−Removed: Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements (Safe Harbor Statement):
−Removed: Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
−Removed: Reform Act of 1995, as amended.
−Removed: Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical
−Removed: or current facts, and will often include words such as “expects”, “may”, “anticipates”, “aims”,
−Removed: “intends”, “would”, “could”, “should”, “will”, “plans”, “believes”,
−Removed: “estimates”, “targets”, “projects”, “forecasts”, “seeks” and similar words
−Removed: and expressions.
−Removed: Such statements include, but are not limited to, any forward-looking statements relating to:
−Removed: our plans and strategies
−Removed: for our business;
+Added: ITEM 1 – BUSINESS
+Added: Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements (Safe Harbor
+Added: This Annual Report on Form 10-K (Annual Report) contains “forward-looking
+Added: statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.
+Added: Forward-looking statements can
+Added: be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts, and will often include words such as “expects”,
+Added: “may”, “anticipates”, “aims”, “intends”, “would”, “could”, “should”,
+Added: “will”, “plans”, “believes”, “estimates”, “targets”, “projects”,
+Added: “forecasts”, “seeks” and similar words and expressions.
+Added: Such statements include, but are not limited to, any forward-looking
+Added: statements relating to:
+Added: our plans and strategies for our business;
projections of future financial or operational performance;
−Removed: the timing and outcome of pending or anticipated applications
−Removed: for regulatory approvals;
+Added: and outcome of pending or anticipated applications for regulatory approvals;
future demand for our products;
−Removed: the extent, nature and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences,
−Removed: and their direct and indirect impacts on our production activities, operating results and financial condition and on the customers and
−Removed: markets that we serve;
−Removed: the impact of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine and attack on its people on the world economy including
−Removed: inflation and the price and availability of grain and oil;
−Removed: the impact of the global supply-chain disruptions on our ability to obtain,
−Removed: in a timely and cost-effective fashion, all the supplies and components we need to produce our products;
−Removed: the impact of inflation and
−Removed: rising interest rates on our operating expenses and financial results;
−Removed: the scope and timing of ongoing and future product development
−Removed: work and commercialization of our products;
−Removed: future costs of product development efforts;
−Removed: the estimated prevalence rate of subclinical
−Removed: mastitis and producers’ level of interest in treating subclinical mastitis given the current economic and market conditions;
−Removed: expected efficacy of new products;
−Removed: estimates about the market size for our products;
−Removed: future market share of and revenue generated by
−Removed: current products and products still in development;
−Removed: our ability to increase production output and reduce costs of goods sold per unit;
−Removed: the adequacy of our own manufacturing facilities or those of third parties with which we have contractual relationships to meet demand
−Removed: for our products on a timely basis;
+Added: the extent, nature and duration
+Added: of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, and their direct and indirect impacts on our production activities, operating results and
+Added: financial condition and on the customers and markets that we serve;
+Added: the impact of Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine
+Added: (and attack on its people) and the war in the Middle East on the world economy including inflation and the price and availability of grain
+Added: the impact of the global supply-chain disruptions on our ability to obtain, in a timely and cost-effective fashion, all the supplies
+Added: and components we need to produce our products;
+Added: the impact of inflation and rising interest rates on our operating expenses and financial
+Added: the scope and timing of ongoing and future product development work and commercialization of our products;
+Added: future costs of product
+Added: development efforts;
+Added: the estimated prevalence rate of subclinical mastitis and producers’ level of interest in treating subclinical
+Added: mastitis given the current economic and market conditions;
+Added: the expected efficacy of new products;
+Added: estimates about the market size for
+Added: our products;
+Added: future market share of and revenue generated by current products and products still in development;
+Added: our ability to increase
+Added: production output and reduce costs of goods sold per unit;
+Added: the adequacy of our own manufacturing facilities or those of third parties
+Added: with which we have contractual relationships to meet demand for our products on a timely basis;
the impacts of backlogs on customer relationships;
−Removed: the efficacy or timeline to complete our contamination
−Removed: remediation efforts;
−Removed: the likelihood, severity or impact of future contamination events;
−Removed: the anticipated costs of (or time to complete)
−Removed: planned expansions of our manufacturing facilities and the adequacy of our funds available for these projects;
−Removed: the robustness of our
−Removed: manufacturing processes and related technical issues;
−Removed: estimates about our production capacity, efficiency and yield;
−Removed: future regulatory
−Removed: requirements relating to our products;
+Added: the efficacy, success and timeline to complete our contamination remediation efforts;
+Added: the likelihood, severity or impact of future contamination
+Added: the anticipated costs of (or time to complete) planned expansions of our manufacturing facilities and the adequacy of our funds
+Added: available for these projects;
+Added: the robustness of our manufacturing processes and related technical issues;
+Added: estimates about our production
+Added: capacity, efficiency and yield;
+Added: future regulatory requirements relating to our products;
future expense ratios and margins;
−Removed: the efficacy of our investments in our business;
−Removed: future compliance
−Removed: with bank debt covenants;
−Removed: anticipated changes in our manufacturing capabilities and efficiencies;
−Removed: our effectiveness in competing against
−Removed: competitors within both our existing and our anticipated product markets;
−Removed: projections about depreciation expense and its impact on income
−Removed: for book and tax return purposes;
−Removed: and any other statements that are not historical facts.
−Removed: These statements are intended to provide management’s
−Removed: current expectation of future events as of the date of this earnings release, are based on management’s estimates, projections,
−Removed: beliefs and assumptions as of the date hereof;
+Added: of our investments in our business;
+Added: future compliance with bank debt covenants;
+Added: anticipated changes in our manufacturing capabilities
+Added: and efficiencies;
+Added: our effectiveness in competing against competitors within both our existing and our anticipated product markets;
+Added: about depreciation expense and its impact on income for book and tax return purposes;
+Added: and any other statements that are not historical
+Added: These statements are intended to provide management's current expectation of future events as of the date of this earnings release,
+Added: are based on management's estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions as of the date hereof;
and are not guarantees of future performance.
−Removed: Such statements involve known and unknown
−Removed: risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results, financial or operational performance or achievements to be
−Removed: materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those risks
−Removed: and uncertainties relating to:
−Removed: difficulties or delays in development, testing, regulatory approval, production and marketing of our products
−Removed: (including the First Defense ® product line and Re-Tain ® ), competition within our anticipated
−Removed: product markets, customer acceptance of our new and existing products, product performance, alignment between our manufacturing resources
−Removed: and product demand (including the consequences of backlogs), uncertainty associated with the timing and volume of customer orders as
−Removed: we come out of a prolonged backlog, adverse impacts of supply chain disruptions on our operations and customer and supplier relationships,
−Removed: commercial and operational risks relating to our current and planned expansion of production capacity, and other risks and uncertainties
−Removed: detailed from time to time in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Quarterly Reports on Form
−Removed: 10-Q, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Current Reports on Form 8-K.
−Removed: Such statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based
−Removed: on our current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various factors, including the risk factors summarized under
−Removed: ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and uncertainties otherwise referred to in this Annual
−Removed: In addition, there can be no assurance that future risks, uncertainties or developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate.
−Removed: We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether
−Removed: as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
−Removed: Corporation was founded in 1982 and completed an initial public offering of common stock in 1987.
−Removed: After achieving approval from the Center
−Removed: for Veterinary Biologics, U.S.
−Removed: Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell First Defense ® in 1991, we focused most
−Removed: of our efforts during the 1990’s attempting to develop human product applications of the underlying milk protein purification technology.
−Removed: Beginning in 1999, we re-focused our business strategy on the First Defense ® product line and other products that
−Removed: improve the health and productivity of dairy and beef cattle.
−Removed: We support the dairy and beef industries’ purpose to produce nutritious
−Removed: proteins efficiently while ensuring food quality and safety.
−Removed: Our products help address the growing human health concern about using less
−Removed: antibiotics in food-producing animals.
−Removed: We aim to capitalize on the growth in sales of the First Defense ® product
−Removed: line (a product that provides significant Immediate Immunity™ to newborn dairy and beef livestock) and to revolutionize
−Removed: the mastitis treatment paradigm with Re-Tain ® , a novel product we are developing to treat this most significant
−Removed: cause of economic loss to the dairy industry.
−Removed: 2000, we began the development of Re-Tain ® , our purified Nisin treatment for subclinical mastitis in lactating
−Removed: No sales of this product can be made without prior approval of our New Animal Drug Application (NADA) by the Center for Veterinary
−Removed: Medicine, U.S.
+Added: Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results, financial or operational
+Added: performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including,
+Added: but not limited to, those risks and uncertainties relating to:
+Added: difficulties or delays in development, testing, regulatory approval, production
+Added: and marketing of our products (including the First Defense ® product line and Re-Tain ® ), competition
+Added: within our anticipated product markets, customer acceptance of our new and existing products, product performance, alignment between our
+Added: manufacturing resources and product demand (including the consequences of backlogs), uncertainty associated with the timing and volume
+Added: of customer orders as we come out of a prolonged backlog, adverse impacts of supply chain disruptions on our operations and customer and
+Added: supplier relationships, commercial and operational risks relating to our current and planned expansion of production capacity, and other
+Added: risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our
+Added: Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Current Reports on Form 8-K.
+Added: Such statements involve risks and
+Added: uncertainties and are based on our current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various factors, including the
+Added: risk factors summarized under PART I:
+Added: ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS of this Annual Report and uncertainties otherwise referred to
+Added: in this Annual Report.
+Added: In addition, there can be no assurance that future risks, uncertainties or developments affecting us will be those
+Added: that we anticipate.
+Added: We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from
+Added: time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
+Added: OUTLINE TO ITEM 1 – BUSINESS:
+Added: - Production Capacity Increase and Product Contamination
+Added: - Animal Health Products
+Added: - Sales and Markets
+Added: - Product Development
+Added: - Competition
+Added: - Intellectual Property
+Added: - Government Regulation
+Added: - Public Information
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation was founded in 1982 and completed
+Added: an initial public offering of common stock in 1987.
+Added: After achieving approval from the Center for Veterinary Biologics, U.S.
+Added: of Agriculture (USDA) to sell First Defense ® in 1991, we focused most of our efforts during the 1990’s attempting
+Added: to develop human product applications of the underlying milk protein purification technology.
+Added: Beginning in 1999, we re-focused our business
+Added: strategy on the First Defense ® product line and other products that improve the health and productivity of dairy
+Added: and beef cattle.
+Added: We support the dairy and beef industries’ purpose to produce nutritious, protein-rich food efficiently while ensuring
+Added: food quality and safety.
+Added: Our products help address the growing human health concern about using less antibiotics in food-producing animals.
+Added: We aim to capitalize on the growth in sales of the First Defense ® product line (a product that provides significant
+Added: Immediate Immunity ™ to newborn dairy and beef livestock)
+Added: and to revolutionize the mastitis treatment paradigm with Re-Tain ® ,
+Added: a novel product we are developing to treat this most significant cause of economic loss to the dairy industry.
+Added: During 2000, we began the development of Re-Tain ® ,
+Added: our purified Nisin treatment for subclinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows.
+Added: No sales of this product can be made without prior approval
+Added: of our New Animal Drug Application (NADA) by the Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
−Removed: We have achieved FDA approval for four out of five of the significant Technical Sections
−Removed: required for product approval, and we are preparing to make a third submission of the fifth Technical Section.
−Removed: Regulatory achievements
−Removed: to date have significantly reduced the product development risks in the areas of safety and effectiveness.
+Added: We have achieved
+Added: FDA approval for four out of five of the significant Technical Sections required for product approval, and we have made our third submission
+Added: of the fifth Technical Section.
+Added: We expect a response to this third submission from the FDA by May of 2024.
+Added: Regulatory achievements to
+Added: date have significantly reduced the product development risks in the areas of safety and effectiveness.
Our primary product development
focus has now turned to completion of the manufacturing objectives required for FDA approval.
−Removed: 2006, we have made ongoing efforts to maintain compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations in all of our manufacturing
−Removed: operations, which requires a sustained investment that further enhances the quality of all of our products and our operating efficiency.
−Removed: As we make process improvements, we continue to invest in personnel, equipment and facility modifications to increase the efficiency
−Removed: and quality of our operations.
−Removed: the first quarter of 2016 through the second quarter of 2021, we issued an aggregate of 4,553,017 shares of common stock, raising gross
−Removed: proceeds of approximately $26.7 million in six separate transactions.
