceeds from such licenses be used to pay down
the BlueCrest Loan); |
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voluntarily prepay any debt prior to maturity, except for accounts payable incurred in
the ordinary course of business, leases of equipment or property incurred in the ordinary
course of business not to exceed, in the aggregate, $250,000 and any unsecured debt less
than $20,000; |
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convey, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of property, except for sales of inventory
in the ordinary course of business, sales of obsolete or unneeded equipment and transfers
of our intellectual property related to product candidates other than MyoCell or MyoCell
SDF-1 to a currently operating or newly formed wholly owned subsidiary; |
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merge with or acquire any other entity if we would not be the surviving person following
such transaction; |
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pay dividends (other than stock dividends) to our shareholders; |
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redeem any outstanding shares of our common stock or any outstanding options or warrants
to purchase shares of our common stock except in connection with a share repurchase
pursuant to which we offer to pay our then existing shareholders not more than $250,000; |
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enter into transactions with affiliates other than on arms-length terms; and |
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make any change in any of our business objectives, purposes and operations which has or
could be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on our business. |
We also are subject to certain affirmative covenants, including but not limited to,
maintaining the collateral in good operating condition and providing BlueCrest with certain
financial information on a periodic basis.
In the event of an uncured event of default under the Loan and Security Agreement, all amounts
owed to BlueCrest Capital are immediately due and payable and BlueCrest Capital has the right to
enforce its security interest in the assets securing the BlueCrest Loan. Events of default include,
among others, our failure to timely make payments of principal when due, our uncured failure to
timely pay any other amounts owing to BlueCrest Capital under the Loan and Security Agreement, our
material breach of the representations and warranties contained in the Loan and Security Agreement,
any material misstatement in any financial statement, report or certificate delivered under the
Loan and Security Agreement, our uncured breach of any filing of a notice of lien with respect to
any of the collateral securing the BlueCrest Loan, the entry of a money judgment against us in
excess of $100,000, a change of control of the Company, the entry of a court order that prevents us
from conducting all or any material part of our business and our default in the payment of any debt
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to any of our other lenders in excess of $100,000 or any other default or breach under any
agreement relating to such debt which gives the holders of such debt the right to accelerate the
debt.
Bank of America Loan
On June 1, 2007 (the Closing Date) we entered into a loan agreement with Bank of America
pursuant to which Bank of America agreed to provide us with an eight month, $5.0 million term loan
(the Bank of America Loan) to be used for working capital purposes. The Bank of America Loan
bears interest at the prime rate plus 1.5%. The prime rate was 7.25% as of December 31, 2007. As
consideration for the Bank of America Loan, we paid Bank of America a fee of $100,000. Effective as
of January 31, 2008, the maturity date of the Bank of America Loan has been extended until June 1,
2008. As consideration for the extension of the Bank of America Loan, we paid Bank of America a
fee of $50,000.
We did not pledge any assets to Bank of America as security for this loan. However, on the
Closing Date, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt provided a $1.1 million limited personal guarantee of the Bank
of America Loan and pledged securities
accounts with Bank of America to back-up this limited personal guarantee. As discussed below,
in October 2007, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt guaranteed additional portions of the loan. Two of our
other directors, including Dr. William Murphy and Mr. Richard Spencer, III (the Director
Guarantors), provided collateral on the Closing Date valued at $750,000 and $1.5 million,
respectively, to secure the Bank of America Loan. In addition, one of our current shareholders (the
Shareholder Guarantor and collectively with Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt and the Director Guarantors
referred to herein as the Guarantors), provided collateral on the Closing Date valued at $2.2
million to secure the Bank of America Loan. Each Director Guarantors and the Shareholder
Guarantors exposure under the Bank of America Loan is or was limited to the collateral it provided
to Bank of America.
Under the terms of the Bank of America Loan, Bank of America is entitled to receive a
semi-annual payment of interest and all outstanding principal and accrued interest by the maturity
date. We and Bank of America have agreed with BlueCrest Capital that we will not individually make
any payments due under the Bank of America Loan while the BlueCrest Loan is outstanding. For our
benefit, the Guarantors agreed to provide Bank of America in the aggregate up to $5.5 million of
funds and/or securities to make these payments.
We have agreed to reimburse the Guarantors with interest at an annual rate of the prime rate
plus 5.0% for any and all payments made by them under the Bank of America Loan as well as to pay
them certain cash fees in connection with their provision of security for the Bank of America Loan.
We have agreed to pay these amounts to the Guarantors upon our repayment in full of the BlueCrest
Loan. In addition, we issued to each Guarantor, warrants to purchase 3,250 shares (the Subject
Shares) of our common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share for each $100,000 of principal
amount of the Bank of America Loan guaranteed by such Guarantor. Warrants to purchase an aggregate
of 180,350 shares of our common stock were issued to the Guarantors. The number of Subject Shares
increased to 3,707 shares per $100,000 guaranteed on September 30, 2007 allowing the Guarantors to
purchase an additional 25,374 shares of our common stock. In the event that as of the first
anniversary, second anniversary and third anniversary of the closing date of the Bank of America
Loan, we have not reimbursed the Guarantors in full for payments made by them in connection with
the Bank of America Loan or paid them the cash fees owed to them, the number of Subject Shares per
$100,000 guaranteed will increase to 4,634, 6,178 and 9,267 shares, respectively. The warrants have
a ten-year term and are not exercisable until the date that is one year following the date the
warrants were issued.
On the Closing Date:
|
|
|
In exchange for the $1.1 million limited personal guarantee, we issued to Mr. and Mrs.
Leonhardt a warrant to purchase an aggregate of 35,745 Subject Shares (subject to
adjustment as set forth above). |
|
|
|
|
In exchange for the pledge of collateral valued at $1.5 million, we issued to Mr.
Spencer a warrant to purchase an aggregate of 48,743 Subject Shares (subject to adjustment
as set forth above). |
|
|
|
|
In exchange for the pledge of collateral valued at $750,000, we issued to Dr. Murphy a
warrant to purchase an aggregate of 24,372 Subject Shares (subject to adjustment as set
forth above). |
91
|
|
|
In exchange for the pledge of collateral valued at $2.2 million, we issued to the
Shareholder Guarantor warrants to purchase an aggregate of 71,490 Subject Shares (subject
to adjustment as set forth above). |
We have agreed with Dr. Murphy to use our reasonable best efforts to secure an additional
person willing to provide collateral to secure the Bank of America Loan in substitution of the
$400,000 of collateral being provided by Dr. Murphy and, until Dr. Murphys obligations to Bank of
America have been released or satisfied in full, use our reasonable best efforts to restructure,
amend or renew the Bank of America Loan in an effort to extend the maturity date of the Bank of
America Loan.
In September 2007, one of our directors, Dr. Samuel S. Ahn, and two of our current
shareholders, Dan Marino and Jason Taylor (collectively with Dr. Ahn, the New Guarantors), agreed
to provide collateral valued at $750,000, $600,000 and $500,000, respectively, to secure the Bank
of America Loan. The collateral provided by the New Guarantors fully replaced the collateral
originally provided by Mr. Spencer and partially replaced the collateral originally provided by Dr.
Murphy. The collateral provided by Dr. Murphy now secures $400,000 of the Bank of America Loan. Our
agreements with the New Guarantors are identical in all respects to our agreements with the
original Guarantors as described above, except that the New Guarantors do not have the right to
compel us to repay the BlueCrest Loan or the
Bank of America Loan. In consideration for providing the collateral, we issued to the New
Guarantors warrants to purchase 3,250 shares of our common stock (the New Guarantor Subject
Shares) at an exercise price of $7.69 per share for each $100,000 of principal amount of the Bank
of America Loan guaranteed by such New Guarantor. Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 60,118
shares of our common stock were issued to the New Guarantors. The number of New Guarantor Subject
Shares increased to 3,707 shares per $100,000 guaranteed on September 30, 2007 allowing the New
Guarantors to purchase an additional 8,458 shares of our common stock. The New Guarantor Subject
Shares are subject to further increase in the same amount and under the same conditions as the
Subject Shares underlying the warrants issued to the original Guarantors. The warrants have a
ten-year term and are not exercisable until the date that is one year following the date the
warrants were issued.
In October 2007, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt agreed to provide an additional $2.2 million limited
personal guarantee of the Bank of America Loan and have pledged securities accounts with Bank of
America to backup this limited personal guarantee. The additional collateral provided by Mr. and
Mrs. Leonhardt fully replaced the collateral originally provided by the Shareholder Guarantor. Mr.
and Mrs. Leonhardt have now personally guaranteed an aggregate of $3.3 million of the Bank of
America Loan. Our agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt with respect to the additional collateral
is substantially similar to our agreement with them in connection with the $1.1 million personal
guarantee they originally provided in June 2007. In consideration for providing the collateral, we
issued to Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt, warrants to purchase 81,547 shares of our common stock at an
exercise price of $7.69 per share. In the event that as of the first anniversary, second
anniversary and third anniversary of the closing date of the Bank of America Loan, respectively, we
have not reimbursed Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt in full for payments made by them in connection with the
Bank of America Loan, the number of shares subject to the warrant will increase to 101,934, 135,912
and 203,868, respectively. The warrant has a ten-year term and is not exercisable until the date
that is one year following the date the warrant was issued.
In October 2007, we cancelled the warrant previously issued to the Shareholder Guarantor,
which warrant included the adjustment provisions discussed above, and, in exchange, issued to it a
warrant to purchase 101,934 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share.
This new warrant does not contain the adjustment provisions discussed above.
On the Closing Date, Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt agreed with the Shareholder Guarantor to repay to
the Shareholder Guarantor any amounts we may owe to the Shareholder Guarantor on the third
anniversary of the Closing Date and, in exchange, assume the Shareholder Guarantors rights to be
indemnified by us under the loan guarantee agreement. This agreement was terminated in October 2007
in connection with the replacement by Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt of the collateral provided by the
Shareholder Guarantor. As consideration for agreeing to assume this obligation, on the Closing
Date, we issued to Mr. and Mrs. Leonhardt an additional warrant to purchase 35,745 shares (the Put
Shares) of our common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share. The number of Put Shares
increased to 40,774 shares on September 30, 2007. In the event that as of the first anniversary,
second anniversary and third anniversary of the closing date of the Bank of America Loan, we have
not reimbursed the Shareholder Guarantor in full for payments made by them in connection with the
Bank of America Loan or paid them the cash fees owed to them, the number of Put Shares will
increase to 50,967, 67,956, and 101,934 shares, respectively. The warrant has a ten-year term and
is not exercisable until
92
the date that is one year following the date the warrants were issued.
Effects of Being a Public Company
In October 2007, we became subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act
and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. We will also be subject to various other regulatory
requirements, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. In addition, we are subject to the rules of
the NASDAQ Global Market.
We are working with our legal and accounting advisors to identify those areas in which changes
should be made to our financial and management control systems to manage our growth and our
obligations as a public company. These areas include corporate governance, corporate control,
internal audit, disclosure controls and procedures and financial reporting and accounting systems.
We have made, and will continue to make, changes in these and other areas, including our internal
control over financial reporting.
In addition, compliance with reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies
will create additional costs for us and will require the time and attention of management. We
currently expect to incur an estimated $2.0 million of incremental operating expenses in our first
year of being a public company and an estimated $1.9 million per year
thereafter. The incremental costs are estimates and actual incremental expenses could be
materially different from these estimates. We cannot estimate with reasonable certainty the amount
of the additional costs we may incur, the timing of such costs or the degree of impact that our
managements attention to these matters will have on our business.
Contractual Obligations
The table below summarizes our significant contractual obligations for the next five years and
thereafter at December 31, 2007. The information in the table reflects future unconditional
payments and is based on the terms of the relevant agreements and appropriate classification of
items under generally accepted accounting principles currently in effect.
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Payments due by period |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less Than |
|
|
1-3 |
|
|
3-5 |
|
|
More Than |
|
Contractual obligations |
|
Total |
|
|
1 Year |
|
|
Years |
|
|
Years |
|
|
5 Years |
|
Notes payable, including interest (1) |
|
$ |
10,862,000 |
|
|
$ |
7,610,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,168,000 |
|
|
$ |
1,084,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Operating leases (2) |
|
|
270,000 |
|
|
|
126,000 |
|
|
|
144,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
License and royalty fees (3) |
|
|
4,930,000 |
|
|
|
3,460,000 |
|
|
|
420,000 |
|
|
|
1,050,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total contractual obligations |
|
$ |
16,062,000 |
|
|
$ |
11,196,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,732,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,134,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Includes principal and interest payments on the BlueCrest Loan and Bank of America Loan. The
BlueCrest Loan bears interest at an annual rate of 12.85%. At December 31, 2007 the BlueCrest
Loan had 30 remaining equal monthly principal and interest payments of $181,000. The Bank of
America Loan bears interest at an annual rate of prime plus 1.5%. Interest is payable by the
Guarantors six months following the date of the loan with the remainder payable upon maturity.
The Bank of America Loan is scheduled to mature on June 1, 2008. Total interest payable over
the term of this loan is estimated to be $440,000. We will be required to repay the Guarantors
with interest at an annual rate of prime plus 5.0% for payments made by them under the Bank of
America Loan once we have satisfied our obligations under the BlueCrest Loan. |
|
(2) |
|
Operating leases consist of facility and equipment lease agreements. |
|
(3) |
|
Includes amounts due under agreements with (i) Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International
and (ii) William Beaumont Hospital, which are described below. |
We have entered into several operating lease agreements for facilities and equipment,
primarily for our office building and cell culturing facility in Sunrise, Florida. Terms of certain
lease arrangements include renewal options, payment of executory costs such as real estate taxes,
insurance, common area maintenance and escalation clauses.
