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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 10-K

 

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 


 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004

Commission File Number 1-14798

 


 

IVAX Diagnostics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

Delaware   11-3500746
(State or other jurisdiction of   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)   Identification No.)

 

2140 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(305) 324-2300

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 


 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Common Stock,

Par Value $0.01

 

American Stock Exchange

Boston Stock Exchange

(Title of class)   (Name of each exchange on which registered)

 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

 


 

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 preceding 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 pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s 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  ¨    No  x

 

The aggregate market value of the voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 30, 2004, was approximately $44,591,840.

 

As of March 18, 2005, there were 27,019,829 shares of common stock outstanding.

 

Documents Incorporated by Reference: None

 



Table of Contents

IVAX Diagnostics, Inc.

 

Annual Report on Form 10-K

for the year ended December 31, 2004

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page

PART I

Item 1.

 

Business

   1

Item 2.

 

Properties

   7

Item 3.

 

Legal Proceedings

   7

Item 4.

 

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

   8

PART II

Item 5.

 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

   8

Item 6.

 

Selected Financial Data

   8

Item 7.

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation

   9

Item 7A.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

   19

Item 8.

 

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

   20

Item 9.

 

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

   40

Item 9A.

 

Controls and Procedures

   40

Item 9B.

 

Other Information

   41

PART III

Item 10.

 

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

   41

Item 11.

 

Executive Compensation

   44

Item 12.

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters

   46

Item 13.

 

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

   47

Item 14.

 

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

   48

PART IV

Item 15.

 

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

   49


Table of Contents

PART I

 

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

 

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-looking Statements

 

We have made forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of our management and on the information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements may be preceded by, followed by, or otherwise include the words “may,” “will,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “should,” or similar expressions or statements that certain events or conditions may occur. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based largely on our expectations and the beliefs and assumptions of our management and on the information currently available to it and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties associated with: economic, competitive, political, governmental and other factors affecting us and our operations, markets and products; the success of technological, strategic and business initiatives, including our automation strategy and our development and commercial release of our new proprietary instrument system, named the PARSEC System; our ability to receive regulatory approval for the PARSEC System; the performance of the PARSEC System; the ability of the PARSEC System to be a factor in our growth; the ability of the PARSEC System to expand the menu of test kits we offer; making the PARSEC System our primary product; our ability to market the PARSEC System; our customers’ integration of the PARSEC System into their operations; constantly changing, and our compliance with, governmental regulation, including “European Conformity” marking on our products sold throughout the European Union; our adoption or implementation of new accounting statements and pronouncements; our limited operating revenues and history of primarily operational losses; our ability to collect our accounts receivable and to make or change judgments and estimates regarding our allowances for doubtful accounts; our ability to utilize our deferred tax assets and to make or change judgments and estimates regarding our valuation allowances and reserves against our deferred tax assets; our ability to achieve cost advantages from our own manufacture of instrument systems, reagents and test kits; our ability to grow beyond the autoimmune and infectious disease markets and to expand into additional diagnostic test sectors; our ability to internally manufacture our own hepatitis products and raw materials for these products, to obtain regulatory approval for these products and to become competitive in markets outside of the United States; our agreements with IVAX Corporation, or IVAX, third party distributors and key personnel; consolidation of our customers affecting our operations, markets and products; reimbursement policies of governmental and private third parties affecting our operations, markets and products; price constraints imposed by our customers and governmental and private third parties; our ability to consummate potential acquisitions of businesses or products; our ability to integrate acquired businesses or products; protecting our intellectual property; political and economic instability and foreign currency fluctuation affecting our foreign operations; the holding of substantially all of our cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities at a single brokerage firm, including risks relating to the bankruptcy or insolvency of such brokerage firm; litigation regarding products, distribution rights, intellectual property rights and product liability; voting control of our common stock by IVAX; conflicts of interest with IVAX and with our officers, directors and employees; and other factors discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Many of these factors are beyond our control.

 

Business

 

General. We are the parent corporation of the following three subsidiaries:

 

    Delta Biologicals, S.r.l.;

 

    Diamedix Corporation; and

 

    ImmunoVision, Inc.