−Removed: In order to minimize the dilutive effects of these transactions
−Removed: on our existing stockholders, we chose not to issue any form of convertible or preferred securities and issued these common shares without
−Removed: any warrants.
−Removed: Net of debt issuance costs, we had approximately $10.2 million in outstanding debt under five different credit facilities
−Removed: as of December 31, 2022 compared to approximately $9.1 million as of December 31, 2021.
−Removed: This new equity and debt capital has been, and
−Removed: is being, used to increase the production capacity for the First Defense ® product line and complete the development
−Removed: of Re-Tain ® without relying on funding from a partner or licensee, thereby keeping control over all product rights
−Removed: and future revenues.
−Removed: the past seven years, we have funded our operations, constructed an FDA regulated Drug Substance manufacturing facility for Re-Tain ®
−Removed: and invested capital to increase our production capacity for the First Defense ® product line.
−Removed: initiated another capital investment to bring the formulation and aseptic filling capabilities for Re-Tain ® in
−Removed: house in order to end our present reliance on an outside contractor.
−Removed: The following table displays the changes in the balances of certain
−Removed: accounts over this period (in thousands, except for percentages):
−Removed: As of December 31,
−Removed: $ (Decrease) Increase Over
−Removed: % (Decrease) Increase Over
−Removed: Cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and long-term investments
−Removed: Net working capital
−Removed: Stockholders’ equity
−Removed: Market capitalization
−Removed: Common shares outstanding (1)
−Removed: (1) Additionally,
−Removed: there were approximately 605,000 and 238,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under stock options that were outstanding as
−Removed: of December 31, 2022 and 2015, respectively.
−Removed: Capacity Increase and Product Contamination
−Removed: 2018, it became clear that demand for Tri-Shield First Defense ® was outpacing production.
−Removed: In response to this increasing
−Removed: demand, we began a series of investments during 2019 to increase our production capacity for the First Defense ®
−Removed: product line to approximately $30 million per year.
−Removed: The necessary facility expansions and new equipment needed to increase production
−Removed: capacity were in place by the end of 2022.
−Removed: ITEM 7 – MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
−Removed: AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS , “Liquidity and Capital Resources”, for more detail about our production capacity.
+Added: Since 2006, we have made ongoing efforts to maintain
+Added: compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations in all of our manufacturing operations, which requires a sustained
+Added: investment that further enhances the quality of all of our products and our operating efficiency.
+Added: As we make process improvements, we
+Added: continue to invest in personnel, equipment and facility modifications to increase the efficiency and quality of our operations.
+Added: During the eight-year period beginning January 1,
+Added: 2016 and ended December 31, 2023, we funded our operations, constructed an FDA-regulated Drug Substance (DS) manufacturing facility for
+Added: Re-Tain ® and invested capital to increase our production capacity for the First Defense ® product
+Added: We have also initiated another capital investment (which investment is currently paused) to bring the formulation and aseptic filling
+Added: capabilities for Re-Tain ® in house in order to end our present reliance on an outside contractor.
+Added: From the first
+Added: quarter of 2016 through the second quarter of 2021, we issued an aggregate of 4,553,017 shares of common stock, raising gross proceeds
+Added: of approximately $26.7 million in six separate transactions.
+Added: In order to minimize the dilutive effects of these transactions on our existing
+Added: stockholders, we chose not to issue any form of convertible or preferred securities and issued these common shares without any warrants.
+Added: Net of debt issuance and debt discount costs, we had approximately $12 million in outstanding debt as of December 31, 2023 compared to
+Added: approximately $3.2 million as of December 31, 2015.
+Added: This equity and debt capital has been, and is being, used to increase the production
+Added: capacity for the First Defense ® product line and
+Added: complete the development of Re-Tain ® without relying on funding from a partner or licensee, thereby keeping control
+Added: over all product rights and future revenues.
+Added: During this time, our total assets have increased to $43.8 million as of December 31, 2023
+Added: from $14.6 million as of December 31, 2015, and our stockholders’ equity has increased to $25 million as of December 31, 2023 from
+Added: $10.6 million as of December 31, 2015.
+Added: This represents a 200%, or $29 million, increase in total assets and a 135%, or $14.4 million,
+Added: increase in stockholders’ equity over this eight-year period.
ImmuCell Corporation
−Removed: Unfortunately,
−Removed: as this increased production capacity was coming online, a product contamination event was detected by standard in-process quality control
−Removed: testing around the end of the third quarter of 2022.
−Removed: Contamination events during 2022 (largely this one around the end of the third quarter)
−Removed: resulted in a total charge to costs of goods sold of approximately $588,000.
−Removed: We took immediate steps to address the contamination, and
−Removed: production ran without issue during the balance of the fourth quarter of 2022.
−Removed: Then during the first quarter of 2023 our standard in-process
−Removed: quality control testing detected a second contamination event.
−Removed: The related charge to costs of goods sold during the first quarter of
−Removed: 2023 is expected to be up to approximately $200,000, of which approximately $114,000 worth of product remains under evaluation.
−Removed: we have slowed down our production output as we take the necessary steps to assess and remediate the issues and perform a deep sanitization
−Removed: of our facilities and process equipment to ensure that any product that is put to market meets all quality standards.
−Removed: We believe that
−Removed: the ongoing implementation of our capacity expansion plans and the corrective actions being taken in response to these contamination
−Removed: events should allow us to operate at the higher level of production output going forward without further significant contaminations.
−Removed: We are working diligently to address the situation and believe we are taking the appropriate steps to emerge from this problem stronger
−Removed: with the production capacity in place to produce approximately $30 million of product per year going forward.
−Removed: production slowdown during the first quarter of 2023, has, in part, caused an increase in the amount of our order backlog from approximately
−Removed: $2.5 million as of December 31, 2022 to approximately $8 million as of March 10, 2023.
−Removed: However, we do not believe this backlog number
−Removed: is highly relevant anymore as it includes very old orders, redundancy in demand and orders that may be cancelled.
−Removed: We expect to report
−Removed: reduced sales during the first quarter of 2023 and a large backlog as of March 31, 2023.
−Removed: We are on track to produce approximately $3.2
−Removed: million to $3.4 million of product during the first quarter of 2023, which is approximately 56% less than our $7.5 million quarterly
−Removed: production target.
−Removed: While this is less than we need, our remediation efforts are beginning to work as we cautiously come back into production.
−Removed: Due to the loss in earned gross margin that is being incurred during the first quarter of 2023, we have made the decision to defer, for
−Removed: the time being, completion of the incremental planned investment to increase our production capacity further to approximately $40 million
−Removed: increase in sales demand for First Defense ® is both exciting and challenging for us.
−Removed: One view is that we are operating
−Removed: with short supply caused largely by contamination events on the First Defense ® side, while not yet achieving FDA
−Removed: approval of Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: However, the other view is that we are approaching both approximately $30 million in annual
−Removed: production capacity for First Defense ® (with a flex option to get to approximately $40 million per year in the
−Removed: future) while also advancing to the final stages of a very significant FDA product development initiative.
−Removed: Health Products
−Removed: First Defense ® product line is manufactured from hyperimmunized cows’ colostrum (the antibody rich milk that
−Removed: a cow produces immediately after giving birth) utilizing our proprietary vaccine and milk protein purification technologies.
−Removed: Defense ® product line provides bovine antibodies that newborn calves need but are unable to produce on their own immediately
−Removed: The target disease, calf scours (bovine enteritis), causes diarrhea and dehydration in newborn calves and often leads to
−Removed: serious sickness and even death.
−Removed: The First Defense ® product line is the only USDA-licensed, orally delivered
−Removed: scours preventive product on the market for calves with claims against E.
−Removed: coli , coronavirus and rotavirus (three leading causes
−Removed: A single dose of our product provides a measured level of protection proven to reduce mortality and morbidity.
−Removed: Our pre-formed
−Removed: antibody products provide Immediate Immunity™ during the first few critical weeks of life when calves need this protection
−Removed: Studies have shown calves that scour are more susceptible to other diseases later in life and under-perform calves that do not
−Removed: contract scours.
−Removed: The direct, two-part mode-of-action of the First Defense ® product line delivers specific immunoglobulins
−Removed: at the gut level to immediately protect against disease, while also providing additional antibodies that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
−Removed: These circulating antibodies function like a natural timed-release mechanism, as they are re-secreted into the gut later to provide extended
−Removed: The First Defense ® product line is convenient to use.
−Removed: A calf needs to receive only one dose of First
−Removed: Defense ® within the first twelve hours after birth.
−Removed: Our capsule format of this product, which requires no mixing,
−Removed: is stored at room temperature.
−Removed: The gel tube formats of this product require refrigeration in accordance with product label indications.
−Removed: We are the market leader (in terms of both unit volume and dollar sales) when compared to other calf-level scours preventatives and have
−Removed: greater market potential as we gain market share from the dam-level (pre-calving scour vaccines) competitors.
−Removed: The third quarter of 2021
−Removed: marked the 30 th anniversary of the original USDA approval of this product in 1991.
−Removed: During the third quarter of 2022, our cumulative
−Removed: sales of First Defense ® since inception exceeded 30 million doses.
−Removed: First Defense ® product line continues to benefit from wide acceptance by dairy and beef producers as an effective
−Removed: tool to prevent scours (diarrhea) in newborn calves, which is the leading cause of death in preweaned calves.
−Removed: Our Beyond Vaccination ®
−Removed: marketing campaign focuses on providing antibodies without vaccination.
+Added: Production Capacity Increase and Product Contamination
+Added: During 2018, it became clear that demand for
+Added: Tri-Shield First Defense ® was outpacing production.
+Added: In response to this increasing demand, we began a series of
+Added: investments during 2019 to increase our production capacity for the First Defense ® product line to approximately
+Added: $30 million per year.
+Added: The necessary facility expansions and new equipment needed to increase production capacity were in place by the
+Added: ITEM 7 – MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS ,
+Added: for more detail about our investments to increase production capacity.
+Added: As this increased production capacity was coming
+Added: online, a product contamination event was detected by standard in-process quality control testing around the end of the third quarter
+Added: Scrapped product from contamination events (largely this one around the end of the third quarter) and other production process
+Added: losses resulted in a total charge to costs of goods sold of approximately $589,000 during 2022.
+Added: We took immediate steps to address the
+Added: contamination, and production ran without issue during the balance of the fourth quarter of 2022.
+Added: Then during the first quarter of 2023,
+Added: our standard in-process quality control testing detected a second contamination event.
+Added: We slowed down our production output to take the
+Added: necessary steps to assess and remediate the issues and perform a deep sanitization of our facilities and process equipment.
+Added: After several
+Added: months of processing without further contamination, we experienced a third contamination event during the third quarter of 2023.
+Added: product from contamination events and other production process losses resulted in a total charge to costs of goods sold of approximately
+Added: $527,000 during 2023.
+Added: We believe that the ongoing implementation of our capacity expansion plans and the corrective actions being taken
+Added: in response to these contamination events should allow us to operate at the higher level of production output going forward without further
+Added: significant contaminations.
+Added: We worked diligently to address the situation and believe we are taking the appropriate steps to emerge from
+Added: this problem stronger with the production capacity in place to produce approximately $30 million of product per year going forward, while
+Added: continuing to ensure that any product that is put to market meets all quality standards.
+Added: We believe that our efforts to increase production
+Added: capacity for the First Defense ® product line are linked to our product contaminations.
+Added: It was relatively simple
+Added: to run at lower production capacities for the 30 years between 1991 (the original USDA approval of First Defense ® )
+Added: The contamination events we suffered during 2022 and 2023 were largely the result of us processing more milk (colostrum) than
+Added: ever before in order to meet increasing customer demand.
+Added: As we enter 2024, we believe that we have much improved processes and controls
+Added: in place to better support large-scale production from our raw material source farms through liquid processing.
+Added: Our most important customer-focused
+Added: objectives going forward are to fulfill the large backlog of orders and then again be a reliable supplier of a very effective product
+Added: to the dairy and beef calf market.
+Added: Animal Health Products
+Added: The First Defense ® product
+Added: line is manufactured from hyperimmunized cows’ colostrum (the antibody rich milk that a cow produces immediately after giving birth)
+Added: utilizing our proprietary vaccine and milk protein purification technologies.
