Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals disclosed 56 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cumberland Pharmaceuticals reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Risk Overview Q3, 2021
Risk Distribution
38% Finance & Corporate
20% Tech & Innovation
16% Ability to Sell
14% Legal & Regulatory
7% Production
5% Macro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
2020
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q3, 2021
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 21 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 21 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
56
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
56
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Sep 2021
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Sep 2021
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Cumberland Pharmaceuticals in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 56
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 21/56 (38%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights4 | 7.1%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
Our officers, directors, and principal shareholders, acting as a group, could significantly influence corporate actions.
As of December 31, 2020, our officers and directors control approximately 41 percent of our common stock. Acting together, these shareholders could significantly influence any matter requiring approval by our shareholders, including the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combinations. The interests of this group may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of other shareholders and may prevent or delay a change in control. This significant concentration of share ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock because many investors perceive disadvantages to owning stock in companies with controlling shareholders.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Research analysts may not continue to provide or initiate coverage of our common stock or may issue negative reports.
The market for our common stock may be affected by the reports financial analysts publish about us. If one of the analysts covering us downgrades our stock, its price could decline rapidly and significantly. Securities analysts covering our common stock may discontinue coverage. A lack of research coverage may adversely affect our stock's market price.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate substantially.
The price for the shares of our common stock sold in our initial public offering was determined by negotiation between the representatives of the underwriters and us. This price may not have reflected the market price of our common stock following our initial public offering. Through March 5, 2021, the closing price of our common stock since our initial public offering has ranged from a low of $2.77 to a high of $17.05 per share. Moreover, the market price of our common stock might decline below current levels. In addition, the market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially. Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or the perception that these sales may occur could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
The realization of any of the risks described in these "Risk Factors" could have a dramatic and material adverse impact on the market price of our common stock. In addition, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies whose securities have experienced periods of volatility in market price. Any such securities litigation brought against us could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management's attention and resources, which could negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition. The recent COVID-19 pandemic may cause increased risk to our common stock's liquidity and trading price.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
Some provisions of our third amended and restated charter, bylaws and Tennessee law may inhibit potential acquisition bids that you may consider favorable.
Our corporate documents contain provisions that may enable our board of directors to resist a change in control of our company even if a change in control were to be considered favorable by you and other shareholders. These provisions include:
- The authorization of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which may be established and shares of which may be issued without shareholder approval;- Advance notice procedures required for shareholders to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring matters before an annual meeting of shareholders;- Limitations on persons authorized to call a special meeting of shareholders;- A staggered board of directors;- A restriction prohibiting shareholders from removing directors without cause;- A requirement that vacancies in directorships are to be filled by a majority of the directors then in office and the number of directors is to be fixed by the board of directors; and - No cumulative voting.
These and other provisions contained in our third amended and restated charter and bylaws could delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control of us or our management, including transactions in which our shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares over then current prices, and may limit the ability of shareholders to remove our current management or approve transactions that our shareholders may deem to be in their best interests and, therefore, could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
In addition, we are subject to control share acquisitions provisions and affiliated transaction provisions of the Tennessee Business Corporation Act, the applications of which may have the effect of delaying or preventing a merger, takeover or other change in control of us and therefore could discourage attempts to acquire our company.
Accounting & Financial Operations7 | 12.5%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We have never paid cash dividends on our capital stock.
We have never paid cash dividends on our capital stock. The availability of funds for distributions to shareholders will depend on our financial performance and assets. Any future decision to declare or pay dividends will be at the sole discretion of our Board of Directors
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Our operating results are likely to fluctuate from period to period.
We are a company actively seeking to deliver significant growth. As we execute our business strategy of adding new products, increasing market share in our existing growth products and striving to maintain market share in our other products, we anticipate that there may be fluctuations in our future operating results. We may not be able to maintain or improve our current levels of revenue or income. Potential causes of future fluctuations in our operating results may include:
- New product launches, which could increase revenues but also increase sales and marketing expenses;- Acquisition activity and other charges;- Increases in research and development expenses resulting from the acquisition of a product candidate that requires significant additional studies and development;- Ability to utilize unrecognized federal and state net operating loss carryforwards as a result of the exercise of nonqualified options - Changes in the competitive, regulatory or reimbursement environment, which could drive down revenues or drive up sales and marketing or compliance costs; and - Unexpected product liability or intellectual property claims and lawsuits.
See also "Management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations-Liquidity and capital resources." Fluctuation in operating results, particularly if not anticipated by investors and other members of the financial community, could add to volatility in our stock price. The recent COVID-19 coronavirus has negatively impacted the financial markets and may create additional risk for our customers and their ability to pay for our products.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
If we are unable to maintain appropriate internal financial reporting controls and procedures, it could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations, result in the restatement of our financial statements, harm our operating results, subject us to regulatory scrutiny and sanction, cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and have a negative effect on the market price for shares of our common stock.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and mitigate the risk of fraud. We maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting, which is defined as a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, and affected by our board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.
We cannot assure you that we will not, in the future, identify areas requiring improvement in our internal control over financial reporting. We cannot assure you that the measures we will take to improve these controls will be successful or that we will implement and maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future as we continue to expand. If we are unable to establish appropriate internal financial reporting controls and procedures, it could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations, result in the restatement of our financial statements, harm our operating results, subject us to regulatory scrutiny and sanction, cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and have a negative effect on the market price for shares of our common stock.
In addition, we maintain a system of internal controls and provide training to employees designed to provide reasonable assurance that unlawful and fraudulent activity, including misappropriation of assets, fraudulent financial reporting, and unauthorized access to sensitive or confidential data is either prevented or timely detected. However, in the event that our employees engage in such fraudulent behavior, we could suffer material adverse consequences.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Changes in, or interpretations of, accounting principles could have a significant impact on our financial position and results of operations.
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. These principles are subject to interpretation by the SEC and various bodies formed to interpret and create appropriate accounting principles. A change in these principles can have a significant effect on our reported results and may even retroactively affect previously reported transactions.
For example, in recent years, the U.S.-based Financial Accounting Standards Board, ("FASB"), has worked together with the International Accounting Standards Board, ("IASB"), on several projects to further align accounting principles and facilitate more comparable financial reporting between companies who are required to follow GAAP under SEC regulations and those who are required to follow International Financial Reporting Standards, ("IFRS"), outside of the U.S. These efforts by the FASB and IASB may result in different accounting principles under GAAP that may result in materially different financial results for us in certain areas.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
We may incur losses in the future and we may not achieve or maintain profitability.
We intend to continue to spend significant amounts on our efforts to discover and develop drugs. As a result, we may incur losses in future periods.
We anticipate that our drug discovery and development efforts and related expenditures will increase as we focus on the studies, including clinical trials prior to seeking regulatory approval, that are required before we can sell a drug product.
The development of drug products will require us to spend significant funds on research, development, testing, obtaining regulatory approvals, manufacturing and marketing.
We cannot be certain whether or when we will achieve profitability because of the significant uncertainties relating to our ability to generate commercially successful drug products. Even if we are successful in obtaining regulatory approvals for manufacturing and commercializing additional drug products, we may incur losses if our drug products do not generate significant revenues. If we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 6
Risk Factor Summary
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider all information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K prior to investing in our common stock. These risks are discussed more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors." These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- General economic conditions can have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and result of operations.
- The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may adversely affect our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
- Failure to implement strategies to enhance our performance could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial conditions.
- Our ability to perform depends on keeping and hiring exceptionally talented management and employees, and our failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
- Our success depends, in part, on our ability to successfully obtain or retain high-performing third-party performers on commercially acceptable terms, and the failure to do so can have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
- Our business is subject to stringent government regulations, it must adhere to numerous complex pieces of legislation, and all of our products face regulatory challenges.
- Our business depends on the successful protection of our intellectual property rights and our product candidates becoming approved by regulatory agencies, commercially viable, and accepted by the market.
- Our business faces a serious financial risk if generic products that compete with any of our branded pharmaceutical products are approved and sold because sales of our products will be adversely-affected and our business may not recover the capital costs of bringing that product to market.
- Our business faces an inherent risk of product liability lawsuits related to the testing of our product candidates and the commercial sale of our products, and if we cannot successfully defend ourselves against the product liability claim, we may incur substantial liabilities.