 

 

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Through these subsidiaries, we develop, manufacture, and market diagnostic test kits, or assays, and automated systems that are used to aid in the detection of disease markers primarily in the areas of autoimmune and infectious diseases. These tests, which are designed to aid in the identification of the causes of illness and disease, assist physicians in selecting appropriate patient treatment. Most of our tests are based on Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, or ELISA, technology, a clinical testing methodology used worldwide. Specific tests are prepared using a 96 well microplate format whereby specific antigens are typically coated on the wells of a microplate during the manufacturing process. A test using ELISA technology involves a series of reagent additions to the microplate causing a reaction that results in a visible color in the wells. The amount of color is directly proportionate to the amount of the specific analyte in the patient sample. Our kits are designed to be performed either manually or in an automated format. In addition to our line of diagnostic kits, we also design and manufacture laboratory instruments that perform the tests and provide fast and accurate results, while reducing labor costs. Our existing proprietary instruments, named the Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems, include a fully-automated ELISA processor operating with our own user-friendly software, allowing customers to perform tests in an automated mode. We have designed our new proprietary instrument system, named the PARSEC System, in a modular format, which we believe should permit different detection technologies to be incorporated. We expect that this design should enable customers to utilize not only ELISA-based kits, but also other methods such as chemiluminescent-based assays in the future. We also believe that the PARSEC System’s design is scalable, which we believe should give customers the ability to “customize” the configuration of the PARSEC System to the testing and work flow requirements of their particular laboratories. We have not yet received regulatory approval for the PARSEC System, nor is it yet available for commercial release. We also develop, manufacture, and market raw materials, such as antigens used in the production of diagnostic kits.

 

Our management reviews financial information, allocates resources and manages the business as two segments defined by geographic region. One segment—the domestic region—contains our subsidiaries located in the United States and corporate operations. Our other segment—the Italian region—contains our subsidiary located in Italy. For additional information about our two segments, see Note 9 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

Delta, which IVAX acquired in 1991, was established in 1980. From its facility located in Pomezia, Italy, it develops and manufactures scientific and laboratory instruments, including its proprietary Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems, which include hardware, reagents, and software. The Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems, in association with 104 specific assays acquired from Diamedix and third parties, as well as a complete line of allergy products, are sold directly in Italy through Delta’s independent sales force and sales representatives, most of whom work exclusively for Delta. Delta also sells in Italy other diagnostic products manufactured by third parties. Approximately 90% of Delta’s customers in Italy are government owned hospitals and the remaining 10% are private laboratories. Thus, sales in Italy are heavily concentrated in the public sector. Delta also serves as the distribution center for selling these same products to customers located in other European and international markets outside Italy. Some of these sales, such as in Spain and Portugal, are made through distributors while others are made on a direct basis. The sales made on a direct basis occur primarily in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. These sales are supported by our employees or sales agents based in England, France and Italy.

 

Diamedix was established in 1986 after it acquired all of the assets and retained substantially all of the personnel of Cordis Laboratories, Inc., a company that had developed, manufactured, and marketed diagnostic equipment since 1962. IVAX acquired Diamedix in 1987. Diamedix’ products are sold in the United States through Diamedix’ sales force. Diamedix manufactures 44 assays that the United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has cleared and that are available to be run in conjunction with the Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems. These assays are sold under the trade name immunosimplicity®. Diamedix is located in Miami, Florida.

 

Since 1985, ImmunoVision has been developing, manufacturing, and marketing autoimmune reagents and research products for use by research laboratories and commercial diagnostic manufacturers. These

 

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manufacturers (including Diamedix) use these antigens to produce autoimmune diagnostic kits. IVAX acquired ImmunoVision in 1995. ImmunoVision is located in Springdale, Arkansas.

 

Merger. On November 21, 2000, IVAX and the pre-merger IVAX Diagnostics, Inc., then a wholly-owned subsidiary of IVAX which was incorporated in 1996 by IVAX to be the parent corporation of Diamedix, Delta and ImmunoVision, entered into a definitive merger agreement with us, pursuant to which the pre-merger Diagnostics would merge with and into us, with us as the surviving corporation. The merger was consummated on March 14, 2001, and our name was changed from “b2bstores.com Inc.” to “IVAX Diagnostics, Inc.” As a result of the merger, approximately 70% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock became owned by IVAX and our business became that of the pre-merger Diagnostics.

 

We were incorporated on June 28, 1999 under the laws of the State of Delaware. Prior to the merger, we operated an Internet web site that was specifically designed to assist business customers in the operation and development of their businesses. The web site was designed to provide business customers with access to products and supplies, a network of business services and business content. On December 1, 2000, we ceased all web site related operations and permanently shut down our web site.

