Xtant Medical Holdings (XTNT) Risk Factors

Our medical device products and operations are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and various other federal, state and foreign governmental authorities. Government regulation of medical devices is meant to assure their safety and effectiveness, and includes regulation of, among other things: - design, development and manufacturing;- testing, labeling, packaging, content and language of instructions for use, and storage;- clinical trials;- product safety;- premarket clearance and approval;- marketing, sales and distribution (including making product claims);- advertising and promotion;- product modifications;- recordkeeping procedures;- reports of corrections, removals, enhancements, recalls and field corrective actions;- post-market surveillance, including reporting of deaths or serious injuries and malfunctions that, if they were to recur, could lead to death or serious injury;- complying with the federal law and regulations requiring Unique Device Identifiers ("UDI") on devices and their labeling and also requiring the submission of certain information about each device to FDA's Global Unique Device Identification Database ("GUDID"); and - product import and export. Before a new medical device, or a new use of, or claim for, an existing product can be marketed in the United States, it must first receive either premarket clearance under Section 510(k) of the FDCA, a de novo classification or a PMA, from the FDA, unless an exemption applies. The process of obtaining regulatory clearances or approvals to market a medical device can be costly and time-consuming, and we may not be able to obtain these clearances or approvals on a timely basis, if at all. Most of our currently commercialized products have received premarket clearances under Section 510(k) of the FDCA. In the future, the FDA may determine that our products will require the more costly, lengthy and uncertain de novo or PMA processes. If the FDA requires us to go through a lengthier, more rigorous examination for future products or modifications to existing products than we had expected, our product introductions or modifications could be delayed or canceled, which could adversely affect our revenue. Although we do not currently market any devices under PMA and have not gone through the de novo classification process for marketing authorization, we cannot assure you that the FDA will not demand that we obtain a PMA or de novo classification prior to marketing or that we will be able to obtain 510(k) clearances with respect to future products. The FDA can delay, limit or deny clearance or approval of a device for many reasons, including: - we may not be able to demonstrate to the FDA's satisfaction that our products meet the standard of "substantial equivalence" for a 510(k) or meet the standard for the FDA to grant a petition for de novo classification;- we may not be able to demonstrate to the FDA's satisfaction that our products are safe and effective for their intended uses;- the data from our pre-clinical studies (bench and/or animal) and clinical trials may be insufficient to support clearance or approval in general or for specific, commercially desirable indications, where required;- the manufacturing process or facilities we use may not meet applicable requirements; and - changes in FDA clearance or approval policies or the adoption of new regulations may require additional data. In addition, even if we do obtain clearance or approval, the FDA may not approve or clear these products for the indications that are necessary or desirable for successful commercialization. Any delay in, or failure to receive or maintain, clearances or approvals for our products under development could prevent us from generating revenue from these products or achieving profitability.

