UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
(Mark One)
| x | ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003
Or
| ¨ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to .
Commission File Number: 000-26727
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 68-0397820 | |
| (State of other jurisdiction of Incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
| 371 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., #210, Novato, California |
94949 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |
Registrants telephone number: (415) 506-6700
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Act:
Common Stock, $.001 par value
Preferred Share Purchase Rights
(Title of Class)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers in response to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained in this form, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes x No ¨
The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2003 was $600,062,098. The number of shares of common stock, $0.001 par value, outstanding on February 20, 2004 was 64,228,241.
The documents incorporated by reference are as follows:
Portions of the Registrants Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held May 5, 2004, are incorporated by reference into Part III.
BIOMARIN PHARMACEUTICAL INC.
Part I
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements as defined under securities laws. Many of these statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as believes, expects, anticipates, plans, may, will, projects, continues, estimates, potential, opportunity and so on. These forward-looking statements may be found in the Factors That May Affect Future Results, Description of Business, and other sections of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our actual results or experience could differ significantly from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those discussed in Factors That May Affect Future Results, as well as those discussed elsewhere in this Form 10-K. You should carefully consider that information before you make an investment decision.
You should not place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered in connection with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we may issue in the future. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements after completion of the filing of this Form 10-K to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Item 1. Description of Business
Overview
We focus on developing and commercializing first-to-market biopharmaceuticals to improve the lives of people living with life-threatening diseases or serious medical conditions. We select product candidates for diseases and conditions that represent both a significant medical need and also have well-understood biology.
Our first product, Aldurazyme® (laronidase), has been approved for marketing in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the European Union (E.U.) by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) and other countries for the treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) disease. MPS I is a debilitating and life-threatening genetic disease caused by the deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase, an enzyme normally required for breaking down certain complex carbohydrates. MPS I is a progressive disease that afflicts patients from birth and leads to severe disabilities and early death. As the first drug approved for MPS I, Aldurazyme has been granted orphan drug status in the U.S. and the E.U., which gives Aldurazyme seven years of market exclusivity in the U.S. and 10 years of market exclusivity in the E.U. for the treatment of MPS I. We have developed Aldurazyme through a joint venture with Genzyme Corporation (Genzyme).
We are developing other enzyme-based therapeutics for the treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions. In October 2003, we completed enrollment in a Phase 3 trial of Aryplase (recombinant, human N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase) for the treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI), another progressive and seriously debilitating genetic disease for which no drug treatment currently exists. MPS VI is caused by the deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase (arylsulfatase B), another enzyme normally required for the breakdown of certain complex carbohydrates. We expect to complete the Phase 3 trial by April 2004 and to announce data in June 2004. Pending positive data and regulatory review, we expect to file for marketing authorization in the U.S. and E.U. in the fourth quarter of 2004. We have received orphan drug designation for Aryplase for the treatment of MPS VI in the U.S. and the E.U. We are also developing Vibrilase, an investigational topical enzyme therapy for use in the debridement of serious burns. A Phase 1 clinical trial of this product is currently under way in the United Kingdom and we expect it to be completed in the first quarter of 2004.
We are developing Phenoptin, a proprietary oral form of tetrahydrobiopterin (6R-BH4), for the treatment of moderate to mild forms of phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is a genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of an
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enzyme, phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), which is required for the metabolism of phenylalanine (Phe), an amino acid found in most protein-containing foods. Without sufficient quantity or activity of PAH, Phe accumulates to abnormally high levels in the blood resulting in a variety of serious neurological complications. PKU affects at least 50,000 diagnosed patients under the age of 40 in the developed world and approximately half of PKU patients have a moderate to mild form of the disease. If approved, Phenoptin could become the first prescription drug for the treatment of PKU. In November 2003, we entered into an agreement with Merck Eprova AG, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, for the development and manufacturing of Phenoptin. We expect to begin clinical trials with Phenoptin in 2004. In addition, we are pursuing preclinical development of several other enzyme product candidates for genetic and other diseases. We have retained all worldwide commercial rights to all of our product candidates.
In September 2003, we announced that we halted our Phase 3a study of Neutralase for the reversal of anticoagulation by heparin in primary coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and that we have terminated the Neutralase program for all indications. Heparin is a carbohydrate drug commonly used as an anticoagulant in a range of surgical procedures such as CABG surgery. Neutralase is a carbohydrate-modifying enzyme that cleaves heparin, restoring the normal coagulation of blood and potentially aiding patient recovery following surgery. The decision to halt the Phase 3a study resulted from a recommendation from an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) and was based on a review of data from enrolled patients, which indicated with high probability that Neutralase would not have demonstrated favorable safety and efficacy if the study was allowed to proceed to completion. Given the expected risk/benefit profile for Neutralase, we decided to stop development of the drug for all indications.
Our principal executive offices are located at 371 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Suite 210, Novato, California 94949 and our telephone number is (415) 506-6700. BioMarin, Aryplase, Vibrilase, Phenoptin, Neutralase, Phenylase, and Neuro Trans are our trademarks. Aldurazyme is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act are available free of charge on our web site at www.BMRN.com as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such reports with the SEC. Information contained in our website is not part of this report.
Recent Developments
Initiation of Clinical Program for Treatment of PKU
On February 23, 2004, we announced that we initiated our clinical program for the treatment of PKU. The first pilot trial, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2004, will evaluate PKU patient responsiveness to the enzyme cofactor 6R-BH4. The aim of this study is to define the screening method that will be used to identify the population of PKU patients that will most likely respond to Phenoptin in future clinical trials. The study will evaluate the effect of five different 6R-BH4 regimens on blood phenylalanine levels. The open-label study will enroll 20 PKU patients over eight years of age and will be conducted at two sites.
Assembly of Leading Metabolic Disease Experts to Guide PKU Product Development Program
On February 2, 2004, we announced that we assembled a PKU advisory board comprised of renowned experts in PKU and other metabolic diseases. The advisory board will play an important role in guiding and participating in our PKU product development programs. Collectively the members of the advisory board have been responsible for many of the major scientific and medical discoveries leading to effective screening, diagnosis, and management of PKU and other metabolic diseases.