 

Market. Our products are primarily associated with the in vitro diagnostics market. In vitro diagnostic assays are tests that are used to detect specific substances, usually either antigens or antibodies, outside the body. This usually involves using a blood sample or other bodily fluid sample for testing. The market for in vitro diagnostic products consists of reference laboratory and hospital laboratory testing, testing in physician offices, and over the counter testing, in which testing can be performed at home by the consumer. Industry analysts have estimated that the world market for in vitro diagnostics was $27.7 billion in 2003 and estimated to grow at a rate of 7% annually. Of this total $27.7 billion market, the world immunoassay market in which we operate is estimated by industry analysts to be $5.37 billion. We have focused our efforts on the niche market for autoimmune and infectious disease immunoassay products. Our ELISA autoimmune product line consists of 20 test kits that the FDA has cleared. These include test kits for screening antinuclear antibodies and specific tests to measure antibodies to dsDNA, SSA, SSB, Sm, Sm/RNP, Scl 70, Jo-1, Rheumatoid Factor, MPO, PR-3, TPO, TG, and others. These products are used for the diagnosis and monitoring of autoimmune diseases, including Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Scleroderma, and Dermatopolymyositis. Our infectious disease product line includes 24 kits that the FDA has cleared, including Toxoplasma IgG, Toxoplasma IgM, Rubella IgG, Rubella IgM, Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, IgG, CMV IgM, Herpes Simplex Virus, or HSV, IgG, HSV IgM, Measles, Varicella Zoster Virus, or VZV, Lyme Disease, H. pylori, Mumps, six different Epstein-Barr Virus, or EBV, kits and others.

 

We believe that the market trend for in vitro diagnostic products is towards increased laboratory automation that would allow laboratories to lower their overall costs. We believe that our proprietary Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems and PARSEC System should enable laboratories to achieve more automation in the test sectors in which we compete.

 

We are seeking to differentiate ourselves from our competitors through our proprietary instrument systems. While some of our competitors offer proprietary instruments, other competitors use third parties to manufacture these instruments for them. We believe that the cost advantage we enjoy from our own manufacture of the Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems and the PARSEC System, coupled with our production of certain autoimmune reagents at ImmunoVision and our production of diagnostic test kits at Diamedix, should position us to target new product markets for growth beyond the niche market for autoimmune and infectious disease immunoassay products in which we currently compete. We expect that our new proprietary PARSEC System should enable us to expand the menu of test kits that we currently offer and that we should be able to expand into testing sectors beyond the autoimmune and infectious disease products. We expect that the PARSEC System will be marketed to hospitals, reference testing laboratories, clinics and pharmaceutical, and biotechnology research companies. We presented the PARSEC System at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Clinical Lab Exposition in Los Angeles, California in July 2004 and the Medica Exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany in November 2004. We have not yet received regulatory approval for the PARSEC System, nor is it yet available for commercial release.

 

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Research and Development. We devote substantial resources for research and development. For the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002, we spent $1.3 million, $1.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively, for research and development activities. There is no assurance that these expenditures will result in the development of new products or product enhancements, that we will successfully complete products currently under development, that we will obtain regulatory approval or that any approved product will be produced in commercial quantities, at reasonable costs, and be successfully marketed.

 

Our research and development efforts are targeted primarily towards the development of our new proprietary PARSEC System. While there is no assurance that we will be successful, we are seeking to expand the test kits menu we offer in the autoimmune and infectious disease testing sectors and considering moving into additional diagnostic test sectors such as HIV, Hepatitis, and allergy detection. In September 2004, we signed a license agreement with an Italian diagnostics company that allows us access to its technology for manufacturing certain hepatitis products. This agreement is expected to enable us to become competitive in markets outside of the United States by providing us with the technology that, over time, would allows us to internally manufacture our own hepatitis products with the “CE Marking,” as well as internally manufacture our own raw materials for these hepatitis products.

 

Sales and Marketing. We currently market our products in the United States through our own sales force to hospitals, reference laboratories, clinical laboratories, and research laboratories, as well as to other commercial companies that manufacture diagnostic products. We also sell some of our products to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We market our products in certain international markets through a network of independent distributors. We market and sell our products in Italy through a network of salespersons and sales agents, most of whom work on an exclusive basis for Delta. We also sell our products in other global markets through a number of independent distributors. Sales personnel are trained to demonstrate our products in the laboratory setting. Our marketing and technical service departments located in Miami, Florida, Springdale, Arkansas, and Pomezia, Italy support their efforts. We participate in a number of industry trade shows in the United States and Europe.

