Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
Company Overview
We, through our wholly owned subsidiary Skinvisible Pharmaceuticals Inc.,
are a pharmaceutical research and development (“R&D”) company that has developed and patented an innovative polymer delivery
system, Invisicare® and formulated over forty topical skin products, which we out-license globally. We were incorporated in 1998,
and target an estimated $80 billion global skincare and dermatology market and a $30 billion global over-the-counter market as well as
other healthcare / medical and consumer goods markets.
With the research and development complete on forty products and numerous
patents issued (technology and product patents), we are ready to monetize our investment. Our business model will continue to be to out-license
our patented prescription and over-the-counter (“OTC”) products featuring Invisicare to established manufacturers and marketers
of brands internationally and to maximize profits from the products we have already out-licensed.
The opportunity for us to license our products continues to be a viable
model as the need for pharmaceutical companies to access external R&D companies for new products due to their own down-sizing or elimination
of internal R&D departments. The demand for our products is enhanced due to the granting of key US and international patents and the
completed development of a number of unique products.
Our Flagship Product
Pivotal to our success is our patented polymer delivery system technology
Invisicare. Invisicare is a patented polymer delivery system that enhances the delivery of active ingredients for topically applied skin
care products. Its patented technology has a unique formula and process for combining active ingredients with a delivery system that extends
the duration of time the product remains on the skin and active.
Invisicare is specifically formulated to carry water insoluble active
and certain cationic active ingredients in water-based products without the use of alcohol, silicones, waxes, or other organic solvents.
Products utilizing Invisicare have the proven ability to bond active ingredients to the skin for up to four hours and longer. They are
non-occlusive and allow normal skin respiration and perspiration while moisturizing and protecting against exposure from a wide variety
of environmental irritants.
When topically applied, these formulated products adhere to the skin's
outer layers, forming a protective bond, resisting wash-off, and delivering targeted levels of therapeutic or cosmetic skincare agents
to the skin. They allow enhanced delivery performance for a variety of skincare agents resulting in improved efficacy, longer duration
of action, reduced irritation and lower dosage of active agent required. The "invisible" polymer compositions wear off as part
of the natural exfoliation process of the skin's outer layer cells.
The advantage of products formulated with Invisicare is (1) Invisicare’s
ability to bind active ingredients (the drug) to the skin, forming a protective bond on the skin, for extended periods of time; (2) Invisicare
can deliver targeted levels (high or low) of therapeutic or cosmetic ingredients to the skin in a controlled release; (3) Invisicare can
help to reduce the irritation of some active ingredients due to how it controls the slower release of that active ingredient; and (4)
Invisicare science proves that it provides a protective skin barrier which helps retain the natural moisture content of the skin, while
still allowing it to breathe. These benefits present an excellent opportunity for clear scientific advantages and marketing messages which
resonate with physicians and consumers.
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We have positioned ourselves in the $80 billion
worldwide prescription and over-the-counter dermatology and skincare market. We generate revenue by:
LICENSING :
We develop topical prescription and over-the-counter products enhanced with Invisicare to license to pharmaceutical and consumer goods
companies around the world for an upfront fee and ongoing royalties;
CO-DEVELOPMENT : We assist pharmaceutical
clients in the early development of the most optimal formulation, which they then take forward into clinical testing;
LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT : We provide cost-effective
solutions to global pharmaceutical companies by reformulating their products coming off patent with a new Invisicare patent and new product
benefits and line extensions. Pharmaceutical companies are under a lot of pressure to develop innovative strategies to counteract the
revenue loss from their drugs coming off patent.
License Agreement with Quoin
On October 17, 2019, we entered an Exclusive License
Agreement with Quoin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Quoin”) pursuant to which we granted to Quoin a license
to certain patents for the development of products for commercial sale. In exchange for the license, Quoin agreed to pay to us a license
fee of $1,000,000 (the “License Fee”) and a single digit royalty interest of all net sales on the licensed products subject
to adjustment in certain situations. The agreement also requires that Quoin make certain milestone payments to us upon achieving regulatory
approval milestones for certain drug products.
The agreement was subject to termination,
if among other things, 50% of the license fee is not paid by December 31, 2019 and if the full License Fee is not paid by March 31, 2020.
No payments were made by Quoin and the agreement was terminated. Both Parties subsequently determined that they continue to see the value
in a partnership and therefore on May 8, 2020 and again on July 31, 2020 the companies agreed to extend the Exclusive License Agreement
under the same terms to expire on December 31, 2020, and on January 27, 2021 the companies agreed to revise the milestone payments due
under the agreement and to extend the agreement indefinitely.
On June 14, 2021, the Company entered into an
amendment to change the terms of the license Fee as shown below.
As partial consideration for the rights
conveyed by Skinvisible under this Agreement, Licensee agrees to pay to Skinvisible a one-time, non-refundable, non-creditable license
issue fee of one million USD dollars (USD $1,000,000) (''License Fee''). To date, Licensee has paid one million US dollars (USD $1,000,000).