New Approach for Improving the Efficacy of Enzyme and Protein Replacement Therapies
On December 29, 2003, we announced the results of a BioMarin-led study presented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study demonstrated a substantial reduction in the long-term immune response to specific enzyme replacement therapies in an animal model, without the continued use of immunosuppressive drugs. The immune response induced by certain protein-based drugs can reduce the efficacy
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and safety of treatment and is an increasingly common medical problem caused by the emergence of protein-based drugs used to treat chronic diseases.
Development of Phenoptin
On November 20, 2003, we announced plans to begin clinical trials in 2004 with Phenoptin, an enzyme cofactor that is a second generation, proprietary oral form of tetrahydrobiopterin, for the treatment of moderate to mild forms of PKU. PKU is a genetic disease that affects at least 50,000 diagnosed patients under the age of 40 in the developed world. If approved, Phenoptin could become the first drug for the treatment of PKU. Phenoptin, taken orally, could be useful for PKU patients with mild to moderate forms of the condition, which represents approximately half of the PKU population. In November 2003, we entered into an agreement with Merck Eprova AG, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, for the development and manufacturing of Phenoptin.
Long-Term Results from Ongoing Phase 1 and Phase 2 Clinical Studies of Aryplase for MPS VI
On November 6, 2003, we announced positive long-term results from Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical studies of Aryplase, an investigational enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of MPS VI. Long-term data from both studies indicate that Aryplase is generally well-tolerated and that patients continue to benefit from Aryplase treatment.
Aldurazyme
Our first commercial product, Aldurazyme, an enzyme replacement therapy, has been approved in the U.S. by the FDA, in the E.U. by the EMEA and in other countries for the treatment of MPS I. MPS I is a genetic disease caused by the deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase. Patients with MPS I typically get progressively worse and experience multiple severe and debilitating symptoms resulting from the build-up of carbohydrate residues in all tissues in the body. These symptoms include: inhibited growth, delayed and regressed mental development (in the severe form), enlarged liver and spleen, joint deformities and reduced range of motion, impaired cardiovascular and heart function, upper airway obstruction, reduced pulmonary function, frequent ear and lung infections, impaired hearing and vision, sleep apnea, malaise and reduced endurance. Most patients with MPS I die from complications associated with the disease as children or teenagers. About 3,400 individuals in developed countries have MPS I, including about 1,000 in the U.S. and Canada.
Aldurazyme is a specific form of recombinant human alpha-L-iduronidase that replaces the deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase in MPS I patients, thus reducing or eliminating the build-up of certain complex carbohydrates in the lysosomes of cells. Our clinical studies demonstrated that by eliminating this carbohydrate build-up, Aldurazyme is able to improve pulmonary capacity and endurance. Based upon our clinical studies, Aldurazyme may reduce other symptoms experienced by these patients, including joint stiffness, fatigue, poor visual acuity, airway obstruction and poor weight and height gain.
In 1998, we formed a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme for the worldwide development and commercialization of Aldurazyme. We are responsible for product development, manufacturing and U.S. regulatory submissions. Genzyme is responsible for sales, marketing, distribution, obtaining reimbursement for Aldurazyme worldwide and international regulatory submissions. See Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsBioMarin/Genzyme LLC for discussion of the financial results of Aldurazyme.
The FDA has granted Aldurazyme orphan drug designation, which provides our joint venture with exclusive rights to market Aldurazyme for the treatment of MPS I in the U.S. for seven years from the date of FDA approval. In addition, the EMEA has granted Aldurazyme orphan drug designation, giving it 10 years of market exclusivity in the E.U. However, different drugs can be approved for the same condition if they are determined to have a better safety and efficacy profile than Aldurazyme.
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Aryplase
We are developing Aryplase as an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of MPS VI, a debilitating genetic disease similar to MPS I. Aryplase is a specific form of recombinant human N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase. Aryplase has received fast track designation from the FDA as well as orphan drug designation for the treatment of MPS VI in the U.S. and in the E.U. In March 2002, we initiated an open-label, international Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of weekly intravenous infusions of 1.0 mg/kg of Aryplase in 10 MPS VI patients. The 24-week trial was completed in January 2003 and results demonstrated that Aryplase is well-tolerated and is associated with improvements in several clinical endpoints. Among other positive results, on average, subjects demonstrated a 62 percent and 98 percent improvement in distance walked at six minutes and 12 minutes, respectively, during a 12-minute walk test. Additionally, on average, subjects demonstrated an improvement of 110 percent over base line in the number of stairs climbed during a 3-minute test. We completed enrolling patients in an international, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial of Aryplase in October 2003. We expect to complete the Phase 3 trial by April 2004. If the trial results are positive, we plan to file for U.S. and E.U. marketing authorization in the fourth quarter of 2004.
Other Product Development Programs
Phenoptin and Phenylase
We are developing Phenoptin and Phenylase as potential treatments for patients with PKU, a genetic disease in which the body cannot properly metabolize Phe, an essential amino acid found in most protein-containing foods. If left untreated, elevated blood Phe levels can lead to a variety of complications, including severe mental retardation and brain damage, mental illness, seizures and tremors and other cognitive problems. Phenoptin is intended to treat patients with the mild to moderate forms of PKU, which represents approximately half of the PKU cases. In November 2003, we announced plans to begin clinical development of Phenoptin, a proprietary oral form of tetrahydrobiopterin, for the treatment of PKU. Tetrahydrobiopertin is an essential cofactor for the metabolism of Phe. We have entered into an agreement with Merck Eprova AG, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, for the development and manufacturing of Phenoptin.
We are developing Phenylase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), as an injectable enzyme therapy for PKU. Phenylase is currently in preclinical development and is intended for PKU patients who do not respond to Phenoptin, most likely those with the more severe form of PKU. In preclinical models, Phenylase produced a rapid, dose-dependent reduction in blood Phe levels. We plan to conduct additional preclinical studies of Phenylase and, if the preclinical study results are positive, to file an investigational new drug application (IND) in 2005.
Currently there are no approved drug therapies for the treatment of PKU. To control Phe blood levels, people with PKU must adhere to a highly-restrictive and unpalatable medical food diet. Compliance with this diet is difficult and usually only occurs through middle childhood, a critical period to ensure normal brain development. Recent data demonstrates that adolescent and adult PKU patients who no longer follow restricted diets suffer from a number of psychological and neurological symptoms. In October 2000, a Consensus Panel convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), concluded that all people with PKU should adhere to this special diet throughout their lives. Phenoptin and Phenylase are intended to provide PKU patients with a more convenient way to manage their disease and enable them to eat a more normal diet.
