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8-K - FORM 8-K - INTERMUNE INCd229848d8k.htm
EX-99.1 - PRESS RELEASE - INTERMUNE INCd229848dex991.htm

Exhibit 99.2

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our common stock, you should consider carefully the risk factors described below. If any of these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, operating results or cash flow. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified or that we think are immaterial may also materially harm our business, operating results and financial condition and could result in a complete loss of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Dependence on Pirfenidone

We are dependent on the commercial success of Esbriet (pirfenidone) for the treatment of IPF in the European Union, which only just recently received marketing authorization, and on the regulatory approval of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF in the United States and other countries, which may never occur.

We commenced operations in 1998 and have incurred significant losses to date. Our revenue has been limited primarily to sales of Actimmune derived from physicians’ prescriptions for the off-label use of Actimmune in the treatment of IPF and from upfront license fees and milestone payments in connection with our collaboration with Roche. In March 2007, we discontinued our development of Actimmune for treatment of IPF. In October 2010, we sold to Roche all of our worldwide rights to danoprevir for $175.0 million in cash, and terminated our collaboration with Roche from which we had derived our collaboration revenue. As a result, our future success is currently dependent on the regulatory and commercial success of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF. In March 2011, Esbriet (pirfenidone) was granted marketing authorization for commercial use in the EU for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF; however, pirfenidone is still under investigation for the treatment of IPF in the United States and has not been approved by the FDA. Because we do not currently have a product candidate other than pirfenidone in clinical development, our future success is dependent on building a commercial operation in Europe to successfully commercialize Esbriet in the EU, obtaining regulatory approval from the FDA for the use of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF in the U.S. and, if approved by the FDA, successfully commercializing pirfenidone in the United States.

If we do not successfully commercialize Esbriet in the EU and/or receive regulatory approval in the United States for pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF, our ability to generate additional revenue will be jeopardized and, consequently, our business will be seriously harmed. We may not succeed in our commercial efforts in the EU, or, if approved by the FDA, in the United States, or we may never receive regulatory approval in the United States for pirfenidone, any of these will have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects. In the near term, we may experience delays in the launch of Esbriet in one or more of the European Member states, which could negatively affect our stock price. We may also experience delays in regulatory approval in the United States for pirfenidone, if it is approved at all and our stock price may be negatively affected.

In addition, we anticipate incurring additional expenses and utilizing significant existing cash resources as we launch Esbriet in Germany, continue our preparations for the commercial launch of Esbriet in other countries in the EU, conduct the new Phase 3 ASCEND trial to support the approval of pirfenidone to treat IPF in the United States and continue to grow our operational capabilities, particularly in the EU. This represents a significant investment in the regulatory and commercial success of pirfenidone, which is uncertain.

 

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We may also fail to develop future product candidates for the reasons stated in “Risks Related to the Development of Our Products and Product Candidates.” If this were to occur, we will continue to be dependent on the successful commercialization of pirfenidone, our development costs may increase and our ability to generate revenue could be impaired.

We have initiated the ASCEND Phase 3 clinical trial to support potential FDA approval of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF, the results of which may fail to demonstrate to the FDA sufficient efficacy of pirfenidone and may have a negative effect on sales of Esbriet in the European Union.

We have evaluated our clinical development options to gain FDA approval of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF within the United States and initiated the ASCEND trial during the second quarter of 2011. We do not have a Special Protocol Assessment, or SPA, in place with the FDA for the ASCEND trial, and the results of this Phase 3 clinical trial may not be satisfactory to the FDA to support approval of pirfenidone. The ASCEND trial is a 52 week trial with a forced vital capacity, or FVC, endpoint. In our meeting with the FDA in March 2011 related to our plans for the ASCEND trial, the FDA indicated that it would prefer a trial with a longer duration (72 week) if designed with a FVC endpoint. While the FDA indicated that a 52 week trial with a FVC endpoint could support approval, the FDA further indicated that a trial with a FVC endpoint would need to provide supportive evidence of an effect on mortality. Consistent with our prior interactions with the FDA in connection with our CAPACITY trial, the FDA indicated a preference for a mortality endpoint.

Whether data from our ASCEND trial will be sufficient for FDA approval will depend on the results from the trial and be the subject of review by the FDA at the time of our anticipated NDA resubmission. If the results of the ASCEND trial are not satisfactory to the FDA to support regulatory approval of pirfenidone in the United States, then we will not be able to sell Esbriet in the United States, and sales of Esbriet in the EU may be negatively affected. Additionally, as in any clinical trial, discovery of unknown problems with pirfenidone in the ASCEND trial could negatively impact the approved safety and efficacy profile and result in possible reduced sales or product withdrawal in the EU. Because of our dependence on the commercial success of Esbriet in the EU, a negative outcome in the ASCEND trial or a negative regulatory outcome by the FDA could materially and adversely affect our business and prospects. For additional risks related to clinical studies and government regulations, see the risks under “Risks Related to Government Regulation and Approval of Our Products and Product Candidates.”