- We may attempt to develop internationally and license our products globally, as well as invest in other businesses or joint ventures, all of which may be unsuccessful, divert our management's attention and harm our operating results and prospects.
The risk factors described below and throughout this report should be carefully considered and could materially affect our business. There are also risks that are not presently known or not presently material, as well as the other information set forth in this report that could materially affect our business. In addition, in our periodic filings with the SEC, press releases and other statements, we discuss estimates and projections regarding our future performance and business outlook. By their nature, such "forward-looking statements" involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that in some cases are out of our control. For a further discussion of forward-looking statements, please refer to the section entitled "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." These factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from our historical results or our present expectations and projections. These risk factors and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following:
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 7
If we fail to comply with our reporting and payment obligations under the Medicaid Drug Rebate program or other governmental pricing programs, we could be subject to additional reimbursement requirements, penalties, sanctions and fines, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We participate in and have certain price reporting obligations to the Medicaid Drug Rebate program and other governmental pricing programs, and we have obligations to report average sales price under the Medicare program.
Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate program, we are required to pay a rebate to each state Medicaid program for our covered outpatient drugs that are dispensed to Medicaid beneficiaries and paid for by a state Medicaid program as a condition of having federal funds being made available to the states for our drugs under Medicaid and Medicare Part B. Those rebates are based on pricing data reported by us on a monthly and quarterly basis to CMS, the federal agency that administers the Medicaid Drug Rebate program. These data include the average manufacturer price and, in the case of innovator products, the best price for each drug which, in general, represents the lowest price available from the manufacturer to any entity in the US in any pricing structure, calculated to include all sales and associated rebates, discounts and other price concessions.
The Healthcare Reform Act made significant changes to the Medicaid Drug Rebate program, such as expanding rebate liability from fee-for-service Medicaid utilization to include the utilization of Medicaid managed care organizations as well and changing the definition of average manufacturer price. The Healthcare Reform Act also increased the minimum Medicaid rebate; changed the calculation of the rebate for certain innovator products that qualify as line extensions of existing drugs; and capped the total rebate amount at 100% of the average manufacturer price. Finally, the Healthcare Reform Act requires pharmaceutical manufacturers of branded prescription drugs to pay a branded prescription drug fee to the federal government.
CMS issued final regulations to implement the changes to the Medicaid Drug Rebate program under the Healthcare Reform Act. These regulations became effective on April 1, 2016. The issuance of the final regulations and coverage expansion by various governmental agencies relating to the Medicaid Drug Rebate program has and will continue to increase our costs and the complexity of compliance, has been and will continue to be time-consuming to implement, and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, particularly if CMS challenges the approach we take in our implementation of the final regulations.
Federal law requires that any company that participates in the Medicaid Drug Rebate program also participate in the Public Health Service's 340B drug pricing program in order for federal funds to be available for the manufacturer's drugs under Medicaid and Medicare Part B. The 340B program requires participating manufacturers to agree to charge no more than the 340B "ceiling price" for the manufacturer's covered outpatient drugs to a variety of community health clinics and other entities that receive health services grants from the Public Health Service, as well as hospitals that serve a disproportionate share of low-income patients. The Healthcare Reform Act expanded the list of covered entities to include certain free-standing cancer hospitals, critical access hospitals, rural referral centers and sole community hospitals. The 340B ceiling price is calculated using a statutory formula based on the average manufacturer price and rebate amount for the covered outpatient drug as calculated under the Medicaid Drug Rebate program. Changes to the definition of average manufacturer price and the Medicaid rebate amount under the Healthcare Reform Act and CMS's final regulations implementing those changes also could affect our 340B ceiling price calculations and negatively impact our results of operations.
The Healthcare Reform Act obligates the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") to update the agreement that manufacturers must sign to participate in the 340B program to obligate a manufacturer to offer the 340B price to covered entities if the manufacturer makes the drug available to any other purchaser at any price and to report to the government the ceiling prices for its drugs. The Health Resources and Services Administration ("HRSA"), the federal agency that administers the 340B program, recently updated the agreement with participating manufacturers. The Healthcare Reform Act also obligates the Secretary of the HHS to create regulations and processes to improve the integrity of the 340B program. On January 5, 2017, HRSA issued a final regulation regarding the calculation of 340B ceiling price and the imposition of civil monetary penalties on manufacturers that knowingly and intentionally overcharge covered entities. The regulation became effective as of January 1, 2019. Implementation of this final rule and the issuance of any other final regulations and guidance could affect our obligations under the 340B program in ways we cannot anticipate. In addition, legislation may be introduced that, if passed, would further expand the 340B program to additional covered entities or would require participating manufacturers to agree to provide 340B discounted pricing on drugs used in the inpatient setting.
Federal law also requires that a company that participates in the Medicaid Drug Rebate program report average sales price information each quarter to CMS for certain categories of drugs that are paid under the Medicare Part B program. Manufacturers calculate the average sales price based on a statutorily defined formula as well as regulations and interpretations of the statute by CMS. CMS uses these submissions to determine payment rates for drugs under Medicare Part B. Statutory or regulatory changes or CMS guidance could affect the average sales price calculations for our products and the resulting Medicare payment rate, and could negatively impact our results of operations. Also, the Medicare Part B drug payment methodology is subject to change based on potential demonstration projects undertaken by CMS or potential legislation enacted by Congress.
Pricing and rebate calculations vary across products and programs, are complex, and are often subject to interpretation by us, governmental or regulatory agencies and the courts. In the case of our Medicaid pricing data, if we become aware that our reporting for a prior quarter was incorrect, or has changed as a result of recalculation of the pricing data, we are obligated to resubmit the corrected data for up to three years after those data originally were due. Such restatements and recalculations increase our costs for complying with the laws and regulations governing the Medicaid Drug Rebate program and could result in an overage or underage in our rebate liability for past quarters. Price recalculations also may affect the ceiling price at which we are required to offer our products under the 340B program.
We are liable for errors associated with our submission of pricing data. In addition to retroactive rebates and the potential for 340B program refunds, if we are found to have knowingly submitted any false price information to the government, we may be liable for civil monetary penalties. If we are found to have made a misrepresentation in the reporting of our average sales price, the Medicare statute provides for civil monetary penalties for each misrepresentation for each day in which the misrepresentation was applied. Our failure to submit the required price data on a timely basis could result in a civil monetary penalty per day for each day the information is late beyond the due date. Such failure also could be grounds for CMS to terminate our Medicaid drug rebate agreement, pursuant to which we participate in the Medicaid program. In the event that CMS terminates our rebate agreement, federal payments may not be available under Medicaid or Medicare Part B for our covered outpatient drugs.
CMS and the Office of Inspector General ("OIG") have pursued manufacturers that were alleged to have failed to report these data to the government in a timely manner. Governmental agencies may also make changes in program interpretations, requirements or conditions of participation, some of which may have implications for amounts previously estimated or paid. We cannot assure you that our submissions will not be found by CMS to be incomplete or incorrect.
In order to be eligible to have our products paid for with federal funds under the Medicaid and Medicare Part B programs we are required to participate in the VA Federal Supply Schedule ("FSS") pricing program, established under Section 603 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992.
Failure to make necessary disclosures and/or to identify contract overcharges can result in allegations against us under the False Claims Act and other laws and regulations. Unexpected refunds to the government, and any response to government investigation or enforcement action, would be expensive and time-consuming, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic may introduce temporary or permanent healthcare reform measures for which we cannot predict the financial implication of on our business.
Debt & Financing4 | 7.1%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may seek to obtain future financing through the issuance of debt or equity, which may have an adverse effect on our shareholders or may otherwise adversely affect our business.
If we raise funds through the issuance of additional equity, whether through private placements or public offerings, such an issuance would dilute ownership of our current shareholders that do not participate in the issuance. If we are unable to obtain any needed additional funding, we may be required to reduce the scope of, delay, or eliminate some or all of, our planned research, development and commercialization activities or to license to third parties the rights to develop and/or commercialize products or technologies that we would otherwise seek to develop and/or commercialize ourselves or on terms that are less attractive than they might otherwise be, any of which could materially harm our business.
Furthermore, the terms of any additional debt securities we may issue in the future may impose restrictions on our operations, which may include limiting our ability to incur additional indebtedness, pay dividends on or repurchase our common shares, or make certain acquisitions or investments. In addition, we may be subject to covenants requiring us to satisfy certain financial tests and ratios, and our ability to satisfy such covenants may be affected by events outside of our control.