Vibrilase
We are developing Vibrilase as a topically applied enzyme for the debridement of serious burns. In the fourth quarter of 2001, we initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial of this product candidate in the United Kingdom. We completed the Phase 1a portion of the trial in March 2003 and we expect to complete the Phase 1b trial in the first quarter of 2004. Upon completion of this trial, we expect to evaluate the potential to out license this product.
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Platform Technologies
BioMarin is developing two platform technologies to help overcome limitations associated with current pharmaceuticals: NeuroTrans and Immune Tolerance.
NeuroTrans
NeuroTrans is a novel technology that is designed to allow large molecules such as proteins, to be transported efficiently across the blood-brain barrier by means of traditional intravenous delivery. We are exploring the delivery of enzymes to the brain for the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders and will be seeking partners to evaluate the applicability of NeuroTrans for the delivery of other therapeutics such as neurotrophic factors and cancer drugs. Pending positive results of preclinical studies, we are planning to file an IND and initiate a Phase 1 trial of NeuroTrans in 2005.
Immune Tolerance Technology
We are evaluating the potential applicability of our proprietary immune tolerance technology to address the immune response induced by protein-based therapies, including those used for the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders, hemophilia A, and other medical conditions. In December 2003, we announced results of a BioMarin-led study presented in the PNAS that evaluated this immune tolerance technology. The study demonstrated a substantial reduction in the long-term immune response to specific enzyme replacement therapies in an animal model, without the continued use of immunosuppressive drugs. The immune response induced by certain protein-based drugs can reduce the efficacy and safety of treatment and is an increasingly common medical problem caused by the emergence of protein-based drugs used to treat chronic diseases. We expect to conduct preclinical studies of our immune tolerance technology in 2004.
Manufacturing
Aldurazyme and Aryplase require the manufacture of recombinant enzymes. We believe that we will be able to manufacture sufficient quantities of these recombinant enzymes for clinical trials and commercial sales in part because relatively low doses are required for treatment and because the targeted patient populations are small. In general, we expect to contract with outside service providers for certain manufacturing services, including final product fill and finish operations for our genetic disease drug products and bulk enzyme production for clinical and early commercial production of our other drug products. In the case of Phenoptin for PKU, the enzyme cofactor will be manufactured by Merck Eprova AG.
We are manufacturing Aldurazyme and Aryplase in our current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) production facility located in Novato, California (Galli Drive). This facility is approximately 54,000 square feet and includes support areas, housing utilities, laboratories and support functions. We have supported the commercial launch of Aldurazyme from this facility. Vialing and packaging of Aldurazyme is performed by either our joint venture partner or contract manufacturers and vialing and packaging of Aryplase is performed by contract manufacturers. We also have approximately 16,000 square feet of warehouse space and quality control laboratories located near our cGMP facility. We believe that our current facilities have ample operating capacity to support the commercial demand of both Aldurazyme and Aryplase through at least the remainder of this decade.
The manufacturing facilities in Novato have been licensed by the FDA and EMEA. They have been inspected, but not yet licensed, by the Health Products and Foods Branch of Health Canada. These facilities, and those of any third-party manufacturers, will be subject to periodic inspections confirming compliance with applicable law. Our facilities must be cGMP certified before we can manufacture our drugs for commercial sales. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the shutdown of our facilities or the assessment of fines or other penalties.
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Sales and Marketing
We have minimal experience marketing or selling pharmaceutical products. To commercially market Aldurazyme and our other products once the necessary regulatory approvals are obtained, we must either develop our own sales and marketing force or enter into arrangements with third parties.
We established a joint venture with Genzyme for the worldwide development and commercialization of Aldurazyme for the treatment of MPS I. Under the joint venture, Genzyme is responsible for sales, marketing, distribution, obtaining reimbursement for Aldurazyme worldwide and international regulatory submissions.
In the future, we may develop the capability to market and sell our drug products that are targeted at small or concentrated patient populations. In this scenario we would likely supplement internal resources with support from distributors or other collaborators.
Patents and Proprietary Rights
Our success relies on an intellectual property portfolio that supports our future revenue streams and also erects barriers to our competitors. We are maintaining and building our patent portfolio through: filing new patent applications; prosecuting existing applications; licensing and acquiring new patents and patent applications; and enforcing our issued patents. Furthermore, we seek to protect our ownership of know-how, trade secrets and trademarks through an active program of legal mechanisms including assignments, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, research collaborations and licenses.
Our number of issued patents now stands at one hundred and twenty-two (122) patents including twenty-one (21) patents issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Furthermore, our portfolio of pending patent applications totals one hundred and four (104) applications, including twenty-nine (29) pending U.S. applications.
The issuance of three core patents has strengthened our patent position for Aldurazyme. U.S. Patent No: 6,426,208 covers our ultra-pure alpha-L-iduronidase composition or Aldurazyme and U.S. Patent No. 6,585,971 describes methods of treating deficiencies of alpha-L-iduronidase by administering pharmaceutical compositions comprising such ultra-pure alpha-L-iduronidase. The third U.S. patent, 6,569,661, details a method of purifying such ultra-pure alpha-L-iduronidase. The issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,455,494 encompasses claims related to the use of our NeuroTrans technology in treating the neurological manifestations of lysosomal diseases.
As discussed within Competition below, the USPTO has issued three patents to a third party on alpha-L-iduronidase, which have been licensed to Transkaryotic Therapies Inc. On October 8, 2003, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies Inc. announced their collaboration to develop and commercialize an unrelated drug product. In connection with the collaboration agreement, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies Inc. signed a global legal settlement involving an exchange of non-suits between the companies. As part of this exchange, Transkaryotic Therapies Inc. has agreed not to initiate any patent litigation against Genzyme or our joint venture relating to Aldurazyme. If any or all of the patents are deemed (or ruled) to cover Aldurazyme, the joint venture may be required to reach additional accommodations with the holder of the patents.