Risks Related to the Commercialization of Our Products and Product Candidates

Our revenue from sales of Esbriet in the European Union is dependent upon the pricing and reimbursement guidelines adopted in each of the various countries in the European Union, which levels may fall well below our current expectations in light of the debt crisis currently being experienced in Europe.

We have currently developed pricing for Esbriet in Germany, and estimates of anticipated pricing in other countries in the EU, based upon the lethal nature of IPF, the lack of any approved therapies for IPF, the Orphan Drug designation of Esbriet, our perception of the overall cost benefit of Esbriet and the current pricing in the EU of therapies with a similar product profile, such as treatments for pulmonary hypertension. However, in light of the budget crises faced by a number of countries in the EU and efforts to provide for containment of health care costs, one or more EU countries may not support this level of governmental pricing and reimbursement for Esbriet, which would negatively impact anticipated revenue from Esbriet in the EU.

 

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Expansion of our commercial infrastructure in the European Union is a significant undertaking that requires substantial financial and managerial resources, and we may not be successful in our efforts. We may also encounter unexpected or unforeseen delays in establishing a commercial infrastructure in the European Union, which may negatively impact our ability to launch our commercial efforts for Esbriet and the timing of such launch.

In March 2011, the European Commission granted marketing authorization for Esbriet (pirfenidone) in adults for the treatment of mild to moderate IPF. The approval authorizes marketing of Esbriet in all 27 EU member states. Based on anticipated EU member country reimbursement timelines, we currently plan to launch Esbriet in the so-called “Top 5” EU countries as follows: Germany in the second half of September 2011; France, Spain and Italy in the first half of 2012 and in the United Kingdom in mid-2012. We also plan to launch Esbriet in all or substantially all of the 10 most important pharmaceutical markets in the EU by approximately mid-2012. A commercial launch of this size is a significant undertaking that requires substantial financial and managerial resources. To support our anticipated marketing efforts in Europe, we are currently working to expand our commercial infrastructure within the EU, including an increase to our employee headcount in that region and we recently announced the establishment of our European headquarters in Reinach, Switzerland. Further, in December 2010, we transferred all of our non-U.S. rights to research, develop and commercialize pirfenidone for IPF to our wholly-owned Swiss subsidiary, InterMune International AG. However, in order to successfully launch our commercial operations, we will need to expand the number of our managerial, operational, financial and other employees in the EU, which will require additional financial resources and divert management’s attention. We may not be successful in establishing a commercial operation in the EU (including, but not limited to, failing to attract, retain and motivate the necessary skilled personnel and failing to develop a successful marketing strategy), the effect of which will have a negative outcome on our ability to commercialize Esbriet and generate revenue from the sale of Esbriet.

Additionally, we may encounter unexpected or unforeseen delays in establishing our commercial operations that delay the launch of our commercial operations in one or more EU member states. These delays may increase the cost of and the resources required for successful commercialization of Esbriet in the EU. Given our limited commercial history, we do not have significant experience in a commercial launch of this size.

Even if regulatory authorities approve our products or product candidates for the treatment of the diseases that we are targeting, our products may not be marketed or commercially successful.

Our products and product candidates are expensive, and we anticipate that the annual cost of treatment for the diseases for which we are seeking approval will be significant. These costs will vary for different diseases based on the dosage and method of administration. Accordingly, we may decide not to market any of our products or product candidates for an approved disease because we believe that it may not be commercially successful. Market acceptance of and demand for our products and product candidates, including Esbriet in the EU, will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

   

cost of treatment;

 

   

pricing and availability of alternative products;

 

   

our ability to obtain third-party coverage or reimbursement for our products or product candidates to treat a particular disease;

 

   

perceived efficacy relative to other available therapies;

 

   

shifts in the medical community to new treatment paradigms or standards of care;

 

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relative convenience and ease of administration; and

 

   

prevalence and severity of adverse side effects associated with treatment.

If third-party payors do not provide coverage or reimburse patients for Esbriet, Actimmune or our other current or future products, our revenue and prospects for profitability will suffer.

Our ability to successfully commercialize Esbriet, or other product candidates for particular diseases, is highly dependent on the extent to which coverage and reimbursement for such products is available from:

 

   

private health insurers, including managed care organizations;

 

   

governmental payors, such as state-run payors in the EU, as well as federal programs/payors such as Medicaid, the U.S. Public Health Service Agency and Veterans’ Administration; and

 

   

other third-party payors.

Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement status of pharmaceutical products, particularly with respect to products that are prescribed by physicians for off-label use. If governmental and other third-party payors do not provide adequate coverage and reimbursement levels for Esbriet, or our other current or future products, market acceptance of our products will be reduced, and our sales will suffer. Many domestic third-party payors provide coverage or reimbursement only for FDA-approved indications. If any large or many third-party payors decide to deny reimbursement for Actimmune used to treat IPF, sales of Actimmune would decline, and our revenue would suffer.

Often, third-party payors make the decision to reimburse an off-label prescription based on whether that product has a compendia listing. A drug compendia is produced by a compendia body, such as the United States Pharmacopoeia Drug Information, that lists approved indications that a product has received from the FDA. The compendia bodies also evaluate all of the clinical evidence to determine whether an off-label use of a product should be listed in the compendia as medically appropriate. A compendia listing of an off-label use is a condition typically required by third-party payors, such as Medicare and private payors, to cover that use. Applications for a compendia listing are often based upon the publication of certain data in peer reviewed journals whose publication is often outside the applicant’s control. We are not seeking to achieve acceptance by a compendia body for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF. As a result, additional third-party payors may decide to deny reimbursement for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF and fewer physicians may prescribe Actimmune for such treatment. If either of these were to occur, sales of Actimmune would decline and our revenue would suffer.

Some third-party payors have denied coverage for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF for a variety of reasons, including the cost of Actimmune, the fact that IPF is not an FDA-approved indication for Actimmune or a third-party payor’s assessment that a particular patient’s case of IPF has advanced to a stage at which treatment with Actimmune would not have a significant effect. We believe that approximately 60-70% of the patients who seek coverage for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF from private third-party payors are able to obtain coverage. While coverage trends have not changed significantly in the last few years, major health plans could further restrict coverage or adopt a policy of no coverage since we have discontinued the INSPIRE trial and have no further development plans for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF.

Medicare generally does not provide coverage for drugs, like Actimmune, that are administered by injection in the home. Moreover, in connection with the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, Medicare has recently discussed the possibility of refusing to provide

 

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coverage for products for a specific indication unless the product has been approved by the FDA for that indication. If Medicare were to make a formal decision not to cover the off-label use of products, it may have a negative impact on the willingness of private third-party payors to provide coverage for the off-label use of products such as Actimmune.

If the specialty pharmacies and distributors that we rely upon to sell our products fail to perform, our business may be adversely affected.

Our success depends on the continued customer support efforts of our network of specialty pharmacies and distributors. A specialty pharmacy is a pharmacy that specializes in the dispensing of injectable or infused medications for complex or chronic conditions, which often require a high level of patient education and ongoing management. The use of specialty pharmacies and distributors involves certain risks, including, but not limited to, risks that these specialty pharmacies and distributors will:

 

   

not provide us with accurate or timely information regarding their inventories, the number of patients who are using Actimmune or Actimmune complaints;

 

   

not effectively sell or support Actimmune;

 

   

reduce their efforts or discontinue to sell or support Actimmune;

 

   

not devote the resources necessary to sell Actimmune in the volumes and within the time frames that we expect;

 

   

be unable to satisfy financial obligations to us or others; or

 

   

cease operations.

Any such failure may result in decreased product sales and lower product revenue, which would harm our business.

The activities of competitive drug companies, or others, may limit our products’ revenue potential or render them obsolete.

Our commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated if our competitors develop or market products that, compared to our products or product candidates:

 

   

are more effective;

 

   

have fewer or less severe adverse side effects;

 

   

are better tolerated;

 

   

have better patient compliance;

 

   

receive better reimbursement terms;

 

   

are more accepted by physicians;

 

   

are more adaptable to various modes of dosing;

 

   

have better distribution channels;

 

   

are easier to administer; or

 

   

are less expensive, including but not limited to a generic version of pirfenidone.

Even if we are successful in developing effective drugs, our products may not compete effectively with our competitors’ current or future products. We expect that Esbriet may compete in the EU and, if approved by the FDA in the U.S., may compete with other products that are being developed for the

 

