Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors
There have been no material changes to the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, except as set forth below:
Ultrasound enhancing agents may cause side effects which could limit our ability to sell DEFINITY.
DEFINITY is an ultrasound enhancing agent based on perflutren lipid microspheres. In 2007, the FDA received reports of deaths and serious cardiopulmonary reactions following the administration of ultrasound micro-bubble enhancing agents used in echocardiography. Four of the 11 reported deaths were caused by cardiac arrest occurring either during or within 30 minutes following the administration of the ultrasound enhancing agent; most of the serious but non-fatal reactions also occurred in this time frame. As a result, in October 2007, the FDA requested that we and GE Healthcare, which distributes Optison, a competitor to DEFINITY, add a boxed warning to these products emphasizing the risk for serious cardiopulmonary reactions and that the use of these products was contraindicated in certain patients. In a strong reaction by the cardiology community to the FDA’s new position, a letter was sent to the FDA, signed by 161 doctors, stating that the benefit of these ultrasound enhancing agents outweighed the risks and urging that the boxed warning be removed. In May 2008, the FDA substantially modified the boxed warning. On May 2, 2011, the FDA held an advisory committee meeting to consider the status of ultrasound micro-bubble contrast agents and the boxed warning. In October 2011, we received FDA approval of further modifications to the DEFINITY label, including: further relaxing the boxed warning; eliminating the sentence in the Indication and Use section “The safety and efficacy of DEFINITY with exercise stress or pharmacologic stress testing have not been established” (previously added in October 2007 in connection with the imposition of the box warning); and including summary data from the post-approval CaRES (Contrast echocardiography Registry for Safety Surveillance) safety registry and the post-approval pulmonary hypertension study. Further, in January 2017, the FDA approved an additional modification to the DEFINITY label, removing the contraindication statement related to use in patients with a known or suspected cardiac shunt. Bracco’s ultrasound enhancing agent, Lumason, has substantially similar safety labeling as DEFINITY and Optison. In April 2021, after reviewing certain adverse events that occurred in patients with a prior history of allergic reactions to polyethylene glycol (“PEG”), an inactive excipient in both DEFINITY and Lumason, the FDA and the marketing authorization holders of these products agreed to an additional contraindication for use of these products, including advising clinicians to assess patients for prior PEG hypersensitivity before administering these products. If additional safety issues arise (not only with DEFINITY but also potentially with Optison and Lumason), this may result in unfavorable changes in labeling or result in restrictions on the approval of our product, including removal of the product from the market. Lingering safety concerns about DEFINITY among some healthcare providers or future unanticipated side effects or safety concerns associated with DEFINITY could limit expanded use of DEFINITY and have a material adverse effect on the unit sales of this product and our financial condition and results of operations.
In the U.S., we are heavily dependent on a few large customers to generate a majority of our revenues for our nuclear medical imaging products. Outside of the U.S., we rely primarily on distributors to generate a substantial portion of our revenue.
In the U.S., we have historically relied on a limited number of radiopharmacy customers, primarily Cardinal, RLS, UPPI, Jubilant Radiopharma and PharmaLogic, to distribute our current largest volume nuclear imaging products. Among the existing radiopharmacies in the U.S., continued consolidations, divestitures and reorganizations may have a negative effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. We generally have distribution arrangements with our major radiopharmacy customers pursuant to multi-year contracts, each of which is subject to renewal. Recently, we extended our contract with Jubilant Radiopharma with respect to certain products, other than TechneLite and Thallium-201, through December 31, 2023. If these contracts are terminated prior to the expiration of their term, or are not renewed, or are renewed on terms that are less favorable to us, then such an event could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
For all of our medical imaging products, we continue to experience significant pricing pressures from our competitors, large customers and group purchasing organizations, and any significant, additional pricing pressures could lead to a reduction in revenue which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Outside of the U.S. and Canada, we have no sales force and, consequently, rely on third-party distributors, either on a country-by-country basis or on a multi-country, regional basis, to market, sell and distribute our products. In Canada, we maintain our own direct sales force to sell DEFINITY. In certain circumstances, distributors may also sell competing products to our own or products for competing diagnostic modalities and may have incentives to shift sales towards those competing products. As a result, we cannot assure you that our international distributors will increase or maintain current levels of unit sales or that we will be able to increase or maintain our current unit pricing, which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
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The CVRs we issued as part of the Progenics Acquisition may result in substantial future payments and could divert the attention of our management; in addition, the actual payments made in connection with the CVRs, if any, may not be consistent with the estimated fair value of the CVRs that we are required to prepare for accounting purposes.
As part of the consideration for the Progenics Acquisition, we issued CVRs to the stockholders of Progenics and holders of in-the-money Progenics equity awards entitling them to future cash payments of 40% of PYLARIFY net sales over $100.0 million in 2022 and over $150.0 million in 2023. These payments could be substantial and could adversely impact our liquidity. In addition, we are obligated to exercise a level of effort, expertise and resources consistent with those normally used in a medical diagnostics business similar to our size and resources with respect to developing, seeking regulatory approval for and commercializing a product of similar market potential at a similar stage in its development or product life to PYLARIFY. We are also required to produce net sales statements for PYLARIFY that may be reviewed and challenged by CVR holders, with any disagreement to be resolved by an independent accountant. These requirements could divert management time and resources and result in additional costs.
Because the CVRs are considered contingent consideration liabilities, for accounting purposes we are required by U.S. GAAP to estimate their fair value on a recurring basis. Adjustments in the estimated fair value of the CVRs can impact our financial statements on a quarterly or annual basis. The estimated fair value of the CVRs is determined based on a Monte Carlo simulation model that include significant estimates and assumptions pertaining to commercialization events, sales targets, market conditions and discount rates. These estimates and assumptions are subject to the judgment of our management team and are not prepared with a view towards public disclosure of projected sales. Our sales targets are also subject to significant economic, competitive, industry and other uncertainties and contingencies, which are difficult to predict and in many cases are beyond our control. We can give no assurance that the actual amounts paid, if any, in connection with the CVRs will be consistent with any recurring fair value estimate for such CVRs.
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Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.