Under our licensing agreement and related agreements with Dr. Law and his affiliate, Cell
Transplants International, we are required to pay to Cell Transplants International a $3.0 million
payment upon commencement of a bona fide U.S. Phase II human clinical study that utilizes
technology claimed under the patent for heart muscle regeneration licensed to
93
us by Dr. Law and a
$5.0 million payment upon FDA approval of patented technology for heart muscle regeneration. In
addition, we are required to pay royalties to Cell Transplants International equal to 5% of gross
sales in the territories where the licensed patents are issued for products and services that read
directly on the claims of the licensed patents. On October 24, 2007, we completed the MyoCell
implantation procedure on the first patient in the MARVEL Trial. We have not yet made the $3.0
million payment that is now due. Although we have proposed to Dr. Law and Cell Transplants
International a schedule for making such payments, we do not intend to make these payments to Dr.
Law and Cell Transplants until the parties mutually agree upon a payment schedule or we are
compelled to. See Item 1A. Risk Factors We have licensed and therefore do not own the
intellectual property that is critical to our business ...
Our licensing agreement with the Cleveland Clinic requires us to make certain milestone
payments to the Cleveland Clinic upon expected milestones including: (a) $200,000 upon FDA or
foreign equivalent approval of an IND application covering product candidates derived from the
licensed patents, (b) $300,000 upon full enrollment of an FDA approved Phase I clinical trial, (c)
$750,000 upon full enrollment of the last clinical trial needed prior to a Biologic License
Application submission to the FDA or foreign equivalent and (d) $1.0 million upon the first
commercial sale of an FDA approved product derived from the licensed patent. At the option of the
Cleveland Clinic, we may be required to pay one-half of any milestone payment in shares of our
common stock. The number of shares payable will be based upon the market value of our common stock
on the date of the milestone payment. To the extent we do not complete a milestone activity by the
target completion date, we will be required to pay $100,000, or the Extension Fee, to extend the
target
completion date for an additional one year period, or the Extension Period. If such milestone
activity is achieved during the first six months of the Extension Period, the Extension Fee will be
credited against the applicable milestone payment. We will also be required to pay Cleveland Clinic
royalty fees equal to 5% of net sales of any products derived from the licensed patents.
In June 2000, we entered into an exclusive license agreement with the William Beaumont
Hospital to use certain patents for the life of the patents in future projects. The patents expire
in 2015. We are required to pay an annual license fee of $10,000 and royalties ranging from 2% to
4% of net sales of products that are covered by the patents. In order to maintain the exclusive
license rights, the agreement also calls for a minimum annual royalty threshold. The minimum
threshold was $20,000 for 2003, $30,000 for 2004, $50,000 for 2005, $100,000 for 2006 and $200,000
for 2007. This minimum threshold will remain $200,000 for 2008 and thereafter. As of December 31,
2007, we have not made any payments to the William Beaumont Hospital other than the initial payment
to acquire the license.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a
current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or
expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are
material to investors.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157).
SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and expands
disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value
measurements, but provides guidance on how to measure fair value by providing a fair value
hierarchy used to classify the source of the information. SFAS No. 157 was effective for fiscal
years beginning after November 15, 2007. However, in February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff
Position FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which provides and one year deferral
of the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for all non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities,
except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a
recurring basis (that is, at least annually). FASB Staff Position FAS No. 157-2 defers the
effective date of SFAS No. 157 to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008, and interim
periods within those fiscal years for items within the scope of the FASB Staff Position. We do not
expect the adoption of SFAS No. 157 to have a material effect on our consolidated financial
statements.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and
Financial Liabilities (SFAS No. 159). SFAS No. 159 allows an entity the irrevocable option to
elect fair value for the initial and subsequent measurement for certain financial assets and
liabilities on a contract-by-contract basis. Subsequent changes in fair value of these financial
assets and liabilities would be recognized in earnings when they occur. SFAS No. 159 is
94
effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We do not expect the adoption of
SFAS No. 159 to have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In June 2007, the FASB ratified a consensus opinion reached by the Emerging Issues Task Force
(EITF) on EITF Issue No. 07-3, Accounting for Nonrefundable Advance Payments for Goods or
Services Received for Use in Future Research and Development Activities. The guidance in EITF Issue
No. 07-3 requires the Company to defer and capitalize nonrefundable advance payments made for goods
or services to be used in research and development activities until the goods have been delivered
or the related services have been performed. If the goods are no longer expected to be delivered
nor the services expected to be performed, the Company would be required to expense the related
capitalized advance payments. The consensus in EITF Issue No. 07-3 is effective for fiscal years,
and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2007 and is to be
applied prospectively to new contracts entered into on or after December 15, 2007. We intend to
adopt EITF Issue No. 07-3 effective January 1, 2008. The impact of applying this consensus will
depend on the terms of our future research and development contractual arrangements entered into on
or after December 15, 2007.
On December 4, 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141R (revised 2007) Business Combinations, which
will change the accounting for business combinations. Under SFAS No. 141R, an acquiring entity will
be required to recognize all the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a transaction at the
acquisition-date fair value with limited exceptions. SFAS No. 141R retains the purchase method of
accounting for acquisitions, but requires a number of changes, including expensing acquisition
costs as incurred, capitalization of in-process research and development at fair value, recording
noncontrolling interests at fair value and recording acquired contingent liabilities at fair value.
SFAS No. 141R will apply prospectively to business combinations with an acquisition date on or
after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2008. Both
early adoption and retrospective application are prohibited. SFAS No. 141R will have an impact on
the accounting for our business combinations once adopted, but the effect depends on the terms of
our business combinations subsequent to January 1, 2009, if any.
On December 4, 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated
Financial Statements an amendment of ARB No. 51. SFAS No. 160 establishes new accounting and
reporting standards for the noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of
a subsidiary. SFAS No. 160 requires the recognition of a noncontrolling interest (minority
interest) as equity in the consolidated financial statements and separate from the parents equity.
The amount of earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interest will be included in consolidated
net income on the face of the income statement. SFAS No. 160 clarifies that changes in a parents
ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in deconsolidation are equity transactions if
the parent retains its controlling financial interest. In addition, SFAS No. 160 requires that a
parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. Such gain or
loss will be measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment on the
deconsolidation date. SFAS No. 160 also includes expanded disclosure requirements regarding the
interests of the parent and its noncontrolling interests. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal
years, and interim periods in those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2008. Early
adoption is prohibited. We do not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 160 to have a material effect on
our consolidated financial statements.
In December 2007, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 110, Share-Based
Payment, which amends SAB 107, Share-Based Payment, to permit public companies, under certain
circumstances, to use the simplified method in SAB 107 for employee option grants after December
31, 2007. Use of the simplified method after December 2007 is permitted only for companies whose
historical data about their employees exercise behavior does not provide a reasonable basis for
estimating the expected term of the options. We currently estimate the expected term for employee
option grants by review of similar data from a peer group of companies as adequate historical
experience is not available to provide a reasonable estimate. SAB 110 is effective for employee
options granted after December 31, 2007. We intend to adopt SAB 110 effective January 1, 2008 and
apply the simplified method until enough historical experience is readily available to provide a
reasonable estimate of the expected term for employee option grants.
A variety of proposed or otherwise potential accounting standards are currently under study by
standard-setting organizations and various regulatory agencies. Because of the tentative and
preliminary nature of these proposed standards, management has not determined whether
implementation of such proposed standards would be material to our consolidated financial
statements.
95
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Interest Rate Risk
Our primary market risk exposure with respect to interest rates is changes in short-term
interest rates in the U.S., particularly because certain of our debt arrangements represent
floating rate debt and we are subject to interest rate risk. We do not use any interest rate risk
management contracts to manage our fixed-to-floating ratio. The impact on our results of operations
from a hypothetical 10% change in interest rates would not be significant.
The majority of our investments are expected to be in short-term debt securities. The primary
objective of our investment activities is to preserve principal while at the same time maximizing
the income we receive without significantly increasing risk. To reduce risk, we maintain our cash
and cash equivalents in short-term interest-bearing instruments, including certificates of deposit
and overnight funds. We do not have any derivative financial investments in our investment
portfolio.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Our Financial Statements begin on page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are
incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A(T). Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our
management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness
of our disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)
under the Exchange Act as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. Based on such
evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of the
end of such period, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective and provided reasonable
assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported accurately and within the
time frames specified in the SECs rules and forms and accumulated and communicated to our
management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to
allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes In Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is
defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended December
31, 2007 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal
control over financial reporting.
This annual report does not include a report of managements assessment regarding internal
control over financial reporting or an attestation report of the companys registered public
accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission for newly public companies.
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
96
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information required by this item about our Executive Officers is included in Part I,
Item 1. Business of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption Our Executive Officers.
All other information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive
Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held in June, 2008 to be filed with
the Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive
Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
Matters
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive
Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive
Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference from our definitive
Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
97
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
(a)(1) Financial Statements
See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for Financial Statements included
with this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(a)(2) Financial Statement Schedules
All schedules have been omitted because the required information is not applicable or the
information is included in the consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.
(a)(3) Exhibits
|
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Exhibit |
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|
No. |
|
Exhibit Description |
3.1(6)
|
|
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the registrant, as amended. |
|
|
|
3.2(1)
|
|
Amended and Restated Bylaws |
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|
|
4.1(5)
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|
Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2007 by and between BlueCrest Capital Finance,
L.P. and the registrant |
|
|
|
10.1**(1)
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|
1999 Officers and Employees Stock Option Plan |
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|
|
10.2**(1)
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|
1999 Directors and Consultants Stock Option Plan |
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10.3(1)
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|
Form of Option Agreement under Officers and Employees Stock Option Plan |
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|
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10.4(3)
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|
Form of Option Agreement under Directors and Consultants Stock Option Plan |
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|
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10.5**(4)
|
|
Employment Letter Agreement between the registrant and Scott Bromley, dated August 24, 2006. |
|
|
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10.6(1)
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|
Lease Agreement between the registrant and Sawgrass Business Plaza, LLC, as amended, dated
November 14, 2006. |
|
|
|
10.7(1)
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|
Asset Purchase Agreement between the registrant and Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., dated
June 24, 2003. |
|
|
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10.8(4)
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|
Conditionally Exclusive License Agreement between the registrant, Dr. Peter Law and Cell
Transplants International, LLC, dated February 7, 2000, as amended. |
|
|
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10.9(4)
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|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2007, by and between the
registrant, Howard J. Leonhardt and Brenda Leonhardt |
|
|
|
10.10(4)
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|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2007, by and between the
registrant and William P. Murphy Jr., M.D. |
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10.11(4)
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Loan Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2007, by and between the registrant and Bank of America, N.A. |
|
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10.12(4)
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|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to Howard J. Leonhardt and
Brenda Leonhardt |
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|
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10.13(4)
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|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to Howard J. Leonhardt and
Brenda Leonhardt |
|
|
|
10.14(4)
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|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to William P. Murphy Jr., M.D. |
|
|
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10.15(4)
|
|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to the R&A Spencer Family
Limited Partnership |
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10.16(4)
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|
Material Supply Agreement, dated May 10, 2007, by and between the registrant and Biosense Webster |
|
|
|
10.17(4)
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|
Supply and License Agreement, dated June 7, 2007, by and between the registrant and BioLife
Solutions, Inc.*** |
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|
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10.18(5)
|
|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to BlueCrest Capital Finance,
L.P. |
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|
|
10.19(6)
|
|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2007, by and between
the registrant and Samuel S. Ahn, M.D. |
|
|
|
10.20(6)
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|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2007, by and between
the registrant and Dan Marino |
|
|
|
10.21(6)
|
|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to Samuel S. Ahn, M.D. |
98
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Exhibit Description |
10.22(6)
|
|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2007, by and between
the registrant and Jason Taylor |
|
|
|
10.23(7)
|
|
Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of October 10, 2007, by and between the
registrant and Howard and Brenda Leonhardt |
|
|
|
10.24(7)
|
|
Warrant to purchase shares of the registrants common stock issued to Howard and Brenda Leonhardt |
|
|
|
10.25(7)
|
|
Second Amendment to Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of October 10,
2007, by and between the registrant and Howard and Brenda Leonhardt |
|
|
|
10.26(7)
|
|
Second Amendment to Loan Guarantee, Payment and Security Agreement, dated as of October 10,
2007, by and between the registrant and William P. Murphy, Jr., M.D. |
|
|
|
14.1(2)
|
|
Code of Ethics for Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer
and persons performing similar functions |
|
|
|
14.2(2)
|
|
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics |
|
|
|
31.1*
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
31.2*
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
32.1*
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
32.2*
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Filed herewith |
|
** |
|
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan. |
|
*** |
|
Portions of this document have been omitted and were filed separately with the SEC on August 9,
2007 pursuant to a request for confidential treatment. |
|
(1) |
|
Incorporated by reference to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on February 13, 2007 |
|
(2) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on June 5, 2007 |
|
(3) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 2 to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on July 12, 2007 |
|
(4) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 3 to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on August 9, 2007 |
|
(5) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 4 to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on September 6, 2007 |
|
(6) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 5 to the Companys Form S-1 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 2007 |
|
(7) |
|
Incorporated by reference to Post-effective Amendment No. 1 to the Companys Form S-1
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 11, 2007 |
99
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BIOHEART, INC. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
/s/ William M. Pinon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William M. Pinon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
Dated: March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
|
|
|
|
|
SIGNATURE |
|
TITLE |
|
DATE |
/s/ William M. Pinon
|
|
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
William M. Pinon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ William H. Kline
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
William H. Kline |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Howard J. Leonhardt
|
|
Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Howard J. Leonhardt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ David J. Gury
|
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
David J. Gury |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ William P. Murphy, Jr.,
M.D.
|
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
William P. Murphy, Jr., M.D. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Richard T. Spencer III
|
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Richard T. Spencer III |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Linda Tufts
|
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Linda Tufts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Mike Tomas
|
|
Director
|
|
March 28, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mike Tomas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Peggy A. Farley
|
|
Director
|
|
March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Peggy A. Farley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
|
|
March
, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Bruce Carson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
|
|
March , 2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
Samuel S. Ahn, M.D. |
|
|
|
|
100
FORM 10-K ITEM 8
BIOHEART, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
All schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulation of the
Securities and Exchange Commission have been omitted because the required information under the
related instructions is not applicable or the information is included in the consolidated financial
statements or the notes hereto.