Debt & Financing - Risk 2
We may need additional funding and may be unable to raise capital when needed, which could force us to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development or commercialization and marketing efforts.
We may need to raise additional funds in order to meet the capital requirements of running our business and acquiring and developing new pharmaceutical products. If we require additional funding, we may seek to sell common stock or other equity or equity-linked securities, which could result in dilution to our shareholders. We may also seek to raise capital through a debt financing, which would result in ongoing debt-service payments and increased interest expense. Any financings would also likely involve operational and financial restrictions being imposed on us. We might also seek to sell assets or rights in one or more commercial products or product development programs. Additional capital might not be available to us when we need it. We are unable to predict the impact of global credit market trends, and if economic conditions deteriorate, our business, results of operations and ability to raise needed capital could be materially and adversely affected. If we are unable to raise additional capital when needed due to the reasons listed above and lack of creditworthiness, bank failures, or price decline in market investments, we could be forced to scale back our operations to conserve cash.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
DEBT-RELATED RISKS Our Revolving Credit Agreement impose restrictive and financial covenants on us. Our failure to comply with these covenants could trigger events that would have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our Revolving Credit Agreement contains covenants that restrict the way we conduct business and require us to satisfy certain financial tests in order to incur debt or take other actions. Additionally, our Revolving Credit Agreement contains financial covenants that, for example, require us to maintain certain financial ratios which are measured at the end of each fiscal quarter.
Our Revolving Credit Agreement contains specified quarterly financial maintenance covenants. As of December 31, 2020, we were in compliance with the Tangible Capital Ratio financial covenant of the Revolving Credit Agreement and we expect to maintain compliance with the Tangible Capital Ratio financial covenant in future periods. However, we can make no assurance that we will be able to comply with the restrictive and financial covenants contained in the Revolving Credit Agreement in the future.
Our inability to comply with the covenants in our debt instruments could lead to a default or an event of default under the terms thereof, for which we may need to seek relief from our lender in order to waive the associated default or event of default and avoid a potential acceleration of the related indebtedness or cross-default or cross-acceleration to other debt. There can be no assurance that we would be able to obtain such relief on commercially reasonable terms or otherwise and we may be required to incur significant additional costs. In addition, the lender under our Revolving Credit Agreement may impose additional operating and financial restrictions on us as a condition to granting any such waiver. If an event of default is not cured or is not otherwise waived, the lender under our Revolving Credit Agreement may accelerate the maturity of the related debt, foreclose upon any collateral securing the debt and terminate any commitments to lend, any of which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations and would cause the market value of our securities to decline.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
We have risks related to interest rates.
Our revolving credit facility bears interest based on variable interest. Thus, a change in the short-term interest rate environment (especially a material change) could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. As of December 31, 2020, we did not have any outstanding interest rate swap contracts.
Corporate Activity and Growth6 | 10.7%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We experience costs and regulatory risk as a result of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote time to compliance initiatives.
We have and will continue to incur costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote time to compliance initiatives. As a public company, we have and will continue to incur legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, and other rules and regulations subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq, have imposed various requirements on public companies, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and changes in corporate governance practices. These rules and regulations have and will continue to result in legal and financial compliance costs and render some activities more time-consuming and costly. Despite the internal controls and procedures put in place to maintain compliance with securities laws and regulations, our employees may still fail to comply with all SEC disclosure and reporting requirements. Such failure could lead to administrative and civil penalties, criminal penalties, and private litigation with shareholders. The consequences could have a material effect on our ability to effectively market our products and operate our business.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal controls over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Our testing may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses.
Our compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we incur substantial accounting expense and expend significant management efforts. Moreover, if we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner, or if we identify deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
Our focus on acquisitions as a growth strategy has created intangible assets whose amortization could negatively affect our results of operations.
Our total assets include intangible assets related to our acquisitions. As of December 31, 2020, intangible assets relating to products, which are being amortized, represented approximately 29% of our total assets. We may never realize the value of these assets. U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") require that we evaluate on a regular basis whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate that all or a portion of the carrying amount of the asset may no longer be recoverable, in which case we would write down the value of the asset and take a corresponding charge to earnings. Any determination requiring the write-off of a significant portion of unamortized intangible assets would adversely affect our results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
We may acquire businesses or assets, form joint ventures or make investments in other companies that may be unsuccessful, divert our management's attention and harm our operating results and prospects.
As part of our business strategy, we may pursue additional acquisitions of what we believe to be complementary businesses or assets or seek to enter into joint ventures. We also may pursue strategic alliances in an effort to leverage our existing infrastructure and industry experience to expand our product offerings or distribution, or make investments in other companies. The success of our acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and investments will depend on our ability to identify, negotiate, complete and, in the case of acquisitions, integrate those transactions and, if necessary, obtain satisfactory debt or equity financing to fund those transactions. We may not realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisition, joint venture, strategic alliance or investment. We may not be able to integrate acquisitions successfully into our existing business, maintain the key business relationships of businesses we acquire, or retain key personnel of an acquired business, and we could assume unknown or contingent liabilities or incur unanticipated expenses. Integration of acquired companies or businesses also may require management resources that otherwise would be available for ongoing development of our existing business. Any acquisitions or investments made by us also could result in significant write-offs or the incurrence of debt and contingent liabilities, any of which could harm our operating results. In addition, if we choose to issue shares of our stock as consideration for any acquisition, dilution to our shareholders could result.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
The acquisitions we have made or make in the future may make us the subject of lawsuits from either an acquired company's shareholders, an acquired company's previous shareholders, or our current shareholders.
We may be the subject of lawsuits from either an acquired company's shareholders, an acquired company's previous shareholders, or our current shareholders. These lawsuits could result from the actions of the acquisition target prior to the date of the acquisition, from the acquisition transaction itself, or from actions after the acquisition. Defending potential lawsuits could cost us significant expense and distract management's attention from the operation of the business. Additionally, these lawsuits could result in the cancellation of, or the inability to renew, certain insurance coverage that would be necessary to protect our assets.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5
Our future growth depends on our ability to successfully integrate acquired product brands into our operations. If we do not successfully integrate acquired product brands into our operations, our growth opportunities may be limited.
We added six marketed products to our portfolio of brands, roughly one brand per year, beginning in late 2013 through the launch of RediTrex during late 2020. If we are unable to continue to optimize our sales of our brands or we are unable to successfully integrate the marketing, sale and distribution of any other potential products into our current infrastructure or if they require significantly greater resources than originally anticipated, we may face financial and operational risks and uncertainties. If we are unable to successfully integrate any acquired brands, both current and future, these product acquisitions may not be beneficial to us in the long term.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 6
The size of our organization and our potential growth may lead to difficulties in managing operations.
As of December 31, 2020, we had 90 employees. We may need to continue to expand our managerial, operational, financial and other resources in order to increase our marketing efforts with regard to our currently marketed products, continue our business development and product development activities and commercialize our product candidates. We have experienced, and may continue to experience, growth and increased expenses in the scope of our operations in connection with the continued marketing and development of our products. Our financial performance will depend, in part, on our ability to manage any such growth and expenses of the current organization effectively.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 11/56 (20%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D2 | 3.6%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
Our CET joint initiative may not result in our gaining access to commercially viable products.
Our CET joint initiative with Vanderbilt University, WinHealth and Tennessee Technology Development Corporation is designed to help us investigate, in a cost-effective manner, early-stage products and technologies. However, we may never gain access to commercially viable products from CET for a variety of reasons, including:
- CET investigates early-stage products, which have risk of failure prior to FDA approval and commercialization;- In some programs, we do not have pre-set rights to product candidates developed by CET. We would need to agree with CET and its collaborators on the terms of any product licensed or acquired by us;- We rely principally on government grants to fund CET's research and development programs. If these grants were no longer available, we or our co-owners might be unable or unwilling to fund CET operations at current levels or at all;- We may become involved in disputes with our co-owners regarding CET policy or operations, such as how best to deploy CET assets or which product opportunities to pursue. Disagreement could disrupt or halt product development; and - CET may disagree with one of the various universities with which CET is collaborating on research. A disagreement could disrupt or halt product development.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
An adverse development regarding our products could have a material and adverse impact on our future revenues and profitability.
