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Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A (VRAX)
NASDAQ:VRAX
US Market

Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A (VRAX) Risk Analysis

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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.

Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A disclosed 69 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A reported the most risks in the “Legal & Regulatory” category.

Risk Overview Q1, 2023

Risk Distribution
69Risks
28% Legal & Regulatory
26% Tech & Innovation
23% Finance & Corporate
9% Macro & Political
7% Production
7% Ability to Sell
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

S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A 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 Q1, 2023

Main Risk Category
Legal & Regulatory
With 19 Risks
Legal & Regulatory
With 19 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
69
-6
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
69
-6
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
1Risks added
7Risks removed
8Risks changed
Since Mar 2023
1Risks added
7Risks removed
8Risks changed
Since Mar 2023
Number of Risk Changed
8
+8
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
8
+8
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Virax Biolabs Group Ltd. Class A 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 69

Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 19/69 (28%)Above Sector Average
Regulation14 | 20.3%
Regulation - Risk 1
The regulatory environment for IVD could change, resulting a new procedure for achieving approvals for various global marketplaces which might adversely affect Virax's ability to enter various markets.
Changes in the current regulatory framework for IVD can impose additional regulatory burdens on us. For example, in the United Kingdom, as part of the transition due to the United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union, initially, we will be able to use the recognized CE marks that we will apply with the European Union for our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test until June 30, 2023 (the "Transitional Arrangement"). After which, we will need to conform with the UK IVD regime rather than relying on Transitional Arrangement and apply with the UK Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for a UK Conformity Assessed mark before we can sell our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test in the UK post June 30, 2023. As the regulatory framework evolves in the targeted jurisdictions for our current in-development T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test under the ViraxImmune brand, we may incur substantial costs to ensure compliance with new or amended laws and regulations. Failure to comply with any of these laws and regulations could result in enforcement actions against us, damage to our reputation, render us unable to commercialize our ViraxImmune product and/or platform in the expected timeframe or at all, and our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Regulation - Risk 2
If we fail to comply with extensive regulations of domestic and international regulatory authorities, sales of our products in new markets and the development and commercialization of any new product candidates could be delayed or prevented.
Our existing tests, as well as new tests, will be subject to extensive government regulations related to development, testing, manufacturing and commercialization in Europe and other countries before we can sell in these markets. The process of obtaining and complying with the relevant governmental regulatory approvals and regulations is costly, time consuming, uncertain and subject to unanticipated delays. Despite the time and expense exerted, regulatory approval is never guaranteed. We may not be able to obtain the required regulatory approval and market any further products we may develop during the time we anticipate, or at all. We also are subject to the following risks and obligations, among others: - regulators may refuse to approve an application if they believe that applicable regulatory criteria are not satisfied;- regulators may require additional testing for safety and effectiveness;- regulators may interpret data from clinical studies in different ways than we interpret them;- if regulatory approval of a product is granted, the approval may be limited to specific indications or limited with respect to its distribution; and - regulators may change their approval policies and/or adopt new regulations that affect our ability to secure approvals for new products, which would decrease the chance we would be able to commercialize new diagnostic tests. In addition, some international jurisdictions, require periodic re-registration. Even if we obtain initial registrations from regulatory bodies, we may lose registration after a periodic review. It is possible that governmental authorities will conclude that our business practices do not comply with current or future statutes and regulations. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of these laws or any other governmental regulations that may apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion of our products from government funded healthcare programs, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, reputational harm and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Defending against any such actions can be costly and time-consuming and may require significant financial resources. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties will comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations will involve substantial costs. For example, the provision of benefits or advantages to physicians to induce or encourage the prescription, recommendation, endorsement, purchase, supply, order or use of medicinal products is generally not permitted in the countries that form part of the European Union. Some European Union Member States have enacted laws explicitly prohibiting the provision of these types of benefits and advantages to induce or reward improper performance generally, and the United Kingdom has enacted such laws through the Bribery Act 2010. Infringements of these laws can result in substantial fines and imprisonment. EU Directive 2001/83/EC, which is the EU Directive governing medicinal products for human use, further provides that, where medicinal products are being promoted to persons qualified to prescribe or supply them, no gifts, pecuniary advantages or benefits in kind may be supplied, offered or promised to such persons unless they are inexpensive and relevant to the practice of medicine or pharmacy. This provision has been transposed into the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and so remains applicable in the UK despite its departure from the EU. Any action against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management's attention from the operation of our business.
Regulation - Risk 3
If we are not successful in obtaining regulatory approvals for our ViraxImmune products, we may not be able to commercialize our products in the expected timeframe or at all, and our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired.
Currently, we are developing a T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test kit under the ViraxImmune brand for COVID-19 initially, which we subsequently intend to adapt for immunological profiling against multiple viral threats. We consider the United States as a target market with significant potential for our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test kit. For example, in the United States, the FDA regulates the sale or distribution of medical devices, including but not limited to, IVD test kits. IVD products are subject to regulation by the FDA as medical devices to the extent that they are intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease or other conditions. They are subject to premarket review and post market controls which will differ depending on how the FDA classifies a specific IVD. The information that must be submitted to the FDA in order to obtain clearance or approval to market a new medical device varies depending on how the medical device is classified by the FDA. Medical devices are classified into one of three classes depending on the controls deemed by the FDA to be necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are subject to general controls, including labeling requirements, and adherence to the FDA's quality system regulations, or QSRs, which are device-specific current good manufacturing practices. Class II devices are subject to premarket notification, QSRs, general controls and sometimes special controls, including performance standards and post-market surveillance. Class III devices are subject to most of the previously identified requirements as well as to pre-market approval. Class I devices are exempt from premarket review; most Class II devices require 510(k) clearance, and all Class III devices must receive premarket approval before they can be sold in the United States. A 510(k) premarket notification requires the sponsor to demonstrate that a medical device is substantially equivalent to another marketed device, termed a "predicate device," that is legally marketed in the United States and for which a premarket approval was not required. A device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device if it has the same intended use and technological characteristics as the predicate; or has the same intended use but different technological characteristics, where the information submitted to the FDA does not raise new questions of safety and effectiveness and demonstrates that the device is at least as safe and effective as the legally marketed device. A Premarket Approval process is more complex, costly and time consuming than the 510(k) process. A PMA must be supported by more detailed and comprehensive scientific evidence, including clinical data, to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the medical device for its intended purpose. If the device is determined to present a "significant risk," the sponsor may not begin a clinical trial until it submits an investigational device exemption (IDE) to the FDA and obtains approval to begin the trial. Should we fail to obtain the necessary FDA's or the relevant regulatory authority's approval, for example, to demonstrate to the FDA or the relevant regulatory authority's satisfaction that our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test kits are safe and effective, we may not be able to commercialize our ViraxImmune product and/or platform in the expected timeframe or at all, and our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired.
Regulation - Risk 4
We are subject to the U.K. Bribery Act and other anti-corruption laws, as well as export control laws, customs laws, sanctions laws and other laws governing our operations. If we fail to comply with these laws, we could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, other remedial measures, and legal expenses, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our operations are subject to anti-corruption laws, including the Bribery Act and other anti-corruption laws that apply in countries where we do business. The Bribery Act and these other laws generally prohibit us and our employees and intermediaries from bribing, being bribed or making other prohibited payments to government officials or other persons to obtain or retain business or gain some other business advantage. We and our commercial partners operate in a number of jurisdictions that pose a high risk of potential Bribery Act violations, and we participate in collaborations and relationships with third parties whose actions could potentially subject us to liability under the Bribery Act or local anti-corruption laws. In addition, we cannot predict the nature, scope or effect of future regulatory requirements to which our international operations might be subject or the manner in which existing laws might be administered or interpreted. We are also subject to other laws and regulations governing our international operations, including regulations administered by the governments of the United Kingdom and authorities in the European Union, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions on countries and persons, customs requirements and currency exchange regulations, collectively referred to as the Trade Control laws. There is no assurance that we will be completely effective in ensuring our compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws, including the Bribery Act, or other legal requirements, including Trade Control laws. If we violate provisions of the Bribery Act or other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws, we may be subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other sanctions and remedial measures, and legal expenses, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. Likewise, any investigation into or audit of us of any potential violations of the Bribery Act and other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws by U.K. or other authorities could subject us to fines or criminal or other penalties, which could have an adverse impact on our reputation, our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Regulation - Risk 5
The Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties which could limit the legal protections available to us.
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the PRC. Following British colonial rule from 1842 to 1997, China assumed sovereignty under the "one country, two systems" principle. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's constitutional document, the Basic Law, ensures that the current political situation will remain in effect for 50 years. Hong Kong has enjoyed the freedom to function in a high degree of autonomy for its affairs, including currencies, immigration and custom, independent judiciary system and parliamentary system. On July 14, 2020, the United States signed an executive order to end the special status enjoyed by Hong Kong post-1997. As the autonomy currently enjoyed were compromised, it could potentially impact Hong Kong's common law legal system and may in turn bring about uncertainty in, for example, the enforcement of our contractual rights. This could, in turn, materially and adversely affect our business and operation. Additionally, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in Hong Kong may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the Hong Kong legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the pre-emption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us, including our ability to enforce our agreements with our clients.
Regulation - Risk 6
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system, including uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws, and sudden or unexpected changes in laws and regulations in China could adversely affect us.
A part of our operations is located in China, and thus, Shanghai Xitu is governed by PRC laws and regulations. PRC companies are generally subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investments in China and, in particular, laws and regulations applicable to wholly foreign-owned enterprises. The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws, rules and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investment in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws, rules and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China or may be subject to significant degrees of interpretation by PRC regulatory agencies. In particular, because these laws, rules and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited number of published decisions and the nonbinding nature of such decisions, and because the laws, rules and regulations often give the relevant regulator significant discretion in how to enforce them, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations involve uncertainties and can be inconsistent and unpredictable. In addition, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and which may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until after the occurrence of the violation. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the Opinions jointly issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council on July 6, 2021 called for strengthened regulation over illegal securities activities and supervision of overseas listings by China-based companies and propose to take effective measures. On September 8, 2022, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the China Securities Regulatory Commission jointly promulgated the Circular on Issuing the Typical Cases of Strictly Cracking down on Securities Crimes in Accordance with Law, releasing five Typical Cases of Securities Crimes for reference at the time of handling cases. On December 28, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the CAC, published the Measures for Cybersecurity Review which became effective on February 15, 2022, which required that any "network platform operator" controlling personal information of no less than one million users which seeks to list on a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The PRC Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021, imposes data security and privacy obligations on entities and individuals that carry out data activities, provides for a national security review procedure for data activities that may affect national security and imposes export restrictions on certain data and information. On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the People's Congress promulgated the PRC Personal Information Protection Law (the "PIPL"), which took effect on November 1, 2021. The PIPL sets out the regulatory framework for handling and protection of personal information and transmission of personal information to overseas. Shanghai Xitu is not a network platform operator, nor does it conduct data activities that may affect national security or hold personal information of more than one million users or conduct any cross-border transfer of personal information from China to overseas. Thus, we do not believe we fall in the "operators of critical information infrastructure" and we are not subject to PRC cybersecurity review. However, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), the Data Security Law and the PIPL were recently adopted and remain unclear on how it will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant PRC governmental authorities. On February 17, 2023, the State Council and the China Securities Regulatory Commission ("CSRC")promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the "Administrative Measures"), which took effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Article 14 of the Administrative Measures, domestic enterprises that directly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange shall file with the CSRC. Domestic enterprise indirectly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity as the domestic responsible person who shall file with the CSRC. We have not "directly" offered securities overseas (as Shanghai Xitu is not the issuer of the listed securities on an overseas stock exchange). According to the Article 15 of the Administrative Measures, if the issuer meets the following conditions, it shall be deemed as an "indirect" overseas offering and listing of a domestic enterprise: 1.among the operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets of the domestic enterprise in the most recent fiscal year, any index accounts for more than 50% of the relevant data in the issuer's audited consolidated financial statements for the same period;2.the main parts of the business activities of the issuer are carried out in the PRC or the main business places are located in the PRC, or most of the senior executives in charge of business operation are PRC citizens, or their habitual residences are located in the PRC. Based on the above mentioned Administrative Measures at IPO, as advised by our PRC legal adviser, Zhong Lun Law Firm, given that Shanghai Xitu does not directly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, and the operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets of the Shanghai Xitu for the financial year before our listing accounted for less than 50% of the Virax Company's audited consolidated financial statements. Shanghai Xitu is primarily engaged in procurement, the main parts of the business activities of the Company are not carried out in the PRC, and none of Shanghai Xitu's senior managers was a Chinese Citizen and only two (2) out of seven (7) have an ordinary residence located in the PRC, the Company's IPO shall not be deemed as a domestic enterprise that indirectly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, nor does it requires filing or approvals from the CSRC. However, there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as us, or that the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities would not promulgate new rules or new interpretation of current rules (with retrospective effect) to require us to obtain CSRC or other PRC governmental approvals for the Company's IPO. The PRC government has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of a PRC company's business and may intervene with or influence its operations at any time as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. The PRC government has recently published new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and internet industries, and we cannot rule out the possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding any industry that could adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Shanghai Xitu. Furthermore, the PRC government has also recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over securities offerings and other capital markets activities that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based companies. Any such action, once taken by the PRC government, could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless. Uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws and the fact that rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice, along with the risk that the Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, could result in a material change in our operations, financial performance and/or the value of our Ordinary Shares or impair our ability to raise money.
Regulation - Risk 7
The Chinese government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities, and may intervene or influence our operations at any time, or may exert more oversight and control over offerings conducted overseas, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our Ordinary Shares to investors and could cause the value of our Ordinary Shares to significantly decline or become worthless.