 

The products we market are purchased principally by healthcare providers that typically bill third party payors such as governmental programs (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid), private insurance plans, and managed care plans, for healthcare services provided to their patients. Governmental reimbursement policies are subject to rapid and significant changes in the United States at both the federal and state levels and in other countries. Private third party payors are increasingly negotiating the prices charged for medical products and services. There can be no assurance that healthcare providers will not respond to such pressures by substituting competitors’ products for our products. A third party payor may deny reimbursement if it determines that a device was not used in accordance with cost-effective treatment methods, was experimental, or for other reasons. There can be no assurance that our products will qualify for reimbursement by governmental programs in accordance with guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, by state government payors, or by commercial insurance carriers, or that reimbursement will be available in other countries.

 

In Italy, as well as in most other countries in Western Europe, our products are sold predominantly to public hospital laboratories, which are managed by government structures either directly or indirectly. In most cases, our products are sold through tenders for multiple year periods. Due to the efforts exercised by many governments to contain healthcare costs, there has been a constant effort to consolidate laboratory units and, consequently, the bid process continues to become even more competitive.

 

On May 15, 2002, we consummated the acquisition of certain of the assets of the global enzyme immunoassay product line of Sigma Diagnostics for approximately $2,212,000 and the assumption of certain liabilities. As a result of the consummation of the transaction with Sigma Diagnostics, we no longer sell reagents or instrumentation to Sigma Diagnostics, which had been our largest customer during 2001 and 2000 and which had marketed such reagents and instrumentation throughout the world under previous agreements with us. Instead, we sell enzyme immunoassay instrumentation and reagents directly to Sigma Diagnostics’ former

 

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customer base. Selected employees previously affiliated with Sigma Diagnostics, primarily in the field sales, instrument service and technical support areas, joined us. As a result of the consummation of the transaction with Sigma Diagnostics, our previous agreements with Sigma Diagnostics have been terminated.

 

Our business is not considered seasonal in nature, but our Italian operations may be slightly affected by the general reduction in business activity in Europe during the traditional summer vacation months.

 

Our business is not materially affected by order backlog or working capital issues.

 

Competition. We compete on a worldwide basis and there are numerous competitors in the specific market sectors in which we offer our products. These competitors range from major pharmaceutical companies to development stage diagnostic companies. Many of these companies, such as Abbott Laboratories and Diagnostic Products Corporation, are much larger and have significantly greater financial, technical, manufacturing, sales, and marketing resources than us.

 

The diagnostics industry has experienced considerable consolidation through mergers and acquisitions in the past several years. At the same time, the competition in test sectors such as autoimmune is very fragmented as it is comprised of primarily small companies with no single company possessing a dominant market position. We compete in the marketplace on the basis of the quality of our products, price, instrument design and efficiency, as well as our relationships with customers. In addition to Abbott Laboratories and Diagnostic Products Corporation, our competitors include Bio-Rad Laboratories, DiaSorin, Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc., Stratagene Corporation and Trinity Biotech plc.

 

The in vitro diagnostic market in which we sell many of our products is highly competitive. The market for our products is characterized by continual and rapid technological developments that have resulted in, and will likely continue to result in, substantial improvements in product function and performance. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate changes in technology and industry requirements and to respond to technological developments on a timely basis either internally or through strategic alliances. Several companies have developed, or are developing, scientific instruments and assays that compete or will compete directly with products we market. Many existing and potential competitors have substantially greater financial, marketing, research, and technological resources, as well as established reputations for success in developing, manufacturing, selling, and servicing products, than us. Competitors that are more vertically integrated than us may have more flexibility to compete effectively on price. We expect that existing and new competitors will continue to introduce products or services that are, directly or indirectly, competitive with those that we sell. Such competitors may succeed in developing products that are more functional or less costly than those sold by us and may be more successful in marketing such products. These and other innovations in the rapidly changing medical technology market will negatively affect the sales of the products we market. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully in this market or that technology developments by our competitors will not render our products or technologies obsolete.

 

Personnel. As of December 31, 2004, we had approximately 116 full time employees, of whom 17 were managerial, 47 were technical and manufacturing, 14 were administrative, and 38 were sales and marketing.