We are subject to federal and state healthcare laws and regulations pertaining to fraud and abuse, and physician payment transparency, including false claims laws, anti-kickback laws and physician self-referral laws. Many states require compliance with different types of pricing transparency requirements such as having a code of conduct, as well as reporting remuneration paid to health care professionals or entities in a position to influence prescribing behavior. Violations of these federal and state laws can result in criminal and/or civil punishment, including fines, imprisonment and, in the United States, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs. Greater scrutiny of marketing practices in our industry has resulted in numerous government investigations, prosecutions and settlements by various government authorities and this industry-wide enforcement activity is expected to continue. If a governmental authority were to determine that we do not comply with these laws and regulations, the Company and our directors, officers and employees could be subject to criminal and civil penalties, including exclusion from participation in U.S. federal healthcare reimbursement programs. Many of these healthcare laws inevitably influence company standards of conduct. Other laws tie into these standards as well, such as compliance with the advertising and promotion regulations under the FDCA, the U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the Federal False Claims Act, the Federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act and other laws. We use many distributors and independent sales representatives in certain territories and thus rely upon their compliance with applicable laws and regulations, such as with the advertising and promotion regulations or similar laws under countries located outside the United States and other applicable federal, state or international laws. These laws include: - the U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service for which payment may be made under federal healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute or specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the U.S. Federal False Claims Act; this may constrain our marketing practices and those of our independent sales agencies, educational programs, pricing, bundling and rebate policies, grants for physician-initiated trials and continuing medical education, and other remunerative relationships with healthcare providers;- federal false claims laws (such as the U.S. Federal False Claims Act) which prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims seeking payment from Medicare, Medicaid or other federal-funded third-party payors that are false or fraudulent; this may impact the reimbursement advice we give to our customers as it cannot be inaccurate and must relate to on-label uses of our products;- federal criminal laws that prohibit executing a scheme to defraud any federal healthcare benefit program or making false statements relating to healthcare matters;- the Federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to CMS, information related to payments or other "transfers of value" made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors) and teaching hospitals, and requires applicable manufacturers and group purchasing organizations to report annually to CMS ownership and investment interests held by the physicians described above and their immediate family members and payments or other "transfers of value" to such physician owners. We are also required to collect information on payments or transfers of value to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse-midwives for reporting to CMS;- analogous state and foreign law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, such as state anti-kickback prohibitions and false claims prohibitions which may apply to items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including commercial insurers; state laws that require device companies to comply with the industry's voluntary compliance guidelines and the applicable compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws that require device manufacturers to report information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and other healthcare providers or marketing expenditures; and state laws governing the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other and federal law in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts; and - the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"), and its implementing regulations, which created federal criminal laws that prohibit executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or making false statements relating to healthcare matters and which also imposes certain regulatory and contractual requirements regarding the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable health information. Certain of these laws have exceptions and "safe harbors" which if met may protect certain arrangements from liability. For example, certain financial payments that might otherwise implicate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute will be permitted under the state if they are structured to comply with one of various statutory exceptions or regulatory safe harbors established by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These safe harbors include, for example, the "Discount" safe harbor which allows manufacturers of goods covered by federal payor programs to provide discounts to their customers in the form of rebates, volume discounts and the like as long as those discounts meet the express requirements of the safe harbor. Other safe harbors under the Anti-Kickback Statute may also apply to consulting, teaching and other personal service arrangements we may have with physicians and marketing personnel. These safe harbors are technical in nature and failure to meet any element of a safe harbor will cause an arrangement to lose safe harbor protection. In addition, there may not be safe harbors or exceptions for every potential financial arrangement we may enter into and, and even if there are, no assurances can be given that any of our arrangements or relationships will meet an otherwise applicable safe harbor. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available under such laws, it is possible that some of our business activities, including our relationships with customers, marketing personnel, physicians and other healthcare providers, some of whom have or may have ownership interests in the Company and recommend and/or use our products, could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. We are also exposed to the risk that our employees, independent contractors, principal investigators, consultants, vendors, and distributors may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include, among other infractions or violations, intentional, reckless and/or negligent conduct or unauthorized activity that violates FDA regulations, manufacturing standards, federal and state healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data or other commercial or regulatory laws or requirements. It is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. In addition, state and federal healthcare regulations are constantly evolving. Existing laws and regulations are subject to new and sometimes more restrictive interpretations on a regular basis so that arrangements we believe to be legally compliant could be deemed to be non-compliant under new interpretations. Similarly, new federal and state health care laws and regulations are being adopted on a regular basis. While we endeavor to identify and comply with these new laws and regulations, it is possible that we may be unaware of new legal requirements or interpretations which could result in our violation of these laws and/or regulations. There is also an increasing trend toward more criminal prosecutions and compliance enforcement activities for noncompliance with the HIPAA and state data privacy laws as well as for data breaches involving protected health information ("PHI"). In the ordinary course of our business, we may receive PHI. If we are unable to comply with HIPAA or experience a data breach involving PHI, we could be subject to criminal and civil sanctions and incur substantial investigation, defense and remediation costs. If our operations are found to violate any of the laws described above or any other laws and regulations that apply to us, we may be subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, the exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs and imprisonment, any of which could adversely affect our ability to market our products and materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. 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.

In the United States, the procurement and transplantation of allograft bone tissue is subject to federal law pursuant to the National Organ Transplant Act ("NOTA"), a criminal statute which prohibits the purchase and sale of human organs used in human transplantation, including bone and related tissue, for "valuable consideration." NOTA permits reasonable payments associated with the removal, transportation, processing, preservation, quality control, implantation and storage of human bone tissue. We provide services in all of these areas in the United States, with the exception of removal and implantation, and receive payments for all such services. We make payments to certain of our clients and tissue banks for their services related to recovering allograft bone tissue on our behalf. If NOTA is interpreted or enforced in a manner which prevents us from receiving payment for services we render, or which prevents us from paying tissue banks or certain of our clients for the services they render for us, our business could be materially and adversely affected. We are engaged through our marketing employees, independent sales agents and sales representatives in ongoing efforts designed to educate the medical community as to the benefits of our products, and we intend to continue our educational activities. Although we believe that NOTA permits payments in connection with these educational efforts as reasonable payments associated with the processing, transportation and implantation of our products, payments in connection with such education efforts are not exempt from NOTA's restrictions and our inability to make such payments in connection with our education efforts may prevent us from paying our sales representatives for their education efforts and could adversely affect our business and prospects. No federal agency or court has determined whether NOTA is, or will be, applicable to every allograft bone tissue-based material which our processing technologies may generate. Assuming that NOTA applies to our processing of allograft bone tissue, we believe that we comply with NOTA, but there can be no assurance that more restrictive interpretations of, or amendments to, NOTA will not be adopted in the future which would call into question one or more aspects of our method of operations.