A number of factors may impact the effectiveness of our marketing and sales activities and the demand for our products, including:
- Changes in intellectual property protection available for our products or competing treatments;- Any unfavorable publicity concerning us, our products, or the markets for these products such as information concerning product contamination or other safety issues in any of our product markets, whether or not directly involving our products;- Perception by physicians and other members of the healthcare community of the safety or efficacy of our products or competing products;- Regulatory developments related to our marketing and promotional practices or the manufacture or continued use of our products;- The prices of our products relative to other drugs or competing treatments;- The impact of current or additional generic competitors;- The availability and level of third-party reimbursement for sales of our products; and - The continued availability of adequate supplies of our products to meet demand.
If demand for our products weaken, our revenues and profitability will likely decline. Known adverse effects of our marketed products are documented in product labeling, including the product package inserts, medical information disclosed to medical professionals and all marketing-related materials. At this time, no unforeseen or serious adverse effects outside of those specified in current product labeling have been directly attributed to our approved products.
We currently market and sell seven products: Acetadote, Caldolor, Kristalose, Vaprisol, Omeclamox-Pak, and Vibativ with RediTrex being marketed since late 2020. A product contamination or other safety or regulatory issues, such as a failure to meet certain FDA reporting requirements involving our products could negatively impact us and possibly lead to a product recall. In addition, changes impacting any of our products in areas such as competition, lack of market acceptance or demand, government regulation, intellectual property, reimbursement and manufacturing could have an adverse impact on our future revenues and profitability.
The FDA has requested prescribers and manufacturers of prescription combination products that contain acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams (mg) in each tablet or capsule. The FDA requested this action to protect consumers from the risk of severe liver damage which can result from excess acetaminophen. This category of prescription drugs combines acetaminophen with another ingredient intended to treat pain (most often an opioid), and these products are commonly prescribed to consumers for pain, such as pain from acute injuries, post-operative pain, or pain following dental procedures.
The FDA also requires manufacturers to appropriately label all prescription combination acetaminophen products to warn of the potential risk for severe liver injury. The actions the FDA is taking for prescription acetaminophen combination products do not affect over-the-counter acetaminophen products. The FDA's regulation of acetaminophen in prescription combination products and over-the-counter products may reduce the number of acetaminophen overdoses which could result in a lower demand for Acetadote. If the demand for Acetadote decreases, it could have an adverse impact on our future revenues and profitability.
The commercial success of Caldolor is dependent on many third-parties, including physicians, pharmacists, hospital pharmacy and therapeutics committees, or P&T committees, suppliers and distributors, all of whom we have little or no control over. We expect Caldolor to continue to be administered primarily to hospital and surgery center patients who are unable to receive oral therapies for the treatment of pain or fever. Before we can distribute Caldolor to any new hospital customers, Caldolor must be approved for addition to the hospitals' formulary lists by their P&T committees. A hospital's P&T committee generally governs all matters pertaining to the use of medications within the institution, including review of medication formulary data and recommendations of drugs to the medical staff. We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in getting the approvals we need from enough P&T committees to be able to optimize hospital sales of Caldolor. Even if we obtain hospital approval for Caldolor, we must still convince individual hospital physicians to prescribe Caldolor repeatedly. The commercial success of Caldolor also depends on our ability to coordinate supply, distribution, marketing, sales and education efforts. As with our other products, if Caldolor is not accepted in the marketplace, it could have an adverse impact on our future revenues and profitability.
Trade Secrets8 | 14.3%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
Our future growth depends on our ability to identify and acquire rights to products. If we do not successfully identify and acquire rights to products, our growth opportunities may be limited.
We acquired rights to our products and our product candidates. Our business strategy is to continue to acquire rights to FDA-approved products as well as pharmaceutical product candidates in the late stages of development. We do not plan to conduct basic research or preclinical product development, except to the extent of our investment in CET. As compared to large multi-national pharmaceutical companies, we have limited resources to acquire third-party products, businesses and technologies and integrate them into our current infrastructure. Many acquisition opportunities involve competition among several potential purchasers including large multi-national pharmaceutical companies and other competitors that have access to greater financial resources than we do. With future acquisitions, we may face financial and operational risks and uncertainties. We may not be able to engage in future product acquisitions, and those we do complete may not be beneficial to us in the long term.
Furthermore, other products in development may encounter unforeseen issues during their clinical trials. Any unforeseen issues or lack of FDA approval will negatively affect marketing and development plans for those products.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
Our strategy to secure and extend marketing exclusivity or patent rights may provide only limited or no protection from competition.
We seek to secure and extend marketing exclusivity for our products through a variety of means, including FDA exclusivity and patent rights. Additional barriers for competitors seeking to enter the market include the time and cost associated with the development, regulatory approval and manufacturing of a similar product formulation.
As discussed in Part I, Item 1, Business - Patents, Trademarks, and Other Intellectual Proprietary Rights, of this report on Form 10-K, we have several patents for formulations of Acetadote, and have previously engaged in litigation to enforce our patent rights.
We also have additional patent applications relating to Acetadote which are pending with the USPTO and may or may not be issued. We intend to continue to vigorously defend and protect our Acetadote product and related intellectual property rights. If we are unsuccessful in protecting our Acetadote intellectual property rights, our competitors may be able to introduce products into the marketplace that reduce the sales and market share of our Acetadote product which may require us to take measures such as reducing prices or increasing our marketing expense, any of which may result in a material adverse effect to our financial condition and results of operations.
While we consider patent protection when evaluating product acquisition opportunities, any products we acquire in the future may not have significant patent protection. Neither the USPTO nor the courts have a consistent policy regarding the breadth of claims allowed or the degree of protection afforded under many pharmaceutical patents. Patent applications in the U.S. and many foreign jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months following the filing date of the first related application, and in some cases not at all. In addition, publication of discoveries in scientific literature often lags significantly behind actual discoveries. Therefore, neither we nor our licensors can be certain that we or they were the first to make the inventions claimed in our issued patents or pending patent applications, or that we or they were the first to file for protection of the inventions set forth in these patent applications. In addition, changes in either patent laws or in interpretations of patent laws in the U.S. and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection. Furthermore, our competitors may independently develop similar technologies or duplicate technology developed by us in a manner that does not infringe our patents or other intellectual property. As a result of these factors, our patent rights may not provide any commercially valuable protection from competing products.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our proprietary information and know-how, the value of our technology and products could be adversely affected.
In addition to patents, we rely upon trade secrets, unpatented proprietary know-how and continuing technological innovation where we do not believe patent protection is appropriate or attainable. For example, the manufacturing process for Kristalose involves substantial trade secrets and proprietary know-how. We have entered into confidentiality agreements with certain key employees and consultants pursuant to which such employees and consultants must assign to us any inventions relating to our business if made by them while they are our employees, as well as certain confidentiality agreements relating to the acquisition of rights to products. Confidentiality agreements can be breached, though, and we might not have adequate remedies for any breach. Also, others could acquire or independently develop similar technology.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
We may depend on certain licensors for the maintenance and enforcement of intellectual property rights and have limited, if any, control over the amount or timing of resources that our licensors devote on our behalf.
When we license products, we often depend on our licensors to protect the proprietary rights covering those products. We have limited, if any, control over the amount or timing of resources that our licensors devote on our behalf or the priority they place on maintaining patent or other rights and prosecuting patent applications to our advantage. While any such licensor is expected to be contractually obligated to diligently pursue its patent applications and allow us the opportunity to consult, review and comment on patent office communications, we cannot be sure that it will perform as required. If a licensor does not perform and if we do not assume the maintenance of the licensed patents in sufficient time to make required payments or filings with the appropriate governmental agencies, we risk losing the benefit of all or some of those patent rights.
Trade Secrets - Risk 5
If the use of our technology conflicts with the intellectual property rights of third parties, we may incur substantial liabilities, and we may be unable to commercialize products based on this technology in a profitable manner or at all.
If our products conflict with the intellectual property rights of others, they could bring legal action against us or our licensors, licensees, manufacturers, customers or collaborators. If we were found to be infringing a patent or other intellectual property rights held by a third party, we could be forced to seek a license to use the patented or otherwise protected technology. We might not be able to obtain such a license on terms acceptable to us or at all. If legal action involving an alleged infringement or misappropriation were to be brought against us or our licensors, we would incur substantial costs in defending the action. If such a dispute were to be resolved against us, we could be subject to significant damages, and the manufacturing or sale of one or more of our products could be enjoined.