The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate Shanghai Xitu in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. The central or local governments of these jurisdictions may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof, and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties. For example, the Chinese cybersecurity regulator announced on July 2, 2021 that it had begun an investigation of Didi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI) and two days later ordered that Didi Global Inc.'s app be removed from smartphone app stores. As such Shanghai Xitu may be subjected to various government and regulatory interference in the provinces in which they operate. Shanghai Xitu could be subjected to regulations by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. We may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply. If the PRC government initiates an investigation into us at any time alleging us violation of cybersecurity laws, anti-monopoly laws, and securities offering rules in China in connection with the Company's IPO or any future offerings, we may have to spend additional resources and incur additional time delays to comply with the applicable rules, and our business operations will be affected materially and any such action could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless. As at the date of this report, we have been advised by Zhong Lun Law Firm, our PRC legal adviser, that there are no PRC laws and regulations (including the CSRC, the CAC, or any other government entity) in force explicitly requiring that our Company or Shanghai Xitu to obtain permission from PRC authorities for the Company's IPO or future offerings or to issue securities to foreign investors (by Virax Cayman), and our Company or Shanghai Xitu have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction or any regulatory objection to the Company's IPO from any relevant PRC authorities. However, it is uncertain when and whether the Company or Shanghai Xitu will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government for future offerings on U.S. stock exchanges, and even when such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. Any new policies, regulations, rules, actions or laws by the PRC government may subject us to material changes in operations, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
Regulation - Risk 8
The approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission and other PRC governmental authorities were not required in connection with the Company's IPO, and, if required, we cannot predict whether we will be able to obtain such approval.
The M&A Rules include, among other things, provisions that purport to require that an offshore special purpose vehicle formed for the purpose of an overseas listing of securities in a PRC company obtain the approval of CSRC and MOFCOM, prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle's securities on an overseas stock exchange. Substantial uncertainty remains regarding the scope and applicability of the M&A Rules to offshore special purpose vehicles. As at the date of this report, we have been advised by Zhong Lun Law Firm, CSRC's approval under the M&A Rules is not required for the listing and trading of our Ordinary Shares on Nasdaq in the context of the Company's IPO given that we are an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with some operations located in Hong Kong and the PRC controlled by non-PRC citizens. As such, we do not fit into the definition of "overseas special purpose vehicle" under the M&A Regulations and we have never conducted any merger or acquisitions of any PRC domestic companies with a related party relationship. MOFCOM's approval under the M&A Rules is not required as we have never conducted any merger or acquisitions of any PRC domestic companies with a related party relationship. We cannot assure you that relevant PRC governmental agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as we do. Moreover, except for emphasizing the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities, and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies, the Opinions, which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021, also provides that the State Council will revise provisions regarding the overseas issuance and listing of shares by companies limited by shares and will clarify the duties of domestic regulatory authorities. On February 17, 2023, the State Council and CSRC promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the "Administrative Measures"), which took effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Article 14 of the Administrative Measures, domestic enterprises that directly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange shall file with the CSRC. Domestic enterprise indirectly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity as the domestic responsible person who shall file with the CSRC. We have not "directly" offered securities overseas (as Shanghai Xitu is not the issuer of the listed securities on an overseas stock exchange). According to the Article 15 of the Administrative Measures, if the issuer meets the following conditions, it shall be deemed as an "indirect" overseas offering and listing of a domestic enterprise: 1.among the operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets of the domestic enterprise in the most recent fiscal year, any index accounts for more than 50% of the relevant data in the issuer's audited consolidated financial statements for the same period;2.the main parts of the business activities of the issuer are carried out in the PRC or the main business places are located in the PRC, or most of the senior executives in charge of business operation are PRC citizens, or their habitual residences are located in the PRC. Based on the above mentioned Administrative Measures at IPO, as advised by our PRC legal adviser, Zhong Lun Law Firm, given that Shanghai Xitu does not directly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, and the operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets of the Shanghai Xitu for the financial year before our listing accounted for less than 50% of the Virax Company's audited consolidated financial statements. Shanghai Xitu is primarily engaged in procurement, the main parts of the business activities of the Company are not carried out in the PRC, and none of Shanghai Xitu's senior managers was a Chinese Citizen and only two (2) out of seven (7) have an ordinary residence located in the PRC, the Company's IPO shall not be deemed as a domestic enterprise that indirectly offer or list securities on an overseas stock exchange, nor does it requires filing or approvals from the CSRC. However, there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as us, or that the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities would not promulgate new rules or new interpretation of current rules (with retrospective effect) to require us to obtain CSRC or other PRC governmental approvals for the Company's IPO. As of the date of this report, we have been advised by Zhong Lun Law Firm that no prior permission is required under the M&A Rules the Opinions from any PRC governmental authorities (including the CSRC and MOFCOM) for the listing and trading of our securities on Nasdaq in the context of the Company's IPO, given that: (a) the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether offerings like IPO were subject to the M&A Rules; (b) Virax Cayman is an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and we do not fit into the definition of "overseas special purpose vehicle" under the M&A Regulations and we have never conducted any merger or acquisitions of any PRC domestic companies with a related party relationship. We also believe that MOFCOM's approval under the M&A Rules was not required as we have never conducted any merger or acquisitions of any PRC domestic companies with a related party relationship. We cannot assure you that relevant PRC governmental agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as we do. If we or our subsidiaries inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, our ability to offer or continue to offer our Ordinary Shares to investors could be significantly limited or completed hindered, which could cause the value of our Ordinary Shares to significantly decline or become worthless. We may also face sanctions by the CSRC, the CAC or other PRC regulatory agencies. These regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of China, limit our operations in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from the Company's IPO into China or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. We have been further advised by Zhong Lun Law Firm, our PRC legal adviser, that (i) Shanghai Xitu has obtained all necessary permissions or approvals and authorizations in the PRC in all material aspects in relation to conducting its current business operations in China; and (ii) we were not required to obtain any permission or approval from any Chinese authority to issue securities to foreign investors (by Virax Cayman) or in connection with the Company's IPO under Chinese laws or regulations in effect. Except for the business license issued by the local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation, which Shanghai Xitu's have obtained and are in full force and effect as of the date of this report, Shanghai Xitu is not required to obtain any other licenses, approvals or permits to conduct its current business operations in China. To the best of our knowledge, as of the date of this report, there are no laws or regulations that are or will be adopted in the near future by PRC government authorities that would prevent Shanghai Xitu from maintaining the business license it has obtained or would require it to obtain additional licenses or qualifications in order to operate its current business operations. Further, there are no PRC laws and regulations (including the CSRC, the CAC, or any other government entity) in force explicitly requiring that our Company or Shanghai Xitu obtain permission from PRC authorities for the Company's IPO or to issue securities to foreign investors (by Virax Cayman), and our Company or Shanghai Xitu have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanctions or regulatory objection to the Company's IPO from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities. However, we cannot assure you that relevant PRC government agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as we do. If it is determined that CSRC approval was required for the Company's IPO, we may face sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies for failure to seek CSRC approval for the Company's IPO. These sanctions may include fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limitations on our operating privileges in the PRC, delays in or restrictions on the repatriation of the proceeds from the Company's IPO into the PRC, restrictions on or prohibition of the payments or remittance of dividends by our PRC subsidiary, or other actions that could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. Furthermore, the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to halt any future offerings before the settlement and delivery of the securities that we offer. Consequently, if you engage in market trading or other activities in anticipation of and prior to the settlement and delivery of the securities we offer you would be doing so at the risk that the settlement and delivery may not occur. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our Ordinary Shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our Ordinary Shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
Regulation - Risk 9
The Chinese government may exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of Shanghai Xitu's business and may intervene in or influence its operations at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and/or the value of our securities.
The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate through our PRC subsidiary, Shanghai Xitu, may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. The central or local governments of these jurisdictions may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof, and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties. For example, the Chinese cybersecurity regulator announced on July 2, 2021 that it had begun an investigation of Didi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI) and two days later ordered that Didi Global Inc.'s app be removed from smartphone app stores. On July 24, 2021, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly released the Guidelines for Further Easing the Burden of Excessive Homework and Off-campus Tutoring for Students at the Stage of Compulsory Education, pursuant to which foreign investment in such firms via mergers and acquisitions, franchise development, and variable interest entities are banned from this sector. As such, Shanghai Xitu's business segments may be subject to various government and regulatory interference in the provinces in which it operates. Shanghai Xitu could be subject to regulations by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions, and these regulations may be interpreted and applied inconsistently by different agencies or authorities. The PRC Target Company may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply, and such compliance or any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions may: - delay or impede our development;- result in negative publicity or increase our operating costs;- require significant management time and attention; and - subject Shanghai Xitu to remedies, administrative penalties and even criminal liabilities that may harm our business, including fines assessed for our current or historical operations, or demands or orders that we modify or even cease our business practices. The promulgation of new laws or regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws and regulations, in each case that restrict or otherwise unfavorably may impact the ability or way Shanghai Xitu may conduct its business and could require it to change certain aspects of its business to ensure compliance, which could increase costs, require us to obtain more licenses, permits, approvals or certificates, or subject it to additional liabilities. As such, Shanghai Xitu's operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future PRC laws and regulations relating to its business or industry, which could result in a material adverse change in the value of our securities, potentially rendering it worthless. As a result, both you and us face uncertainty about future actions by the PRC government that could significantly affect our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Regulation - Risk 10
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay us from using part of the proceeds of the Company's IPO to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Any funds our Company transfers to our Shanghai Xitu, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval by or registration with relevant governmental authorities in China. According to the relevant PRC regulations on FIEs in China, capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary are subject to registration with the SAMR (or its local branches) and filing with the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC, or the MOFCOM, or its local branches and (if applicable) registration with other relevant governmental authorities in China. In addition, (a) any foreign loan procured by our PRC subsidiary is required to be registered with SAFE or its local branches, and (b) our PRC subsidiary may not procure loans which exceed the statutory amount as approved by the MOFCOM or its local branches. Any medium-or long-term loan to be provided by us to our PRC subsidiary must be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC and the SAFE or its local branches. We may not obtain these government approvals or complete such registrations on a timely basis, with respect to future capital contributions or foreign loans by us to our PRC subsidiary. If we fail to receive such approvals or complete such registration, our ability to use part of the proceeds of the Company's IPO and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business. In 2008, SAFE promulgated the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142. SAFE Circular 142 regulates the conversion by FIEs of foreign currency into Renminbi by restricting the usage of converted Renminbi. SAFE Circular 142 provides that any Renminbi capital converted from registered capitals in foreign currency of FIEs may only be used for purposes within the business scopes approved by PRC governmental authority and such Renminbi capital may not be used for equity investments within China unless otherwise permitted by PRC law. In addition, the SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of Renminbi capital converted from registered capital in foreign currency of FIEs. The use of such Renminbi capital may not be changed without SAFE approval, and such Renminbi capital may not in any case be used to repay Renminbi loans if the proceeds of such loans have not been utilized. On July 4, 2014, SAFE issued the Circular of the SAFE on Relevant Issues Concerning the Pilot Reform in Certain Areas of the Administrative Method of the Conversion of Foreign Exchange Funds by Foreign-invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 36, which launched the pilot reform of administration regarding conversion of foreign currency registered capitals of FIEs in 16 pilot areas. According to SAFE Circular 36, some of the restrictions under SAFE Circular 142 will not apply to the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of an ordinary FIE in the pilot areas, and such FIE is permitted to use Renminbi converted from its foreign-currency registered capital to make equity investments in the PRC within and in accordance with the authorized business scope of such FIEs, subject to certain registration and settlement procedure as set forth in SAFE Circular 36. On March 30, 2015, the SAFE promulgated the Circular on Reforming the Management Approach Regarding the Foreign Exchange Capital Settlement of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19. SAFE Circular 19 took effect as of June 1, 2015 and superseded SAFE Circular 36 and SAFE Circular 142 on the same date. SAFE Circular 19 launched a nationwide reform of the administration of the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of FIEs and allows FIEs to settle their foreign exchange capital at their discretion, but continues to prohibit FIEs from using the Renminbi fund converted from their foreign exchange capitals for expenditure beyond their business scopes, providing entrusted loans or repaying loans between non-financial enterprises. Violations of these Circulars could result in severe monetary or other penalties. SAFE Circular 19 may significantly limit our ability to use Renminbi converted from part of the net proceeds of the Company's IPO to fund the establishment of new entities in China by our subsidiary, to invest in or acquire any other PRC companies through our PRC subsidiary, or to establish variable interest entities in the PRC, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary registration or obtain the necessary approval on a timely basis, or at all. If we fail to complete the necessary registration or obtain the necessary approval, our ability to make loans or equity contributions to our PRC subsidiary may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our PRC subsidiary' liquidity and its ability to fund its working capital and expansion projects and meet its obligations and commitments.
Regulation - Risk 11
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively.
Some of our cash are denominated in Renminbi. The Renminbi is currently convertible under the "current account," which includes dividends, trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, but not under the "capital account," which includes foreign direct investment and loans, including loans we may secure from our onshore subsidiary, Shanghai Xitu. Currently, our Shanghai subsidiary may purchase foreign currency for settlement of "current account transactions," including payment of dividends to us, without the approval of SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate our ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. As we have some operations in PRC, we expect a portion of our cash will be denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize our Renminbi to fund our business activities outside of the PRC or pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. Foreign exchange transactions under the capital account remain subject to limitations and require approvals from, or registration with, SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities. This could affect our ability to obtain foreign currency through debt or equity financing for our subsidiary.
Regulation - Risk 12
We qualify as a foreign private issuer and, as a result, we will not be subject to U.S. proxy rules and will be subject to Exchange Act reporting obligations that permit less detailed and less frequent reporting than that of a U.S. domestic public company.
Upon the closing of the Company's IPO, we have begun reporting under the Exchange Act as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including (i) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iii) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. In addition, our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and "short-swing" profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder. Therefore, our shareholders may not know on a timely basis when our officers, directors and principal shareholders purchase or sell our Ordinary Shares. In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within seventy-five (75) days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private issuers also are exempt from Regulation Fair Disclosure, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a result of the above, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are not foreign private issuers. If we lose our status as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply with the Exchange Act reporting and other requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, which are more detailed and extensive than the requirements for foreign private issuers. We may also be required to make changes in our corporate governance practices in accordance with various SEC and Nasdaq rules. The regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws if we are required to comply with the reporting requirements applicable to a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly higher than the cost we would incur as a foreign private issuer. As a result, we expect that a loss of foreign private issuer status would increase our legal and financial compliance costs and would make some activities highly time consuming and costly. We also expect that if we were required to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, it would make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain and maintain directors' and officers' liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors.
Regulation - Risk 13
Recently introduced economic substance legislation of the Cayman Islands may impact us and our operations.