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treatment of IPF, including possible generic versions of pirfenidone in the U.S., EU and potentially other markets following the expiration of, or in the absence of market exclusivity. Actelion has begun enrolling patients with IPF in a new exploratory study with macitentan, a tissue-targeting endothelin receptor antagonist. In January 2009, Gilead initiated a Phase 3 clinical study of ambrisentan for the treatment of IPF that was halted due to lack of efficacy in December 2010. However, in December 2010, Gilead entered into an agreement to acquire Arresto gaining Gilead access to Arresto’s Phase 1 humanized monoclonal antibody compound, AB0024, currently in clinical development for the treatment of IPF. Boehringer Ingelheim, or BI, has recently presented phase 2 data for BIBF-1120, a triple kinase inhibitor that has showed some potential efficacy at high doses in IPF. BI has publicly posted its Phase 3 trial design for BIBF-1120 in IPF and patient enrollment has begun. Additionally, Pfizer Inc. is studying sildenafil in advanced IPF patients to potentially improve exercise tolerance. This trial is in Phase 3 development. Pirfenidone has no composition of matter patent protection. Unless we have (i) Orphan Drug designation, (ii) data exclusivity protection or (iii) other types of patent protection in a particular jurisdiction, we may face competition from a lower cost generic version of pirfenidone in such a jurisdiction. While we no longer plan on further investments in the field of hepatology, our collaboration agreement with Roche on NS3 protease inhibitors entitles us to receive certain milestones and royalties in connection with the continued development and commercialization by Roche of any licensed compounds resulting from the HCV research program completed under the agreement. Given this competitive landscape in the HCV field, there can be no assurance that any of the protease inhibitor compounds licensed by Roche will continue to be developed or commercialized by Roche and therefore we may not realize any economic benefit from these compounds. In addition, there are many pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, public and private universities, government agencies and research organizations actively engaged in research and development of products, some of which may target the same indications as our product candidates. Our competitors include larger, more established, fully integrated pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies that have substantially greater capital resources, existing competitive products, larger research and development staffs and facilities, greater experience in drug development and in obtaining regulatory approvals and greater marketing capabilities than we do.

Our supply agreement with BI may restrict our ability to establish alternative sources of Actimmune in a timely manner or at an acceptable cost, which may cause us to be unable to meet demand for Actimmune and to lose potential revenue.

Our supply agreement with BI provides that BI is our exclusive source of supply for Actimmune, except under certain circumstances. Under the terms of the supply agreement, BI is not required to commit to reserving any minimum annual capacity for the manufacture of Actimmune and we cannot seek a secondary source to manufacture Actimmune until BI has indicated to us its inability or unwillingness to meet our requirements. If we are delayed in establishing a secondary supply source for Actimmune, or cannot do so at an acceptable cost, we may suffer a shortage of commercial supply of Actimmune or a higher cost of product, either of which would have a material and adverse effect on our revenue, business and financial prospects.

Risks Related to the Development of Our Products and Product Candidates

Drug development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and delay or failure can occur at any stage of any of our clinical trials.

To gain approval to market a product for the treatment of a specific disease, we must provide the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities with clinical data that adequately demonstrate the safety and efficacy of that product for the intended indication applied for in the NDA or respective regulatory file. Drug development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and delay or failure can occur at any stage of any of our clinical trials. A number of companies in the pharmaceutical industry, including biotechnology companies, have suffered significant setbacks in clinical trials, even after promising

 

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results in earlier preclinical or clinical trials. These setbacks have been caused by, among other things, preclinical findings made while clinical studies were underway and safety or efficacy observations made in clinical studies. Success in preclinical testing and early clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful, and the results of clinical trials by other parties may not be indicative of the results in trials we may conduct. For example, we terminated our development of Actimmune for patients with IPF as a result of our decision to discontinue the INSPIRE trial on the recommendation of the study’s independent DMC. We do not intend to conduct further development of Actimmune for the treatment of IPF. In addition, we reported that our exploratory Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating Actimmune for the potential treatment of advanced liver fibrosis caused by HCV in patients who have failed standard antiviral therapy failed to meet its primary endpoint. As a result, we do not intend to conduct further development of Actimmune for the treatment of liver fibrosis. For specific risks related to the pirfenidone development program, please see the risk factor titled “If our clinical trials fail to demonstrate to the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities that any of our products or product candidates are safe and effective for the treatment of particular diseases, the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities may require us to conduct additional clinical trials or may not grant us marketing approval for such products or product candidates for those diseases” below.

We do not know whether future clinical trials will be initiated, or will be completed on schedule, or at all.

The commencement or completion of any of our clinical trials may be delayed, halted, or discontinued for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

we may not be able to identify or develop a product candidate that can be successful for clinical development;

 

   

the FDA or other regulatory authorities do not approve a clinical trial protocol or place a clinical trial on clinical hold;

 

   

patients do not enroll in clinical trials at the rate we expect;

 

   

patients experience adverse side effects or unsafe toxicity levels;

 

   

patients withdraw or die during a clinical trial for a variety of reasons, including adverse events associated with the advanced stage of their disease and medical problems that may or may not be related to our products or product candidates;

 

   

the interim results of the clinical trial are inconclusive or negative;

 

   

our trial design, although approved, is inadequate to demonstrate safety and/or efficacy;

 

   

third-party clinical investigators do not perform our clinical trials on our anticipated schedule or consistent with the clinical trial protocol and good clinical practices or other third-party organizations do not perform data collection and analysis in a timely or accurate manner;

 

   

our contract laboratories fail to follow good laboratory practices; or

 

   

sufficient quantities of the trial drug are not available.

