Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
Overview
Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2023
10-K Report”), the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “TherapeuticsMD,” “the Company,”
or “our company” refer to TherapeuticsMD, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and unless specified otherwise, include our wholly
owned subsidiaries vitaMedMD, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“vitaMed”), and BocaGreenMD, Inc., a Nevada corporation
(“BocaGreen”).
TherapeuticsMD owns or has rights to trademarks,
service marks, or trade names that were previously used in connection with the operation of its business, or are now licensed by another
party, including TherapeuticsMD®, vitaMedMD®, BocaGreenMD®, vitaCareTM, BIJUVA®, and IMVEXXY®, which are protected
under applicable intellectual property laws and are the property of the Company. This 2023 10-K Report also contains trademarks, trade
names and service marks of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks, trade
names and service marks referred to in this 2023 10-K Report may appear without the ®, ™ or SM symbols, but such references
are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right
of the applicable licensor to these trademarks, trade names, and service marks. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’
trademarks, trade names or service marks to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply a relationship with, or endorsement
or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.
In addition, this 2023 10-K Report includes
market and industry data that we obtained from periodic industry publications, third-party studies and surveys, government-agency sources,
filings of public companies in our industry, and internal-company surveys. Industry publications and surveys generally state that their
information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Although we believe that the industry and market data below is reliable
as of the date of this 2023 10-K Report, this information could prove to be inaccurate as a result of a variety of matters.
Forward-looking statements
This 2023 10-K Report contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve substantial
risks and uncertainties. For example, statements regarding our operations, financial position, business strategy, and other plans and
objectives for future operations, and assumptions and predictions about future demand, marketing, expenses and sales are all forward-looking
statements. These statements may be found in the items of this 2023 10-K Report entitled “Business” and “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” as well as in this 2023 10-K Report generally. These
statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“potential(ly),” “continue,” “forecast,” “predict,” “plan,” “may,”
“will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” or the negative of such terms
or other comparable terminology.
We have based these forward-looking statements
on our current expectations and projections about future events. We believe that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are reasonable, based on information available to us on the date of this 2023 10-K Report, but we cannot assure you that these
assumptions and expectations will prove to have been correct or that we will take any action that we may presently be planning. These
forward-looking statements are inherently subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or experience may differ
materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences
include, but are not limited to, competition from other businesses, market and general economic factors, and the other risks discussed
in Item 1A of this 2023 10-K Report. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes
thereto included in this 2023 10-K Report.
We have identified some of the important factors
that could cause future events to differ from our current expectations and they are described in this 2023 10-K Report in the section
entitled “Risk Factors” that you should review carefully. Please consider our forward-looking statements in light of those
risks as you read this 2023 10-K Report. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions
prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we project. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements
or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any statements to reflect new information or future events or developments.
1
Our company
TherapeuticsMD was previously a women’s
healthcare company with a mission of creating and commercializing innovative products to support the lifespan of women from pregnancy
prevention through menopause. In December 2022, we changed our business to become a pharmaceutical royalty company, currently receiving
royalties on products licensed to pharmaceutical organizations that possess commercial capabilities in the relevant territories. On December
30, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), we completed a transaction (the “Mayne Transaction”) with Mayne Pharma LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“Mayne Pharma”) and subsidiary of Mayne Pharma Group Limited, an Australian public company,
in which we and our subsidiaries (i) granted Mayne Pharma an exclusive license to commercialize our IMVEXXY, BIJUVA and prescription
prenatal vitamin products sold under the BocaGreenMD and vitaMedMD brands (collectively, the “Licensed Products”) in the
United States and its possessions and territories, (ii) assigned to Mayne Pharma our exclusive license to commercialize ANNOVERA®
(together with the Licensed Products, collectively, the “Products”) in the United States and its possessions and territories,
and (iii) sold certain other assets to Mayne Pharma in connection therewith.
In a License Agreement, dated December 4, 2022,
between TherapeuticsMD and Mayne Pharma (the “Mayne License Agreement”), we granted Mayne Pharma, on the Closing Date, (i)
an exclusive, sublicensable, perpetual, irrevocable license to research, develop, register, manufacture, have manufactured, market, sell,
use, and commercialize the Licensed Products in the United States and its possessions and territories and (ii) an exclusive, sublicensable,
perpetual, irrevocable license to manufacture, have manufactured, import and have imported the Licensed Products outside the United States
for commercialization in the United States and its possessions and territories.