The Cayman Islands, together with several other non-European Union jurisdictions, has recently introduced legislation aimed at addressing concerns raised by the Council of the European Union as to offshore structures engaged in certain activities which attract profits without real economic activity. With effect from January 1, 2019, the International Tax Co-operation (Economic Substance) Law, 2018, or the Substance Law, and issued Regulations and Guidance Notes came into force in the Cayman Islands introducing certain economic substance requirements for "relevant entities" which are engaged in certain "relevant activities," which in the case of exempted companies incorporated before January 1, 2019, will apply in respect of financial years commencing July 1, 2019 and onwards. A "relevant entity" includes an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, as is Virax Biolabs Group Limited; however, it does not include an entity that is tax resident outside of the Cayman Islands. Accordingly, for so long as Virax Biolabs Group Limited is a tax resident outside of the Cayman Islands, we are not required to satisfy the economic substance test set out in the Substance Law. Although it is presently anticipated that the Substance Law will have little material impact on us and our operations, as the legislation is new and remains subject to further clarification and interpretation, it is not currently possible to ascertain the precise impact of these legislative changes on us and our operations.
Regulation - Risk 14
Failure to comply with anticorruption and anti-money laundering laws, including the FCPA and similar laws associated with activities outside of the United States, could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.
We are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq., referred to as the FCPA, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, the UK Bribery Act, and possibly other anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in countries in which we conduct activities. We face significant risks if we fail to comply with the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws that prohibit companies and their employees and third-party intermediaries from promising, authorizing, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or benefits to foreign government officials, political parties, and private-sector recipients for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, directing business to any person, or securing any advantage. Any violation of the FCPA, other applicable anti-corruption laws, and anti-money laundering laws could result in whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations, loss of export privileges, or severe criminal or civil sanctions, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, operating results, and prospects. In addition, responding to any enforcement action may result in a significant diversion of management's attention and resources, significant defense costs, and other professional fees.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 1.4%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We may potentially be subject to product liability claims.
The testing of our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test under the ViraxImmune brand entails an inherent risk of product liability claims. Further, providing clinical testing services entails a risk of claims for errors or omissions made by our laboratory staff. Potential liability claims may exceed the amount of our insurance coverage or may be excluded from coverage under the terms of the policy. As of the date of this report, we obtained a product liability insurance for the testing of the T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test under the ViraxImmune brand. Although we obtained a product liability insurance for the testing of the T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test under the ViraxImmune brand, if any liability claims arise, it may result in: - decreased demand for our planned products under the ViraxImmune brand;- injury to our reputation;- costs of related litigation;- substantial monetary awards to patients and others;- loss of revenue; and - the inability to commercialize our planned products under the ViraxImmune brand. Any of these outcomes may have an adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, and may increase the volatility of our share price.
Taxation & Government Incentives2 | 2.9%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
We are exposed to unanticipated changes in tax laws and regulations, adjustments to our tax provisions, exposure to additional tax liabilities, or forfeiture of our tax assets.
The determination of our provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities requires significant judgment, including the adoption of certain accounting policies and our determination of whether our deferred tax assets are, and will remain, tax effective. We cannot guarantee that our interpretation or structure will not be questioned by the relevant tax authorities, or that the relevant tax laws and regulations, or the interpretation thereof, including through tax rulings, by the relevant tax authorities, will not be subject to change. Any adverse outcome of such a review may lead to adjustments in the amounts recorded in our financial statements and could have a materially adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. We are subject to laws and regulations on tax levies and other charges or contributions in different countries, including transfer pricing and tax regulations for the compensation of personnel and third parties. Dealings between current and former group companies as well as additional companies that may form part of our group in the future are subject to transfer pricing regulations, which may be subject to change and could affect us. Compliance with these laws and regulations will be more challenging as we expand our international operations, including in connection with potential approvals of our product candidates in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. Our effective tax rates could be adversely affected by changes in tax laws, treaties and regulations, both internationally and domestically, or the interpretation thereof by the relevant tax authorities, including changes to the patent income deduction, possible changes to the corporate income tax base, wage withholding tax incentive for qualified research and development personnel in Belgium and other tax incentives and the implementation of new tax incentives such as the innovation deduction. An increase of the effective tax rates could have an adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, we may not be able to use, or changes in tax regulations may affect the use of, certain unrecognized tax assets or credits that we have built over the years. In general, some of these tax losses carry forwards may be forfeited in whole, or in part, as a result of various transactions, or their utilization may be restricted by statutory law in the relevant jurisdiction. Any corporate reorganization by us or any transaction relating to our shareholding structure may result in partial or complete forfeiture of tax loss carry forwards. The tax burden would increase if profits, if any, could not be offset against tax loss carry forwards.
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
Enhanced scrutiny over acquisition transactions by the PRC tax authorities may have a negative impact on potential acquisitions we may pursue in the future.
The PRC tax authorities have enhanced their scrutiny over the direct or indirect transfer of certain taxable assets, including, in particular, equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise, by a non-resident enterprise by promulgating and implementing SAT Circular 59 and Circular 698, which became effective in January 2008, and a Circular 7 in replacement of some of the existing rules in Circular 698, which became effective in February 2015. Under Circular 698, where a non-resident enterprise conducts an "indirect transfer" by transferring the equity interests of a PRC "resident enterprise" indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, may be subject to PRC corporate income tax, if the indirect transfer is considered to be an abusive use of company structure without reasonable commercial purposes. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of up to 10%. Circular 698 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the relevant tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction. In February 2015, the SAT issued Circular 7 to replace the rules relating to indirect transfers in Circular 698. Circular 7 has introduced a new tax regime that is significantly different from that under Circular 698. Circular 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to not only indirect transfers set forth under Circular 698 but also transactions involving transfer of other taxable assets, through the offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, Circular 7 provides clearer criteria than Circular 698 on how to assess reasonable commercial purposes and has introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. Circular 7 also brings challenges to both the foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of the taxable assets. Where a non-resident enterprise conducts an "indirect transfer" by transferring the taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, the non-resident enterprise being the transferor, or the transferee, or the PRC entity which directly owned the taxable assets may report to the relevant tax authority such indirect transfer. Using a "substance over form" principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC corporate income tax, and the transferee or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable taxes, currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise. We may face uncertainties on the reporting and consequences on future private equity financing transactions, share exchange or other transactions involving the transfer of shares in our company by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises. The PRC tax authorities may pursue such non-resident enterprises with respect to a filing or the transferees with respect to withholding obligation, and request our PRC subsidiary to assist in the filing. As a result, we and non-resident enterprises in such transactions may become at risk of being subject to filing obligations or being taxed, under Circular 59 or Circular 698 and Circular 7, and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with Circular 59, Circular 698 and Circular 7 or to establish that we and our non-resident enterprises should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The PRC tax authorities have the discretion under SAT Circular 59, Circular 698 and Circular 7 to make adjustments to the taxable capital gains based on the difference between the fair value of the taxable assets transferred and the cost of investment. Although our Company currently has no plans to pursue any acquisitions in China or elsewhere in the world, we may pursue acquisitions in the future that may involve complex corporate structures. If we are considered a non-resident enterprise under the PRC corporate income tax law and if the PRC tax authorities make adjustments to the taxable income of the transactions under SAT Circular 59 or Circular 698 and Circular 7, our income tax costs associated with such potential acquisitions will be increased, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Environmental / Social2 | 2.9%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
We may be liable for improper collection, use or appropriation of personal information provided by our customers.
We collect certain personal data from our customers in target markets in connection with our business and operations, and we may expand our collection of data into areas including genetic data. Our collection of customer data is subject to various regulatory requirements relating to the security and privacy of data in various jurisdictions. Regulatory requirements regarding the protection of data are constantly evolving and can be subject to different interpretations or significant change, making the extent of our responsibilities in that regard uncertain. In Europe, Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 24, 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, or the Directive, and Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 12, 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (as amended by Directive 2009/136/EC), or the e-Privacy-Directive, have required the European Union, or EU member states, to implement data protection laws to meet strict privacy requirements. Violations of these requirements can result in administrative measures, including fines, or criminal sanctions. The e-Privacy Directive will likely be replaced in time by a new e-Privacy Regulation which may impose additional obligations and risk for our business. Beginning on May 25, 2018, the Directive was replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27, 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, or the GDPR. The GDPR imposes a broad range of strict requirements on companies subject to the GDPR, such as us, including requirements relating to having legal bases for processing personal information relating to identifiable individuals and transferring such information outside the European Economic Area, or the EEA, including to the United States, providing details to those individuals regarding the processing of their personal information, keeping personal information secure, having data processing agreements with third parties who process personal information, responding to individuals' requests to exercise their rights in respect of their personal information, reporting security breaches involving personal data to the competent national data protection authority and affected individuals, appointing data protection officers, conducting data protection impact assessments, and record-keeping. The GDPR substantially increases the penalties to which we could be subject in the event of any non-compliance, including fines of up to 10,000,000 Euros or up to 2% of our total worldwide annual turnover for certain comparatively minor offenses, or up to 20,000,000 Euros or up to 4% of our total worldwide annual turnover for more serious offenses. We face uncertainty as to the exact interpretation of the requirements under the GDPR, and we may be unsuccessful in implementing all measures required by data protection authorities or courts in interpretation of the GDPR. In particular, national laws of member states of the EU are in the process of being adapted to the requirements under the GDPR, thereby implementing national laws which may partially deviate from the GDPR and impose different obligations from country to country, so that we do not expect to operate in a uniform legal landscape in the EU. In the future, should we collect any genetic data for in connection with our business and operations, our operations may also be subject to the GDPR, which specifically allows national laws to impose additional and more specific requirements or restrictions, and European laws have historically differed quite substantially in this field, leading to additional uncertainty. We expect that we will continue to face uncertainty as to whether our efforts to comply with our obligations under European privacy laws will be sufficient. If we are investigated by a European data protection authority, we may face fines and other penalties. Any such investigation or charges by European data protection authorities could have a negative effect on our existing business and on our ability to attract and retain new clients or pharmaceutical partners. We may also experience hesitancy, reluctance, or refusal by European or multi-national clients or pharmaceutical partners to continue to use our products and solutions due to the potential risk exposure as a result of the current (and, in particular, future) data protection obligations imposed on them by certain data protection authorities in interpretation of current law, including the GDPR. Such clients or pharmaceutical partners may also view any alternative approaches to compliance as being too costly, too burdensome, too legally uncertain, or otherwise objectionable and therefore decide not to do business with us. Any of the foregoing could materially harm our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. In Singapore, under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (the "PDPA"), we are required to, among others, notify individuals of the purposes for the collection, use or disclosure of their personal data prior to such collection, and to also disclose and obtain the consent of individuals during the collection, use or disclosure of their personal data. A part of our operations is also carried out in China and a portion of the data and personal information we collected will need to be stored in China where relevant to ensure compliance with PRC laws. We do not hold personal information of more than one million users and we believe that the Company's initial public offering ("IPO") of Ordinary Shares in July 2022 was not subject to PRC cybersecurity review. In addition, as of the date of this report, we have not received any notice of and are not currently subject to any proceedings initiated by the CAC or any other PRC regulatory authority. In addition, we may be subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny from PRC governmental authorities in the future. As there remains significant uncertainty in the interpretation and enforcement of the Data Security Law and the PIPL, we cannot assure you that we will comply with such regulations in all respects. Any non-compliance with these laws and regulations may subject us to fines, orders to rectify or terminate any actions that are deemed illegal by regulatory authorities, other penalties, including but not limited to reputational damage or legal proceedings against us, which may affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. We may expand our operations into the Canadian market in the near future. Organizations operating in Canada and covered by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act ("PIPEDA"), or equivalent Canadian provincial laws, must obtain an individual's consent when they collect, use or disclose that individual's personal information. Individuals have the right to access and challenge the accuracy of their personal information held by an organization, and personal information may only be used for the purposes for which it was collected. If an organization intends to use personal information for another purpose, it must again obtain that individual's consent.
Environmental / Social - Risk 2
Our inadvertent or unintentional failure to comply with complex government regulations concerning privacy of medical and personal information could subject us to fines and adversely affect our reputation.
Privacy regulations around the world limit use or disclosure of protected personal information without written authorization or consent, except for permitted purposes outlined in the privacy regulations. The privacy regulations provide for significant fines and other penalties for wrongful use or disclosure of protected health information, including potential civil and criminal fines and penalties. We have policies and practices that we believe make us compliant with the privacy regulations. Nevertheless, the documentation and process requirements of the privacy regulations are complex and subject to interpretation. Failure to comply with the privacy regulations could subject us to sanctions or penalties, loss of business and negative publicity. Internationally, virtually every jurisdiction in which we operate has established its own data security and privacy legal framework with which we or our customers must comply, including the General Data Protection Regulation established in the European Union. We may also need to comply with varying and possibly conflicting privacy laws and regulations in other jurisdictions. As a result, we could face regulatory actions, including significant fines or penalties, adverse publicity and possible loss of business.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 18/69 (26%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D7 | 10.1%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
Changed
If we are not successful in leveraging the ViraxImmune platform to discover, develop and commercialize additional products and services, our ability to expand our business and achieve our strategic objectives would be impaired.
A key element of our strategy is to leverage our ViraxImmune platform to discover, develop and potentially commercialize additional products and services through synergy with our T-Cell testing kits and ViraxImmune Mobile App. If we are unable to generate compelling evidence supporting our T-Cell test results, our platform may face a broader obstacle to using our diagnostics data for commercially viable products and services. Identifying new products and services requires substantial technical, financial and human resources, whether or not any products or services are ultimately developed or commercialized. We may pursue what we believe is a promising opportunity to leverage our platform only to discover that certain of our risk or resource allocation decisions were incorrect or insufficient, or that individual products, services or our science in general has technology or biology risks that were previously unknown or underappreciated. Our strategy of pursuing the value of our diagnostics platform over a long time horizon and developing relevant technological products with synergy may not be effective. In the event material decisions in any of these areas turn out to be incorrect or sub-optimal, we may experience a material adverse impact on our business and ability to fund our operations and we may never realize what we believe is the potential of our in-vitro diagnostics platform.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
We will face significant challenges in successfully commercializing our products, particularly in new markets.