Our development costs will increase if we have material delays in our current clinical trial or if we need to perform more or larger clinical trials than as may be initially planned for future product candidates. If there are any significant delays for any of our other current or planned clinical trials, our business, financial condition, financial results and the commercial prospects for our products and product candidates will be harmed, and our prospects for profitability will be impaired.

In addition, delays or discontinuations of our clinical trials could require us to cease development efforts of a product candidate in part or altogether, which will harm our business or financial condition and the commercial prospects for such product and product candidate.

 

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Preclinical development is a long, expensive and uncertain process, and we may choose not to develop a particular product candidate, or we may terminate one or more preclinical development programs.

We may determine that certain preclinical product candidates or programs do not have sufficient potential to warrant the allocation of resources toward them. Accordingly, we may choose not to develop a particular product candidate or elect to terminate our programs for and, in certain cases, our licenses to, such product candidates or programs. If we terminate a preclinical program in which we have invested significant resources, we will have expended resources on a program that will not provide a full return on our investment and missed the opportunity to have allocated those resources to potentially more productive uses.

Risks Related to Government Regulation and Approval of our Products and Product Candidates

If our clinical trials fail to demonstrate to the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities that any of our products or product candidates are safe and effective for the treatment of particular diseases, the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities may require us to conduct additional clinical trials or may not grant us marketing approval for such products or product candidates for those diseases.

We are not permitted to market our product candidates in the United States until we receive approval of an NDA from the FDA, or in any foreign countries until we receive the requisite approval from such countries. Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of any product candidate for a target indication, we must demonstrate with evidence gathered in preclinical and well-controlled clinical trials, and, with respect to approval in the United States, to the satisfaction of the FDA and, with respect to approval in other countries, similar regulatory authorities in those countries, that the product candidate is safe and effective for use for that target indication and that the manufacturing facilities, processes and controls are adequate. Our failure to adequately demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of any of our products or product candidates for the treatment of particular diseases may delay or prevent our receipt of the FDA’s and foreign regulatory authorities’ approval and, ultimately, may prevent commercialization of our products and product candidates for those diseases. The FDA and foreign regulatory authorities have substantial discretion in deciding whether, based on the benefits and risks in a particular disease, any of our products or product candidates should be granted approval for the treatment of that particular disease. Even if we believe that a clinical trial or trials has demonstrated the safety and statistically significant efficacy of any of our products or product candidates for the treatment of a disease, the results may not be satisfactory to the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities. Preclinical and clinical data can be interpreted by the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities, including their advisory committees, in different ways, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. In addition, even if advisory committees to the FDA recommend approval of our product candidates, such recommendations are non-binding and the FDA may not approve our NDA for the product candidates. For example, nine of the twelve members of the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee, or PADAC, of the FDA recommended approval of pirfenidone to reduce decline in lung function in patients with IPF. However, notwithstanding the PADAC approval recommendation, we subsequently received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA requesting an additional clinical trial to support the efficacy of pirfenidone.

Our CAPACITY trials were conducted without a Special Protocol Assessment, or SPA, with the FDA. The FDA’s SPA process creates a written agreement between the sponsoring company and the FDA regarding clinical study design and other clinical study issues that can be used to support approval of a product candidate. We did not obtain an SPA agreement with the FDA and therefore there was no assurance that the results would provide a sufficient basis in the view of the FDA for the FDA to grant regulatory approval of a new drug application for pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF. In addition, while the FDA will consider and approve NDAs based on various endpoints, the FDA had

 