We currently market, and intend to continue to market, our products outside the United States. To market and sell our product in countries outside the United States, we must seek and obtain regulatory approvals, certifications or registrations and comply with the laws and regulations of those countries. These laws and regulations, including the requirements for approvals, certifications or registrations and the time required for regulatory review, vary from country to country. Obtaining and maintaining foreign regulatory approvals, certifications or registrations are expensive, and we cannot be certain that we will receive regulatory approvals, certifications or registrations in any foreign country in which we plan to market our products. The regulatory approval process outside the United States may include all of the risks associated with obtaining FDA clearance or approval in addition to other risks. In order to market our products in the Member States of the European Economic Area ("EEA"), our devices are required to comply with the essential requirements of the EU Medical Devices Regulation 2017/745, which became effective in spring 2020 and implemented stricter control, transparency, and enforcement and strengthened post market surveillance requirements. Compliance with these requirements entitles us to affix the CE conformity mark to our medical devices, without which they cannot be commercialized in the EEA. In order to demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements and obtain the right to affix the CE conformity mark we must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its classification. Except for low risk medical devices (Class I), where the manufacturer can issue an EC Declaration of Conformity based on a self-assessment of the conformity of its products with the essential requirements of the Medical Devices Directives, a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a "Notified Body", which is an organization accredited by a Member State of the EEA to conduct conformity assessments. The Notified Body would typically audit and examine the quality system for the manufacture, design and final inspection of our devices before issuing a certification demonstrating compliance with the essential requirements. Based on this certification we can draw up an EC Declaration of Conformity, which allows us to affix the CE mark to our products. We may not obtain regulatory approvals or certifications outside the United States on a timely basis, if at all. Clearance or approval by the FDA does not ensure approval or certification by regulatory authorities or Notified Bodies in other countries, and approval or certification by one foreign regulatory authority or Notified Body does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or by the FDA. We may be required to perform additional pre-clinical or clinical studies even if FDA clearance or approval, or the right to bear the CE mark, has been obtained. If we fail to obtain or maintain regulatory approvals, certifications or registrations in any foreign country in which we plan to market our products, our business, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected. In the EEA, we must comply with the EU Medical Device Vigilance System, the purpose of which is to improve the protection of health and safety of patients, users and others by reducing the likelihood of reoccurrence of incidents related to the use of a medical device. Under this system, incidents must be reported to the competent authorities of the Member States of the EEA. An incident is defined as any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labeling or the instructions for use which, directly or indirectly, might lead to or might have led to the death of a patient or user or of other persons or to a serious deterioration in their state of health. Incidents are evaluated by the EEA competent authorities to whom they have been reported, and where appropriate, information is disseminated between them in the form of National Competent Authority Reports. The Medical Device Vigilance System is further intended to facilitate a direct, early and harmonized implementation of Field Safety Corrective Actions ("FSCAs") across the Member States of the EEA where the device is in use. An FSCA is an action taken by a manufacturer to reduce a risk of death or serious deterioration in the state of health associated with the use of a medical device that is already placed on the market. An FSCA may include the recall, modification, exchange, destruction or retrofitting of the device. FSCAs must be communicated by the manufacturer or its legal representative to its customers and/or to the end users of the device through Field Safety Notices. Further, the advertising and promotion of our products is subject to EEA Member States Medical Device related laws including 2017/745, the new Medical Device Regulation, or the 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising, as amended, or Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices, as amended, as well as other EEA Member State legislation governing the advertising and promotion of medical devices. These laws may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of our products to the general public and may impose limitations on our promotional activities with healthcare professionals. Our failure to comply with all these laws and requirements may harm our business and operating results. We may also be required to perform post market clinical follow up studies to periodically evaluate the safety and performance of previously approved products. The results of these studies may cause us to lose our approvals, to market the product or require us to modify our products to address deficiencies in order to preserve our approvals to market the product.