F-1
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Board of Directors
Bioheart, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Bioheart, Inc. and
Subsidiaries (a Development Stage Company) (the Company) as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and
the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders (deficit) equity and cash flows
for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007 and the period from August 12,
1999 (date of inception) through December 31, 2007. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform an audit of its
internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control
over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the
circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
Companys internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An
audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made
by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that
our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material
respects, the consolidated financial position of Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries (a Development
Stage Company) as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the results of their consolidated operations
and their consolidated cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007
and the period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) through December 31, 2007 in conformity
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1, 2006,
the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment.
In addition, as discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, effective January 1,
2007, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the
Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the
Company has incurred recurring losses. In addition, as of December 31, 2007, the Company has a
deficit accumulated during the development stage of $82.6 million and current liabilities exceed
current assets by $7.7 million. These factors, among others, as discussed in Note 2 to the
financial statements, raise substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going
concern. Managements plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2. The
consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome
of this uncertainty.
/s/ Grant Thornton LLP
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
March 19, 2008
F-2
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Consolidated Balance Sheets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
5,492,157 |
|
|
$ |
5,025,383 |
|
Receivables |
|
|
52,642 |
|
|
|
79,843 |
|
Inventory |
|
|
372,054 |
|
|
|
163,821 |
|
Prepaid expenses |
|
|
261,030 |
|
|
|
96,162 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets |
|
|
6,177,883 |
|
|
|
5,365,209 |
|
Property and equipment, net |
|
|
444,506 |
|
|
|
526,901 |
|
Deferred offering costs |
|
|
3,484,070 |
|
|
|
547,016 |
|
Deferred loan costs, net |
|
|
1,146,716 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other assets |
|
|
71,148 |
|
|
|
68,854 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
11,324,323 |
|
|
$ |
6,507,980 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS (DEFICIT) EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable |
|
$ |
2,134,256 |
|
|
$ |
803,625 |
|
Accrued expenses |
|
|
4,511,775 |
|
|
|
700,687 |
|
Deferred revenue |
|
|
547,286 |
|
|
|
656,500 |
|
Notes payable current |
|
|
6,671,112 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
13,864,429 |
|
|
|
2,160,812 |
|
Deferred rent |
|
|
21,426 |
|
|
|
36,524 |
|
Note payable long term |
|
|
2,943,432 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
16,829,287 |
|
|
|
2,197,336 |
|
Commitments and contingencies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shareholders (deficit) equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock ($0.001 par value) 5,000,000 and
3,088,898 shares authorized as of December 31, 2007
and 2006, respectively; none issued and outstanding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock ($0.001 par value) 50,000,000 and
24,711,188 shares authorized as of December 31, 2007
and 2006, respectively; 13,347,138 and
12,785,472 shares issued and outstanding as of
December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, respectively |
|
|
13,347 |
|
|
|
12,785 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
77,061,296 |
|
|
|
68,810,382 |
|
Deficit accumulated during the development stage |
|
|
(82,579,607 |
) |
|
|
(64,512,523 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total shareholders (deficit) equity |
|
|
(5,504,964 |
) |
|
|
4,310,644 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and shareholders (deficit) equity |
|
$ |
11,324,323 |
|
|
$ |
6,507,980 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-3
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Consolidated Statements of Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 12, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1999 (date of |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
inception) to |
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2007 |
|
Revenues |
|
$ |
312,809 |
|
|
$ |
105,503 |
|
|
$ |
135,350 |
|
|
$ |
748,322 |
|
Cost of sales |
|
|
65,830 |
|
|
|
72,510 |
|
|
|
87,427 |
|
|
|
320,197 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit |
|
|
246,979 |
|
|
|
32,993 |
|
|
|
47,923 |
|
|
|
428,125 |
|
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development |
|
|
11,313,554 |
|
|
|
6,878,225 |
|
|
|
4,533,820 |
|
|
|
56,694,809 |
|
Marketing, general and administrative |
|
|
3,435,991 |
|
|
|
6,372,098 |
|
|
|
2,830,926 |
|
|
|
22,860,888 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
184,391 |
|
|
|
90,713 |
|
|
|
46,320 |
|
|
|
434,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses |
|
|
14,933,936 |
|
|
|
13,341,036 |
|
|
|
7,411,066 |
|
|
|
79,990,374 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(14,686,957 |
) |
|
|
(13,308,043 |
) |
|
|
(7,363,143 |
) |
|
|
(79,562,249 |
) |
Interest income |
|
|
327,636 |
|
|
|
128,145 |
|
|
|
45,122 |
|
|
|
716,520 |
|
Interest expense |
|
|
(3,707,763 |
) |
|
|
(748 |
) |
|
|
(8,536 |
) |
|
|
(3,733,878 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net interest (expense) income |
|
|
(3,380,127 |
) |
|
|
127,397 |
|
|
|
36,586 |
|
|
|
(3,017,358 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes |
|
|
(18,067,084 |
) |
|
|
(13,180,646 |
) |
|
|
(7,326,557 |
) |
|
|
(82,579,607 |
) |
Income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(18,067,084 |
) |
|
$ |
(13,180,646 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,326,557 |
) |
|
$ |
(82,579,607 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss per share basic and diluted |
|
$ |
(1.37 |
) |
|
$ |
(1.10 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding
basic and diluted |
|
|
13,210,347 |
|
|
|
12,015,090 |
|
|
|
10,652,727 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-4
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Consolidated Statement of Shareholders (Deficit) Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
Paid-In |
|
|
Deferred |
|
|
Contributed |
|
|
Development |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Compensation |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Stage |
|
|
Total |
|
Balance as of August 12,
1999 (date of inception) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
Issuance of common stock |
|
|
4,324,458 |
|
|
|
4,324 |
|
|
|
395,676 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
98,000 |
|
|
|
(98,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based
compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49,000 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(903,290 |
) |
|
|
(903,290 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 1999 |
|
|
4,324,458 |
|
|
$ |
4,324 |
|
|
$ |
493,676 |
|
|
$ |
(49,000 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(903,290 |
) |
|
$ |
(454,290 |
) |
Issuance of common
stock (net of issuance
costs of $61,905) |
|
|
1,493,575 |
|
|
|
1,494 |
|
|
|
9,607,201 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,608,695 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,559,000 |
|
|
|
(2,559,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value of warrants
granted in exchange for
licenses and
intellectual property |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,220,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,220,000 |
|
Amortization of
stock-based
compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,080,692 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,080,692 |
|
Contributed capital |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,050,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,050,000 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
7,964 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
51,993 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
52,001 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(14,113,933 |
) |
|
|
(14,113,933 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2000 |
|
|
5,825,997 |
|
|
$ |
5,826 |
|
|
$ |
17,931,870 |
|
|
$ |
(1,527,308 |
) |
|
$ |
1,050,000 |
|
|
$ |
(15,017,223 |
) |
|
$ |
2,443,165 |
|
Issuance of common
stock (net of issuance
costs of $98,996) |
|
|
985,667 |
|
|
|
986 |
|
|
|
6,282,018 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,283,004 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
779,000 |
|
|
|
(779,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based
compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,523,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,523,000 |
|
Conversion of
contributed capital to
common stock |
|
|
81,084 |
|
|
|
81 |
|
|
|
1,049,919 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,050,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
8,291 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
53,993 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
54,001 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(8,173,464 |
) |
|
|
(8,173,464 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2001 |
|
|
6,901,039 |
|
|
$ |
6,901 |
|
|
$ |
26,096,800 |
|
|
$ |
(783,308 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(23,190,687 |
) |
|
$ |
2,129,706 |
|
Issuance of common stock |
|
|
1,092,883 |
|
|
|
1,093 |
|
|
|
7,075,105 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,076,198 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
143,521 |
|
|
|
(143,521 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based
compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
613,083 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
613,083 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
35,137 |
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
|
227,468 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
227,503 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(9,257,954 |
) |
|
|
(9,257,954 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2002 |
|
|
8,029,059 |
|
|
$ |
8,029 |
|
|
$ |
33,542,894 |
|
|
$ |
(313,746 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(32,448,641 |
) |
|
$ |
788,536 |
|
Issuance of common stock |
|
|
561,701 |
|
|
|
562 |
|
|
|
3,181,712 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,182,274 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(155,893 |
) |
|
|
155,893 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based
compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
79,371 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
79,371 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
144,300 |
|
|
|
144 |
|
|
|
823,743 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
823,887 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(6,037,528 |
) |
|
|
(6,037,528 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2003 |
|
|
8,735,060 |
|
|
$ |
8,735 |
|
|
$ |
37,392,456 |
|
|
$ |
(78,482 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(38,486,169 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,163,460 |
) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-5
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Consolidated Statement of Shareholders (Deficit) Equity (Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Additional |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During the |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
Paid-In |
|
|
Deferred |
|
|
Contributed |
|
|
Development |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Compensation |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Stage |
|
|
Total |
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2003 |
|
|
8,735,060 |
|
|
$ |
8,735 |
|
|
$ |
37,392,456 |
|
|
$ |
(78,482 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(38,486,169 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,163,460 |
) |
Issuance of common stock |
|
|
808,570 |
|
|
|
809 |
|
|
|
4,580,104 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,580,913 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
637,858 |
|
|
|
(637,858 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
148,812 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
148,812 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
17,004 |
|
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
96,314 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
96,331 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5,519,151 |
) |
|
|
(5,519,151 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2004 |
|
|
9,560,634 |
|
|
$ |
9,561 |
|
|
$ |
42,706,732 |
|
|
$ |
(567,528 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(44,005,320 |
) |
|
$ |
(1,856,555 |
) |
Issuance of common stock
(net of issuance costs
of $32,507) |
|
|
1,994,556 |
|
|
|
1,994 |
|
|
|
11,265,560 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,267,554 |
|
Issuance of common stock
in lieu of cash
compensation |
|
|
1,210 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
6,852 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,853 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,566,147 |
|
|
|
(1,566,147 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortization of
stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,952,350 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,952,350 |
|
Issuance of common stock
in exchange for release
of accrued liabilities |
|
|
95,807 |
|
|
|
96 |
|
|
|
542,691 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
542,787 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,326,557 |
) |
|
|
(7,326,557 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2005 |
|
|
11,652,207 |
|
|
$ |
11,652 |
|
|
$ |
56,087,982 |
|
|
$ |
(181,325 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(51,331,877 |
) |
|
$ |
4,586,432 |
|
Reclassification of
deferred compensation
due to adoption of SFAS
No. 123(R) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(181,325 |
) |
|
|
181,325 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of common stock
(net of issuance costs
of $100,038) |
|
|
1,069,699 |
|
|
|
1,069 |
|
|
|
8,123,623 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,124,692 |
|
Equity instruments
issued in connection
with settlement
agreement |
|
|
47,657 |
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
|
3,294,381 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,294,429 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
2,903 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
16,440 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,443 |
|
Common stock issued in
exchange for
distribution rights and
intellectual property |
|
|
13,006 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
99,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99,997 |
|
Fair value of warrants
granted in exchange for
licenses and
intellectual property |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
144,867 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
144,867 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,224,430 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,224,430 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,180,646 |
) |
|
|
(13,180,646 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2006 |
|
|
12,785,472 |
|
|
$ |
12,785 |
|
|
$ |
68,810,382 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(64,512,523 |
) |
|
$ |
4,310,644 |
|
Issuance of common stock
(net of issuance costs
of $150,000) |
|
|
529,432 |
|
|
|
530 |
|
|
|
3,920,186 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,920,716 |
|
Exercise of stock options |
|
|
31,955 |
|
|
|
32 |
|
|
|
181,008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
181,040 |
|
Issuance of warrants in
connection with notes
payable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,139,639 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,139,639 |
|
Amortization of fair
value of warrants
granted in exchange for
services |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,559 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,559 |
|
Amortization of fair
value of warrants
granted in exchange for
licenses and
intellectual property |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48,289 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48,289 |
|
Shares issued in
connection with reverse
stock split |
|
|
279 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
931,233 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
931,233 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(18,067,084 |
) |
|
|
(18,067,084 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2007 |
|
|
13,347,138 |
|
|
$ |
13,347 |
|
|
$ |
77,061,296 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
(82,579,607 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,504,964 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-6
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 12, 1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(date of inception) |
|
|
|
Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
to December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2007 |
|