Government Regulation
Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997
The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 was enacted, in part, to ensure the availability of safe and effective drugs and medical devices by expediting the FDA review process for new products. The Modernization Act establishes a statutory program for the approval of fast track products. The fast track provisions essentially codify the FDAs accelerated approval regulations for drugs. A fast track product is defined as a new drug intended for the treatment of a serious or life-threatening condition that demonstrates the
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potential to address unmet medical needs for that condition. Under the fast track program, the sponsor of a new drug may request that the FDA designate the drug as a fast track product at any time during the clinical development of the product. The Modernization Act specifies that the FDA must determine if the product qualifies for fast track designation within 60 days of receipt of the sponsors request.
Approval of a license application for a fast track product can be based on a clinical endpoint or on a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit. Approval of a license application for a fast track product based on a surrogate endpoint may be subject to post-approval studies to validate the surrogate endpoint or confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint and prior review of all promotional materials. If a preliminary review of the clinical data suggests that the product is effective, the FDA may initiate review of sections of a license application for a fast track product before the application is complete. This rolling review is available if the applicant provides a schedule for submission of remaining information and pays applicable user fees. However, the time period specified in the Prescription Drug User Fees Act, which governs the time period goals the FDA has committed to reviewing a license application, does not begin until the complete application is submitted.
The FDA has designated Aryplase a fast track product for the treatment of MPS VI. We cannot predict the ultimate impact, if any, of the fast track process on the timing or likelihood of FDA approval of Aryplase or any of our other potential products.
Orphan Drug Designation
Aldurazyme and Aryplase have received orphan drug designation from the FDA. Orphan drug designation is granted by the FDA to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which for this program is defined as having a prevalence less than 200,000 individuals in the U.S. Orphan drug designation must be requested before submitting a license application. After the FDA grants orphan drug designation, the generic identity of the therapeutic agent and its potential orphan use are disclosed publicly by the FDA. A similar system for orphan drug designation exists in the E.U. Both Aldurazyme and Aryplase received orphan medicinal product designation by the European Commission.
Orphan drug designation does not shorten the regulatory review and approval process for an orphan drug, nor does it give that drug any advantage in the regulatory review and approval process. If an orphan drug later receives approval for the indication for which it has designation, the relevant regulatory authority may not approve any other applications to market the same drug for the same indication, except in very limited circumstances, for seven years in the U.S. and 10 years in Europe. Aldurazyme has obtained orphan drug exclusivity in both the U.S. and E.U. Although obtaining approval to market a product with orphan drug exclusivity may be advantageous, we cannot be certain:
| | that we will be the first to obtain approval for any drug for which we obtain orphan drug designation; |
| | that orphan drug designation will result in any commercial advantage or reduce competition; or |
| | that the limited exceptions to this exclusivity will not be invoked by the relevant regulatory authority. |
Competition
The biopharmaceutical industry is rapidly evolving and highly competitive. The following is a summary competitive analysis for known competitive threats for each of our major biopharmaceutical product programs:
Aldurazyme
Other than Aldurazyme, there are currently no approved drugs for the treatment of MPS I. Bone marrow transplantation has been used to treat severely affected patients, generally under the age of two, with some
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success. Bone marrow transplantation is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates as well as with problems inherent in the procedure itself, including graft vs. host disease, graft rejection and donor availability, which severely limit its utility and application.
Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. has announced that three U.S. patents on alpha-L-iduronidase had been issued and that these patents had been exclusively licensed to Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. We have examined such issued U.S. patents, related U.S. and foreign applications and their file histories, the prior art and other information available as of the date of this report. Corresponding foreign applications were filed in Canada, Europe and Japan. The European application was abandoned and cannot be refiled, whereas the Canadian and Japanese applications are still pending and are being prosecuted by the applicants. We believe that such patents and patent applications may not survive a challenge to patent validity. However, the processes of patent law are uncertain and any patent proceeding is subject to multiple unanticipated outcomes. We believe that it is in the best interest of our joint venture with Genzyme to market Aldurazyme with commercial diligence, in order to provide MPS I patients with the benefits of Aldurazyme.
On October 8, 2003, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. announced their collaboration to develop and commercialize an unrelated drug product. In connection with the collaboration agreement, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. signed a global legal settlement involving an exchange of non-suits between the companies. As part of this exchange, Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. has agreed not to initiate any patent litigation against Genzyme or our joint venture relating to Aldurazyme. If any or all of the patents are deemed (or ruled) to cover our products, the joint venture may need to reach additional accommodations with the holder of the patents.
These patents, and patent applications, do not affect our ability to market Aldurazyme in Europe. As described above, a European patent application with similar claims was rejected by the European Patent Office, abandoned by the applicants, and cannot be refiled.
Aryplase
We know of no active competitive program for enzyme replacement therapy for MPS VI that has entered clinical trials.
Gene therapy is a potential competitive threat to enzyme replacement therapies for both MPS I and MPS VI. We know of no competitive program using gene therapy for the treatment of either MPS I or MPS VI that has entered clinical trials.
Phenoptin and Phenylase
There are currently no approved drugs for the treatment of PKU. PKU is commonly treated with a medical food diet that is highly-restrictive and unpalatable. We perceive medical foods as a complement to Phenoptin and Phenylase and not a significant competitive threat. Dietary supplements of large neutral amino acids (LNAA) have also been used in the treatment of PKU. This treatment may be a competitive threat to Phenoptin and Phenylase. However, due to LNAA being a dietary supplement, the FDA has not evaluated any claims of efficacy.
With respect to Phenoptin, we are aware of two other companies that produce forms of tetrahydrobiopterin, and that tetrahydrobiopterin has been used in certain instances for the treatment of PKU. We do not believe that either of these companies are currently actively developing tetrahydrobiopterin as a drug product to treat PKU in the U.S. or E.U. Although a significant amount of specialized knowledge and resources would be required to develop tetrahydrobiopterin as a drug product to treat PKU in the U.S. and E.U., these companies may build or acquire the capability to do so. Additionally, we are aware of another company that is developing a gene therapy to treat PKU, however the therapy is in an early stage of development.
Vibrilase
Other enzymatic products exist which might be possibly used for the debridement of serious second or third degree burns. Those products in their current form have not captured any meaningful share of the debridement
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function in the treatment of burn patients. We know of no clinical program of a new enzymatic product for the debridement of serious burns. The primary competition for Vibrilase continues to be surgical debridement.