Under the Mayne License Agreement, Mayne
Pharma will pay us one-time milestone payments of each of (i) $5.0 million if aggregate net sales of all Products in the United
States during a calendar year reach $100.0 million, (ii) $10.0 million if aggregate net sales of all Products in the United States
during a calendar year reach $200.0 million and (iii) $15.0 million if aggregate net sales of all Products in the United States
during a calendar year reach $300.0 million. Further, Mayne Pharma will pay us royalties on net sales of all Products in the United
States at a royalty rate of 8.0% on the first $80.0 million in annual net sales and 7.5% on annual net sales above $80.0 million,
subject to certain adjustments, for a period of 20 years following the Closing Date. The royalty rate will decrease to 2.0% on a
Product-by-Product basis upon the earlier to occur of (i) the expiration or revocation of the last patent covering a Product and
(ii) a generic version of a Product launching in the United States. Mayne Pharma will pay us minimum annual royalties of $3.0
million per year for 12 years, adjusted for inflation at an annual rate of 3%, subject to certain further adjustments, including as
described below (the “Minimum Annual Royalty”). Upon the expiry of the 20-year royalty term, the licenses granted to Mayne Pharma under the Mayne License Agreement
will become a fully paid-up and royalty free license for the Licensed Products.
Under the Transaction Agreement, dated December
4, 2022, between TherapeuticsMD and Mayne Pharma (the “Transaction Agreement”), we sold to Mayne Pharma, at closing, certain
assets for Mayne Pharma to commercialize the Products in the United States, including, with the Population Council’s consent, our
exclusive license from the Population Council to commercialize ANNOVERA (the “Transferred Assets”).
The total consideration from Mayne Pharma
to TherapeuticsMD for the purchase of the Transferred Assets under the Transaction Agreement and the grant of the licenses under the
Mayne License Agreement was (i) a cash payment of $140.0 million at closing, (ii) a cash payment of approximately $12.1 million
at closing for the acquisition of net working capital as determined in accordance with the Transaction Agreement and subject to
certain adjustments, (iii) a cash payment of approximately $1.0 million at closing for prepaid royalties in connection with the
Mayne License Agreement Amendment (as defined below) and (iv) the right to receive the contingent consideration set forth in the
Mayne License Agreement, as amended.
On the Closing Date, TherapeuticsMD and Mayne Pharma entered into Amendment
No. 1 to the Mayne License Agreement (the “Mayne License Agreement Amendment”). Pursuant to the Mayne License Agreement Amendment,
Mayne Pharma agreed to pay us approximately $1.0 million in prepaid royalties on the Closing Date. The prepaid royalties reduced the first
four quarterly payments that would have otherwise been payable pursuant to the Mayne License Agreement by an amount equal to $257 thousand
per quarterly royalty payment plus interest calculated at 19% per annum accruing from the Closing Date until the date such quarterly royalty
payment was paid to us. We and Mayne Pharma settled the $1.5 million of consideration due to Mayne Pharma for the assumed obligations
under a long-term services agreement (see the section entitled “vitaCare divestiture” below for a discussion of the long-term
services agreement), including our minimum payment obligations thereunder. As the parties agreed, Mayne Pharma reduced the second quarterly
royalty payment otherwise payable to us by an additional $0.6 million, and in August 2023 we remitted the remaining consideration of
$0.9 million.
Mayne Pharma paid us approximately $12.1 million at closing on the Closing Date for the acquisition of net working capital, subject to certain adjustments as determined in accordance with the Transaction
Agreement. While the Transaction Agreement calls for much of the net working capital to be trued-up shortly after the Closing Date in
2023, for a period of one year following the Closing Date in the case of payer rebates and wholesale distributor fees and two years
following the Closing Date in the case for allowance for returns, net working capital amounts will be adjusted to arrive at final net
working capital under the Transaction Agreement.
In September 2023, we revised certain accrual estimates including increasing
our working capital adjustment accrual from $3.5 million to $5.5 million for amounts anticipated to be owed under the Transaction Agreement.
In December 2023, we made a $5.5 million payment to Mayne Pharma to settle certain working capital amounts that were required to be trued-up
shortly after the Closing Date, excluding the allowance for returns, allowance for payer rebates, and allowance for wholesale distributor
fees.
2
In February 2024, the Company received Mayne Pharma’s
calculation of allowance for payer rebates and wholesale distributor fees which differed significantly from the Company’s
estimate of the allowances. The Company believes its estimated allowances for payer rebates and wholesale distributor fees are
reasonable and intends to resolve this matter through the process outlined in the Transaction Agreement. Given the recent receipt of
Mayne Pharma’s allowance calculation and the nature of the estimates involved, the outcome of this matter is uncertain at this
point. As a result, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss, and accordingly, the Company has not accrued any
additional liability associated with Mayne Pharma’s allowance calculation for payer rebates and wholesale distributor
fees.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company believes no additional accrual
is required for amounts that may be owed for the allowance for returns under the Transaction Agreement. The Company has not recorded any
contingent gains or receivables for any such allowances. Management continues to monitor the unresolved and pending net working capital
items as changes to estimated amounts owed or amounts due from Mayne Pharma that may be material.
As part of the transformation that included the Mayne License Agreement,
historical results of commercial operations for all periods prior to the Closing Date have been reflected as discontinued operations in
our consolidated financial statements. Assets and liabilities associated with the commercial business are classified as assets and liabilities
of discontinued operations in our consolidated balance sheets.
See Note 2 - Discontinued Operations to the
consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.
The Company also has license agreements with
strategic partners to commercialize IMVEXXY and BIJUVA outside of the U.S.