Any modification to a 510(k)-cleared device that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, including significant changes to a device's design, materials, chemical composition, energy source, or manufacturing process, or that would constitute a major change in its intended use, may require a new 510(k) clearance, a de novo classification, or possibly a PMA. Modifications to our products that were implemented without obtaining clearance or approval and for which FDA subsequently concludes that clearance or approval was required, may require us to recall or cease marketing the modified devices until clearance or approval is obtained. The FDA requires device manufacturers to initially make and document a determination of whether or not a modification requires a new approval, supplement or clearance. To do that, a manufacturer must determine if a change/modification to labeling of the device is a "major" change to the intended use statement (previously cleared by the FDA) or if a physical change/modification to the device itself "could significantly affect safety or effectiveness." If the labeling change is major and/or the physical change significantly affects safety and effectiveness, the manufacturer must file for an additional 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA for those changes before the modified device can be lawfully marketed. If the Company concludes in its own self-determination that the changes do not meet either of the thresholds of "major "or "significantly affects," it may simply document those changes by way of an internal letter-to-file as part of the manufacturer's quality system recording keeping. However, the FDA can review a manufacturer's decision and may disagree. The FDA will normally review a decision made by a manufacturer in a letter-to-file during a routine plant inspection, which FDA targets to conduct every two years for high-risk (Class III) device manufacturers and certain low and moderate risk (Class I and II) device manufacturers. In such a review the FDA may determine that a new clearance or approval was required before the device was put into commercial distribution. We have made modifications to our products in the past that we concluded did not require a new clearance or approval, and we may make additional modifications in the future that we believe do not or will not require additional clearances or approvals. No assurance can be given that the FDA would agree with any of our decisions not to seek 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA approval. The issue of whether a product modification requires clearance or approval, as opposed to a "letter-to-file" documenting the change, is not always clear and companies rely on FDA guidance to assist in making such decisions. If the FDA requires us to cease marketing and recall a modified device until we obtain a new 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA, our business, financial condition, operating results and future growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected. Further, our products could be subject to recall if the FDA determines, for any reason, that our products are not safe or effective. Any recall or FDA requirement that we seek additional approvals or clearances could result in significant delays, fines, increased costs associated with modification of a product, loss of revenue and potential operating restrictions imposed by the FDA. Obtaining clearances and approvals can be a time-consuming process, and delays in obtaining required future clearances or approvals would adversely affect our ability to introduce new or enhanced products in a timely manner, which in turn would harm our future growth.

We and certain of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers are required to comply with the FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practices ("cGMP") requirements and Quality System Regulations ("QSR"), set to be replaced by the Quality Management System Regulation ("QMSR") in February 2026, which cover, among other things, the methods of documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, sterilization, storage and shipping of our products. We and certain of our suppliers also are subject to the regulations of foreign jurisdictions regarding the manufacturing process for our products marketed outside of the United States. The FDA enforces the QSR through periodic announced (routine) and unannounced (for cause or directed) inspections of manufacturing facilities. The failure by us or one of our third-party manufacturers or suppliers to comply with applicable statutes and regulations administered by the FDA and other regulatory bodies, or the failure to timely and adequately respond to any adverse inspectional observations or product safety issues, could result in, among other things, any of the following enforcement actions: - untitled letters, warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees, disgorgement of profits, criminal and civil penalties;- customer notifications or repair, replacement, refunds, recall, detention or seizure of our products;- operating restrictions or partial suspension or total shutdown of production;- refusing or delaying our requests for 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA approval of new products or modified products;- withdrawing 510(k) clearances, de novo classifications, or PMAs that have already been granted;- refusal to grant export certificates for our products; or - criminal prosecution. Any of these actions could impair our ability to produce our products in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to meet our customers' demands. We also may be required to bear other costs or take other actions that may have a negative impact on our future revenue and other operating results. Furthermore, our key component suppliers may not currently be or may not continue to be in compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, which could result in our failure to produce our products on a timely basis and in the required quantities, if at all.