+Added: The First Defense ® product line provides
+Added: bovine antibodies that newborn calves need but are unable to produce on their own immediately after birth.
+Added: The target disease, calf scours
+Added: (bovine enteritis), causes diarrhea and dehydration in newborn calves and often leads to serious sickness and even death.
+Added: Defense ® product line is the only USDA-licensed, orally delivered scours preventive product on the market
+Added: for calves with claims against E.
+Added: coli , coronavirus and rotavirus (three leading causes of scours).
+Added: A single dose of our product
+Added: provides a measured level of protection proven to reduce mortality and morbidity.
+Added: Our pre-formed antibody products provide Immediate
+Added: Immunity™ during the first few critical weeks of life when calves need this protection most.
+Added: Studies have shown calves that
+Added: scour are more susceptible to other diseases later in life and under-perform calves that do not contract scours.
+Added: The direct, two-part
+Added: mode-of-action of the First Defense ® product line delivers specific immunoglobulins at the gut level to immediately
+Added: protect against disease, while also providing additional antibodies that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
+Added: These circulating antibodies
+Added: function like a natural timed-release mechanism, as they are re-secreted into the gut later to provide extended protection.
+Added: Defense ® product line is convenient to use.
+Added: A calf needs to receive only one dose of First Defense ®
+Added: within the first twelve hours after birth.
+Added: Our capsule format of this product, which requires no mixing, is stored at room temperature,
+Added: while the gel tube formats of this product require refrigeration in accordance with product label indications.
+Added: We are the market leader
+Added: (in terms of both unit volume and dollar sales) when compared to other calf-level scours preventatives and have greater market potential
+Added: as we gain market share from the dam-level (pre-calving scour vaccines) competitors.
+Added: The third quarter of 2023 marked the 32 nd
+Added: anniversary of the original USDA approval of this product in 1991.
+Added: During the fourth quarter of 2023, our cumulative sales of First
+Added: Defense ® since inception exceeded 33 million doses.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
+Added: The product line extension, Tri-Shield First
+Added: Defense ® , is the first calf-level,
+Added: passive antibody product on the market with USDA-approved disease claims providing Immediate Immunity™ against each of the
+Added: three leading causes of calf scours ( E.
+Added: coli , coronavirus and rotavirus).
+Added: This product achieved USDA approval during the fourth
+Added: quarter of 2017 and was listed with the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) during the first quarter of 2019, which means it
+Added: can be used on organic farms.
+Added: combines the E.
+Added: coli and coronavirus antibodies contained in our bivalent product with rotavirus antibodies in a single-dose gel
+Added: tube delivery format.
+Added: This unique breadth of claims further differentiates our product from calf-level competitive products on the market
+Added: that contain only one or two of these label claims.
+Added: The unique virus-like particle (VLP) technology that is used in our production process
+Added: increases rotavirus titers in colostrum to a level much greater than traditional vaccine technology can.
+Added: Because it is possible that
+Added: some farms may not have (or perceive to have) a rotavirus problem, we are continuing to sell the bivalent formats of the First Defense ®
+Added: product line as options for customers.
+Added: The First Defense ® product
+Added: line continues to benefit from wide acceptance by dairy and beef producers as an effective tool to prevent scours in newborn calves, which
+Added: is the leading cause of death in preweaned calves.
+Added: Our Beyond Vaccination ® marketing campaign focuses on providing
+Added: antibodies without vaccination.
A 100% vaccine protection rate is biologically impossible.
−Removed: The First Defense ® product line removes the variability associated with a scour vaccine response and instead provides
−Removed: a measured level of pre-formed antibodies, protecting each calf with an equal level of scours protection.
−Removed: There is a strong link between
−Removed: how we sell our product and the challenges we face in producing it.
−Removed: We know better than most how variable a cow’s response is to
−Removed: We see this in every batch of First Defense ® that we produce.
−Removed: The value in First Defense ®
−Removed: is that we adjust for this variability by standardizing the antibody content, as needed, so the newborn is given a steady,
−Removed: equal level of protection with each dose.
−Removed: This technology removes a producer’s reliance on variable vaccine responses to generate
−Removed: passive antibody protection and instead protects every calf equally with a measured dose of Immediate Immunity™ against
+Added: The First Defense ®
+Added: product line removes the variability associated with a scour vaccine response and instead provides a measured level of pre-formed antibodies,
+Added: protecting each calf with an equal level of scours protection.
+Added: There is a strong link between how we sell our product and the challenges
+Added: we face in producing it.
+Added: We know better than most how variable a cow’s response is to any vaccine.
+Added: We see this in every batch of
+Added: First Defense ® that we produce.
+Added: The value in First
+Added: Defense ® is that we adjust for this variability by
+Added: standardizing the antibody content, as needed, so the newborn is given a steady, equal level of protection with each dose.
+Added: This technology
+Added: removes a producer’s reliance on variable vaccine responses to generate passive antibody protection and instead protects every calf
+Added: equally with a measured dose of Immediate Immunity ™ against
the most common scour pathogens.
−Removed: Plus, an effectively treated calf is much less likely to require expensive antibiotic treatments and
−Removed: build antibiotic resistance.
−Removed: We are the only manufacturer within the scour prevention space offering polyclonal multi-pathogen antibodies.
−Removed: The market is learning that the best preventative for scours may not be a vaccine, and we are continuing to educate the market about
−Removed: the health benefits of a measured dose of pre-formed antibodies.
−Removed: product line extension, Tri-Shield First Defense ® , is the first calf-level, passive antibody product on the
−Removed: market with USDA-approved disease claims providing Immediate Immunity™ against each of the three leading causes of calf
−Removed: coli , coronavirus and rotavirus).
−Removed: This product achieved USDA approval during the fourth quarter of 2017 and was
−Removed: listed with the Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) during the first quarter of 2019, which means it can be used on organic
−Removed: Tri-Shield ® combines the E.
−Removed: coli and coronavirus antibodies contained in our bivalent product
−Removed: with rotavirus antibodies in a single-dose gel tube delivery format.
−Removed: This unique breadth of claims further differentiates our
−Removed: product from calf-level competitive products on the market that contain only one or two of these label claims.
−Removed: The unique virus-like
−Removed: particle (VLP) technology that is used in our production process increases rotavirus titers in colostrum to a level much greater
−Removed: than traditional vaccine technology can.
−Removed: Because it is possible that some farms may not have (or perceive to have) a rotavirus
−Removed: problem, we are continuing to sell the bivalent formats of the First Defense ® product line as options for
−Removed: Historically,
−Removed: the most common tool to help combat scours has been to vaccinate the mother cow (dam) with a scours vaccine and deliver the antibodies
−Removed: that she produces in her milk to the newborn.
−Removed: It is generally believed that only 80% of animals respond to a vaccine, which could leave
−Removed: about 20% of calves unprotected.
−Removed: We believe that the variability in a cow’s immune response to vaccines creates a sales opportunity
−Removed: for our product.
−Removed: Additionally, our research suggests that treatment protocols for dam-level scours vaccine programs are not always followed,
−Removed: leaving even more calves compromised.
+Added: Preventing newborn calves from becoming sick helps them to reach their genetic potential and reduces
+Added: the need to use treatment antibiotics later in life.
+Added: Plus, an effectively treated
+Added: calf is much less likely to require expensive antibiotic treatments or build antibiotic resistance.
+Added: We are the only manufacturer
+Added: within the scour prevention space offering polyclonal multi-pathogen antibodies.
+Added: The market is learning that the best preventative for
+Added: scours may not be a vaccine, and we are continuing to educate the market about the health benefits of a measured dose of pre-formed antibodies.
+Added: Historically, the most common tool to help combat
+Added: scours has been to vaccinate the mother cow (dam) with a scours vaccine and deliver the antibodies that she produces in her milk to the
+Added: It is generally believed that only 80% of animals respond to a vaccine, which could leave about 20% of calves unprotected.
+Added: believe that the variability in a cow’s immune response to vaccines creates a sales opportunity for our product.
+Added: Additionally, our
+Added: research suggests that treatment protocols for dam-level scours vaccine programs are not always followed, leaving even more calves compromised.
We are competing effectively against these dam-level vaccine products.
−Removed: Our marketing campaign,
−Removed: Beyond Vaccination ® , emphasizes that by delivering Immediate Immunity™ directly to the calf via the
−Removed: First Defense ® product line, producers can reduce stress-causing injections to the cow.
−Removed: Reliance on a dam-level
−Removed: scours vaccine requires that money be spent before it is known whether the cow is carrying a viable, valued calf.
+Added: Our marketing campaign, Beyond Vaccination ® ,
+Added: emphasizes that by delivering Immediate Immunity™ directly to the calf via the First Defense ®
+Added: product line, producers can reduce stress-causing injections to the cow.
+Added: Reliance on a dam-level scours vaccine requires that money be
+Added: spent before it is known whether the cow is carrying a viable, valued calf.
With the First Defense ®
product line, that investment can be targeted to the calves that are most critical to the operation.
−Removed: This, in turn, can free
−Removed: up space in the cow’s vaccination schedule to improve her immune response to vaccines that are critical to her health.
−Removed: newborn calves from becoming sick helps them to reach their genetic potential and reduces the need to use treatment antibiotics later
−Removed: We believe that the long-term growth in sales of the First Defense ® product line may reflect, at least
−Removed: in part, the success of our strategic decision to invest in additional sales and marketing efforts to help us introduce the expanding
−Removed: First Defense ® product line to new customers.
−Removed: Our communications campaign continues to emphasize how the unique
−Removed: ability of the First Defense ® product line to provide Immediate Immunity™ generates a dependable and
−Removed: competitive return on investment for dairy and beef producers.
−Removed: Defense Technology ® is a unique whey protein concentrate that is processed utilizing our proprietary colostrum (first
−Removed: milk) protein purification methods, for the nutritional and feed supplement markets without the claims of our USDA-licensed product.
−Removed: During 2012, we initiated a limited launch of a gel tube delivery format of our First Defense Technology ® in a
−Removed: gel solution.
−Removed: We achieved USDA claims for this product format during the fourth quarter of 2018 and Canadian approval during the first
−Removed: quarter of 2019, and it is now being sold as Dual-Force First Defense ® .
−Removed: We are selling the same concentrated whey
−Removed: proteins in a bulk powder format (no capsule), which is delivered with a scoop and mixed with colostrum for feeding to calves.
−Removed: working to achieve USDA claims for this product format.
−Removed: During 2011, Milk Products, LLC of Chilton, Wisconsin launched commercial sales
−Removed: of their product, Ultra Start ® 150 Plus and certain similar private label products, which are colostrum replacers with
−Removed: First Defense Technology ® Inside .
−Removed: 2001, we began to offer our own, internally developed California Mastitis Test (CMT) .
−Removed: CMT is most often used as a quick
−Removed: on-farm diagnostic to determine which quarter of the udder is mastitic.
−Removed: This test can be performed at cow-side for early detection of
−Removed: CMT products are also made by other manufacturers and are readily available to the dairy producer.
−Removed: In connection with
−Removed: our acquisition of certain gel formulation technologies during the first quarter of 2016, we acquired private label manufacturing rights
−Removed: covering a feed supplement product sold by Genex Cooperative, Inc.
−Removed: of Shawano, Wisconsin.
−Removed: This product was discontinued by mutual agreement
−Removed: during the first quarter of 2022.
−Removed: Annual sales of this private label product were less than $170,000 during each of the years ended December
−Removed: 31, 2021 and 2020.
−Removed: Our sales and marketing team consists of one vice
−Removed: president, one commercial research and technical services veterinarian, one commercial leader of stakeholder engagement, one director
−Removed: of marketing and customer service and eight regional sales managers.
−Removed: The First Defense ® product line and CMT
−Removed: are sold primarily through major animal health distributors who, in turn, sell to veterinary clinics, fleet stores and direct to farms.
−Removed: Sales of the First Defense ® product line are normally seasonal, with higher sales expected during the first quarter,
−Removed: largely driven by the beef calving season, which runs primarily from January to April, unlike the dairy industry in which operations generally
−Removed: calve year round.
−Removed: Warm and dry weather reduces the producer’s perception of the need for a disease preventative product like the
−Removed: First Defense ® product line.
−Removed: However, heat stress on calves caused by extremely hot summer weather can increase
−Removed: the incidence of scours, just as harsher winter weather benefits our sales.