 

Intellectual Property. In December 1994, Diamedix entered into an intellectual property agreement with two inventors pursuant to which it acquired all rights, title, and interest in the Mago® instrument, including all related software and technical information. During 2003, Diamedix completed its obligation to make payments under the intellectual property agreement. Separately, in December 1994, the pre-merger Diagnostics entered into consulting agreements with each of the inventors. Only one of these consulting agreements, which was amended in July 2003, currently remains in effect.

 

The technology associated with the design and manufacture of the Mago® and Aptus® instruments is not protected by patent registrations or license restrictions. The Mago® instrument has been our primary product. In the future, we expect that the PARSEC System will become our primary product. We have filed several patent

 

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applications related to the new innovative features in the PARSEC System. There can be no assurance that our competitors will not gain access to our trade secrets and proprietary and confidential technologies, or that they will not independently develop similar or competing trade secrets and technologies.

 

On March 14, 2001, we entered into a use of name license with IVAX whereby IVAX granted us a non-exclusive, royalty free license to use the name “IVAX.” IVAX may terminate this license at any time upon 90 days’ written notice. Upon termination of the agreement, we are required to take all steps reasonably necessary to change our name as soon as is practicable. The termination of this agreement by IVAX could have a material adverse effect on our ability to market our products and on us.

 

Governmental Regulation. The testing, manufacturing, and sale of our products are subject to regulation by numerous governmental authorities, principally the FDA. To comply with FDA requirements, we must, among other things, manufacture our products in conformance with the FDA’s medical device Quality System regulations. Diamedix is listed as a registered establishment with the FDA and Delta has received UNI ISO 9001 certification complemented by the requirements of UNI CEI EN ISO 13485 validating its quality system. The FDA classifies medical devices into three classes (Class I, II or III). Class I devices are subject to general controls, such as good manufacturing practices, and may or may not be subject to pre-market notification. Pre-market notifications must be submitted to the FDA before products can be commercially distributed. Some Class I devices have been deemed exempt from this requirement by the FDA. Class II devices are subject to the same general controls, pre-market notification and performance standards. Usually, Class III devices are those that must receive pre-market approval by the FDA to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Most of our products are classified as Class I or II devices. Generally, before a new test kit can be introduced to the market, it is necessary to obtain FDA clearance in the form of a pre-market 510(k) notification. A 510(k) notification provides data to show that the new device is substantially equivalent to other devices in the marketplace. Almost all of the products sold by us have received 510(k) clearance. In addition, customers using diagnostic tests for clinical purposes in the United States are also regulated under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, or CLIA. CLIA is intended to ensure the quality and reliability of all medical testing in laboratories in the United States by requiring that any healthcare facility in which testing is performed meets specified standards in the areas of personnel qualification, administration, participation in proficiency testing, patient test management, quality control, quality assurance, and inspections.

 

Additionally, the products we sell are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries, including, among other things, the regulation of the testing, approval, manufacturing, labeling, marketing, and sale of diagnostic devices. As a general matter, foreign regulatory requirements for medical devices are becoming increasingly stringent. In the European Union, a single regulatory approval process has been created and approval is represented by the “CE Marking.” “CE” is an abbreviation for Conformite Europeene, or European Conformity, and the “CE Marking” when placed on a product indicates compliance with the requirements of the applicable regulatory directive. Medical devices properly bearing the “CE Marking” may be commercially distributed throughout the European Union. “CE Marking” must be obtained for all medical devices commercially distributed throughout the European Union even though the products may have received FDA clearance. In order to be commercially distributed throughout the European Union, certain of our products must bear the “CE Marking.” All of the products that we currently sell throughout the European Union are in conformity with the applicable “CE” regulations under the In Vitro Diagnostics Directive. We have also received an ISO 13485:1996 certificate, giving us approval for Europe and Canada. If in the future we lose the authorization to use the “CE Marking,” we may not be able to sell our products in the European Union, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition.

 

Failure to comply with any governmental regulation can result in fines, unanticipated compliance expenditures, interruptions of production, product recalls or suspensions, and criminal prosecution. The process of obtaining regulatory approval is rigorous, time consuming, and costly. There is no assurance that we will attain necessary approvals on a timely basis, if at all. In addition, product approvals can be withdrawn if we fail

 

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to comply with regulatory standards or if unforeseen problems occur following initial marketing. Domestic and foreign regulations are subject to change and extensive changes in regulation may increase our operating expenses. There can be no assurance that we will not encounter delays in obtaining necessary domestic or foreign regulatory approvals, if at all, or failures to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, or extensive changes in regulation.