Any product that we market will be subject to continued regulatory review, oversight and periodic inspections by the FDA and other domestic and foreign regulatory bodies. Such oversight will cover, among other things, the product's design and manufacturing processes, our quality system and compliance with reporting requirements, our compliance with post-approval clinical data requirements, and our promotional activities related to our products. Even if regulatory clearance or approval of a product is granted, such clearance or approval may be subject to limitations on the intended uses for which the product may be marketed and reduce our potential to successfully commercialize the product and generate revenue from the product. If the FDA determines that our promotional materials, labeling, training or other marketing or educational 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 other promotional materials to constitute promotion of an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. In addition, we may be required to conduct costly post-market testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or effectiveness of our products. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with our products, including unanticipated adverse events or adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, manufacturing problems, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements such as QSR or QMSR, may result in, among other things, changes to labeling, restrictions on such products or manufacturing processes, product corrections, removal of the products from the market, voluntary or mandatory recalls, a requirement to repair, replace or refund the cost of any medical device we manufacture or distribute, fines, withdrawal of regulatory clearance or approvals, delays in or refusals of new 510(k)s, de novo requests or PMA applications, untitled letters, warning letters, refusal to grant export certificates for our products, product seizures, injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties which would adversely affect our business, operating results and prospects.

Climate change resulting from increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could present risks to our future operations from natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires or flooding. Concern over climate change could result in new legal or regulatory requirements designed to report, reduce or mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases, as well as more stringent regulation of water rights. For example, in March 2024, the SEC adopted new climate disclosure rules, which require new disclosure in certain SEC filings about material climate-related risks, activities to mitigate or adapt to such risks, board oversight of climate-related risks and management's role in managing material climate-related risks, and climate-related targets and goals. The new climate disclosure rules have been the subject of multiple legal challenges, so the extent to which the new rules will go into effect remains uncertain. We are currently assessing the impact of the new rules, but at this time, we cannot predict the costs of implementation or any potential adverse impacts resulting from the new rules. However, we may incur increased costs relating to the assessment and disclosure of climate-related risks and increased litigation risks related to disclosures made pursuant to the new rules, either of which could materially and adversely affect our future results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, inconsistency of regulations at the state level in the states in which we operate may affect the costs of compliance with such legal or regulatory requirements. In addition, public company stockholders are increasingly sensitive to the climate change impacts and mitigation efforts of companies, are increasingly seeking enhanced disclosure on the risks, challenges, governance implications, and financial impacts of climate change faced by companies and are demanding that companies take a proactive approach to addressing perceived environmental risks, including risks associated with climate change, relating to their operations. Adverse publicity or climate-related litigation that impacts us could have a negative impact on our business.

Under the FDA medical device reporting regulations and similar foreign governmental regulations, medical device manufacturers are required to report to the FDA or other governmental agencies information that a device has or may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or has malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if the malfunction of the device or one of our similar devices were to recur. Under the FDA's reporting regulations applicable to HCT/Ps, we are required to report all adverse reactions involving a communicable disease if it is fatal, life threatening, results in permanent impairment of a body function or permanent damage to body structure, or necessitates medical or surgical intervention, including hospitalization. If we fail to report these events to the FDA within the required timeframes, or at all, the FDA could take enforcement action against us. Any such adverse event involving our products also could result in future voluntary corrective actions, such as recalls or customer notifications, or agency action, such as mandatory recalls, destruction, cessation of manufacturing, inspection or other enforcement action. Any corrective action, whether voluntary or involuntary, as well as defending ourselves in a lawsuit, would require the dedication of our time and capital, distract management from operating our business, and may harm our reputation and financial results. We are currently subject to certain product liability litigation, which could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations, especially if this litigation requires payments in amounts that exceed our product liability insurance coverage.

Biologics products are inherently difficult and time-consuming to manufacture. Our products are manufactured using technically complex processes requiring specialized equipment and facilities, highly specific raw materials. Other production constraints, including the number of processors we are able to hire, the number of clean rooms available in our facilities, and our ability to automate certain processes by implementing labor saving technology also affect the speed and extent of our production. The complexity of these processes, as well as strict company and government standards for the manufacture and storage of our products, subjects us to production risks. A shortage of the number of processors or clean rooms or inadequate levels of automation may cause us to be unable to operate at full production, which has in the past and could continue to negatively impact our business and results of operations. For example, as a result of the labor shortage we experienced in 2022 and, to a lesser extent, in 2023, we were unable to operate at full capacity from time to time, which caused us to pass on certain revenue opportunities we otherwise may have been able to pursue. To mitigate this issue in the future, we have made certain operational changes and continue to implement processes that are intended to automate certain tasks. Additionally, in 2023, we increased our recruiting and onboarding activities and increased our plant capacity. However, no assurance can be provided that these measures will be successful.