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indicated that mortality is the ideal endpoint for IPF clinical trials. We designed and conducted CAPACITY 1 and CAPACITY 2 based on FVC change as the primary endpoint, as opposed to mortality. The FDA had advised us that they were uncertain as to what would constitute a clinically meaningful treatment effect of pirfenidone on this endpoint and reviewed the effect of pirfenidone not only based on FVC change but also based on the totality of the data, including the effect of pirfenidone on all of the specified efficacy endpoints as well as the safety data to help determine the risk-benefit profile of pirfenidone in IPF patients. The primary endpoint of FVC change was met with statistical significance in CAPACITY 2 but not in CAPACITY 1. Therefore, we did not replicate the efficacy of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF in a second pivotal study. Moreover, because the data base for the Shionogi Phase 3 study was not included in our NDA, the FDA did not consider this study to support the efficacy of pirfenidone. Rather the adequacy of our application to support the efficacy of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF was determined by the FDA during the review of our NDA. While in our view the totality of the data from CAPACITY 1 and CAPACITY 2 support the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone in IPF, the FDA disagreed with our view and decided that such data does not adequately support approval of our NDA filing and issued to us a Complete Response Letter on May 4, 2010 requesting an additional clinical trial to support the efficacy of pirfenidone in IPF. We began a new Phase 3 clinical study, the ASCEND trial, during the second quarter of 2011. We did not obtain an SPA agreement with the FDA with respect to the ASCEND trial. The results of this Phase 3 clinical trial may not be satisfactory to the FDA to receive regulatory approval. For additional information related to the risk of the new Phase 3 clinical study, please see the risk factor under the caption “Risks Related to Our Dependence on Pirfenidone—We have initiated the ASCEND Phase 3 clinical trial to support potential FDA approval of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF, the results of which may fail to demonstrate to the FDA sufficient efficacy of pirfenidone and may have a negative effect on sales of Esbriet in the European Union.”

In addition, in the course of its review of an NDA, MAA or other regulatory application for any of our compounds, the FDA, EMA or other regulatory authorities may conduct audits of the practices and procedures of a company and its suppliers and contractors concerning manufacturing, clinical study conduct, non-clinical studies and several other areas. If the FDA, EMA and/or other regulatory authorities conduct an audit relating to an NDA, MAA or regulatory application submitted by us and finds a significant deficiency in any of these or other areas, the FDA, EMA or other regulatory authorities could delay or not approve our NDA, MAA or regulatory application. As in the case of the FDA issuing to us a Complete Response Letter on our NDA for pirfenidone for IPF, if regulatory delays are significant or regulatory approval is limited or denied altogether, our financial results and the commercial prospects for those of our products or product candidates involved will be harmed, and our prospects for profitability will be significantly impaired.

We are subject to extensive and rigorous governmental regulation, including the requirement of FDA or other regulatory approval before our products and product candidates may be lawfully marketed.

Both before and after the approval or our product candidates and product, we, our product candidates, our product, our operations, our facilities, our suppliers, and our contract manufacturers, contract research organizations, and contract testing laboratories are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries, with regulations differing from country to country. In the United States, the FDA regulates, among other things, the pre-clinical testing, clinical trials, manufacturing, safety, efficacy, potency, labeling, storage, record keeping, quality systems, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of therapeutic products. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could result in, among other things, one or more of the following actions: notices of violation, untitled letters, warning letters, fines and other monetary penalties, unanticipated expenditures, delays in approval or refusal to approve a product candidate; product recall or seizure; interruption of manufacturing or clinical trials; operating restrictions; injunctions; and criminal

 

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prosecution. We or the FDA, or an institutional review board, may suspend or terminate human clinical trials at any time on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk. Any failure to receive the marketing approvals necessary to commercialize our product candidates could harm our business.

The regulatory review and approval process of governmental authorities, which includes the need to conduct nonclinical studies and clinical trials of each product candidate, is lengthy, expensive and uncertain, and regulatory standards may change during the development of a particular product candidate. We are not permitted to market our product candidates in the United States or other countries until we have received requisite regulatory approvals. For example, securing FDA approval requires the submission of an NDA to the FDA. The approval application must include extensive nonclinical and clinical data and supporting information to establish the product candidate’s safety and effectiveness for each indication. The approval application must also include significant information regarding the chemistry, manufacturing and controls for the product. The FDA review process typically takes significant time to complete and approval is never guaranteed. If a product is approved, the FDA may limit the indications for which the product may be marketed, require extensive warnings on the product labeling, impose restricted distribution programs, require expedited reporting of certain adverse events, or require costly ongoing requirements for post-marketing clinical studies and surveillance or other risk management measures to monitor the safety or efficacy of the product. Markets outside of the United States such as the EU also have requirements for approval of drug candidates with which we must comply prior to marketing. Obtaining regulatory approval for marketing of a product candidate in one country does not ensure we will be able to obtain regulatory approval in other countries, but a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may have a negative effect on the regulatory process in other countries. For example, with respect to our NDA for pirfenidone for IPF in the United States, we received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA requesting an additional clinical trial to support the efficacy of pirfenidone. Also, any regulatory approval of any of our products or product candidates, once obtained, may be withdrawn.