Employees
As of February 20, 2004, we had 272 full-time employees, 157 of whom are in operations, 77 of whom are in research and development and 38 of whom are in administration.
We consider our employee relations to be good. Our employees are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We have not experienced employment related work stoppages.
FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. We operate in a dynamic and rapidly changing industry that involves numerous risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Other risks and uncertainties, including those that we do not currently consider material, may impair our business. If any of the risks discussed below actually occur, our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flows could be materially adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
If we continue to incur operating losses for a period longer than anticipated, we may be unable to continue our operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or discontinue operations.
Since we began operations in March 1997, we have been engaged primarily in research and development and have operated at a net loss for the entire time. Our first product, Aldurazyme, was approved for commercial sale in the U.S. and the E.U. and has generated approximately $11.5 million in sales revenue to date. We have no sales revenues from our product candidates. As of December 31, 2003, we had an accumulated deficit of $301.4 million. We expect to continue to operate at a net loss for the foreseeable future. Our future profitability depends on the successful commercialization of Aldurazyme by our joint venture partner, Genzyme, our receiving regulatory approval of our product candidates and our ability to successfully manufacture and market any approved drugs, either by ourselves or jointly with others. The extent of our future losses and the timing of profitability are highly uncertain. If we fail to become profitable or are unable to sustain profitability on a continuing basis, then we may be unable to continue our operations.
If we fail to obtain the capital necessary to fund our operations, we will be unable to complete our product development programs.
In the future, we may need to raise substantial additional capital to fund operations. We may be unable to raise additional financing when needed due to a variety of factors, including our financial condition, the status of our product programs, and the general condition of the financial markets. If we fail to raise additional financing as we need such funds, we will have to delay or terminate some or all of our product development programs.
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We expect to continue to spend substantial amounts of capital for our operations for the foreseeable future. The amount of capital we will need depends on many factors, including:
| | our ability to successfully commercialize Aldurazyme; |
| | the progress, timing and scope of our preclinical studies and clinical trials; |
| | the time and cost necessary to obtain regulatory approvals; |
| | the time and cost necessary to develop commercial manufacturing processes, including quality systems, and to build or acquire manufacturing capabilities; |
| | the time and cost necessary to respond to technological and market developments; and |
| | any changes made or new developments in our existing collaborative, licensing and other commercial relationships or any new collaborative, licensing and other commercial relationships that we may establish. |
Moreover, our fixed expenses such as rent, license payments, interest expense and other contractual commitments are substantial and will increase in the future. These fixed expenses will increase because we may enter into:
| | additional leases for new facilities and capital equipment; |
| | additional licenses and collaborative agreements; |
| | additional contracts for consulting, maintenance and administrative services; |
| | additional contracts for product manufacturing; and |
| | additional financing facilities. |
We believe that our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investment securities balances at December 31, 2003, will be sufficient to meet our operating and capital requirements through at least the end of 2005. These estimates are based on assumptions and estimates, which may prove to be wrong. As a result, we may need or choose to obtain additional financing during that time.
If we fail to obtain or maintain regulatory approval to commercially manufacture or sell our future drug products, or if approval is delayed, we will be unable to generate revenue from the sale of these products, our potential for generating positive cash flow will be diminished and the capital necessary to fund our operations will be increased.
We must obtain regulatory approval before marketing or selling our drug products in the U.S. and in foreign jurisdictions. In the U.S., we must obtain FDA approval for each drug that we intend to commercialize. The FDA approval process is typically lengthy and expensive, and approval is never certain. Products distributed abroad are also subject to foreign government regulation. Only one of our drug products has received regulatory approval to be commercially marketed and sold in the U.S. and the E.U. If we fail to obtain regulatory approval for our other drugs, we will be unable to market and sell those drug products. Because of the risks and uncertainties in biopharmaceutical development, our drug products could take a significantly longer time to gain regulatory approval than we expect or may never gain approval.
From time to time during the regulatory approval process for Aldurazyme and our product candidates, we maintain discussions with the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities regarding the regulatory requirements of our development programs. To the extent feasible, we accommodate the requests of the regulatory authorities and, to date, we have generally been able to reach reasonable accommodations and resolutions regarding the underlying issues. However, we are often unable to determine the outcome of such deliberations until they are final. Material definitive decisions from the FDA and regulatory authorities are communicated externally on a
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timely basis. If we are unable to effectively and efficiently resolve and comply with the inquiries and requests of the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities, the approval of our product candidates may be delayed and their value may be reduced.
After any of our products receive regulatory approval, they remain subject to ongoing FDA regulation, including, for example, changes to the product labeling, new or revised regulatory requirements for manufacturing practices, reporting adverse reactions and other information, and product recall. The FDA can withdraw a products approval under some circumstances, such as the failure to comply with existing or future regulatory requirements, or unexpected safety issues. If regulatory approval is delayed, or withdrawn, our managements credibility, the value of our company and our operating results will be adversely affected. Additionally, we will be unable to generate revenue from the sale of these products, our potential for generating positive cash flow will be diminished and the capital necessary to fund our operations will be increased.
To obtain regulatory approval to market our products, preclinical studies and costly and lengthy clinical trials will be required and the results of the studies and trials are highly uncertain.
As part of the regulatory approval process, we must conduct, at our own expense, preclinical studies in the laboratory on animals and clinical trials on humans for each drug product. We expect the number of preclinical studies and clinical trials that the regulatory authorities will require will vary depending on the drug product, the disease or condition the drug is being developed to address and regulations applicable to the particular drug. We may need to perform multiple preclinical studies using various doses and formulations before we can begin clinical trials, which could result in delays in our ability to market any of our drug products. Furthermore, even if we obtain favorable results in preclinical studies on animals, the results in humans may be significantly different.
After we have conducted preclinical studies in animals, we must demonstrate that our drug products are safe and efficacious for use on the targeted human patients in order to receive regulatory approval for commercial sale.