−Removed: Other competition for resources that dairy producers allocate
−Removed: to their calf enterprises has been increased by the many new products (principally feed supplements) that have been introduced to the
−Removed: Despite the market volatility affecting both milk prices and feed costs, we expect to continue to increase our sales over
−Removed: the long term (despite a drop in 2022).
−Removed: estimate that the total U.S.
−Removed: market for scours preventative products (including sales of our product) that are given to newborn calves
−Removed: (the calf-level market) is approximately $27.9 million per year.
−Removed: With the additional claim for our new product ( Tri-Shield First Defense ® )
−Removed: against rotavirus, we are now also competing against the dam-level vaccine products that are given to the mother cow to increase the
−Removed: antibody level against specific scours-causing pathogens in the colostrum that she produces for her newborn.
−Removed: We estimate that the dam-level
−Removed: product category covers approximately twice as many calves as the calf-level product segment reaches.
−Removed: We estimate that the total domestic
−Removed: addressable market (both calf and dam levels) is approximately $74.5 million per year.
−Removed: on market share information that we purchase from the leading source of this data for the animal health sector, we are gaining market
−Removed: share in the United States year after year.
−Removed: We aim to continue these market share gains in both the dairy and beef segments.
−Removed: of the market (calculated on the basis of calves treated) of the scour preventative products administered at the calf-level was approximately:
−Removed: share of the market (calculated on the basis of calves treated) of both products administered at the calf-level and vaccines administered
−Removed: to the dam prior to calving (adjusting for two doses of dam-level scour vaccines required for primary vaccination of first-calf heifers)
−Removed: was approximately:
−Removed: continue our efforts to grow sales of the First Defense ® product line in North America, where there are approximately
−Removed: 40 million dairy and beef cows in the United States and approximately 4.5 million dairy and beef cows in Canada.
−Removed: We believe that significant
−Removed: market opportunities exist in other international territories.
+Added: This, in turn, can free up space
+Added: in the cow’s vaccination schedule to improve her immune response to vaccines that are critical to her health.
+Added: First Defense Technology ®
+Added: is a unique whey protein concentrate that is processed utilizing our proprietary colostrum (first milk) protein purification methods,
+Added: for the nutritional and feed supplement markets without the claims of our USDA-licensed product.
+Added: During 2012, we initiated a limited launch
+Added: of a gel tube delivery format of our First Defense Technology ® in a gel solution.
+Added: We achieved USDA claims for this
+Added: product format during the fourth quarter of 2018 and Canadian approval during the first quarter of 2019, and it is now being sold as Dual-Force
+Added: First Defense ® .
+Added: We are selling the same concentrated whey proteins in a bulk powder format (no capsule), which is delivered
+Added: with a scoop and mixed with colostrum for feeding to calves.
+Added: We are working to achieve USDA claims for this product format.
+Added: Milk Products, LLC of Chilton, Wisconsin launched commercial sales of their product, Ultra Start ® 150 Plus and certain
+Added: similar private label products, which are colostrum replacers with First Defense Technology ® Inside .
+Added: During 2001, we began to offer our own, internally
+Added: developed California Mastitis Test (CMT) .
+Added: CMT is most often used as a quick on-farm diagnostic to determine which quarter
+Added: of the udder is mastitic.
+Added: This test can be performed at cow-side for early detection of mastitis.
+Added: CMT products are also made by
+Added: other manufacturers and are readily available to the dairy producer.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
+Added: Sales and Markets
+Added: We believe that the long-term growth in sales
+Added: of the First Defense ® product line may reflect, at least in part, the success of our strategic decision to invest
+Added: in additional sales and marketing efforts to help us introduce the expanding First Defense ® product line to new
+Added: Our communications campaign continues to emphasize how the unique ability of the First Defense ® product
+Added: line to provide Immediate Immunity™ generates a dependable and competitive return on investment for dairy and beef producers.
+Added: Our sales and marketing team consists of one vice president, one commercial research and technical services veterinarian, one commercial
+Added: leader of stakeholder engagement, one director of marketing and eight regional sales managers.
+Added: The First Defense ®
+Added: product line and CMT are sold primarily through major animal health distributors who, in turn, sell to veterinary clinics, fleet
+Added: stores and direct to farms.
+Added: Our expanded sales and marketing team has proven to be a worthy investment, validating that our message resonates
+Added: well with customers.
+Added: Now that our increased production capacity is in place, we anticipate being able to escalate our growth curve after
+Added: we recover from the brand damage that can come with an extended duration of short supply.
+Added: Sales of the First Defense ®
+Added: product line are normally seasonal, with higher sales expected during the first quarter, largely driven by the beef calving season, which
+Added: runs primarily from January to April, unlike the dairy industry in which operations generally calve year round.
+Added: Warm and dry weather
+Added: reduces the producer’s perception of the need for a disease preventative product like the First Defense ® product
+Added: However, heat stress on calves caused by extremely hot summer weather can increase the incidence of scours, just as harsher winter
+Added: weather benefits our sales.
+Added: Other competition for resources that dairy producers allocate to their calf enterprises has been increased
+Added: by the many new products (principally feed supplements) that have been introduced to the calf market.
+Added: We estimate that the total U.S.
+Added: market for scours
+Added: preventative products (including sales of our product) that are given to newborn calves (the calf-level market) is approximately $25.6
+Added: million per year.
+Added: With the additional claim for our new product ( Tri-Shield First Defense ® ) against rotavirus, we
+Added: are now also competing against the dam-level vaccine products that are given to the mother cow to increase the antibody level against
+Added: specific scours-causing pathogens in the colostrum that she produces for her newborn.
+Added: We estimate that the dam-level product category
+Added: covers approximately twice as many calves as the calf-level product segment reaches.
+Added: We estimate that the total domestic addressable market
+Added: (both calf and dam levels) is approximately $75.4 million per year.
+Added: on market share information that we purchase from the leading source of this data for the animal health sector, we believe that we are
+Added: gaining market share in the United States year after year.
+Added: We aim to continue these market share gains in both the dairy and beef
+Added: Our share of the dairy and beef market (calculated on the basis of calves treated) of the scour preventative products administered
+Added: at the calf-level was approximately:
+Added: Our share of the dairy and beef market (calculated
+Added: on the basis of calves treated) of both products administered at the calf-level and vaccines administered to the dam prior to calving
+Added: (adjusting for two doses of dam-level scour vaccines required for primary vaccination of first-calf heifers) was approximately:
+Added: We continue our efforts to grow sales of the First
+Added: Defense ® product line in North America, where there are approximately 40 million dairy and beef cows in the United
+Added: States and approximately 4.5 million dairy and beef cows in Canada.
+Added: We believe that significant market opportunities exist in other international
The majority of our international sales are to Canada.
−Removed: We price our products
−Removed: To the extent that the value of the dollar declines with respect to any other currency, our competitive position may
−Removed: Conversely, an increase in the value of the dollar in any country in which we sell products may have the effect of increasing
−Removed: the local price of our products, thereby leading to a potential reduction in demand.
−Removed: Generally, our international sales have been generated
−Removed: through relationships with in-country distributors that have knowledge of the local regulatory and marketing requirements.
−Removed: We are initiating
−Removed: our plan to expand the number of countries to which our First Defense ® product line is approved for export.
−Removed: it is our intent to be the holder of these product registrations for each country rather than rely on distribution partners to gain and
−Removed: hold these registrations.
−Removed: This is a long regulatory process but allows us to maximize the use of our product label claims.
−Removed: Industry practices,
−Removed: economic conditions, cause of disease, distribution channels and regulatory requirements may differ in these international markets from
−Removed: what we experience in North America, potentially making it more difficult or costly for us to generate and sustain sales volumes at profitable
−Removed: margins in these markets.
−Removed: introduced First Defense ® into South Korea in 2005 through Medexx Co., Ltd of Gyeonggi-do, Korea and its equivalent
−Removed: into Japan in 2007 through NYS Co., Ltd of Iwate, Japan.
−Removed: We are working with Medexx to expand our business in South Korea to include
−Removed: the registration of Tri-Shield First Defense ® .
−Removed: The business in Japan is currently not active, but we are working
−Removed: to resume sales in this territory.
−Removed: We entered into distribution contracts covering certain Middle Eastern countries with Triplest for
−Removed: Drugs and Trade of Madaba, Jordan during the first quarter of 2017 (no sales have yet been achieved under this contract) and covering
−Removed: Iran with Senikco, LLC of Laguna Niguel, California during the fourth quarter of 2016 (sales have been initiated under this contract).
−Removed: We are investigating the requirements to sell the First Defense ® product line in Mexico, Pakistan and Israel.
−Removed: Re-Tain ® , we are working to expand our product portfolio to include an intramammary infusion for the treatment
−Removed: of subclinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows.
−Removed: Mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland typically associated with a bacterial
+Added: We price our products in U.S.
+Added: To the extent that the value
+Added: of the dollar declines with respect to any other currency, our competitive position may be enhanced.
+Added: Conversely, an increase in the value
+Added: of the dollar in any country in which we sell products may have the effect of increasing the local price of our products, thereby leading
+Added: to a potential reduction in demand.
+Added: Generally, our international sales have been generated through relationships with in-country distributors
+Added: that have knowledge of the local regulatory and marketing requirements.
+Added: We are initiating our plan to expand the number of countries to
+Added: which our First Defense ® product line is approved for export.
+Added: Generally, it is our intent to be the holder of these
+Added: product registrations for each country rather than rely on distribution partners to gain and hold these registrations.
+Added: This is a long
+Added: regulatory process but allows us to maximize the use of our product label claims.
+Added: Industry practices, economic conditions, cause of disease,
+Added: distribution channels and regulatory requirements may differ in these international markets from what we experience in North America,
+Added: potentially making it more difficult or costly for us to generate and sustain sales volumes at profitable margins in these markets.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
+Added: We introduced First Defense ®
+Added: into South Korea in 2005 through Medexx Co., Ltd of Gyeonggi-do, Korea and its equivalent into Japan in 2007 through NYS Co., Ltd of Iwate,
+Added: We are working with Medexx to expand our business in South Korea to include the registration of Tri-Shield First Defense ® .
+Added: The business in Japan is currently not active, but we are working to resume sales in this territory.
+Added: We entered into distribution contracts
+Added: covering certain Middle Eastern countries with Triplest for Drugs and Trade of Madaba, Jordan during the first quarter of 2017 (no sales
+Added: have yet been achieved under this contract) and covering Iran with Senikco, LLC of Laguna Niguel, California during the fourth quarter
+Added: of 2016 (sales have been initiated under this contract).
+Added: We are investigating the requirements to sell the First Defense ®
+Added: product line in Mexico, Pakistan and India.
+Added: Re-Tain ® , we are working to expand our product portfolio
+Added: to include an intramammary infusion for the treatment of subclinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows.
+Added: Mastitis is inflammation of the
+Added: mammary gland typically associated with a bacterial infection.
It is estimated to cost the U.S.
−Removed: dairy industry approximately $2 billion in economic harm per year.
−Removed: It is the most costly
−Removed: and common disease affecting the dairy industry.
−Removed: This illness is categorized as either clinical mastitis or subclinical mastitis.
−Removed: mastitis infections cause visibly abnormal milk which cannot be sold.
−Removed: On the other hand, subclinical mastitis infections do not
−Removed: cause any visible changes in milk or udder appearance, making it difficult to detect.
−Removed: Most mastitis cases treated today are those that
−Removed: reach the clinical stage even though it is understood that clinical cases are only the tip of the mastitis iceberg.
−Removed: Milk from cows with
−Removed: subclinical mastitis can still be sold if not treated with traditional antibiotics.
−Removed: Milk from cows treated with traditional antibiotics
−Removed: must be discarded for the duration of the treatment and for 1.5 to 4 days after the last treatment, depending on the antibiotic that
−Removed: The cost of that milk discard along with the stress and risk in moving the cow to the hospital pen is thought to be the primary
−Removed: reasons more subclinical mastitis cases are not treated today.
−Removed: However, the cascade of negative events triggered by subclinical mastitis
−Removed: for both the dairy producer and the milk processor are significant.
−Removed: These include lower milk production (some have estimated approximately
−Removed: 1,500 pounds of lost milk, or about $270 at $18.00 per hundredweight per infected cow per lactation), higher rates of clinical mastitis,
−Removed: lower conception rates, increased abortions, increased cull rates, reduced or foregone milk quality premiums, shorter shelf life for
−Removed: fluid milk, and both lower yields and less flavor for cheese.