The FDA has increased its attention to product safety concerns in light of recent high profile safety issues with certain drug products, in the United States. Moreover, heightened Congressional scrutiny on the adequacy of the FDA’s drug approval process and the agency’s efforts to assure the safety of marketed drugs has resulted in proposed agency initiatives and new legislation addressing drug safety issues. If adopted, any new legislation or agency initiatives could result in delays or increased costs during the period of product development, clinical trials and regulatory review and approval, as well as increased costs to assure compliance with any new post-approval regulatory requirements. These restrictions or requirements could require us to conduct costly studies.

In addition, we, our suppliers, our operations, our facilities, our contract manufacturers, our contract research organizations, and our contract testing laboratories are required to comply with extensive FDA requirements both before and after approval of our products. For example, we are required to report certain adverse reactions and production problems, if any, to the FDA, and to comply with certain requirements concerning advertising and promotion for our product candidates and our products. Also, quality control and manufacturing procedures must continue to conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP, regulations after approval, and the FDA periodically inspects manufacturing facilities to assess compliance with cGMP. Accordingly, we and others with whom we work must continue to expend time, money, and effort in all areas of regulatory compliance, including manufacturing, production, and quality control. In addition, discovery of safety issues may result in changes in labeling or restrictions on a product manufacturer or NDA holder, including removal of the product from the market.

 

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If the FDA imposes significant restrictions or requirements related to our products for any disease, or withdraws its approval of any of our products for any disease for which it has been approved, our revenue would decline.

The FDA and foreign regulatory authorities may impose significant restrictions on the use or marketing of our products or impose additional requirements for post-approval studies. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with any of our products or their manufacture may result in further restrictions, including withdrawal of the product from the market. In this regard, the FDA has conducted routine inspections of our manufacturing contractors, and some were issued a standard “notice of inspectional observations.” While we believe that all of these observations are being appropriately corrected, failure to correct any deficiency could result in manufacturing delays. Our existing approvals, and any new approval for any other disease that we target, if granted, could be withdrawn for failure to comply with regulatory requirements or to meet our post-approval commitments. For example, we have ongoing Phase 4 post-marketing commitments to the FDA relating to Actimmune for the treatment of osteopetrosis, including a registry and drug interaction study. The failure to adequately address these ongoing Phase 4 commitments could result in a regulatory action or restriction, such as withdrawal of the relevant product’s approval by the FDA. If approval for a disease is withdrawn, we could no longer market the affected product for that disease. In addition, governmental authorities could seize our inventory of such product, force us to recall any product already in the market, or subject us to criminal or civil penalties, if we fail to comply with FDA or other governmental regulations.

For a description of restrictions relating to the off-label promotion of our products, please see the risk factor titled, “If we fail to comply or have in the past failed to comply with FDA or other government regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses and the promotion of products for which marketing approval has not been obtained, we could be subject to regulatory enforcement action by the FDA or other governmental authorities as well as follow-on actions filed by consumers and other end-payors, which actions could result in substantial fines, sanctions and damage awards against us, any of which could harm our business” below.

If we fail to comply or have in the past failed to comply with FDA or other government regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses and the promotion of products for which marketing approval has not been obtained, we could be subject to regulatory enforcement action by the FDA or other governmental authorities as well as follow-on actions filed by consumers and other end-payors, which actions could result in substantial fines, sanctions and damage awards against us, any of which could harm our business.

The FDA has authority to regulate advertising and promotional labeling for our products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and implementing regulations. In general, that authority requires advertising and promotional labeling to be truthful and not misleading, and consistent with the information in the product’s approved label, including that a product may be marketed only for the approved indications. Physicians may prescribe commercially available drugs for uses that are not described in the product’s labeling and that differ from those uses tested by us and approved by the FDA. Such off-label uses are common across medical specialties. For example, even though the FDA has not approved the use of Actimmune for the treatment of IPF, we are aware that physicians are prescribing, and have prescribed in the past, Actimmune for the treatment of IPF. Substantially all of our Actimmune revenue is derived from physicians’ prescriptions for off-label use for IPF. The FDA does not regulate the behavior of physicians in their choice of treatments. The FDA and other governmental agencies do, however, restrict manufacturers’ communications on the subject of off-label use. Companies may not promote FDA-approved drugs for off-label uses. Accordingly, we may not promote Actimmune for the treatment of IPF. The FDA and other governmental authorities actively enforce regulations prohibiting promotion of off-label uses. The federal government has levied large civil and criminal fines against manufacturers for alleged improper promotion, including us in October 2006 in connection with our reaching a comprehensive settlement with the government to resolve all

 

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claims as related to our promotional activities with respect to Actimmune. The FDA has also requested that companies enter into consent decrees or permanent injunctions under which certain promotional conduct is changed or curtailed. We are aware of many instances, including our own experience as it relates to Actimmune, in which the Office of the Inspector General of the FDA has sought and secured criminal penalties and/or a corporate integrity agreement against pharmaceutical manufacturers requiring payment of substantial fines and monitoring of certain promotional activities to ensure compliance with FDA regulations. We engage in medical education activities that are subject to scrutiny under the FDA’s regulations relating to off-label promotion. While we believe we are currently in compliance with these regulations, the regulations are subject to varying interpretations, which are evolving.