Adverse or inconclusive clinical results would stop us from filing for regulatory approval of our drug products. Additional factors that can cause delay or termination of our clinical trials include:
| | slow or insufficient patient enrollment; |
| | slow recruitment of, and completion of necessary institutional approvals at, clinical sites; |
| | longer treatment time required to demonstrate efficacy; |
| | lack of sufficient supplies of the product candidate; |
| | adverse medical events or side effects in treated patients; |
| | lack of effectiveness of the product candidate being tested; and |
| | regulatory requests for additional clinical trials. |
Typically, if a drug product is intended to treat a chronic disease, as is the case with some of the product candidates we are developing, safety and efficacy data must be gathered over an extended period of time, which can range from six months to three years or more.
The independent DSMB for the Neutralase Phase 3a clinical study recommended termination of the Phase 3a study as it determined that the advantages of Neutralase would be unlikely to outweigh its side effects. The study data included two patient deaths. One patient that died was found to have used protamine and not Neutralase. The other patient that died used Neutralase; however, it is our belief, based on the data that has been unblinded to date, that the cause of death was not likely related to Neutralase. Based upon the expected risk/benefit profile of Neutralase, we terminated the Neutralase development program for all indications.
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The fast track designation for our product candidates may not actually lead to a faster review process and a delay in the review process or approval of our products will delay revenue from the sale of the products and will increase the capital necessary to fund these programs.
Aryplase has obtained fast track designation, which provides certain advantageous procedures and guidelines with respect to the review by the FDA of the Common Technical Document (CTD) for this product and which may result in our receipt of an initial response from the FDA earlier than would be received if this product had not received a fast track designation. However, these procedures and guidelines do not guarantee that the total review process will be faster or that approval will be obtained, if at all, earlier than would be the case if the product had not received fast track designation. If the review process or approval for Aryplase is delayed, realizing revenue from the sale of Aryplase will be delayed and the capital necessary to fund this program will be increased.
We will not be able to sell our products if we fail to comply with manufacturing regulations.
Before we can begin commercial manufacture of our products, we must obtain regulatory approval of our manufacturing facilities and processes. In addition, manufacture of our drug products must comply with cGMP regulations. The cGMP regulations govern facility compliance, quality control and documentation policies and procedures. Our manufacturing facilities are continuously subject to inspection by the FDA, the State of California and foreign regulatory authorities, before and after product approval. Our Galli Drive and our Bel Marin Keys Boulevard manufacturing facilities have been inspected and licensed by the State of California for clinical pharmaceutical manufacture and our Galli Drive facility has been approved by the FDA and the EMEA for the commercial manufacture of Aldurazyme.
Due to the complexity of the processes used to manufacture Aldurazyme and our product candidates, we may be unable to pass federal or international regulatory inspections in a cost effective manner. For the same reason, any potential third party manufacturer of Aldurazyme or our product candidates may be unable to comply with cGMP regulations in a cost effective manner. If we are unable to comply with manufacturing regulations, we will not be able to sell our products.
If we fail to obtain or maintain orphan drug exclusivity for some of our products, our competitors may sell products to treat the same conditions and our revenues will be reduced.
As part of our business strategy, we intend to develop some drugs that may be eligible for FDA and European Community orphan drug designation. Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may designate a product as an orphan drug if it is a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, defined as a patient population of less than 200,000 in the U.S. The company that first obtains FDA approval for a designated orphan drug for a given rare disease receives marketing exclusivity for use of that drug for the stated condition for a period of seven years. Orphan drug exclusive marketing rights may be lost if the FDA later determines that the request for designation was materially defective, or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantity of the drug. Similar regulations are available in the E.U. with a 10-year period of market exclusivity.
Because the extent and scope of patent protection for some of our drug products is particularly limited, orphan drug designation is especially important for our products that are eligible for orphan drug designation. For eligible drugs, we plan to rely on the exclusivity period under the orphan drug designation to maintain a competitive position. If we do not obtain orphan drug exclusivity for our drug products that do not have patent protection, our competitors may then sell the same drug to treat the same condition.
Even though we have obtained orphan drug designation for certain of our product candidates and even if we obtain orphan drug designation for other products we develop, due to the uncertainties associated with developing pharmaceutical products, we may not be the first to obtain marketing approval for any orphan indication. Further, even if we obtain orphan drug exclusivity for a product, that exclusivity may not effectively
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protect the product from competition because different drugs can be approved for the same condition. Orphan drug designation neither shortens the development time or regulatory review time of a drug, nor gives the drug any advantage in the regulatory review or approval process.
Because the target patient populations for some of our products are small, we must achieve significant market share and obtain high per-patient prices for our products to achieve profitability.
Aldurazyme and Aryplase both target diseases with small patient populations. As a result, our per-patient prices must be relatively high in order to recover our development costs and achieve profitability. Aldurazyme targets patients with MPS I and Aryplase targets patients with MPS VI. We estimate that there are approximately 3,400 patients with MPS I and 1,100 patients with MPS VI in the developed world. We believe that we will need to market worldwide to achieve significant market penetration. In addition, we are developing other drug candidates to treat conditions, such as other genetic diseases and serious burn wounds, with small patient populations. Due to the expected costs of treatment for Aldurazyme and Aryplase, we may be unable to obtain sufficient market share for our drug products at a price high enough to justify our product development efforts.
If we fail to obtain an adequate level of reimbursement for our drug products by third-party payers, the sales of our drugs would be adversely affected or there may be no commercially viable markets for our products.
The course of treatment for patients with MPS I using Aldurazyme and for patients with MPS VI using Aryplase is expected to be expensive. We expect patients to need treatment throughout their lifetimes. We expect that most families of patients will not be capable of paying for this treatment themselves. There will be no commercially viable market for Aldurazyme or Aryplase without reimbursement from third-party payers. Additionally, even if there is a commercially viable market, if the level of reimbursement is below our expectations, our revenue and gross margins will be adversely affected.
Third-party payers, such as government or private health care insurers, carefully review and increasingly challenge the prices charged for drugs. Reimbursement rates from private companies vary depending on the third-party payer, the insurance plan and other factors. Reimbursement systems in international markets vary significantly by country and by region, and reimbursement approvals must be obtained on a country-by-country basis.
We currently have no expertise obtaining reimbursement. We are relying on the expertise of our joint venture partner Genzyme to obtain reimbursement for the costs of Aldurazyme. In addition, we will need to develop our own reimbursement expertise for future drug candidates unless we enter into collaborations with other companies with the necessary expertise. For our future products, we will not know what the reimbursement rates will be until we are ready to market the product and we actually negotiate the rates. If we are unable to obtain sufficiently high reimbursement rates, our products may not be commercially viable or our future revenues and gross margins may be adversely affected.