−Removed: Cows with subclinical mastitis maintain a reservoir of infection within
−Removed: the herd and increase exposure of healthy cows to contagious pathogens.
−Removed: Subclinical mastitis also increases the risk of various quality
−Removed: defects on a variety of final dairy products.
−Removed: active ingredient in Re-Tain ® is pharmaceutical-grade Nisin-A.
−Removed: FDA approval for this drug would establish an entirely
−Removed: new class of anti-infective that is different from those currently available to treat mastitis.
−Removed: This new class, called bacteriocins,
−Removed: are anti-microbial polypeptides with no resistance risk for human health.
−Removed: Bacteriocins selectively target Gram+ bacteria, the same bacteria
−Removed: that commonly cause mastitis.
−Removed: We expect Re-Tain ® will be the first FDA-approved intramammary treatment for subclinical
−Removed: mastitis without a milk discard or meat withhold.
−Removed: This gives us the opportunity to revolutionize the way mastitis is treated, since Re-Tain ®
−Removed: is specifically designed to treat ahead of clinical signs without a milk discard and, as a result, cows can reach their peak milk
−Removed: production and not be sent to the hospital pen.
−Removed: likely will be priced at a premium to the traditional antibiotic products currently on the market, which are all sold subject to
−Removed: a milk discard requirement.
+Added: dairy industry approximately $2 billion
+Added: in economic harm per year.
+Added: It is the most costly and common disease affecting the dairy industry.
+Added: This illness is categorized as either
+Added: clinical mastitis or subclinical mastitis.
+Added: Clinical mastitis infections cause visibly abnormal milk which cannot be sold.
+Added: hand, subclinical mastitis infections do not cause any visible changes in milk or udder appearance, making it difficult to detect.
+Added: Most mastitis cases treated today are those that reach the clinical stage even though it is understood that clinical cases are only the
+Added: tip of the mastitis iceberg.
+Added: Milk from cows with subclinical mastitis can still be sold if not treated with traditional antibiotics.
+Added: from cows treated with traditional antibiotics must be discarded for the duration of the treatment and for 1.5 to 4 days after the last
+Added: treatment, depending on the antibiotic that was used.
+Added: The cost of that milk discard along with the stress and risk in moving the cow to
+Added: the hospital pen is thought to be a primary reason more subclinical mastitis cases are not treated today.
+Added: However, the cascade of negative
+Added: events triggered by subclinical mastitis for both the dairy producer and the milk processor are significant.
+Added: These include lower milk
+Added: production (some have estimated approximately 1,500 pounds of lost milk, or about $270 at $18.00 per hundredweight per infected cow per
+Added: lactation), higher rates of clinical mastitis, lower conception rates, increased abortions, increased cull rates, reduced or foregone
+Added: milk quality premiums, shorter shelf life for fluid milk, and both lower yields and less flavor for cheese.
+Added: C ows with subclinical
+Added: mastitis maintain a reservoir of infection within the herd and increase exposure of healthy cows to contagious pathogens.
+Added: mastitis also increases the risk of various quality defects on a variety of final dairy products.
+Added: active ingredient in Re-Tain ® is pharmaceutical-grade
+Added: FDA approval for this drug would establish an entirely new class of anti-infective that is different from those currently available
+Added: to treat mastitis.
+Added: This new class, called bacteriocins, are anti-microbial polypeptides with no resistance risk for human health.
+Added: selectively target Gram+ bacteria, the same bacteria that commonly cause mastitis.
+Added: We expect Re-Tain ® will
+Added: be the first FDA-approved intramammary treatment for subclinical mastitis without an FDA-required milk discard or meat withhold.
+Added: gives us the opportunity to revolutionize the way mastitis is treated, since Re-Tain ® is
+Added: specifically designed to treat ahead of clinical signs without an FDA-required milk discard or meat withhold.
+Added: As a result, we believe
+Added: that our product can help cows reach their peak milk production and not be sent to the hospital pen.
+Added: Referencing the big picture, we are introducing
+Added: an entirely new class of socially-responsible antimicrobials as an animal drug, a bacteriocin, that does not promote resistance against
+Added: antibiotics used in human medicine.
+Added: As the great NHL hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, is known to have said, “I skate to where the
+Added: puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This is motivational to us.
+Added: We believe our product fits very well with where the industry
+Added: is going to be in the coming years.
+Added: Sustainability objectives of the industry require that less antibiotics be used in food producing
+Added: animals, yet a new product to treat mastitis has not been developed in years (other than new formulations of the same old stuff).
+Added: over-use of antibiotics that are medically important to human healthcare is a growing concern of our society and an active issue with
+Added: the FDA, largely because of the growing evidence that this over-use contributes to antibiotic resistance.
+Added: The industry could keep treating
+Added: this very significant disease with traditional antibiotics, but it takes innovation to bring a bacteriocin like Nisin to market.
+Added: that societal animal welfare objectives will put more and more pressure on the industry to treat cows with subclinical infections.
+Added: Nisin is a naturally occurring bacteriocin that is not used in human medicines, it could alleviate some of the social and public
+Added: health concerns that the widespread use of antibiotics encourages the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
+Added: For example, there is a
+Added: fear that the possible overuse of antibiotics in livestock undermines the effectiveness of these drugs to combat human illnesses and contributes
+Added: to a rising number of life-threatening human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly known as “superbugs”.
+Added: The FDA has expressed a commitment to addressing this public health risk.
+Added: Citing concerns about untreatable, life-threatening infections
+Added: in humans, new FDA and European regulations are aimed at restricting the use of antibiotics (such as penicillin and cephalosporins) in
+Added: food animals and at improving milk quality.
+Added: By reducing the risk of antibiotic residues and slowing the development of antibiotic-resistant
+Added: organisms, we believe that we can improve food quality and preserve medically important antibiotics for human disease treatment.
+Added: current environment is favorable to the introduction of our new product as an alternative to traditional antibiotics.
+Added: We believe that
+Added: this changing environment of new regulations and public opinion supports the value of our ongoing development and commercialization efforts
+Added: for Re-Tain ® .
+Added: Additionally, we believe that the use of our First Defense ® product line is
+Added: consistent with this trend of reducing the use of antibiotics because the prevention of calf scours early in life with our purified colostrum
+Added: antibodies can reduce the need to use treatment antibiotics later in a calf’s life.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
We estimate that the approximate cost to the U.S.
−Removed: dairy industry of this discarded milk may be around $300
+Added: dairy industry of discarded milk associated with the use of traditional antibiotic products currently on the market may be around $300
million per year.
1 unchanged sentence
after clinical signs develop.
−Removed: The Re-Tain ® label will be for subclinical mastitis (not clinical).
−Removed: Without a milk
−Removed: discard cost, we expect producers to be more motivated to identify and treat cows at the subclinical stage.
−Removed: We believe that the product’s
−Removed: value proposition demonstrates a return on investment to the dairy producer and the milk processor that will justify a premium over other
−Removed: mastitis treatments on the market today.
+Added: The Re-Tain ® label will be
+Added: for subclinical mastitis (not clinical).
+Added: Without an FDA-required milk discard or meat withhold cost, we expect producers to be more motivated
+Added: to identify and treat cows at the subclinical stage.
+Added: In addition, we expect that Re-Tain ® likely will be
+Added: priced at a premium to the traditional antibiotic products currently on the market, which are all sold subject to milk discard and meat
+Added: withhold requirements.
+Added: To validate our confidence in the value proposition of our product, we initiated a stochastic model led by researchers
+Added: at Michigan State University.
+Added: This model simulated the dynamics of subclinical mastitis detected during the first week of lactation.
+Added: study involved assessing probabilities of events, both production and health related, and their associated costs using a model grounded
+Added: in pathogen-specific assumptions drawn from peer-reviewed literature.
+Added: The study indicated that treatment with our product generated a
+Added: positive economic benefit and was the optimal economic strategy for treating subclinical mastitis in most herds.
+Added: The extent of the economic
+Added: benefit varies depending on factors such as bacteriological cure rates, parity of the animal and the cost of Re-Tain ® .
+Added: These findings, which were subsequently published in the Journal of Dairy Science in January 2024, will guide our pricing strategies.
is difficult to accurately estimate the potential size of the subclinical mastitis market because presently this disease is largely left
2 unchanged sentences
compares to approximately 2% of the U.S.
−Removed: herd that is thought to be infected with clinical mastitis, where approximately $60 million
−Removed: per year is spent on drug treatments.
+Added: herd that is thought to be infected with clinical mastitis, where approximately $65 million per
+Added: year is spent on drug treatments.
Rarely is an industry revolutionized overnight.
2 unchanged sentences
and better since the FDA has not approved an intramammary treatment within the last 20 years.
−Removed: Similar market opportunities are likely
−Removed: to exist outside the United States.
−Removed: We believe the use of Re-Tain ® could be expanded, with additional data and
−Removed: regulatory approval, to support treatment late in lactation and possibly for clinical stage mastitis.
−Removed: We also believe there may be a
−Removed: market for Re-Tain ® in small ruminants, where the majority of mastitis cases are caused by strep-like organisms
−Removed: aligned with our effectiveness data.
−Removed: on consultations with industry experts and key opinion leaders, we have opted to carefully control the launch of this novel product over
−Removed: the first 18 to 24 months after FDA approval, as we seek to transform the way that mastitis is treated in the dairy industry over the
−Removed: Our goal is to help early adopters select treatment candidates, develop easy to use protocols, optimize treatment results
−Removed: and realize a positive return on their investment.
−Removed: We intend to limit initial distribution of Re-Tain ® to a level
−Removed: that enables our sales team to select the optimal dairy farms at which to introduce Re-Tain ® and to limit the initial
−Removed: numbers of participating farms so that the desired levels of support and guidance relating to effective usage of Re-Tain ®
−Removed: can be provided with our available resources.
−Removed: Our overarching objective is to minimize the risk of early stage unsatisfactory
−Removed: outcomes that could harm the longer term prospects and market acceptance of Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: This strategy also reduces
−Removed: the amount of inventory that we would need to build at risk before regulatory approval is achieved, and it reduces the amount of cash
−Removed: we would need to spend to purchase inventory from our contract manufacturer before our in-house aseptic filling services are approved
−Removed: This strategic choice means that we have elected not to pursue an alternative strategy that might have maximized short-term,
−Removed: initial sales quickly through a mass market approach where we provide product to distribution and let them sell it to as many farms as
−Removed: While we are dedicated to increasing our sales revenue, we must consider the damage a mass market strategy could cause to the
−Removed: long-term value of the product.
−Removed: We have seen products sold by much larger companies that were substantially damaged by such failed market
−Removed: launch strategies.
−Removed: We continue to develop detailed launch plans, focusing on the readiness of dairy operators to successfully introduce
−Removed: Re-Tain ® to their herds.
−Removed: We believe that these prudent steps, while potentially leading to lower initial Re-Tain ®
−Removed: revenues, may create a smooth and successful launch and could safeguard the longer term performance of our investment in Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: Nisin is a naturally occurring bacteriocin that is not used in human medicines, it could alleviate some of the social and public health
−Removed: concerns that the widespread use of antibiotics encourages the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
−Removed: For example, there is a fear
−Removed: that the possible overuse of antibiotics in livestock undermines the effectiveness of these drugs to combat human illnesses and contributes
−Removed: to a rising number of life-threatening human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly known as “superbugs”.
−Removed: The FDA has expressed a commitment to addressing this public health risk.
−Removed: Citing concerns about untreatable, life-threatening infections
−Removed: in humans, new FDA and European regulations are aimed at restricting the use of antibiotics (including cephalosporins) in food animals
−Removed: and at improving milk quality.
−Removed: By reducing the risk of antibiotic residues and slowing the development of antibiotic-resistant organisms,
−Removed: we believe that we can improve food quality and preserve medically important antibiotics for human disease treatment.
−Removed: This current environment
−Removed: is favorable to the introduction of our new product as an alternative to traditional antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins.
−Removed: We believe that this changing environment of new regulations and public opinion supports the value of our ongoing development and commercialization
−Removed: efforts for Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: Additionally, we believe that the use of our First Defense ® product
−Removed: line is consistent with this trend of reducing the use of antibiotics because the prevention of calf scours early in life with our purified
−Removed: colostrum antibodies can reduce the need to use treatment antibiotics later in a calf’s life.