Trade Secrets - Risk 6
We may be involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or the patents of our collaborators or licensors, which could be costly and time consuming.
We have been involved in lawsuits for infringement of the Acetadote Patents as previously described. Because of their nature, these lawsuits can be costly and time-consuming, and we only experience limited benefits and patent protection. A significant adverse ruling in any such lawsuit could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could compromise the issuance of our existing patent applications.
Competitors may infringe on our patents or the patents of our collaborators or licensors. To counter infringement or unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming. In addition, in an infringement proceeding, a court may decide that a patent of ours is not valid or is unenforceable, or may refuse to stop the other party from using the technology at issue on the grounds that our patents do not cover the technology in question. An adverse result in any litigation or defense proceeding could put one or more of our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could put our patent applications at risk of not issuing.
Interference proceedings brought by the USPTO may be necessary to determine the priority of inventions with respect to our patent applications or those of our collaborators or licensors. Litigation or interference proceedings may fail and, even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distraction of our management. We may not be able, alone or with our collaborators and licensors, to prevent misappropriation of our proprietary rights, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect such rights as fully as in the United States.
Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, some of our confidential information could be disclosed during this type of litigation. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments.
Trade Secrets - Risk 7
If we breach any of the agreements under which we license rights to our products and product candidates from others, we could lose the ability to continue commercialization of our products and development and commercialization of our product candidates.
We have exclusive licenses for the marketing and sale of certain products and may acquire additional licenses. Such licenses may terminate prior to expiration if we breach our obligations under the license agreement related to these pharmaceutical products. For example, the licenses may terminate if we fail to meet specified quality control standards, including GMP with respect to the products, or commit a material breach of other terms and conditions of the licenses. Such early termination could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Trade Secrets - Risk 8
We may be subject to claims that our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their former employers.
As is common in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, we employ individuals who were previously employed at other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although no claims against us are currently pending, we may be subject to claims that we or these employees have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management.
Technology1 | 1.8%
Technology - Risk 1
Our business and operations would suffer in the event of system failures, security breaches, including any cybersecurity incidents, adverse events or other disruptions within our information technology infrastructure at our corporate headquarters.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems, including those at our corporate headquarters, are vulnerable to damage from cyber-attacks, computer viruses, unauthorized access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and electrical failures. In the ordinary course of our business, we store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our customers. We also maintain personally identifiable information of our employees in our data centers and on our networks. The secure processing and maintenance of this information is critical to our operations. In the event that our corporate headquarters and/or our computer systems are disabled or materially damaged, it would have a substantial and material negative effect on our operations. Furthermore, any system failure, accident or security breach that causes interruptions in our operations could result in a material disruption of our drug development programs. While we continue to invest in data protection and information technology, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. To the extent that any disruption or security breach results in a loss or damage to our data or applications, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information, we may incur liability and the further development of our products or product candidates may be delayed.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 9/56 (16%)Above Sector Average
Competition3 | 5.4%
Competition - Risk 1
Competitive pressures could reduce our revenues and profits.
The pharmaceutical industry is intensely competitive. Our strategy is to target differentiated products in specialized markets. However, this strategy does not relieve us from competitive pressures and can entail distinct competitive risks. Certain of our competitors do not aggressively promote their products in our markets. An increase in promotional activity in our markets could result in large shifts in market share, adversely impacting us.
Our competitors may sell or develop drugs that are more effective and useful or less costly than ours, and they may be more successful in manufacturing and marketing their products. Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial and marketing resources than we do. Additional competitors may enter our markets.
The pharmaceutical industry is characterized by constant and significant investment in new product development, which can result in rapid technological change. The introduction of new products could substantially reduce our market share or render our products obsolete. The selling prices of pharmaceutical products tend to decline as competition increases, through new product introduction or otherwise, which could reduce our revenues and profitability.
Competition - Risk 2
If generic products that compete with any of our branded pharmaceutical products are approved and sold, sales of our products will be adversely affected.
Generic equivalents for branded pharmaceutical products are typically sold at lower costs than the branded products. The regulatory approval process in the United States exempts generic products from costly and time-consuming clinical trials to demonstrate their safety and efficacy and rely instead on the safety and efficacy of prior products, manufacturers of generic products can invest far less in research and development. After the introduction of a competing generic product, a significant percentage of the prescriptions previously written for the branded product are often written for the generic version. In addition, legislation enacted in most U.S. states allows or, in some instances mandates, that a pharmacist dispense an available generic equivalent when filling a prescription for a branded product, in the absence of specific instructions from the prescribing physician. Governmental and private healthcare payors also emphasize substitution of branded pharmaceuticals with less expensive generic equivalents. Pursuant to the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act, manufacturers of branded products often bring lawsuits to enforce their patent rights against generic products released prior to the expiration of branded products' patents, but it is possible for generic manufacturers to offer generic products while such litigation is pending. As a result, branded products typically experience a significant loss in revenues following the introduction of a competing generic product, even if subject to an existing patent. Our branded pharmaceutical products are or may become subject to competition from generic equivalents because there is no proprietary protection for some of the branded pharmaceutical products we sell, because our patent protection expires or because our patent protection is not sufficiently broad or enforceable. In addition, we may not be successful in our efforts to extend the proprietary protection afforded our branded products through the development and commercialization of proprietary product improvements. Competition from generic equivalents could result in a decrease in revenues of our branded pharmaceuticals or result in a material impairment of our intangible assets or the acceleration of amortization on our non-impaired intangible assets and may have a material adverse impact on our revenues, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Competition - Risk 3
Proposed legislation may permit re-importation of drugs from other countries into the U.S., including foreign countries where the drugs are sold at lower prices than in the U.S., which could materially and adversely affect our operating results and our overall financial condition.
In previous years, legislation has been introduced in Congress that, if enacted, would permit more widespread re-importation of drugs from foreign countries into the U.S., which may include re-importation from foreign countries where the drugs are sold at lower prices than in the U.S. Based on recent election results, there could be a renewed effort for legislation permitting the re-importation of prescription drugs as a means of lowering drug costs.
Such legislation, or similar regulatory changes, if enacted, could decrease the price we receive for any approved products which, in turn, could materially and adversely affect our operating results and our overall financial condition.
Demand1 | 1.8%
Demand - Risk 1
Any approved drug product that we bring to the market may not gain market acceptance by physicians, patients, healthcare payors and others in the medical community.
Even if we are successful in gaining regulatory approval of any of our drug candidates or acquire rights to approved drug products, we may not generate significant product revenues and we may not become profitable if these drug products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance. Physicians may not recommend our drug products until longer-term clinical data or other factors demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our drug products as compared to other alternative treatments. Even if the clinical safety and efficacy of our drug products is established, physicians may elect not to prescribe these drug products for a variety of reasons, including the reimbursement policies of government and other third-party payors and the effectiveness of our competitors in marketing their products.
Market acceptance of our drug products, if approved for commercial sale, will depend on a number of factors, including:
- the willingness and ability of patients and the healthcare community to use our drug products;- the ability to manufacture our drug products in sufficient quantities with acceptable quality and to offer our drug products for sale at competitive prices;- the perception of patients and the healthcare community, including third-party payors, regarding the safety, efficacy and benefits of our drug products compared to those of competing products or therapies;- the label and promotional claims allowed by the FDA; and - the pricing and reimbursement of our drug products relative to existing treatments.
Sales & Marketing5 | 8.9%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
Any attempt by us to expand the potential market for any of our products is subject to limitations.
Expansion of the market for our products may be subject to certain limitations. In the past, these limitations have included FDA required Phase IV commitments. We may also experience delays associated with future required Phase IV clinical studies potentially resulting from, among other factors, difficulty enrolling patients. Such delays could impact our ability to explore opportunities for label expansion and limit our ability to bring our products to new patient populations.
In addition, we have largely obtained regulatory approval to market our products in the United States. Not all foreign jurisdictions may represent attractive opportunities for our products due to pricing, competitive, regulatory or other factors. In certain foreign jurisdictions, we have licensed the right to market some of our products to third parties. These third parties are responsible for seeking and maintaining regulatory approval for the products in their respective jurisdictions. We have no control over these third parties and cannot be sure that marketing approval for our products will be obtained outside the United States.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
Our Hepatoren, Boxaban, Vasculan, and Portaban product candidates have not been approved for sale and may never be successfully commercialized.