 

We are also subject to numerous federal, state, and local laws relating to such matters as safe working conditions, manufacturing practices, environmental protection, fire hazard control, and disposal of hazardous or potentially hazardous substances.

 

Our employment relations in Italy are governed by numerous regulatory and contractual requirements, including national collective labor agreements and individual employer labor agreements. These arrangements address a number of specific issues affecting our working conditions including hiring, work time, wages and benefits, and termination of employment. We must make significant payments in order to comply with these requirements.

 

The evolving and complex nature of regulatory requirements, the broad authority and discretion of the FDA and the high level of regulatory oversight in our industry result in a continuing possibility that our business and results of operations may be adversely affected by regulatory issues despite our efforts to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.

 

Available Information. Our Internet web site is www.ivaxdiagnostics.com. We make available, free of charge, through our web site, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed pursuant to Section 13(d) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after such documents are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information contained in our web site is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and shall not be incorporated by reference herein.

 

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

 

Our corporate headquarters are located in Miami, Florida. Our corporate headquarters share facilities with Diamedix, which owns approximately 56,000 square feet of buildings at its facility in Miami, Florida. From this facility, Diamedix conducts research and development of in vitro diagnostic products, reagent kit manufacturing, marketing, and corporate management activities. Delta leases approximately 27,000 feet of industrial space in Pomezia, Italy. This facility is where our proprietary instrumentation is manufactured. ImmunoVision leases approximately 5,700 square feet of commercial space in Springdale, Arkansas.

 

We believe our facilities are in satisfactory condition, are suitable for their intended use and, in the aggregate, have capacities in excess of those necessary to meet our present needs. A portion of our facilities, as well as our corporate headquarters and other critical business functions are located in areas subject to hurricane casualty risk. Although we have certain limited protection afforded by insurance, our business and our earnings could be materially adversely affected in the event of a major windstorm.

 

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

We are involved in various legal claims and actions and regulatory matters and other notices and demand proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While it is not possible to predict or determine the outcome of these proceedings, in the opinion of management, based on a review with legal counsel, any losses resulting from such legal proceedings would not have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

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ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

 

No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the quarter ended December 31, 2004.

 

PART II

 

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

 

Our common stock is listed on the American Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol IVD.

 

As of the close of business on March 28, 2005, there were approximately 49 holders of record of our common stock.

 

The following table sets forth the high and low sales price of a share of our common stock for each quarter in 2004 and 2003, as reported by the American Stock Exchange:

 

     High

   Low

2004

             

Fourth Quarter

   $ 5.52    $ 4.01

Third Quarter

     6.45      5.17

Second Quarter

     7.73      5.10

First Quarter

     7.41      4.48

2003

             

Fourth Quarter

   $ 5.36    $ 3.93

Third Quarter

     5.79      4.11

Second Quarter

     5.15      1.92

First Quarter

     2.26      1.35

 

We did not pay cash dividends on our common stock during 2004 or 2003 and we do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

 

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 

The following table sets forth selected historical financial data as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 and 2000 that has been derived from, and is qualified by reference to, our Consolidated Financial Statements. The information set forth below should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The historical selected financial data prior to consummation of the merger are those of the pre-merger Diagnostics with retroactive restatement of equity and earnings per share.

 

     For the Years Ended December 31,

 
     2004

    2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

 
     (In thousands except per share data)  

Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:

                                        

Net revenue

   $ 18,933     $ 17,673     $ 13,841     $ 10,299     $ 11,793  

Income (loss) from operations(1)

   $ (314 )   $ (1,031 )   $ (3,498 )   $ (3,874 )   $ 162  

Net income (loss)(1)

   $ 152     $ (675 )   $ (2,830 )   $ (3,509 )   $ (1,855 )

Net income (loss) per common share(1)

   $ .01     $ (.02 )   $ (.10 )   $ (.13 )   $ (.09 )

Weighted average number of shares outstanding

                                        

Basic

     27,341       27,590       28,488       26,879       20,000  

Diluted

     28,543       27,590       28,488       26,879       20,000  

 

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     As of December 31,

     2004

   2003

   2002

   2001

   2000

     (In thousands except per share data)