−Removed: the big picture, we are introducing an entirely new class of antimicrobials as an animal drug, a bacteriocin, that does not promote resistance
−Removed: against antibiotics used in human medicine, making it more socially responsible.
−Removed: As the great NHL hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, is known
−Removed: to have said, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” This is motivational to us.
−Removed: We believe our
−Removed: product fits very well with where the industry is going to be in the coming years.
−Removed: Sustainability objectives of the industry require
−Removed: that less antibiotics be used in food producing animals, yet a new product to treat mastitis has not been developed in years (other than
−Removed: new formulations of the same old stuff).
−Removed: The over-use of antibiotics that are medically important to human healthcare is a growing concern
−Removed: of our society and an active issue with the FDA, largely because of the growing evidence that this over-use contributes to antibiotic
−Removed: The industry could keep treating this very significant disease with traditional antibiotics, but it takes innovation to bring
−Removed: a bacteriocin like Nisin to market.
−Removed: Re-Tain ® will, when introduced, offer a needed alternative to these traditional
−Removed: We believe that societal animal welfare objectives will put more and more pressure on the industry to treat cows with subclinical
−Removed: expect the Drug Substance production facility that we constructed for approximately $20.8 million to have initial annual production capacity
−Removed: sufficient to meet at least $10 million in sales of Re-Tain ® at current production yields.
−Removed: This production capacity
−Removed: estimate does not yet reflect any inventory build strategies or ongoing yield improvement initiatives.
−Removed: Expansion of the estimated annual
−Removed: capacity of the Drug Substance facility beyond approximately $10 million (without factoring in potential yield improvements) would require
−Removed: relocation of the Drug Product formulation and aseptic filling module to another facility, or the acquisition and equipping of other
−Removed: Drug Substance production facilities or adopting alternative manufacturing strategies.
−Removed: an effort to provide greater visibility into the launch of Re-Tain ® , we have expanded Note 17, “Segment Information”,
−Removed: to the accompanying audited financial statements to now display a break-out of our financial results among the following three components
−Removed: of our business:
−Removed: i) Scours, ii) Mastitis and iii) Other.
−Removed: This will allow investors to see our progress with both product lines.
−Removed: do not provide financial projections, as we know such projections can prove to be materially inaccurate.
−Removed: However, in this case, we are
−Removed: providing a high-level projection for Re-Tain ® that under our controlled launch plan strategy, we estimate that
−Removed: we can achieve sales of approximately $1 million in 2024 and then achieve approximately twice that in 2025.
−Removed: This assumes FDA approval
−Removed: is achieved and that product launch is initiated around the end of 2023.
−Removed: If we are successful with this launch strategy, we would aim
−Removed: to grow this curve in 2026 and after.
−Removed: We believe this strategy lends itself to a more gradual adoption curve but higher and more sustainable
−Removed: sales over the long-term.
−Removed: Actual sales results will vary from these projections up or down.
−Removed: continued growth in sales of the First Defense ® product line, and as additional resources are dedicated to production,
−Removed: sales, marketing and technical services, it is our objective to exceed our total product sales of approximately $19 million achieved
−Removed: during the year ended December 31, 2022 as soon as possible.
−Removed: Our longer-term goal is to exceed $35 million of annual total product sales
−Removed: as soon as possible during the five-year period after the market launch of Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: of our product development spending has been focused on the development of Re-Tain ® , our purified Nisin treatment
−Removed: for subclinical mastitis in lactating cows.
−Removed: During the 23-year period that began on January 1, 2000 and ended on December 31, 2022, we
−Removed: invested an aggregate of approximately $25.2 million (excluding depreciation and the capital cost of our Drug Substance production facility)
+Added: Similar market opportunities are
+Added: likely to exist outside the United States.
+Added: We believe the use of Re-Tain ® could be expanded, with additional data
+Added: and regulatory approval, to support treatment late in lactation.
+Added: We also believe there may be a market for Re-Tain ®
+Added: in small ruminants, where the majority of mastitis cases are caused by strep-like organisms aligned with our effectiveness data.
+Added: Based on consultations with industry experts
+Added: and key opinion leaders, we have opted to carefully control the launch of this novel product over the first 18 to 24 months after FDA
+Added: approval, as we seek to transform the way that mastitis is treated in the dairy industry over the long term, which we refer to as our
+Added: “Controlled Launch” strategy.
+Added: Our goal is to help early adopters select treatment candidates, develop easy to use protocols,
+Added: optimize treatment results and realize a positive return on their investment.
+Added: We intend to limit initial distribution of Re-Tain ®
+Added: to a level that enables our sales team to select the optimal dairy farms at which to introduce Re-Tain ® and
+Added: to limit the initial numbers of participating farms so that the desired levels of support and guidance relating to effective usage of
+Added: Re-Tain ® can be provided with our available resources.
+Added: Our overarching objective is to minimize the risk of early-stage
+Added: unsatisfactory outcomes that could harm the longer-term prospects and market acceptance of Re-Tain ® .
+Added: This strategy
+Added: is also prudent since our saleable inventory is fixed until an FDA-approved alternative contract manufacturer for aseptic filling is identified
+Added: or our own aseptic filling capability is developed and approved by the FDA.
+Added: While we are dedicated to increasing our sales revenue, we
+Added: must consider the damage a mass market strategy could cause to the long-term value of the product.
+Added: We have seen products sold by much
+Added: larger companies that were substantially damaged by such failed market launch strategies.
+Added: We continue to develop detailed launch plans,
+Added: focusing on the readiness of dairy operators to successfully introduce Re-Tain ® to their herds.
+Added: We believe that
+Added: these prudent steps, while potentially leading to lower initial Re-Tain ® revenues, may create a smooth and successful
+Added: launch and could safeguard the longer-term performance of our investment in Re-Tain ® .
+Added: We expect the DS production facility that we
+Added: constructed to have initial annual production capacity sufficient to meet approximately $7 million to $10 million in sales of Re-Tain ®
+Added: at current production yields without factoring in potential yield improvements, but our supply of finished Drug Product (DP) will be limited
+Added: until we find an alternative aseptic formulation and filling capability, as discussed above.
+Added: This production capacity estimate does not
+Added: yet reflect any inventory build strategies or ongoing yield improvement initiatives.
+Added: We have available space in our existing facilities
+Added: to double the production capacity by installing a second equipment train.
+Added: A decision on whether to use this space for a doubling of the
+Added: DS production capacity or for in-house aseptic formulation and filling DP equipment will be made post-approval.
+Added: Our objective is to supply
+Added: initial market launch with approximately 100,000 to 150,000 doses of Re-Tain ® (enough to treat up to 50,000 cows
+Added: with three doses per cow) that would be aseptically formulated and filled by our DP manufacturer.
+Added: The expiry dates on this product would
+Added: be 18-24 months after the date of production, meaning that product expiry could be approximately between September of 2025 and March of
+Added: We may not reach 50,000 cows during the Controlled Launch.
+Added: Further, early adopters may be offered discounted or promotional goods
+Added: as an incentive to collaborate with us on data collection during the Controlled Launch.
+Added: are expecting a pause in supply to the market after the Controlled Launch after goods produced by our contract DP manufacturer are consumed
+Added: and before we obtain FDA approval of an alternative DP manufacturing option.
+Added: Although these projections are subject to many risks and
+Added: uncertainties (some of which are detailed in this Annual Report), if executed correctly, we believe this strategy will lend itself to
+Added: a more gradual adoption curve but higher and more sustainable sales over the long-term.
+Added: In an effort to provide greater visibility into
+Added: the launch of Re-Tain ® , we have expanded Note 17, “Segment Information”, to the accompanying audited
+Added: financial statements to now display a break-out of our financial results among the following three components of our business:
+Added: ii) Mastitis and iii) Other, in order to allow investors to see our progress with both products.
+Added: ImmuCell Corporation
+Added: Through our anticipated growth in sales of the First
+Added: Defense ® product line, and as additional resources are dedicated to production, sales, marketing and technical services,
+Added: it is our objective to exceed our total product sales of approximately $17.5 million achieved during the year ended December 31, 2023
+Added: as soon as possible.
+Added: Our longer-term goal is to exceed $35 million of annual total product sales as soon as possible during the four-year
+Added: period after the market launch of Re-Tain ® .
+Added: Product Development
+Added: Most of our product development spending has been
+Added: focused on the development of Re-Tain ® , our purified
+Added: Nisin treatment for subclinical mastitis in lactating cows.
+Added: During the 24-year period that began on January 1, 2000 and ended on December
+Added: 31, 2023, we invested an aggregate of approximately $28.1 million (excluding depreciation and the capital cost of our DS production facility)
in the development of this product.
3 unchanged sentences
grant income, most of which was earned from 2001 to 2007.
−Removed: 2000, we acquired an exclusive license from Nutrition 21, Inc.
+Added: During 2000, we acquired an exclusive license from
+Added: Nutrition 21, Inc.
(formerly Applied Microbiology Inc.
−Removed: or AMBI) to develop and market Nisin-based
−Removed: products for animal health applications, which allowed us to initiate the development of Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: paid Nutrition 21 approximately $965,000 to buy out this royalty and milestone-based license to Nisin, thereby acquiring control of the
−Removed: animal health applications of Nisin.
−Removed: Nisin is a well characterized substance, having been used in food preservation applications for
−Removed: over 50 years.
−Removed: Food-grade Nisin, however, cannot be used in pharmaceutical applications because of its low purity.
−Removed: A much less pure preparation
−Removed: of our active ingredient, Nisin, is commonly used as a food preservative and has been given “Generally Regarded as Safe”
−Removed: (GRAS) status by the FDA.
−Removed: Our Nisin technology includes patented processing and purification methods to achieve pharmaceutical-grade
+Added: or AMBI) to develop and market Nisin-based products for animal health applications,
+Added: which allowed us to initiate the development of Re-Tain ® .
+Added: In 2004, we paid Nutrition 21 approximately $965,000 to
+Added: buy out this royalty and milestone-based license to Nisin, thereby acquiring control of the animal health applications of Nisin.
+Added: is a well characterized substance, having been used in food preservation applications for over 50 years.
+Added: Food-grade Nisin, however, cannot
+Added: be used in pharmaceutical applications because of its low purity.
+Added: A much less pure preparation of our active ingredient, Nisin, is commonly
+Added: used as a food preservative and has been given “Generally Regarded as Safe” (GRAS) status by the FDA.
+Added: We are also investigating
+Added: potential applications of Nisin for other animal health applications as well as for humans.
+Added: Our Nisin technology includes patented processing
+Added: and purification methods to achieve pharmaceutical-grade purity.
2004, we entered into a product development and marketing agreement with Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health, a division of Pfizer,
1 unchanged sentence
That company elected to terminate the agreement in 2007.
−Removed: We believe that this decision was not based on
−Removed: any unanticipated efficacy or regulatory issues.
−Removed: Rather, we believe the decision was primarily driven by a marketing concern relating
−Removed: to their fear that the milk from treated cows could interfere with the manufacture of certain cultured dairy products.
−Removed: Due to the zero-milk
−Removed: discard feature, there is a risk that Nisin from the milk of treated cows could interfere with the manufacture of certain (but not all)
−Removed: commercial cultured dairy products, such as some kinds of cheese and yogurt, if a process tank contains a high enough percentage of milk
−Removed: from treated cows.
−Removed: The impact of this potential interference ranges from a delay in the manufacturing process (which does happen at times
−Removed: for other reasons) to the less likely stopping of a cheese starter culture.
−Removed: Milk from cows that have been treated with our product that
−Removed: is sold exclusively for fluid milk products presents no such risk.
−Removed: We worked with scientists and mastitis experts to conduct a formal
−Removed: risk assessment to quantify the impact that milk from treated cows may have on cultured dairy products.
−Removed: This study concluded that the
−Removed: dilution of milk from treated cows through comingling with milk from untreated cows during normal milk hauling and storage practices
−Removed: reduces the risk of interference with commercial dairy cultures to a negligible level when the product is used in accordance with the
−Removed: product label.
−Removed: Further, we believe that such a premium-priced product will be used selectively, which reduces the risk of cheese interference
−Removed: and is consistent with modern “precision dairying” practices that discourage the indiscriminate use of drug treatments.