We have set up our existing sales and marketing infrastructure through the ViraxClear brand. We continue to grow our own sales and marketing capabilities and promote our product candidates if and when regulatory approval has been obtained in the United Kingdom, European Union and North America, and to expand to other markets as well. In order to successfully commercialize our products in these new markets, we require appropriate infrastructure such as information technology, enterprise resource planning and forecasting. We may fail to launch our products effectively or to market our products effectively. Recruiting and training a sales force is expensive and costs of creating an independent sales and marketing organization and of marketing and promotion could be above what we anticipate. In addition, recruiting and training a sales force is time consuming and could delay any product launch. In the event that any such launch is delayed or does not occur for any reason, we would have prematurely or unnecessarily incurred these commercialization expenses, and our investment would be lost if we cannot retain or reposition our sales and marketing personnel. If we enter into arrangements with third parties to perform sales and marketing services, our product revenues or the profitability of these product revenues to us could be lower than if we were to market and sell any products that we develop ourselves. Such collaborative arrangements may place the commercialization of our products outside of our control and would make us subject to a number of risks including that we may not be able to control the amount or timing of resources that our collaborative partner devotes to our products or that our collaborator's willingness or ability to complete its obligations, and our obligations under our arrangements may be adversely affected by business combinations or significant changes in our collaborator's business strategy. In addition, we may not be successful in entering into arrangements with third parties to sell and market our products or may be unable to do so on terms that are favorable to us. Acceptable third parties may fail to devote the necessary resources and attention to sell and market our products effectively. If we do not establish sales and marketing capabilities in new markets successfully in our targeted expansion regions or countries, either on our own or in collaboration with third parties, we may not be successful in commercializing our products, which in turn would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 3
The success of our proprietary technology T-Cell testing requires us to proceed through clinical and validation studies successfully, which is not guaranteed.
In order for our proprietary technology T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test to be successful, we are required to proceed through further clinical and validation studies, which is not guaranteed. Clinical testing or validation is expensive and can take many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. Failure can occur at any time and may adversely affect our operations and finances should there be a prolonged process of clinical and validation studies.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 4
New market opportunities may not develop as quickly as we expect, limiting our ability to market and sell our products successfully.
We intend to take steps to continue to increase the presence of our products in markets both in the target markets and in the wider international market including EU, United States and Canada. We intend to expand our sales force globally and establish additional distributor relationships outside of our direct markets to better access international markets. We believe these opportunities will take substantial time to develop or mature, however, and we cannot be certain that these market opportunities will develop as we expect. The future growth and success of our products in these markets depends on many factors beyond our control, including recognition and acceptance by the scientific community in that market and the prevalence and costs of competing methods of viral screening. If the markets for our products do not develop as we expect, our business may be adversely affected.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 5
Changed
Our efforts to develop a T-Cell In-Vitro Diagnostic Test may not be successful, and it may not yield the insights we expect at all or on a timetable that allows us to develop or commercialize any new diagnostic products.
We are currently developing a test seeking detection of T-Cell immune responses to viruses named ViraxImmune. T-Cells are responsible for an important and sustained part of the immune response to a virus; they identify the virus, bind to it and alert the rest of the immune system to its presence, coordinating the immune cells against the viral attack. ViraxImmune may not yield clinically actionable insights on a timetable that is commercially viable, or at all. Our initial goal is to leverage the ViraxImmune in connection with ViraxClear to enable early or accurate detection of COVID-19. We have confirmed clinical signals for SARS-CoV-2. If our computational modeling and machine learning efforts do not accelerate the pace at which we can validate our diagnostic method, the timetable for our business model may not be commercially viable. Even if we can accelerate this timeline, our products and services derived from our novel technologies may have product or service level errors. If we are unable to make meaningful progress in our technology and successfully use it to develop and commercialize new diagnostic products or services, our business and results of operations will suffer.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 6
Our efforts to discover and develop products and services related to COVID-19 and major viral threats, namely ViraxImmune products, may not be successful from either a platform extension or commercialization perspective.
We are attempting to develop a T-Cell IVD/immune response test under the ViraxImmune brand for major viral threats. Initially, one of the T-Cell tests will include COVID-19. Currently, we are developing a functioning prototype of T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test but we are still in the process of conducting further tests and we have not submitted any T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test to any regulatory agency for approval. While we believe quantifying virus-specific T-cells may provide important research and diagnostic advantages because T-cells persist in the immune system later than antibodies, the data upon which such belief is based is limited and our analyses are preliminary. As we continue to collect and analyze additional data, we may find that our initial hypotheses are not applicable to some major viral diseases, new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or are not supported by a larger data set or further analysis. If our beliefs regarding the effectiveness of T-Cells in-vitro diagnostics tests are incorrect, that could have a material adverse effect on the market for T-Cells in-vitro diagnostics tests, our revenue, reputation, financial condition, and our stock price would be adversely impacted. Our efforts to further develop and commercialize T-Cell diagnostics tests and neutralizing antibodies for major viral diseases and COVID-19 involve a high degree of risk, and our efforts may fail for many reasons, including: - failure of our products to be effective on major viral diseases and new variants of COVID-19;- failure of our T-Cells diagnostics tests to detect major viral diseases and COVID-19 as expected, including defects and errors;- lack of validation data, particularly as new major viral diseases and new variants of COVID-19 arise;- failure to demonstrate the analytical accuracy or clinical utility of diagnostic tests;- failure to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals or clearances; or - commercial disruption caused by the development of competing products or services. Additionally, there can be no assurances as to the commercial success of T-Cell in-vitro diagnostics tests for major viral disease or COVID-19. Our investments in the discovery and development of products and services related to major viral disease or COVID-19 may not be accretive to our future financial results and if we determine that any product or service is unlikely to succeed, we may abandon them without any return on our investment.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 7
Changed
We expect to make significant investments in our continued research and development of new products and services, which may not be successful.
We are seeking to build upon our existing research and development to develop a pipeline of T-Cell testing IVD kits, applications, and medical devices that are effective in the diagnosis of and assessment of immune responses to major viral threats. For example, we are developing our ViraxImmune, a test seeking detection of T-Cell immune responses to viruses, that are useful for determining inherent protection against the virus and also useful in determining the degree of long-term protection from these viruses. Developing new products and services is a speculative and risky endeavor. Products or services that initially show promise may fail to achieve the desired results or may not achieve acceptable levels of analytical accuracy or clinical utility. We may need to alter our products in development and repeat clinical studies before we identify a potentially successful product or service. Product development is expensive, may take years to complete and can have uncertain outcomes. Failure can occur at any stage of the development. If, after development, a product or service appears successful, we or our partners may, depending on the nature of the product or service, still need to obtain regulatory clearances, authorizations or approvals before we can market it. The regulatory clearance, authorization or approval pathways are likely to involve significant time, as well as additional research, development and clinical study expenditures. The regulatory authorities may not clear, authorize or approve any future product or service we develop. Even if we develop a product or service that receives regulatory clearance, authorization or approval, we or our partners would need to commit substantial resources to commercialize, sell and market it before it could be profitable, and the product or service may never be commercially successful. Additionally, development of any product or service may be disrupted or made less viable by the development of competing products or services. New potential products and services may fail at any stage of development or commercialization and if we determine that any of our current or future products or services are unlikely to succeed, we may abandon them without any return on our investment. If we are unsuccessful in developing additional products or services, our potential for growth may be impaired, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Trade Secrets9 | 13.0%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If we are not able to adequately protect our proprietary intellectual property and information, and protect against third party claims that we are infringing on their intellectual property rights, our results of operations could be adversely affected.
The value of our business depends in part on our ability to protect our intellectual property and information, including our patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and rights under agreements with third parties, in the United Kingdom and around the world, as well as our customer, employee, and customer data. Third parties may try to challenge our ownership of our intellectual property globally, the United Kingdom and around the world. In addition, intellectual property rights and protections in the United Kingdom may be insufficient to protect material intellectual property rights globally and the United Kingdom. Further, our business is subject to the risk of third parties counterfeiting our products or infringing on our intellectual property rights. The steps we have taken may not prevent unauthorized use of our intellectual property. We may need to resort to litigation to protect our intellectual property rights, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources. If we fail to protect our proprietary intellectual property and information, including with respect to any successful challenge to our ownership of intellectual property or material infringements of our intellectual property, this failure could have a significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, or if we are accused of infringing on the intellectual property rights of others, our competitive position could be harmed or we could be required to incur significant expenses to enforce or defend our rights.
Our commercial success will depend in part on our success in obtaining and maintaining patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights in Europe and elsewhere and protecting our proprietary technology. If we do not adequately protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology, competitors may be able to use our technologies or the goodwill we have acquired in the marketplace and erode or negate any competitive advantage we may have, which could harm our business and ability to achieve profitability. We cannot be certain that patents will be issued or granted with respect to applications that are currently pending. As a biotechnology company our patent position is uncertain because it involves complex legal and factual considerations. The standards applied by the European Patent Office, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, and foreign patent offices in granting patents are not always applied uniformly or predictably. For example, there is no uniform worldwide policy regarding patentable subject matter or the scope of claims allowable in biotechnology patents. Consequently, patents may not issue from our pending patent applications. As such, we do not know the degree of future protection that we will have on our proprietary products and technology. The scope of patent protection that the European Patent Office and the USPTO will grant with respect to the antibodies in our antibodies product pipeline is uncertain. It is possible that the European Patent Office and the USPTO will not allow broad antibody claims that cover antibodies closely related to our product candidates as well as the specific antibody. As a result, upon receipt of European Medicines Agency or Food and Drug Administration approval, competitors may be free to market antibodies almost identical to ours, including biosimilar antibodies, thereby decreasing our market potential. However, a competitor cannot submit to the European Medicines Agency or Food and Drug Administration an application for a biosimilar product based on one of our products until four years following the date of approval of our "reference product," and the European Medicines Agency or Food and Drug Administration may not approve such a biosimilar product until 12 years from the date on which the reference product was approved. We cannot provide any assurances that any of our patents have, or that any of our pending patent applications that mature into issued patents will include, claims with a scope sufficient to protect our products, any additional features we develop for our products or any new products. Other parties may have developed technologies that may be related or competitive to our system, may have filed or may file patent applications and may have received or may receive patents that overlap or conflict with our patent applications, either by claiming the same methods or devices or by claiming subject matter that could dominate our patent position. Our patent position may involve complex legal and factual questions, and, therefore, the scope, validity and enforceability of any patent claims that we may obtain cannot be predicted with certainty. Patents, if issued, may be challenged, deemed unenforceable, invalidated or circumvented. Proceedings challenging our patents could result in either loss of the patent or denial of the patent application or loss or reduction in the scope of one or more of the claims of the patent or patent application. In addition, such proceedings may be costly. Thus, any patents that we may own may not provide any protection against competitors. Furthermore, an adverse decision in an interference proceeding can result in a third party receiving the patent right sought by us, which in turn could affect our ability to commercialize our products. Though an issued patent is presumed valid and enforceable, its issuance is not conclusive as to its validity or its enforceability and it may not provide us with adequate proprietary protection or competitive advantages against competitors with similar products. Competitors could purchase our products and attempt to replicate some or all of the competitive advantages we derive from our development efforts, willfully infringe our intellectual property rights, design around our patents, or develop and obtain patent protection for more effective technologies, designs or methods. We may be unable to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or use of our technical knowledge or trade secrets by consultants, suppliers, vendors, former employees and current employees. Our ability to enforce our patent rights depends on our ability to detect infringement. It may be difficult to detect infringers who do not advertise the components that are used in their products. Moreover, it may be difficult or impossible to obtain evidence of infringement in a competitor's or potential competitor's product. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate and the damages or other remedies awarded if we were to prevail may not be commercially meaningful. In addition, proceedings to enforce or defend our patents could put our patents at risk of being invalidated, held unenforceable or interpreted narrowly. Such proceedings could also provoke third parties to assert claims against us, including that some or all of the claims in one or more of our patents are invalid or otherwise unenforceable. If any of our patents covering our products are invalidated or found unenforceable, or if a court found that valid, enforceable patents held by third parties covered one or more of our products, our competitive position could be harmed or we could be required to incur significant expenses to enforce or defend our rights. The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain, and we cannot ensure that: - any of our patents, or any of our pending patent applications, if issued, will include claims having a scope sufficient to protect our products;- any of our pending patent applications will be issued as patents;- we will be able to successfully commercialize our products on a substantial scale, if approved, before our relevant patents we may have expire;- we were the first to make the inventions covered by each of our patents and pending patent applications;- we were the first to file patent applications for these inventions;- others will not develop similar or alternative technologies that do not infringe our patents; any of our patents will be found to ultimately be valid and enforceable;- any patents issued to us will provide a basis for an exclusive market for our commercially viable products, will provide us with any competitive advantages or will not be challenged by third parties;- we will develop additional proprietary technologies or products that are separately patentable; or - our commercial activities or products will not infringe upon the patents of others. We rely, in part, upon unpatented trade secrets, unpatented know-how and continuing technological innovation to develop and maintain our competitive position. Further, our trade secrets could otherwise become known or be independently discovered by our competitors.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
We intend to apply for patents in the United States, subject to approval from the relevant regulatory bodies. If we do not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments and similar non-U.S. legislation for extending the term of patents covering each of our product candidates, our business may be materially harmed.
We consider the United States as a target market with significant potential. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if future patents covering our product candidates, their manufacture, or use are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive medications, including biosimilar medications. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, future patents protecting such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result, our future owned and licensed patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours. Depending upon the timing, duration and conditions of future FDA marketing approval of our product candidates, one or more of our future U.S. patents may be eligible for limited patent term extension under the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, referred to as the Hatch-Waxman Act and similar legislation in the European Union. The Hatch-Waxman Act permits a patent term extension of up to five years for a patent covering an approved product as compensation for effective patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. The patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond a total of 14 years from the date of product approval, and only one patent applicable to an approved drug may be extended. However, we may not receive an extension if we fail to apply within applicable deadlines, fail to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise fail to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the length of the extension could be less than we request. If we are unable to obtain future patent term extension or the term of any such extension is less than we request, the period during which we can enforce our future patent rights for that product will be shortened and our competitors may obtain approval to market competing products sooner than we expect. As a result, our revenue from applicable products could be reduced, possibly materially.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage and changes in patent laws or patent jurisprudence could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our products.
The America Invents Act, or the AIA, has been enacted in the United States, resulting in significant changes to the U.S. patent system. An important change introduced by the AIA is that, as of March 16, 2013, the United States transitioned to a "first-to-file" system for deciding which party should be granted a patent when two or more patent applications are filed by different parties claiming the same invention. A third party that files a patent application in the USPTO after that date but before us could therefore be awarded a patent covering an invention of ours even if we had made the invention before it was made by the third party. This will require us to be cognizant going forward of the time from invention to filing of a patent application, but circumstances could prevent us from promptly filing patent applications on our inventions. Among some of the other changes introduced by the AIA are changes that limit where a patentee may file a patent infringement suit and providing opportunities for third parties to challenge any issued patent in the USPTO. This applies to all of our U.S. patents, even those issued before March 16, 2013. Because of a lower evidentiary standard in USPTO proceedings compared to the evidentiary standard in U.S. federal courts necessary to invalidate a patent claim, a third party could potentially provide evidence in a USPTO proceeding sufficient for the USPTO to hold a claim invalid even though the same evidence would be insufficient to invalidate the claim if first presented in a district court action. Accordingly, a third party may attempt to use the USPTO procedures to invalidate our patent claims that would not have been invalidated if first challenged by the third party as a defendant in a district court action. The AIA and its implementation could increase the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of our patent applications and the enforcement or defense of our issued patents. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the value of patents, once obtained. Depending on decisions by the U.S. Congress, the federal courts and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that could weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce our existing patents and patents that we might obtain in the future. Any inability of us to protect our competitive advantage with regard to any of our product candidates may prevent us from successfully monetizing such product candidate and this could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Trade Secrets - Risk 5
We enjoy only limited geographical protection with respect to certain patents and may face difficulties in certain jurisdictions, which may diminish the value of intellectual property rights in those jurisdictions.
International applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, or PCT, are usually filed within twelve months after the priority filing. Based on the PCT filing, national and regional patent applications may be filed in additional jurisdictions where we believe our product candidates may be marketed. We have so far not filed for patent protection in all national and regional jurisdictions where such protection may be available. In addition, we may decide to abandon national and regional patent applications before grant. Finally, the grant proceeding of each national/regional patent is an independent proceeding which may lead to situations in which applications might in some jurisdictions be refused by the relevant patent offices, while granted by others. It is also quite common that depending on the country, the scope of patent protection may vary for the same product candidate or technology. Competitors may use our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where we and our licensors or collaboration partners have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States and the European Union. These products may compete with our product candidates, and our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing. The laws of some jurisdictions do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws in the United States and the European Union, and companies have encountered significant difficulties in protecting and defending such rights in such jurisdictions. If we or our licensors encounter difficulties in protecting, or are otherwise precluded from effectively protecting, the intellectual property rights important for our business in such jurisdictions, the value of these rights may be diminished and we may face additional competition from others in those jurisdictions. Some countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner may be compelled to grant licenses to third parties. In addition, some countries limit the enforceability of patents against government agencies or government contractors. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If we or any of our licensors is forced to grant a license to third parties with respect to any patents relevant to our business, our competitive position may be impaired and our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected. Proceedings to enforce our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' patent rights in foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our and our licensors' or collaboration partners' patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us or our licensors or collaboration partners. We or our licensors or collaboration partners may not prevail in any lawsuits that we or our licensors or collaboration partners initiate and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful.
Trade Secrets - Risk 6
Litigation or other proceedings or third-party claims of intellectual property infringement could require us to spend significant time and money and could prevent us from selling our products or affect our stock price.
Our commercial success will depend in part on not infringing the patents or copyrights, or otherwise violating the other proprietary rights, of others. Significant litigation regarding patent rights and copyright rights occur in our industry. Our competitors around the Globe, many of which have substantially greater resources and have made substantial investments in patent portfolios and competing technologies, may have applied for or obtained or may in the future apply for and obtain, patents that will prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with our ability to make, use and sell our products. We do not always conduct independent reviews of patents issued to third parties. In addition, patent applications in Europe and elsewhere can be pending for many years before issuance, or unintentionally abandoned patents or applications can be revived, so there may be applications of others now pending or recently revived patents of which we are unaware. These applications may later result in issued patents, or the revival of previously abandoned patents, that will prevent, limit or otherwise interfere with our ability to make, use or sell our products. Third parties may, in the future, assert claims that we are employing their proprietary technology without authorization, including claims from competitors or from non-practicing entities that have no relevant product revenue and against whom our own patent portfolio may have no deterrent effect. As we continue to commercialize our products in their current or updated forms, launch new products and enter new markets, we expect competitors may claim that one or more of our products infringe their intellectual property rights as part of business strategies designed to impede our successful commercialization and entry into new markets. The large number of patents, the rapid rate of new patent applications and issuances, the complexities of the technology involved, and the uncertainty of litigation may increase the risk of business resources and management's attention being diverted to patent litigation. We have, and we may in the future, receive letters or other threats or claims from third parties inviting us to take licenses under, or alleging that we infringe, their patents. Moreover, we may become party to future adversarial proceedings regarding our patent portfolio or the patents of third parties. Patents may be subjected to opposition, post-grant review or comparable proceedings lodged in various foreign, both national and regional, patent offices. The legal threshold for initiating litigation or contested proceedings may be low, so that even lawsuits or proceedings with a low probability of success might be initiated. Litigation and contested proceedings can also be expensive and time-consuming, and our adversaries in these proceedings may have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to prosecuting these legal actions than we can. We may also occasionally use these proceedings to challenge the patent rights of others. We cannot be certain that any particular challenge will be successful in limiting or eliminating the challenged patent rights of the third party. Any lawsuits resulting from such allegations could subject us to significant liability for damages and invalidate our proprietary rights. Any potential intellectual property litigation also could force us to do one or more of the following: - stop making, selling or using products or technologies that allegedly infringe the asserted intellectual property;- lose the opportunity to license our technology to others or to collect royalty payments based upon successful protection and assertion of our intellectual property rights against others; incur significant legal expenses;- pay substantial damages or royalties to the party whose intellectual property rights we may be found to be infringing;- pay the attorney's fees and costs of litigation to the party whose intellectual property rights we may be found to be infringing;- redesign those products that contain the allegedly infringing intellectual property, which could be costly, disruptive and infeasible; and - attempt to obtain a license to the relevant intellectual property from third parties, which may not be available on reasonable terms or at all, or from third parties who may attempt to license rights that they do not have. Any litigation or claim against us, even those without merit, may cause us to incur substantial costs, and could place a significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of management from our core business and harm our reputation. If we are found to infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties, we could be required to pay substantial damages (which may be increased up to three times of awarded damages) and/or substantial royalties and could be prevented from selling our products unless we obtain a license or are able to redesign our products to avoid infringement. Any such license may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all, and there can be no assurance that we would be able to redesign our products in a way that would not infringe the intellectual property rights of others. We could encounter delays in product introductions while we attempt to develop alternative methods or products. If we fail to obtain any required licenses or make any necessary changes to our products or technologies, we may have to withdraw existing products from the market or may be unable to commercialize one or more of our products.
Trade Secrets - Risk 7
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, our business and competitive position could be harmed.
We rely on copyright, patent, trade secret, and trademark protection as well as confidentiality agreements with our employees, consultants and third parties, and we may in the future rely on additional intellectual property protection, to protect our confidential and proprietary information. In addition to contractual measures, we try to protect the confidential nature of our proprietary information using commonly accepted physical and technological security measures. Such measures may not, for example, in the case of misappropriation of a trade secret by an employee or third party with authorized access, provide adequate protection for our proprietary information. Our security measures may not prevent an employee or consultant from misappropriating our trade secrets and providing them to a competitor, and recourse we take against such misconduct may not provide an adequate remedy to protect our interests fully. Unauthorized parties may also attempt to copy or reverse engineer certain aspects of our products that we consider proprietary. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. Even though we use commonly accepted security measures, trade secret violations are often a matter of state law, and the criteria for protection of trade secrets can vary among different jurisdictions. In addition, trade secrets may be independently developed by others in a manner that could prevent legal recourse by us. If any of our confidential or proprietary information, such as our trade secrets, were to be disclosed or misappropriated, or if any such information was independently developed by a competitor, our business and competitive position could be harmed.
Trade Secrets - Risk 8
Third parties may assert ownership or commercial rights to inventions we develop, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Third parties may in the future make claims challenging the inventorship or ownership of our intellectual property. Any infringement claims or lawsuits, even if not meritorious, could be expensive and time consuming to defend, divert management's attention and resources, require us to redesign our products and services, if feasible, require us to pay royalties or enter into licensing agreements in order to obtain the right to use necessary technologies, and/or may materially disrupt the conduct of our business. In addition, we may face claims by third parties that our agreements with employees, contractors or third parties obligating them to assign intellectual property to us are ineffective or in conflict with prior or competing contractual obligations of assignment, which could result in ownership disputes regarding intellectual property we have developed or will develop and interfere with our ability to capture the commercial value of such intellectual property. Litigation may be necessary to resolve an ownership dispute, and if we are not successful, we may be precluded from using certain intellectual property or may lose our exclusive rights in that intellectual property. Either outcome could harm our business and competitive position.
Trade Secrets - Risk 9
Third parties may assert that our employees or contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information or misappropriated trade secrets, which could result in litigation.
We may employ individuals who previously worked with other companies, including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees and contractors do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that we or our employees or contractors have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed intellectual property or personal data, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of a former employer or other third party. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims or settling those claims, in addition to paying monetary damages or a settlement payment, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and be a distraction to management and other employees.
Cyber Security1 | 1.4%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
A disruption in our computer networks, including those related to cybersecurity, could adversely affect our financial performance.
Cybersecurity refers to the combination of technologies, processes and procedures established to protect information technology systems and data from unauthorized access, attack, or damage. We rely on our computer networks and systems, some of which are managed by third parties, to manage and store electronic information (including sensitive data such as confidential business information and personally identifiable data relating to employees, customers and other business partners), and to manage or support a variety of critical business processes and activities. Cyber-attacks are increasingly more common, including in the health care industry. The regulatory environment surrounding information security and privacy is increasingly demanding, with the frequent imposition of new and changing requirements. Compliance with changes in privacy and information security laws and with rapidly evolving industry standards may result in our incurring significant expense due to increased investment in technology and the development of new operational processes. We have not experienced any known attacks on our information technology systems that have resulted in any material system failure, accident or security breach to date. However, we may face threats to our networks from unauthorized access, security breaches and other system disruptions. We maintain our information technology systems with safeguard protection against cyber-attacks, including passive intrusion protection, specialist security and virus detection software, use of two factor authentication to access systems and the education and training of staff. However, these safeguards do not ensure that a significant cyber-attack could not occur. Although we have taken steps to protect the security of our information systems and the data maintained in those systems, it is possible that our safety and security measures will not prevent the systems' improper functioning or damage or the improper access or disclosure of personally identifiable information such as in the event of cyber-attacks. Security breaches, including physical or electronic break-ins, computer viruses, attacks by hackers and similar breaches can create system disruptions or shutdowns or the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. If personal information or protected health information is improperly accessed, tampered with or disclosed as a result of a security breach, we may incur significant costs to notify and mitigate potential harm to the affected individuals, and we may be subject to sanctions and civil or criminal penalties if we are found to be in violation of the privacy or security rules or other similar laws protecting confidential personal information. In addition, a cybersecurity breach could hurt our reputation by adversely affecting the perception of customers and potential customers of the security of their orders and personal information, subject us to liability claims or regulatory penalties for compromised personal information and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Technology1 | 1.4%
Technology - Risk 1
We depend on our information technology systems and any failure of these systems could harm our business.
We depend on information technology and telecommunications systems, including third-party cloud computing infrastructure and operating systems, for significant elements of our operations, including our products research and development and e-commerce platform development. We also depend on our proprietary mobile application software to support new product and service launches and regulatory compliance. We use complex software processes to manage and test samples and evaluate the resulting data. These are subject to initial design or ongoing modifications which may result in unanticipated issues that could cause variability in patient results, leading to service disruptions or errors, and resulting in liability. We have installed, and expect to expand, a number of enterprise software systems that affect a broad range of business processes and functional areas, including systems handling human resources, financial controls and reporting, contract management, regulatory compliance and other infrastructure operations. In addition to these business systems, we have installed, and intend to extend, the capabilities of both our preventative and detective cybersecurity controls by augmenting the monitoring and alerting functions, the network design and the automatic countermeasure operations of our technical systems. These information technology and telecommunications systems will support a variety of functions, including laboratory operations, test validation, sample tracking, quality control, customer service support, billing and reimbursement, research and development activities, scientific and medical curation and general administrative activities. In addition, our third-party billing and collections provider depends upon technology and telecommunications systems provided by outside vendors. Information technology and telecommunications systems are vulnerable to damage from a variety of sources, including telecommunications or network failures, malicious human acts (such as ransomware) and natural disasters. Moreover, despite network security and back-up measures, some of our servers are potentially vulnerable to physical or electronic break-ins, computer viruses and similar disruptive problems. Despite the precautionary measures we have taken to prevent unanticipated problems that could affect our information technology and telecommunications systems, failures or significant downtime of these systems or those used by our partners or subcontractors could prevent us from conducting our diagnostic products development, completing the tests on our customer samples, preparing and providing reports to researchers, clinicians and our partners, billing and payments, handling enquiries, conducting research and development activities and managing the administrative aspects of our business. Any disruption or loss of information technology or telecommunications systems on which critical aspects of our operations depend could have an adverse effect on our business and our reputation, and we may be unable to regain or repair our reputation in the future.
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 16/69 (23%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights12 | 17.4%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
Added
Nasdaq may apply additional and more stringent criteria for our initial and continued listing because we plan to have a small public offering and our insiders will hold a large portion of our listed securities.
Under Listing Rule 5101, Nasdaq has discretionary authority to deny initial listing, apply additional or more stringent criteria for the initial or continued listing of particular securities, or suspend or delist particular securities based on any event, condition, or circumstance that exists or occurs that makes initial or continued listing of the securities on Nasdaq inadvisable or unwarranted in the opinion of Nasdaq, even though the securities meet all enumerated criteria for initial or continued listing on Nasdaq. Additionally, Nasdaq has used its discretion to deny initial or continued listing or to apply additional and more stringent criteria in the instances, including but not limited to: (i) where the company engaged an auditor that has not been subject to an inspection by PCAOB, an auditor that PCAOB cannot inspect, or an auditor that has not demonstrated sufficient resources, geographic reach, or experience to adequately perform the company's audit; (ii) where the company planned a small public offering, which would result in insiders holding a large portion of the company's listed securities. Nasdaq was concerned that the offering size was insufficient to establish the company's initial valuation, and there would not be sufficient liquidity to support a public market for the company; and (iii) where the company did not demonstrate sufficient nexus to the U.S. capital market, including having no U.S. shareholders, operations, or members of the board of directors or management. Our initial public offering will be relatively small and the insiders of our company will hold a large portion of the company's listed securities following the consummation of the offering. Therefore, we may be subject to the additional and more stringent criteria of Nasdaq for our initial and continued listing.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Changed
Our Ordinary Shares may be prohibited from being traded on a national exchange under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our auditors for three consecutive years beginning in 2021. The delisting of our Ordinary Shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Our registered public accounting firm, Reliant CPAs PC, is not headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong and was not identified in the PACOB's Determination Report on December 16, 2021 as a firm subject to the PCAOB's determination.
The Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the "AHFCA Act") was enacted on December 23, 2022. The AHFCA Act states that if the SEC determines that an issuer has filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for two consecutive years, the SEC shall prohibit the securities of the issuer from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States (the applicable period under the HFCA Act prior to the enactment of the AHFCA Act had been two years). On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCA Act. A company will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a "non-inspection" year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. The SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCA Act, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements described above. On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted final amendments implementing the disclosure and submission requirements of the HFCA Act. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a bill which, if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law, would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCA Act from three years to two years. On November 5, 2021, the PCAOB approved a new rule, PCAOB Rule 6100, Board Determinations Under the HFCA Act to provide a framework for its determinations under the HFCA Act that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. The rule establishes the manner of the PCAOB's determinations; the factors the PCAOB will evaluate and the documents and information the PCAOB will consider when assessing whether a determination is warranted; the form, public availability, effective date, and duration of such determinations; and the process by which the Board will reaffirm, modify, or vacate any such determinations. In December 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act. Also, on December 16, 2021, pursuant to the HFCA Act, the PCAOB issued a Determination Report which determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of PRC, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions. In addition, the PCAOB's report identified the specific registered public accounting firms which are subject to these determinations. On August 26, 2022, the CSRC, the Ministry of Finance of the PRC, and the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol, or the Protocol, governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in China and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the Protocol, the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2022, and the PCAOB Board vacated its previous determinations that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our, and our auditor's, control. The PCAOB is continuing to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and is already making plans to resume regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond, as well as to continue pursuing ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCAA if needed. On December 23, 2022 the AHFCAA was enacted, which amended the HFCAA by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer's securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three. As a result, the time period before the Company's securities may be prohibited from trading or delisted has been decreased accordingly. Our auditor, Reliant CPAs PC, is an independent registered public accounting firm with the PCAOB, and as an auditor of publicly traded companies in the U.S., is subject to laws in the U.S. pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Our auditor is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA, and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis. The PCAOB currently has access to inspect the working papers of our auditor and our auditor was not identified in the PACOB's Determination Report as a firm subject to the PCAOB's determination. However, there is no assurance that future audit reports will be prepared by auditors able to be inspected by the PCAOB and therefore, in the future, you may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection. As such, trading in our securities may be prohibited under the HFCAA if the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or investigate completely our auditor, and as a result our securities may be delisted.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Dividends paid to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of the Ordinary Shares by our foreign investors may become subject to PRC tax.
Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation regulations issued by the State Council, a 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends paid to investors that are non-resident enterprises, which do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC or which have such establishment or place of business but the dividends are not effectively connected with such establishment or place of business, to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC. Any gain realized on the transfer of Ordinary Shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 10%, if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC. If we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends paid on our Ordinary Shares, and any gain realized from the transfer of our Ordinary Shares, would be treated as income derived from sources within the PRC and would as a result be subject to PRC taxation. Furthermore, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends paid to individual investors who are non-PRC residents and any gain realized on the transfer of Ordinary Shares by such investors may be subject to PRC tax (which in the case of dividends may be withheld at source) at a rate of 20%. Any PRC tax liability may be reduced by an applicable tax treaty. However, if we or our subsidiary established outside China are considered a PRC resident enterprise, it is unclear whether holders of the Ordinary Shares would be able to claim the benefit of income tax treaties or agreements entered into between China and other countries or areas. If dividends paid to our non-PRC investors, or gains from the transfer of the Ordinary Shares by such investors, are deemed as income derived from sources within the PRC and thus are subject to PRC tax, the value of your investment in the Ordinary Shares may decline significantly.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
The Resale by the Selling Shareholders may cause the market price of our Ordinary Shares to decline.
The resale of Ordinary Shares by the selling shareholders, as well as the issuance of Ordinary Shares in the Company's IPO could result in resales of our Ordinary Shares by our current shareholders concerned about the potential dilution of their holdings. In addition, the resale by the selling shareholders after expiration of the lock-up period could have the effect of depressing the market price for our Ordinary Shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
Our share price may be volatile and may fluctuate.
Like other biotechnology companies, the market price of our Ordinary Shares may be volatile. The factors below may also have a material adverse effect on the market price of our Ordinary Shares: - fluctuations in our results of operations;- our ability to enter new markets;- negative publicity;- changes in securities or industry analyst recommendations regarding our company, the sectors in which we operate, the securities market generally and conditions in the financial markets;- regulatory developments affecting our industry;- announcements of studies and reports relating to our products or those of our competitors;- changes in economic performance or market valuations of our competitors;- actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results;- conditions in the industries in which we operate;- announcements by us or our competitors of new products, acquisitions, strategic relations, joint ventures or capital commitments;- additions to or departures of our key executives and employees;- fluctuations of exchange rates;- release or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding Ordinary Shares; and - sales or perceived sales of additional shares of our Ordinary Shares. In addition, in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have instituted securities class action litigation against the issuer that issued the stock. If any of our shareholders brought a lawsuit against us, we could incur substantial costs defending the lawsuit and divert the time and attention of our management, which could seriously harm our business.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
If we fail to meet applicable listing requirements, Nasdaq may delist our Ordinary Shares from trading, in which case the liquidity and market price of our Ordinary Shares could decline.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet the continued listing standards of Nasdaq in the future. If we fail to comply with the applicable listing standards and Nasdaq delists our Ordinary Shares, we and our shareholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including: - a limited availability of market quotations for our Ordinary Shares;- reduced liquidity for our Ordinary Shares;- a determination that our Ordinary Shares are "penny stock", which would require brokers trading in our Ordinary Shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our Ordinary Shares;- a limited amount of news about us and analyst coverage of us; and - a decreased ability for us to issue additional equity securities or obtain additional equity or debt financing in the future. The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as "covered securities." Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulations in each state in which we offer our securities.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements.
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including, most significantly, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for so long as we remain an emerging growth company. As a result, if we elect not to comply with such auditor attestation requirements, our investors may not have access to certain information they may deem important. The JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company does not need to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards. We do not plan to "opt out" of such exemptions afforded to an emerging growth company. As a result of this election, our financial statements may not be comparable to those of companies that comply with public company effective dates.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with corporate governance listing standards.
As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to take advantage of certain provisions in the Nasdaq rules that allow us to follow our home country law for certain governance matters. Certain corporate governance practices in our home country, the Cayman Islands, may differ significantly from corporate governance listing standards. We have adopted Cayman Islands practices in lieu of certain requirements of Rule 5635 of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC Rules which, among others, means we do not have to obtain shareholders' approval for certain dilutive events, such as (i) certain acquisition of stock or assets of another company; (ii) an issuance of shares that will result in a change of control of the company; (iii) the establishment or amendment of certain equity based compensation plans and arrangements; and (iv) certain transactions (other than a public offering) involving issuances of a 20% or more interest or voting power in the company at a price that is less than the minimum price defined therein. As such, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they would otherwise enjoy under the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
Our co-founders, Mr. James Foster and Mr. Cameron Shaw, will continue to own a significant percentage of our Ordinary Shares and will be able to exert significant control over matters subject to shareholder approval.
As at the date of this Annual Report on Form 20-F, Mr. James Foster, our co-founder, director and Chief Executive Officer, beneficially owns 16.1% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company, and Mr. Cameron Shaw, our co-founder, director and Chief Operating Officer, beneficially owns 11.6% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company. Our co-founders collectively own 27.7% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company. Additionally, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 20-F, Mr. James Foster and/or Mr. Cameron Shaw do not have any kinds of shareholders' agreement with the following shareholders: - Ms. Fiona Foster, who is a relative of Mr. James Foster and owns approximately 0.4% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company;- Mr. Patrick Foster, who is the father of Mr. James Foster and owns approximately 5.9% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company;- Mr. Alexander Shaw, who is the brother of Mr. Cameron Shaw and owns approximately 0.5% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company; and - Mr. Michael Shaw, who is the father of Mr. Cameron Shaw and owns approximately 0.1% of the Ordinary Shares of the Company. As a result, the co-founders may still be able to exert significant control over matters subject to shareholders' approval even if the co-founders do not have any impact over Mr. Patrick Foster's, Ms. Fiona Foster's, Ms. Anne Foster's, Ms. Ann Shaw's, Mr. Alexander Shaw's, and Mr. Michael Shaw's voting decisions. Therefore, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 20-F, the co-founders may still have the ability to substantially influence us through this ownership position. For example, the co-founders may be able to control elections of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, or approval of any merger, sale of assets, or other major corporate transaction. The co-founders' interests may not always coincide with our corporate interests or the interests of other shareholders, and he may act in a manner with which you may not agree or that may not be in the best interests of our other shareholders. So long as the co-founders continue to own a significant amount of our equity, including the equity owned by their affiliates, they will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions. Any additional investors will own a minority percentage of our Ordinary Shares and will have minority voting rights. However, we will not be a "controlled company" under the NASDAQ Stock Market Rules after the Company's IPO.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
Our pre-IPO shareholders are able to sell their shares after the completion of the Company's IPO subject to restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, which could impact the trading price of our Ordinary Shares.
17,890,398 Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding as of the date of this report. Our pre-IPO shareholders may be able to sell their Ordinary Shares under Rule 144 after the completion of the Company's IPO. See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" below. Because these shareholders have paid a lower price per Ordinary Share than participants in the Company's IPO, when they are able to sell their pre-IPO shares under Rule 144, they may be more willing to accept a lower sales price than the IPO price, which could impact the trading price of our Ordinary Shares following the completion of the Company's IPO, to the detriment of participants in the Company's IPO. Under Rule 144, before our pre-IPO shareholders can sell their shares, in addition to meeting other requirements, they must meet the required holding period. We do not expect any of the Ordinary Shares to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 during the pendency of the Company's IPO.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11
Securities analysts may not publish favorable research or reports about our business or may publish no information at all, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
The trading market will be influenced to some extent by the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us and our business. We do not control these analysts. As a newly public company, we may be slow to attract research coverage and the analysts who publish information about our securities will have had relatively little experience with us or our industry, which could affect their ability to accurately forecast our results and could make it more likely that we fail to meet their estimates. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if any of the analysts who cover us provide inaccurate or unfavorable research or issue an adverse opinion regarding our stock price, our stock price could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports covering us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline and result in the loss of all or a part of your investment in us.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12
Because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, our executive office is located in United Kingdom and the majority of our executive officers and directors are located outside the United States, you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. Federal or state courts may be limited.
We are holding company incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and our executive office is located in the United Kingdom. In addition, the majority of our executive officers and directors are located outside of the United States and are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States, and all or a substantial portion of their assets are located outside of the United States. Mr. James Foster, our Chief Executive Officer, chairman of the board of directors, holds a British Passport and currently resides in Shanghai, China; Mr. Jason Davis, our Chief Financial Officer, is located in the United States and holds a United States passport; Mr. Mark Ternouth, our Chief Technical Officer, holds a British Passport and currently resides in Shanghai, China; Mr. Tomasz George, our Chief Scientific Officer, holds a British passport and currently resides in the United Kingdom; Mr. Cameron Shaw, our Chief Operating Officer and director, holds a British passport and currently resides in Malta; Mr. Yair Erez, our independent director, holds a British passport and currently resides in the United Kingdom; Mr. Evan Norton, our independent director, holds a United States passport and currently resides in the United States; and Mr. Nelson Haight, our independent director, holds a United States passport and currently resides in United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons, or to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts against us or them, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. A judgment of a United States court for civil liabilities predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States may not be enforceable in or recognized by the courts of the jurisdictions where our directors and officers reside, and the judicial recognition process may be time-consuming. It may be difficult for you to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors. We have an U.S. office in Texas to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in the state or federal courts of the United States. Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England and Wales, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands have a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States. We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would: - recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws; and - entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. There is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the Cayman Islands will in certain circumstances recognize and enforce a foreign judgment, without any re-examination or re-litigation of matters adjudicated upon, provided such judgment: (a)is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction;(b)imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given;(c)is final;(d)is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty;(e)was not obtained by fraud; and (f)is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. Subject to the above limitations, in appropriate circumstances, a Cayman Islands court may give effect in the Cayman Islands to other kinds of final foreign judgments such as declaratory orders, orders for performance of contracts and injunctions. Moreover, while under Delaware law, controlling shareholders owe fiduciary duties to the companies they control and their minority shareholders, under Cayman Islands law, our controlling shareholders do not owe any such fiduciary duties to our company or to our minority shareholders. Accordingly, our controlling shareholders may exercise their powers as shareholders, including the exercise of voting rights in respect of their shares, in such manner as they think fit in most circumstances. Shareholders of Cayman exempted companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records (other than the memorandum and articles of association, and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges of such companies) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders unless required by the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands or other applicable law or authorized by the directors or by ordinary resolution. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, differ significantly from requirements for companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the United States. Currently, we do not plan to rely on home country practices with respect to any corporate governance matter. To the extent we choose to follow home country practices with respect to corporate governance matters, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would under rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of our board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
Accounting & Financial Operations2 | 2.9%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our Ordinary Shares in the foreseeable future.
We have never paid dividends on Ordinary Shares and do not currently anticipate paying any cash dividends on our Ordinary Shares in the foreseeable future. The holders of our Ordinary Shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Our articles of association provide that our board of directors may declare and pay dividends if justified by our financial position and permitted by law. Our articles of association also provides that, subject to the Companies Act, the Company may by also by ordinary resolution declare dividends in accordance with the respective rights of the shareholders but no dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the directors. Under English law, any payment of dividends would be subject to relevant legislation and our articles of association, which provide that all dividends must be approved by our board of directors and, in some cases, our shareholders, and may only be paid from our distributable profits available for the purpose, determined on an unconsolidated basis.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Changed
We have limited operating history, have incurred operating losses for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 and expect to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future. We may not generate sufficient revenue or become profitable or, if we achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain it.
Biotechnology product development is a highly speculative undertaking and involves a substantial degree of risk. We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a limited operating history upon which you can evaluate our business and prospects. We commenced operations in 2013, and to date, we have focused primarily on organizing and staffing our company, business planning, raising capital, performing research and development activities, primarily the development of the ViraxImmune product and its mobile application, establishing our intellectual property portfolio, and conducting clinical trials. We have incurred operating losses since inception. If our primarily product candidate is not successfully commercialized, namely, ViraxImmune, we may not generate further revenue. Our net losses were $5,457,763 and $1,749,870 for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of March 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of $11,794,460. Substantially all of our losses have resulted from expenses incurred in connection with our research and development programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations. ViraxImmune products will require additional development time and resources before we would begin generating revenue from product sales. We expect to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future, and we anticipate these losses will increase substantially as we conduct our ongoing and further preclinical studies and clinical trials for our ViraxImmune products, the development of ViraxImmune's mobile application, continue our research and development activities, and seek obtain product certification approvals in the territories we have identified, as well as hire additional personnel, obtain and protect our intellectual property and incur additional costs for commercialization or to expand our pipeline of product candidates. To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in developing and eventually commercializing products that generate sufficient revenue. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including completing preclinical studies and clinical trials of our product candidates, obtaining product certification approvals in the territories we have identified and manufacturing, marketing and selling any products for which we obtained product certification approvals. We expect to submit our new T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test kit under the name ViraxImmune for regulatory approval in the second half of 2023. We may never succeed in these activities and, even if we do, may never generate revenues that are sufficient enough to achieve profitability. In addition, we have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully overcome many of the risks and uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in new and rapidly evolving fields, particularly in the biotechnology industry. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with biotechnology product development, we are unable to accurately predict the timing or amount of increased expenses or when, or if, we will be able to achieve profitability. Even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to become and remain profitable would depress the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, maintain our research and development efforts, diversify our product candidates or even continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could also cause you to lose all or part of your investment.
Debt & Financing1 | 1.4%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.
Virax Cayman is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and we may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we may incur. If any of our subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. Under the current practice of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, no tax is payable in Singapore in respect of dividends paid by us. Any limitation on the ability of our SingaporeCo to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business. Shareholders of a Cayman company will not be subject to any income, withholding or capital gains taxes in the Cayman Islands with respect to the holding of their shares in a Cayman company and dividends received on those shares, nor will they be subject to any estate or inheritance taxes in the Cayman Islands. There are no foreign exchange controls in the Cayman Islands. Under the Companies Act, a Cayman company may declare and pay a dividend to shareholders from time to time out of the profits or out of the share premium account, provided that Virax Cayman shall be able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Under Hong Kong law, dividends could only be paid out of distributable profits (that is, accumulated realized profits less accumulated realized losses) or other distributable reserves. Dividends cannot be paid out of share capital. Under the current practice of the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong, no tax is payable in Hong Kong in respect of dividends paid by us. Any limitation on the ability of Virax Cayman, HKco, and ViraxImmune T-Cell subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 1.4%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Changed
We expect to incur significant costs as a result of being a public company, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We expect to incur costs associated with corporate governance requirements that will become applicable to us as a public company, including rules and regulations of the SEC, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, and the Exchange Act, as well as the rules of the Nasdaq. These rules and regulations are expected to significantly increase our accounting, legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time-consuming. We also expect these rules and regulations to make it more expensive for us to obtain and maintain directors' and officers' liability insurance. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. Accordingly, increases in costs incurred as a result of being a publicly traded company may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 6/69 (9%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment3 | 4.3%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Recent developments relating to the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union could adversely affect us.
The recent withdrawal of the United Kingdom from its membership in the European Union, or EU, often referred to as "Brexit", could lead to legal and regulatory uncertainty in the United Kingdom and may lead to the United Kingdom and European Union adopting divergent laws and regulations, including those related to the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals, as the United Kingdom determines which European Union laws to replicate or replace. If the United Kingdom were to significantly alter its regulations affecting the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals, we could face significant new costs. As a result, Brexit could impair our ability to transact business in the European Union and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom and the EU have signed a EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, or TCA, which became provisionally applicable on January 1, 2021 and will become formally applicable once ratified by both the United Kingdom and the EU. This agreement provides details on how some aspects of the United Kingdom and EU's relationship will operate going forwards however there are still many uncertainties. The uncertainty concerning the United Kingdom's legal, political and economic relationship with the European Union may be a source of instability in the international markets, create significant currency fluctuations, and/or otherwise adversely affect trading agreements or similar cross-border co-operation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory or otherwise). These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, have had, and may continue to have, a significant adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and could significantly reduce global market liquidity and limit the ability of key market participants to operate in certain financial markets. In particular, it could also lead to a period of considerable uncertainty in relation to the United Kingdom financial and banking markets, as well as on the regulatory process in Europe. Asset valuations, currency exchange rates and credit ratings may also be subject to increased market volatility. If other EU Member States pursue withdrawal, barrier-free access among the European Economic Area, or EEA, overall could be diminished or eliminated. The long-term effects of Brexit will depend on how the terms of the TCA take effect in practice and any further agreements (or lack thereof) between the United Kingdom and the EU. Such a withdrawal from the EU is unprecedented, and it is unclear how the UK access to the European single market for goods, capital, services and labor within the EU, and the wider commercial, legal and regulatory environment, will impact our United Kingdom operations. We may also face new regulatory costs and challenges that could have an adverse effect on our operations and development programs. For example, the United Kingdom will lose the benefits of global trade agreements negotiated by the EU on behalf of its members, which may result in increased trade barriers that could make our doing business in the EU and the EEA more difficult. There may continue to be economic uncertainty surrounding the consequences of Brexit, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and market price of our securities.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
A downturn in the Hong Kong, China or global economy, and economic and political policies of China could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
A part of our operations is located in Hong Kong and China. Accordingly, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in Hong Kong and China generally and by continued economic growth in Hong Kong and China as a whole. The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may have a negative effect on us. Economic conditions in Hong Kong and China are sensitive to global economic conditions. Any prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may affect potential clients' confidence in financial market as a whole and have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, continued turbulence in the international markets may adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 3
Changes in China's economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our Company's business and results of operations we may pursue in the future.
A part of our operations is located in China and Hong Kong, and thus, or business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in China generally and by continued economic growth in China as a whole. Policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC government can have significant effects on economic conditions in the PRC and the ability of businesses to operate profitably. Shanghai Xitu's, HKco's, and ViraxImmune T-Cell's ability to operate profitably in the PRC and Hong Kong may be adversely affected by changes in policies by the PRC government, including changes in laws, regulations or their interpretation, particularly those dealing with the Internet, including censorship and other restriction on material which can be transmitted over the Internet, security, intellectual property, money laundering, taxation and other laws that affect our PRC and Hong Kong subsidiaries' ability to operate its business. Any actions by the PRC government to exert more oversight and control over offerings (including businesses whose primary operations are in Hong Kong) that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investments in Hong Kong- or PRC-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
International Operations2 | 2.9%
International Operations - Risk 1
Developments in the social, political, regulatory and economic environment in the countries where we operate, may have a material and adverse impact on us.
Our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by social, political, regulatory and economic developments in countries in which we operate. Such political and economic uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks of war, terrorism, nationalism, nullification of contract, changes in interest rates, imposition of capital controls and methods of taxation. For example, we have considerable operations in Singapore, and negative developments in Singapore's socio-political environment may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Although the overall economic environment in Singapore and other countries including the United States and Europe where we operate appear to be positive, there can be no assurance that this will continue to prevail in the future.
International Operations - Risk 2
Disruptions in the international trading environment may seriously decrease our international sales.
The success and profitability of our international activities depend on certain factors beyond our control, such as general economic conditions, labor conditions, political stability, macro-economic regulating measures, tax laws, import and export duties, transportation difficulties, fluctuation of local currency and foreign exchange controls of the countries in which we sell our services, as well as the political and economic relationships among the jurisdictions where we source products and jurisdictions where our clients' customers are located. As a result, our sales will continue to be vulnerable to disruptions in the international trading environment, including adverse changes in foreign government regulations, political unrest and international economic downturns. Any disruptions in the international trading environment may affect the demand for our products, which could impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 1.4%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
We face risks related to natural disasters, health epidemics and other outbreaks, specifically the coronavirus, which could significantly disrupt our operations.
In recent years, there have been outbreaks of epidemics in various countries. There was an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) in China in early 2020, which has spread rapidly to several parts of the world. COVID-19 has resulted in quarantines, travel restrictions, and the temporary closure of stores and facilities throughout China and several other parts of the world. In March 2020, the World Health Organization ("WHO") declared COVID-19 a pandemic. WHO declared that COVID-19 was no longer a "global health emergency" in May 2023. Consequently, our results of operations may be adversely, and may be materially, affected, to the extent that the changes of the COVID-19 screening policy of local governments or any other epidemic harms the global economy in general and in particular the locations of our workforce or revenue generating regions. Any potential impact to our results will depend on, to a large extent, future developments and new information that may emerge regarding the duration and severity of the COVID-19 or any other epidemic and the actions taken by government authorities and other entities to contain the COVID-19 or any other epidemic or treat its impact, almost all of which are beyond our control. Many regions and countries across the world continue to experience significant outbreaks with some regions and countries where business and travel had been reopening now shutting down again in response to new outbreaks. The COVID-19 outbreak has also been seasonal and mild in nature such that it may worsen on an annual basis during the winter months across the world causing disruption to business locally and internationally during the winter months on an annual basis. In general, our business could be adversely affected by the effects of epidemics, including, but not limited to, COVID-19, avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the influenza A virus, Ebola virus, severe weather conditions such as a snowstorm,flood or hazardous air pollution, or other outbreaks. In response to an epidemic, severe weather conditions, or other outbreaks, government and other organizations may adopt regulations and policies that could lead to severe disruption to our daily operations, including temporary closure of our offices and other facilities. These severe conditions may cause us and/or our partners to make internal adjustments, including but not limited to, temporarily closing down business, limiting business hours, and setting restrictions on travel and/or visits with clients and partners for a prolonged period of time. Various impacts arising from severe conditions may cause business disruption, resulting in material, adverse impact to our financial condition and results of operations.
Production
Total Risks: 5/69 (7%)Below Sector Average
Manufacturing1 | 1.4%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Our suppliers may experience development or manufacturing problems or delays that could limit the growth of our revenue or increase our losses.
Our suppliers may encounter unforeseen situations in the manufacturing of our products that would result in delays or shortfalls in our production. In addition, our suppliers' production processes and assembly methods may have to change to accommodate any significant future expansion, which may increase our suppliers' manufacturing costs, delay production of our product, reduce our product margin and adversely impact our business. If our suppliers are unable to keep up with demand for our product by successfully manufacturing and shipping our product in a timely manner, our revenue could be impaired, market acceptance for our product could be adversely affected and our customers might instead purchase our competitors' products. In addition, developing manufacturing procedures for new products would require developing specific production processes for those products. Developing such processes could be time consuming, and any unexpected difficulty in doing so can delay the introduction of a product.
Employment / Personnel1 | 1.4%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
Our business could suffer if we lose the services of, or are unable to attract and retain, key members of our senior management, key advisors or other personnel.
We are dependent upon the continued services of key members of our senior management. The loss of any one of these individuals, without adequate time to find a suitable replacement, could disrupt our operations or our strategic plans. Additionally, our future success will depend on, among other things, our ability to continue to hire and retain the necessary qualified scientific, technical, sales, marketing and managerial personnel, for whom we compete with numerous other companies, academic institutions and organizations. The loss of members of our management team, key advisors or personnel, or our inability to attract or retain other qualified personnel or advisors, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Although all members of our senior management team have entered into agreements that restrict their ability to compete with us for a period of time after the end of their employment, we may be unable to enforce such restrictive covenants at all or for a sufficient duration of time to prevent members of our management team from competing with us.
Supply Chain3 | 4.3%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
If we or our suppliers fail to comply with ongoing regulatory requirements, or if we experience unanticipated problems with our products, these products could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the market.