Balance Sheet Data:

                                  

Working capital

   $ 22,993    $ 24,334    $ 23,521    $ 27,812    $ 6,029

Total assets

   $ 36,914    $ 38,365    $ 37,423    $ 40,147    $ 19,113

Total liabilities

   $ 4,868    $ 4,402    $ 4,027    $ 3,347    $ 11,894

Total stockholders’ equity

   $ 32,046    $ 33,963    $ 33,396    $ 36,800    $ 7,219

(1) As discussed in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, in accordance with SFAS No. 142, we discontinued the amortization of goodwill effective January 1, 2002. The selected historical financial data for the years ended December 31, 2001 through December 31, 2000 has not been adjusted for the effect of this accounting change.

 

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION

 

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements on pages 20 to 39 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Overview

 

We are the parent corporation of the following three subsidiaries:

 

    Delta Biologicals, S.r.l.;

 

    Diamedix Corporation; and

 

    ImmunoVision, Inc.

 

Through these subsidiaries, we develop, manufacture, and market diagnostic test kits, or assays, and automated systems that are used to aid in the detection of disease markers primarily in the areas of autoimmune and infectious diseases. In addition to diagnostic kits, we also design and manufacture laboratory instruments that perform the tests and provide fast and accurate results, while reducing labor costs. We also develop, manufacture, and market raw materials, such as antigens used in the production of diagnostic kits.

 

Our management reviews financial information, allocates resources and manages the business as two segments defined by geographic region. One segment—the domestic region—contains our subsidiaries located in the United States and corporate operations. Our other segment—the Italian region—contains our subsidiary located in Italy.

 

From its facility located in Pomezia, Italy, Delta develops and manufactures scientific and laboratory instruments, including its proprietary Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems, which include hardware, reagents, and software. The Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems, in association with 104 specific assays acquired from Diamedix and third parties, as well as a complete line of allergy products, are sold directly in Italy through Delta’s independent sales representatives, most of whom work exclusively for Delta. Delta also sells in Italy other diagnostic products manufactured by third parties. Approximately 90% of Delta’s customers in Italy are government owned hospitals and the remaining 10% are private laboratories. Thus, sales in Italy are heavily concentrated in the public sector.

 

Diamedix’ products are sold in the United States through Diamedix’ sales force. Diamedix markets 44 assays that the FDA has cleared and that are available to be run in conjunction with the Mago® Plus and Aptus® systems. These assays are sold under the trade name immunosimplicity®.

 

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ImmunoVision develops, manufactures, and markets autoimmune reagents and research products for use by research laboratories and commercial diagnostic manufacturers. These manufacturers (including Diamedix) use these antigens to produce autoimmune diagnostic kits.

 

The historical financial statements prior to the merger of us and the pre-merger Diagnostics are those of the pre-merger Diagnostics with no adjustments except for retroactive restatement, as if a stock split occurred, to reflect the 20,000,000 shares of common stock that IVAX received in the merger as outstanding for all periods presented.

 

Results of Operations

 

Year Ended December 31, 2004 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2003

 

Overview

 

Net income in 2004 was $152,000 compared to a net loss in 2003 of $675,000. Contributing to this improvement was an increase in revenue of $1,260,000 which, excluding the effect of foreign currency fluctuations, was principally driven by an increase in revenue from reagents sold due to an increased number of instrument placements. The combination of this increased revenue and an improved gross profit as a percentage of net revenues caused our gross profits to increase to $11,209,000 in 2004 from $10,189,000 in 2003. Our operating expenses increased by $303,000, primarily as a result of an increase of $476,000 in selling expenses offset by a $209,000 decrease in general and administrative expenses. As a result, operating loss improved from a loss of $1,031,000 in 2003 to a loss of $314,000 in 2004.

 

Net Revenues and Gross Profit

 

     2004

   2003

   Period over Period
Increase (Decrease)


Net Revenues Excluding Intercompany Sales

                    

Domestic

   $ 12,112,000    $ 11,700,000    $ 412,000

Italian

     6,821,000      5,973,000      848,000
    

  

  

Total

     18,933,000      17,673,000      1,260,000

Cost of Sales

     7,724,000      7,484,000      240,000
    

  

  

Gross Profit

   $ 11,209,000    $ 10,189,000    $ 1,020,000
    

  

  

% of Total Net Revenues

     59.2%