We expect that, in the future, reimbursement will be increasingly restricted both in the U.S. and internationally. The escalating cost of health care has led to increased pressure on the health care industry to reduce costs. Governmental and private third-party payers have proposed health care reforms and cost reductions. A number of federal and state proposals to control the cost of health care, including the cost of drug treatments, have been made in the U.S. In some foreign markets, the government controls the pricing, which would affect the profitability of drugs. Current government regulations and possible future legislation regarding health care may affect reimbursement for medical treatment by third-party payers, which may render our products not commercially viable or may adversely affect our future revenues and gross margins.
If we are unable to protect our proprietary technology, we may not be able to compete as effectively.
Where appropriate, we seek patent protection for certain aspects of our technology. Patent protection may not be available for some of the products we are developing. If we must spend significant time and money
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protecting our patents, designing around patents held by others or licensing, for large fees, patents or other proprietary rights held by others, our business and financial prospects may be harmed.
The patent positions of biotechnology products are complex and uncertain. The scope and extent of patent protection for some of our products are particularly uncertain because key information on some of the products we are developing has existed in the public domain for many years. Other parties have published the structure of the enzymes and compounds, the methods for purifying or producing the enzymes and compounds or the methods of treatment. The composition and genetic sequences of animal and/or human versions of Aldurazyme and many of our product candidates have been published and are believed to be in the public domain. The composition and genetic sequences of other MPS enzymes that we intend to develop as products have also been published. Publication of this information may prevent us from obtaining composition-of-matter patents, which are generally believed to offer the strongest patent protection.
For enzymes or compounds with no prospect of broad composition-of-matter patents, other forms of patent protection or orphan drug status may provide us with a competitive advantage. As a result of these uncertainties, investors should not rely on patents as a means of protecting our products or product candidates, including Aldurazyme.
We own or license patents and patent applications related to Aldurazyme and certain of our product candidates. However, these patents and patent applications do not ensure the protection of our intellectual property for a number of other reasons, including the following:
| | We do not know whether our patent applications will result in issued patents. For example, we may not have developed a method for treating a disease before others developed similar methods. |
| | Competitors may interfere with our patent process in a variety of ways. Competitors may claim that they invented the claimed invention prior to us. Competitors may also claim that we are infringing on their patents and therefore cannot practice our technology as claimed under our patent. Competitors may also contest our patents by showing the patent examiner that the invention was not original, was not novel or was obvious. In litigation, a competitor could claim that our issued patents are not valid for a number of reasons. If a court agrees, we would lose that patent. As a company, we have no meaningful experience with competitors interfering with our patents or patent applications. |
| | Enforcing patents is expensive and may absorb significant time of our management. Management would spend less time and resources on developing products, which could increase our research and development expenses and delay product programs. |
| | Receipt of a patent may not provide much practical protection. If we receive a patent with a narrow scope, then it will be easier for competitors to design products that do not infringe on our patent. |
In addition, competitors also seek patent protection for their technology. Due to the number of patents in our field of technology, we cannot be certain that we do not infringe on those patents or that we will not infringe on patents granted in the future. If a patent holder believes our product infringes on their patent, the patent holder may sue us even if we have received patent protection for our technology. If someone else claims we infringe on their technology, we would face a number of issues, including the following:
| | Defending a lawsuit takes significant time and can be very expensive. |
| | If the court decides that our product infringes on the competitors patent, we may have to pay substantial damages for past infringement. |
| | The court may prohibit us from selling or licensing the product unless the patent holder licenses the patent to us. The patent holder is not required to grant us a license. If a license is available, we may have to pay substantial royalties or grant cross licenses to our patents. |
| | Redesigning our product so it does not infringe may not be possible or could require substantial funds and time. |
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It is also unclear whether our trade secrets are adequately protected. While we use reasonable efforts to protect our trade secrets, our employees or consultants may unintentionally or willfully disclose our information to competitors. Enforcing a claim that someone else illegally obtained and is using our trade secrets, like patent litigation, is expensive and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the U.S. are sometimes less willing to protect trade secrets. Our competitors may independently develop equivalent knowledge, methods and know-how.
We may also support and collaborate in research conducted by government organizations or by universities. These government organizations and universities may be unwilling to grant us any exclusive rights to technology or products derived from these collaborations prior to entering into the relationship.
If we do not obtain required licenses or rights, we could encounter delays in product development while we attempt to design around other patents or even be prohibited from developing, manufacturing or selling products requiring these licenses. There is also a risk that disputes may arise as to the rights to technology or products developed in collaboration with other parties.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued three patents to a third party that relate to alpha-L-iduronidase. If we are not able to successfully challenge these patents, we may be prevented from producing Aldurazyme in the United States unless and until we obtain a license.
The USPTO has issued three patents to a third party that include composition-of-matter, isolated genomic nucleotide sequences, vectors including the sequences, host cells containing the vectors, and method of use claims for human recombinant alpha-L-iduronidase. Our lead drug product, Aldurazyme, is based on human recombinant alpha-L-iduronidase. We believe that these patents are invalid or not infringed on a number of grounds. A corresponding patent application was filed in the European Patent Office claiming composition-of-matter for human recombinant alpha-L-iduronidase, and it was rejected over prior art and withdrawn and cannot be re-filed. However, corresponding applications are still pending in Canada and Japan, and these applications are being prosecuted by the applicants. We do not know whether any of these applications will issue as patents or the scope of the claims that would issue from these applications. In addition, under U.S. law, issued patents are entitled to a presumption of validity, and our challenges to the U.S. patents may be unsuccessful. Even if we are successful, challenging the U.S. patents may be expensive, require our management to devote significant time to this effort and may adversely impact commercialization of Aldurazyme in the U.S.
The holder of the patents described above has granted an exclusive license for products relating to these patents to one of our competitors, Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. If we are unable to successfully challenge the patents, we may be unable to produce Aldurazyme in the U.S. (or in Canada or Japan, should patents issue in these countries) unless we can reach an accommodation with the patent holder and licensee. Neither the current licensee nor the patent holder is required to grant us a license or other accommodation and even if a license or other accommodation is available, we may have to pay substantial license fees, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.