We anticipate that a portion of our future revenue growth will come from sales of our Hepatoren, Boxaban, Vasculan, and Portaban product candidates. Hepatoren (intravenous ifetroban) is used to treat hepatorenal syndrome ("HRS"), Boxaban (oral ifetroban) is used to treat aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease ("AERD"), Vasculan (oral ifetroban) is for the treatment of systemic sclerosis ("SSc"), and Portaban (injection and oral ifetroban) is for the treatment of portal hypertension associated with liver disease. However, none of these products have been approved by the FDA for marketing, and these product candidates are still subject to risks associated with their development.
The FDA has cleared our IND's for the ifetroban product candidates as we evaluate them as treatments for these conditions. Delays in the enrollment and completion of the clinical studies could significantly delay commercial launch and affect our product development costs. Moreover, results from the clinical studies may not be favorable.
Even if they are eventually developed and approved by the FDA, they may never gain significant acceptance in the marketplace and therefore never generate substantial revenue or profits for us. Physicians may determine that existing drugs are adequate to address patients' needs. The extent to which these product candidates will be reimbursed by the U.S. government or third-party payors is also currently unknown.
As a result of the foregoing and other factors, we do not know the extent to which our product candidates will contribute to our future growth.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
If governmental or third-party payors do not provide adequate reimbursement for our products, our revenue and prospects for profitability may be limited.
Our financial success depends, in part, on the availability of adequate reimbursement from third-party healthcare payors. Such third-party payors include governmental health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, managed care providers and private health insurers. Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the pricing of medical products and services, while governments continue to propose and pass legislation designed to reduce the cost of healthcare. Adoption of such legislation could further limit reimbursement for pharmaceuticals.
In March 2010, the U.S. government passed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ("PPACA") along with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, ("HCERA"), which modified the revenue provisions of the PPACA. The legislation calls for an increase in certain Medicare drug rebates paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers and an industry fee imposed on pharmaceutical manufacturers according to the individual manufacturer's relative percentage of total industry sales to specified government programs. At this time no assurances can be given that these measures, or any other measures included in the Healthcare Reform Act, will not have an adverse effect on our revenues in the future. Future cost control initiatives, legislation and regulations could decrease the price that we receive for any products, which would limit our revenue and profitability.
Since its inception, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted. These changes included aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of up to two percent per fiscal year. Additionally, in January 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, was signed into law which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years. Further, while the healthcare reform agenda and policies of the current administration are not fully known, it is possible that additional regulatory changes may take place. This includes a repeal of all or portions of the PPACA, and Congress could be asked to replace the current legislation of the PPACA. There is uncertainty with respect to the timing and impact of any changes. These changes could have an impact on coverage and reimbursement for healthcare products and services covered by plans that were authorized by the PPACA. At this time, we cannot predict the ultimate content, timing or effect of any healthcare reform legislation or the impact of potential legislation on us.
Also, reimbursement practices of third-party payors might preclude us from achieving market acceptance for our products or maintaining price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investment in product acquisition and development. If we cannot obtain adequate reimbursement levels, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
Our employees have been trained to submit accurate and correct pricing information to payors. If, despite the training, our employees provide incorrect or fraudulent information, then we will be subject to various administrative and judicial investigations and litigation.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
"Formulary" practices of third-party payors could adversely affect our competitive position.
Many managed healthcare organizations are now controlling the pharmaceutical products included on their formulary lists. Having products listed on these formulary lists creates competition among pharmaceutical companies which, in turn, has created a trend of downward pricing pressure in our industry. In addition, many managed care organizations are pursuing various ways to reduce pharmaceutical costs and are considering formulary contracts primarily with those pharmaceutical companies that can offer a full line of products for a given therapy sector or disease state. Our products might not be included on the formulary lists of managed care organizations, and downward pricing pressure in our industry generally could negatively impact our operations.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 5
Continued consolidation of distributor networks in the pharmaceutical industry as well as increases in retailer concentration may limit our ability to profitably sell our products.
We sell most of our products to large pharmaceutical wholesalers, who in turn sell to hospitals, surgery centers and retail pharmacies. The distribution network for pharmaceutical products has become increasingly consolidated in recent years. Further consolidation or financial difficulties could also cause our customers to reduce the amounts of our products that they purchase, adversely impacting our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 8/56 (14%)Below Sector Average
Regulation5 | 8.9%
Regulation - Risk 1
We may develop internationally and license our products globally; therefore, we may have an increased exposure to foreign regulatory requirements and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
While we currently have only obtained regulatory approval to market our products in the United States, in the future we may seek global opportunities for our products and to develop product candidates internationally in the future. Such opportunities and development will inherently subject us to a number of risks and uncertainties, including:
- longer payment cycles and difficulties in enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through certain foreign legal systems;- political and economic instability or sanctions in areas in which we operate;- potentially adverse tax consequences, tariffs, customs charges, bureaucratic requirements and other trade barriers;- regulations related to customs and import/export matters (including sanctions);- tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws;- challenges in collecting accounts receivable from customers in the jurisdictions in which we operate;- complying with laws, rules and regulations relating to the manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale of pharmaceutical products in the jurisdictions in which we do or will operate;- operating under regulations in jurisdictions related to obtaining eligibility for government or private payor reimbursement for our products at the wholesale/retail level;- competition from local, regional and international competitors;- difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, including cultural and language differences and additional employment regulations, union workforce negotiations and potential disputes in the jurisdictions in which we operate;- difficulties associated with compliance with a variety of laws and regulations governing international trade, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;- difficulties protecting or procuring intellectual property rights; and - fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
Any of these factors may, individually or as a group, have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. These or other similar risks could adversely affect our revenue and profitability. As we develop internationally, our exposure to these factors will increase.
Regulation - Risk 2
Even if a drug candidate that we develop receives regulatory approval, we may decide not to commercialize it if we determine that commercialization of that product would require more capital and time than we are willing to invest.
Even if any of our drug candidates receives regulatory approval, it could be subject to post-regulatory surveillance, and may have to be withdrawn from the market or subject to restrictions if previously unknown problems occur. Regulatory agencies may also require additional clinical trials or testing, and the drug product may be recalled or may be subject to reformulation, additional studies, changes in labeling, warnings to the public and negative publicity. As a result, we may not continue to commercialize a product even though it has obtained regulatory approval. Further, we may decide not to continue to commercialize a product if the market does not accept the product because it is too expensive or because third parties, such as insurance companies or Medicare, have not approved it for substantial reimbursement. In addition, we may decide not to continue to commercialize a product if competitors develop and commercialize similar or superior products or have proprietary rights that preclude us from ultimately marketing our products.
Regulation - Risk 3
Regulatory approval for any approved product is limited by the FDA to those specific indications and conditions for which clinical safety and efficacy have been demonstrated.
Any regulatory approval is limited to those specific diseases and indications for which a product is deemed to be safe and effective by the FDA. In addition to the FDA approval required for new formulations, any new indication for an approved product also requires FDA approval. If we are not able to obtain FDA approval for any desired future indications for our products, our ability to effectively market and sell our products may be reduced and our business may be adversely affected.
While physicians may choose to prescribe drugs for uses that are not described in the product's labeling and for uses that differ from those tested in clinical studies and approved by the regulatory authorities, our ability to promote the products is limited to those indications that are specifically approved by the FDA. These "off-label" uses are common across medical specialties and may constitute an appropriate treatment for some patients in varied circumstances. Regulatory authorities in the U.S. generally do not regulate the behavior of physicians in their choice of treatments. Regulatory authorities do, however, restrict communications by pharmaceutical companies on the subject of off-label use. If our promotional activities fail to comply with these regulations or guidelines, we may be subject to warnings from, or enforcement action by, these authorities. In addition, our failure to follow FDA rules and guidelines relating to promotion and advertising may cause the FDA to suspend or withdraw an approved product from the market, require a recall or payment of fines, or could result in disgorgement of money, operating restrictions, injunctions or criminal prosecution, any of which could harm our business.
Regulation - Risk 4
We are subject to stringent government regulation. All of our products face regulatory challenges.
Virtually all aspects of our business activities are regulated by government agencies. The manufacturing, processing, formulation, packaging, labeling, distribution, promotion and sampling, advertising of our products, and disposal of waste products arising from such activities are subject to governmental regulation. These activities are regulated by one or more of the FDA, the Federal Trade Commission, ("FTC"), the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ("EPA"), as well as by comparable agencies in foreign countries. These activities are also regulated by various agencies of the states and localities in which our products are sold. For more information, see "Business-Government Regulation" in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-K.