Cash flows from operating activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(18,067,084 |
) |
|
$ |
(13,180,646 |
) |
|
$ |
(7,326,557 |
) |
|
$ |
(82,579,607 |
) |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
used in operating activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
184,391 |
|
|
|
90,713 |
|
|
|
46,320 |
|
|
|
434,677 |
|
Write off of note receivable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
165,000 |
|
Amortization of warrants granted in exchange
of licenses and intellectual property |
|
|
48,289 |
|
|
|
144,867 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,413,156 |
|
Amortization of warrants granted in
connection with notes payable |
|
|
2,407,677 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,407,677 |
|
Amortization of loan costs |
|
|
486,539 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
486,539 |
|
Amortization of warrants granted in exchange
for services |
|
|
30,559 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,559 |
|
Equity instruments issued in connection with
settlement agreement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,294,429 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,294,429 |
|
Common stock issued in exchange for services |
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,443 |
|
|
|
6,853 |
|
|
|
1,277,017 |
|
Common stock issued in exchange for
distribution rights and intellectual
property |
|
|
|
|
|
|
99,997 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99,997 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
931,233 |
|
|
|
1,224,430 |
|
|
|
1,952,350 |
|
|
|
7,601,971 |
|
Change in assets and liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receivables |
|
|
27,201 |
|
|
|
(7,806 |
) |
|
|
(72,037 |
) |
|
|
(52,642 |
) |
Inventory |
|
|
(208,233 |
) |
|
|
(3,469 |
) |
|
|
182,148 |
|
|
|
(372,054 |
) |
Prepaid expenses |
|
|
(164,868 |
) |
|
|
(41,860 |
) |
|
|
6,044 |
|
|
|
(261,030 |
) |
Other assets |
|
|
(2,294 |
) |
|
|
(58,695 |
) |
|
|
(815 |
) |
|
|
(71,148 |
) |
Accounts payable |
|
|
1,291,297 |
|
|
|
357,403 |
|
|
|
(399,063 |
) |
|
|
1,873,759 |
|
Accrued expenses and deferred rent |
|
|
3,415,425 |
|
|
|
234,697 |
|
|
|
(40,698 |
) |
|
|
4,428,988 |
|
Deferred revenue |
|
|
(109,213 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(120,000 |
) |
|
|
547,287 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
|
(9,729,081 |
) |
|
|
(7,829,497 |
) |
|
|
(5,765,455 |
) |
|
|
(55,275,425 |
) |
Cash flows from investing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition of property and equipment |
|
|
(101,995 |
) |
|
|
(203,266 |
) |
|
|
(326,211 |
) |
|
|
(879,182 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
|
(101,995 |
) |
|
|
(203,266 |
) |
|
|
(326,211 |
) |
|
|
(879,182 |
) |
Cash flows from financing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from notes payable |
|
|
10,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,200,000 |
|
Repayment of note payable |
|
|
(385,456 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(200,000 |
) |
|
|
(585,456 |
) |
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net |
|
|
4,101,756 |
|
|
|
8,124,692 |
|
|
|
11,267,554 |
|
|
|
55,675,088 |
|
Payment of offering costs |
|
|
(2,564,405 |
) |
|
|
(224,418 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,788,823 |
) |
Payment of loan costs |
|
|
(854,045 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(854,045 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
10,297,850 |
|
|
|
7,900,274 |
|
|
|
11,067,554 |
|
|
|
61,646,764 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents |
|
|
466,774 |
|
|
|
(132,489 |
) |
|
|
4,975,888 |
|
|
|
5,492,157 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
|
|
5,025,383 |
|
|
|
5,157,872 |
|
|
|
181,984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
|
$ |
5,492,157 |
|
|
$ |
5,025,383 |
|
|
$ |
5,157,872 |
|
|
$ |
5,492,157 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Disclosure of cash flow information |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest paid |
|
$ |
319,680 |
|
|
$ |
748 |
|
|
$ |
8,536 |
|
|
$ |
345,795 |
|
Income taxes paid |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-7
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Organization and Business
Bioheart, Inc. (the Company) is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery,
development and, subject to regulatory approval, commercialization of autologous cell therapies for
the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage. The Companys lead product candidate is MyoCell,
an innovative clinical therapy designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patients heart
with living muscle tissue for the purpose of improving cardiac function. The Company was
incorporated in Florida on August 12, 1999.
Development Stage
The Company has operated as a development stage enterprise since its inception by devoting
substantially all of its effort to raising capital, research and development of products noted
above, and developing markets for its products. Accordingly, the financial statements of the
Company have been prepared in accordance with the accounting and reporting principles prescribed by
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 7, Accounting and Reporting by Development Stage
Enterprises (SFAS No. 7), issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
Prior to marketing its products in the United States, the Companys products must undergo
rigorous preclinical and clinical testing and an extensive regulatory approval process implemented
by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory authorities. There can be no
assurance that the Company will not encounter problems in clinical trials that will cause the
Company or the FDA to delay or suspend clinical trials. The Companys success will depend in part
on its ability to successfully complete clinical trials, obtain necessary regulatory approvals,
obtain patents and product license rights, maintain trade secrets, and operate without infringing
on the proprietary rights of others, both in the United States and other countries. There can be no
assurance that patents issued to or licensed by the Company will not be challenged, invalidated, or
circumvented, or that the rights granted thereunder will provide proprietary protection or
competitive advantages to the Company. The Company will require substantial future capital in order
to meet its objectives. The Company currently has no committed sources of capital. The Company will
need to seek substantial additional financing through public and/or private financing, and
financing may not be available when the Company needs it or may not be available on acceptable
terms.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bioheart, Inc. and
its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
Reverse Stock Split
On August 31, 2007, the Companys Board of Directors approved a 1-for-1.6187 reverse stock
split of the Companys capital stock, which became effective on September 27, 2007. All share
numbers and per share amounts contained in the consolidated financial statements have been
retroactively adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split. In lieu of issuing fractional shares of
stock resulting from the reverse stock split, the number of shares held by each shareholder
following the reverse stock split was rounded up to the nearest whole share.
Initial Public Offering
On October 2, 2007, the Companys Registration Statement on Form S-1 (333-140672) to register
up to $70,000,000 of its common stock was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange
Commission. On this same date, the Companys registration statement on Form 8-A became effective
and the Company thereafter became subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. On February 14, 2008, Post
F-8
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration
Statement was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. On February 22, 2008,
the Company completed its initial public offering of common stock pursuant to which it sold
1,100,000 shares of common stock at a price per share of $5.25 to the underwriters for net proceeds
of $1.5 million. The Companys shares of common stock commenced trading on February 19, 2008 on
the NASDAQ
Global Market under the symbol BHRT. The cash proceeds of the offering of approximately $4.6
million, which are approximately $3.1 million greater than the net proceeds due to the Companys
payment of approximately $3.1 million of offering expenses prior to the consummation of the
offering, are expected to be primarily used for commencement of full scale enrollment in a planned
clinical trial of MyoCell, milestone payments due under licensing agreements, repayment of a
portion of certain debt obligations and general corporate purposes. Costs related to the offering
have been deferred when incurred and amounted to $3,484,070 and $547,016 as of December 31, 2007
and 2006, respectively. Such costs are included as assets on the accompanying consolidated balance
sheets. Of the amount deferred, $2,788,823 and $224,418 had been paid as of December 31, 2007 and
2006, respectively. All such costs will be charged to paid-in capital in the first quarter of the
Companys fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 upon the completion of the offering in February
2008.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and the disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and
expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair value estimates, assumptions and methods used to estimate the fair value of the Companys
financial instruments are made in accordance with the requirements of Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments. The
Company has used available information to derive its estimates. However, because these estimates
are made as of a specific point in time, they are not necessarily indicative of amounts the
Company could realize currently. The use of different assumptions or estimating methods may have a
material effect on the estimated fair value amounts. The fair value of cash equivalents,
receivables, accounts payable and short term debt approximate their carrying amounts due to their
short term nature. The carrying value of long-term debt consisting of a note payable approximated
fair value as of December 31, 2007, based on the current interest rate environment and borrowing
rates available to the Company.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and money market funds with maturities of three
months or less when purchased. The carrying value of these instruments approximates fair value. The
Company generally invests its excess cash in high credit quality debt instruments or
U.S. government securities. These investments are periodically reviewed and modified to take
advantage of trends in yields and interest rates. The related interest income is accrued as earned.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable primarily consists of amounts due from the sale of catheters. As of
December 31, 2007 and 2006, there was no allowance for doubtful accounts and no allowance for
returns.
F-9
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
Inventory
Inventory consists of raw materials and finished product. Finished product consists primarily
of finished catheters. Cost of finished product, consisting of raw materials and contract
manufacturing costs, is determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method for valuing
inventories. Costs of raw materials are determined using the FIFO method. Inventory is stated at
the lower of costs or market (estimated net realizable value).
Inventory consisted of the following at December 31, 2007 and 2006:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
Finished product |
|
$ |
315,300 |
|
|
$ |
163,821 |
|
Raw materials |
|
|
56,754 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total inventory |
|
$ |
372,054 |
|
|
$ |
163,821 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
In accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived
Assets, the Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of these assets may not be fully recoverable. The
assessment of possible impairment is based on the Companys ability to recover the carrying value
of its asset based on estimates of its undiscounted future cash flows. If these estimated future
cash flows are less than the carrying value of the asset, an impairment charge is recognized for
the difference between the assets estimated fair value and its carrying value. As of the date of
these financial statements, the Company is not aware of any items or events that would cause it to
adjust the recorded value of its long-lived assets for impairment.
Deferred Offering Costs
Deferred offering costs consist principally of legal and accounting fees incurred through the
balance sheet dates that are related to the Companys initial public offering. These deferred costs
will be charged to paid-in capital in the first quarter of the Companys fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008 upon the completion of the offering in February 2008.
Deferred Loan Costs
Deferred loan costs consist principally of legal and loan origination fees incurred to obtain
$10 million in loans during 2007 and the fair value of warrants issued in connection with the
loans. These deferred loan costs are being amortized to interest expense over the terms of the
respective loans using the effective interest rate method. At December 31, 2007, the Company had
net deferred loan costs of $1,146,716. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company
recorded $2,894,216 of interest expense related to the amortization of deferred loan costs, which
included $2,407,677 related to the fair value of warrants issued in connection with the loans.
Revenue Recognition
Since inception, the Company has not generated any material revenues from its lead product
candidate. In accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101, Revenue Recognition in Financial
Statements, as amended by SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104, Revenue Recognition, the Companys
revenue policy is to recognize revenues from product sales and service transactions generally when
persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determined, collection is
reasonably assured and delivery of product or service has occurred.
F-10
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
Based on an asset purchase arrangement entered into in June 2003, the Company recognizes
revenue related to a joint licensing transaction and product delivery agreement with a minority
shareholder requiring the delivery of 160 catheters. Payments of $900,000 received pursuant to this
agreement were initially recorded as deferred revenue. The Company is recognizing the $900,000 as
revenue on a pro rata basis as the catheters are delivered.
Pursuant to a clinical registry supply agreement entered into in August 2007 with BHK, Inc.,
the Company received an upfront payment of $103,000. As of December 31, 2007, the Company had not
completed all of the cell culturing services required by the agreement. Based on the amount of cell
culturing services completed as of December 31, 2007, the Company has recognized revenue of $21,000
and the remaining $82,000 of the upfront payment was recorded as deferred revenue, which will be
recognized as revenues upon completion of the remaining cell culturing services. In February 2005,
the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Bioheart Korea, Inc., BHKs predecessor
entity, pursuant to which the Company and BHK agreed to create a joint venture company called
Bioheart Manufacturing, Inc. The Company agreed to contribute approximately $59,000 for an 18%
equity interest in Bioheart Manufacturing, Inc.
Research and Development Expenses
The Company accounts for research and development expenditures, including payments to
collaborative research partners, in accordance with SFAS No. 2, Accounting for Research and
Development Costs. Accordingly, all research and development costs are charged to expense as
incurred. The Company expenses amounts paid to obtain patents or acquire licenses as the ultimate
recoverability of the amounts paid is uncertain.
Marketing Expense
The Company expenses the cost of marketing as incurred. Marketing expense was $314,985,
$3,878,700 and $247,460 for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, and
$5,805,225 for the cumulative period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007.
Marketing expense for 2006 included approximately $3.5 million of stock-based compensation and
related expenses related to equity instruments issued to a related party pursuant to a settlement
agreement.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, as
clarified by FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,
(FIN No. 48). Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based upon differences between
financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax
rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation
allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax
asset will not be realized.
The Company adopted the provisions of FIN No. 48 on January 1, 2007. Previously, the Company
had accounted for tax contingencies in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies. As required by FIN No. 48, the Company recognizes the
financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax
authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions
meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is
the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate
settlement with the relevant tax authority. At the adoption date, the Company applied FIN No. 48 to
all tax positions for which the statute of limitations remained open. As a result of the
implementation of FIN No. 48, the Company did not recognize any change in the liability for
unrecognized tax benefits.
F-11
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
The amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of January 1, 2007, was $0. There have been no
material changes in unrecognized tax benefits since January 1, 2007.