On October 8, 2003, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. announced their collaboration to develop and commercialize an unrelated drug product. In connection with the collaboration agreement, Genzyme and Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. signed a global legal settlement involving an exchange of non-suits between the companies. As part of this exchange, Transkaryotic Therapies, Inc. has agreed not to initiate any patent litigation against Genzyme or our joint venture relating to Aldurazyme.
If our joint venture with Genzyme were terminated, we could be barred from commercializing Aldurazyme or our ability to successfully commercialize Aldurazyme would be delayed or diminished.
We are relying on Genzyme to apply the expertise it has developed through the launch and sale of other enzyme-based products to the marketing of Aldurazyme. We have no experience selling, marketing or obtaining reimbursement for pharmaceutical products. In addition, without Genzyme we would be required to pursue foreign regulatory approvals. We have no experience in seeking foreign regulatory approvals.
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Either we or Genzyme may terminate the joint venture for specified reasons, including if the other party is in material breach of the agreement or has experienced a change of control or has declared bankruptcy and also is in breach of the agreement. Although we are not currently in breach of the joint venture agreement and we believe that Genzyme is not currently in breach of the joint venture agreement, there is a risk that either party could breach the agreement in the future. Either party may also terminate the agreement upon one year prior written notice for any reason.
If the joint venture is terminated for breach, the non-breaching party would be granted, exclusively, all of the rights to Aldurazyme and any related intellectual property and regulatory approvals and would be obligated to buy out the breaching partys interest in the joint venture. If we are the breaching party, we would lose our rights to Aldurazyme and the related intellectual property and regulatory approvals. If the joint venture is terminated without cause, the non-terminating party would have the option, exercisable for one year, to buy out the terminating partys interest in the joint venture and obtain all rights to Aldurazyme exclusively. In the event of termination of the buy out option without exercise by the non-terminating party as described above, all right and title to Aldurazyme is to be sold to the highest bidder, with the proceeds to be split equally between Genzyme and us.
If the joint venture is terminated by either party because the other declared bankruptcy and is also in breach of the agreement, the terminating party would be obligated to buy out the other and would obtain all rights to Aldurazyme exclusively. If the joint venture is terminated by a party because the other party experienced a change of control, the terminating party shall notify the other party, the offeree, of its intent to buy out the offerees interest in the joint venture for a stated amount set by the terminating party at its discretion. The offeree must then either accept this offer or agree to buy the terminating partys interest in the joint venture on those same terms. The party who buys out the other would then have exclusive rights to Aldurazyme.
If we were obligated, or given the option, to buy out Genzymes interest in the joint venture, and gain exclusive rights to Aldurazyme, we may not have sufficient funds to do so and we may not be able to obtain the financing to do so. If we fail to buy out Genzymes interest we may be held in breach of the agreement and may lose any claim to the rights to Aldurazyme and the related intellectual property and regulatory approvals. We would then effectively be prohibited from developing and commercializing the product.
Termination of the joint venture in which we retain the rights to Aldurazyme could cause us significant difficulties in obtaining third-party reimbursement and delays or failure to obtain foreign regulatory approval, any of which could hurt our business and results of operations. Since Genzyme funds 50% of the joint ventures product inventory and operating expenses, the termination of the joint venture would double our financial burden and reduce the funds available to us for other product programs.
If we are unable to successfully develop manufacturing processes for our drug products to produce sufficient quantities and at acceptable cost, we may be unable to meet demand for our products and lose potential revenue, have reduced margins or be forced to terminate a program.
Although we manufacture Aldurazyme at commercial scale and within our cost parameters, due to the complexity of manufacturing our products we may not be able to manufacture any other drug product successfully with a commercially viable process or at a scale large enough to support their respective commercial markets or at acceptable margins.
Our manufacturing processes may not meet initial expectations and we may encounter problems with any of the following if we attempt to increase the scale or size or improve the commercial viability of our manufacturing processes:
| | design, construction and qualification of manufacturing facilities that meet regulatory requirements; |
| | schedule; |
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| | reproducibility; |
| | production yields; |
| | purity; |
| | costs; |
| | quality control and assurance systems; |
| | shortages of qualified personnel; and |
| | compliance with regulatory requirements. |
Improvements in manufacturing processes typically are very difficult to achieve and are often very expensive and may require extended periods of time to develop. If we contract for manufacturing services with an unproven process, our contractor is subject to the same uncertainties, high standards and regulatory controls.
The availability of suitable contract manufacturing capacity at scheduled or optimum times is not certain. The cost of contract manufacturing is greater than internal manufacturing and therefore our manufacturing processes must be of higher productivity to result in equivalent margins.
We have built-out approximately 54,000 square feet at our Novato facilities for manufacturing capability for Aldurazyme and Aryplase, including related quality control laboratories, materials capabilities, and support areas. We expect to add additional capabilities in stages over time, which could create additional operational complexity and challenges. We expect that developing manufacturing processes for all of our product candidates, including Aryplase, will require significant time and resources before we can begin to manufacture them (or have them manufactured by third parties) in commercial quantity at an acceptable cost.
In order to achieve our product cost targets, we must develop efficient manufacturing processes either by:
| | improving the product yield from our current cell lines, which are populations of cells that have a common genetic makeup; |
| | improving the manufacturing processes licensed from others; or |
| | developing more efficient, lower cost recombinant cell lines and production processes. |
A recombinant cell line is a cell line with foreign DNA inserted that is used to produce an enzyme or other protein that it would not otherwise produce. The development of a stable, high production cell line for any given enzyme or other protein is difficult, expensive and unpredictable and may not result in adequate yields. In addition, the development of protein purification processes is difficult and may not produce the high purity required with acceptable yield and costs or may not result in adequate shelf-lives of the final products. If we are not able to develop efficient manufacturing processes, the investment in manufacturing capacity sufficient to satisfy market demand will be much greater and will place heavy financial demands upon us. If we do not achieve our manufacturing cost targets we may be unable to meet demand for our products and lose potential revenue, have reduced margins or be forced to terminate a program.
In addition, our manufacturing processes subject us to a variety of federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the use, generation, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes resulting from their use. We may incur significant costs in complying with these laws and regulations.
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