The FDA and similar foreign governmental authorities have the authority to require the recall of commercialized products. In addition, foreign governmental bodies have the authority to require the recall of our products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in design or manufacture. Manufacturers may, under their own initiative, recall a product if any material deficiency in a device is found or for other reasons. A government-mandated or voluntary recall by us or one of our distributors could occur as a result of component failures, manufacturing errors, design or labeling defects or other deficiencies and issues. Recalls of any of our products would divert managerial and financial resources and could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The FDA requires that certain recalls undertaken to reduce a risk to health be reported to the FDA within 10 working days after the recall is initiated. Companies are required to maintain certain records of recalls, even if they are not reportable to the FDA. We may initiate voluntary recalls involving our products in the future that we determine do not require notification of the FDA. If the FDA disagrees with our determinations, they could require us to report those actions as recalls. In addition, the FDA could take enforcement action for failing to report the recalls when they were conducted.

Outside suppliers, some of whom are sole-source suppliers, provide us with products and raw materials and components used in manufacturing our orthobiologics and spinal implant products. We strive to maintain sufficient inventory of products, raw materials and components so that our production will not be significantly disrupted if a particular product, raw material or component is not available to us for a period of time, including as a result of a supplier's loss of its ISO or other certification, long required lead times, or other reasons. Despite our efforts, we sometimes experience an insufficient inventory of products, raw materials and/or components. If we fail to plan our procurement accordingly or are unable to obtain sufficient quantities of raw materials and components used in manufacturing our orthobiologics and spinal implant products that meet our quality and other requirements on a timely basis for any reason, we may not produce sufficient quantities of our products to meet market demand until a new or alternative supply source is identified and qualified and, as a result, we could lose customers, our reputation could be harmed, and our business could suffer. Furthermore, an uncorrected defect or supplier's variation in a component or raw material that is incompatible with our manufacturing, unknown to us, could harm our ability to manufacture products. Although we believe there are alternative supply sources, replacing our suppliers may be impractical or difficult in many instances. For example, we could have difficulty obtaining similar products from other suppliers that are acceptable to the FDA or other foreign regulatory authorities. In addition, if we are required to transition to new suppliers for certain components or raw materials of our products, the use of components or materials furnished by these alternative suppliers could require us to alter our operations, and if we are required to change the manufacturer of a critical component of our products, we will have to verify that the new manufacturer maintains facilities, procedures and operations that comply with our quality and applicable regulatory requirements, which could further impede our ability to manufacture our products in a timely manner. Transitioning to a new supplier could be time-consuming and expensive, may result in interruptions in our operations and product delivery, could affect the performance specifications of our products or could require that we modify the design of those systems.