The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and the State of
Florida. Tax regulations within each jurisdiction are subject to the interpretation of the related
tax laws and regulations and require significant judgment to apply. With few exceptions, the
Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local income tax examinations by tax
authorities for the years before 1999.
The Company is not currently under examination by any federal or state jurisdiction.
The Companys policy is to record tax-related interest and penalties as a component of
operating expenses.
Stock Options and Warrants
On January 1, 2006, the Company adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment
(SFAS No. 123R) using the modified prospective transition method. SFAS No. 123R requires the
Company to measure all share-based payment awards granted after January 1, 2006, including those
with employees, at fair value. Under SFAS No. 123R, the fair value of stock options and other
equity-based compensation must be recognized as expense in the statements of operations over the
requisite service period of each award.
Share-based awards granted subsequent to January 1, 2006 are valued using the fair value
method and compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of
the awards. Beginning January 1, 2006, the Company also began recognizing compensation expense
under SFAS No. 123R for the unvested portions of outstanding share-based awards previously granted
under its stock option plans, over the periods these awards continue to vest.
The Company accounts for certain share-based awards, including warrants, with non-employees in
accordance with SFAS No. 123R and related guidance, including EITF Issue No. 96-18, Accounting for
Equity Instruments That Are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with
Selling Goods or Services. The Company estimates the fair value of such awards using the
Black-Scholes valuation model at each reporting period and expenses the fair value over the vesting
period of the share-based award, which is generally the period in which services are provided.
SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, as amended by SFAS No. 148, Accounting
for Stock-Based Compensation Transition and Disclosure (SFAS No. 123), established the use of
the fair value based method of accounting for stock-based compensation arrangements, under which
compensation cost is determined using the fair value of stock-based compensation determined as of
the grant date, and is recognized over the periods in which the related services are rendered.
SFAS No. 123 also permitted companies to elect to continue using the intrinsic value accounting
method specified in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to
Employees (APB No. 25), to account for stock-based compensation related to option grants and
stock awards to employees. The Company had elected to retain the intrinsic value based method for
such grants and awards, and disclosed the pro forma effect of using the fair value based method to
account for its stock-based compensation.
Prior to January 1, 2006, the Company applied the intrinsic value-based method of accounting
for share-based payment awards with its employees, as prescribed by APB No. 25, Accounting for
Stock Issued to Employees, and related interpretations including FASB Interpretation No. 44,
Accounting for Certain Transactions Involving Stock Compensation-An Interpretation of APB Opinion
No. 25.
Under the intrinsic value method, compensation expense was recognized only if the current
market price of the underlying stock exceeded the exercise price of the share-based payment award
as of the measurement date (typically the date of grant). SFAS No. 123 established accounting and
disclosure requirements using a fair value-based method of
F-12
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
accounting for share-based employee
compensation plans. As permitted by SFAS No. 123 and by SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation Transition and Disclosure, the Company disclosed on a pro forma basis the net income
and earnings per share that would have resulted had it adopted SFAS No. 123 for measurement
purposes.
Adjusted pro forma information regarding net loss is required by SFAS No. 123 and has been
determined as if the Company had accounted for its employee stock options under the fair value
method of SFAS No. 123. The fair value of these options was estimated at the date of grant using
the Black-Scholes valuation model with the following assumptions: risk-free interest rate of 6.00%;
estimated volatility of 100.0%; dividend yield of 0%; and a weighted average expected life of the
options of 5.0 years.
For purposes of adjusted pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value of the options is
amortized to expense over the vesting period. The Companys adjusted pro forma information for the
year ended December 31, 2005 is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss as reported |
|
$ |
(7,326,557 |
) |
Deduct: Stock compensation expense determined under fair value method |
|
|
(466,944 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Adjusted pro forma net loss |
|
$ |
(7,793,501 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Loss per share basic and diluted: |
|
|
|
|
Loss per share as reported |
|
$ |
(0.69 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Loss per share pro forma |
|
$ |
(0.73 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Loss Per Share
Loss per share has been computed based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding
during each period, in accordance with SFAS No. 128, Earnings per Share. The effect of outstanding
stock options and warrants, which could result in the issuance of 4,412,035, 3,703,435 and
1,777,779 shares of common stock at December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively, is
antidilutive. As a result, diluted loss per share data does not include the assumed exercise of
outstanding stock options and warrants and has been presented jointly with basic loss per share.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS No. 157).
SFAS No. 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and expands
disclosures about fair value measurements. SFAS No. 157 does not require any new fair value
measurements, but provides guidance on how to measure fair value by providing a fair value
hierarchy used to classify the source of the information. SFAS No. 157 was effective for fiscal
years beginning after November 15, 2007. However, in February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff
Position FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which provides and one year deferral
of the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for all non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities,
except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a
recurring basis (that is, at least annually). FASB Staff Position FAS No. 157-2 defers the
effective date of SFAS No. 157 to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008, and interim
periods within those fiscal years for items within the scope of the FASB Staff Position. The
Company does not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 157 to have a material effect on its consolidated
financial statements.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and
Financial Liabilities (SFAS No. 159). SFAS No. 159 allows an entity the irrevocable option to
elect fair value for the initial and subsequent measurement for certain financial assets and
liabilities on a contract-by-contract basis. Subsequent changes in fair value of these financial
assets and liabilities would be recognized in earnings when they occur. SFAS No. 159 is effective
for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The Company does not expect the adoption of
SFAS No. 159 to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.
In June 2007, the FASB ratified a consensus opinion reached by the Emerging Issues Task Force
(EITF) on
F-13
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
EITF Issue No. 07-3, Accounting for Nonrefundable Advance Payments for Goods or
Services Received for Use in Future Research and Development Activities. The guidance in EITF Issue
No. 07-3 requires the Company to defer and capitalize nonrefundable advance payments made for goods
or services to be used in research and development activities until the goods have been delivered
or the related services have been performed. If the goods are no longer expected to be delivered
nor the services expected to be performed, the Company would be required to expense the related
capitalized advance payments. The consensus in EITF Issue No. 07-3 is effective for fiscal years,
and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2007 and is to be
applied prospectively to new contracts entered into on or after December 15, 2007. The Company
intends to adopt EITF Issue No. 07-3 effective January 1, 2008. The impact of applying this
consensus will depend on the terms of the Companys future research and
development contractual arrangements entered into on or after December 15, 2007.
On December 4, 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141R (revised 2007) Business Combinations, which
will change the accounting for business combinations. Under SFAS No. 141R, an acquiring entity will
be required to recognize all the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a transaction at the
acquisition-date fair value with limited exceptions. SFAS No. 141R retains the purchase method of
accounting for acquisitions, but requires a number of changes, including expensing acquisition
costs as incurred, capitalization of in-process research and development at fair value, recording
noncontrolling interests at fair value and recording acquired contingent liabilities at fair value.
SFAS No. 141R will apply prospectively to business combinations with an acquisition date on or
after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2008. Both
early adoption and retrospective application are prohibited. SFAS No. 141R will have an impact on
the accounting for the Companys business combinations once adopted, but the effect depends on the
terms of the Companys business combinations subsequent to January 1, 2009, if any.
On December 4, 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated
Financial Statements an amendment of ARB No. 51. SFAS No. 160 establishes new accounting and
reporting standards for the noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of
a subsidiary. SFAS No. 160 requires the recognition of a noncontrolling interest (minority
interest) as equity in the consolidated financial statements and separate from the parents equity.
The amount of earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interest will be included in consolidated
net income on the face of the income statement. SFAS No. 160 clarifies that changes in a parents
ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in deconsolidation are equity transactions if
the parent retains its controlling financial interest. In addition, SFAS No. 160 requires that a
parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. Such gain or
loss will be measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment on the
deconsolidation date. SFAS No. 160 also includes expanded disclosure requirements regarding the
interests of the parent and its noncontrolling interests. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal
years, and interim periods in those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2008. Early
adoption is prohibited. The Company does not expect the adoption of SFAS No. 160 to have a material
effect on its consolidated financial statements.
In December 2007, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 110, Share-Based
Payment, which amends SAB 107, Share-Based Payment, to permit public companies, under certain
circumstances, to use the simplified method in SAB 107 for employee option grants after December
31, 2007. Use of the simplified method after December 2007 is permitted only for companies whose
historical data about their employees exercise behavior does not provide a reasonable basis for
estimating the expected term of the options. The Company currently estimates the expected term for
employee option grants by review of similar data from a peer group of companies as adequate
historical experience is not available to provide a reasonable estimate. SAB 110 is effective for
employee options granted after December 31, 2007. The Company intends to adopt SAB 110 effective
January 1, 2008 and apply the simplified method until enough historical experience is readily
available to provide a reasonable estimate of the expected term for employee option grants.
F-14
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
A variety of proposed or otherwise potential accounting standards are currently under study by
standard-setting organizations and various regulatory agencies. Because of the tentative and
preliminary nature of these proposed standards, management has not determined whether
implementation of such proposed standards would be material to the Companys consolidated financial
statements.
F-15
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared and are presented
assuming the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. The Company has incurred significant
operating losses over the past several years and has a deficit accumulated during the development
stage of $82.6 million as of December 31, 2007. In addition, as of December 31, 2007, the Companys
current liabilities exceed current assets by $7.7 million. Current liabilities include notes
payable of $6.7 million. While, subsequent to December 31, 2007, the Company received cash proceeds
of approximately $4.6 million from its initial public offering of common stock, this will not
provide sufficient cash to support the Companys operations through December 2008. The Company will
need to secure additional sources of capital to develop its business and product candidates as
planned. The Company currently has no commitments or arrangements from third parties for any
additional financing to fund research and development and/or other operations. The Company will
need to seek substantial additional financing through public and/or private financing, which may
include equity and/or debt financings, and through other arrangements, including collaborative
arrangements. However, financing may not be available to the Company or on terms acceptable to the
Company. The Companys inability to obtain additional financing would have a material adverse
effect on its financial condition and ability to continue operations. Accordingly, the Company
could be forced to significantly curtail or suspend operations. As such, the Companys continuation
as a going concern is uncertain. The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include
any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset carrying amounts or the
amount and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to
continue as a going concern.
3. Collaborative License and Research/Development Agreements
The Company has entered into a number of contractual relationships for technology licenses and
research and development projects. The following provides a summary of the Companys significant
contractual relationships:
During February 2000, the Company entered into an agreement (the Agreement) with a
collaborative research partner for the full license of all patents, patents pending and future
developments related to heart muscle function improvement and angiogenesis. In July 2000, the
parties executed an addendum to the Agreement (the Addendum), the provisions of which amended a
number of terms of the Agreement.
More specifically, the Addendum provided, among other things:
|
|
|
The parties agreed that the Company would issue, and the Company did issue, to the
collaborative research partner a five-year warrant exercisable for 1.2 million shares of
the Companys common stock at an exercise price of $8.00 per share instead of, as
originally contemplated under the Agreement, issuing 600,000 shares of the Companys common
stock and options to purchase 600,000 shares of the Companys common stock at an exercise
price of $1.80. The share amounts and exercise prices do not take into account any
subsequent recapitalizations or reverse stock splits. |
|
|
|
|
The parties agreed that the Companys obligation to pay a $3 million milestone payment
would be triggered upon the Companys commencement of a bona fide U.S. Phase II human
clinical trial that utilizes technology claimed under the patents instead of, as originally
contemplated under the Agreement, upon initiation of a FDA approved human clinical trial
study of such technology in the United States. This $3 million payment is included in
accrued expenses as of December 31, 2007. |
In addition, if the Company obtains FDA approval of a method of heart muscle regeneration
utilizing the patented technology contemplated under the Agreement, the Company will be required to
pay additional consideration of $5 million. Further, if the Company produces successful commercial
products that result directly from the patents contemplated under the Agreement, the Company will
be required to pay royalties of 5% from specific sales as determined in the Agreement over the
period of the patents useful lives.
F-16
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
In February 2006, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement with The Cleveland
Clinic Foundation for various patents to be used in connection with MyoCell SDF-1 product
candidate. In exchange for the license, the Company 1) paid $250,000 upon the closing of the
agreement; 2) paid $1,250,000 in 2006; 3) will pay a maintenance fee of $150,000 per year for the
duration of the license starting in the second year; 4) will be required to make various
milestone payments ranging from $200,000 upon the approval of an Investigational New Drug
application for a licensed product by the FDA and $1,000,000 upon the first commercial sale of an
FDA approved licensed product, 50% of which may be paid in the form of common stock; and 5) will
pay a 5% royalty on the net sales of products and services that directly rely upon the claims of
the patents for the first $300,000,000 of annual net sales and a 3% royalty for any annual net
sales over $300,000,000. The royalty percentage shall be reduced by 0.5% for each 1.0% of license
fees paid to any other entity. However, the royalty percentage shall not be reduced under 2.5%.
In April 2006, the Company entered into an agreement to license from TriCardia, LLC various
patents to be used in connection with the MyoCath II product candidate. In exchange for the
license, the Company agreed to do the following: 1) pay $100,000 upon the closing of the agreement;
and 2) issue a warrant exercisable for 32,515 shares of the Companys common stock at an exercise
price of $7.69 per share. The warrant vested on a straight line basis over a 12 month period and
expires on February 28, 2016. The fair value of this warrant of approximately $193,000, as
determined using the Black-Scholes pricing model, was amortized to research and development expense
on a straight line basis over the twelve month vesting period. The Company recorded $144,867 of
expense in 2006 and the remaining $48,289 of expense in 2007.