● In July 2018, we entered into a license and supply agreement (the
“Knight License Agreement”) with Knight Therapeutics Inc. (“Knight”)
pursuant to which we granted Knight an exclusive license to commercialize IMVEXXY and BIJUVA
in Canada and Israel.
● In June 2019, we entered into an exclusive license and supply
agreement (the “Theramex License Agreement”) with Theramex HQ UK Limited (“Theramex”)
to commercialize IMVEXXY and BIJUVA outside of the U.S., excluding Canada and Israel. In
2021, Theramex secured regulatory approval for BIJUVA in certain European countries and began
commercialization efforts in those countries.
Employees
In connection with our transformation into a
pharmaceutical royalty company, the termination of our executive management team (except for Mr. Marlan Walker, our former General Counsel
and current Chief Executive Officer) and all other employees was completed by December 31, 2022. Severance obligations for all employees
other than executive officers were paid in full in January 2023 and severance obligations for terminated executive officers were paid
in accordance with their employment agreements and separation agreements as previously disclosed. As of December 31, 2023, we employed
one full-time employee primarily engaged in an executive position.
We have engaged external consultants who support our relationship with
current partners and assist with certain financial, legal, and regulatory matters and the continued wind-down of our historical business
operations. On August 15, 2023, we entered into a master services agreement with JZ Advisory Group, pursuant to which Joseph Ziegler would
serve as our Principal Financial and Accounting Officer. On August 17, 2023 Michael C. Donegan notified us of his decision to resign from
the positions of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of our Company effective as of August 17, 2023. Mr. Ziegler succeeded Mr.
Donegan as Principal Financial and Accounting Officer as of the date of Mr. Donegan’s resignation.
vitaCare divestiture
On April 14, 2022, we completed the divestiture
of our former subsidiary vitaCare Prescription Services, Inc. (“vitaCare”) with the sale of all of vitaCare’s issued
and outstanding capital stock (the “vitaCare Divestiture”). We received net proceeds of $142.6 million, after deducting transaction
costs of $7.2 million, and we recognized a gain on sale of business of $143.4 million. Included in the net proceeds amount was $11.3
million of customary holdbacks as provided in the stock purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) which we received in
2023. Additionally, the Purchase Agreement provides that we may receive up to an additional $7.0 million in earn-out consideration, contingent
upon vitaCare’s financial performance through 2023 as determined in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement; however,
we do not believe this earnout will be realized.
The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations
and warranties, covenants, and indemnities of the parties thereto. The commitments under a long-term services agreement related to vitaCare
were transferred to Mayne Pharma as part of the Mayne Transaction.
The divestiture of vitaCare was determined to
be a component of discontinued operations in December 2022, when we changed our business by becoming a royalty company and as a result
vitaCare activities were reclassified to discontinued operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
3
Going concern
On the Closing Date of the
Mayne Transaction, we repaid all obligations under the Financing Agreement, dated as of April 24, 2019, as amended, with Sixth Street
Specialty Lending, Inc., as administrative agent, the various lenders from time-to-time party thereto, and certain of our subsidiaries
party thereto from time to time as guarantors (the “Financing Agreement”) and the Financing Agreement was terminated.
Following the transaction with Mayne
Pharma, our primary source of revenue is from royalties on products licensed to pharmaceutical organizations that possess commercial
capabilities in the relevant territories. We may need to raise additional capital to provide additional liquidity to fund our
operations until we become cash flow positive. To address our capital needs, we may pursue various equity and debt financing and
other alternatives. The equity financing alternatives may include the private placement of equity, equity-linked, or other similar
instruments or obligations with one or more investors, lenders, or other institutional counterparties or an underwritten public
equity or equity-linked securities offering. Our ability to sell equity securities may be limited by market conditions, including
the market price of our common stock and our available authorized shares.
To the extent that we raise additional capital
through the sale of such securities, the ownership interests of our existing stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these new
securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our existing stockholders. If we are not
successful in obtaining additional financing, we could be forced to discontinue or curtail our business operations, sell assets at unfavorable
prices, or merge, consolidate, or combine with a company with greater financial resources in a transaction that might be unfavorable
to us.
On May 1, 2023, we entered into a
Subscription Agreement (the “Subscription Agreement”) with Rubric Capital Management LP (“Rubric”), pursuant
to which we agreed to sell to Rubric, or one or more of its affiliates, up to an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of our common stock,
par value $0.001 per share (our “Common Stock”), from time to time during the term of the Subscription Agreement at a
purchase price of the five-day volume-weighted average price of the Common Stock at the time of the sale of such shares of Common
Stock, at an aggregate purchase price of up to $5,000,000. On June 29, 2023, we issued and sold 312,525 shares of Common Stock at a
price per share equal to $3.6797 pursuant to the Subscription Agreement. We received gross proceeds of $1.15 million from the draw
down, before expenses. On November 15, 2023 Rubric drew down an additional 877,192 shares of Common Stock at a price per share equal
to $2.2761. We received gross proceeds of $2.0 million from the drawdown, before expenses.