−Removed: the measures that we intend to deploy will be detailed guidance on limiting the portion of a herd that is treated with Re-Tain ®
−Removed: at any one time in order to avoid concentration levels in the milk that could lead to the rejection of the contents in a cheese
−Removed: mastitis, and the study required to achieve an effectiveness claim for it, is defined under the FDA/Center for Veterinary Medicine Guidance
−Removed: Target Animal Safety and Drug Effectiveness Studies for Anti-Microbial Bovine Mastitis Products (Lactating and Non-Lactating Cow
−Removed: Trial eligibility requires both pretreatment samples to be positive for the mastitis pathogen (except for Staphylococcus
−Removed: aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae , where a single pretreatment sample qualifies a cow for enrollment).
−Removed: For all pathogens,
−Removed: both samples taken between 14 and 28 days post treatment (and at least 5 days apart) must be negative to be judged a cure.
−Removed: conservative criteria generally result in enrolling cows with chronic subclinical disease, which rarely self-resolves.
+Added: We believe that this decision was not based on any
+Added: unanticipated efficacy or regulatory issues.
+Added: Rather, we believe the decision was primarily driven by a marketing concern relating to their
+Added: fear that the milk from treated cows could interfere with the manufacture of certain cultured dairy products.
+Added: Due to the zero-milk discard
+Added: feature, there is a risk that Nisin from the milk of treated cows could interfere with the manufacture of certain (but not all) commercial
+Added: cultured dairy products, such as some kinds of cheese and yogurt, if a process tank contains a high enough percentage of milk from treated
+Added: The impact of this potential interference ranges from a delay in the manufacturing process (which does happen at times for other
+Added: reasons) to the less likely stopping of a cheese starter culture.
+Added: Milk from cows that have been treated with our product that is sold
+Added: exclusively for fluid milk products presents no such risk.
+Added: We worked with scientists and mastitis experts to conduct a formal risk assessment
+Added: to quantify the impact that milk from treated cows may have on cultured dairy products.
+Added: This study concluded that the dilution of milk
+Added: from treated cows through comingling with milk from untreated cows during normal milk hauling and storage practices reduces the risk of
+Added: interference with commercial dairy cultures to a negligible level when the product is used in accordance with the product label.
+Added: we believe that such a premium-priced product will be used selectively, which reduces the risk of cheese interference and is consistent
+Added: with modern “precision dairying” practices that discourage the indiscriminate use of drug treatments.
+Added: Among the measures that
+Added: we intend to deploy will be detailed guidance on limiting the portion of a herd that is treated with Re-Tain ®
+Added: at any one time in order to avoid concentration levels in the milk that could lead to the rejection of the contents in a cheese tank.
Our second most important product development
13 unchanged sentences
We are currently working to establish USDA claims for our bivalent bulk powder formulation of First Defense Technology ® .
−Removed: We are also working to expand our product development pipeline of antimicrobials that can be used as alternatives to traditional antibiotics
−Removed: through expansions of our Nisin technology and yield improvements.
−Removed: We intend to begin new development projects that are aligned with our
−Removed: core competencies and market focus.
−Removed: We also remain interested in acquiring, on suitable terms, other new products and technologies that
−Removed: fit with our sales focus on the dairy and beef industries.
ImmuCell Corporation
−Removed: competition in the animal health market includes other biotechnology companies and major animal health companies.
−Removed: Most, if not all, of
−Removed: these competitors have substantially greater financial, marketing, manufacturing and human resources and more extensive product development
−Removed: capabilities than we do.
−Removed: would consider any company that sells an antibiotic to treat mastitis, such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck Animal Health and Zoetis,
−Removed: to be among the potential competitors with respect to Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: We expect the FDA to grant a period of five years
−Removed: of market exclusivity for our product (meaning the FDA would not grant approval to a second NADA with the same active drug for a period
−Removed: of five years after the first NADA approval is granted) under Section 512(c)(2)F of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
−Removed: A is produced from our high-yielding, proprietary L.
−Removed: lactis strain and purified to a high level, providing us with a level of
−Removed: protection over a competitor that might try to develop a similar product.
−Removed: are several other products on the market (some with claims and some without) that are delivered to newborn calves to prevent scours.
−Removed: We believe that the First Defense ® product line offers two significant competitive advantages.
−Removed: First, the First
−Removed: Defense ® product line is the only calf-level product that provides protection against E.
−Removed: coli, coronavirus
−Removed: and rotavirus, three of the leading causes of calf scours.
−Removed: Second, being derived from colostrum, our product offers Immediate Immunity TM
−Removed: through antibodies that both function at the gut level and are absorbed into the blood stream for future protection.
−Removed: of our product can be administered immediately after birth and are not negatively affected by maternal colostrum.
−Removed: sells a product that competes directly with the First Defense ® product line in preventing scours via oral delivery
−Removed: to newborn calves.
−Removed: Their product (Calf-Guard ® ) is a modified-live virus vaccine.
−Removed: Newborn calves respond poorly to vaccines
−Removed: and the immune system must be given time to develop a response to vaccines.
−Removed: Both our product and Calf-Guard ® carry claims
−Removed: against coronavirus and rotavirus infections, but this competing product does not carry a claim against E.
−Removed: coli infections like
−Removed: our product does.
−Removed: It is common practice to delay colostrum feeding when dosing a calf with Calf-Guard ® so that the antibodies
−Removed: in the colostrum do not inactivate this vaccine product.
+Added: We are also working to expand our product development
+Added: pipeline of antimicrobials that can be used as alternatives to traditional antibiotics through expansions of our Nisin technology and
+Added: yield improvements.
+Added: We intend to begin new development projects that are aligned with our core competencies and market focus.
+Added: remain interested in acquiring, on suitable terms, other new products and technologies that fit with our sales focus on the dairy and
+Added: beef industries when we have adequate cash reserves.
+Added: Our competition in the animal health market includes
+Added: other biotechnology companies and major animal health companies.
+Added: Most, if not all, of these competitors have substantially greater financial,
+Added: marketing, manufacturing and human resources and more extensive product development capabilities than we do.
+Added: There are several other products on the market
+Added: (some with claims and some without) that are delivered to newborn calves to prevent scours.
+Added: We believe that the First Defense ®
+Added: product line offers two significant competitive advantages.
+Added: First, the First Defense ® product line is the
+Added: only calf-level product that provides protection against E.
+Added: coli, coronavirus and rotavirus, three of the leading causes of calf
+Added: Second, being derived from colostrum, our product offers Immediate Immunity TM through antibodies that both
+Added: function at the gut level and are absorbed into the blood stream for future protection.
+Added: All formats of our product can be administered
+Added: immediately after birth and are not negatively affected by maternal colostrum.
+Added: Zoetis sells a product (Calf-Guard ® )
+Added: that competes directly with the First Defense ® product line in preventing scours via oral delivery to newborn calves.
+Added: Their product is a modified-live virus vaccine.
+Added: Newborn calves respond poorly to vaccines and the immune system must be given time to
+Added: develop a response to vaccines.
+Added: Both our product and Calf-Guard ® carry claims against coronavirus and rotavirus infections,
+Added: but this competing product does not carry a claim against E.
+Added: coli infections like our product does.
+Added: It is common practice to delay
+Added: colostrum feeding when dosing a calf with Calf-Guard ® so that the antibodies in the colostrum do not inactivate this vaccine
There is no nutritional or health benefit to withholding milk from newborn calves.
−Removed: In contrast, we encourage the feeding of four quarts of high quality colostrum immediately after birth when dosing a calf with our product,
−Removed: which is standard practice for good calf health.
−Removed: Because the antibodies in our product would likely work to inactivate a modified-live
−Removed: virus vaccine, rendering it useless or less useful, our product label historically included a precaution that First Defense ®
−Removed: should not be used within five days of such a vaccine.
−Removed: During the first quarter of 2015, the USDA granted us permission to remove
−Removed: this precaution from our label, and we have done so.
−Removed: We believe that this precaution should be required on the Calf-Guard ®
−Removed: label to prevent inactivation of that product by First Defense ® antibodies or by colostrum.
−Removed: Our product is priced
−Removed: at a premium to Calf-Guard ® .
−Removed: the fourth quarter of 2016, Merck launched a new competing product into this market space.
−Removed: This product (BOVILIS ® Coronavirus)
−Removed: is a modified-live virus intranasal vaccine that carries a claim against coronavirus only.
−Removed: Around the end of 2019, Elanco Animal Health
−Removed: gave notice to the market that it had discontinued the manufacture of its competing products, Bovine Ecolizer ® and Bovine
−Removed: Ecolizer + C20, and subsequently exited the market during the first quarter of 2021.
−Removed: This product was the smallest of our three significant
−Removed: calf-level competitors.
−Removed: During the first quarter of 2023, we learned that some of our dam-level scour competitors were tight in supply
−Removed: and may not be able to meet all of their marketing demand.
−Removed: compared to the other USDA-approved calf-level scours preventatives, we lead in both sales dollars and calves treated within the U.S.
−Removed: This product category is comprised of the three primary brands discussed above that are given either orally or intranasally to
−Removed: newborn dairy and beef calves immediately after birth.
−Removed: With the rotavirus claim for our product ( Tri-Shield First Defense ® ),
−Removed: we are now also competing against dam-level vaccine products that are given to the mother cow to increase the antibody level against
−Removed: scours-causing pathogens in the colostrum that she produces for her newborn.
−Removed: Those products are sold by Elanco (Scour Bos™), Merck
−Removed: (Guardian ® ) and Zoetis (ScourGuard ® ).
−Removed: Despite the best-managed dam vaccine program, colostrum quality is
−Removed: naturally variable and newborn calves do not always get the antibodies they need from maternal colostrum.
−Removed: We believe that the measured
−Removed: dose of antibodies in our product provides more consistent protection than such vaccine products.
−Removed: may not be aware of competition that we face, or may face in the future, from other companies.
−Removed: Our competitive position will be highly
−Removed: influenced by our ability to attract and retain key scientific, manufacturing, managerial and sales and marketing personnel, to develop
−Removed: and effectively produce and market proprietary technologies and products.
−Removed: We need to obtain USDA, FDA or foreign approvals for new products
−Removed: to effectively promote and market our products.
−Removed: We must have available properly licensed, efficient and effective raw material and finished
−Removed: product manufacturing resources to continue to profitably sell our current products.
−Removed: We currently compete on the basis of product performance,
−Removed: price, distribution capability and customer support.
−Removed: We continue to monitor our network of independent distributors to maintain our competitive
+Added: In contrast, we encourage the feeding of four
+Added: quarts of high quality colostrum immediately after birth when dosing a calf with our product, which is standard practice for good calf
+Added: Because the antibodies in our product would likely work to inactivate a modified-live virus vaccine, rendering it useless or less
+Added: useful, our product label historically included a precaution that First Defense ® should not be used within five
+Added: days of such a vaccine.
+Added: During the first quarter of 2015, the USDA granted us permission to remove this precaution from our label, and
+Added: we have done so.
+Added: We believe that this precaution should be required on the Calf-Guard ® label to prevent inactivation of
+Added: that product by First Defense ® antibodies or by colostrum.
+Added: Our product is priced at a premium to Calf-Guard ® .
+Added: During the fourth quarter of 2016, Merck launched
+Added: a new competing product into this market space.
+Added: This product (BOVILIS ® Coronavirus) is a modified-live virus intranasal
+Added: vaccine that carries a claim against coronavirus only.
+Added: Around the end of 2019,
+Added: Elanco Animal Health gave notice to the market that it had discontinued the manufacture of its competing products, Bovine Ecolizer ®
+Added: and Bovine Ecolizer + C20, and subsequently exited the market during the first quarter of 2021.
+Added: This product was the smallest of our three
+Added: significant calf-level competitors.
+Added: When compared to the other USDA-approved calf-level
+Added: scours preventatives, we lead in both sales dollars and calves treated within the U.S.
+Added: This product category is comprised of the
+Added: three primary brands discussed above that are given either orally or intranasally to newborn dairy and beef calves immediately after birth.
+Added: With the rotavirus claim for our product ( Tri-Shield First Defense ® ), we are now also competing against dam-level
+Added: vaccine products that are given to the mother cow to increase the antibody level against scours-causing pathogens in the colostrum that
+Added: she produces for her newborn.