In December 2006, the Company entered into an agreement with Tissue Genesis, Inc. (Tissue
Genesis) for exclusive distribution rights to Tissue Genesis products and a license for various
patents to be used in connection with the Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy and TGI 1200 product
candidates. In exchange for the license, the Company agreed to do the following: 1) issue
13,006 shares of the Companys common stock at a price of $7.69 per share; and 2) issue a warrant
exercisable for 1,544,450 shares of the Companys common stock to Tissue Genesis at an exercise
price of $7.69 per share, which warrant expires on December 31, 2026. This warrant shall vest in
three parts as follows: i) 617,780 shares vesting only upon the Companys successful completion of
human safety testing of the licensed technology, ii) 463,335 shares vesting only upon the Company
exceeding net sales of $10 million or net profit of $2 million from the licensed technology, and
iii) 463,335 shares vesting only upon the Company exceeding net sales of $100 million or net profit
of $20 million from the licensed technology. Since the vesting of this warrant is contingent upon
the achievement of the specific milestones, the fair value of this warrant at the time the
milestones are met will be expensed to research and development.
In the event of an acquisition (or merger) of the Company by a third party, all unvested
shares of common stock subject to the warrant shall immediately vest prior to such event. In
addition, the Company will pay a 2% royalty of net sales of licensed products.
4. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment as of December 31 is summarized as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
Laboratory and medical equipment |
|
$ |
335,428 |
|
|
$ |
267,835 |
|
Furniture, fixtures and equipment |
|
|
130,916 |
|
|
|
124,689 |
|
Computer equipment |
|
|
50,793 |
|
|
|
27,657 |
|
Leasehold improvements |
|
|
362,046 |
|
|
|
357,006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
879,183 |
|
|
|
777,187 |
|
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization |
|
|
(434,677 |
) |
|
|
(250,286 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
444,506 |
|
|
$ |
526,901 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-17
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
Property and equipment is stated at cost and depreciated over the estimated useful lives of
the assets, ranging from three to seven years, using the straight-line method. Leasehold
improvements are amortized over the shorter of 15 years or the remaining life of the lease.
Improvements that extend the life of an asset are capitalized. Repairs and maintenance are charged
to expense as incurred.
5. Accrued Expenses
Accrued expenses consisted of the following as of December 31:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
License and royalty fees |
|
$ |
3,460,000 |
|
|
$ |
250,000 |
|
Expenses incurred in connection with the initial public offering |
|
|
482,000 |
|
|
|
101,434 |
|
Interest on notes payable, including debt guarantor fees |
|
|
496,194 |
|
|
|
|
|
Payroll, employee benefits and payroll taxes |
|
|
50,303 |
|
|
|
193,036 |
|
Contract research and development |
|
|
16,306 |
|
|
|
140,457 |
|
Other |
|
|
6,972 |
|
|
|
15,760 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
4,511,775 |
|
|
$ |
700,687 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6. Notes Payable
The Companys notes payable are comprised of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
Eight-month note payable. Monthly
payments of principal and interest as
described below |
|
$ |
5,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Three-year note payable. Monthly
payments of principal and interest as
described below |
|
|
4,614,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,614,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
Less current portion |
|
|
(6,671,112 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes payable long term |
|
$ |
2,943,432 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes payable at December 31, 2007 mature as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
2008 |
|
$ |
6,671,112 |
|
2009 |
|
|
1,898,960 |
|
2010 |
|
|
1,044,472 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9,614,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
Eight-month Note Payable
On June 1, 2007, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Bank of America, N.A. for an
eight month, $5.0 million term loan, to be used for working capital purposes. The loan bears
interest at the prime rate plus 1.5%. The prime rate was 7.25% at December 31, 2007. As
consideration for the loan, the Company paid the lender a fee of $100,000. Effective as of January
31, 2008, the maturity date of the Bank of America Loan has been extended until June 1, 2008. As
consideration for the extension of the Bank of America Loan, the Company paid Bank of America a fee
of $50,000.
F-18
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
Under the terms of the loan, Bank of America is entitled to receive a semi-annual payment of
interest and all outstanding principal and accrued interest by the maturity date. The Company has
provided no collateral for this loan.
On June 1, 2007, for the Companys benefit, the Companys Chairman of the Board and his
spouse, certain other members of the Companys Board of Directors and one of the Companys
shareholders (the Guarantors) provided collateral to guarantee the loan. Except for a
$1.1 million personal guaranty (backed by collateral) provided by the Companys Chairman of the
Board and his spouse, these guarantees are limited to the collateral each provided to the lender.
The Company and Bank of America have agreed with BlueCrest Capital Finance, L.P., the lender
of the BlueCrest Loan, that the Company will not individually make any payments due under the Bank
of America loan while the BlueCrest Loan is outstanding. For the Companys benefit, the Guarantors
agreed to provide Bank of America in the aggregate up to $5.5 million of funds and/or securities to
make these payments.
The Company has agreed to reimburse the Guarantors with interest at an annual rate of the
prime rate plus 5.0% for any and all payments made by them under the Bank of America Loan as well
as to pay them certain cash fees in
connection with their provision of security for the loan. Upon entering into the loan
agreement, the Company issued to each Guarantor warrants to purchase 3,250 shares of common stock
at an exercise price of $7.69 per share for each $100,000 of principal amount of the loan
guaranteed by such guarantor. The warrants have a ten-year term and are not exercisable until the
date that is one year following the date the warrants were issued. Warrants to purchase an
aggregate of 216,095 shares of common stock were issued to the Guarantors. These warrants had an
aggregate fair value of $1,437,637, which amount was accounted for as additional paid in capital
and reflected as a component of deferred loan costs and is being amortized as interest expense over
the term of the loan using the effective interest method. As discussed below, certain of these
Guarantors were replaced in September 2007. The unamortized fair value of the warrants issued to
the guarantors that were replaced, which was previously reflected as a component of deferred loan
costs, was expensed to interest expense in September 2007.
In accordance with the provisions of the warrants issued to the Guarantors, the aggregate
number of shares of common stock underlying such warrants increased to 246,498 on September 30,
2007 as the Bank of America loan remained outstanding at that date. The additional 30,403 warrant
shares had an aggregate fair value of $190,935. The portion of this amount attributed to the
Guarantors that were replaced in September 2007 was accounted for as additional paid in capital and
immediately recorded to interest expense with the remainder accounted for as additional paid in
capital and reflected as a component of deferred loan costs to be amortized as interest expense
over the term of this loan using the effective interest method. In the event that as of the first
anniversary, second anniversary and third anniversary of the closing date of this loan, the Company
has not reimbursed the Guarantors in full for payments made by them in connection with the loan,
the number of shares subject to the warrants will further increase.
In September 2007, a member of the Companys Board of Directors and two of the Companys
shareholders agreed to provide collateral valued at $750,000, $600,000 and $500,000, respectively,
to secure this loan. The collateral provided by these new Guarantors fully replaced the collateral
originally provided by one of the members of the Companys Board of Directors and partially
replaced the collateral originally provided by another member of the Companys Board of Directors
whose collateral now secures $400,000 of this loan. In consideration for providing the collateral,
the Company issued to the new Guarantors warrants to purchase 3,250 shares of common stock at an
exercise price of $7.69 per share for each $100,000 of principal amount of the loan guaranteed by
such new Guarantor. The warrants have a ten-year term and are not exercisable until the date that
is one year following the date the warrants were issued. Warrants to purchase an aggregate of
60,118 shares of the Companys common stock were issued to the new Guarantors. These warrants had
an aggregate fair value of $380,482, which was accounted for as additional paid in capital and
reflected as a component of deferred loan costs to be amortized as interest expense over the term
of this loan using the effective interest method. In accordance with the provisions of the warrants
issued to the new Guarantors, the aggregate number of shares of common stock underlying the
warrants increased to 68,576 on September 30, 2007 as
F-19
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
the Bank of America loan remained outstanding
at that date. The additional 8,458 warrant shares had an aggregate fair value of $53,528, which
amount was accounted for as additional paid in capital and reflected as a component of deferred
loan costs to be amortized as interest expense over the term of this loan using the effective
interest method. In the event that as of the first anniversary, second anniversary and third
anniversary of the closing date of this loan, the Company has not reimbursed the Guarantors in full
for payments made by them in connection with the loan, the number of shares subject to the warrants
will further increase.
In October 2007, the Companys Chairman of the Board and his spouse agreed to provide an
additional $2.2 million limited personal guarantee of this loan and have pledged securities
accounts to backup this limited personal guarantee. The additional collateral provided by the
Companys Chairman of the Board and his spouse fully replaced the collateral originally provided by
one of the original Guarantors. The Companys Chairman of the Board and his spouse have now
personally guaranteed an aggregate of $3.3 million of this loan. The Companys agreement with the
Companys Chairman of the Board and his spouse with respect to the additional collateral is
substantially similar to the Companys agreement with them in connection with the $1.1 million
personal guarantee they originally provided in June 2007. In consideration for providing the
collateral, the Company issued to the Companys Chairman of the Board and his spouse, warrants to
purchase 81,547 shares of the Companys common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share. In
the event that as of the first anniversary, second anniversary and third anniversary of the closing
date of this loan, respectively, the Company has not reimbursed the Companys Chairman of the Board
and his spouse in full for payments made by them in connection with this loan, the number of shares
subject to the warrant will increase to 101,934, 135,912 and 203,868, respectively. The warrant has
a ten-year term and is not exercisable until the date that is one year following the date the
warrant was issued. The fair value of the warrant was determined to be $516,193, which
was accounted for as additional paid in capital and reflected as a component of deferred loan
costs to be amortized as interest expense over the term of this loan using the effective interest
method.
As a result of this replacement of the collateral originally provided by one of the original
Guarantors in October 2007, the unamortized fair value of the warrant to purchase 81,548 shares of
the Companys common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share issued to that Guarantor was
expensed to interest expense in October 2007. In October 2007, the Company cancelled the warrant
previously issued to such original Guarantor, which warrant included the adjustment provisions
discussed above, and, in exchange, issued to them a warrant to purchase 101,934 shares of the
Companys common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per share, which new warrant does not contain
the adjustment provisions discussed above. The additional 20,386 warrant shares had an aggregate
fair value of $128,228, which was accounted for as additional paid in capital and immediately
recorded to interest expense.
Three-year Note Payable
On June 1, 2007, the Company closed on a $5.0 million senior loan from BlueCrest Capital with
a term of 36 months which bears interest at an annual rate of 12.85% (the BlueCrest Loan). The
first three months required payment of interest only with equal principal and interest payments
over the remaining 33 months. As consideration for the loan, the Company issued to BlueCrest
Capital a warrant to purchase 65,030 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $7.69 per
share. The warrant, which is not exercisable until one year following the date the warrant was
issued, has a ten year term. This warrant had a fair value of $432,635, which was accounted for as
additional paid in capital and reflected as a component of deferred loan costs and is being
amortized as interest expense over the term of the loan using the effective interest method. The
Company also paid the lender a fee of $100,000 to cover diligence and other costs and expenses
incurred in connection with the loan.
The loan may be prepaid in whole but not in part. However, the Company is subject to a
prepayment penalty equal to 3% of the outstanding principal if the BlueCrest Loan is prepaid during
the first year of the loan, 2% of the outstanding principal if prepaid during the second year of
the loan and 1% of the outstanding principal if prepaid during the third year of the loan. As
collateral to secure its repayment obligations under the loan, the Company granted BlueCrest
Capital a first priority security interest in all of the Companys assets, excluding intellectual
property but
F-20
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
including the proceeds from any sale of any of the Companys intellectual property.
The loan has certain restrictive terms and covenants including among others, restrictions on the
Companys ability to incur additional senior or pari-passu indebtedness or make interest or
principal payments on other subordinate loans.
In the event of an uncured event of default under the loan, all amounts owed to BlueCrest
Capital are immediately due and payable and BlueCrest Capital has the right to enforce its security
interest in the assets securing the loan. Events of default include, among others, the Companys
failure to timely make payments of principal when due, the Companys uncured failure to timely pay
any other amounts owing to the lender under the loan, the Companys material breach of the
representations and warranties contained in the loan agreement and the Companys default in the
payment of any debt to any of its other lenders in excess of $100,000 or any other default or
breach under any agreement relating to such debt, which gives the holders of such debt the right to
accelerate the debt.
Note Payable
The Company had a $200,000 note payable to a bank that was paid in full along with accrued
interest during September 2005. Interest was charged at a rate of 5.25% per annum. The note payable
was personally guaranteed by the Companys Chairman of the Board.
Line of Credit
In May 2005, the Company entered into a line of credit agreement with a bank with all
principal and all accrued interest to be paid on or before May 27, 2006. The promissory note was
for $1,200,000 at a variable interest rate of LIBOR plus 2.00% due each month starting in June
2005. The Company did not borrow against the line of credit and did not renew the line of credit
upon expiration. The line of credit was personally guaranteed by the Companys Chairman of the
Board.
7. Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
The Company entered into several operating lease agreements for facilities and equipment.
Terms of certain lease arrangements include renewal options, escalation clauses, payment of
executory costs such as real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance.
In November 2006, the Company amended its facility lease to include additional space through
2010. The amendment for the additional space contains terms similar to the terms of the existing
facility lease, including escalation clauses.