In February 2024, the Company received Mayne Pharma’s
calculation of allowance for payer rebates and wholesale distributor fees pursuant to the Transaction Agreement which differed
significantly from the Company’s estimate of the allowances. The Company believes its estimated allowances for payer rebates
and wholesale distributor fees are reasonable and intends to resolve this matter through the process outlined in the Transaction
Agreement. Given the recent receipt of Mayne Pharma’s allowance calculation and the nature of the estimates involved, the
outcome of this matter is uncertain at this point. As a result, the Company cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss, and
accordingly, the Company has not accrued any additional liability associated with Mayne Pharma’s allowance calculation for
payer rebates and wholesale distributor fees.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company believes no additional accrual
is required for amounts that may be owed for the allowance for returns under the Transaction Agreement. The Company has not recorded any
contingent gains or receivables for any such allowances. Management continues to monitor the unresolved and pending net working capital
items as changes to estimated amounts owed or amounts due from Mayne Pharma may be material.
If Mayne Pharma’s sales of Licensed
Products grow more slowly than expected or decline, if the net working capital settlement with Mayne Pharma under the Transaction
Agreement is greater than our current estimates, if we are unsuccessful with future financings or the supply chains related to the
third-party contract manufacturers are worse than we anticipate, our existing cash reserves may be insufficient to satisfy our
liquidity requirements. The potential impact of these factors in conjunction with the uncertainty of the capital markets raises
substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial
statements.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements
do not include any adjustments that might be necessary if we are unable to continue as a going concern.
4
Portfolio of our royalty-bearing products
On December 30, 2022, we changed our
business to become a pharmaceutical royalty company, currently receiving royalties on products licensed to pharmaceutical
organizations that possess commercial capabilities in the relevant territories. On December 30, 2022, we granted an exclusive
license to commercialize IMVEXXY, BIJUVA, and prescription prenatal vitamin products sold under the BocaGreenMD and vitaMedMD brands
and assigned our exclusive license to commercialize ANNOVERA to Mayne Pharma.
IMVEXXY (estradiol vaginal inserts), 4-μg
and 10-μg
This pharmaceutical product is for the treatment
of moderate-to-severe dyspareunia (vaginal pain associated with sexual activity), a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy due to menopause.
As part of the FDA’s approval of IMVEXXY, we committed to conduct a post-approval observational study to evaluate the risk of endometrial
cancer in post-menopausal women with a uterus who use a low-dose vaginal estrogen unopposed by a progestogen.
On December 30, 2022, we granted an exclusive
license to commercialize IMVEXXY in the United States and its possessions and territories to Mayne Pharma. We also have entered into
licensing agreements with third parties to market and sell IMVEXXY outside of the U.S. We entered into the Knight License Agreement,
with Knight pursuant to which, we granted Knight an exclusive license to commercialize IMVEXXY in Canada and Israel. We entered into
the Theramex License Agreement with Theramex pursuant to which we granted Theramex an exclusive
license to commercialize IMVEXXY for human use outside of the U.S., except for Canada and Israel. As of December 31, 2023, no IMVEXXY
sales had been made through the Theramex and Knight licensing agreements.
The FDA has also asked the sponsors of other
vaginal estrogen products to participate in the observational study. In connection with the observational study, we would have been required
to provide progress reports to the FDA on an annual basis. The obligation to conduct this study was transferred to Mayne Pharma as part
of the Mayne License Agreement.
BIJUVA (estradiol and progesterone) capsules,
1 mg/100 mg
This pharmaceutical product is the first and
only FDA approved bioidentical hormone therapy combination of estradiol and progesterone in a single, oral capsule for the treatment
of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms (commonly known as hot flashes or flushes) due to menopause in women with a uterus.
On December 30, 2022, we granted an exclusive
license to commercialize BIJUVA in the United States and its possessions and territories to Mayne Pharma. We also have entered into the
Knight License Agreement with Knight pursuant to which we granted Knight an exclusive license to commercialize BIJUVA in Canada and Israel.
We have entered into the Theramex License Agreement with Theramex pursuant to which we granted Theramex an exclusive license to commercialize
BIJUVA for human use outside of the U.S., except for Canada and Israel.
ANNOVERA (segesterone acetate (“SA”)
and ethinyl estradiol (“EE”) vaginal system)
On December 30, 2022, we assigned our exclusive
license to commercialize ANNOVERA to Mayne Pharma. This pharmaceutical product is a one-year ring-shaped contraceptive vaginal system
(“CVS”) and the first and only patient-controlled, procedure-free, reversible prescription contraceptive that can prevent
pregnancy for up to a total of 13 cycles (one year). ANNOVERA is commercially sold in the U.S. pursuant to the terms of the Population
Council License Agreement. As part of the approval of ANNOVERA, the FDA has required a post-approval observational study be performed
to measure the risk of venous thromboembolism. We agreed to perform and pay the costs and expenses associated with this post-approval
study, provided that if the costs and expenses associated with such post-approval study exceed $20.0 million, half of such excess will
offset against royalties or other payments owed by us under the Population Council License Agreement. In August 2021, we filed a supplemental
New Drug Application (“NDA”) with the FDA to modify the testing specifications for ANNOVERA to allow increased consistency
of supply of ANNOVERA. In May 2022, the FDA approved the supplemental NDA for ANNOVERA. Our obligations to perform the post-approval
study have been transferred to Mayne Pharma as part of the Mayne License Agreement.