Certain of our products are regulated as HCT/Ps. Section 361 of the PHSA authorizes the FDA to issue regulations to prevent the introduction, transmission or spread of communicable disease. HCT/Ps regulated as "361" HCT/Ps are subject to requirements relating to registering facilities and listing products with the FDA; screening and testing for tissue donor eligibility; and current Good Tissue Practice ("cGTPs"), when processing, storing, labeling, and distributing HCT/Ps, including required labeling information, stringent record keeping, and adverse event reporting, among other applicable requirements and laws. The FDA regulations also have additional requirements that address sub-contracted tissue services, tracking, and donor records review. If a tissue-based product is considered human tissue, the FDA requirements focus on preventing the introduction, transmission and spread of communicable diseases. A product regulated solely as a 361 HCT/P is not required to undergo 510(k) premarket clearance, de novo classification or PMA. The FDA may inspect facilities engaged in manufacturing 361 HCT/Ps and may issue untitled letters, warning letters, or otherwise authorize orders of retention, recall, destruction and cessation of manufacturing if the FDA has reasonable grounds to believe that an HCT/P or the facilities where it is manufactured are in violation of applicable regulations. There also are requirements relating to the import of HCT/Ps that allow the FDA to make a decision as to the HCT/Ps' admissibility into the United States. An HCT/P is eligible for regulation solely as a 361 HCT/P if it is: (i) minimally manipulated; (ii) intended for homologous use as reflected by labeling, advertising or other indications of the manufacturer's objective intent; (iii) the manufacture does not involve the combination of the HCT/P with another article, except for water, crystalloids or a sterilizing, preserving, or storage agent (not raising new clinical safety concerns for the HCT/P); and (iv) it does not have a systemic effect and is not dependent upon the metabolic activity of living cells for its primary function or, if it has a systemic effect or is dependent upon the metabolic activity of living cells for its primary function, it is intended for autologous use or allogeneic use in a first or second degree relative or for reproductive use. If any of these requirements are not met, then the HCT/P is also subject to applicable biologic, device, or drug regulation under the FDCA or the PHSA. These biologic, device or drug HCT/Ps must comply with the requirements exclusively applicable to 361 HCT/Ps and, in addition, with requirements applicable to biologics under the PHSA, or devices or drugs under the FDCA, including licensure, clearance or approval, as the case may be. Over the course of several years, the FDA issued regulations that address manufacturer activities associated with HCT/Ps. The first requires that companies that manufacture HCT/Ps register with the FDA. This set of regulations also includes the criteria that must be met in order for the HCT/P to be eligible for regulation solely under Section 361 of the PHSA and the regulations in 21 CFR Part 1271, rather than under the drug or device provisions of the FDCA or the biological product licensing provisions of the PHSA. The second set of regulations provides criteria that must be met for donors to be eligible to donate tissues and is referred to as the "Donor Eligibility" rule. The third rule governs the processing and distribution of the tissues and is often referred to as the cGTP rule. The cGTP rule covers all stages of allograft processing, from procurement of tissue to distribution of final allografts. Together these regulations are designed to ensure that sound, high quality practices are followed to reduce the risk of tissue contamination and of communicable disease transmission. At the time they came into effect approximately 20 years ago, these regulations increased regulatory scrutiny within the industry in which we operate and have led to increased enforcement action which affects the conduct of our business. In addition, these regulations can increase the cost of tissue recovery activities. The FDA periodically inspects tissue processors to determine compliance with these requirements. Allegations of violations of applicable regulations noted by the FDA during facility inspections could adversely affect the continued marketing of our products. We believe we comply with all aspects of 21 CFR Part 1271 that we are required to comply with, although there can be no assurance that we will be deemed by FDA to be in compliance. Entities that provide us with allograft bone tissue are responsible for performing donor recovery, donor screening and donor testing and our compliance with those aspects of the cGTP regulations that regulate those functions are dependent upon the actions of these independent entities. If our suppliers fail to comply with applicable requirements, our products and our business could be negatively affected. If the FDA determines that we have failed to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, it can impose a variety of regulatory actions, or enforcement actions from public warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees and civil penalties to suspension or delayed issuance of approvals, seizure of our products, total or partial shutdown of our production, withdrawal of approvals, and criminal prosecutions. If any of these events were to occur, it could materially adversely affect us. In addition, the FDA could disagree with our conclusion that one or more of our HCT/Ps meet the criteria for marketing solely under Section 361 of the PHSA, and therefore that one or more of the HCT/Ps require licensure, approval or clearance of a marketing application. The FDA could conclude that the tissue is more than minimally manipulated, that the product is intended for a non-homologous use, that the product is combined with another article, or that the product has a systemic effect or is dependent on the metabolic activity of living cells for its primary function. The FDA could also determine that a modification to an HCT/P makes it ineligible for regulation solely as a 361 HCT/P. If the FDA were to draw these conclusions, it would likely require clinical studies conducted pursuant to an investigational new drug application ("IND") and the submission and licensure, approval or clearance of a marketing application in order for us to continue to market the product. Such an action by the FDA could cause negative publicity, decreased or discontinued product sales, and significant expense in obtaining required marketing licensure, approval or clearance. Other regulatory entities with authority over our products and operations include state agencies enforcing statutes and regulations covering tissue banking. Regulations issued by Florida, New York, California and Maryland are particularly relevant to our business. Most states do not currently have tissue banking regulations. It is possible that others may make allegations against us or against donor recovery groups or tissue banks about non-compliance with applicable FDA regulations or other relevant statutes or regulations. Allegations like these could cause regulators or other authorities to take investigative or other action or could cause negative publicity for our business and the industry in which we operate.

Due to limited funding, our research and development efforts and ability to develop new products have been constrained during the past several years. We may be unable to compete effectively with our competitors unless we can keep up with existing or new products and technologies in the markets in which we compete. If we do not continue to innovate, develop, introduce and market new products and technologies, or if those products and technologies are not accepted, we may not be successful. Moreover, research and development efforts require a substantial investment of time and resources before we are adequately able to determine the commercial viability of a new product, technology, material, or innovation and our current and recent annual operating plans have not provided for any significant investment in new products. Demand for our products also could change in ways we may not anticipate due to evolving customer needs, changes in customer health insurance coverage, changing demographics, slow industry growth rates, declines in our markets, the introduction of new products and technologies, evolving surgical philosophies, and evolving industry standards, among others. Additionally, our competitors' new products and technologies may beat our products to market, may be more effective or less expensive than our products, or may render our products obsolete. It is also important that we carefully manage our introduction of new and enhanced products and technologies. If potential customers delay purchases until new or enhanced products are available, it could negatively impact our revenue. Our new products and technologies also could reduce demand for or render our existing products obsolete and thus adversely affect sales of our existing products and lead to increased expense for excess and obsolete inventory.