Any product for which we obtain marketing approval in the United Kingdom or in international jurisdictions, along with the manufacturing processes, post-approval clinical data and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to continual review and periodic inspections by the relevant regulatory bodies. Furthermore, our suppliers may be subject to similar regulatory oversight, and may not currently be or may not continue to be in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. Failure by us or one of our suppliers to comply with statutes and regulations administered by the relevant regulatory bodies, or failure to take adequate action in response to any observations, could result in, among other things, any of the following enforcement actions: - warning letters or untitled letters;- fines and civil penalties;- unanticipated expenditures for corrective actions;- delays in approving, or refusal to approve, our products;- withdrawal or suspension of approval by the relevant regulatory bodies;- product recall or seizures;- interruption of production;- operating restrictions;- injunctions; and - criminal penalties. If any of these actions were to occur, it could harm our reputation and could cause our product sales and profitability to suffer. Any regulatory approval of a product may also be subject to limitations on the indicated uses for which the product may be marketed. If the FDA or another regulatory body determines that our promotional materials, training or other activities constitute promotion of an unapproved use, it could request that we cease or modify our training or promotional materials or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions. It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they consider our training or promotional materials to constitute promotion of an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under applicable statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. The following are significant regulations that are currently applicable and could also be applicable to our products due to our target markets: European Union Regulations The European In-Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR 2017/746) ("IVDR") introduced a new risk-based classification system and requirements for conformity assessments. Products self-certified placed on the market before May 22, 2022 under the European In-Vitro Diagnostic Devices Directive (IVDD 98/79/EC) ("IVDD") may remain on the market until the following dates, afterward they will require the involvement of a Notified Body under the IVDR for the first time: - high individual risk and high public health risk products (Class D): May 26, 2025;- high individual risk and/or moderate public health risk products (Class C): May 26, 2026;- moderate individual risk and/or low public health risk (Class B): May 26, 2027; and- low individual risk and low public health risk products placed on the market in a sterile condition (Class A sterile): May 26, 2027. IVD manufacturers may only rely on the transitional provisions above provided that: (i) the devices continue to comply with applicable requirements imposed by the IVDD; (ii) they respect the IVDR requirements relating to post-market surveillance, market surveillance, vigilance, registration of economic operators and devices from 26 May 2022 in place of the corresponding requirements in the IVDD; and (iii) no significant changes are made in the design and intended purpose of the devices during the transitional period. CE Marking is required for all IVD devices sold in Europe. CE Marking indicates that an IVD device complies with the IVDR and that the device may be legally commercialized in the EU. It should be appreciated that there is a severe shortage of capacity of Notified Bodies to assess all IVDs that will require Notified Body certification under the IVDR, and that it is widely recognized that applications for assessment by the Notified Bodies may be subject to significant delays. While we have taken a proactive approach to mitigate this risk, including engaging BSI and restructuring our quality management systems and technical documentation to align with the IVDR United Kingdom Regulations The UK's withdrawal from the EU will have major ramifications for IVD manufacturers that will, among other things have to follow new procedures that will apply in the UK including appointment of a UK Responsible Person rather than relying on European Authorized Representatives to manage their compliance efforts in the UK. IVDs compliant with the EU in vitro diagnostic medical devices regulation (EU IVDR) can be placed on the Great Britain market up until the 30 June 2030. We intend to use the recognized CE marks that we will apply with the European Union for our medical device product, namely our current in development T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test under the ViraxImmune brand. After which, we will apply with the UK Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency for a UK Conformity Assessed mark. U.S. Regulations We consider the United States as a target market with significant potential. As such, United States regulations will be applicable to our products once we market our products in the United States. In the United States, the FDA regulates the sale or distribution of medical devices, including but not limited to, IVD test kits. IVD products are subject to regulation by the FDA as medical devices to the extent that they are intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease or other conditions. They are subject to premarket review and post market controls which will differ depending on how the FDA classifies a specific IVD. The information that must be submitted to the FDA in order to obtain clearance or approval to market a new medical device varies depending on how the medical device is classified by the FDA. Medical devices are classified into one of three risk-based classes depending on the controls deemed by the FDA to be necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are considered the lowest risk and are subject to general controls, including labeling requirements, and adherence to the FDA's quality system regulations, or QSRs, which are device-specific current good manufacturing practices. Class II (intermediate risk) devices may be subject to premarket notification, or may be 510(k)-exempt, and are generally subject to QSRs, general controls and sometimes special controls, including performance standards and post-market surveillance. Class III (highest risk) devices are subject to most of the previously identified requirements as well as to pre-market approval. Class I devices are exempt from premarket review; most Class II devices require 510(k) clearance, and all Class III devices must receive premarket approval before they can be sold in the United States. The payment of a user fee, which is typically adjusted annually, to the FDA is usually required when a 510(k) notice or premarket approval application is submitted. 510(k) Premarket Notification. A 510(k) premarket notification requires the sponsor to demonstrate that a medical device is substantially equivalent to another marketed device, termed a "predicate device," that is legally marketed in the United States and for which a premarket approval was not required. A device is substantially equivalent to a predicate device if it has the same intended use and technological characteristics as the predicate; or has the same intended use but different technological characteristics, where the information submitted to the FDA does not raise new questions of safety and effectiveness and demonstrates that the device is at least as safe and effective as the legally marketed device. If the FDA believes that the device is not substantially equivalent to a predicate device, it will issue a "Not Substantially Equivalent" (NSE) determination and designate the device as a Class III device, which will require the submission and approval of a PMA before the new device may be marketed. A person who receives an NSE determination in response to a 510(k) submission may, within 30 days of receipt of the NSE determination, submit a de novo request for the FDA to make a risk-based evaluation for classification of the device into Class I or II. Devices that are classified through the de novo process may be marketed and used as predicates for future 510(k) submissions. The FDA continues to reevaluate the 510(k) pathway and process and the de novo process, and has taken what it describes as a risk-based approach to develop innovative regulatory policy to propose a more "contemporary" approach. In October 2017, the FDA published a final guidance entitled, "De Novo Classification Process (Evaluation of Automatic Class III Designation)," and in December 2018, the FDA published a proposed rule which if finalized is intended to provide structure, clarity and transparency on the de novo classification process. In January 2021, it also published a final guidance entitled "Requests for Feedback and Meetings for Medical Device Submissions: The Q-Submission Program." Premarket Approval. The PMA process is more complex, costly and time consuming than the 510(k) process. A PMA must be supported by more detailed and comprehensive scientific evidence, including clinical data, to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the medical device for its intended purpose. If the device is determined to present a "significant risk," the sponsor may not begin a clinical trial until it submits an investigational device exemption (IDE) to the FDA and obtains approval to begin the trial. After the PMA is submitted, the FDA has 45 days to make a threshold determination that the PMA is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. If the PMA is complete, the FDA will file the PMA. The FDA is subject to a performance goal review time for a PMA that is 180 days from the date of filing, although in practice this review time is longer. Questions from the FDA, requests for additional data and referrals to advisory committees may delay the process considerably. The total process may take several years and there is no guarantee that the PMA will ever be approved. Even if approved, the FDA may limit the indications for which the device may be marketed. The FDA may also request additional clinical data as a condition of approval or after the PMA is approved. Any changes to the medical device may require a supplemental PMA to be submitted and approved before changed medical device may be marketed. Any products sold by us pursuant to FDA clearances or approvals will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including record keeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences with the use of the device and restrictions on the advertising and promotion of our products. In particular, we may not advertise or otherwise promote our devices for indications, patient populations, or other conditions of use that are not covered by the applicable FDA clearance or approval for the device. Modifications or changes to the device or how it is manufactured may also be separately subject to FDA review and authorization before being commercialized. Device manufacturers are required to register their establishments and list their devices with the FDA and are subject to periodic inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies. Noncompliance with applicable FDA requirements can result in, among other things, warning letters, fines, injunctions, civil penalties, recalls or seizures of products, total or partial suspension of production, refusal of the FDA to grant 510(k) clearance or PMA approval for new devices, withdrawal of 510(k) clearances and/or PMA approvals and criminal prosecution. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US government declared a state of emergency which enabled the FDA to issue emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to provide more timely access to critical medical products (including medicines and tests) that may help during the emergency when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternative options. EUAs are in effect until the emergency declaration ends but can be revised or revoked as FDA considers the needs during the emergency and new data on a product's safety and effectiveness, or as products meet the criteria to become approved, cleared, or licensed by the FDA. Manufacturers of several types of SARS-CoV-2 assays have been granted EUAs. These authorizations are only intended for the duration of the emergency declaration, and afterwards will be revoked. The FDA has indicated the withdrawal of the EUA process will be done in a controlled ramp down. Additionally, we may be required to conduct costly post-market testing, and we will be required to report adverse events and malfunctions related to our products. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with our products, including unanticipated adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, manufacturing problems, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements may result in restrictions on such products or manufacturing processes, withdrawal of the products from the market, voluntary or mandatory recalls, fines, suspension of regulatory approvals, product seizures, injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. Furthermore, the relevant authorities will inspect our facilities and those of our suppliers from time to time to determine whether we are in compliance with regulations relating to the manufacture of diagnostic products, including regulations concerning design, manufacture, testing, quality control, product labeling, distribution, promotion and record-keeping practices. A determination that we are in material violation of such regulations could lead to the imposition of civil penalties, including fines, product recalls, product seizures or, in extreme cases, criminal sanctions. Canada Regulations We also consider Canada as a target market with significant potential. Health Canada is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for national health policy, for both professional point-of-care and self-testing, which is similar to over-the-counter EUA authorization in the United States. Health Canada regulates, among other things, the research, development, testing, approval, manufacture, packaging, labeling, storage, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, post-approval monitoring and import and export of pharmaceutical, including biologic, products. The process for obtaining regulatory approvals in Canada, along with subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations, require the expenditure of substantial time and financial resources.
Supply Chain - Risk 2
Changed
We have supply contracts with four of our key suppliers, and any disruptions from such key suppliers could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
As at the date of the report, SingaporeCo and UKco have distribution agreements with four of our key suppliers, Wuhan Easy Diagnosis, Biomedicine Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Bioperfectus Technologies Co Ltd and Safecare Biotech (Hangzhou) Co.,Ltd,. If we fail to maintain our relationships with these four key suppliers, or fail to secure additional supply sources from other similar suppliers that meet our quality, quantity and cost requirements in a timely manner, we may be unable to obtain the products that we will require and/or such parts may be available only at a higher cost or after a long delay. We may be unable to identify new suppliers in a timely manner and materials and components from new suppliers may also be less suited for our needs and/or have higher quality control failure rates. Any of these factors could cause delays which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
We rely on a limited number of suppliers or, in many cases, single suppliers, for laboratory equipment and materials and may not be able to find replacements or immediately transition to alternative suppliers.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers, or in many cases single suppliers, to provide certain sequencers and equipment that we use in our laboratory operations, as well as reagents and other laboratory materials for our products and services. An interruption in our laboratory operations, kit distribution or technology transfer could occur if we encounter delays, quality issues or other difficulties in securing these sequencers, equipment, reagents or other materials, and if we cannot then obtain an acceptable substitute. We are in the process of testing multiple sources of reagents and test complaints from different sources for their validity within the test processes we are developing in order to reduce the chance of such occurrences, however we cannot guarantee such occurrences will not happen. In addition, we would likely be required to incur significant costs and devote significant efforts to find new suppliers, acquire and qualify new equipment, validate new reagents and revalidate aspects of our existing assays, which may cause delays in our processing of samples or development and commercialization of products and services. Any such interruption could significantly affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation. Internal changes in processes or compositions of our reagents or other materials may also require validation efforts by us and supply of new materials from our suppliers which could impact timing of production and levels of inventory while such changes are being implemented. Further, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall demand for supplies and equipment used in vaccine development and distribution or other public health or disease prevention initiatives, such as Hamilton tips and freezers, may continue to increase lead times for purchased supplies and equipment, thus potentially lowering our production capacity. Combined with lowered production capacity, any significantly increased demand for new products or services such as T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test may affect our ability to fulfill orders, resulting in a material adverse effect on volume or revenue.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 5/69 (7%)Below Sector Average
Demand4 | 5.8%
Demand - Risk 1
The success of some of our products partially depends on the continued demand for diagnostic and products linked to COVID-19 and other major viral diseases.
Even if we achieve market acceptance, our success will partially depend on continued demand for diagnostic products for COVID-19 and other major viral diseases. COVID-19 screening policies could change such that tests are conducted less frequently or in fewer instances. For example, healthcare institutions facing increased cost control requirements could determine to reduce employee testing. In addition, various institutions or governing bodies may decide that the incidence of COVID-19 has dropped sufficiently in the future within their screening population so as to permit reduced testing. Changes to immigration policies and policies relating to resettlement of refugees, as well as other policy changes may substantially reduce testing in the markets we serve and could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In order to reduce our dependency on continued demand for diagnostic products in relation to COVID-19, we are developing our technology to focus on other major viral threats, however, we cannot be sure whether such developments can be successful. If we fail to develop our technology to easily adapt to new variants of coronavirus or potential new viral threats, it may materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Demand - Risk 2
Changed
Our business, financial condition and results of operations will depend on the market acceptance and increased demand of our products by CROs, hospitals, governments and public health departments, as well as physicians others in the medical community, and the growing proportion of the population who are interested in taking personal charge over their health and wellbeing.
Our future success depends on our products gaining sufficient market acceptance by hospitals, public health departments and consumer groups interested in their health and wellbeing. If our products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance by such customer groups, we may not generate enough revenue to become profitable. For example, the degree of market acceptance of our T-Cell in-vitro diagnostics product will depend on a number of factors, including: - clinical guidelines relative to the screening for, and diagnosis and monitoring of COVID-19;- the efficacy and potential advantages of our T-Cell in-vitro diagnostics test over alternative tests;- the willingness of our target customers to accept and adopt our products;- the availability of reimbursement, or other funding mechanisms to pay for our products;- the ability to offer attractive pricing for our products;- the strength of marketing and distribution support and the timing of market introduction of competitive products;- the ability to offer automation solutions that meet customer needs; and - outcomes from clinical studies and other publicity concerning our products or competing products. Our efforts to educate physicians and other members of the medical community on the benefits of our products may require significant resources and may never be successful. Such efforts to educate the marketplace may require more resources than are required by conventional technologies marketed by our competitors. In particular, continuing to gain market acceptance for our products in nascent markets could be challenging. In certain markets, including, for example Canada and United States, our potential for future growth is difficult to forecast. If we were to incorrectly forecast our ability to penetrate these markets, expenditures that we make may not result in the benefits that we expect, which could harm our results of operations. Additionally, if we lose any of our customers due to significant delays in our ability to obtain re-registration of our T-Cell IVD/Immune response Test in our initial target markets, our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In the event that our products are the subject of guidelines, clinical studies or scientific publications that are unhelpful or damaging, or otherwise call into question the benefits of our products, we may have difficulty in convincing prospective customers to adopt our test. Moreover, the perception by the investment community or shareholders that recommendations, guidelines or studies will result in decreased use of our products could adversely affect the prevailing market price for our Ordinary Shares. Similar challenges apply to all of the products in our pipeline.
Demand - Risk 3
We have a significant customer concentration, with a limited number of customers accounting for a large portion or all of our revenues.
Our Company derives a large portion or all of our revenues from a few major customers. For the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, one customer and five customers accounted for approximately 100% of the Company's total sales. There are inherent risks whenever a large percentage of the total revenue is concentrated with a few customers. It is not possible for us to predict the future level of demand for our products that will be generated by these customers or the future demand for our products by these customers. If any of these customers' demands decline or delayed demands due to market, economic or competitive conditions, we could be pressured to reduce our prices, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, and could negatively affect our revenues and results of operations. If any of our largest customers terminate the purchase of our products, such termination would materially negatively affect our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.
Demand - Risk 4
The in-vitro diagnostics industry is subject to rapid change, which could make our diagnostics platform and related products and services that we develop obsolete.
Our industry is characterized by rapid changes, including technological and scientific breakthroughs, frequent new product and service introductions and enhancements and evolving industry standards, all of which could make our current and future products and services obsolete. Our future success will depend on our ability to keep pace with the evolving needs of our customers on a timely and cost-effective basis and to pursue new market opportunities that develop as a result of scientific and technological advances. In recent years, there have been numerous advances in technologies relating to the diagnosis and treatment of viral diseases, in particular COVID-19. There have also been advances in technologies used to computationally analyze very large amounts of biologic information. If we do not update our products and services to reflect new scientific knowledge about diagnostics technology, software development, our products and services could become obsolete and sales of our current products and services and any future products and services we develop based on our diagnostics platform could decline or fail to grow as expected.
Sales & Marketing1 | 1.4%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.
As discussed above, we are a foreign private issuer, and therefore, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The determination of foreign private issuer status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer's most recently completed second fiscal quarter. We would lose our foreign private issuer status if, for example, more than 50% of our Ordinary Shares are directly or indirectly held by residents of the United States and we fail to meet additional requirements necessary to maintain our foreign private issuer status. If we lose our foreign private issuer status on this date, we will be required to file with the SEC periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We will also have to mandatorily comply with U.S. federal proxy requirements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will become subject to the short-swing profit disclosure and recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements under the Nasdaq rules. As a U.S. listed public company that is not a foreign private issuer, we will incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we will not incur as a foreign private issuer, and accounting, reporting and other expenses in order to maintain a listing on a U.S. securities exchange.
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.
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