5
Prenatal vitamin products
On December 30, 2022, we granted an exclusive
license to commercialize, in the United States and its possessions and territories, our prescription prenatal vitamin product lines under
our vitaMedMD brand name and authorized generic formulations of some of our prescription prenatal vitamin products under our BocaGreenMD
prenatal name to Mayne Pharma.
Sales concentration
Our business model is dependent on third parties
achieving specified milestones and product sales. For information on the concentration of licenses of our products, see “Note 10.
Revenue” to the consolidated financial statements included in this 2023 10-K Report. Currently, the Company collects license revenue
from two licensees.
Seasonality
The pharmaceutical markets in which we license
our products are not subject to seasonal sales fluctuations. However, our license revenues for the first quarter of each year can be
negatively affected by the annual reset of high-deductible commercial insurance plans.
Manufacturing of our licensed products
As of December 30, 2022, we were no longer responsible for any manufacturing
and have no manufacturing contracts. All manufacturing responsibility of our licensed products has been transferred to our licensees.
Research and development
As of December 30, 2022, we no longer
conduct any research and development activities. Historically, our product development programs were concentrated in advanced
hormone therapy pharmaceutical products.
Intellectual property
Patents and trademarks
Our success depends, in part, on our ability
to obtain patents, maintain trade-secret protection, and operate without infringing the proprietary rights of others. Our intellectual
property portfolio is one way we attempt to protect our competitive position. We rely primarily on a combination of know-how, trade secrets,
patents, trademarks, and contractual restrictions to protect our products and to maintain our competitive position. We are diligently
seeking ways to protect our intellectual property through various legal mechanisms in relevant jurisdictions. Where permitted, patents
for our hormone therapy drug products have been submitted to the Orange Book.
As of December 31, 2023, we have many domestic and foreign patents that cover our licensed products,
including many for each of BIJUVA and IMVEXXY that are Orange Book listed for the licensed products.
We hold multiple U.S. trademark registrations
and have numerous pending trademark applications. Issuance of a federally registered trademark creates a rebuttable presumption of ownership
of the mark; however, it is subject to challenge by others claiming first use in the mark in some or all the areas in which it is used.
Federally registered trademarks have a perpetual life so long as they are maintained and renewed on a timely basis and used properly
as trademarks, subject to the rights of third parties to seek cancellation of the trademarks if they claim priority or confusion of usage.
We believe our patents and trademarks are valuable and provide us certain benefits in marketing our products.
We intend to actively protect our intellectual
property with patents, trademarks, trade secrets, or other legal avenues for the protection of intellectual property and to aggressively
prosecute, enforce, and defend our patents, trademarks, and proprietary technology, including those licensed by Mayne Pharma, Knight
and Theramex with our licensees to the extent permitted under their respective license agreements. The loss, by expiration or otherwise,
of any one patent may have a material effect on our business. Defense and enforcement of our intellectual property rights can be expensive
and time consuming, even if the outcome is favorable to us. It is possible that the patents issued or licensed to us will be successfully
challenged, that a court may find that we are infringing on validly issued patents of third parties, or that we may have to alter or
discontinue the development of our products or pay licensing fees to account for patent rights of third parties. See “– Pharmaceutical
Regulation – Regulatory Exclusivity” below for information regarding our intellectual property and challenges to that intellectual
property.
6
While we seek broad coverage under our patent
applications, there is always a risk that an alteration to the process may provide sufficient basis for a competitor to avoid infringement
claims. In addition, patents expire, and we cannot provide any assurance that any patents will be issued from our pending application
or that any potentially issued patents will adequately protect our intellectual property.
Mayne Pharma licensed US patents and trademarks
for our commercial products. Under the terms of the Mayne License Agreement, Mayne Pharma exclusively took over prosecution of our US
patent and trademark portfolio and enforcement of our licensed patents and trademarks.
Government regulation
In the U.S., the FDA regulates pharmaceuticals,
biologics, medical devices, dietary supplements, and cosmetics under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and
its implementing regulations. These products are also subject to other federal, state, and local statutes and regulations, including
federal and state consumer protection laws, laws regarding pricing transparency, laws requiring the implementation of compliance programs,
laws requiring the reporting of payments or other transfers of value to HCPs or other healthcare professionals, laws governing the financial
relationships between manufacturers and HCPs or other referral sources and industry stakeholders, laws protecting the privacy of health-related
information, laws restricting items and services of value provided to patients, and laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive acts and trade
practices. See also Item 1A. Risk Factors – “Risks related to our business” for a discussion, among other things, of
the extensive and costly governmental regulation we are subject to.
Pharmaceutical regulation
The process required by the FDA before a new
drug product may be marketed in the U.S. generally involves the following:
● completion of or reference to extensive preclinical laboratory
tests and preclinical animal studies, all performed in accordance with the FDA’s Good
Laboratory Practice, or GLP, regulations;
● submission to the FDA of an investigational new drug (“IND”)
application under which the holder may begin conducting human clinical trials, provided that
the FDA does not object; the IND must be updated annually;
● performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials
to establish the safety and efficacy of the drug candidate for each proposed indication;
and
● submission to the FDA of an NDA after completion of all pivotal
clinical trials.
An IND application is a request for authorization
from the FDA to administer an investigational drug product to humans.
Post-Approval Regulation
Mayne Pharma is required to comply with several
post-approval requirements for our currently approved drug products. We no longer have responsibility for any post-approval requirements.
As the holder of an approved NDA, Mayne Pharma is required to report, among other things, certain adverse reactions and production problems
to the FDA, to provide updated safety and efficacy information, to adhere to product sampling and distribution requirements, fulfill
post-marketing study commitments, and to comply with requirements concerning advertising and promotional labeling for any of our drug
products, which include, among other things, standards for direct-to-consumer advertising, restrictions that prohibit promoting products
for certain uses or in patient populations that are not described in the product’s approved indications or that are not otherwise
consistent with the approved, FDA-required label (known as “off-label use”), limitations on industry-sponsored scientific
and educational activities, and requirements for promotional activities involving the internet. Although physicians may prescribe legally
available products for off-label use if they deem such use to be appropriate in their professional medical judgment, manufacturers may
not market or promote such off-label uses.
Also, quality control and manufacturing procedures
must continue to conform to cGMPs to ensure and preserve the long-term stability of the drug product. cGMP regulations require among
other things, quality control and quality assurance as well as the corresponding maintenance of records and documentation and the obligation
to investigate and correct any deviations from cGMP. Manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of
approved products are, depending on the nature and scope of their activities, subject to FDA and certain state agency requirements relating
to establishing and maintaining product quality. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated, and, depending on the significance
of the change, may require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of
any deviations from cGMP and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide
to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in production and quality control to maintain compliance
with cGMP and other aspects of regulatory compliance.
7
The FDA periodically inspects manufacturing facilities to assess compliance
with cGMP, which imposes extensive procedural, substantive, and record keeping requirements. For example, Catalent, the CMO that contracted
for the commercial supply of the BIJUVA and IMVEXXY hormone therapy drug products, was issued a Form FDA 483 in 2019 with respect to its
soft gel manufacturing plant. The observations and associated corrective actions related to the BIJUVA product were identified in Catalent’s
response to the Form FDA 483. The current inspection classification status of that Form FDA 483 is that the response was adequate and
Voluntary Action Indicated. Voluntary Action Indicated status indicates that objectionable conditions or practices were found but the
FDA is not prepared to take or recommend any administrative or regulatory action.
Our licensees rely, and expect to continue to
rely, on third parties to produce commercial quantities of our licensed drugs. Future FDA and state inspections may identify compliance
issues at the facilities of the manufacturers of our licensed products that may disrupt production or distribution or require substantial
resources to correct. In addition, discovery of previously unknown problems (for example, through adverse events observed in the post-marketing
context, or in Phase 4/post-marketing studies) with a product or the failure to comply with applicable requirements may result in restrictions
on a product, manufacturer, or holder of an approved NDA, including withdrawal or recall of the product from the market or other voluntary,
FDA-initiated or judicial action that could delay or prohibit further marketing. Newly discovered or developed safety or effectiveness
data may require changes to a product’s approved labeling, including the addition of new warnings and contraindications, and may
require the implementation of other risk management measures. Also, new government requirements, including those resulting from new legislation,
may be established, or the FDA’s policies may change, which could delay or prevent regulatory approval of our products.
Regulatory exclusivity
There are two types of NDAs available under
Section 505(b) of the FDCA. Section 505(b)(1) of the FDCA provides a marketing approval pathway that is known as the “traditional”
or “full” NDA process. Sponsors use 505(b)(1) applications to obtain marketing approval of a new drug with active ingredients
that have not previously been approved by FDA. The data package necessary for approval of this new drug requires demonstration of safety
and efficacy based on adequate and well controlled human clinical trials conducted by or for the sponsor, without allowance for reference
to third party data. In contrast, Section 505(b)(2) of the FDCA provides an alternative NDA process for approving a new drug that contains
the same active ingredient as a previously approved product but allows sponsors to rely on clinical trials not conducted by or for the
sponsor, as well as other clinical data or literature produced by other parties. In addition, Section 505(j) of the FDCA provides for
a significantly shortened regulatory pathway for approval of a “generic” version of a new drug, by way of an Abbreviated
New Drug Application or ANDA. Rather than demonstrating safety and effectiveness as required for an NDA, the ANDA requires proof that
the generic drug is the “same” as or “bioequivalent” to the new drug under the standard of “bioequivalence,”
often using pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and/or in vitro studies.
A Section 505(b) NDA applicant may be eligible
for its own regulatory exclusivity period, such as a five-year or three-year exclusivity. The first approved Section 505(b) NDA applicant
for a drug containing an active ingredient that has not previously been approved in any other 505(b) NDA (a “new chemical entity,”
or NCE), is eligible for a five-year NCE exclusivity period starting on the date of the NDA approval. An Abbreviated
New Drug Application (“ANDA”) or 505(b)(2) application for a drug containing the protected active ingredient of the NCE product
generally cannot be submitted to FDA until the end of the five-year exclusivity period, except that such applications can be submitted
at year four if the product is covered by an Orange Book listed patent and the ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA includes a Paragraph IV Certification
challenging such patent. Additional exclusivities may also apply.
The first approved Section 505(b) NDA applicant
for a particular condition, or a supplemental NDA approval for a change to a marketed product, such as a new extended-release formulation
for a previously approved product, may be eligible for a three-year Hatch-Waxman exclusivity if one or more new clinical studies, other
than bioavailability or bioequivalence studies, was essential to the approval of the application and was conducted or sponsored by the
applicant. Should this occur, the FDA would be precluded from granting final approval to any ANDA or 505(b)(2) application for the same
condition of use or change to the marketed product that was granted exclusivity until after that three-year exclusivity period has run.
Additionally, any ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA that
references the 505(b) product must include one of several types of patent certifications. If the Section 505(b) NDA drug has one or more
unexpired patents listed in the Orange Book, an ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA must include either a “Paragraph III Certification”
or a “Paragraph IV Certification.” A Paragraph III Certification identifies the expiration date of the listed patent and
requires FDA to withhold final approval until that patent has expired. A “Paragraph IV Certification” states that, in the
applicant’s opinion, the relevant patent is invalid, unenforceable, or would not be infringed by the commercial marketing of the
proposed ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA product. The sponsor of a Paragraph IV ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA must also provide the holder of the marketed
product NDA, and the owner of the challenged patent, with notification of the Paragraph IV filing along with a detailed statement of
the reasons the applicant believes the patent is invalid, unenforceable, or would not be infringed. If the patent owner brings an infringement
action against the Paragraph IV applicant within 45 days of the notification, a statutory stay is imposed which prevents FDA from granting
final approval of the Paragraph IV application for 30 months from the date of the Paragraph IV Notification. Generally, no more than
one 30-month stay may be applied against any specific Paragraph IV ANDA or 505(b)(2) NDA. A 30-month stay can be terminated early, and
the Paragraph IV application can be immediately approved, if the district court rules in favor of the Paragraph IV applicant that the
patent is invalid, unenforceable, or would not be infringed.
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In February 2020, we received a Paragraph IV certification notice letter
(the “IMVEXXY Notice Letter”) regarding an ANDA submitted to FDA by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (“Teva”). See
Legal Proceedings in Item 3 of this 2023 10-K Report for additional information.
In March 2020, we received a Paragraph IV certification
notice letter (the “BIJUVA Notice Letter”) regarding an ANDA submitted to FDA by Amneal Pharmaceuticals (“Amneal”).
In April 2020, we filed a complaint for patent infringement against Amneal in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
arising from Amneal’s ANDA filing with FDA. In December 2021, we entered into a settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”)
with Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amneal Pharmaceuticals, LLC and Amneal Pharmaceuticals of New York LLC (collectively “Amneal”)
to resolve the litigation over our patents listed in FDA’s Orange Book that claim compositions and methods of BIJUVA (the “BIJUVA
Patents”). Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the Company granted Amneal a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free
license to commercialize Amneal’s generic formulation of BIJUVA in the U.S. commencing in May 2032 (180 days before the current
expiration date in November 2032 for the last to expire of our BIJUVA Patents), or earlier under certain circumstances customary for
settlement agreements of this nature.
Other U.S. healthcare laws and compliance
requirements
Certain federal and state healthcare laws and
regulations pertaining to fraud and abuse and patients’ rights, among other topics, are and will be applicable to our business.
Our licensees and the licensed products are subject to regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we or our partners
conduct our business. The healthcare laws and regulations that may affect our licensees’ ability to operate and our ability to
receive licensing revenues include:
● the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other
things, any person or entity from knowingly and willfully offering, soliciting, receiving
or providing any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly,
overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, to induce either the referral of an individual or
in return for the purchase, lease, or order of, or the arranging for, any good, facility
item or service, for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under federal healthcare
programs such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
● federal civil and criminal false claims laws and civil monetary
penalty laws, including, for example, the federal civil False Claims Act, which impose criminal
and civil penalties, including civil whistleblower or qui tam actions, against individuals
or entities for, among other things, knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, to
the federal government, including the Medicare and Medicaid programs, claims for payment
that are false or fraudulent or making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an
obligation to pay money to the federal government;
● the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 (“HIPAA”), which created additional federal criminal statutes that prohibit
knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare
benefit program or obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or
promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any
healthcare benefit program, regardless of the payer (e.g., public or private), knowingly
and willfully embezzling or stealing from a healthcare benefit program, willfully obstructing
a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense and knowingly and willfully falsifying,
concealing or covering up by any trick or device a material fact or making any materially
false statements in connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare benefits,
items or services relating to healthcare matters;
● HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health Act, and their implementing regulations, which impose obligations on
covered entities, including certain healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses,
as well as their respective business associates that create, receive, maintain or transmit
individually identifiable health information for or on behalf of a covered entity, with respect
to safeguarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health
information;
● the federal physician sunshine requirements under the ACA, which
require certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which
payment is available under Medicare or Medicaid to report annually to the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services information related to payments and other transfers of value provided
to physicians and teaching hospitals, and ownership and investment interests held by physicians
and their immediate family members. In 2022, the Sunshine Act has been extended to payments
and transfers of value to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and other mid-level
practitioners (with reporting requirements going into effect in 2022 for payments made in
2021). In addition, Section 6004 of the ACA requires annual reporting of information about
drug samples that manufacturers and authorized distributors provide to healthcare providers;
● federal and state laws requiring pricing transparency or limiting
price increases, which are in existence today or are anticipated to be in existence in the
near future, may limit the ability to raise prices, require disclosure of price increases
or require disclosure of the wholesale acquisition cost of pharmaceutical products to governmental
agencies and consumers; and
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● state law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, such
as anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may apply to items or services reimbursed by
any third-party payer, including commercial insurers or even self-pay; state laws that require
pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance
guidelines and the applicable compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government,
or otherwise restrict payments that may be provided to healthcare providers and other potential
referral sources; state laws that require drug manufacturers to report information related
to payments and other transfers of value to healthcare providers or marketing expenditures;
state laws requiring a license, registration or permit to engage in manufacturing and distribution
of prescription products or to engage in the practice of pharmacy; and state laws governing
the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ
from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance
efforts.
Pharmaceutical company interactions with HCPs,
patient advocacy groups, and patients, including with respect to product and patient assistance programs and other education and support
initiatives, have been and continue to be, the subject of regulatory scrutiny for compliance with fraud and abuse laws.
Because of the breadth of these laws and the
narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available, it is possible that some of the business activities of the entities
with whom we do business could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements
with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations could be costly. If our past operations, including activities
conducted by our sales team or agents, are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may
apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from third-party
payer programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. If any of the HCPs, providers,
or entities with whom we do business are found to not be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil,
or administrative sanctions, including exclusion from government funded healthcare programs.
Many aspects of these laws have not been definitively
interpreted by the regulatory authorities or the courts, and their provisions are open to a variety of subjective interpretations that
increases the risk of potential violations. In addition, these laws and their interpretations are subject to change. Any action against
us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses, divert
our management’s attention from the operation of our business, and damage our reputation.
In addition to the fraud and abuse laws, we
continue to monitor the potential impact of proposals to lower prescription drug costs at the federal and state level. For example, in
November 2021, the Biden Administration announced several prescription drug pricing proposals as part of the Build Back Better legislation.
In particular, the plan would allow for Medicare to negotiate prices for high-cost prescription drugs, including for both Part D and
Part B drugs, after the drugs have been on the market for a fixed number of years: 9 years for small molecule drugs and 12 years for
biologics. Medicare will negotiate up to 10 drugs per year during 2023, with the negotiated prices taking effect in 2025, increasing
up to 20 drugs per year. Further, the plan imposes a tax penalty if drug manufacturers increase their prices faster than inflation. Finally,
the plan places a $2,000 per year cap on out-of-pocket drug costs under Medicare Part D. At the state level, legislatures have increasingly
passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints,
discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed
to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. We are unable to predict the future course of federal or state healthcare
legislation in the U.S. directed at broadening the availability of healthcare and containing or lowering the cost of healthcare.
In addition, from time to time in the future,
our licensees and the licensed products may become subject to additional laws or regulations administered by the FDA, the FTC, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), or by other federal, state, local, or foreign regulatory authorities, or the repeal
of laws or regulations that we generally consider favorable, such as DSHEA, or to more stringent interpretations of current laws or regulations.
We are not able to predict the nature of such future laws, regulations, repeals, or interpretations, and we cannot predict what effect
additional governmental regulation, if and when it occurs, would have on our business in the future. Such developments could, however,
require reformulation of certain products to meet new standards, recalls or discontinuance of certain products not able to be reformulated,
additional record-keeping requirements, increased documentation of the properties of certain products, additional or different labeling,
additional scientific substantiation, additional personnel, or other new requirements. Any such developments could have a material adverse
effect on our business.
Available information
We are a Nevada corporation, and we maintain
our principal executive offices at 951 Yamato Road, Suite 220, Boca Raton, Florida 33431. Our telephone number is (561) 961-1900. We
maintain a corporate website at www.therapeuticsmd.com. The information contained on our website or that can be accessed through our
website is not incorporated by reference into this 2023 10-K Report or in any other report or document we file with the SEC.
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