Approximate annual future minimum lease obligations under noncancelable operating lease
agreements as of December 31, 2007 are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Year ending December 31, |
|
|
|
|
2008 |
|
$ |
126,000 |
|
2009 |
|
|
133,000 |
|
2010 |
|
|
11,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
270,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Rent expense was $192,132, $113,631 and $110,093 for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006
and 2005, respectively and $1,225,514 for the cumulative period from August 12, 1999 (date of
inception) to December 31, 2007.
F-21
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
During 2005, the Company was provided with a tenant improvement allowance of $60,150 towards
its improvements. Pursuant to SFAS No. 13, Accounting for Leases, and FASB Technical Bulletin 88-1,
Issues Related to Accounting for Leases, the Company has recorded the tenant-funded improvements
and the related deferred rent in its consolidated balance sheets. The deferred rent is being
amortized as a reduction to rent expense over the remaining life of the original lease.
Royalty Payments
The Company is obligated to pay royalties on commercial sales of certain products that may be
developed and sold under various licenses and agreements that have been obtained by the Company.
The Company has entered into various licensing agreements, which include the potential for
royalty payments, as follows:
William Beaumont Hospital
In June 2000, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement to use certain patents
for the life of the patents in future projects. The patents expire in 2015. In addition to a
payment of $55,000 the Company made to acquire the license, the Company is required to pay an
annual license fee of $10,000 and royalties ranging from 2% to 4% of net sales of products that are
covered by the patents. In order to maintain the exclusive license rights, the agreement also calls
for a minimum annual royalty threshold. The minimum royalty threshold was $50,000 for 2005,
$100,000 for 2006 and $200,000 for 2007. This minimum royalty threshold will remain $200,000 for
2008 and thereafter. As of December 31, 2007, the Company has not made any payments other than the
initial payment to acquire the license. At December 31, 2007 and 2006, the Companys liability
under this agreement was $460,000 and $250,000, respectively, which is reflected as a component of
accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheets. During 2007, 2006 and 2005 and for the
cumulative period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007, the Company
incurred expenses of $210,000, $110,000 and $60,000 and $460,000, respectively.
Approximate annual future minimum obligations under this agreement as of December 31, 2007 are
as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ending December 31, |
|
|
|
|
2008 |
|
$ |
210,000 |
|
2009 |
|
|
210,000 |
|
2010 |
|
|
210,000 |
|
2011 |
|
|
210,000 |
|
2012 |
|
|
210,000 |
|
2013 2015 |
|
|
630,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
1,680,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Contingency
The Company believes that it may have issued options to purchase common stock to certain of
its employees, directors and consultants in California in violation of the registration or
qualification provisions of applicable California securities laws. As a result, the Company intends
to make a rescission offer to these persons pursuant to a registration statement it expects to file
during the second quarter of 2008 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pursuant to
California securities laws. The Company will make this offer to all persons who have a continuing
right to rescission, which it believes to include two persons. In the rescission offer, in
accordance with California law, the Company will offer to repurchase all unexercised options issued
to these persons at 77% of the option exercise price multiplied by the number of option shares,
plus interest at the rate of 7% from the date the options were granted. Based upon the number of
options that were subject to rescission as of December 31, 2007, assuming that all such options are
F-22
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
tendered in the rescission offer, the Company estimated that its total rescission liability would
be up to approximately $350,000. However, as the Company believes there is only a remote likelihood
the rescission offer will be accepted by any of these persons in an amount that would result in a
material expenditure by the Company, no liability was recorded as of December 31, 2007 or 2006.
8. Legal Proceedings
On March 9, 2007, Peter K. Law, Ph.D. and Cell Transplants Asia, Limited (the Plaintiffs)
filed a complaint against the Company and Mr. Leonhardt, the Companys Chairman of the Board and
Chief Technology Officer, individually, in the United States District Court, Western District of
Tennessee. On February 7, 2000, the Company entered a license agreement (the Original Law License
Agreement) with Dr. Law and Cell Transplants International, LLC, pursuant to which Dr. Law and
Cell Transplants International granted the Company a license to certain patents, including the
Primary MyoCell Patent (the Law IP). The parties executed an addendum to the Original Law License
Agreement (the License Addendum) in July 2000, the provisions of which amended a number of terms
of the Original License Agreement.
The Plaintiffs are alleging and seeking, among other things, a declaratory judgment that the
License Addendum fails for lack of consideration. Based upon this argument, the Plaintiffs allege
that the Company is in breach of the terms of the Original Law License Agreement.
In addition to seeking a declaratory judgment that the License Addendum is not enforceable,
the Plaintiffs are also seeking an accounting of all revenues, remunerations or benefits derived by
the Company or Mr. Leonhardt from sales, provision and/or distribution of products and services
that read directly on the Law IP, compensatory and punitive monetary damages and preliminary and
permanent injunctive relief to prohibit the Company from sublicensing its license rights to third
parties.
The Company believes this lawsuit is without merit and intends to defend the action
vigorously. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the proceeding against both the Company and
Mr. Leonhardt. On July 26, 2007, the court granted the Companys motion to dismiss Mr. Leonhardt in
his individual capacity and one count of the complaint alleging a civil conspiracy. The court
denied the Companys motion to dismiss all other claims. The Company has filed and served its
answer to the Plaintiffs complaint. The Company has also asserted counterclaims against the
Plaintiffs for declaratory judgment that the License Addendum is a valid and subsisting agreement,
and for breach of contract with respect to various obligations undertaken by the Plaintiffs in the
Original License Agreement, as amended by the License Addendum. Trial of the action is currently
scheduled for September 2008 and the parties recently commenced discovery.
While the complaint does not appear to challenge the Companys rights to license the Law IP,
this litigation, if not resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, may adversely impact the
Companys relationship with Dr. Law and could, if resolved unfavorably to the Company, adversely
affect the Companys MyoCell commercialization efforts. The action is in its early stages. Due to
the early stages of these proceedings, any potential loss cannot presently be determined.
On October 24, 2007, the Company completed the MyoCell implantation procedure on the first
patient in its MARVEL Trial. Pursuant to the Companys license agreement with Dr. Law and Cell
Transplants International, the Company is required to pay to Cell Transplants International a $3
million payment upon commencement of a bona fide U.S. Phase II human clinical trial that utilizes
technology claimed under the patent the Company relies upon to protect its MyoCell product
candidate. The Company has not yet made the $3 million payment that is now due, however the amount
is included in accrued expenses as of December 31, 2007.
Other
F-23
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
The Company is subject to other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of
business. In the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2007, the amount of ultimate liability
with respect to such matters, if any, in excess of applicable insurance coverage, is not likely to
have a material impact on the Companys business, financial position, consolidated results of
operations or liquidity. However, as the outcome of litigation and other claims is difficult to
predict significant changes in the estimated exposures could exist.
9. Related Party Transactions
As of December 31, 2004, accrued expenses included $600,000 of estimated travel and other
related expenses advanced to the Company by the Companys Chairman of the Board and Chief
Technology Officer (who served as the Companys CEO from inception until March 2007). During 2005,
this debt to the Companys Chairman of the Board was converted to shares of the Companys common
stock valued at $542,787, as it was determined that the actual advances were only $542,787.
The Companys Chairman of the Board has personally guaranteed the Companys obligations under
its lease for its facilities in Sunrise, Florida and has provided a personal guarantee for the
Companys corporate credit cards.
The son of one of the Companys directors is an officer of the Company. The amount paid to
this individual as salary and bonus for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 and for
the period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007 was $129,615, $126,000 and
$119,839 and $405,262, respectively.
A cousin of the Companys Chairman of the Board is an officer of the Company. During 2007,
2006 and 2005 and for the period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007, the
Company paid this individual salary and bonus of $130,000, $131,000 and $130,500 and $766,752,
respectively. In addition, the Company utilized a printing entity controlled by this individual and
paid this entity $10,769, $14,289 and $9,511 and $415,757, respectively, for the years ended
December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 and for the period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to
December 31, 2007.
The sister-in-law of the Companys Chairman of the Board is an officer of the Company. The
amount paid to this individual as salary for the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 and
for the period from August 12, 1999 (date of inception) to December 31, 2007 was $87,664, $61,566
and $60,523 and $268,006, respectively.
On August 24, 2006, the Company entered into an agreement, or the Settlement Agreement, with
an officer of the Company that is the cousin of the Companys Chairman of the Board. Prior to
entering into the Settlement Agreement, certain disputes had arisen between the officer and the
Company as to the number of stock options awarded to the officer and the amount of unpaid salary
and other compensation owed to the officer since he commenced his employment with the Company in
December 1999. The shares, options and warrants granted to the officer pursuant to the Settlement
Agreement were issued to settle the disputed items and in consideration for the officers release
of any claims he may have against the Company related to or arising from his employment or any
compensation owed to him.
Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement:
|
|
|
The Company issued to the officer 47,658 shares of its common stock and agreed to pay
the officers income taxes related to the receipt of the shares of common stock, estimated
to be approximately $153,000. The fair value of the shares of common stock was determined
to be $7.69 per share, which was based on a current valuation of the Company. The aggregate
fair value of the shares of common stock issued and the $153,000 in cash was approximately
$500,000, which was recorded as compensation expense in August 2006. |
F-24
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
|
|
|
The Company issued to the officer a warrant to purchase 188,423 shares of the Companys
common stock at an exercise price of $5.67 per share. This warrant is exercisable
immediately and expires 10 years from the date of grant. The approximate fair value of this
warrant of $1,200,000 was recorded as compensation expense in August 2006. |
|
|
|
|
The Company issued to the officer stock options to purchase up to 282,635 shares of the
Companys common stock at an exercise price of $5.67 per share. These stock options are
exercisable immediately and expire 10 years from the date of grant. The fair value of these
stock options of approximately $1,800,000 was recorded as compensation expense in August
2006. |
|
|
|
|
As consideration for continued employment as an officer of the Company, the officer will
receive an annual salary of $130,000 per year. |
As indicated above, the Company recognized various expenses upon the execution of the
Settlement Agreement when the expense amounts were first known and quantifiable.
The fair value of the warrant and the stock options was estimated at the date of grant by
using the Black-Scholes pricing model with the following assumptions: risk-free rate of 6%;
volatility of 100%; and an expected holding period of 5 years.
In connection with the Companys private placement of 390,177 shares of its common stock in
May 2007, the Company paid a fee of $150,000 to an entity
affiliated with a member of the
Companys Board of Directors. In 2007, the Company also entered into a research
agreement with another affiliate of the same director,
pursuant to which we agreed to pay an aggregate fee of $150,000 for the research
services contracted for. The Company paid $75,000 of this fee in 2007 and the balance is expected
to be paid in 2008.
10. Shareholders Equity
By way of a written consent of the Companys shareholders holding a majority of its
outstanding shares of common stock, the Companys shareholders approved an amendment to Biohearts
Articles of Incorporation, increasing the number of authorized shares of capital stock so that,
following the reverse stock split that was effectuated on September 27, 2007, the Company has 50
million shares of common stock authorized with a par value of $0.001 per share and five million
shares of preferred stock authorized with a par value of $0.001 per share.
In 2007, the Company sold 529,432 shares of common stock at a price of $7.69 per share to
various investors for net proceeds of approximately $3.9 million.
In 2006, the Company sold 1,069,699 shares of common stock at a price of $7.69 per share to
various investors. The Company also issued 63,566 shares in exchange for services at a price
ranging from $5.67 to $7.69 per share.
In 2005, the Company sold 1,994,556 shares of common stock at a price of $5.67 per share to
various investors. The Company also issued 1,210 shares in exchange for services and issued 95,807
shares in exchange for debt at a price of $5.67 per share.
In 2004, the Company sold 808,570 shares of common stock at a price of $5.67 per share to
various investors. The Company also issued 1,854 shares to various vendors in exchange for services
valued at $10,500. The Company also issued 15,150 shares to the Companys Chairman of the Board as
compensation for services valued at $85,830.
F-25
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
In March 2003, the Company effected a recapitalization. The recapitalization provided two
shares of common stock for every one share issued as of that date. The Companys Chairman of the
Board and founding shareholder, who owned 4,405,541 shares of common stock, did not participate in
the recapitalization. The number of shares and prices per share in the accompanying financial
statements has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the effect of the recapitalization.
After the 2003 recapitalization, the Company sold 561,701 shares of common stock at a price of
$5.67 per share to various investors. The Company issued 72,980 shares valued at $416,383 to
employees as compensation for services related to the closing of various locations. The Company
also issued 4,248 shares to various vendors in exchange for services valued at $24,066 and issued
67,073 shares to the Companys Chairman of the Board as compensation for services provided to the
Company during 2003 and 2002.
In 2002, the Company sold 1,092,883 shares of common stock at a price of $6.47 per share to
various investors. The Company also issued 35,137 shares to various vendors in exchange for
services valued at $227,503.
In 2001, the Company sold 985,668 shares of common stock at a price of $6.47 per share to
various investors. The Company also issued 8,291 shares to various vendors in exchange for services
valued at $54,001 and issued 81,084 shares to the Companys Chairman of the Board as compensation
for services provided to the Company during 2001.
In 2000, the Company sold 1,493,575 shares of common stock at a price of $6.47 per share to
various investors. Of the 1,493,575 shares sold in 2000, payment on 77,222 of these shares was not
received until January 2001. The Company also issued 7,964 shares to various vendors in exchange
for services valued at $52,001.
In 1999, the Companys Chairman of the Board and founding shareholder contributed $400,000 to
the Company in exchange for 4,324,458 shares of common stock.