Additionally, the milestones in the initial agreement
were changed as shown below:
(i) Successful
completion of Phase 2 testing: $0
(ii) Successful
completion of Phase 3 testing: $0
(iii) Regulatory
approval in either the US or EU, whichever happens first: $5,000,000
On June 6, 2022 we announced
that Quoin has received U.S. FDA acceptance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its licensed formulation which uses
our Invisicare proprietary drug delivery technology. The topical formulation "QRX003" was developed to treat Nethertons Syndrome,
a debilitating hereditary disorder that affects the skin, hair and the immune system. There currently is no cure or approved treatment
for Netherton Syndrome.
With the IND approved, the
clinical trial is underway. We look forward to assisting Quoin in their success and potential FDA approval as well as potentially bringing
a treatment to patients suffering from Nethertons Syndrome.
Quoin is responsible for
obtaining all FDA and other regulatory body approvals necessary to market the products in the US and other countries. Upon the successful
completion of various clinical and regulatory milestones, Skinvisible is entitled to receive a milestone payment of $5 million and ongoing
royalties from sales.
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License Agreement with Ovation Science
On February 3, 2020, we entered into a License
Agreement with Ovation Science Inc. pursuant to which Skinvisible granted to Ovation Science Inc. a license for the manufacture and distribution
rights to its hand sanitizer product, DermSafe. In exchange for the license, Ovation Science Inc. agreed to pay to Skinvisible a royalty
percentage on all net sales on the licensed products subject to adjustment in certain situations plus a license fee payable in year 3
of the agreement if it chooses to continue the license.
On June 10, 2020, Ovation Science paid us the
fee otherwise due in year 3 and in exchange we extended the term of Ovation Science’s license to 6-years and granted Ovation additional
rights to its hand sanitizer products and assigned Canadian Identification Numbers 02310589 and 02355558, all DermSafe Trademarks, DermSafe
clinical data and the right to patent DermSafe where not currently patented. In exchange for these rights, Ovation Science paid a $100,000
license fee. We completed the required assignments during the year ending December 31, 2020 and recognized $100,000 in revenue.
Competition
Market research indicates there is reasonably limited direct competition
for Invisicare and patented products in terms of performance capabilities for topically administered skin products. Many companies are
seeking unique delivery systems to enhance their portfolio and purchasing companies that have delivery technology.
Government Regulation
Cosmetic and Skin Care Regulation
Depending upon product claims and formulation, skin care products may be
regulated as cosmetics, drugs, devices, or combination cosmetics and drugs. The FDA has authority to regulate cosmetics marketed in the
United States under the FDCA and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (“FPLA”) and implementing regulations. The Federal Trade
Commission (the “FTC”) regulates the advertising of cosmetics under the FTCA.
The FDCA prohibits the marketing of adulterated and misbranded cosmetics.
Cosmetic ingredients must also comply with the FDA’s ingredient, quality, and labeling requirements and the FTC’s requirements
pertaining to truthful and non-misleading advertising. Cosmetic products and ingredients, with the exception of color additives, are not
required to have FDA premarket approval. Manufacturers of cosmetics are also not required to register their establishments, file data
on ingredients, or report cosmetic-related injuries to the FDA.
We will be responsible for substantiating the safety and product claims
of the cosmetic products and ingredients before marketing. The FDA or FTC may disagree with our characterization of one or more of the
skin care products as a cosmetic or the product claims. This could result in a variety of enforcement actions which could require the
reformulation or relabeling of our products, the submission of information in support of the product claims or the safety and effectiveness
of our products, or more punitive action, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. If the FDA determines we
have failed to comply with applicable requirements under the FDCA or FPLA, it can impose a variety of enforcement actions from public
warning letters, injunctions, consent decrees, and civil penalties to seizure of our products, total or partial shutdown of our production,
and criminal prosecutions. If any of these events were to occur, it could materially adversely affect us. If the FTC determines we have
failed to substantiate our claims, it can pursue a variety of actions including disgorgement of profits, injunction from further violative
conduct, and consent decrees.
Domestic State and Local Government Regulation
Some states and local governments in the United States regulate the labeling,
operation, sale, and distribution of our skin care products. To the extent additional state or local laws apply, we intend to comply with
them.
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Foreign Government Regulation
In general, we will need to comply with the government regulations of each
individual country in which our products are to be distributed and sold. These regulations vary in complexity and can be as stringent,
and on occasion even more stringent, than FDA regulations in the United States. The level of complexity and stringency is not always precisely
understood today for each country, creating greater uncertainty for the international regulatory process. Furthermore, government regulations
can change with little to no notice and may result in up-regulation of our product(s), thereby creating a greater regulatory burden for
us. We have not yet thoroughly explored the applicable laws and regulations that we will need to comply with in foreign jurisdictions.
As a result it is possible that we may not be permitted to sell our products in foreign markets or expand our business into one or more
foreign jurisdictions.
Environmental Laws
We are not subject to any significant or material environmental regulation
in the normal operation of our business.
Employees
Currently, we have two employees, including our CEO Terry Howlett.
Subsidiaries
We conduct our operations through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Skinvisible
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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.