Like all pharmaceutical manufacturers, we are subject to regulation by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act ("FDCA"). All new drugs must be the subject of an FDA-approved new drug application, ("NDA"), before they may be marketed in the United States. The FDA has the authority to withdraw existing NDA approvals and to review the regulatory status of products marketed under the enforcement policy. The FDA may require an approved NDA for any drug product marketed under the enforcement policy if new information reveals questions about the drug's safety and effectiveness. All drugs must be manufactured in conformity with GMP, and drug products subject to an approved NDA must be manufactured, processed, packaged, held and labeled in accordance with information contained in the NDA. Since we rely on third parties to manufacture our products, GMP requirements directly affect our third party manufacturers and indirectly affect us. The manufacturing facilities of our third-party manufacturers are continually subject to inspection by such governmental agencies, and manufacturing operations could be interrupted or halted in any such facilities if such inspections prove unsatisfactory. Our third-party manufacturers are subject to periodic inspection by the FDA to assure such compliance.
Even after regulatory approval, certain developments may decrease demand for our products, including the following:
- the re-review of products that are already marketed;- new scientific information and evolution of scientific theories;- the recall or loss of marketing approval of products that are already marketed;- changing government standards or public expectations regarding safety, efficacy or labeling changes; and - greater scrutiny in advertising and promotion.
In the past, clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance of certain marketed drugs of competitors within the industry have raised concerns that have led to recalls, withdrawals or adverse labeling of marketed products. If previously unknown side effects are discovered or if there is an increase in negative publicity regarding known side effects of any of our products, it could significantly reduce demand for the product or require us to take actions that could negatively affect sales, including removing the product from the market, restricting its distribution or applying for labeling changes.
In addition, certain health authorities, regulators and agencies have increased their focus on safety when assessing the balance of benefits and risks of drugs. Some health authorities appear to have become more cautious when making decisions about approvability of new products and are re-reviewing select products that are already marketed, adding further to the uncertainties in the regulatory processes. There is also greater regulatory scrutiny, especially in the U.S., on advertising, and promotion (in particular, direct-to-consumer advertising) and pricing of pharmaceutical products. Certain regulatory changes or decisions could make it more difficult for us to sell our products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Manufacturers of drug products and their facilities are subject to continual review and periodic inspections by the FDA and other regulatory authorities for compliance with GMP and other applicable regulations. If we or a regulatory agency discovers previously unknown problems with a product, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or problems with a facility where the product is manufactured, a regulatory agency may impose restrictions on that product or the manufacturer, including withdrawal of the product from the market or suspension of manufacturing. If we, our partners or the manufacturing facilities for our products fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, a regulatory agency may take the following actions, among others:
- issue warning letters or untitled letters;- impose civil or criminal penalties - suspend or withdraw regulatory approval;- suspend any ongoing clinical trials;- refuse to approve pending applications or supplements to applications submitted by us;- impose restrictions on operations, including costly new manufacturing requirements; or - seize or detain products or require us to initiate a product recall.
Any change in the FDA's enforcement policy could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot determine what effect changes in regulations or statutes or legal interpretation, when and if promulgated or enacted, may have on our business in the future. Such changes, or new legislation, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional strain on the FDA. We are unable to fully understand the impact this may cause on regulations or the related timeframes pertaining to communication with the FDA.
Regulation - Risk 5
We must comply with the Physician Payment Sunshine Act.
We are required to comply with the United States Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which requires manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and biologicals that participate in U.S. federal healthcare programs to report certain payments and items of value given to physicians and teaching hospitals. Manufacturers are required to report this information annually to The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS"). Cumberland has implemented a series of policies and procedures for every employee involved in the data collection process, and has systems in place to capture the data, which is verified by an outside firm that specializes in reporting the payments. Cumberland has also established a system to ensure that data was reported completely, in the correct format, and on time. Despite these policies, procedures and systems, we cannot assure you that we will collect and report all data accurately. If we fail to accurately report this information, we could suffer severe penalties.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities3 | 5.4%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We must comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
We are required to comply with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits U.S. companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Foreign companies, including some of our competitors, are not subject to these prohibitions. If our competitors engage in these practices, they may receive preferential treatment from officials or agencies in some countries, giving our competitors an advantage in securing business from government officials who might give them priority in obtaining new licenses, which would put us at a disadvantage. We have established formal policies or procedures for prohibiting or monitoring this conduct, but we cannot assure you that our employees or other agents will not engage in such conduct for which we might be held responsible. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
We may be required to modify our business practices, pay fines and significant expenses or experience other losses due to governmental investigations or other enforcement activities.
We may become subject to litigation or governmental investigations in the United States and foreign jurisdictions that may arise from the conduct of our business. Like many companies in our industry, we have from time to time received inquiries and other types of information requests from government authorities.
While the ultimate outcomes of investigations and legal proceedings are difficult to predict, adverse resolutions or settlements of those matters could result in, among other things:
- significant damage awards, fines, penalties or other payments, and administrative remedies, such as exclusion and/or debarment from government programs, or other rulings that preclude us from operating our business in a certain manner;- changes and additional costs to our business operations to avoid risks associated with such litigation or investigations;- product recalls;- reputational damage and decreased demand for our products; and - expenditure of significant time and resources that would otherwise be available for operating our business.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 3
We face potential product liability exposure, and if successful claims are brought against us, we may incur substantial liability for a product or product candidate and may have to limit its commercialization.
We face an inherent risk of product liability lawsuits related to the testing of our product candidates and the commercial sale of our products. An individual may bring a liability claim against us if one of our product candidates or products causes, or appears to have caused, an injury. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against the product liability claim, we may incur substantial liabilities. Liability claims may result in:
- Decreased demand for our products;- Injury to our reputation;- Withdrawal of clinical trial participants;- Significant litigation costs;- Substantial monetary awards to or costly settlement with patients;- Product recalls;- Loss of revenue; and - The inability to commercialize our product candidates.
We are highly dependent upon medical and patient perceptions of us and the safety and quality of our products. We could be adversely affected if we or our products are subject to negative publicity. We could also be adversely affected if any of our products or any similar products sold by other companies prove to be, or are asserted to be, harmful to patients. Also, because of our dependence upon medical and patient perceptions, any adverse publicity associated with illness or other adverse effects resulting from the use or misuse of our products or any similar products sold by other companies could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations.
We have product liability insurance that covers our clinical trials, the marketing and sale of our products up to a $10 million annual aggregate limit, subject to specified deductibles. Our current or future insurance coverage may prove insufficient to cover any liability claims brought against us.
Because of the increasing costs of insurance coverage, we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or obtain insurance coverage that will be adequate to satisfy any liability that may arise.
Production
Total Risks: 4/56 (7%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel2 | 3.6%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We depend on our key personnel, the loss of whom would adversely affect our operations. If we fail to attract and retain the talent required for our business, our business will be materially harmed.
We are a relatively small company, and we depend to a great extent on principal members of our management, scientific staff, and sales representatives and managers. If we lose the services of any key personnel, in particular, A.J. Kazimi, our Chief Executive Officer, or other members of senior management it could have a material adverse effect on our business prospects. Mr. Kazimi, plays a key role in several operational and strategic decisions such that any loss of his services due to death or disability would adversely impact our day-to-day operations. We have a life insurance policy covering the life of Mr. Kazimi. We have entered into agreements with each of our employees that contain restrictive covenants relating to non-competition and non-solicitation of our customers and suppliers for one year after termination of employment. Nevertheless, each of our officers and key employees may terminate his or her employment at any time without notice and without cause or good reason, and so as a practical matter these agreements do not guarantee the continued service of these employees. Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified scientific, technical, sales and managerial personnel and research partners. Competition among pharmaceutical companies for qualified employees is intense, and we may not be able to retain existing personnel or attract and retain qualified staff in the future. If we experience difficulties in hiring and retaining personnel in key positions, we could suffer from delays in product development, loss of customers and sales and diversion of management resources, which could adversely affect operating results. The recent COVID-19 pandemic may introduce additional challenges in the retention and hiring of key personnel.
Employment / Personnel - Risk 2
If we are unable to maintain, train and build an effective sales and marketing infrastructure, we will not be able to commercialize and grow our products and product candidates successfully.
As we grow, we may not be able to secure sales personnel or organizations that are adequate in number or expertise to successfully market and sell our products. This risk would be accentuated if we acquire products in areas outside of our current focus areas since our sales forces specialize in our existing areas. If we are unable to expand our sales and marketing capability, train our sales force effectively or provide any other capabilities necessary to commercialize our products and product candidates, we will need to contract with third parties to market and sell our products. We must train our employees on proper regulatory compliance, including, but not limited to, "fair balance" promotion of our products and anti-kickback laws. If we are unable to establish and maintain compliant and adequate sales and marketing capabilities, we may not be able to increase our product revenue, may generate increased expenses and may experience regulatory compliance issues.
Supply Chain2 | 3.6%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
If any manufacturer or partner we rely upon fails to supply our products in the amounts we require on a timely basis, or fails to comply with stringent regulations applicable to pharmaceutical drug manufacturers, we may be unable to meet demand for our products and may lose potential revenues.
We do not manufacture any of our products, and we do not currently plan to develop any capacity to do so. Our dependence upon third parties for the manufacture of our products could adversely affect our profit margins or our ability to develop and deliver products on a timely and competitive basis. If for any reason we are unable to obtain or retain third-party manufacturers on commercially acceptable terms, we may not be able to sell our products as planned. Furthermore, if we encounter delays or difficulties with contract manufacturers in producing our products, the distribution, marketing and subsequent sales of these products could be adversely affected. A long-term inability to meet demand for our products could result in impairment of our brands overall future and the carrying value of the assets associated with our brands. The recent COVID-19 pandemic may create local issues for our third party-manufacturers and introduce delays in our manufacturing process.
Acetadote: We have agreements with two manufacturers, and both manufacturers provided commercial supplies of the product during 2020. If neither of the manufacturers of Acetadote are able to produce marketable inventory in sufficient quantities, in the agreed upon time period, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
Caldolor: We have agreements with multiple manufacturers for the supply of Caldolor and during 2020 we obtained commercial supplies from three of these manufacturers for our international and domestic Caldolor requirements. If the manufacturers of Caldolor are unable to produce marketable inventory in sufficient quantities, in the agreed upon time period, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
Kristalose: The active pharmaceutical ingredient for Kristalose is manufactured at a single facility by an international supplier. We also have manufacturing relationships with two packagers who provided finished supplies of the product for commercial and sampling purposes during 2020. If these facilities are damaged or destroyed, or if local conditions result in a work stoppage, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product. Kristalose is manufactured through a complex process. It would be particularly difficult to find a new manufacturer of Kristalose active pharmaceutical ingredient on an expedited basis. As a result of these factors, our ability to manufacture Kristalose may be substantially impaired if the manufacturer is unable or unwilling to supply sufficient quantities of the product.
Omeclamox-Pak: Prior to our asset purchase agreement with GEL that closed in December 2018, GEL managed the packaging and supply of Omeclamox-Pak commercial and sample units. Following our acquisition of the remaining rights to the brand in late 2018, we assumed responsibility for the packaging and supply of the product. During 2019 we entered into a new packaging arrangement for this product. The Company has been carefully monitoring its supply chain during the pandemic and preparing for its economic impact. The packager for Cumberland's Omeclamox-Pak product encountered financial difficulties due to the impact of COVID-19, and their operations are currently suspended. Cumberland is awaiting resumption of those operations while also exploring other alternatives to restart the product's packaging. Meanwhile, we informed the FDA of a shortage of the Omeclamox-Pak effective October 14, 2020, and have not provided a date for the availability of new inventory. Cumberland noted that there is currently some remaining inventory of the product in the distribution channels. If we are unable to obtain marketable inventory in the future, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
Vaprisol: As part of the acquisition of Vaprisol, we purchased an existing supply of raw material inventory. In addition, as part of this transaction, we were assigned a commercial supply agreement with the historical Vaprisol manufacturer. In 2018, the manufacturer informed us that they would no longer be able to provide the product following the manufacturing of one final batch which is providing us with a multi-year supply. We are currently working with a new manufacturer to provide us with long term supplies of the product. If we are unable to produce additional marketable inventory in sufficient quantities of Vaprisol, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
Vibativ: Through our acquisition of Vibativ, we acquired a multi-year supply of raw material, work in process and finished goods inventory. As a result of the agreement, we are now responsible for the manufacture of the product and completed the transfer of the product's manufacturing activities to a new supplier during 2020. If we are unable to obtain marketable inventory in the future, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
RediTrex: Under our agreement with Nordic, they are responsible for providing us the packaged and labeled commercial supply of the RediTrex product. If we are unable to obtain marketable inventory in the future, we could suffer an inability to meet demand for our product.
In addition, all manufacturers of our products and product candidates must comply with current good manufacturing practices, ("GMPs"), enforced by the FDA through its facilities inspection program. These requirements include quality control, quality assurance and the maintenance of records and documentation. Manufacturers of our products may be unable to comply with GMP requirements and with other FDA, state and foreign regulatory requirements.
We have no control over our manufacturers' compliance with these regulations and standards. If our third-party manufacturers do not comply with these requirements, we could be subject to:
- Fines and civil penalties;- Suspension of production or distribution;- Suspension or delay in product approval;- Product seizure or recall; and - Withdrawal of product approval.
Supply Chain - Risk 2
We are dependent on a variety of other third parties. If these third parties fail to perform as we expect, our operations could be disrupted and our financial results could suffer.
We have a relatively small internal infrastructure. We rely on a variety of third parties, in addition to our manufacturers, to help us operate our business. Other third parties on which we rely include:
- Cardinal Health Specialty Pharmaceutical Services, a logistics and fulfillment company and business unit of Cardinal, which bills for, collects, warehouses and ships our marketed products; and - Vanderbilt University, WinHealth and the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, co-owners with us of CET, and the universities that collaborate with us in connection with CET's research and development programs.
If these third parties do not continue to provide services to us, or collaborate with us, we might not be able to obtain others who can serve these functions. This could disrupt our business operations, increase our operating expenses or otherwise adversely affect our operating results. The recent COVID-19 pandemic may create additional risk and delays at our independent third-party service providers.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 3/56 (5%)Above Sector Average
Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 3.6%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Our business could be adversely affected by natural disasters, public health epidemics, and other events beyond our control.
Our business has been adversely impacted by the recent coronavirus ("COVID-19") outbreak which has affected more than 200 countries and has significantly disrupted the day-to-day activities of both individuals and companies. For example, we have been following the recommendations of health authorities to minimize exposure risk for our employees since March 2020, including allowing employees to work remotely to the extent possible. This has included our home office employees and our hospital and field based sales representatives. We rely on individuals and third-party organizations around the world to supply components, manufacture and distribute our products and execute our clinical trials. We are aware of a few instances where these individuals and third-party organizations were adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We may experience revenue loss, supply interruptions, time delays and incur unplanned expenses as a result of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on global markets could affect our future access to liquidity and materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
The coronavirus has spread throughout much of the world after initially surfacing in Wuhan, China in December 2019. State and local authorities in the United States, like their counterparts in many other countries, have since forced many businesses to temporarily shut down in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus, and Americans are being told by public officials to practice "social distancing." Global stock markets have reacted very negatively, and economists are projecting a sharp economic slowdown, at least in the near term, even as governments take emergency relief measures. While the economic impact brought by, and the duration of, COVID-19 is difficult to assess or predict, the COVID-19 pandemic could result in significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital in the future, which could negatively affect our liquidity in the future. The situation is constantly evolving, however, so the extent to which the COVID-19 outbreak will impact businesses and the economy is highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. Accordingly, we cannot predict the extent to which our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will be affected.
Capital Markets1 | 1.8%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Unstable market conditions may have serious adverse consequences on our business.
Our general business strategy may be adversely affected by unpredictable and unstable market conditions. While we believe we have adequate capital resources to meet current working capital and capital expenditure requirements, a radical economic downturn or increase in our expenses could require additional financing on less than attractive rates or on terms that are dilutive to existing shareholders. Failure to secure any necessary financing in a timely manner and on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy, financial performance and stock price and could require us to delay or abandon clinical developments plans. There is a risk that one or more of our current service providers, manufacturers and other partners may encounter difficult economic circumstances, which would directly affect our ability to attain our operating goals on schedule and on budget. The equity and lending markets have been and will most likely continue to be negatively impacted for an unknown period of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.