Chairman of the Board Paid in and Contributed Capital
In 2006, the Companys Chairman of the Board was issued 2,903 shares of the Companys common
stock at a price of $5.67 per share in exchange for $16,443 of services provided during the year.
During 2005, the Companys Chairman of the Board was issued 95,807 shares of the Companys
common stock at a price of $5.67 per share in exchange for $542,787 of debt due to travel and other
related expenses advanced by the Companys Chairman of the Board during the previous three years.
The Companys Chairman of the Board elected not to receive salary payments of $85,830,
$130,000 and $250,000 for services provided to the Company during 2004, 2003 and 2002,
respectively. Such amounts were converted into
15,150, 22,946 and 44,127 shares of the Companys common stock at a price of $5.67 per share
on December 31, 2004 and 2003, respectively, where the 2003 and 2002 shares were both issued in
2003.
In 2001, the Companys Chairman of the Board also elected not to receive a salary payment or a
stock conversion of $250,000 for services provided during 2001.
In 2000, the Companys Chairman of the Board contributed $800,000 to the Company and elected
not to receive payment for $250,000 of salary related to services provided to the Company during
2000. Such amounts were recorded as contributed capital during 2000. On June 28, 2001, the
Companys Board of Directors approved the conversion of this contributed capital and salary
deferral into 81,084 shares of the Companys common stock at a price of $12.94 per share.
11. Stock Options and Warrants
F-26
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
In December 1999, the Company adopted two stock option plans; an employee stock option plan
and a directors and consultants stock option plan (collectively referred to as the Stock Option
Plans), under which a total of 1,235,559 shares of common stock were reserved for issuance upon
exercise of options granted by the Company. In 2001, the Company amended the Stock Option Plans to
increase the total shares of common stock reserved for issuance to 1,698,894. In 2003, the Company
approved an increase of 308,890 shares, making the total 2,007,784 shares available for issuance
under the Stock Option Plans. In 2006, the Company approved an increase of 1,081,114 shares, making
the total 3,088,898 shares available for issuance under the Stock Option Plans. The Stock Option
Plans provide for the granting of incentive and non-qualified options. The terms of stock options
granted under the plans are determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors at
the time of grant, including the exercise price, term and any restrictions on the exercisability of
such options. The exercise price of incentive stock options must equal at least the fair value of
the common stock on the date of grant, and the exercise price of non-qualified stock options may be
no less than the per share par value. The options have terms of up to ten years after the date of
grant and become exercisable as determined upon grant, typically over either three or four year
periods from the date of grant. Certain outstanding options vested over a one-year period and some
vested immediately.
The following information applies to options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2007:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
Remaining |
|
Aggregate |
|
|
Shares Under |
|
Exercise |
|
Contractual |
|
Intrinsic |
|
|
Option |
|
Price |
|
Term (in years) |
|
Value (1) |
Options outstanding at January 1, 2007 |
|
|
1,938,047 |
|
|
|
$ 4.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Granted |
|
|
301,888 |
|
|
|
$ 8.47 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exercised |
|
|
(31,955 |
) |
|
|
$ 5.67 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forfeited |
|
|
(47,781 |
) |
|
|
$ 7.21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options outstanding at December 31, 2007 |
|
|
2,160,199 |
|
|
|
$ 5.34 |
|
|
|
6.3 |
|
|
|
$ 1,479,597 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercisable at December 31, 2007 |
|
|
1,639,288 |
|
|
|
$ 4.73 |
|
|
|
5.6 |
|
|
|
$ 1,479,597 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available for grant at December 31, 2007 |
|
|
895,532 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The aggregate intrinsic value computation was based on an estimated fair market value
of the Companys common stock at December 31, 2007 of $5.25 per share and includes only
those options whose exercise price was less than $5.25. |
The weighted average fair value of options granted during 2007, 2006 and 2005 was $6.58, $6.18
and $2.98 per share, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company recognized $931,233 in stock-based
compensation costs of which approximately $300,000 represented research and development expense and
the remaining amount was marketing, general and administrative expense. For the year ended December
31, 2006, the Company recognized $1,224,430 in stock-based compensation costs of which
approximately $300,000 represented research and development expense and the remaining amount was
marketing, general and administrative expense. For the year ended December 31, 2005, the Company
recognized $1,952,350 in stock-based compensation costs of which approximately $800,000 represented
research and development expense and the remaining amount was marketing, general and administrative
expense. No tax benefits were attributed to the stock-based compensation expense because a
valuation allowance was maintained for all net deferred tax assets. The Company elected to adopt
the alternative method of calculating the historical pool of windfall tax benefits as permitted by
FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. SFAS 123R-c, Transition Election Related to Accounting for the Tax
Effects of Share-Based Payment Awards. This is a simplified method to
F-27
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
determine the pool of
windfall tax benefits that is used in determining the tax effects of stock compensation in the
results of operations and cash flow reporting for awards that were outstanding as of the adoption
of SFAS No. 123R. At December 31, 2007, the Company had approximately $2.4 million of unrecognized
compensation costs related to non-vested stock option awards that is expected to be recognized over
the next four years.
The following information applies to options outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2007:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options Outstanding |
|
Options Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining |
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual |
|
Exercise |
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise |
|
|
Shares |
|
Life |
|
Price |
|
Shares |
|
Price |
$1.28
|
|
|
347,196 |
|
|
|
2.0 |
|
|
$ |
1.28 |
|
|
|
347,196 |
|
|
$ |
1.28 |
|
$2.83
|
|
|
41,701 |
|
|
|
2.1 |
|
|
$ |
2.83 |
|
|
|
41,701 |
|
|
$ |
2.83 |
|
$5.67
|
|
|
1,416,063 |
|
|
|
6.8 |
|
|
$ |
5.67 |
|
|
|
1,198,049 |
|
|
$ |
5.67 |
|
$7.69
|
|
|
74,665 |
|
|
|
8.7 |
|
|
$ |
7.69 |
|
|
|
52,342 |
|
|
$ |
7.69 |
|
$8.47
|
|
|
280,574 |
|
|
|
9.3 |
|
|
$ |
8.47 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,160,199 |
|
|
|
6.3 |
|
|
$ |
5.34 |
|
|
|
1,639,288 |
|
|
$ |
4.73 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the fair value of stock
options on the date of grant. This model derives the fair value of stock options based on certain
assumptions related to expected stock price volatility, expected option life, risk-free interest
rate and dividend yield. The Companys expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of
other publicly traded development stage companies in the same industry. The estimated expected
option life is based primarily on similar data from a peer group of companies. The risk-free
interest rate assumption is based upon the U.S. Treasury yield curve appropriate for the term of
the expected life of the options.
For the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, the fair value of each stock option grant was
estimated on the date of grant using the following weighted-average assumptions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the year ended December 31, |
|
|
2007 |
|
2006 |
Expected dividend yield |
|
|
00.0 |
% |
|
|
00.0 |
% |
Expected price volatility |
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
|
100.0 |
% |
Risk free interest rate |
|
|
5.9 |
% |
|
|
6.0 |
% |
Expected life of options in years |
|
|
5.0 |
|
|
|
5.0 |
|
The Company does not have a formal plan in place for the issuance of stock warrants. However,
at times, the Company will issue warrants to both employees and non-employees. The exercise price,
vesting period, and term of these warrants is determined by the Companys Board of Directors at the
time of issuance. At December 31, 2007 and 2006, the Company had warrants outstanding for the
purchase of shares of the Companys common stock of 2,251,836 and 1,765,388, respectively. The
following information applies to warrants outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2007:
F-28
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants Outstanding |
|
Warrants Exercisable |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remaining |
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
Average |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual |
|
Exercise |
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise |
|
|
Shares |
|
Life |
|
Price |
|
Shares |
|
Price |
$5.67
|
|
|
192,834 |
|
|
|
8.6 |
|
|
$ |
5.67 |
|
|
|
192,834 |
|
|
$ |
5.67 |
|
$7.69
|
|
|
2,059,002 |
|
|
|
16.6 |
|
|
$ |
7.69 |
|
|
|
134,448 |
|
|
$ |
7.69 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,251,836 |
|
|
|
15.9 |
|
|
$ |
7.52 |
|
|
|
327,282 |
|
|
$ |
6.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On February 19, 2008, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 77,000 shares of its common
stock with an exercise price of $6.5625 per share to Dawson James Securities, Inc., who acted as
the representative of the several underwriters of the Companys initial public offering. The
warrant, which is not exercisable until the first anniversary of the date of issuance, expires on
October 2, 2012.
12. Deferred Compensation
Through December 31, 2005, the Company granted stock options to various consultants and
advisory board members. For accounting purposes, the measurement date for these options is when the
counterpartys performance is complete and, therefore, these options are required to be remeasured
as of each balance sheet date. The Company determined the fair value of the options using the
Black-Scholes option valuation model in accordance with SFAS No. 123. Through December 31, 2005,
such amount was recorded as deferred compensation and was being amortized over the vesting period
of the related options, which is generally three years. Effective January 1, 2006, upon the
adoption of SFAS No. 123R, the amount of deferred compensation was reclassified to additional
paid-in capital.
13. Income Taxes
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the
carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for
income tax purposes. Significant components of the Companys net deferred income taxes are as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December 31, |
|
|
|
2007 |
|
|
2006 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Deferred tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock-based compensation and others |
|
$ |
4,557,000 |
|
|
$ |
3,298,000 |
|
|
$ |
2,165,000 |
|
Net operating loss carryforward |
|
|
26,475,000 |
|
|
|
20,928,000 |
|
|
|
17,102,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total deferred tax assets |
|
|
31,032,000 |
|
|
|
24,226,000 |
|
|
|
19,267,000 |
|
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets |
|
|
(31,032,000 |
) |
|
|
(24,226,000 |
) |
|
|
(19,267,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net deferred tax assets |
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SFAS No. 109 requires a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if,
based on the weight of the evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the
deferred tax assets will not be realized.
After consideration of all the evidence, both positive and negative, management has determined
that a valuation allowance of approximately $31,032,000 as of December 31, 2007 is necessary to
reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that will more likely than not be realized. The change
in the valuation allowance for the current year is approximately $6,807,000. The effective tax rate
of 0% differs from the statutory rate of 35% for all periods presented due primarily to the
valuation allowance.
F-29
Bioheart, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(A development stage enterprise)
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)
As of December 31, 2007 and 2006, the Company had federal income tax net operating loss
carryforwards of approximately $70,356,000 and $55,614,000, respectively. The operating loss
carryforwards will expire beginning in 2019.
14. Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information
During the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company issued warrants in connection with notes
payable with an aggregate fair value of $3,139,639.
At December 31, 2007, the Company had included in accounts payable and accrued expenses, an
aggregate of $695,247 of costs incurred in connection with its initial public offering of shares of
its common stock.
15. Unaudited Quarterly Financial Information
The following table presents selected quarterly financial information for the periods
indicated. This information has been derived from the Companys unaudited quarterly consolidated
financial statements, which in the opinion of management includes all adjustments (consisting only
of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of such information. The
quarterly per share data presented below was calculated separately and may not sum to the annual
figures presented in the consolidated financial statements. These operating results are also not
necessarily indicative of results for any future period.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
March 31 |
|
June 30 |
|
September 30 |
|
December 31 |
2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
$ |
13,805 |
|
|
$ |
194,609 |
|
|
$ |
67,050 |
|
|
$ |
37,345 |
|
Gross profit |
|
|
6,446 |
|
|
|
167,947 |
|
|
|
49,253 |
|
|
|
23,333 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
(2,277,904 |
) |
|
|
(2,762,437 |
) |
|
|
(4,164,660 |
) |
|
|
(8,862,083 |
) |
Loss per share basic and diluted |
|
$ |
(0.18 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.21 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.31 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.66 |
) |
Weighted average shares
outstanding basic and diluted |
|
|
12,919,835 |
|
|
|
13,235,738 |
|
|
|
13,332,637 |
|
|
|
13,347,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues |
|
$ |
58,870 |
|
|
$ |
16,117 |
|
|
$ |
31,501 |
|
|
$ |
(985 |
) |
Gross profit |
|
|
20,910 |
|
|
|
10,519 |
|
|
|
11,819 |
|
|
|
(10,255 |
) |
Net loss |
|
|
(2,180,943 |
) |
|
|
(1,754,251 |
) |
|
|
(7,008,605 |
) |
|
|
(2,236,847 |
) |
Loss per share basic and diluted |
|
$ |
(0.19 |
) |
|
$ |
( 0.15 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.58 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.18 |
) |
Weighted average shares
outstanding basic and diluted |
|
|
11,653,207 |
|
|
|
11,655,109 |
|
|
|
12,007,086 |
|
|
|
12,731,319 |
|
During the quarters ended September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2007, the Company incurred
significant research and development costs due to commencement of the Companys MARVEL Trial.
During the quarter ended December 31, 2007, we also incurred a $3 million expense related to a
license fee that became due upon the commencement of the
Companys MARVEL Trial.
During the quarter ended September 30, 2006, we recorded approximately $3.5 million of
stock-based compensation and related expenses related to the issuance of common stock, stock
options and stock warrants to a related party pursuant to a settlement agreement.
F-30
INDEX OF EXHIBITS
As required under Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, the exhibits filed as part
of this report are provided in this separate section. The exhibits included in this section are as
follows:
|
|
|
Exhibit No. |
|
Description |
|
31.1
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
31.2
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
32.1
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
|
|
|
32.2
|
|
Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |