1 unchanged sentence
treatments for certain medical conditions.
−Removed: Currently, two of our programs are focused on kidney disease that we believe have the potential
−Removed: to offer medical benefit.
−Removed: As we grow the Company and build our team, we intend to focus on identifying medical conditions within and outside
−Removed: of kidney disease.
−Removed: Our current development programs are focused on the development of two novel therapies:
+Added: Currently, two of our programs are focused on kidney disease, an area we believe we have the
+Added: potential to offer medical benefit.
+Added: As we grow the company and build our team, we intend to focus on identifying medical conditions within
+Added: and outside of kidney disease.
+Added: Our current development programs are focused on two novel therapies:
Renazorb™, for treatment of
−Removed: hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, and UNI 494, for treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI).
−Removed: Renazorb and UNI 494
−Removed: were initially developed by, and licensed to us from, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (“Spectrum”) and Sphaera Pharmaceuticals, respectively.
+Added: hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis, and UNI 494, for treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI).
+Added: and UNI 494 were initially developed by and licensed to us from Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (“Spectrum”) and Sphaera Pharmaceuticals,
+Added: respectively.
Spectrum conducted a Phase 1 clinical trial with Renazorb in 2012, prior to the grant of our license in 2018.
−Removed: Sphaera conceived, and performed
−Removed: initial characterization of, various potential pro-drug linkers, including the initial patent application, and performed some initial
−Removed: physiochemical characterization and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
−Removed: As discussed herein, during 2020 and 2021 we have conducted
−Removed: preclinical studies with UNI 494.
+Added: Sphaera conceived
+Added: and performed initial characterization of various potential pro-drug linkers, including the initial patent application, and performed
+Added: some initial physiochemical characterization and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
+Added: As discussed herein, during 2021 and 2022
+Added: we have conducted preclinical studies with UNI 494.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the gradual loss
of kidney function that can get worse over time leading to lasting damage.
−Removed: Our initial focus is on developing drugs and getting them approved
−Removed: in the US, and then to partner with global biopharmaceutical companies in the rest of the world.
−Removed: According to estimates by The Centers
−Removed: for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2019, 37 million (approximately 15%) adults in the United States have CKD and, of these, approximately
−Removed: 2 million patients have CKD stage 3-5, and around 500 thousand patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have hyperphosphatemia.
−Removed: the European Union (EU), around 20 million (approximately 8%) adults have CKD, more than 1 million CKD stage 3-5 patients, and approximately
−Removed: 180 thousand patients with ESRD have hyperphosphatemia.
−Removed: The number of patients with ESRD in the US is increasing steadily and is projected
−Removed: to reach between 971,000 and 1,259,000 in 2030.
−Removed: AKI is a sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney
−Removed: damage (within the first 90 days of injury).
+Added: Our initial focus is on developing drugs and getting them
+Added: approved in the U.S., and then to partner with global biopharmaceutical companies in the rest of the world.
+Added: According to the United States
+Added: Renal Data System (USRDS) 2022 Annual Data Report, 30 million (14%) of adults in the United States are estimated to have CKD and, of
+Added: these, approximately 13 million patients have advanced CKD (stage 3-5).
+Added: Approximately 550,000 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
+Added: are on dialysis and of those, approximately 450,000 take phosphate binders to control hyperphosphatemia.
+Added: The number of patients with
+Added: ESRD in the U.S.
+Added: is increasing steadily and is projected to reach between 971,000 and 1,259,000 in 2030.
+Added: AKI is a sudden episode of kidney failure or
+Added: kidney damage (within the first 90 days of injury).
After 90 days, the patient is considered to have progressed into CKD.
−Removed: AKI affects over 2
−Removed: patients and costs the healthcare system over $9 billion per year.
−Removed: AKI kills more than 300,000 patients per year in the U.S.
+Added: more than 2 million U.S.
+Added: patients and costs the healthcare system in excess of $9 billion per year.
+Added: AKI kills more than 300,000 patients
+Added: per year in the U.S.
and is caused by multiple etiologies.
Our business model is to license technologies
−Removed: and drugs, and pursue development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of those products in global markets.
+Added: and drugs in order to pursue development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of those products in global markets.
Many biotechnology
2 unchanged sentences
team’s broad network, expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry, and successful track record gives us an advantage in identifying
−Removed: and bringing these assets into our Company at an attractive price with limited upfront cost.
+Added: and bringing these assets into our company.
Our proprietary pipeline is comprised of our two product candidates
1 unchanged sentence
UNI-014 (Renazorb)
+Added: Renazorb Purchase Agreement
+Added: On September 20, 2018, we entered into an Assignment
+Added: and Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Renazorb Purchase Agreement”) with Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
+Added: (“Spectrum”),
+Added: pursuant to which we purchased certain assets from Spectrum, including Spectrum’s right, title, interest in and intellectual property
+Added: related to Renazorb RZB 012, also known as RENALAN™ (“Renalan”) and RZB 014, also known as SPI 014 (“SPI”
+Added: and together with Renalan, the “Compounds”).
+Added: Pursuant to the Renazorb Purchase Agreement, in consideration for the Compounds,
+Added: we issued 313,663 shares of common stock to Spectrum.
+Added: Additionally, the Renazorb Purchase Agreement
+Added: provides that until the earlier of (i) 36 months from the first date on which our stock trades on a public market, or (ii) the date upon
+Added: which we attain a public market capitalization of $50,000,000 or greater, we are required to issue additional shares of our common stock
+Added: as may be needed to ensure Spectrum maintains a 4% ownership of our issued and outstanding common stock on a fully-diluted basis.
+Added: Fully-diluted
+Added: shares of common stock for purposes of the Renazorb Purchase Agreement assumes conversion of any security convertible into or exchangeable
+Added: or exercisable for common stock or any combination thereof, including any common stock reserved for issuance under a stock option plan,
+Added: restricted stock plan, or other equity incentive plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company immediately following the issuance
+Added: of additional shares of our common stock (but prior to the issuance of any additional shares of common stock to Spectrum).
+Added: required to pay Spectrum 40% of all of our sublicense income for any sublicense granted to certain sublicensees during the first 12 months
+Added: after the Closing Date (as that term is defined in the Renazorb Purchase Agreement) and 20% of all other sublicense income.
+Added: obligations to Spectrum will expire on the twentieth (20 th ) anniversary of the Closing Date of the Renazorb Purchase Agreement.
Disease overview:
Hyperphosphatemia
−Removed: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the gradual loss of kidney function
−Removed: that can get worse over time leading to lasting damage.
+Added: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the gradual loss
+Added: of kidney function that can get worse over time leading to lasting damage.
The stages of chronic kidney disease are shown below in table
3 unchanged sentences
fluid build-up, anemia, bone disease, and heart disease.
−Removed: Hyperphosphatemia is an electrolyte disorder in which untreated elevated phosphate
+Added: Hyperphosphatemia is an electrolyte disorder in which untreated elevated phosphorus
levels in the blood lead to cardiovascular complications and vascular calcification.
−Removed: According to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome
−Removed: (KDIGO) guidelines, hyperphosphatemia is defined as an abnormally high serum phosphate concentration >1.46 mmol/L.
−Removed: In healthy people,
−Removed: phosphate levels are maintained as phosphate is absorbed from food and excreted in the urine and feces.
+Added: According to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes
+Added: (KDIGO) guidelines, hyperphosphatemia is defined as an abnormally high serum phosphorus concentration >4.5 mg/dL In healthy people,
+Added: phosphorus levels are maintained as phosphate is absorbed from food and excreted in the urine and feces.
In people with CKD, not enough
−Removed: phosphate is excreted, leading to elevated levels of phosphate in the blood.
+Added: phosphate is excreted, leading to elevated levels of phosphorus in the blood.
In CKD, hyperphosphatemia is caused by a chronic dysregulation
−Removed: of phosphates as a result of progressive kidney damage.
−Removed: According to a 2009 paper authored by Covic, hyperphosphatemia is associated with
−Removed: increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic bone disease, and all-cause mortality.
−Removed: According to a study completed by Palmer in
−Removed: 2011, it is estimated that all-cause mortality is increased by 18% for every 1 mg/dL increase in serum phosphate concentration.
−Removed: Hyperphosphatemia
−Removed: is a major cause of morbidity in CKD patients, increasing the economic and clinical burden on patients and the health system.
−Removed: According to Lederer in 2018, hyperphosphatemia occurs in at least
−Removed: 70% of patients with advanced (stage 5) CKD, which equates to approximately 500,000 patients.
−Removed: According to the 2019 National Chronic Kidney
−Removed: Disease Fact Sheet (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019), it is estimated that 15% of US adults (i.e.
−Removed: approximately 37 million
−Removed: people) have CKD.
−Removed: Furthermore, in a paper published by McCullough in 2019, the number of patients in the US with ESRD is increasing steadily
+Added: of serum phosphorus levels as a result of progressive kidney damage.
+Added: According to a 2009 paper authored by Covic, hyperphosphatemia is
+Added: associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic bone disease, and all-cause mortality.
+Added: According to a study completed
+Added: by Palmer in 2011, it is estimated that all-cause mortality is increased by 18% for every 1 mg/dL increase in serum phosphorus concentration.
+Added: Hyperphosphatemia is also a major cause of morbidity in CKD patients, which increases the economic and clinical burden on patients and
+Added: the health system and results in Medicare expenditures of $70 billion in the U.S.
+Added: According to the 2022 United States Renal Data
+Added: System (USRDS), it is estimated that 14% of U.S.
+Added: adults (approximately 31 million people) have CKD.
+Added: Most patients with stage 5 CKD either
+Added: undergo kidney transplant or go on dialysis.
+Added: The 2022 USRDS annual report indicates that there were 557,838 prevalent dialysis patients
+Added: in 2020 (the latest reported year).
+Added: The prevalent U.S.
+Added: dialysis population has grown at an average yearly rate of 3.5% over the past
+Added: Furthermore, in a paper published by McCullough in 2019, the number of patients in the U.S.
+Added: with ESRD is increasing steadily
and is projected to reach between 971,000 and 1,259,000 in 2030.
−Removed: treatment of hyperphosphatemia
−Removed: The treatment goal for patients with hyperphosphatemia is focused on
−Removed: controlling the level of phosphate in the body.
−Removed: Current Kidney Disease:
−Removed: Improving Global Outcomes, or KDIGO, guidelines recommend three
−Removed: main strategies for managing hyperphosphatemia:
+Added: In 2020, the number of prevalent dialysis patients declined due to an
+Added: increased death rate of dialysis patients as a consequence of COVID-19.
+Added: Current treatment of hyperphosphatemia
+Added: The treatment goal for patients with hyperphosphatemia
+Added: is focused on controlling the level of phosphate in the body.
+Added: KDIGO guidelines recommend three main strategies for managing hyperphosphatemia:
diet restrictions, phosphate binders, and dialysis, as shown in figure 1 below.
KDIGO guidelines recommend 3 main strategies.
−Removed: While KDIGO guidelines support the treatment of hyperphosphatemia with
−Removed: phosphate binders in patients with CKD, they do not recommend one agent over another.
−Removed: Examples of different types of phosphate binders
−Removed: are shown in figure 2 below.
−Removed: Phosphate Binders
−Removed: This means that physicians prescribe their medication of choice, usually
−Removed: based on clinical and patient factors.
−Removed: In CKD patients on dialysis, hyperphosphatemia is most commonly treated with non-calcium phosphate
−Removed: Unmet Medical Need for Treatment of Hyperphosphatemia
−Removed: The mechanism of action and what we believe to be the advantages and
−Removed: disadvantages of various phosphate binders are shown below.
+Added: While KDIGO guidelines support the treatment
+Added: of hyperphosphatemia with phosphate binders in patients with CKD, with the exception of calcium-based binders, they do not recommend
+Added: one agent over another.
+Added: This means that physicians prescribe their medication of choice, usually based on clinical and patient factors.
+Added: Utilization of calcium-based binders is discouraged by the most recent KDOQI/KDIGO guidelines due to mounting clinical evidence that
+Added: excess calcium load from calcium-based phosphate binder is associated with hypercalcemia and cardiovascular calcification which has been
+Added: associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality.
+Added: According to data from the Dialysis Outcomes
+Added: and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) in 2021, 82% of U.S.
+Added: dialysis patients were prescribed phosphate binders, which equates to approximately
+Added: 450,000 patients.
+Added: Unmet Medical Need in the Management of Hyperphosphatemia
+Added: The mechanism of action and what we believe to
+Added: be the advantages and disadvantages of various phosphate binders are shown below.
Adapted from Covic and Rastogi, 2013.
+Added: Despite the commercial availability of the six
+Added: phosphate binders in the table above, 75% of U.S.
+Added: dialysis patients fail to achieve the serum phosphorus target established by the KDIGO
+Added: Moreover, serum phosphorus outcomes are trending downward—underscoring the need for newer, more effective treatment
In 2005, Unruh, ML published a paper that showed
poor adherence to treatment is common in patients with ESRD and has been associated with an increased risk of mortality.
−Removed: poor adherence to phosphate binder therapy has been associated with failure to adequately control serum phosphorus concentrations as shown
−Removed: in a publication by Arenas, MD and others in 2010.
−Removed: Results from a study of 233 patients on maintenance dialysis from three different dialysis
−Removed: units in the US showed that patients took a mean of 11 ± 4 medications with a median daily pill intake of 19 as shown by Chiu,
−Removed: Phosphate binders accounted for 49 ± 19% of the total pill burden, with a median pill count of 9.
−Removed: Only 38% of patients
−Removed: in this study were adherent to their prescribed phosphate binder therapy and adherence decreased significantly with increased pill count
−Removed: also shown by Chiu, YW in 2009 publication.
−Removed: Potential strategies to improve adherence to phosphate
−Removed: binders in patients with ESRD include:
−Removed: (i) a reduction in pill size and number, (ii) improvement of palatability, and (iii) a reduction
−Removed: in associated adverse effects as published in a study by Covic and Rastogi in 2013.
+Added: poor adherence to phosphate binder therapy has been associated with failure to adequately control serum phosphorus concentrations as
+Added: shown in a publication by Arenas, MD and others in 2010.
+Added: Results from a study of 233 patients on maintenance dialysis from three different
+Added: dialysis units in the U.S.
+Added: showed that patients took a mean of 11 ± 4 medications with a median daily pill intake of 19 as shown
+Added: by Chiu, YW in 2009.
+Added: Phosphate binders accounted for nearly 50% of the total pill burden, with a median daily pill count of nine.
+Added: 38% of patients in this study reported that they were adherent to their prescribed phosphate binder therapy and adherence decreased significantly
+Added: with increased pill count.
+Added: Potential strategies to improve adherence to
+Added: phosphate binders in patients with ESRD include:
+Added: (i) a reduction in pill size and number, (ii) improvement of palatability, and (iii)
+Added: a reduction in associated adverse effects as published in a study by Covic and Rastogi in 2013.
Therefore, we believe there is a current need
−Removed: for better phosphate binders that have high and rapid phosphate binding, alongside a reduced pill burden for better medication compliance.
−Removed: Background on Renazorb
−Removed: Renazorb (lanthanum dioxycarbonate) is a second-generation
−Removed: phosphate binding agent utilizing proprietary nanoparticle technology for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in CKD patients.
−Removed: 2012 a Phase 1 single-center clinical trial was completed in the United States with Renazorb studying 32 healthy volunteers.
−Removed: Four sequential
−Removed: dose cohorts of 8 subjects each (6 active and 2 placebo) received Renazorb at 1500, 3000, 4500, or 6000 mg/day, taken orally in 3 divided
−Removed: doses within 15 min after meals, for five consecutive days.
−Removed: The primary endpoint of the study was the evaluation of safety, and the secondary
−Removed: endpoint was the phosphate binding capacity of Renazorb as judged by the level of phosphorus in feces and urine.
−Removed: We believe the study
−Removed: indicated that Renazorb was minimally absorbed to the systemic circulation and was well-tolerated at doses up to 6000 mg/day.
−Removed: significantly reduced urine phosphate excretion and significantly increased fecal phosphate excretion at doses at and above 3000 mg/day.
−Removed: The mean overall change in phosphorus from baseline in both urine and feces, across all treatment groups, showed a dose-response trend
−Removed: that was statistically significant (p<0.0001 and p=0.0004, respectively).
−Removed: The mean reduction in urine phosphorus excretion was not
−Removed: significant at 1500 mg/day (p=0.3676), but was significant at doses of 3000 (p=0.0004), 4500 (p<0.0001), and 6000 (p=0.0001) mg/day.
−Removed: The mean increase in fecal phosphorus excretion was significant at doses of 1500 (p=0.0358), 3000 (p=0.0006), 4500 (p=0.0026), and 6000
−Removed: (p<0.0001) mg/day.
−Removed: The doses resulted in no serious adverse events (SAEs) and all patients completed the study.
−Removed: Renazorb Purchase Agreement
−Removed: On September 20, 2018, we entered into an Assignment and Asset Purchase
−Removed: Agreement (the “Renazorb Purchase Agreement”) with Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
−Removed: (“Spectrum”), pursuant to which
−Removed: we purchased certain assets from Spectrum, including Spectrum’s right, title, interest in and intellectual property related to Renazorb
−Removed: RZB 012, also known as RENALAN™ (“Renalan”) and RZB 014, also known as SPI 014 (“SPI” and together with
−Removed: Renalan, the “Compounds”).
−Removed: Pursuant to the Renazorb Purchase Agreement, in consideration for the Compounds, we issued 313,663
−Removed: shares of common stock to Spectrum.
−Removed: Additionally,
−Removed: the Renazorb Purchase Agreement provides that until the earlier of (i) 36 months from the first date on which our stock trades on a public
−Removed: market, or (ii) the date upon which we attain a public market capitalization of $50,000,000 or greater, we are required to issue additional
−Removed: shares of our common stock as may be needed to ensure Spectrum maintains a 4% ownership of our issued and outstanding common stock on
−Removed: a fully-diluted basis.
−Removed: Fully-diluted shares of common stock for purposes of the Renazorb Purchase Agreement assumes conversion of any
−Removed: security convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for common stock or any combination thereof, including any common stock reserved
−Removed: for issuance under a stock option plan, restricted stock plan, or other equity incentive plan approved by the Board of Directors of the
−Removed: Company immediately following the issuance of additional shares of our common stock (but prior to the issuance of any additional shares
−Removed: of common stock to Spectrum).
−Removed: We are also required to pay Spectrum 40% of all of our sublicense income for any sublicense granted to
−Removed: certain sublicensees during the first 12 months after the Closing Date (as that term is defined in the Renazorb Purchase Agreement) and
−Removed: 20% of all other sublicense income.
−Removed: Our payment obligations to Spectrum will expire on the twentieth (20 th ) anniversary of
−Removed: the Closing Date of the Renazorb Purchase Agreement.
−Removed: Mechanism of Action
+Added: for better phosphate binders with high phosphate binding capacity, enabling a reduced pill burden for better medication compliance.
+Added: Development of Renazorb
+Added: Renazorb (lanthanum dioxycarbonate) is an investigational
+Added: phosphate binding agent utilizing proprietary nanoparticle technology for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in CKD patients on dialysis.
+Added: Renazorb Mechanism of Action
Renazorb binds to phosphates and forms an insoluble
lanthanum phosphate complex which is then excreted via the feces.
−Removed: This results in reduction of serum phosphate levels.
−Removed: In rat studies, Renazorb exhibited comparable binding kinetics compared
−Removed: to lanthanum carbonate (Fosrenol).
−Removed: This was evident from comparable reduction in the phosphate level in urine of rats following administration
−Removed: of equivalent doses of lanthanum through Renazorb (i.e.
−Removed: LDC or lanthanum dioxycarbonate) vs lanthanum dioxycarbonate tetrahydrate (i.e,
−Removed: LCTH or Fosrenol) (see Fig 3).
−Removed: Urine phosphate levels in rats following comparable lanthanum dosing through Renazorb (LDC) or Fosrenol (LCTH)
−Removed: Animal studies to evaluate the potential efficacy of Renazorb versus
−Removed: sevelamer hydrochloride (Renagel) in rats and dogs demonstrated significant lowering of phosphate levels in both urine and serum.
−Removed: toxicology studies no unexpected toxicity was found and systemic absorption was extremely low that is consistent with Fosrenol.
+Added: This results in reduction of serum phosphorus levels.
+Added: In rat studies, Renazorb exhibited comparable
+Added: reduction in the urine phosphorus excretion following administration of a lower dose of drug product (0.40g) vs a higher dose (0.57g)
+Added: of Fosrenol® (lanthanum carbonate tetrahydrate).
+Added: While differing in the mass of drug product, each dose contained comparable amounts
+Added: of the active moiety (elemental lanthanum).
+Added: In the same study, at equivalent doses, Renazorb was superior to sevelamer (the most commonly
+Added: used phosphate binder) in reducing urine phosphorus excretion (see Fig 2).
+Added: Urine phosphate levels in rats following comparable dosing
+Added: of Renazorb, Fosrenol, or Sevelamer
+Added: In animal toxicology studies no unexpected toxicity
+Added: was found and systemic absorption was extremely low, which is consistent with similar studies conducted with Fosrenol.
The chemical design of Renazorb allows for smaller
−Removed: tablet size and fewer pills versus currently available phosphate binder alternatives, specifically with a dosing regimen of only one
−Removed: tablet per meal.
−Removed: The tablet is designed to disintegrate in the stomach after swallowing and disperse the product in a short period of
−Removed: time at a pH ≥3.0.
+Added: tablet size and fewer pills compared with currently available phosphate binder alternatives, specifically with a dosing regimen of only
+Added: one tablet per meal.
+Added: The Renazorb tablet is designed to disintegrate in the stomach after swallowing and disperse the product in a short
+Added: period of time at a pH ≥3.0.
Clinical Trial Experience
−Removed: In September 2012 a Phase 1 single-center clinical trial was completed
−Removed: in the United States with Renazorb studying 32 healthy volunteers.
−Removed: Four sequential dose cohorts of 8 subjects each (6 actives and 2 placeboes)
−Removed: received Renazorb at 1500, 3000, 4500, or 6000 mg/day, taken orally in 3 divided doses within 15 min after meals, for five consecutive
−Removed: The primary endpoint of the study was the evaluation of safety, and the secondary endpoint was the phosphate binding capacity of
−Removed: Renazorb as judged by the level of phosphorus in feces and urine.
−Removed: We believe the study indicated that Renazorb was minimally absorbed
−Removed: to the systemic circulation and was well-tolerated at doses up to 6000 mg/day.
−Removed: Renazorb significantly reduced urine phosphate excretion
−Removed: and significantly increased fecal phosphate excretion at doses at and above 3000 mg/day.
−Removed: The mean overall change in phosphorus from
−Removed: baseline in both urine and feces, across all treatment groups, showed a dose-response trend that was statistically significant (p<0.0001
−Removed: and p=0.0004, respectively).
−Removed: The mean reduction in urine phosphorus excretion was not significant at 1500 mg/day (p=0.3676), but was significant
−Removed: at 3000 (p=0.0004), 4500 (p<0.0001), and 6000 (p=0.0001) mg/day, as shown in the figure below.
−Removed: The mean increase in fecal phosphorus excretion
−Removed: was significant at 1500 (p=0.0358), 3000 (p=0.0006), 4500 (p=0.0026), and 6000 (p<0.0001) mg/day.
−Removed: The doses resulted in no serious
−Removed: adverse events (SAEs) and all patients completed the study.
−Removed: Potential advantages of Renazorb
−Removed: Renazorb is a phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia
−Removed: in patients with CKD and is intended to be administered as a tablet that will be swallowed whole at mealtimes.
−Removed: CKD patients typically
−Removed: have co-morbidities, which often require them to be on strict pill schedules.
−Removed: Current phosphate binder products such as Fosrenol, Renagel/Renvela
−Removed: and Phoslo involve patients needing to take multiple and/or larger pills (on average, 9 pills/day), in addition to other, non-phosphate
−Removed: binder pills they sometimes need to take, resulting in poor adherence to the prescribed drug therapy (Figure 4 below).
−Removed: Lower molecular
−Removed: weight and no water of hydration with Renazorb as compared with Fosrenol allows Renazorb to be dosed in smaller mass.
−Removed: In this regard,
−Removed: we believe that the combined effect of smaller pill size, lower number of pills, and improved palatability with Renazorb versus currently
−Removed: available phosphate binders is likely to lead to improved patient compliance and more effective disease management.
−Removed: Size comparisons of different phosphate binders
−Removed: Market Potential
−Removed: The worldwide market for hyperphosphatemia agents
−Removed: is estimated at ~$2.5 billion growing at a 5.3% CAGR (Fortune Business Insights, Hyperphosphatemia Treatment Market, 2021-2028 ).
−Removed: According to a study conducted by Syneos Health for the Company, based on the market data, the total US market makes up over $1 billion
−Removed: of the that total.
−Removed: Based on the available data on overall efficacy, safety and compliance,
−Removed: we believe that Renazorb is well-positioned to become a product of choice in the multi-billion phosphate binder market.
+Added: In September 2012 a Phase 1 single-center clinical
+Added: trial evaluating Renazorb in 32 healthy volunteers was completed in the United States.
+Added: Four sequential dose cohorts of 8 subjects each
+Added: (6 actives and 2 placebos) received Renazorb at 1500, 3000, 4500, or 6000 mg/day, taken orally in 3 divided doses within 15 minutes after
+Added: meals, for five consecutive days.
+Added: The primary endpoint of the study was the evaluation of safety, and the secondary endpoint was the
+Added: phosphate binding capacity of Renazorb as judged by the level of phosphorus in feces and urine.
+Added: We believe the study indicated
+Added: that Renazorb was minimally absorbed to the systemic circulation and was well-tolerated at doses up to 6000 mg/day.
+Added: Renazorb significantly
+Added: reduced urine phosphate excretion and significantly increased fecal phosphate excretion at doses at and above 3000 mg/day.
+Added: mean overall change in phosphorus from baseline in both urine and feces, across all treatment groups, showed a dose-response trend that
+Added: was statistically significant (p<0.0001 and p=0.0004, respectively).
+Added: The mean reduction in urine phosphorus excretion was not significant
+Added: at 1500 mg/day (p=0.3676), but was significant at 3000 (p=0.0004), 4500 (p<0.0001), and 6000 (p=0.0001) mg/day, as shown in the figure
+Added: Daily urine phosphate reduction
+Added: Regulatory Strategy for Renazorb
+Added: Feedback from the FDA
+Added: We received additional guidance on the regulatory
+Added: pathway for Renazorb from the U.S.
+Added: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following a Type C meeting in March 2022, in which the FDA confirmed
+Added: that a single clinical bioequivalence study in healthy volunteers, together with the previously agreed-upon 6-month mouse toxicology
+Added: study can support the New Drug Application (NDA) filing of Renazorb through a 505(b)(2) pathway.
+Added: We reached an agreement with the FDA on the clinical
+Added: study design including the doses of Renazorb and Fosrenol, sample size and the primary endpoints of the bioequivalence study.
+Added: confirmed that no additional clinical studies would be required for the NDA application.
+Added: BE Study Description
+Added: We conducted a randomized, open label, two-way
+Added: crossover BE study to establish pharmacodynamic (PD) bioequivalence between Renazorb and Fosrenol.
+Added: The primary objective of the study
+Added: was to demonstrate PD equivalence of orally administered Renazorb 1000 mg three-times daily (TID) to orally administered Fosrenol 1000
+Added: mg TID in healthy subjects, and the secondary objective was to compare the safety and tolerability of UNI-014 versus Fosrenol in healthy
+Added: The study design, including the dose, primary endpoint and the sample size was reviewed by the Agency prior to the initiation
+Added: of the study.
+Added: The primary outcome measure was least squares (LS) mean change in urinary phosphorous excretion (in mg/day) from baseline
+Added: to the evaluation period.
+Added: The evaluation period was defined as the approximately 72-hour urine collection period starting on Day 1 and
+Added: ending on Day 4.
+Added: Baseline was defined as the approximately 48-hour urine collection period starting on Day -2 and ending on Day 1.
+Added: equivalence was to be claimed if the 90% confidence interval (CI) of the primary PD variable for UNI-014 was completely contained within
+Added: the reference interval, which was defined as ±20% of the LS mean of the primary PD variable for lanthanum carbonate.
+Added: change from Baseline for UNI-014 (-320.4 mg/day) was similar to the LS mean change from Baseline for Fosrenol (-324.0 mg/day).
+Added: 90% CI for the LS mean was (-45.88, 53.16), which is well within the acceptance range of (-64.80, 64,80) ( Table 3 ).
+Added: It was concluded
+Added: that UNI-014 was bioequivalent to Fosrenol.
+Added: Primary outcome data is presented
+Added: in the table below.
+Added: Table 3 Summary of Mean
+Added: Change in Urinary Phosphorus Excretion (mg/day)
+Added: Evaluation Period
+Added: Change from Baseline
+Added: LS Mean Change
+Added: 90% Confidence Interval for the LS mean (Test-Reference)
+Added: (-45.88, 53.16)
+Added: Acceptance Range
+Added: (-64.80, 64.799)
Manufacturing
8 unchanged sentences
According to the terms of the
−Removed: agreement Unicycive will pay the vendor $2 million in the first calendar year when the net revenue reaches $10 million from sales of Renazorb
−Removed: following its approval by the FDA and commercial supply of the product by the vendor (First Payment).
−Removed: Thereafter, we will pay $2 million
−Removed: per year for four consecutive years, after the first year’s payment, for the total payments of $10 million, provided all commercial
−Removed: supplies are continued to be manufactured and supplied by the vendor.
−Removed: Unicycive is not obligated to make any payments to the vendor until
−Removed: FDA approval of the product is obtained and commercial revenue is generated.
−Removed: Regulatory Strategy for Renazorb
−Removed: Feedback from the FDA
−Removed: We received additional guidance on the regulatory
−Removed: pathway for Renazorb from the U.S.
−Removed: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following a Type C meeting in March 2022, in which the Agency confirmed
−Removed: that a single clinical bioequivalence study in healthy volunteers, together with the previously agreed-upon 6-month mouse toxicology study
−Removed: can support the New Drug Application (NDA) filing of Renazorb through a 505(b)(2) pathway.
−Removed: We reached an agreement with the Agency on the
−Removed: clinical study design including the dose of Renazorb and Fosrenol, sample size and the primary endpoints of the bioequivalence study.
−Removed: The Agency confirmed that no additional clinical studies would be required for the NDA application.
−Removed: BE Study Description
−Removed: Based on guidance from the FDA, we are initiating a randomized, open
−Removed: label, two-way crossover BE study to establish pharmacodynamic bioequivalence between Renazorb and Fosrenol.
−Removed: The study will enroll 32
−Removed: individuals per treatment sequence for a total of 64 evaluable subjects.
−Removed: An adequate number of subjects will be screened and randomized
−Removed: in order to get 64 evaluable subjects into the study.
−Removed: The primary endpoint of the study is LS mean change in urinary phosphate excretion
−Removed: from baseline to the evaluation period.
−Removed: The study will consist of a screening period, 2 dosing periods, a washout period, and a follow-up
−Removed: The study design is presented in the diagram below:
−Removed: We believe that our continued collaborative interactions with the FDA
−Removed: will serve us well to be able to file our NDA.
−Removed: Activities in support of each of the requirements recommended by FDA are underway.
−Removed: to hold additional discussions with FDA during the second half of 2022 to confirm their concurrence with our dataset and NDA submission
−Removed: strategy with the goal to file NDA by the end of 2022 or early 2023.
+Added: agreement, following Renazorb approval by the FDA, Unicycive will pay the vendor $2 million in the first calendar year when the net revenue
+Added: reaches $10 million from sales of Renazorb and commercial supply of the product by the vendor (First Payment).
+Added: Thereafter, we will pay
+Added: $2 million per year for four consecutive years, after the first year’s payment, for the total payments of $10 million, provided
+Added: all commercial supplies are continued to be manufactured and supplied by the vendor.
+Added: Unicycive is not obligated to make any payments
+Added: to the vendor until FDA approval of the product is obtained and commercial revenue is generated.
+Added: Commercial Strategy for Renazorb
+Added: The worldwide market for hyperphosphatemia agents
+Added: is estimated at ~$2.5 billion and is growing at a 5.3% CAGR (Fortune Business Insights, Hyperphosphatemia Treatment Market, 2021-2028 ).
+Added: According to a study conducted by Syneos Health for the Company, the U.S.
+Added: market makes up over $1 billion of that total.
+Added: We own commercial
+Added: rights to Renazorb globally.
+Added: market, we intend to maintain optionality by pursuing 3 potential go-to-market models in parallel.
+Added: We believe that this is the best strategy to maximize both the clinical value of the Renazorb asset for patients and the economic value
+Added: of the asset to our investors.
+Added: Launch Renazorb in the U.S.
+Added: market ourselves by building out a specialty commercial operation to
+Added: address the highly concentrated nephrology prescription market.
+Added: Executive management of the company has considerable product launch
+Added: experience in the nephrology space with specific working knowledge of the hyperphosphatemia market.
+Added: While there are ~10,000 prescribers
+Added: of phosphate binders, ~2,500 prescribers are responsible for over half of the ~2.5 million prescriptions written annually.
+Added: that we can efficiently create demand for Renazorb within the most productive segments of the market with a relatively small salesforce,
+Added: while addressing the broader segments of prescribers through non-personal and digital promotion tactics.
+Added: Out-license and/or co-promote Renazorb
+Added: with an established biopharma company that has an existing commercial infrastructure in the
+Added: renal disease space.
+Added: Out-license rights or enter into distribution agreement(s) with dialysis organization(s) for the
+Added: commercialization of Renazorb.
+Added: Collaboration Partners
+Added: In July of 2022, we entered into an agreement
+Added: granting exclusive rights to develop, market and commercialize Renazorb (lanthanum dioxycarbonate) to Lee’s Pharmaceutical (HK)
+Added: in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and certain other Asian markets.
+Added: Under the terms
+Added: of the agreement, Lee’s Pharm will be responsible for development, registration filing and approval for Renazorb in the licensed
+Added: In addition, Lee’s Pharm will have sole responsibility for the importation of the drug product from Unicycive and
+Added: for the costs of commercialization of Renazorb in the licensed territories.
+Added: We received an upfront payment of $1.0 million upon signature
+Added: and may receive up to $1.0 million in milestone payments upon product launch in China and will be eligible for tiered royalties upon
+Added: achievement of prespecified regulatory and commercial achievements.
+Added: In February of 2023, we entered into an exclusive
+Added: license agreement with Lotus Pharmaceutical for the development and commercialization of Renazorb in the Republic of Korea.
+Added: terms of the agreement, Lotus will be responsible for development, registration filing and approval of Renazorb in the Republic of Korea.
+Added: In addition, Lotus will have sole responsibility for the importation of the drug product from Unicycive and for the costs of commercialization
+Added: of Renazorb in the Republic of Korea.
+Added: We received an upfront payment of $750,000 and may receive up to $4.45 million in milestone payments
+Added: and tiered royalties upon achievement of prespecified regulatory and commercial achievements.
+Added: We will continue to seek licensing partners for
+Added: Renazorb in other territories outside the U.S.
+Added: (i.e., Europe, Japan, Canada, South America, and the Middle East.)
+Added: opportunity for Renazorb
+Added: Renazorb is a phosphate binder for the treatment
+Added: of hyperphosphatemia in patients with CKD on dialysis and is intended to be administered as a tablet that will be swallowed whole at
+Added: CKD patients typically have co-morbidities, which often require them to be on strict pill schedules.
+Added: Current phosphate binder
+Added: products such as Renvela ® , Calcium Acetate, Auryxia ® , Velphoro ® , and Fosrenol involve patients
+Added: needing to take large numbers and/or large sized, chewable pills each day, which often results in poor adherence to the prescribed drug
+Added: therapy (Figure 4 below).
+Added: By virtue of its novel nanoparticle technology, Renazorb leverages the high phosphate binding potency of lanthanum
+Added: in a palatable dose form that has the potential to substantially reduce the pill burden volume for patients.
+Added: In this regard, we believe
+Added: that the combined effect of smaller pill size, lower number of pills, and improved palatability with Renazorb compared with currently
+Added: available phosphate binders is likely to lead to improved patient compliance/adherence and more effective disease management.
+Added: Average daily dose of phosphate binder
+Added: therapies from www.dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
+Added: Product images are proportionally sized.
+Added: Tenapanor (Ardelyx):
+Added: A Potential New Hyperphosphatemia
+Added: Market Player
+Added: Tenapanor is a new oral treatment for hyperphosphatemia
+Added: that utilizes a novel mechanism of action that inhibits paracellular transport of phosphorus into the bloodstream.
+Added: Ardelyx filed an NDA
+Added: for tenapanor with the FDA in June of 2020.
+Added: In July of 2021, Ardelyx received a Complete Response Letter (“CRL”) from the
+Added: FDA’s Division of Cardiology and Nephrology.
+Added: According to the CRL, the Division characterized the treatment effect of tenapanor
+Added: as “small and of unclear clinical significance.” Ardelyx appealed FDA’s decision and ultimately was granted an Advisory
+Added: Committee meeting in November of 2022, where committee members voted in favor of approving tenapanor (9 to 4 in favor of approving tenapanor
+Added: as monotherapy and 10 to 2 in favor of its approval in combination with phosphate binders).
+Added: Ardelyx is in discussions with FDA about
+Added: the nature of a potential approval of tenapanor and expects that approval in the second half of 2023.
+Added: While we can’t predict the outcome of these
+Added: negotiations, we believe that given the modest treatment effect of tenapanor that, regardless of the scope of the indication, the clinical
+Added: utilization of tenapanor will be predominantly in combination with phosphate binders.
+Added: In FDA Advisory Committee briefing documents, the
+Added: efficacy of tenapanor in lowering serum phosphorus levels in dialysis patients in an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis was 0.70mg/dL.
+Added: comparison, in the same document FDA summarized the efficacy of lanthanum carbonate as resulting in a reduction in serum phosphorus of
+Added: 2.0mg/dL in a comparable ITT analysis of clinical data.
+Added: Based on this FDA commentary, we would expect Renazorb to be substantially more
+Added: effective than tenapanor when used as monotherapy.
+Added: Similar to Renazorb, one of the key features of tenapanor’s value proposition
+Added: is its low pill burden.
+Added: For this reason, we believe that Renazorb may be the most logical phosphate binder to combine with tenapanor
+Added: making the two potential new medicines more complimentary than competitive as it would leverage two distinct mechanisms of action to
+Added: control phosphorus with a much lower pill burden than the current standard of care.
+Added: Changing Access and Reimbursement Environment
+Added: According to the most recent ESRD PPS “Final
+Added: Rule” published for 2023, drugs for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia for Medicare beneficiaries, which are currently provided
+Added: by Medicare Part D insurers are scheduled to be included into the dialysis bundle in 2025 and will be paid for separately by CMS through
+Added: a Transitional Drug Add-On Payment Adjustment (TDAPA) program for a minimum of 2 years.
+Added: In the 2023 Final Rule, CMS stated, “We
+Added: have seen that incorporating Medicare Part D drugs into the ESRD PPS has had a significant positive effect of expanding access to such
+Added: drugs for beneficiaries who do not have Medicare Part D coverage.” (federalregister.gov/d/2022-13449).
+Added: We believe that the
+Added: timing of this change coincides with our anticipated launch timing of Renazorb and could provide for a more rapid launch uptake and competitive
+Added: pricing advantages.
+Added: Disease overview:
acute kidney injury (AKI)
−Removed: Acute kidney injury (AKI) — a loose collection
−Removed: of syndromes characterized by a sudden decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) — is estimated to affect 2–3
−Removed: people per 1,000 individuals in the United States as shown in a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
−Removed: by Kellum, JA in 2012.
−Removed: AKI is a serious condition characterized by a sudden decline in kidney function that can lead to kidney
−Removed: AKI, and CKD can form a continuum (see figure below) whereby initial kidney injury can lead to persistent renal injury, eventually
−Removed: leading to CKD as shown in a 2017 study published by Chawla, LS in Nature Reviews Nephrology.
−Removed: is defined as an abrupt decrease in kidney function occurring over 7 days or less, whereas CKD is defined by the persistence of kidney
−Removed: disease for a period of >90 days.
−Removed: AKD describes acute or subacute damage and/or loss of kidney function for a duration of between
−Removed: 7 and 90 days after exposure to an AKI initiating event (Figure 6).
−Removed: Adapted from Nature Review-Nephrology;
−Removed: Chawla LS et al.
−Removed: In the United States, approximately 1% of patients
−Removed: admitted to hospitals have AKI at the time of admission.
−Removed: The estimated incidence rate of AKI during hospitalization is 2-5%.
−Removed: within 30 days postoperatively in approximately 1% of general surgery cases as shown in a paper by Kheterpal S in Journal Anesthesiology
−Removed: and arises in up to 67% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients as published in a paper by Goldberg R, 2008 in Advances in Chronic
−Removed: Kidney Disease.
−Removed: In recipients of solitary kidney transplants, 21% developed AKI within the first 6 months after transplantation as shown
−Removed: in a paper published by Panek R in 2016 in Clinical Transplantation.
−Removed: In a prospective national cohort study that used
−Removed: an electronic AKI alert, the incidence of AKI was 577 per 100,000 population.
−Removed: Community-acquired AKI accounted for 49.3% of all incidence
−Removed: episodes, and 42% occurred in the context of pre-existing chronic kidney disease.
−Removed: The 90-day mortality rate was 25.6%, and 23.7% of episodes
−Removed: progressed to a higher AKI stage as published by Holmes J et al.
−Removed: in Clinical Journal of American Society of Nephrology in 2016.
−Removed: The KDIGO criteria for AKI are shown below in Table 3.
−Removed: a study by Susantitaphong et al in 2013, using the KDIGO definition, an estimated 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 3 children worldwide experience
−Removed: AKI during a hospital episode of care.
−Removed: KDIGO criteria for AKI
−Removed: The incidence of AKI varies among different patient
−Removed: populations and is shown below in Table 4.
−Removed: A 2018 study by Pavkov reported that the total number of hospitalizations with AKI increased
−Removed: from 953,926 in 2000 to 1,823,054 in 2006 and to 3,959,560 in 2014.
−Removed: Among persons with diabetes, AKI hospitalizations increased by 139%,
−Removed: from 23.1 to 55.3 per 1,000 persons and by 230% among persons without diabetes, from 3.5 to 11.7 per 1,000 persons (both p<0.001).
−Removed: Hospital-acquired
−Removed: AKI is linked to 3 main areas:
−Removed: sepsis, procedures, and drug toxicity as shown below in Table 4.
−Removed: Adapted from Hoste et al.
−Removed: treatment of acute kidney injury
−Removed: Treatment options for AKI include continuous renal replacement therapy,
−Removed: renal transplant, and dialysis.
−Removed: In a majority of cases the damage to the kidney is irreversible, and the patient needs to have a renal
−Removed: transplant or be on dialysis for life.
−Removed: There are no approved medicines to treat AKI;
−Removed: there is therefore a high unmet medical need.
−Removed: approved, UNI 494 (a patented pro-drug of nicorandil) has the potential to be a first-in-class drug for the treatment of AKI.
−Removed: on nicorandil
−Removed: marketed in such products as Ikorel and Dancor, is indicated for the treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris.
−Removed: It is not currently
−Removed: approved in the United States but has been approved for use in Australia, the United Kingdom and most of Europe, and in India, Japan,
−Removed: South Korea, and Taiwan.
−Removed: Nicorandil is a dual-action potassium channel opener that relaxes vascular smooth muscle through membrane hyperpolarization
−Removed: via increased transmembrane potassium conductance and increased intracellular concentration of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP).
−Removed: It is shown to dilate normal and stenotic coronary arteries and reduces both ventricular preload and afterload.
−Removed: in acute kidney injury
−Removed: kidney has one of the highest mitochondrial densities in the body.
−Removed: Both acute and chronic kidney disease is associated with mitochondrial
−Removed: loss and impaired replacement, which subsequently results in increased oxidative damage and cellular injury.
−Removed: The diagram below in Figure
−Removed: 7 (Che R, 2014) shows how mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to kidney disease.
−Removed: Mitochondria Dysfunction
−Removed: Since mitochondrial dysfunction is an important factor in the pathogenesis
−Removed: of AKI, the mitochondria have emerged as a therapeutic target for treatment as published in a study by Ishimoto Y in 2016 in Journal Nephrology
−Removed: Dialysis Transplantation.
−Removed: In preclinical studies, nicorandil has been shown to improve mitochondrial function by blocking the opening
−Removed: of mitochondrial permeability transition pores (MPTP) and by stabilizing mitochondria against oxidative stress as published by Afzal,
−Removed: M in 2016 in Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology.
−Removed: 8 below shows the potential mechanisms of how nicorandil can improve mitochondrial function in renal disease.
−Removed: has been reported to have a potential protective effect in the kidneys in nonclinical (Shiraishi 2014, Tamura 2012, Tanabe 2012) and
−Removed: human studies (Zhan 2018, Ma 2018).
−Removed: Further, no significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters of nicorandil have been observed
−Removed: in patients with normal renal function as compared to those with impaired renal function (Molinaro 1992).
−Removed: In animal studies, nicorandil has demonstrated efficacy in multiple
−Removed: standard models of kidney disease (see Table 5).
−Removed: Notably, these effects occur in a blood pressure-independent manner, indicating that
−Removed: these beneficial effects are not simply a result of decreasing pressure-mediated kidney damage, but a direct beneficial effect on the
−Removed: Efficacy of nicorandil in standard models of kidney disease
−Removed: of Nicorandil
−Removed: these promising results, development of nicorandil for use in acute kidney injury has not been successfully pursued to date.
−Removed: possesses at least two features that may limit its use in this clinical setting.
−Removed: First, nicorandil has a short half-life in humans of
−Removed: approximately 1 hour, which results in the need to dose nicorandil multiple times per day to achieve sustained blood levels.
−Removed: nicorandil is well tolerated by most patients, with less than 10% of patients reporting side-effects after 30 days of treatment, and
−Removed: roughly 70% remaining on nicorandil at one year.
−Removed: Similar to nitrates, headache is the most common side effect to nicorandil, occurring
−Removed: in roughly one third of patients.
−Removed: Other relatively common side effects are:
−Removed: dizziness, flushing, malaise and gastro-intestinal upset.
−Removed: However, nicorandil has been associated with rare but serious ulcerations in the gastrointestinal tract.
−Removed: The chance of this rare but
−Removed: potentially severe side effect increases with higher doses and long term use of this drug, and heals after drug withdrawal.
−Removed: population-based study of this drug’s association with GI ulceration or perforation has been reported.
−Removed: This study, based on more
−Removed: than 600,000 randomly selected patients, found a 43% increase in the risk of GI ulceration and a 60% increase in the risk of GI perforation.
−Removed: This effect appears dose-dependent and limits the maximum labeled dose of nicorandil in Europe.
+Added: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is defined as a sudden
+Added: loss of kidney function that is diagnosed by increased serum creatinine levels and decreased urine output and is limited to a duration
+Added: of 7 days, whereas chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a defined as persistent decrease in kidney function beyond 90 days.
+Added: Thus, AKI and
+Added: CKD can form a continuum whereby initial kidney injury can lead to persistent renal injury, eventually leading to CKD.
+Added: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is estimated to occur
+Added: in approximately 20–200 per million population in the community, 7–18% of patients in hospital, and approximately 50% of
+Added: patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
+Added: Importantly, AKI is associated with morbidity and mortality;
+Added: AKI affects 13 million
+Added: people worldwide, and an estimated 2 million people die of AKI every year, whereas AKI survivors are at increased risk of developing
+Added: chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) — conditions that carry a high economic, societal and personal
+Added: burden (Chawla et al., Nature Reviews-Nephrology, 2017).
+Added: Current treatment of acute kidney injury
+Added: Currently there are no FDA approved medicines
+Added: to treat AKI.
+Added: Treatment options for AKI include continuous renal replacement therapy, renal transplant, and dialysis.
+Added: In most cases the
+Added: damage to the kidney is irreversible, and the patient needs to have a renal transplant or be on dialysis for life.
+Added: Therefore, there is
+Added: a high unmet medical need.
+Added: If approved, UNI-494 has the potential to be a first-in-class drug for the treatment of AKI.
+Added: Role of Mitochondria in kidney diseases
+Added: The kidney has one of the highest mitochondrial
+Added: densities in the body.
+Added: Both acute and chronic kidney disease is associated with mitochondrial loss and impaired repair mechanisms, which
+Added: subsequently result in increased oxidative damage, cellular injury and cell death.
+Added: AKI and CKD not only form a continuum but are a bidirectional
+Added: process, wherein maladaptive repair of AKI leads to CKD and patients with underlying CKD conditions are predisposed to the development
+Added: Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a crucial role in both AKI and CKD, as shown in the diagram below.
+Added: Since mitochondrial dysfunction
+Added: is an important factor in the pathogenesis of AKI and CKD, mitochondria have emerged as a therapeutic target for treatment of these diseases.
+Added: Adapted from Bhatia et al, Kidney Research
+Added: and Practice 2020 39(3):244-258.
+Added: Background on nicorandil
+Added: Nicorandil, marketed in such products as Ikorel
+Added: and Dancor, is indicated for the treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris.
+Added: It is currently not approved in the United States
+Added: but has been approved for use in Australia, the United Kingdom and most of Europe, and in India, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
+Added: is a dual-action mitochondrial potassium (mitochondrial K ATP ) channel activator and nitrate-like vasodilator.
+Added: Activation of
+Added: mitochondrial K ATP channel leads to restoration of mitochondrial function and cytoprotection.
+Added: Nicorandil has extensive safety
+Added: and efficacy data from multiple clinical trials, including a 5,000-patient randomized controlled trial (IONA Study, Lancet 2002) and
+Added: there is a consensus in the literature that the activation of mitochondrial K ATP channel is the biological basis for
+Added: the observed cardio-protection and reno-protection in multiple clinical trials.
+Added: Nicorandil efficacy in acute kidney injury
+Added: Nicorandil has been reported to have a potential
+Added: protective effect in the kidneys in preclinical studies (Shiraishi 2014, Tamura 2012, Tanabe 2012).
+Added: In animal studies, nicorandil has
+Added: demonstrated efficacy in multiple standard models of kidney disease such as ischemic reperfusion injury, 5/6 nephrectomy models of chronic
+Added: kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy and hypertensive models (see Table 4).
+Added: Notably, these effects occur in a blood pressure-independent
+Added: manner, indicating that these beneficial effects are not simply a result of decreasing pressure-mediated kidney damage, but a direct
+Added: beneficial effect on the kidney.
+Added: A brief summary from these preclinical studies is provided in the Table below.
+Added: Efficacy of nicorandil in standard
+Added: models of kidney disease
+Added: More importantly, several randomized clinical
+Added: studies have indicated improved renal outcomes with nicorandil in patients with chronic kidney disease, poor renal function, and those
+Added: undergoing coronary angiography/percutaneous coronary intervention (CAG/PCI).
+Added: A brief summary from a couple of randomized clinical trials
+Added: in contrast induced nephropathy (AKI) is described in the table below.
+Added: Efficacy of nicorandil in clinical
+Added: trials in Acute Kidney Injury
+Added: In 2020, to bring together the growing evidence
+Added: of the effectiveness of nicorandil for the prevention of Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN).
+Added: Pranata published the results of a systematic
+Added: literature review and meta-analysis of clinical studies investigating the use of nicorandil in patients undergoing CAG or PCI.
+Added: the seven trials (sample size N=1,532), nicorandil was shown to decrease the incidence of CIN by 69% (OR:
+Added: of other factors in the respective studies.
+Added: In addition, a subgroup analysis showed that nicorandil also provided protection against
+Added: CIN in patients with renal dysfunction (OR:
+Added: 95% CI 0.22, 0.61), which was defined as an eGFR £ 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 .
+Added: When analyzed by the mode of administration, oral nicorandil was shown to have greater efficacy compared with nicorandil infusions (OR:
+Added: 0.29 vs 0.40).
+Added: Overall, Pranata et al.
+Added: concluded that nicorandil was associated with a lower risk of CIN in patients undergoing
+Added: CAG/PCI with a moderate level of certainty (Pranata et al 2020).
+Added: Limitations of Nicorandil
+Added: Despite these promising results, development
+Added: of nicorandil for use in acute kidney injury has not been successfully pursued to date.
+Added: Nicorandil possesses at least two features that
+Added: may limit its use in this clinical setting.
+Added: First, nicorandil has a short half-life in humans of approximately 1 hour, which results
+Added: in the need to dose nicorandil multiple times per day to achieve sustained blood levels.
+Added: Second, nicorandil has been associated with
+Added: rare but serious ulcerations in the gastrointestinal tract.
+Added: The chance of this rare, but potentially severe, side effect increases with
+Added: higher doses and long-term use of this drug and heals after drug withdrawal.
+Added: A recent population-based study of this drug’s association
+Added: with GI ulceration or perforation has been reported (Lee et al., Scientific Reports, 2015).
+Added: This study, based on more than 600,000 randomly
+Added: selected patients, found a 43% increase in the risk of GI ulceration and a 60% increase in the risk of GI perforation.
+Added: This effect appears
+Added: dose-dependent and limits the maximum labeled dose of nicorandil in Europe.
a Pro-drug of Nicorandil
−Removed: 494 is a patented pro-drug that was designed to be absorbed into the systemic circulation, and once absorbed, to release nicorandil into
−Removed: the bloodstream.
−Removed: By avoiding direct exposure to the gastrointestinal tract of nicorandil, it is believed that UNI 494 may be able to
−Removed: minimize or avoid the gastrointestinal side effects of nicorandil.
−Removed: Also, based on the rate of conversion of UNI 494 to nicorandil in
−Removed: the systemic circulation, UNI 494 may offer greater and/or more prolonged exposure to nicorandil for the treatment of patients with acute
−Removed: kidney injury.
−Removed: Our technology for UNI 494 is licensed from Sphaera Pharmaceutical Private Limited, a Singapore-based company (“Sphaera”),
−Removed: with offices in India and the US.
−Removed: We have the global, exclusive license to UNI 494.
−Removed: Sphaera conceived of and performed initial characterization
−Removed: of various potential pro-drug linkers, including the initial patent application, and performed some initial physiochemical characterization
−Removed: and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
−Removed: October 2020, we completed preclinical studies in rats and dogs demonstrating systemic exposure to nicorandil following oral dosing of
−Removed: In dogs, oral dosing of UNI 494 produced up to 4 times greater systemic exposure to nicorandil compared with literature data
−Removed: on equimolar doses of nicorandil itself.
−Removed: have selected rat and dog as the most suitable species for the GLP toxicology program for UNI 494, which we plan to commence in 2022.
−Removed: License Agreement
−Removed: October 1, 2017, we entered into an exclusive license agreement (the “Sphaera License Agreement”) with Sphaera Pharma Pte.
−Removed: Ltd., a Singaporean pharmaceutical corporation (“Sphaera”).
−Removed: Pursuant to the Sphaera License Agreement, we acquired an exclusive
−Removed: royalty-bearing worldwide license to develop, make, have made, use, practice, research, distribute, lease, sell, offer for sale, license,
−Removed: import or otherwise dispose of certain rights owned or controlled by Sphaera and/or any of its affiliates, related to UNI 494 (the “UNI
−Removed: 494 Rights”).
−Removed: We also acquired a non-exclusive license to certain know-how and technology related to the UNI 494 Rights.
−Removed: conceived of and performed initial characterization of various potential pro-drug linkers, including the initial patent application,
−Removed: and performed some initial physicochemical characterization and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
−Removed: the terms of the Sphaera License Agreement, we are obligated to pay to Sphaera, on a quarterly basis, a running royalty of 2% of our
−Removed: net sales (including our affiliates) in connection with the sales of UNI 494;
−Removed: provided, however, that if we are required to make royalty
−Removed: payments to one or more third parties whose patent rights would be infringed by the exercise of the UNI 494 Rights, we may reduce such
−Removed: running royalty due to Sphaera by the amount of such third-party royalty rate.
−Removed: are also required to pay to Sphaera certain milestone payments, including, upon our initiation of a second clinical trial;
−Removed: the time the first patient in such trial is dosed;
−Removed: an additional $50,000 within 30 days of completion of such trial;
−Removed: and at the time
−Removed: the FDA accepts a New Drug Application for UNI494, $1.65 million.
−Removed: In addition, we are responsible for the prosecution of patent rights,
−Removed: and any related costs and expenses for patent prosecution and maintenance.
−Removed: also have the right, but not the obligation, to defend the UNI 494 rights during the term of the Sphaera License Agreement;
−Removed: however, that if we determine not to prosecute or maintain such rights in any country, we must provide ninety (90) days written notice
−Removed: We may terminate the Sphaera License Agreement at any time by providing thirty (30) days’ written notice to Sphaera.
−Removed: Additionally, in the event that either we or Sphaera breach any of our respective material obligations, the non-breaching party may,
−Removed: in its sole discretion, have the right to terminate the Sphaera License Agreement, provided that it give the breaching party written
−Removed: notice specifying the nature of the breach and amounts of running royalty payments due, if any.
−Removed: In such an occurrence, the termination
−Removed: notice is effective ninety (90) days from receipt of the notice if the breaching party has failed to cure the breach.
−Removed: trials for UNI 494 in AKI
−Removed: 494 is currently in preclinical development.
−Removed: We plan to conduct repeat-dose animal toxicology studies and other IND-enabling preclinical
−Removed: studies in 2022 prior to initiating clinical development of UNI 494 in AKI.
−Removed: is challenging to conduct clinical trials in AKI trials due to the multiple etiologies of AKI.
−Removed: We believe that UNI 494 should be evaluated
−Removed: in clinical trials focusing on a few select etiologies in which UNI 494 has a very strong mechanistic rationale based on nicorandil clinical
−Removed: experience in terms of protection of kidney function and secondary benefits.
−Removed: Based on our understanding of mechanism of action of the drug, we are
−Removed: in discussions with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to identify t the AKI subsets where UNI 494 can be most active and subsets of AKI patients
−Removed: who are most likely to benefit from UNI-494.
−Removed: We are planning to conduct preclinical studies in animal models to further explore the efficacy
−Removed: and development path in the AKI indication.
−Removed: We have also identified patient populations where we would not likely evaluate UNI 494 in
−Removed: clinical trials, including patients with prior history of gastrointestinal ulcerations.
−Removed: This will become exclusion criteria in future
−Removed: clinical trials for UNI 494.
−Removed: Strategy for UNI 494
−Removed: Nicorandil is already approved in Europe and Asia
−Removed: for the treatment of heart disease.
−Removed: We believe there is a possibility these historical Nicorandil data, along with preclinical and clinical
−Removed: data with UNI 494 itself, can be utilized for streamlined US FDA review of UNI 494.
−Removed: While pre-clinical requirements to start a clinical
−Removed: program for an IND would be similar for UNI-494 as for NCE (New Chemical Entity).
−Removed: We believe that the vast clinical data set from Nicorandil
−Removed: will potentially help us to expedite the clinical development program with the FDA.
−Removed: to a 2017 article by Silver and Chertow, the current cost of care for AKI in the U.S.
−Removed: is estimated to be between $5.4 to $24 billion
−Removed: In England, inpatient costs related to AKI are estimated to make up 1% of the total National Health Service budget.
−Removed: effective treatment for AKI, it is not possible to definitively state a market figure.
−Removed: However, with the high cost and burden of AKI,
−Removed: we believe a conservative market estimate is approximately $3 billion in the US alone.
−Removed: The lack of effective therapeutic interventions
−Removed: for AKI means that UNI 494 has the potential to be the first drug approved for the treatment of AKI.
+Added: UNI-494 was rationally designed to be absorbed
+Added: into the systemic circulation, and once absorbed, to release nicorandil into the bloodstream.
+Added: By avoiding direct exposure to the gastrointestinal
+Added: tract of nicorandil, it is believed that UNI-494 may be able to minimize or avoid the gastrointestinal side effects of nicorandil.
+Added: based on the rate of conversion of UNI-494 to nicorandil in the systemic circulation, UNI-494 may offer greater and/or more prolonged
+Added: exposure to nicorandil for the treatment of patients with acute kidney injury.
+Added: Our technology for UNI-494 is licensed from Sphaera Pharmaceutical
+Added: Private Limited, a Singapore-based company (“Sphaera”), with offices in India and the U.S.
+Added: We have the global, exclusive
+Added: license to UNI-494.
+Added: Sphaera conceived of and performed initial characterization of various potential pro-drug linkers, including the
+Added: initial patent application, and performed some initial physiochemical characterization and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
+Added: We conducted preclinical studies in rats and
+Added: dogs demonstrating systemic exposure to nicorandil following oral dosing of UNI-494.
+Added: In dogs, oral dosing of UNI-494 produced up to four
+Added: times greater systemic exposure to nicorandil compared with literature data on equimolar doses of nicorandil itself.
+Added: Mechanism of Action of UNI-494
+Added: UNI-494 is a novel proprietary drug that selectively
+Added: binds to the SUR2B subunit of the mitochondrial K ATP channel and activates it to restore mitochondrial function and reduce
+Added: oxidative stress.
+Added: UNI-494 is cleaved by esterase enzymes to form nicorandil, the active metabolite .
+Added: The proposed mechanism of action of UNI-494 is shown in the diagram below:
+Added: Clinical trials for UNI-494 in AKI
+Added: It is challenging to conduct clinical trials
+Added: in AKI trials due to the multiple etiologies of AKI.
+Added: We believe that UNI-494 should be evaluated in clinical trials focusing on a few
+Added: select etiologies in which UNI-494 has a very strong mechanistic rationale based on nicorandil clinical experience in terms of protection
+Added: of kidney function and secondary benefits.
+Added: Based on our understanding of the mechanism of
+Added: action of the drug, we are in discussions with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to identify the AKI subsets where UNI-494 can be most active
+Added: and subsets of AKI patients who are most likely to benefit from UNI-494.
+Added: We are planning to conduct preclinical studies in animal models
+Added: to further explore the efficacy and development path in the AKI indication.
+Added: We have also identified patient populations where we would
+Added: not likely evaluate UNI-494 in clinical trials, including patients with prior history of gastrointestinal ulcerations.
+Added: This will become
+Added: exclusion criteria in future clinical trials for UNI-494.
+Added: UNI-494 Development Status
+Added: We have completed all
+Added: non-clinical safety assessment studies required for regulatory filing and submitted a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to the Medicines
+Added: and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to initiate a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers in the United Kingdom in December
+Added: The MHRA has completed review of our CTA and issued a notice of acceptance for UNI-494 first-in-human Phase 1 study in healthy
+Added: We also plan to file a corresponding Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA in 2024 for a Phase 2 proof-of-concept
+Added: trial in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients.
+Added: Regulatory Strategy for UNI-494
+Added: Nicorandil is already approved in Europe and
+Added: Asia for the treatment of heart disease.
+Added: We believe there is a possibility these historical Nicorandil data, along with preclinical and
+Added: clinical data with UNI-494 itself, can be utilized for streamlined U.S.
+Added: FDA review of UNI-494.
+Added: While pre-clinical requirements to start
+Added: a clinical program for an IND would be similar for UNI-494 as for NCE (New Chemical Entity).
+Added: We believe that the vast clinical data set
+Added: from Nicorandil will potentially help us to expedite the clinical development program with the FDA.
+Added: Market Potential
+Added: According to a 2017 article by Silver and Chertow,
+Added: the current cost of care for AKI in the U.S.
+Added: is estimated to be between $5.4 billion to $24 billion per year.
+Added: In England, inpatient costs
+Added: related to AKI are estimated to make up 1% of the total National Health Service budget.
+Added: With no effective treatment for AKI, it is not
+Added: possible to definitively state a market figure.
+Added: However, with the high cost and burden of caring for AKI patients, we believe a conservative
+Added: market estimate is approximately $3 billion in the U.S.
+Added: The lack of effective therapeutic interventions for AKI means that UNI-494
+Added: has the potential to be the first drug approved for the treatment of AKI.
AKI is a heterogeneous disease.
−Removed: We plan to target a more homogeneous AKI population for UNI 494 by focusing on kidney injury caused by complications from heart failure,
−Removed: surgeries, drugs, and contrast induced nephropathy.
−Removed: operate in a highly competitive and regulated industry that is subject to rapid and frequent changes.
−Removed: We face significant competition
−Removed: from organizations that are pursuing products that would compete with the product candidates we are developing and the same or similar
−Removed: products that target the same conditions we intend to treat.
−Removed: Due to our limited resources, we may not be able to compete successfully
−Removed: against these organizations, which include many large, well-financed and experienced pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as
−Removed: well as academic and research institutions and government agencies.
−Removed: commercial success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary protection for our product candidates, as well as
−Removed: novel discoveries, product development technologies, and know-how.
−Removed: commercial success also depends in part on our ability to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others and to prevent
−Removed: others from infringing our proprietary rights.
−Removed: Our policy is to develop and maintain protection of our proprietary position by, among
−Removed: other methods, filing or in-licensing U.S.
−Removed: and foreign patents and applications related to our technology, inventions, and improvements
−Removed: that are important to the development and implementation of our business.
−Removed: also rely on trademarks, trade secrets, know-how, continuing technological innovation, confidentiality agreements, and invention assignment
−Removed: agreements to develop and maintain our proprietary position.
−Removed: The confidentiality agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information
−Removed: and the invention assignment agreements are designed to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed for us by our employees,
−Removed: consultants, or other third parties.
−Removed: We seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our data and trade secrets by maintaining
−Removed: physical security of our premises and physical and electronic security of our information technology systems.
−Removed: While we have confidence
−Removed: in our agreements and security measures, either may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies.
−Removed: In addition, our trade secrets
−Removed: may otherwise become known or independently discovered by competitors.
−Removed: respect to both licensed and company-owned intellectual property, we cannot be sure that patents will be granted with respect to any
−Removed: of our pending patent applications or with respect to any patent applications filed by us in the future, nor can we be sure that any
−Removed: of our existing patents or any patents that may be granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our commercial
−Removed: products and methods of using and manufacturing the same.
−Removed: Patent Portfolio
−Removed: Renazorb patent portfolio includes one family of granted United States patents, with related applications pending, and an additional
−Removed: family of granted foreign patents, with related applications also pending.
−Removed: Granted and pending claims offer various forms of protection
−Removed: for Renazorb including claims to compositions of matter, pharmaceutical compositions, specific forms (such as polymorphs of lanthanum
−Removed: dioxycarbonate), methods of making the composition of matter, and methods for treating elevated levels of phosphate in the blood using
−Removed: These United States patents and applications, and their foreign equivalents, are described in more detail below.
−Removed: patent family and the foreign patent family containing claims to Renazorb and related compounds were filed in 2011.
−Removed: of patent term extension, the U.S.
−Removed: patents from this family containing claims covering Renazorb has a statutory expiration date in 2031.
−Removed: Corresponding patents granted in Canada, Europe (validated in multiple European Patent Convention member states), Japan, China, Australia,
−Removed: and other countries have statutory expiration dates in 2031.
−Removed: some cases, granted United States patents claiming Renazorb have a longer statutory term than the corresponding foreign patents.
−Removed: results from the USPTO’s practice of granting patent term adjustments for prosecution delays originating at the USPTO.
−Removed: Such adjustments
−Removed: are generally not available under foreign patent laws.
−Removed: If Renazorb is approved for marketing in the United States, under the Hatch-Waxman
−Removed: Act we may be eligible for up to five years patent term extension for a granted United States patent containing claims covering Renazorb.
−Removed: Similar term extensions may be available in Europe, Japan, Australia, and certain other foreign jurisdictions.
−Removed: The amount of any such
−Removed: term extension, and the identity of the patent to which it would apply, are dependent upon several factors including the duration of
−Removed: the development program and the date of marketing approval.
−Removed: most relevant granted United States patents with claims covering Renazob are listed below, along with their projected expiration dates
−Removed: exclusive of any patent term extension.
−Removed: Patent Number
−Removed: carbonate hydroxide, lanthanum oxycarbonate and methods of their manufacture and use
−Removed: Lanthanum carbonate
−Removed: hydroxide, lanthanum oxycarbonate and methods of their manufacture and use
−Removed: believe that we have a strong global intellectual property position, substantial know-how and trade secrets relating to UNI 494.
−Removed: October 28, 2020, we have one granted U.S.
−Removed: patent that is exclusively licensed to us from Sphaera Pharma Pte Ltd.
−Removed: In addition, we have
−Removed: one application that we own.
+Added: We plan to target a more homogeneous
+Added: AKI population for UNI-494 by focusing on kidney injury caused by complications from heart failure, surgeries, drugs, and contrast induced
+Added: Sphaera License Agreement
+Added: On October 1, 2017, we entered into an exclusive
+Added: license agreement (the “Sphaera License Agreement”) with Sphaera Pharma Pte.
+Added: Ltd., a Singaporean pharmaceutical corporation
+Added: Pursuant to the Sphaera License Agreement, we acquired an exclusive royalty-bearing worldwide license to develop,
+Added: make, have made, use, practice, research, distribute, lease, sell, offer for sale, license, import or otherwise dispose of certain rights
+Added: owned or controlled by Sphaera and/or any of its affiliates, related to UNI-494 (the “UNI-494 Rights”).
+Added: We also acquired
+Added: a non-exclusive license to certain know-how and technology related to the UNI-494 Rights.
+Added: Sphaera conceived of and performed initial
+Added: characterization of various potential pro-drug linkers, including the initial patent application, and performed some initial physicochemical
+Added: characterization and preliminary animal pharmacokinetic studies.
+Added: Under the terms of the Sphaera License Agreement,
+Added: we are obligated to pay to Sphaera, on a quarterly basis, a running royalty of 2% of our net sales (including our affiliates) in connection
+Added: with the global sales of UNI-494;
+Added: provided, however, that if we are required to make royalty payments to one or more third parties whose
+Added: patent rights would be infringed by the exercise of the UNI-494 Rights, we may reduce such running royalty due to Sphaera by the amount
+Added: of such third-party royalty rate.
+Added: We are also required to pay to Sphaera certain
+Added: milestone payments, including, upon our initiation of a second clinical trial;
+Added: $50,000 at the time the first patient in such trial is
+Added: an additional $50,000 within 30 days of completion of such trial;
+Added: and at the time the FDA accepts a NDA for UNI494, $1.65 million.
+Added: In addition, we are responsible for the prosecution of patent rights, and any related costs and expenses for patent prosecution and maintenance.
+Added: We also have the right, but not the obligation,
+Added: to defend the UNI-494 rights during the term of the Sphaera License Agreement;
+Added: provided, however, that if we determine not to prosecute
+Added: or maintain such rights in any country, we must provide ninety (90) days written notice to Sphaera.
+Added: We may terminate the Sphaera License
+Added: Agreement at any time by providing thirty (30) days’ written notice to Sphaera.
+Added: Additionally, in the event that either we or Sphaera
+Added: breach any of our respective material obligations, the non-breaching party may, in its sole discretion, have the right to terminate the
+Added: Sphaera License Agreement, provided that it give the breaching party written notice specifying the nature of the breach and amounts of
+Added: running royalty payments due, if any.
+Added: In such an occurrence, the termination notice is effective ninety (90) days from receipt of the
+Added: notice if the breaching party has failed to cure the breach.
+Added: We operate in a highly competitive and regulated
+Added: industry that is subject to rapid and frequent changes.
+Added: We face significant competition from organizations that are pursuing products
+Added: that would compete with the product candidates we are developing and the same or similar products that target the same conditions we
+Added: intend to treat.
+Added: Due to our limited resources, we may not be able to compete successfully against these organizations, which include
+Added: many large, well-financed and experienced pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as academic and research institutions and
+Added: government agencies.
+Added: Intellectual Property
+Added: Our commercial success depends in part on our
+Added: ability to obtain and maintain proprietary protection for our product candidates, as well as novel discoveries, product development technologies,
+Added: and know-how.
+Added: Our commercial success also depends in part on
+Added: our ability to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others and to prevent others from infringing our proprietary rights.
+Added: Our policy is to develop and maintain protection of our proprietary position by, among other methods, filing or in-licensing U.S.
+Added: foreign patents and applications related to our technology, inventions, and improvements that are important to the development and implementation
+Added: of our business.
+Added: We also rely on trademarks, trade secrets, know-how,
+Added: continuing technological innovation, confidentiality agreements, and invention assignment agreements to develop and maintain our proprietary
+Added: The confidentiality agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information and the invention assignment agreements
+Added: are designed to grant us ownership of technologies that are developed for us by our employees, consultants, or other third parties.
+Added: seek to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of our data and trade secrets by maintaining physical security of our premises and
+Added: physical and electronic security of our information technology systems.
+Added: While we have confidence in our agreements and security measures,
+Added: either may be breached, and we may not have adequate remedies.
+Added: In addition, our trade secrets may otherwise become known or independently
+Added: discovered by competitors.
+Added: With respect to both licensed and company-owned
+Added: intellectual property, we cannot be sure that patents will be granted with respect to any of our pending patent applications or with
+Added: respect to any patent applications filed by us in the future, nor can we be sure that any of our existing patents or any patents that
+Added: may be granted to us in the future will be commercially useful in protecting our commercial products and methods of using and manufacturing
+Added: Renazorb Patent Portfolio
+Added: Our Renazorb patent portfolio includes one family
+Added: of granted United States patents, with related applications pending, and an additional family of granted foreign patents, with related
+Added: applications also pending.
+Added: Granted and pending claims offer various forms of protection for Renazorb including claims to compositions
+Added: of matter, pharmaceutical compositions, specific forms (such as polymorphs of lanthanum dioxycarbonate), methods of making the composition
+Added: of matter, and methods for treating elevated levels of phosphate in the blood using Renazorb.
+Added: These United States patents and applications,
+Added: and their foreign equivalents, are described in more detail below.
+Added: Both the U.S.
+Added: patent family and the foreign patent
+Added: family containing claims to Renazorb and related compounds were filed in 2011.
+Added: Exclusive of patent term extension, the U.S.
+Added: from this family containing claims covering Renazorb has a statutory expiration date in 2031.
+Added: Corresponding patents granted in Canada,
+Added: Europe (validated in multiple European Patent Convention member states), Japan, China, Australia, and other countries have statutory
+Added: expiration dates in 2031.
+Added: In some cases, granted United States patents
+Added: claiming Renazorb have a longer statutory term than the corresponding foreign patents.
+Added: This results from the USPTO’s practice of
+Added: granting patent term adjustments for prosecution delays originating at the USPTO.
+Added: Such adjustments are generally not available under
+Added: foreign patent laws.
+Added: If Renazorb is approved for marketing in the United States, under the Hatch-Waxman Act we may be eligible for up
+Added: to five years patent term extension for a granted United States patent containing claims covering Renazorb.
+Added: Similar term extensions may
+Added: be available in Europe, Japan, Australia, and certain other foreign jurisdictions.
+Added: The amount of any such term extension, and the identity
+Added: of the patent to which it would apply, are dependent upon several factors including the duration of the development program and the date
+Added: of marketing approval.
+Added: The most relevant granted United States patents
+Added: with claims covering Renazob are listed below, along with their projected expiration dates exclusive of any patent term extension.
+Added: Lanthanum carbonate hydroxide, lanthanum oxycarbonate and
+Added: methods of their manufacture and use
+Added: Lanthanum carbonate hydroxide, lanthanum oxycarbonate and methods of
+Added: their manufacture and use
+Added: We believe that we have a strong global intellectual
+Added: property position, substantial know-how and trade secrets relating to UNI 494.
+Added: As of October 28, 2020, we have one granted U.S.
+Added: that is exclusively licensed to us from Sphaera Pharma Pte Ltd.
+Added: In addition, we have one application that we own.
The granted U.S.
−Removed: patent is directed to methods of making UNI 494, and it is expected to expire in 2032.
−Removed: The PCT application is directed to methods of using UNI 494, and to other compositions of matter and their uses.
−Removed: global patents issue from this PCT application, they are expected to expire in 2040.
−Removed: authorities in the United States at the federal, state and local level, including the FDA, the FTC and the DEA, extensively regulate,
−Removed: among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacturing, quality control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, recordkeeping,
−Removed: promotion, advertising, distribution, marketing and export and import of products such as those we plan to develop and market.
−Removed: the products under development and to be marketed, failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can, among other things,
−Removed: result in suspension of regulatory approval and possible civil and criminal sanctions.
−Removed: Regulations, enforcement positions, statutes and
−Removed: legal interpretations applicable to the pharmaceutical industry are constantly evolving and are not always clear.
−Removed: Significant changes
−Removed: in regulations, enforcement positions, statutes and legal interpretations could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition
−Removed: and results of our operations.
−Removed: Additionally,
−Removed: future healthcare legislation or other legislative proposals at the federal and state levels could bring about major changes in the affected
−Removed: health care systems, including statutory restrictions on the means that can be employed by brand and generic pharmaceutical companies
−Removed: to settle Paragraph IV patent litigations.
−Removed: We cannot predict the outcome of such initiatives, but such initiatives, if passed, could
−Removed: result in significant costs to us in terms of costs of compliance and penalties associated with failure to comply.
−Removed: Pharmaceutical
−Removed: Regulation in the United States
−Removed: the United States, the FDA regulates drugs under the FDCA and its implementing regulations.
−Removed: The process of obtaining regulatory approvals
−Removed: and the subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of
−Removed: substantial time and financial resources.
+Added: is directed to methods of making UNI 494, and it is expected to expire in 2032.
+Added: The PCT application is directed to methods of using UNI
+Added: 494, and to other compositions of matter and their uses.
+Added: and other global patents issue from this PCT application, they are
+Added: expected to expire in 2040.
+Added: Government Regulations
+Added: Government authorities in the United States at
+Added: the federal, state and local level, including the FDA, the FTC and the DEA, extensively regulate, among other things, the research, development,
+Added: testing, manufacturing, quality control, approval, labeling, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, promotion, advertising, distribution,
+Added: marketing and export and import of products such as those we plan to develop and market.
+Added: For both the products under development and
+Added: to be marketed, failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can, among other things, result in suspension of regulatory
+Added: approval and possible civil and criminal sanctions.
+Added: Regulations, enforcement positions, statutes and legal interpretations applicable
+Added: to the pharmaceutical industry are constantly evolving and are not always clear.
+Added: Significant changes in regulations, enforcement positions,
+Added: statutes and legal interpretations could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of our operations.
+Added: Additionally, future healthcare legislation or
+Added: other legislative proposals at the federal and state levels could bring about major changes in the affected health care systems, including
+Added: statutory restrictions on the means that can be employed by brand and generic pharmaceutical companies to settle Paragraph IV patent
+Added: We cannot predict the outcome of such initiatives, but such initiatives, if passed, could result in significant costs to
+Added: us in terms of costs of compliance and penalties associated with failure to comply.
+Added: Pharmaceutical Regulation in the United States
+Added: In the United States, the FDA regulates drugs
+Added: under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and its implementing regulations.
+Added: The process of obtaining regulatory approvals and the
+Added: subsequent compliance with appropriate federal, state, local and foreign statutes and regulations require the expenditure of substantial
+Added: time and financial resources.
Failure to comply with the applicable U.S.
−Removed: requirements at any time during the product development
−Removed: process, approval process or after approval may subject an applicant to administrative or judicial sanctions.
−Removed: These sanctions could include
−Removed: the FDA’s refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, a clinical hold, Warning Letters, product recalls,
−Removed: product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution of product(s), injunctions, fines, refusals of government
+Added: requirements at any time during the product development process,
+Added: approval process or after approval may subject an applicant to administrative or judicial sanctions.
+Added: These sanctions could include the
+Added: FDA’s refusal to approve pending applications, withdrawal of an approval, a clinical hold, Warning or Untitled Letters, product
+Added: recalls, product seizures, total or partial suspension of production or distribution of product(s), injunctions, fines, refusals of government
contracts, restitution, disgorgement or civil or criminal penalties.
1 unchanged sentence
adverse effect on us.
−Removed: approval is required before any new unapproved drug or dosage form, including a new use of a previously approved drug or a generic version
−Removed: of a previously approved drug, can be marketed in the United States.
−Removed: process required by the FDA before a new drug may be marketed in the United States generally involves:
−Removed: of preclinical laboratory and animal testing and formulation studies in compliance with the
−Removed: FDA’s current GLP regulations;
−Removed: to the FDA of an IND for human clinical testing, which must become effective before human
−Removed: clinical trials may begin in the United States;
−Removed: by an IRB at each clinical site before each trial may be initiated;
+Added: FDA approval is required before any new unapproved
+Added: drug or dosage form, including a new use of a previously approved drug or a generic version of a previously approved drug, can be marketed
+Added: in the United States.
+Added: The process required by the FDA before a new
+Added: drug may be marketed in the United States generally involves:
+Added: Completion of preclinical laboratory and animal testing and formulation
+Added: studies in compliance with the FDA’s current good laboratory practice (GLP) regulations;
+Added: Submission to the FDA of an IND for human clinical testing, which must
+Added: become effective before human clinical trials may begin in the United States;
+Added: by an institutional review board (IRB) at each clinical site before each trial may be initiated;
● Performance
−Removed: of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with the FDA to establish
−Removed: the safety and efficacy of the proposed drug product for each intended use;
−Removed: ● Satisfactory
−Removed: completion of a pre-approval inspection by FDA of the facility or facilities at which the
−Removed: product is manufactured to assess compliance with the FDA’s cGMP regulations and to
−Removed: assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drug’s
−Removed: identity, strength, quality and purity;
+Added: of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials in accordance with the FDA good clinical
+Added: practice (GCP) requirements and other clinical trial-related regulations to establish the
+Added: safety and efficacy of the proposed drug product for each intended use;
+Added: Satisfactory completion of a pre-approval inspection by FDA of the
+Added: facility or facilities at which the product is manufactured to assess compliance with the FDA’s cGMP regulations and to assure
+Added: that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the drug’s identity, strength, quality and purity;
Submission to the FDA of an NDA;
−Removed: Satisfactory completion of a potential review by an FDA advisory committee, if applicable;
+Added: Satisfactory completion of a potential review by an FDA advisory committee,
+Added: if applicable;
FDA review and approval of the NDA.
−Removed: developing a branded product and bringing it to market, the first step in proceeding to clinical studies is preclinical testing.
−Removed: tests are intended to provide a laboratory or animal study evaluation of the product to determine its chemistry, formulation and stability.
−Removed: Toxicology studies are also performed to assess the potential safety of the product.
−Removed: The conduct of the preclinical tests must comply
−Removed: with federal regulations and requirements, including GLPs.
−Removed: The results of these studies are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND application
−Removed: along with other information, including product chemistry, manufacturing and controls and a proposed clinical trial protocol.
−Removed: preclinical tests, such as animal tests of reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity, may continue concurrently with the IND application.
−Removed: trials involve the administration of the investigational new drug to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators
−Removed: in accordance with GCP requirements, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing
−Removed: for their participation in any clinical trial.
−Removed: Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives
−Removed: of the trial, the parameters to be used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated.
−Removed: A protocol for each clinical
−Removed: trial and any subsequent protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND.
−Removed: In addition, an IRB at each institution
−Removed: participating in the clinical trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial before it is initiated at that institution.
−Removed: Information about certain clinical trials must be submitted within specific timeframes to the NIH for public dissemination on their www.clinicaltrials.gov
−Removed: clinical trials are typically conducted in three sequential phases, which may be distinct, or overlap or be combined:
−Removed: The drug is initially
−Removed: introduced into healthy human subjects or patients with the target disease or condition, and tested for safety, dosage tolerance,
−Removed: absorption, metabolism, distribution, excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness.
−Removed: The drug is administered
−Removed: to a limited patient population to identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of
−Removed: the product for specific targeted diseases and to determine dosage tolerance.
−Removed: The drug is administered
−Removed: to an expanded patient population, generally at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, in well-controlled clinical trials
−Removed: to generate enough data to statistically evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product for approval, to establish the overall risk-benefit
−Removed: profile of the product, and to provide adequate information for the labeling of the product.
−Removed: reports detailing the results of the clinical trials must be submitted at least annually to the FDA and more frequently if serious adverse
−Removed: events occur.
−Removed: Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 trials may not be completed successfully within any specified period, or at all.
−Removed: the FDA or the sponsor may suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research
−Removed: subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk.
−Removed: Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at
−Removed: its institution if it is not being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the drug has been associated with
−Removed: unexpected serious harm to patients.
−Removed: completion of the required clinical testing, an NDA is prepared and submitted to the FDA.
−Removed: FDA approval of the NDA is required before
−Removed: marketing of the product may begin in the United States.
−Removed: The NDA must include, among other things, the results of all preclinical, clinical
−Removed: and other testing and a compilation of data relating to the product’s pharmacology, chemistry, manufacture and controls.
−Removed: federal law, the submission of most NDAs is subject to a substantial application user fee, and the manufacturer or sponsor of an approved
−Removed: NDA is also subject to annual program fees.
−Removed: The FDA has 60 days from its receipt of an NDA to determine whether the application will
−Removed: be accepted for filing based on the agency’s threshold determination that it is sufficiently complete to permit its substantive
−Removed: The FDA may request additional information rather than accept an NDA for filing.
−Removed: In some events, the NDA may be required to be
−Removed: resubmitted with the additional information and it may be subject to payment of additional user fees.
−Removed: The resubmitted application is
−Removed: also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing.
−Removed: Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth substantive
−Removed: Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, as amended, the FDA has agreed to certain performance goals for itself for the review
−Removed: of NDAs through a two-tiered classification system, Standard Review and Priority Review.
−Removed: Priority Review designation is given to drugs
−Removed: that are intended to treat a serious condition and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness over
−Removed: existing therapies.
−Removed: The FDA endeavors to review most applications subject to Standard Review within ten to twelve months whereas its
−Removed: goal is to complete most Priority Review applications within six to eight months, depending on whether the drug is a new molecular entity.
−Removed: FDA may refer applications for certain drug products which present difficult questions related to its safety or efficacy to an advisory
−Removed: committee for review, evaluation and recommendation, and to seek advice as to whether the application should be approved and under what
−Removed: Before approving an NDA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP requirements.
−Removed: Additionally, the FDA will inspect the facility or the facilities at which the drug is manufactured.
−Removed: The FDA will not approve the NDA
−Removed: unless it determines that the manufacturing process and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and are adequate to assure
−Removed: consistent production of the product within required specifications, and the NDA contains data that provide substantial evidence that
−Removed: the drug is safe and effective for the labeled indication.
−Removed: the FDA evaluates the NDA and the manufacturing facilities, it issues either an approval letter or a complete response letter to indicate
−Removed: that the review cycle for an application is complete and that the application is not ready for approval.
−Removed: A complete response letter generally
−Removed: outlines the deficiencies in the submission and may require substantial additional testing, or information, in order for the FDA to reconsider
−Removed: the application.
−Removed: Even with submission of this additional information, the FDA may ultimately decide that an application does not satisfy
−Removed: the regulatory criteria for approval.
−Removed: If, or when, the deficiencies have been addressed to the FDA’s satisfaction in a resubmission
−Removed: of the NDA, the FDA will issue an approval letter.
−Removed: An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with specific prescribing
−Removed: information for specific indications.
−Removed: As a condition of NDA approval, the FDA may require a risk evaluation
−Removed: and mitigation strategy (REMS) to help ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the potential risks.
−Removed: If the FDA determines a REMS
−Removed: is necessary during review of the application, the drug sponsor must agree to the REMS plan at the time of approval.
−Removed: A REMS may be required
−Removed: to include various elements, such as a medication guide or patient package insert, a communication plan to educate healthcare providers
−Removed: of the drug’s risks, limitations on who may prescribe or dispense the drug, or other elements to assure safe use, such as special
−Removed: training or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special monitoring and the use of
−Removed: patient registries.
+Added: Preclinical Studies
+Added: When developing a branded product and bringing
+Added: it to market, the first step in proceeding to clinical studies is preclinical testing.
+Added: Preclinical tests are intended to provide a laboratory
+Added: or animal study evaluation of the product to determine its chemistry, formulation and stability.
+Added: Toxicology studies are also performed
+Added: to assess the potential safety of the product.
+Added: The conduct of the preclinical tests must comply with federal regulations and requirements,
+Added: including GLPs.
+Added: The results of these studies are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND application along with other information, including
+Added: product chemistry, manufacturing and controls and a proposed clinical trial protocol.
+Added: Long-term preclinical tests, such as animal tests
+Added: of reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity, may continue concurrently with the IND application.
+Added: Clinical Trials
+Added: Clinical trials involve the administration of
+Added: the investigational new drug to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance with GCP requirements,
+Added: which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their participation in any clinical
+Added: Clinical trials are conducted under protocols detailing, among other things, the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be
+Added: used in monitoring safety, and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated.
+Added: A protocol for each clinical trial and any subsequent protocol
+Added: amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the IND.
+Added: In addition, an IRB at each institution participating in the clinical trial
+Added: must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial before it is initiated at that institution.
+Added: Information about certain clinical
+Added: trials must be submitted within specific timeframes to the NIH for public dissemination on their www.clinicaltrials.gov website.
+Added: Human clinical trials are typically conducted
+Added: in three sequential phases, which may be distinct, or overlap or be combined:
+Added: The drug is initially introduced into healthy human subjects
+Added: or patients with the target disease or condition, and tested for safety, dosage tolerance, absorption, metabolism, distribution,
+Added: excretion and, if possible, to gain an early indication of its effectiveness.
+Added: The drug is administered to a limited patient population to
+Added: identify possible adverse effects and safety risks, to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of the product for specific targeted diseases
+Added: and to determine dosage tolerance.
+Added: The drug is administered to an expanded patient population,
+Added: generally at geographically dispersed clinical trial sites, in well-controlled clinical trials to generate enough data to statistically
+Added: evaluate the efficacy and safety of the product for approval, to establish the overall risk-benefit profile of the product, and to
+Added: provide adequate information for the labeling of the product.
+Added: Progress reports detailing the results of the
+Added: clinical trials must be submitted at least annually to the FDA and more frequently if serious adverse events occur.
+Added: Phase 1, Phase 2,
+Added: and Phase 3 trials may not be completed successfully within any specified period, or at all.
+Added: Furthermore, the FDA or the sponsor may
+Added: suspend or terminate a clinical trial at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the research subjects are being exposed
+Added: to an unacceptable health risk.
+Added: Similarly, an IRB can suspend or terminate approval of a clinical trial at its institution if it is not
+Added: being conducted in accordance with the IRB’s requirements or if the drug has been associated with unexpected serious harm to patients.
+Added: Marketing Approval
+Added: After completion of the required clinical testing,
+Added: an NDA is prepared and submitted to the FDA.
+Added: FDA approval of the NDA is required before marketing of the product may begin in the United
+Added: The NDA must include, among other things, the results of all preclinical, clinical and other testing and a compilation of data
+Added: relating to the product’s pharmacology, chemistry, manufacture and controls.
+Added: Under federal law, the submission of most NDAs is
+Added: subject to a substantial application user fee, and the manufacturer or sponsor of an approved NDA is also subject to annual program fees.
+Added: The FDA has 60 days from its receipt of an NDA to determine whether the application will be accepted for filing based on the agency’s
+Added: threshold determination that it is sufficiently complete to permit its substantive review.
+Added: The FDA may request additional information
+Added: rather than accept an NDA for filing.
+Added: In some events, the NDA may be required to be resubmitted with the additional information and it
+Added: may be subject to payment of additional user fees.
+Added: The resubmitted application is also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for
+Added: Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth substantive review.
+Added: Under the Prescription Drug User Fee
+Added: Act, as amended, the FDA has agreed to certain performance goals for itself for the review of NDAs through a two-tiered classification
+Added: system, Standard Review and Priority Review.
+Added: Priority Review designation is given to drugs that are intended to treat a serious condition
+Added: and, if approved, would provide a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness over existing therapies.
+Added: The FDA endeavors to review
+Added: most applications subject to Standard Review within ten to twelve months whereas its goal is to complete most Priority Review applications
+Added: within six to eight months, depending on whether the drug is a new molecular entity.
+Added: The FDA may refer applications for certain drug
+Added: products which present difficult questions related to its safety or efficacy to an advisory committee for review, evaluation and recommendation,
+Added: and to seek advice as to whether the application should be approved and under what conditions.
+Added: Before approving an NDA, the FDA will
+Added: typically inspect one or more clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP requirements.
+Added: Additionally, the FDA will inspect the facility
+Added: or the facilities at which the drug is manufactured.
+Added: The FDA will not approve the NDA unless it determines that the manufacturing process
+Added: and facilities are in compliance with cGMP requirements and are adequate to assure consistent production of the product within required
+Added: specifications, and the NDA contains data that provide substantial evidence that the drug is safe and effective for the labeled indication.
+Added: After the FDA evaluates the NDA and the manufacturing
+Added: facilities, it issues either an approval letter or a complete response letter to indicate that the review cycle for an application is
+Added: complete and that the application is not ready for approval.
+Added: A complete response letter generally outlines the deficiencies in the submission
+Added: and may require substantial additional testing, or information, in order for the FDA to reconsider the application.
+Added: Even with submission
+Added: of this additional information, the FDA may ultimately decide that an application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval.
+Added: If, or when, the deficiencies have been addressed to the FDA’s satisfaction in a resubmission of the NDA, the FDA will issue an
+Added: approval letter.
+Added: An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with specific prescribing information for specific indications.
+Added: As a condition of NDA approval, the FDA may require
+Added: a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) to help ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the potential risks.
+Added: determines a REMS is necessary during review of the application, the drug sponsor must agree to the REMS plan at the time of approval.
+Added: A REMS may be required to include various elements, such as a medication guide or patient package insert, a communication plan to educate
+Added: healthcare providers of the drug’s risks, limitations on who may prescribe or dispense the drug, or other elements to assure safe
+Added: use, such as special training or certification for prescribing or dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special monitoring
+Added: and the use of patient registries.
In addition, the REMS must include a timetable to periodically assess the strategy.
−Removed: The requirement for a REMS can
−Removed: materially affect the potential market and profitability of a drug.
−Removed: product approval may require substantial post-approval testing and surveillance to monitor the drug’s safety or efficacy, and the
−Removed: FDA has the authority to prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of these post-marketing programs.
−Removed: granted, product approvals may be withdrawn if compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or certain problems are identified
−Removed: following initial marketing.
−Removed: Drugs may be marketed only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved
−Removed: labeling, and, even if the FDA approves a product, it may limit the approved indications for use for the product or impose other conditions,
−Removed: including labeling or distribution restrictions or other risk-management mechanisms.
−Removed: changes to some of the conditions established in an approved application, including changes in indications, labeling, or manufacturing
−Removed: processes or facilities, require submission and FDA approval of a new NDA or NDA supplement before the change can be implemented, which
−Removed: may require us to develop additional data or conduct additional preclinical studies and clinical trials.
−Removed: An NDA supplement for a new
−Removed: indication typically requires clinical data similar to that in the original application, and the FDA uses the similar procedures in reviewing
−Removed: NDA supplements as it does in reviewing the original NDAs.
−Removed: of Clinical Trial Information
−Removed: of certain clinical trials of FDA-regulated products, including drugs, are required to register and disclose certain clinical trial information
−Removed: on www.clinicaltrials.gov.
−Removed: Information related to the product, subject population, phase of investigation, study sites and investigators,
−Removed: and other aspects of the clinical trial is then made public as part of the registration.
−Removed: Sponsors are also obligated to discuss certain
−Removed: results of their clinical trials after its completion.
−Removed: Disclosure of the results of these trials can be delayed until the new product
−Removed: or new indication being studied has been approved.
−Removed: Competitors may use this publicly available information to gain knowledge regarding
−Removed: the progress of development programs.
−Removed: Post-Approval
−Removed: an NDA is approved, a product will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements
−Removed: relating to drug listing and registration, recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, adverse event reporting,
−Removed: and advertising, marketing and promotion, including standards and regulations for direct-to-consumer advertising, off-label promotion,
−Removed: industry-sponsored scientific and educational activities and promotional activities involving the Internet.
−Removed: Drugs may be marketed only
−Removed: for the approved indications and in a manner consistent with the provisions of the approved labeling.
−Removed: While physicians may choose to
−Removed: prescribe a drug for off-label uses, manufacturers may only promote it for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions
−Removed: of the approved labeling.
−Removed: The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label
−Removed: uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability.
−Removed: There also are
−Removed: extensive DEA regulations applicable to controlled substances.
−Removed: event reporting and submission of periodic reports is also required following FDA approval of an NDA.
−Removed: Additionally, the FDA may require
−Removed: post-marketing testing, known as Phase 4 testing, REMS, and/or surveillance to monitor the effects of an approved product.
−Removed: Alternatively,
−Removed: the FDA may place conditions on an approval that could restrict the distribution or use of the product.
−Removed: In addition, quality-control,
−Removed: drug manufacture, packaging and labeling procedures must continue to comply with cGMPs after its approval.
−Removed: Drug manufacturers and certain
−Removed: of their subcontractors are required to register their establishments and list their marketed products with the FDA and certain state
−Removed: Registration with the FDA subjects entities to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA, during which the agency inspects
−Removed: manufacturing facilities to assess compliance with cGMPs.
−Removed: Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money, and effort
−Removed: in the areas of production and quality-control to maintain compliance with cGMPs.
−Removed: Regulatory authorities may withdraw product approvals
−Removed: or request product recalls if a company fails to comply with regulatory standards, if it encounters problems following initial marketing
−Removed: or if previously unrecognized problems are subsequently discovered.
−Removed: The FDA may also impose a REMS requirement on a drug already on the
−Removed: market if the FDA determines, based on new safety information, that a REMS is necessary to ensure that the drug’s benefits outweigh
−Removed: In addition, regulatory authorities may take other enforcement action, including, among other things, Warning Letters, the
−Removed: seizure of products, injunctions, consent decrees placing significant restrictions on or suspending manufacturing operations, refusal
−Removed: to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, civil penalties and criminal prosecution.
−Removed: Hatch-Waxman Amendments
−Removed: FDA is also authorized to approve an alternative type of NDA under Section 505(b)(2) of the FDCA.
−Removed: Section 505(b)(2) permits the filing
−Removed: of an NDA where at least some of the information required for approval comes from studies not conducted by or for the applicant and for
−Removed: which the applicant has not obtained a right of reference from the data owner.
−Removed: The applicant may rely upon the FDA’s findings of
−Removed: safety and efficacy for an approved product that acts as the “listed drug.” The FDA may also require 505(b)(2) applicants
−Removed: to perform additional studies or measurements to support the change from the listed drug.
−Removed: The FDA may then approve the new product candidate
−Removed: for all, or some, of the conditions of use for which the branded reference drug has been approved, or for a new condition of use sought
−Removed: by the 505(b)(2) applicant.
−Removed: New Drug Applications
−Removed: Hatch-Waxman amendments to the FDCA established a statutory procedure for submission and FDA review and approval of ANDAs for generic
−Removed: versions of listed drugs.
−Removed: An ANDA is a comprehensive submission that contains, among other things, data and information pertaining to
−Removed: the API, drug product formulation, specifications and stability of the generic drug, as well as analytical methods, manufacturing process
−Removed: validation data and quality control procedures.
−Removed: Premarket applications for generic drugs are termed abbreviated because they generally
−Removed: do not include clinical data to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.
−Removed: However, a generic manufacturer is typically required to conduct
−Removed: bioequivalence studies of its test product against the listed drug.
−Removed: The bioequivalence studies for orally administered, systemically
−Removed: available drug products assess the rate and extent to which the API is absorbed into the bloodstream from the drug product and becomes
−Removed: available at the site of action.
−Removed: Bioequivalence is established when there is an absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent
−Removed: for absorption of the generic product and the reference listed drug.
−Removed: For some drugs, other means of demonstrating bioequivalence may
−Removed: be required by the FDA, especially where rate or extent of absorption are difficult or impossible to measure.
−Removed: The FDA will approve the
−Removed: generic product as suitable for an ANDA application if it finds that the generic product does not raise new questions of safety and effectiveness
−Removed: as compared to the reference listed drug.
−Removed: A product is not eligible for ANDA approval if the FDA determines that it is not bioequivalent
−Removed: to the reference listed drug, if it is intended for a different use, or if it is not subject to, and requires, an approved Suitability
−Removed: seeking approval for a drug through an NDA, including a 505(b)(2) NDA, applicants are required to list with the FDA certain patents whose
−Removed: claims cover the applicant’s product.
−Removed: Upon approval of an NDA, each of the patents listed in the application for the drug is then
−Removed: published in the Orange Book.
−Removed: Any applicant who files an ANDA seeking approval of a generic equivalent version of a drug listed in the
−Removed: Orange Book or a 505(b)(2) NDA referencing a drug listed in the Orange Book must certify to the FDA (i) that there is no patent listed
−Removed: with the FDA as covering the relevant branded product, (ii) that any patent listed as covering the branded product has expired, (iii)
−Removed: that the patent listed as covering the branded product will expire prior to the marketing of the generic product, in which case the ANDA
−Removed: will not be finally approved by the FDA until the expiration of such patent or (iv) that any patent listed as covering the branded drug
−Removed: is invalid or will not be infringed by the manufacture, sale or use of the generic product for which the ANDA is submitted.
−Removed: of the Paragraph IV certification must be provided to each owner of the patent that is the subject of the certification and to the holder
−Removed: of the approved NDA to which the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application refers.
−Removed: The applicant may also elect to submit a “section viii”
−Removed: statement certifying that its proposed label does not contain (or carves out) any language regarding the patented method-of-use rather
−Removed: than certify to a listed method-of-use patent.
−Removed: the reference NDA holder and patent owners assert a patent challenge directed to one of the Orange Book listed patents within 45 days
−Removed: of the receipt of the Paragraph IV certification notice, the FDA is prohibited from approving the application until the earlier of 30
−Removed: months from the receipt of the Paragraph IV certification, expiration of the patent, settlement of the lawsuit or a decision in the infringement
−Removed: case that is favorable to the applicant.
−Removed: The ANDA or 505(b)(2) application also will not be approved until any applicable non-patent
−Removed: exclusivity listed in the Orange Book for the branded reference drug has expired as described in further detail below.
−Removed: addition to patent exclusivity, the holder of the NDA for the listed drug may be entitled to a period of non-patent exclusivity, during
−Removed: which the FDA cannot approve an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application that relies on the listed drug.
−Removed: example, for listed drugs that were considered new chemical entities at the time of approval, an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application referencing
−Removed: that drug may not be filed with the FDA until the expiration of five years after approval of that drug, unless the submission is accompanied
−Removed: by a Paragraph IV certification, in which case the applicant may submit its application four years following the original product approval.
−Removed: drug, including one approved under Section 505(b)(2), may obtain a three-year period of exclusivity for a particular condition of approval,
−Removed: or change to a marketed product, such as a new formulation for a previously approved product, if one or more new clinical studies (other
−Removed: than bioavailability or bioequivalence studies) was essential to the approval of the application and was conducted/sponsored by the applicant.
−Removed: In addition, drugs approved for diseases for which the patient population is sufficiently small, or orphan indications, are entitled
−Removed: to a seven-year data exclusivity period.
−Removed: and Reimbursement
−Removed: commercialization of our products depends, in part, on the availability of governmental and third-party payor reimbursement for the cost
−Removed: of our products.
−Removed: Government authorities and third-party payors increasingly are challenging the price of medical products and services.
−Removed: On the government side, there is a heightened focus, at both the federal and state levels, on decreasing costs and reimbursement rates
−Removed: for Medicaid, Medicare and other government insurance programs.
−Removed: This has led to an increase in federal and state legislative initiatives
−Removed: related to drug prices, which could significantly influence the purchase of pharmaceutical products, resulting in lower prices and changes
−Removed: in product demand.
−Removed: If enacted, these changes could lead to reduced payments to pharmaceutical manufacturers.
−Removed: Many states have also created
−Removed: preferred drug lists and include drugs on those lists only when the manufacturers agree to pay a supplemental rebate.
−Removed: If our current
−Removed: products or future product candidates are not included on these preferred drug lists, physicians may not be inclined to prescribe them
−Removed: to their Medicaid patients, thereby diminishing the potential market for our products.
−Removed: addition, third-party payors have been imposing additional requirements and restrictions on coverage and limiting reimbursement levels
−Removed: for pharmaceutical products.
−Removed: Third-party payors may require manufacturers to provide them with predetermined discounts from list prices
−Removed: and limit coverage to specific pharmaceutical products on an approved list, or formulary, which might not include all of the FDA-approved
−Removed: pharmaceutical products for particular indications.
−Removed: Third-party payors may challenge the price and examine the medical necessity and
−Removed: cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical products in addition to their safety and efficacy.
−Removed: Manufacturers may need to conduct expensive pharmaco-economic
−Removed: studies in order to demonstrate the medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical products in addition to the costs required
−Removed: to obtain the FDA approvals.
−Removed: Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be available to enable manufacturers to maintain price levels
−Removed: sufficient to realize an appropriate return on their investment in drug development.
−Removed: the United States, there have been a number of federal and state proposals during the last several years regarding the pricing of pharmaceutical
−Removed: products, government control and other changes to the healthcare system of the United States.
−Removed: It is uncertain what other legislative
−Removed: proposals may be adopted or what actions federal, state, or private payors may take in response to any healthcare reform proposals or
−Removed: We cannot predict the effect such reforms may have on our business, and no assurance can be given that any such reforms
−Removed: will not have a material adverse effect.
−Removed: way of example, in March 2010, the Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”), was signed into law, which, among other things, includes
−Removed: changes to the coverage and payment for drug products under government health care programs.
−Removed: The law includes measures that (i) significantly
−Removed: increase Medicaid rebates through both the expansion of the program and significant increases in rebates, (ii) substantially expand the
−Removed: Public Health System (340B) program to allow other entities to purchase prescription drugs at substantial discounts, (iii) extend the
−Removed: Medicaid rebate rate to a significant portion of Managed Medicaid enrollees, (iv) assess a rebate on Medicaid Part D spending in the
−Removed: coverage gap for branded and authorized generic prescription drugs, and (v) levy a significant excise tax on the industry to fund the
+Added: The requirement
+Added: for a REMS can materially affect the potential market and profitability of a drug.
+Added: Sometimes, product approval may require substantial
+Added: post-approval testing and surveillance to monitor the drug’s safety or efficacy, and the FDA has the authority to prevent or limit
+Added: further marketing of a product based on the results of these post-marketing programs.
+Added: Once granted, product approvals may be withdrawn
+Added: if compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or certain problems are identified following initial marketing.
+Added: marketed only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved labeling, and, even if the FDA approves
+Added: a product, it may limit the approved indications for use for the product or impose other conditions, including labeling or distribution
+Added: restrictions or other risk-management mechanisms.
+Added: Further changes to some of the conditions established
+Added: in an approved application, including changes in indications, labeling, or manufacturing processes or facilities, require submission
+Added: and FDA approval of a new NDA or NDA supplement before the change can be implemented, which may require us to develop additional data
+Added: or conduct additional preclinical studies and clinical trials.
+Added: An NDA supplement for a new indication typically requires clinical data
+Added: similar to that in the original application, and the FDA uses the similar procedures in reviewing NDA supplements as it does in reviewing
+Added: the original NDAs.
+Added: Disclosure of Clinical Trial Information
+Added: Sponsors of certain clinical trials of FDA-regulated
+Added: products, including drugs, are required to register and disclose certain clinical trial information on www.clinical trials.gov.
+Added: related to the product, subject population, phase of investigation, study sites and investigators, and other aspects of the clinical
+Added: trial is then made public as part of the registration.
+Added: Sponsors are also obligated to discuss certain results of their clinical trials
+Added: after its completion.
+Added: Disclosure of the results of these trials can be delayed until the new product or new indication being studied
+Added: has been approved.
+Added: Competitors may use this publicly available information to gain knowledge regarding the progress of development programs.
+Added: Post-Approval Requirements
+Added: Once an NDA is approved, a product will be subject
+Added: to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to drug listing and registration,
+Added: recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, adverse event reporting, and advertising, marketing and promotion,
+Added: including standards and regulations for direct-to-consumer advertising, off-label promotion, industry-sponsored scientific and educational
+Added: activities and promotional activities involving the Internet.
+Added: Drugs may be marketed only for the approved indications and in a manner
+Added: consistent with the provisions of the approved labeling.
+Added: While physicians may choose to prescribe a drug for off-label uses, manufacturers
+Added: may only promote it for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved labeling.
+Added: The FDA and other agencies
+Added: actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly
+Added: promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability.
+Added: There also are extensive DEA regulations applicable to controlled substances.
+Added: Adverse event reporting and submission of periodic
+Added: reports is also required following FDA approval of an NDA.
+Added: Additionally, the FDA may require post-marketing testing, known as Phase 4
+Added: testing, REMS, and/or surveillance to monitor the effects of an approved product.
+Added: Alternatively, the FDA may place conditions on an approval
+Added: that could restrict the distribution or use of the product.
+Added: In addition, quality-control, drug manufacture, packaging and labeling procedures
+Added: must continue to comply with cGMPs after its approval.
+Added: Drug manufacturers and certain of their subcontractors are required to register
+Added: their establishments and list their marketed products with the FDA and certain state agencies.
+Added: Registration with the FDA subjects entities
+Added: to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA, during which the agency inspects manufacturing facilities to assess compliance with cGMPs.
+Added: Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money, and effort in the areas of production and quality-control to maintain
+Added: compliance with cGMPs.
+Added: Regulatory authorities may withdraw product approvals or request product recalls if a company fails to comply
+Added: with regulatory standards, if it encounters problems following initial marketing or if previously unrecognized problems are subsequently
+Added: The FDA may also impose a REMS requirement on a drug already on the market if the FDA determines, based on new safety information,
+Added: that a REMS is necessary to ensure that the drug’s benefits outweigh its risks.
+Added: In addition, regulatory authorities may take other
+Added: enforcement action, including, among other things, Warning or Untitled Letters, the seizure of products, injunctions, consent decrees
+Added: placing significant restrictions on or suspending manufacturing operations, refusal to approve pending applications or supplements to
+Added: approved applications, civil penalties and criminal prosecution.
+Added: The Hatch-Waxman Amendments
+Added: 505(b)(2) NDAs
+Added: The FDA is also authorized to approve an alternative
+Added: type of NDA under Section 505(b)(2) of the FDCA.
+Added: Section 505(b)(2) permits the filing of an NDA where at least some of the information
+Added: required for approval comes from studies not conducted by or for the applicant and for which the applicant has not obtained a right of
+Added: reference from the data owner.
+Added: The applicant may rely upon the FDA’s findings of safety and efficacy for an approved product that
+Added: acts as the “listed drug.” The FDA may also require 505(b)(2) applicants to perform additional studies or measurements to
+Added: support the change from the listed drug.
+Added: The FDA may then approve the new product candidate for all, or some, of the conditions of use
+Added: for which the branded reference drug has been approved, or for a new condition of use sought by the 505(b)(2) applicant.
+Added: Abbreviated New Drug Applications
+Added: The Hatch-Waxman amendments to the FDCA established
+Added: a statutory procedure for submission and FDA review and approval of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for generic versions of
+Added: listed drugs.
+Added: An ANDA is a comprehensive submission that contains, among other things, data and information pertaining to the active
+Added: pharmaceutical ingredient (API), drug product formulation, specifications and stability of the generic drug, as well as analytical methods,
+Added: manufacturing process validation data and quality control procedures.
+Added: Premarket applications for generic drugs are termed abbreviated
+Added: because they generally do not include clinical data to demonstrate safety and effectiveness.
+Added: However, a generic manufacturer is typically
+Added: required to conduct bioequivalence studies of its test product against the listed drug.
+Added: The bioequivalence studies for orally administered,
+Added: systemically available drug products assess the rate and extent to which the API is absorbed into the bloodstream from the drug product
+Added: and becomes available at the site of action.
+Added: Bioequivalence is established when there is an absence of a significant difference in the
+Added: rate and extent for absorption of the generic product and the reference listed drug.
+Added: For some drugs, other means of demonstrating bioequivalence
+Added: may be required by the FDA, especially where rate or extent of absorption are difficult or impossible to measure.
+Added: The FDA will approve
+Added: the generic product as suitable for an ANDA application if it finds that the generic product does not raise new questions of safety and
+Added: effectiveness as compared to the reference listed drug.
+Added: A product is not eligible for ANDA approval if the FDA determines that it is
+Added: not bioequivalent to the reference listed drug, if it is intended for a different use, or if it is not subject to, and requires, an approved
+Added: Suitability Petition.
+Added: Orange Book Listing
+Added: In seeking approval for a drug through an NDA,
+Added: including a 505(b)(2) NDA, applicants are required to list with the FDA certain patents whose claims cover the applicant’s product.
+Added: Upon approval of an NDA, each of the patents listed in the application for the drug is then published in the Orange Book.
+Added: Any applicant
+Added: who files an ANDA seeking approval of a generic equivalent version of a drug listed in the Orange Book or a 505(b)(2) NDA referencing
+Added: a drug listed in the Orange Book must certify to the FDA (i) that there is no patent listed with the FDA as covering the relevant branded
+Added: product, (ii) that any patent listed as covering the branded product has expired, (iii) that the patent listed as covering the branded
+Added: product will expire prior to the marketing of the generic product, in which case the ANDA will not be finally approved by the FDA until
+Added: the expiration of such patent or (iv) that any patent listed as covering the branded drug is invalid or will not be infringed by the
+Added: manufacture, sale or use of the generic product for which the ANDA is submitted.
+Added: A notice of the Paragraph IV certification must be provided
+Added: to each owner of the patent that is the subject of the certification and to the holder of the approved NDA to which the ANDA or 505(b)(2)
+Added: application refers.
+Added: The applicant may also elect to submit a “section viii” statement certifying that its proposed label
+Added: does not contain (or carves out) any language regarding the patented method-of-use rather than certify to a listed method-of-use patent.
+Added: If the reference NDA holder and patent owners
+Added: assert a patent challenge directed to one of the Orange Book listed patents within 45 days of the receipt of the Paragraph IV certification
+Added: notice, the FDA is prohibited from approving the application until the earlier of 30 months from the receipt of the Paragraph IV certification,
+Added: expiration of the patent, settlement of the lawsuit or a decision in the infringement case that is favorable to the applicant.
+Added: or 505(b)(2) application also will not be approved until any applicable non-patent exclusivity listed in the Orange Book for the branded
+Added: reference drug has expired as described in further detail below.
+Added: Non-Patent Exclusivity
+Added: In addition to patent exclusivity, the holder
+Added: of the NDA for the listed drug may be entitled to a period of non-patent exclusivity, during which the FDA cannot approve an ANDA or
+Added: 505(b)(2) application that relies on the listed drug.
+Added: For example, for listed drugs that were considered
+Added: new chemical entities at the time of approval, an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application referencing that drug may not be filed with the FDA until
+Added: the expiration of five years after approval of that drug, unless the submission is accompanied by a Paragraph IV certification, in which
+Added: case the applicant may submit its application four years following the original product approval.
+Added: A drug, including one approved under Section
+Added: 505(b)(2), may obtain a three-year period of exclusivity for a particular condition of approval, or change to a marketed product, such
+Added: as a new formulation for a previously approved product, if one or more new clinical studies (other than bioavailability or bioequivalence
+Added: studies) was essential to the approval of the application and was conducted/sponsored by the applicant.
+Added: In addition, drugs approved for
+Added: diseases for which the patient population is sufficiently small, or orphan indications, may be entitled to a seven-year data exclusivity
+Added: Pharmaceutical Coverage, Pricing and Reimbursement
+Added: In the United States and markets in other countries,
+Added: patients who are prescribed treatments for their conditions and providers performing the prescribed services generally rely on third-party
+Added: payors to reimburse all or part of the associated healthcare costs.
+Added: Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement
+Added: status of products approved by the FDA and other government authorities.
+Added: Thus, even if a product candidate is approved, sales of the
+Added: product will depend, in part, on the extent to which third-party payors, including government health programs in the United States such
+Added: as Medicare and Medicaid, commercial health insurers and managed care organizations, provide coverage, and establish adequate reimbursement
+Added: levels for, the product.
+Added: The process for determining whether a payor will provide coverage for a product may be separate from the process
+Added: for setting the price or reimbursement rate that the payor will pay for the product once coverage is approved.
+Added: Third-party payors are
+Added: increasingly challenging the prices charged, examining the medical necessity, and reviewing the cost-effectiveness of medical products
+Added: and services and imposing controls to manage costs.
+Added: Third-party payors may limit coverage to specific products on an approved list, also
+Added: known as a formulary, which might not include all of the approved products for a particular indication.
+Added: In addition, third-party payors
+Added: may impose prior authorization or step edit requirements requiring patients to have tried other therapies prior to our products for coverage.
+Added: Payors may also decline to include our products or product candidates on their formulary, which means that unless healthcare providers
+Added: seek a medical exception for coverage, the payors will not pay for the product.
+Added: In order to secure coverage and reimbursement for any
+Added: product that might be approved for sale, a company may need to conduct expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the
+Added: medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of the product, in addition to the costs required to obtain FDA or other comparable marketing
+Added: Nonetheless, product candidates may not be considered medically necessary or cost effective.
+Added: A decision by a third-party payor
+Added: not to cover a product candidate could reduce physician utilization once the product is approved and have a material adverse effect on
+Added: sales, results of operations and financial condition.
+Added: Additionally, a payor’s decision to provide coverage for a product does not
+Added: imply that an adequate reimbursement rate will be approved.
+Added: Further, one payor’s determination to provide coverage for a drug product
+Added: does not assure that other payors will also provide coverage and reimbursement for the product, and the level of coverage and reimbursement
+Added: can differ significantly from payor to payor.
+Added: Dialysis-related drugs are included in the ESRD
+Added: bundled prospective payment system (PPS) for renal dialysis services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries and are grouped into functional
+Added: categories such as bone and mineral metabolism, except that oral-only drugs are exempted from inclusion until 2025.
+Added: In a final ESRD PPS
+Added: rule published in October 2022, CMS confirmed that it intends to end the oral-only exclusion of hyperphosphatemia drugs from the ESRD
+Added: PPS on January 1, 2025.
+Added: At this time a TDAPA (transitional drug add-on payment adjustment) will provide separate payment for hyperphosphatemia
+Added: drugs for “no less than 2 years” based on the drug’s Average Sales Price, or ASP, that will be in addition to the base
+Added: The incremental cost associated with the addition of this class of drugs into the bundle will be assessed in the final year of
+Added: the TDAPA and the base rate will be adjusted accordingly, and no further separate payment will be provided.
+Added: Although there are several
+Added: details that need further clarification, including precise timing related to receiving codes to allow for reimbursement under TDAPA,
+Added: which are typically assigned on a quarterly basis, the rule provides some support for our assumption that all hyperphosphatemia drugs,
+Added: including Renazorb, will be included in the ESRD PPS bundle and will be eligible for separate payment initially under TDAPA.
+Added: The containment of healthcare costs also has
+Added: become a priority of federal, state and foreign governments and the prices of drugs have been a focus in this effort.
+Added: Governments have
+Added: shown significant interest in implementing cost-containment programs, including price controls, restrictions on reimbursement and requirements
+Added: for substitution of generic products.
+Added: Adoption of price controls and cost-containment measures, and adoption of more restrictive policies
+Added: in jurisdictions with existing controls and measures, could further limit a company’s revenue generated from the sale of any approved
+Added: Coverage policies and third-party reimbursement rates may change at any time.
+Added: Even if favorable coverage and reimbursement
+Added: status is attained for one or more products for which a company or its collaborators receive marketing approval, less favorable coverage
+Added: policies and reimbursement rates may be implemented in the future.
+Added: Outside the United States, ensuring adequate coverage and payment
+Added: for a product also involves challenges.
+Added: Pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental control in many countries.
+Added: Pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can extend well beyond the receipt of regulatory marketing approval for a product
+Added: and may require a clinical trial that compares the cost effectiveness of a product to other available therapies.
+Added: The conduct of such
+Added: a clinical trial could be expensive and result in delays in commercialization.
+Added: In the European Union, pricing and reimbursement schemes
+Added: vary widely from country to country.
+Added: Some countries provide that products may be marketed only after a reimbursement price has been agreed.
+Added: Some countries may require the completion of additional studies that compare the cost-effectiveness of a particular drug candidate to
+Added: currently available therapies or so-called health technology assessments, in order to obtain reimbursement or pricing approval.
+Added: the European Union provides options for its member states to restrict the range of products for which their national health insurance
+Added: systems provide reimbursement and to control the prices of medicinal products for human use.
+Added: EU member states may approve a specific
+Added: price for a product or it may instead adopt a system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the company placing the product
+Added: on the market.
+Added: Other member states allow companies to fix their own prices for products but monitor and control prescription volumes
+Added: and issue guidance to physicians to limit prescriptions.
+Added: Recently, many countries in the European Union have increased the amount of
+Added: discounts required on pharmaceuticals and these efforts could continue as countries attempt to manage healthcare expenditures, especially
+Added: in light of the severe fiscal and debt crises experienced by many countries in the European Union.
+Added: The downward pressure on health care
+Added: costs in general, particularly prescription drugs, has become intense.
+Added: As a result, increasingly high barriers are being erected to the
+Added: entry of new products.
+Added: Political, economic and regulatory developments may further complicate pricing negotiations, and pricing negotiations
+Added: may continue after reimbursement has been obtained.
+Added: Reference pricing used by various EU member states, and parallel trade, i.e., arbitrage
+Added: between low-priced and high-priced member states, can further reduce prices.
+Added: There can be no assurance that any country that has price
+Added: controls or reimbursement limitations for pharmaceutical products will allow favorable reimbursement and pricing arrangements for any
+Added: products, if approved in those countries.
+Added: Dialysis Organizations Protocols
+Added: Dialysis organizations have their own formularies
+Added: that list primary or preferred therapeutic options based on contracting status with drug manufacturers.
+Added: While a prescriber may make their
+Added: own independent decision to prescribe what they determine most appropriate for a given patient, any non-formulary therapeutic options
+Added: are only available through an exception process based on clinical need.
+Added: Similar to how payor coverage may affect the sales of a product,
+Added: formulary status within dialysis organizations may affect what products are prescribed within that specific organization.
+Added: if a product is not on a formulary, the prescribers within that organization may be less likely to prescribe that product or may have
+Added: a difficult time prescribing that product, resulting in less sales.
+Added: Further, one dialysis organization’s determination to add a
+Added: product to their formulary does not assure that other dialysis organizations will also add the product to theirs.
+Added: There is always a risk
+Added: a dialysis organization will not contract with a drug manufacturer for a specific product, resulting in that product not being on that
+Added: organization’s formulary.
+Added: Additionally, dialysis organizations typically assess a product’s efficacy before adding it to
+Added: their formulary.
+Added: Their process for assessing a product may differ among organizations and the timing of such assessment could delay adding
+Added: such treatment to formulary, further affecting product sales.
+Added: Our ability to generate product revenue and achieve
+Added: profitability depends on the overall success of Renazorb , UNI-494, and any current or future product candidates, including those that
+Added: may be in-licensed or acquired, which depends on several factors, including:
+Added: adequate or favorable pricing and reimbursement from private and governmental payors for
+Added: UNI-494, and any other product or product candidate, including those that may be in-licensed
+Added: and maintaining market acceptance of Renazorb, UNI-494, and any other product candidate,
+Added: including those that may be in-licensed or acquired;
+Added: size of any market in which Renazorb, UNI-494, and any other product or product candidate,
+Added: including those that may be in-licensed or acquired, receives approval and obtaining adequate
+Added: market share in those markets;
+Added: timing and scope of marketing approvals for Renazorb, UNI-494, and any other product candidate,
+Added: if approved, including those that may be in-licensed or acquired;
+Added: or perceived advantages or disadvantages of our products or product candidates as compared
+Added: to alternative treatments, including their respective safety, tolerability and efficacy profiles,
+Added: the potential convenience and ease of administration and cost;
+Added: ● maintaining
+Added: an acceptable safety and tolerability profile of our approved products, including the frequency
+Added: and severity of any side effects;
+Added: willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies and of physicians to prescribe
+Added: these therapies, based, in part, on their perception of our clinical trial data and/or the
+Added: actual or perceived safety, tolerability and efficacy profile;
+Added: ● establishing
+Added: and maintaining supply and manufacturing relationships with third parties that can provide
+Added: adequate supplies of products that are compliant with good manufacturing practices, or GMPs,
+Added: to support the clinical development and the market demand for Renazorb, UNI-494, and any
+Added: other product and product candidate, including those that may be in-licensed or acquired;
+Added: and future restrictions or limitations on our approved or future indications and patient
+Added: populations or other adverse regulatory actions or in the event that the FDA requires Risk
+Added: Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies, or REMS, or risk management plans that use restrictive
+Added: risk minimization strategies;
+Added: effectiveness of our sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution strategies and operations;
+Added: effectively with any products for the same or similar indications as our products;
+Added: ● maintaining,
+Added: protecting and expanding our portfolio of intellectual property rights, including patents
+Added: and trade secrets;
+Added: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the above factors, including the disproportionate impact
+Added: of the COVID-19 pandemic on CKD patients, the adverse impact on the phosphate binder market
+Added: in which we compete, and the limitation of our sales professionals to meet in person with
+Added: healthcare professionals as the result of travel restrictions or limitations on access for
+Added: non-patients.
+Added: Risks Related to Commercialization
+Added: Our business is substantially dependent on the
+Added: commercial success of Renazorb, if approved.
+Added: If we are unable to successfully commercialize Auryxia, our results or operations and financial
+Added: condition will be materially harmed.
+Added: Our ability to generate revenue depends on our ability to execute on our commercialization plans,
+Added: and the size of the market for, and the level of market acceptance of, Renazorb and any other product or product candidate, including
+Added: those that may be in-licensed or acquired.
+Added: If the size of any market for which a product or product candidate is approved decreases or
+Added: is smaller than we anticipate, our revenue and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
+Added: Market acceptance is also
+Added: critical to our ability to generate significant product revenue.
+Added: Any product may achieve only limited market acceptance or none at all.
+Added: If Renazorb, or any of our product candidates that is approved, is not accepted by the market to the extent that we expect or market
+Added: acceptance decreases, we may not be able to generate significant product revenue and our business would be materially harmed.
+Added: acceptance of Renazorb or any other approved product depends on a number of factors, including:
+Added: availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement by and the availability of discounts,
+Added: rebates and price concessions from third party payors, pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs,
+Added: and governmental authorities;
+Added: safety and efficacy of the product, as demonstrated in clinical trials and in the post-marketing
+Added: prevalence and complications of the disease treated by the product;
+Added: clinical indications for which the product is approved and the product label approved by
+Added: regulatory authorities, including any warnings or limitations that may be required on the
+Added: label as a consequence of potential safety risks associated with the product;
+Added: countries in which marketing approvals are obtained;
+Added: claims we and our collaborators are able to make regarding the safety and efficacy of the
+Added: success of our physician and patient communications and education programs;
+Added: by physicians and patients of the product as a safe and effective treatment and the willingness
+Added: of the target patient population to try new therapies and of physicians to prescribe new
+Added: cost, safety and efficacy of the product in relation to alternative treatments;
+Added: timing of receipt of marketing approvals and product launch relative to competing products
+Added: and potential generic entrants;
+Added: convenience and ease of administration;
+Added: frequency and severity of adverse side effects;
+Added: or adverse publicity about our products or favorable or adverse publicity about competing
+Added: effectiveness of our and our collaborators’ sales, marketing and distribution efforts.
+Added: In order to market Renazorb and any other approved
+Added: product, we intend to invest in sales and marketing, which will require substantial effort and significant management and financial resources.
+Added: Additionally, training a sales force to successfully sell and market a new commercial product is expensive and time-consuming and could
+Added: delay any commercial launch of such product candidate.
+Added: We may underestimate the size of the sales force required for a successful product
+Added: launch and we may need to expand our sales force earlier and at a higher cost than we anticipated.
+Added: We will devote significant effort,
+Added: in particular, to recruiting individuals with experience in the sales and marketing of pharmaceutical products.
+Added: Competition for personnel
+Added: with these skills is significant and retaining qualified personnel with experience in our industry is difficult.
+Added: As a result, we may
+Added: not be able to retain our existing employees or hire new employees quickly enough to meet our needs.
+Added: At the same time, we may face high
+Added: turnover, requiring us to expend time and resources to source, train and integrate new employees.
+Added: There are risks involved with building
+Added: our own sales and marketing capabilities, including the following:
+Added: inability to recruit, train and retain adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing
+Added: lack of complementary products to be offered by sales personnel, which may put us at a competitive
+Added: disadvantage relative to companies with more extensive product lines, and
+Added: and expenses associated with maintaining our own sales and marketing organization.
+Added: If we are unable to build our own sales and marketing
+Added: capabilities, we will not be successful in commercializing Renazorb, UNI-494, and any other product candidate that may be approved.
+Added: if we are unable to maintain our arrangements with third parties with respect to sales and marketing, if we are unsuccessful in entering
+Added: into additional arrangements with third parties to sell and market our products or we are unable to do so on terms that are favorable
+Added: to us, or if such third parties are unable to carry out their obligations under such arrangements, it will be difficult to successfully
+Added: commercialize our product and product candidates, including Renazorb, if approved.
+Added: Our, or our partners’, failure to obtain
+Added: or maintain adequate coverage, pricing and reimbursement for Renazorb, if approved, or any other future approved products, could have
+Added: a material adverse effect on our or our collaboration partners’ ability to sell such approved products profitably and otherwise
+Added: have a material adverse impact on our business.
+Added: Market acceptance and sales of any approved products,
+Added: including Renazorb and UNI-494, depends significantly on the availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement from third party payors
+Added: and may be affected by existing and future healthcare reform measures.
+Added: Governmental authorities, third party payors, and PBMs decide
+Added: which drugs they will cover, as well as establish formularies or implement other mechanisms to manage utilization of products and determine
+Added: reimbursement levels.
+Added: We cannot be sure that coverage or adequate reimbursement will be available for Renazorb, UNI-494, or any of our
+Added: potential future products.
+Added: Even if we obtain coverage for an approved product, third party payors may not establish adequate reimbursement
+Added: amounts, which may reduce the demand for our product and prompt us to have to reduce pricing for the product.
+Added: If reimbursement is not
+Added: available or is limited, we may not be able to commercialize certain of our products.
+Added: Coverage and reimbursement by a governmental authority,
+Added: third-party payor or PBM may depend upon a number of factors, including the determination that use of a product is:
+Added: covered benefit under the health plan;
+Added: effective and medically necessary;
+Added: ● appropriate
+Added: for the specific patient;
+Added: Obtaining coverage and reimbursement approval
+Added: for a product from a governmental authority, PBM or a third-party payor is a time consuming and costly process that could require us
+Added: to provide supporting scientific, clinical and cost-effectiveness data for the use of our products to the payor.
+Added: In the United States,
+Added: there are multiple governmental authorities, PBMs and third-party payors with varying coverage and reimbursement levels for pharmaceutical
+Added: products, and the timing of commencement of reimbursement by a governmental payor can be dependent on the assignment of codes via the
+Added: Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System, which codes are assigned on a quarterly basis.
+Added: Within Medicare, for oral drugs dispensed
+Added: by pharmacies and also administered in facilities, coverage and reimbursement may vary depending on the setting.
+Added: CMS, local Medicare
+Added: administrative contractors, Medicare Part D plans and/or PBMs operating on behalf of Medicare Part D plans, may have some responsibility
+Added: for determining the medical necessity of such drugs, and therefore coverage, for different patients.
+Added: Different reimbursement methodologies
+Added: may apply, and CMS may have some discretion in interpreting their application in certain settings.
+Added: Additionally, we may be required to
+Added: enter into contracts with third party payors and/or PBMs offering rebates or discounts on our products in order to obtain favorable formulary
+Added: status and we may not be able to agree upon commercially reasonable terms with such third party payors or PBMs, or provide data sufficient
+Added: to obtain favorable coverage and reimbursement for many reasons, including that we may be at a competitive disadvantage relative to companies
+Added: with more extensive product lines.
+Added: We currently believe it is likely that Renazorb, if approved, will be reimbursed using the Transitional
+Added: Drug Add-on Payment Adjustment, or TDAPA, followed by inclusion in the bundled reimbursement model for Medicare beneficiaries.
+Added: that obtain dialysis through commercial insurance during the 30-month coordination period or through Medicaid prior to Medicare becoming
+Added: primary payer after 90 days, patients may access Renazorb through contracts we negotiate with third party payors for reimbursement of
+Added: Renazorb, which would be subject to the risks and uncertainties described above.
+Added: Additionally, applying for and obtaining reimbursement
+Added: under the TDAPA may take an undetermined amount of time following approval, which will affect adoption, uptake and product revenue for
+Added: Renazorb during that time, and if there are updates to the TDAPA rule that decrease the basis for reimbursement or eligibility criteria
+Added: during the transition period or if the TDAPA is eliminated, then our profitability may be adversely affected.
+Added: Further, if Renazorb is
+Added: approved in the United States and included in the fixed reimbursement model for a bundle of dialysis services, or the bundle, we would
+Added: be required to enter into contracts to supply Renazorb to specific dialysis providers, instead of through distributors.
+Added: The dialysis market is unique and is dominated
+Added: by two providers:
+Added: DaVita and Fresenius, which account for a vast majority of the dialysis population in the United States.
+Added: how payor coverage may affect the sales of a product, formulary status within dialysis organizations may affect what products are prescribed
+Added: within that specific organization.
+Added: Therefore, if a product is not on a formulary, the prescribers within that organization may be less
+Added: likely to prescribe that product or may have a difficult time prescribing that product, resulting in less sales.
+Added: Further, one dialysis
+Added: organization’s determination to add a product to their formulary does not assure that other dialysis organizations will also add
+Added: the product to theirs.
+Added: There is always a risk a dialysis organization will not contract with a drug manufacturer for a specific product,
+Added: resulting in that product not being on that organization’s formulary.
+Added: If any dialysis organization does not add Renzorb, to the
+Added: formulary, our business may be materially harmed.
+Added: In addition, we may be unable to sell Renazorb to dialysis providers on a profitable
+Added: basis if CMS significantly reduces the level of reimbursement for dialysis services and providers choose to use alternative therapies
+Added: or look to re-negotiate their contracts with us.
+Added: Adequate coverage and reimbursement of our products by government and private insurance
+Added: plans are central to patient and provider acceptance of any products for which we receive marketing approval.
+Added: Further, in many countries
+Added: outside the United States, a drug must be approved for reimbursement before it can be marketed or sold in that country.
+Added: In some cases,
+Added: the prices that we intend to charge for our products are also subject to approval.
+Added: Approval by the EMA or another regulatory authority
+Added: does not ensure approval by reimbursement authorities in that jurisdiction, and approval by one reimbursement authority outside the United
+Added: States does not ensure approval by any other reimbursement authorities.
+Added: However, the failure to obtain reimbursement in one jurisdiction
+Added: may negatively impact our ability to obtain reimbursement in another jurisdiction.
+Added: We may not be able to obtain such reimbursement approvals
+Added: on a timely basis, if at all, and favorable pricing in certain countries depends on a number of factors, some of which are outside of
+Added: In addition, if Renazorb is approved outside of the United States, we plan to rely on a partner to obtain approval by reimbursement
+Added: authorities outside the United States.
+Added: If we are unsuccessful or delayed in entering into an agreement with a new partner, the launch
+Added: of Renazorb following approval outside the United States may be delayed, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
+Added: We expect to face substantial competition,
+Added: which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before, or more successfully than, we do.
+Added: The development and commercialization of new
+Added: drugs is highly competitive and subject to rapid and significant technological change.
+Added: Our future success depends on our ability to demonstrate
+Added: and maintain a competitive advantage with respect to the development and commercialization of Renazorb, and any other product or product
+Added: candidate, including those that may be in-licensed or acquired.
+Added: Renazorb will compete in the hyperphosphatemia market in the United States
+Added: with other FDA-approved phosphate binders such as Renagel® (sevelamer hydrochloride) and Renvela® (sevelamer carbonate), both
+Added: marketed by Sanofi, PhosLo® and Phoslyra® (calcium acetate), marketed by Fresenius Medical Care North America, Fosrenol®
+Added: (lanthanum carbonate), marketed by Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, Velphoro® (sucroferric oxyhydroxide), marketed by Fresenius Medical
+Added: Care North America, and Auryxia (ferric citrate), marketed by Akebia Therapeutics, as well as over-the-counter calcium carbonate products
+Added: such as TUMS® and metal-based options such as aluminum, lanthanum and magnesium.
+Added: Most of the phosphate binders listed above are now
+Added: also available in generic forms.
+Added: In addition, other agents are in development, including OPKO Health Inc.’s Alpharen™ Tablets
+Added: (fermagate tablets) and Ardelyx, Inc.’s tenapanor (which is approved in the United States for the treatment of adults with irritable
+Added: bowel syndrome with constipation, and for which the FDA granted an appeal in the fourth quarter of 2022 that will allow Ardelyx to resubmit
+Added: a new drug application in 2023 with respect to the control of serum phosphorus in adult patients with CKD on dialysis), that may impact
+Added: the market for Renazorb.
+Added: Smaller and other early-stage companies may also prove to be significant
+Added: As a result of all of these factors, our competitors
+Added: may succeed in obtaining patent protection and/or marketing approval, or discovering, developing and commercializing competitive products,
+Added: before, or more effectively than, we do.
+Added: If we are not able to compete effectively against potential competitors, our business will not
+Added: grow and our financial condition and operations will suffer.
Healthcare Reform
−Removed: addition to the changes brought about by the ACA, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted, including aggregate reductions
−Removed: of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year and reduced payments to several types of Medicare providers.
−Removed: Moreover, there
−Removed: has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which
−Removed: has resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things,
−Removed: bring more transparency to product pricing, review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs and reform government
−Removed: program reimbursement methodologies for drug products.
−Removed: Any proposed measures will require authorization through additional legislation
−Removed: to become effective.
−Removed: There can be no assurance that Congress or the Biden Administration intend to provide for such authorizations.
−Removed: Biden administration has also undertaken other actions – and may continue to do so – signaling a change in policy from the
−Removed: prior Trump administration.
−Removed: Such activities include Executive Order 13992, revoking several Trump administration orders that had certain
−Removed: deregulatory effects, and a letter to the United Nations retracting the United States’ intent to withdraw from the World Health
−Removed: Organization.
−Removed: Other actions by the Biden administration and/or legislation passed by the new Congress could further impact the pharmaceutical
−Removed: and broader healthcare industries in ways that are difficult to predict but that could also materially impact our operations.
−Removed: predict what other healthcare reforms will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the effect of any future legislation,
−Removed: executive action or regulation and, accordingly, face uncertainties that might result from additional reforms.
−Removed: the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product
−Removed: pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure
−Removed: and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
−Removed: Pharmaceutical
−Removed: companies are subject to various federal and state laws that are intended to combat health care fraud and abuse and that govern certain
−Removed: of our business practices, especially our interactions with third-party payors, healthcare providers, patients, customers and potential
−Removed: customers through sales and marketing or research and development activities.
−Removed: These include anti-kickback laws, false claims laws, sunshine
−Removed: laws, privacy laws and FDA regulation of advertising and promotion of pharmaceutical products.
−Removed: Anti-kickback
−Removed: laws, including the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, make it a criminal offense knowingly and willfully to offer, pay, solicit, or receive
−Removed: any remuneration to induce or reward referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service
−Removed: reimbursable by, a federal health care program (including our products).
−Removed: The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply
−Removed: to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on the one hand and prescribers, purchasers and formulary managers on the other.
−Removed: Although there are several statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors protecting certain common activities from prosecution, the
−Removed: exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly, and practices that involve remuneration intended to induce prescribing, purchasing or
−Removed: recommending may be subject to scrutiny if they do not qualify for an exception or safe harbor.
−Removed: In addition, a person or entity does
−Removed: not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation.
−Removed: Moreover, the government
−Removed: may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false
−Removed: or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act.
−Removed: The penalties for violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute include administrative
−Removed: civil money penalties, imprisonment for up to five years, fines of up to $25,000 per violation and possible exclusion from federal healthcare
−Removed: programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
−Removed: federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the civil False Claims Act, prohibit knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented,
−Removed: claims for payment to the federal government (including Medicare and Medicaid) that are false or fraudulent (and, under the Federal False
−Removed: Claims Act, a claim is deemed false or fraudulent if it is made pursuant to an illegal kickback).
−Removed: Manufacturers can be held liable under
−Removed: these laws if they are deemed to “cause” the submission of false or fraudulent claims by, for example, providing inaccurate
−Removed: billing or coding information to customers or promoting a product off-label.
−Removed: Actions under the False Claims Act may be brought by the
−Removed: Attorney General or as a qui tam action by a private individual in the name of the government.
−Removed: Violations of the False Claims Act can
−Removed: result in significant monetary penalties, including fines ranging from $11,181 to $22,363 for each false claim, and treble damages.
−Removed: federal government is using the False Claims Act, and the accompanying threat of significant liability, in its investigation and prosecution
−Removed: of pharmaceutical companies throughout the country, for example, in connection with the promotion of products for unapproved uses and
−Removed: other improper sales and marketing practices.
−Removed: The government has obtained multi-million and multi-billion dollar settlements under the
−Removed: False Claims Act in addition to individual criminal convictions under applicable criminal statutes.
−Removed: In addition, companies have been
−Removed: forced to implement extensive corrective action plans and have often become subject to consent decrees or corporate integrity agreements,
−Removed: severely restricting the manner in which they conduct their business.
−Removed: Given the significant size of actual and potential settlements,
−Removed: it is expected that the government will continue to devote substantial resources to investigating healthcare providers’ and manufacturers’
−Removed: compliance with applicable fraud and abuse laws.
−Removed: Federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law prohibits, among other things, the offering or transferring of remuneration to a Medicare or Medicaid
−Removed: beneficiary that the person knows or should know is likely to influence the beneficiary’s selection of a particular supplier of
−Removed: Medicare or Medicaid payable items or services.
−Removed: Noncompliance can result in civil money penalties of up to $15,270 for each wrongful
−Removed: act, assessment of three times the amount claimed for each item or service and exclusion from the federal healthcare programs.
−Removed: criminal statutes prohibit, among other actions, knowingly and willfully executing or attempting to execute a scheme to defraud any healthcare
−Removed: benefit program, including private third-party payors, knowingly and willfully embezzling or stealing from a healthcare benefit program,
−Removed: willfully obstructing a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense, and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering
−Removed: up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for
−Removed: healthcare benefits, items or services.
−Removed: Like the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the ACA amended the intent standard for certain healthcare
−Removed: fraud statutes under HIPAA such that a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to
−Removed: violate it in order to have committed a violation.
−Removed: state and foreign laws and regulations, including state anti-kickback and false claims laws, may apply to products and services reimbursed
−Removed: by non-governmental third-party payors, including commercial payors.
−Removed: Additionally, there are state laws that require pharmaceutical companies
−Removed: to comply with the pharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by
−Removed: the federal government or that otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers as well as state and foreign laws
−Removed: that require drug manufacturers to report marketing expenditures or pricing information.
−Removed: laws, including the Federal Open Payments law enacted as part of the ACA, require pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose payments and
−Removed: other transfers of value to physicians and certain other health care providers or professionals, and in the case of some state sunshine
−Removed: laws, restrict or prohibit certain such payments.
−Removed: Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to submit reports to the government by the
−Removed: 90 th day of each calendar year.
−Removed: Failure to submit the required information may result in civil monetary penalties of
−Removed: up to an aggregate of $165,786 per year (or up to an aggregate of $1.105 million per year for “knowing failures”) for all
−Removed: payments, transfers of value or ownership or investment interests not reported in an annual submission, and may result in liability under
−Removed: other federal laws or regulations.
−Removed: Certain states and foreign governments require the tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation and
−Removed: other remuneration to physicians.
−Removed: laws, such as the privacy regulations implemented under HIPAA, restrict covered entities from using or disclosing protected health information.
−Removed: Covered entities commonly include physicians, hospitals and health insurers from which we may seek to acquire data to aid in our research,
−Removed: development, sales and marketing activities.
−Removed: Although pharmaceutical manufacturers are not covered entities under HIPAA, our ability
−Removed: to acquire or use protected health information from covered entities may be affected by privacy laws.
−Removed: Specifically, HIPAA, as amended
−Removed: by HITECH, and their respective implementing regulations, including the final omnibus rule published on January 25, 2013, imposes specified
−Removed: requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information.
−Removed: Among other things,
−Removed: HITECH makes HIPAA’s privacy and security standards directly applicable to “business associates,” defined as independent
−Removed: contractors or agents of covered entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with
−Removed: providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity.
−Removed: HITECH also increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed
−Removed: against covered entities, business associates and possibly other persons, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil
−Removed: actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated
−Removed: with pursuing federal civil actions.
−Removed: In addition, state laws govern the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances,
−Removed: many of which differ from each other in significant ways, thus complicating compliance efforts.
−Removed: FDA regulates the sale and marketing of prescription drug products and, among other things, prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers from
−Removed: making false or misleading statements and from promoting products for unapproved uses.
−Removed: There has been an increase in government enforcement
−Removed: efforts at both the federal and state level.
−Removed: Numerous cases have been brought against pharmaceutical manufacturers under the Federal
−Removed: False Claims Act, alleging, among other things, that certain sales or marketing-related practices violate the Anti-Kickback Statute or
−Removed: the FDA’s regulations, and many of these cases have resulted in settlement agreements under which the companies were required to
−Removed: change certain practices, pay substantial fines and operate under the supervision of a federally appointed monitor for a period of years.
−Removed: Due to the breadth of these laws and their implementing regulations and the absence of guidance in some cases, it is possible that our
−Removed: practices might be challenged by government authorities.
−Removed: Violations of fraud and abuse laws may be punishable by civil and criminal sanctions
−Removed: including fines, civil monetary penalties, as well as the possibility of exclusion of our products from payment by federal health care
−Removed: Price Reporting
−Removed: regulations regarding reporting and payment obligations are complex, and we are continually evaluating the methods we use to calculate
−Removed: and report the amounts owed with respect to Medicaid and other government pricing programs.
−Removed: Our calculations are subject to review and
−Removed: challenge by various government agencies and authorities, and it is possible that any such review could result either in material changes
−Removed: to the method used for calculating the amounts owed to such agency or the amounts themselves.
−Removed: Because the process for making these calculations,
−Removed: and our judgments supporting these calculations, involve subjective decisions, these calculations are subject to audit.
−Removed: that a government authority challenges or finds ambiguity with regard to our report of payments, such authority may impose civil and
−Removed: criminal sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
−Removed: From time to time we conduct routine reviews of our government
−Removed: pricing calculations.
−Removed: These reviews may have an impact on government price reporting and rebate calculations used to comply with various
−Removed: government regulations regarding reporting and payment obligations.
−Removed: governments and third-party payors reimburse the purchase of certain prescription drugs based on a drug’s AWP.
−Removed: In the past several
−Removed: years, state and federal government agencies have conducted ongoing investigations of manufacturers’ reporting practices with respect
−Removed: to AWP, which they have suggested have led to excessive payments by state and federal government agencies for prescription drugs.
−Removed: and numerous other pharmaceutical companies have been named as defendants in various state and federal court actions alleging improper
−Removed: or fraudulent practices related to the reporting of AWP.
−Removed: Pedigree Laws
−Removed: and federal governments have proposed or passed various drug pedigree laws which can require the tracking of all transactions involving
−Removed: prescription drugs from the manufacturer to the pharmacy (or other dispensing) level.
−Removed: Companies are required to maintain records documenting
−Removed: the chain of custody of prescription drug products beginning with the purchase of such products from the manufacturer.
−Removed: Compliance with
−Removed: these pedigree laws requires implementation of extensive tracking systems as well as heightened documentation and coordination with customers
−Removed: and manufacturers.
−Removed: While we fully intend to comply with these laws, there is uncertainty about future changes in legislation and government
−Removed: enforcement of these laws.
−Removed: Failure to comply could result in fines or penalties, as well as loss of business that could have a material
−Removed: adverse effect on our financial results.
−Removed: Regulation of Patent Litigation Settlements and Authorized Generic Arrangements
−Removed: part of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, companies are required to file with the U.S.
−Removed: Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the U.S.
−Removed: Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) certain types of agreements entered into
−Removed: between brand and generic pharmaceutical companies related to the settlement of patent litigation or manufacture, marketing and sale
−Removed: of generic versions of branded drugs.
−Removed: This requirement could affect the manner in which generic drug manufacturers resolve intellectual
−Removed: property litigation and other disputes with brand pharmaceutical companies and could result generally in an increase in private-party
−Removed: litigation against pharmaceutical companies or additional investigations or proceedings by the FTC or other governmental authorities.
−Removed: federal government, various states and localities have laws regulating the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceuticals, as well
−Removed: as regulations dealing with the substitution of generic drugs for branded drugs.
−Removed: Our operations are also subject to regulation, licensing
−Removed: requirements and inspection by the states and localities in which our operations are located or in which we conduct business.
−Removed: of our activities are also subject to FTC enforcement actions.
−Removed: The FTC also enforces a variety of antitrust and consumer protection laws
−Removed: designed to ensure that the nation’s markets function competitively, are vigorous, efficient and free of undue restrictions.
−Removed: state, local and foreign laws of general applicability, such as laws regulating working conditions, also govern us.
−Removed: addition, we are subject to numerous and increasingly stringent federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations concerning,
−Removed: among other things, the generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of toxic and hazardous substances, the
−Removed: discharge of pollutants into the air and water and the cleanup of contamination.
−Removed: We are required to maintain and comply with environmental
−Removed: permits and controls for some of our operations, and these permits are subject to modification, renewal and revocation by the issuing
−Removed: Our environmental capital expenditures and costs for environmental compliance may increase in the future as a result of
−Removed: changes in environmental laws and regulations or increased manufacturing activities at any of our facilities.
−Removed: We could incur significant
−Removed: costs or liabilities as a result of any failure to comply with environmental laws, including fines, penalties, third-party claims and
−Removed: the costs of undertaking a clean-up at a current or former site or at a site to which our wastes were transported.
−Removed: In addition, we have
−Removed: grown in part by acquisition, and our diligence may not have identified environmental impacts from historical operations at sites we
−Removed: have acquired in the past or may acquire in the future.
+Added: In the United States, there have been a number
+Added: of federal and state proposals during the last several years regarding the pricing of pharmaceutical products, government control and
+Added: other changes to the healthcare system of the United States.
+Added: It is uncertain what other legislative proposals may be adopted or what
+Added: actions federal, state, or private payors may take in response to any healthcare reform proposals or legislation.
+Added: We cannot predict the
+Added: effect such reforms may have on our business, and no assurance can be given that any such reforms will not have a material adverse effect.
+Added: By way of example, in March 2010, the Affordable
+Added: Care Act (the “ACA”), was signed into law, which, among other things, includes changes to the coverage and payment for drug
+Added: products under government health care programs.
+Added: The law includes measures that (i) significantly increase Medicaid rebates through both
+Added: the expansion of the program and significant increases in rebates, (ii) substantially expand the Public Health System (340B) program
+Added: to allow other entities to purchase prescription drugs at substantial discounts, (iii) extend the Medicaid rebate rate to a significant
+Added: portion of Managed Medicaid enrollees, (iv) assess a rebate on Medicaid Part D spending in the coverage gap for branded and authorized
+Added: generic prescription drugs, and (v) levy a significant excise tax on the industry to fund the healthcare reform.
+Added: In addition to the changes brought about by the
+Added: ACA, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted, including aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2%
+Added: per fiscal year and reduced payments to several types of Medicare providers.
+Added: Moreover, there has recently been heightened governmental
+Added: scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has resulted in several Congressional inquiries
+Added: and proposed and enacted federal and state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more transparency to product pricing, review
+Added: the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs and reform government program reimbursement methodologies for drug
+Added: Any proposed measures will require authorization through additional legislation to become effective.
+Added: There can be no assurance
+Added: that Congress or the Biden Administration intend to provide for such authorizations.
+Added: The Biden administration has also undertaken
+Added: other actions – and may continue to do so – signaling a change in policy from the prior Trump administration.
+Added: Such activities
+Added: include Executive Order 13992, revoking several Trump administration orders that had certain deregulatory effects, and a letter to the
+Added: United Nations retracting the United States’ intent to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
+Added: Other actions by the Biden
+Added: administration and/or legislation passed by the new Congress could further impact the pharmaceutical and broader healthcare industries
+Added: in ways that are difficult to predict but that could also materially impact our operations.
+Added: We cannot predict what other healthcare reforms
+Added: will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the effect of any future legislation, executive action or regulation
+Added: and, accordingly, face uncertainties that might result from additional reforms.
+Added: At the state level, legislatures have increasingly
+Added: passed legislation and implemented regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement
+Added: constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some
+Added: cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
+Added: Healthcare Regulations
+Added: Pharmaceutical companies are subject to various
+Added: federal and state laws that are intended to combat health care fraud and abuse and that govern certain of our business practices, especially
+Added: our interactions with third-party payors, healthcare providers, patients, customers and potential customers through sales and marketing
+Added: or research and development activities.
+Added: These include anti-kickback laws, false claims laws, sunshine laws, privacy laws and FDA regulation
+Added: of advertising and promotion of pharmaceutical products.
+Added: Anti-kickback laws, including the federal Anti-Kickback
+Added: Statute, make it a criminal offense knowingly and willfully to offer, pay, solicit, or receive any remuneration to induce or reward referral
+Added: of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service reimbursable by, a federal health care program
+Added: (including our products).
+Added: The federal Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers
+Added: on the one hand and prescribers, purchasers and formulary managers on the other.
+Added: Although there are several statutory exceptions and
+Added: regulatory safe harbors protecting certain common activities from prosecution, the exceptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly, and
+Added: practices that involve remuneration intended to induce prescribing, purchasing or recommending may be subject to scrutiny if they do
+Added: not qualify for an exception or safe harbor.
+Added: In addition, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or
+Added: specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation.
+Added: Moreover, the government may assert that a claim including items or services
+Added: resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims
+Added: The penalties for violating the federal Anti-Kickback Statute include administrative civil money penalties, imprisonment for up
+Added: to five years, fines of up to $25,000 per violation and possible exclusion from federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
+Added: The federal civil and criminal false claims laws,
+Added: including the civil False Claims Act, prohibit knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment to the federal government
+Added: (including Medicare and Medicaid) that are false or fraudulent (and, under the Federal False Claims Act, a claim is deemed false or fraudulent
+Added: if it is made pursuant to an illegal kickback).
+Added: Manufacturers can be held liable under these laws if they are deemed to “cause”
+Added: the submission of false or fraudulent claims by, for example, providing inaccurate billing or coding information to customers or promoting
+Added: a product off-label.
+Added: Actions under the False Claims Act may be brought by the Attorney General or as a qui tam action by a private individual
+Added: in the name of the government.
+Added: Violations of the False Claims Act can result in significant monetary penalties, including fines ranging
+Added: from $13,508 to $27,018 for each false claim, and treble damages.
+Added: The federal government is using the False Claims Act, and the accompanying
+Added: threat of significant liability, in its investigation and prosecution of pharmaceutical companies throughout the country, for example,
+Added: in connection with the promotion of products for unapproved uses and other improper sales and marketing practices.
+Added: The government has
+Added: obtained multi-million and multi-billion dollar settlements under the False Claims Act in addition to individual criminal convictions
+Added: under applicable criminal statutes.
+Added: In addition, companies have been forced to implement extensive corrective action plans and have often
+Added: become subject to consent decrees or corporate integrity agreements, severely restricting the manner in which they conduct their business.
+Added: Given the significant size of actual and potential settlements, it is expected that the government will continue to devote substantial
+Added: resources to investigating healthcare providers’ and manufacturers’ compliance with applicable fraud and abuse laws.
+Added: The Federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law prohibits,
+Added: among other things, the offering or transferring of remuneration to a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary that the person knows or should
+Added: know is likely to influence the beneficiary’s selection of a particular supplier of Medicare or Medicaid payable items or services.
+Added: Noncompliance can result in civil money penalties ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 per violation and exclusion from the federal healthcare
+Added: Federal criminal statutes prohibit, among other
+Added: actions, knowingly and willfully executing or attempting to execute a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program, including private
+Added: third-party payors, knowingly and willfully embezzling or stealing from a healthcare benefit program, willfully obstructing a criminal
+Added: investigation of a healthcare offense, and knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any
+Added: materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for healthcare benefits, items or
+Added: Like the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the ACA amended the intent standard for certain healthcare fraud statutes under HIPAA
+Added: such that a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have
+Added: committed a violation.
+Added: Analogous state and foreign laws and regulations,
+Added: including state anti-kickback and false claims laws, may apply to products and services reimbursed by non-governmental third-party payors,
+Added: including commercial payors.
+Added: Additionally, there are state laws that require pharmaceutical companies to comply with the pharmaceutical
+Added: industry’s voluntary compliance guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government or that otherwise
+Added: restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers as well as state and foreign laws that require drug manufacturers to report
+Added: marketing expenditures or pricing information and register sales representatives.
+Added: Sunshine laws, including the Federal Open Payments
+Added: law enacted as part of the ACA, require pharmaceutical manufacturers to disclose payments and other transfers of value to physicians
+Added: and certain other health care providers or professionals, and in the case of some state sunshine laws, restrict or prohibit certain such
+Added: Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to submit reports to the government by the 90 th day of each calendar
+Added: Failure to submit the required information may result in civil monetary penalties of up to an aggregate of $100,000 per year, adjusted
+Added: for inflation (or up to an aggregate of $1 million per year, adjusted for inflation for “knowing failures”) for all payments,
+Added: transfers of value or ownership or investment interests not reported in an annual submission, and may result in liability under other
+Added: federal laws or regulations.
+Added: Certain states and foreign governments require the tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation and other
+Added: remuneration to physicians.
+Added: Privacy laws, such as the privacy regulations
+Added: implemented under HIPAA, restrict covered entities from using or disclosing protected health information.
+Added: Covered entities commonly include
+Added: physicians, hospitals and health insurers from which we may seek to acquire data to aid in our research, development, sales and marketing
+Added: Although pharmaceutical manufacturers are not covered entities under HIPAA, our ability to acquire or use protected health
+Added: information from covered entities may be affected by privacy laws.
+Added: Specifically, HIPAA, as amended by HITECH, and their respective implementing
+Added: regulations, including the final omnibus rule published on January 25, 2013, imposes specified requirements relating to the privacy,
+Added: security and transmission of individually identifiable health information.
+Added: Among other things, HITECH makes HIPAA’s privacy and
+Added: security standards directly applicable to “business associates,” defined as independent contractors or agents of covered
+Added: entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf
+Added: of a covered entity.
+Added: HITECH also increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed against covered entities, business associates
+Added: and possibly other persons, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal
+Added: courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.
+Added: addition, state laws govern the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other
+Added: in significant ways, thus complicating compliance efforts.
+Added: The FDA regulates the sale and marketing of prescription
+Added: drug products and, among other things, prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers from making false or misleading statements and from promoting
+Added: products for unapproved uses.
+Added: There has been an increase in government enforcement efforts at both the federal and state level.
+Added: cases have been brought against pharmaceutical manufacturers under the Federal False Claims Act, alleging, among other things, that certain
+Added: sales or marketing-related practices violate the Anti-Kickback Statute or the FDA’s regulations, and many of these cases have resulted
+Added: in settlement agreements under which the companies were required to change certain practices, pay substantial fines and operate under
+Added: the supervision of a federally appointed monitor for a period of years.
+Added: Due to the breadth of these laws and their implementing regulations
+Added: and the absence of guidance in some cases, it is possible that our practices might be challenged by government authorities.
+Added: of fraud and abuse laws may be punishable by civil and criminal sanctions including fines, civil monetary penalties, as well as the possibility
+Added: of exclusion of our products from payment by federal health care programs.
+Added: Government Price Reporting
+Added: Government regulations regarding reporting and
+Added: payment obligations are complex, and we are continually evaluating the methods we use to calculate and report the amounts owed with respect
+Added: to Medicaid and other government pricing programs.
+Added: Our calculations are subject to review and challenge by various government agencies
+Added: and authorities, and it is possible that any such review could result either in material changes to the method used for calculating the
+Added: amounts owed to such agency or the amounts themselves.
+Added: Because the process for making these calculations, and our judgments supporting
+Added: these calculations, involve subjective decisions, these calculations are subject to audit.
+Added: In the event that a government authority challenges
+Added: or finds ambiguity with regard to our report of payments, such authority may impose civil and criminal sanctions, which could have a
+Added: material adverse effect on our business.
+Added: From time to time we conduct routine reviews of our government pricing calculations.
+Added: These reviews
+Added: may have an impact on government price reporting and rebate calculations used to comply with various government regulations regarding
+Added: reporting and payment obligations.
+Added: Many governments and third-party payors reimburse
+Added: the purchase of certain prescription drugs based on a drug’s average wholesale price (AWP).
+Added: In the past several years, state and
+Added: federal government agencies have conducted ongoing investigations of manufacturers’ reporting practices with respect to AWP, which
+Added: they have suggested have led to excessive payments by state and federal government agencies for prescription drugs.
+Added: We and numerous other
+Added: pharmaceutical companies have been named as defendants in various state and federal court actions alleging improper or fraudulent practices
+Added: related to the reporting of AWP.
+Added: Drug Pedigree Laws
+Added: State and federal governments have proposed or
+Added: passed various drug pedigree laws which can require the tracking of all transactions involving prescription drugs from the manufacturer
+Added: to the pharmacy (or other dispensing) level.
+Added: Companies are required to maintain records documenting the chain of custody of prescription
+Added: drug products beginning with the purchase of such products from the manufacturer.
+Added: Compliance with these pedigree laws requires implementation
+Added: of extensive tracking systems as well as heightened documentation and coordination with customers and manufacturers.
+Added: While we fully intend
+Added: to comply with these laws, there is uncertainty about future changes in legislation and government enforcement of these laws.
+Added: to comply could result in fines or penalties, as well as loss of business that could have a material adverse effect on our financial
+Added: Federal Regulation of Patent Litigation Settlements
+Added: and Authorized Generic Arrangements
+Added: As part of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement
+Added: and Modernization Act of 2003, companies are required to file with the U.S.
+Added: Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the U.S.
+Added: Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) certain types of agreements entered into between brand and generic pharmaceutical companies
+Added: related to the settlement of patent litigation or manufacture, marketing and sale of generic versions of branded drugs.
+Added: This requirement
+Added: could affect the manner in which generic drug manufacturers resolve intellectual property litigation and other disputes with brand pharmaceutical
+Added: companies and could result generally in an increase in private-party litigation against pharmaceutical companies or additional investigations
+Added: or proceedings by the FTC or other governmental authorities.
+Added: federal government, various states and
+Added: localities have laws regulating the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceuticals, as well as regulations dealing with the substitution
+Added: of generic drugs for branded drugs.
+Added: Our operations are also subject to regulation, licensing requirements and inspection by the states
+Added: and localities in which our operations are located or in which we conduct business.
+Added: Certain of our activities are also subject to
+Added: FTC enforcement actions.
+Added: The FTC also enforces a variety of antitrust and consumer protection laws designed to ensure that the nation’s
+Added: markets function competitively, are vigorous, efficient and free of undue restrictions.
+Added: Federal, state, local and foreign laws of general
+Added: applicability, such as laws regulating working conditions, also govern us.
+Added: In addition, we are subject to numerous and increasingly
+Added: stringent federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations concerning, among other things, the generation, handling, storage,
+Added: transportation, treatment and disposal of toxic and hazardous substances, the discharge of pollutants into the air and water and the
+Added: cleanup of contamination.
+Added: We are required to maintain and comply with environmental permits and controls for some of our operations,
+Added: and these permits are subject to modification, renewal and revocation by the issuing authorities.
+Added: Our environmental capital expenditures
+Added: and costs for environmental compliance may increase in the future as a result of changes in environmental laws and regulations or increased
+Added: manufacturing activities at any of our facilities.
+Added: We could incur significant costs or liabilities as a result of any failure to comply
+Added: with environmental laws, including fines, penalties, third-party claims and the costs of undertaking a clean-up at a current or former
+Added: site or at a site to which our wastes were transported.
+Added: In addition, we have grown in part by acquisition, and our diligence may not
+Added: have identified environmental impacts from historical operations at sites we have acquired in the past or may acquire in the future.
As of March 30, 2023, we had 12 full-time employees
3 unchanged sentences
our employees.
−Removed: Our Corporate
−Removed: were incorporated as a Delaware corporation on August 18, 2016.
−Removed: Our principal executive offices are located at 4300 El Camino Real, Suite
−Removed: 210, Los Altos, CA 94022 and our telephone number is (650) 351-4495.
−Removed: website address is http://www.unicycive.com .
−Removed: The contents of, or information accessible through, our website are not part
−Removed: of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our website address is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only.
−Removed: our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all
−Removed: amendments to those reports, available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports with,
−Removed: or furnish such reports to, the SEC.
−Removed: The public may read and copy the materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference
−Removed: Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549.
−Removed: The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling
−Removed: the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
−Removed: Additionally, the SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
−Removed: other information.
−Removed: The address of the SEC’s website is www.sec.gov .
−Removed: The information contained in the SEC’s website
−Removed: is not intended to be a part of this filing.
+Added: Our Corporate History
+Added: We were incorporated as a Delaware corporation
+Added: on August 18, 2016.
+Added: Our principal executive offices are located at 4300 El Camino Real, Suite 210, Los Altos, CA 94022 and our telephone
+Added: number is (650) 351-4495.
+Added: Available Information
+Added: Our website address is http://www.unicycive.com .
+Added: The contents of, or information accessible through, our website are not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our website address
+Added: is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only.
+Added: We make our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on
+Added: Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports, available free of charge
+Added: on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports with, or furnish such reports to, the SEC.
+Added: The public may
+Added: read and copy the materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549.
+Added: The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
+Added: Additionally, the
+Added: SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information.
+Added: The address of the SEC’s
+Added: website is www.sec.gov .
+Added: The information contained in the SEC’s website is not intended to be a part of this filing.
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.