We rely on patents, trade secrets, copyrights, know-how, trademarks, license agreements, and contractual provisions to establish our intellectual property rights and protect our products. These legal means, however, afford only limited protection and may not completely protect our rights. For example, competitors may be able to design around some of our intellectual property rights to develop competing but non-infringing technologies. In addition, we cannot be assured that any of our pending patent applications will issue. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (or an applicable foreign intellectual property office) may deny or require a significant narrowing of the claims in its pending patent applications and the patents issuing from such applications. Any patents issuing from pending patent applications may not provide us with significant commercial protection or sufficient commercial protection to prevent competitors from utilizing similar but non-infringing technologies. We could incur substantial costs in proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. These proceedings could result in adverse decisions as to the priority of our inventions and the narrowing or invalidation of claims in issued patents. In addition, the laws of some of the countries in which our products are or may be sold may not protect our intellectual property to the same extent as U.S. laws or at all. We also may be unable to protect our rights in trade secrets and unpatented proprietary technology in these countries. Additionally, patents and certain other intellectual property rights are not perpetual, and third parties will be able to utilize the subject rights upon expiration. In addition, we hold licenses from third parties that are necessary to utilize certain technologies used in the design and manufacturing of some of our products. The loss of such licenses could prevent us from manufacturing, marketing, and selling these products, which could harm our business. If we, or the other parties from whom we would license intellectual property, fail to obtain and maintain adequate patent or other intellectual property protection for intellectual property used in our products, or if any protection is reduced or eliminated, others could use the intellectual property used in our products, resulting in harm to our competitive business position. We seek to protect our trade secrets, know-how, and other unpatented proprietary technology, in part, with confidentiality agreements with our employees, independent distributors, and consultants. We cannot be assured, however, that the agreements will not be breached, adequate remedies for any breach would be available, or our trade secrets, know-how, and other unpatented proprietary technology will not otherwise become known to or independently developed by our competitors.

Although our revenue from outside the United States comprised only 5% of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, we expect our revenue from outside the United States to comprise a larger percentage of our total revenue in future years as a result of our acquisition of Surgalign Holdings' hardware and biologics business in August 2023, which operates in part through international subsidiaries. Our international sales operations and newly acquired international subsidiaries expose us and our representatives, agents, and distributors to the following risks inherent in operating in foreign jurisdictions: - the imposition of additional U.S. and foreign governmental controls or regulations on orthopedic implants and biologic products;- withdrawal from or revision to international trade policies or agreements and the imposition or increases in import and export licensing and other compliance requirements, customs duties and tariffs, import and export quotas and other trade restrictions, license obligations, and other non-tariff barriers to trade;- economic instability and currency risk between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies in our markets;- political instability, including instability related to the war between Russia and Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas;- the imposition of U.S. or international sanctions against a country, company, person, or entity with whom we do business that would restrict or prohibit continued business with that country, company, person, or entity;- the imposition of restrictions on the activities of foreign agents, representatives and distributors;- scrutiny of foreign tax authorities, which could result in significant fines, penalties and additional taxes being imposed upon us;- difficulties in managing and staffing international operations and increases in infrastructure costs including legal, tax, accounting and information technology;- risks related to complying with accounting rules and regulations in foreign jurisdictions and consolidating the financial statements of our international subsidiaries in our financial statements;- a shortage of high-quality international salespeople and distributors;- loss of any key personnel who possess proprietary knowledge or are otherwise important to our success in international markets;- changes in third-party reimbursement policy that may require some of the patients who receive our products to directly absorb medical costs or that may necessitate our reducing selling prices for our products;- unexpected changes in foreign regulatory requirements;- differing local product preferences and product requirements;- changes in tariffs and other trade restrictions, particularly related to the exportation of our biologic products;- difficulties in protecting, enforcing and defending intellectual property rights;- foreign currency exchange controls that might prevent us from repatriating cash;- longer payment cycles and difficulties in enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through certain foreign legal systems;- transportation delays and interruptions, including due to recent supply chain and shipping disruptions;- national and international conflicts, including foreign policy changes, acts of war or terrorist acts;- complex data privacy requirements and labor relations laws; and - exposure to different legal and political standards.