+Added: Those products are sold by Elanco (Scour Bos™), Merck (Guardian ® ) and Zoetis (ScourGuard ® ).
+Added: Despite the best-managed dam vaccine program, colostrum quality is naturally variable and newborn calves do not always get the antibodies
+Added: they need from maternal colostrum.
+Added: We believe that the measured dose of antibodies in our product provides more consistent protection
+Added: than such vaccine products.
+Added: We would consider any company that sells an antibiotic
+Added: to treat mastitis, such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck Animal Health and Zoetis, to be among the potential competitors with respect to
+Added: We expect the FDA to grant a period of
+Added: five years of market exclusivity for our product (meaning the FDA would not grant approval to a second NADA with the same active drug
+Added: for a period of five years after the first NADA approval is granted) under Section 512(c)(2)F of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
+Added: Our Nisin A is produced from our high-yielding, proprietary L.
+Added: lactis strain and purified to a high level, providing us with
+Added: a level of protection over a competitor that might try to develop a similar product.
ImmuCell Corporation
−Removed: own a broad collection of registered and unregistered intellectual property rights relating to our research, products and processes.
−Removed: These rights include patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property rights in
−Removed: the United States and other countries.
−Removed: We believe the ownership of our intellectual property rights is an important factor in our business
−Removed: and that our success depends in part on such ownership.
−Removed: We also rely heavily on the innovative skills, technical competence and marketing
−Removed: abilities of our personnel.
+Added: We may not be aware of competition that we face,
+Added: or may face in the future, from other companies.
+Added: Our competitive position will be highly influenced by our ability to attract and retain
+Added: key scientific, manufacturing, managerial and sales and marketing personnel, to develop and effectively produce and market proprietary
+Added: technologies and products.
+Added: We need to obtain USDA, FDA or foreign approvals for new products to effectively promote and market our products.
+Added: We must have available properly-licensed, efficient and effective raw material and finished product manufacturing resources to continue
+Added: to profitably sell our current products.
+Added: We currently compete on the basis of product performance, price, distribution capability and
+Added: customer support.
+Added: We continue to monitor our network of independent distributors to maintain our competitive position.
+Added: Intellectual Property
+Added: We own a broad
+Added: collection of registered and unregistered intellectual property rights relating to our research, products and processes.
+Added: include patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual property rights in the United States
+Added: and other countries.
+Added: We believe the ownership of our intellectual property rights is an important factor in our business and that our
+Added: success depends in part on such ownership.
+Added: We also rely heavily on the innovative skills, technical competence and marketing abilities
+Added: of our personnel.
The Nisin A that is produced from our proprietary strain of L.
−Removed: lactis is an essential component of
−Removed: our intellectual property covering Re-Tain ® .
−Removed: We enter into and rely on confidentiality and proprietary rights agreements
−Removed: with our employees, contractors and business partners to protect our trade secrets, proprietary developments and confidential information.
−Removed: 6,794,181 entitled “Method of Purifying Lantibiotics”, which covers a manufacturing process for
−Removed: preparing pharmaceutical-grade Nisin, which was issued in 2004;
−Removed: 10,023,617 entitled “Methods and Systems
−Removed: of Producing Pharmaceutical Grade Lantibiotics”, which covers key, novel and proprietary aspects of our manufacturing process for
−Removed: preparing pharmaceutical-grade Nisin and was issued during the third quarter of 2018.
−Removed: In the future, we may file additional patent applications
−Removed: for certain products under development.
−Removed: There can be no assurance that patents will be issued with respect to any pending or future applications.
−Removed: In some cases, we have chosen (and may choose in the future) not to seek patent protection for certain products or processes.
−Removed: instances, we have sought (and may seek in the future) to maintain the confidentiality of any relevant intellectual property and other
−Removed: proprietary rights through operational measures and contractual agreements.
−Removed: own numerous trademarks and trade dress that are very important to our business and have several trademark and trade dress registrations
−Removed: in the United States, Canada and Iran.
−Removed: We own the following U.S.
+Added: lactis is an essential component of our Re-Tain ®
+Added: product and related intellectual property.
+Added: We enter into and rely on confidentiality and proprietary
+Added: rights agreements with our employees, contractors and business partners to protect our trade secrets, proprietary developments and confidential
+Added: 10,023,617 entitled “Methods
+Added: and Systems of Producing Pharmaceutical Grade Lantibiotics”, which covers key, novel and proprietary aspects of our manufacturing
+Added: process for preparing pharmaceutical-grade Nisin and was issued during the third quarter of 2018.
+Added: In the future, we may file additional
+Added: patent applications for certain products under development.
+Added: There can be no assurance that patents will be issued with respect to any
+Added: pending or future applications.
+Added: In some cases, we have chosen (and may choose in the future) not to seek patent protection for certain
+Added: products or processes.
+Added: In those instances, we have sought (and may seek in the future) to maintain the confidentiality of any relevant
+Added: intellectual property and other proprietary rights through operational measures and contractual agreements.
+Added: We own numerous trademarks and trade dress that
+Added: are very important to our business and have several trademark and trade dress registrations in the United States, Canada and Iran.
+Added: own the following U.S.
trademark registrations:
−Removed: IMMUCELL , FIRST DEFENSE , FD
−Removed: FIRST DEFENSE (& Design), FIRST DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY , TRI-SHIELD FIRST DEFENSE, TRI-SHIELD FIRST DEFENSE (& Design), YOUR
−Removed: CALF CREW, BEYOND VACCINATION, BEYOND VACCINATION (& Design), CALF HERO, DUAL-FORCE, TRI-SHIELD and RE-TAIN.
−Removed: We also own U.S.
+Added: IMMUCELL , FIRST DEFENSE , FD FIRST DEFENSE (& Design), FIRST DEFENSE
+Added: TECHNOLOGY , TRI-SHIELD FIRST DEFENSE, TRI-SHIELD FIRST DEFENSE (& Design), YOUR CALF CREW, BEYOND VACCINATION, BEYOND VACCINATION
+Added: (& Design), CALF HERO, DUAL-FORCE, TRI-SHIELD and RE-TAIN.
+Added: also own U.S.
registrations claiming rights in the color blue for our blue gel and blue bolus FIRST DEFENSE products.
−Removed: The United States Patent
−Removed: and Trademark Office refused registration of our IMMEDIATE IMMUNITY trademark, which we use in connection with marketing of all
−Removed: of our products, on the grounds that the mark is generic.
−Removed: Rather than appeal this finding, we are continuing to build our common law
−Removed: rights in the brand as we do with other brands from time to time.
−Removed: The FDA issued a determination that the name, MAST OUT , which
−Removed: we had intended to use for our purified Nisin product, is overly promotional.
−Removed: Rather than continuing an appeal of this decision, we selected
−Removed: a new product name, RE-TAIN , which was approved by the FDA during the first quarter of 2019.
−Removed: believe that we are in compliance with current regulatory requirements relating to our business and products.
−Removed: The manufacture and sale
−Removed: of animal health biologicals within the United States is generally regulated by the USDA.
−Removed: We have received USDA and Canadian Food Inspection
−Removed: Agency approval for the bolus format of First Defense ® and for the gel tube formats of Tri-Shield First Defense ®
−Removed: and Dual-Force First Defense ® .
−Removed: Re-Tain ® is regulated by the FDA, which regulates veterinary
−Removed: Regulations in the European Union will likely require that Re-Tain ® be sold subject to a milk discard requirement
−Removed: in that territory, although the duration of the milk discard requirement may be shorter than the discard requirement applicable to competing
−Removed: antibiotic products in that market.
−Removed: Comparable agencies exist in foreign countries, and foreign sales of our products will be subject
−Removed: to regulation by such agencies.
−Removed: Many countries have laws regulating the production, sale, distribution or use of biological products,
−Removed: and we may have to obtain approvals from regulatory authorities in countries in which we propose to sell our products.
−Removed: Depending upon
−Removed: the product and its applications, obtaining regulatory approvals may be a relatively brief and inexpensive procedure or it may involve
−Removed: extensive clinical tests, incurring significant expenses and an approval process of several years’ duration.
−Removed: We generally rely
−Removed: on in-country experts to assist us with or to perform international regulatory applications.
−Removed: currently employ 74 employees (including 7 part-time employees) in comparison to 67 employees (including 7 part-time employees) approximately
−Removed: Approximately 48.4 full-time equivalent employees are engaged in quality and manufacturing operations, 13.5 full-time equivalent
−Removed: employees in sales and marketing, 6.7 full-time equivalent employees in product development activities (primarily supporting facility
−Removed: maintenance and operation, regulatory filings and commercial scale-up for Re-Tain ® ) and 5.4 full-time equivalent
−Removed: employees in finance and administration.
−Removed: As needed, we augment our staff with contracted temporary employees.
−Removed: All of our employees are
−Removed: required to execute non-disclosure and invention assignment agreements (and some are required to execute non-compete agreements) intended
−Removed: to protect our rights in our proprietary products.
−Removed: We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreement and consider our employee
−Removed: relations to be excellent.
+Added: We also own common law rights in the IMMEDIATE IMMUNITY trademark and other trademarks.
+Added: Government Regulation
+Added: We believe that we are in compliance with current
+Added: regulatory requirements relating to our business and products.
+Added: The manufacture and sale of animal health biologicals within the United
+Added: States is generally regulated by the USDA.
+Added: We have received USDA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency approval for the bolus format of
+Added: First Defense ® and for the gel tube formats of Tri-Shield First Defense ® and Dual-Force
+Added: First Defense ® .
+Added: Re-Tain ® is regulated by the FDA, which regulates veterinary drugs.
+Added: in the European Union will likely require that Re-Tain ® be sold subject to a milk discard requirement in that territory,
+Added: although the duration of the milk discard requirement may be shorter than the discard requirement applicable to competing antibiotic products
+Added: in that market.
+Added: Comparable agencies exist in foreign countries, and foreign sales of our products will be subject to regulation by such
+Added: Many countries have laws regulating the production, sale, distribution or use of biological products, and we may have to obtain
+Added: approvals from regulatory authorities in countries in which we propose to sell our products.
+Added: Depending upon the product and its applications,
+Added: obtaining regulatory approvals may be a relatively brief and inexpensive procedure or it may involve extensive clinical tests, incurring
+Added: significant expenses and an approval process of several years’ duration.
+Added: We generally rely on in-country experts to assist us with
+Added: or to perform international regulatory applications.
ImmuCell Corporation
−Removed: a reporting company, we file quarterly and annual reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K,
−Removed: respectively.
−Removed: We also file current reports on Form 8-K, whenever events warrant or require such a filing.
−Removed: The public may read and copy
−Removed: any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
−Removed: public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
−Removed: The SEC maintains an
−Removed: internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about us that we file electronically with
−Removed: the SEC at http://www.sec.gov .
+Added: We currently employ 79 employees (including 5 part-time
+Added: employees) in comparison to 74 employees (including 7 part-time employees) approximately a year ago.
+Added: Approximately 51 full-time equivalent
+Added: employees are engaged in quality and manufacturing operations, 13 full-time equivalent employees in sales and marketing, 7 full-time equivalent
+Added: employees in product development activities (primarily supporting facility maintenance and operation, regulatory filings and commercial
+Added: scale-up for Re-Tain ® ) and 6 full-time equivalent employees in finance and administration.
+Added: As needed, we augment
+Added: our staff with contracted temporary employees.
+Added: All of our employees are required to execute non-disclosure and invention assignment agreements
+Added: (and some are required to execute non-compete agreements) intended to protect our rights in our proprietary products.
+Added: We are not a party
+Added: to any collective bargaining agreement and consider our employee relations to be excellent.
+Added: Public Information
+Added: As a reporting company, we file quarterly and annual reports with the
+Added: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, respectively.
+Added: We also file current reports on Form 8-K, whenever
+Added: events warrant or require such a filing.
+Added: The public may read and copy any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public
+Added: Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
+Added: The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference
+Added: Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
+Added: The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements
+Added: and other information about us that we file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov .
Our internet address is http://www.immucell.com.
+Added: References to our website in this Annual Report are inactive textual references only and the content of our website should not be deemed
+Added: incorporated by reference for any purpose.
Compared sentence by sentence after normalising whitespace, quotation marks, case and digits, so re-formatting and restated figures do not read as changed language. Wording changes appear as one removal and one addition. The current filing and the prior one are authoritative.