If the FDA or any other governmental agency initiates an enforcement action against us and it is determined that we violated prohibitions relating to off-label promotion in connection with past or future activities, we could be subject to civil and/or criminal fines and sanctions such as those noted above in this risk factor, any of which would have an adverse effect on our revenue, business and financial prospects. As a follow-on to such governmental enforcement actions, consumers and other end-payors of the product may initiate action against us claiming, among other things, fraudulent misrepresentation, civil RICO, unfair competition, violation of various state consumer protection statutes, and unjust enrichment. For example, as a follow-on to the subpoena we received from the U.S. Department of Justice with respect to our promotional and marketing activities in connection with Actimmune and the resulting settlement we reached with the government in October 2006, we have had various class action suits filed against us by consumers and other end-payors of Actimmune. If the plaintiffs in such follow-on actions are successful, we could be subject to various damages, including compensatory damages, treble damages, punitive damages, restitution, disgorgement, prejudgment and post-judgment interest on any monetary award, and the reimbursement of the plaintiffs’ legal fees and costs, any of which would also have an adverse effect on our revenue, business and financial prospects.

In addition, some of the agreements pursuant to which we license our products, including our license agreement relating to Actimmune, contain provisions requiring us to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the FDA’s restriction on the promotion of FDA-approved drugs for off-label uses. As a result, if it were determined that we violated the FDA’s rules relating to off-label promotion in connection with our marketing of Actimmune, we may be in material breach of our license agreement for Actimmune. If we failed to cure a material breach of this license agreement, we could lose our rights to certain therapeutic uses for Actimmune under the agreement.

If we fail to fulfill our obligations under the Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services it could have a material adverse effect on our business.

On October 26, 2006, we announced that we entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Under the terms of the Corporate Integrity Agreement, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to waive any potential exclusion against us from participation in federal health care programs provided that we comply with the terms of the Corporate Integrity Agreement for a period of five years ending October 25, 2011. Effective October 29, 2010, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services agreed to suspend further enforcement of the Corporate Integrity Agreement. However, should we engage in any U.S. marketing activities (other than with regard to sales of Actimmune® for its on-label indications of chronic granulomatous disease and severe malignant osteopetrosis), the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services shall have the right, upon written notice to InterMune, to cancel the suspension and

 

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reinstatement enforcement of the Corporate Integrity Agreement through its expiration date of October 26, 2011. If the enforcement of the Corporate Integrity Agreement is reinstated and we do not satisfy our obligations under the Corporate Integrity Agreement, the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services could potentially exclude us from participation in federal health care programs, which could have significant adverse effects on our operations and financial results. We may be required to indemnify certain of our former officers and directors if any action is taken by the U.S. Attorney or other authorities with respect to those individuals in connection with the off-label promotion of Actimmune for use with IPF, and there can be no assurance that our directors’ and officers’ liability insurance will cover all of these indemnification obligations.

The pricing and profitability of our products may be subject to control by the government and other third-party payors.

The continuing efforts of governmental and other third-party payors to contain or reduce the cost of healthcare through various means may adversely affect our ability to successfully commercialize our products. In many foreign markets, the pricing and/or profitability of prescription pharmaceuticals are subject to governmental control. In the United States, we expect that there will continue to be federal and state proposals to implement similar governmental controls, such as the omnibus healthcare reform legislation recently adopted by the U.S. government. Although we cannot predict the full effects on our business of the implementation of the healthcare reform bill, it is possible that this legislation or other similar legislation will result in decreased reimbursement for prescription drugs, which may further exacerbate industry-wide pressure to reduce the prices charged for prescription drugs. In addition, increasing emphasis on managed care in the United States will continue to put pressure on the pricing of pharmaceutical products. These new and any future cost-control initiatives could decrease the price that we would receive for Actimmune or any other products that we may develop in the future, which would reduce our revenue and potential profitability.

Our failure or alleged failure to comply with anti-kickback and false claims laws could result in civil and/or criminal sanctions and/or harm our business.

We are subject to various federal and state laws pertaining to health care “fraud and abuse” including anti-kickback laws and false claims laws. Subject to certain exceptions, the anti-kickback laws make it illegal for a prescription drug manufacturer to knowingly and willfully solicit, offer, receive or pay any remuneration in exchange for, or to induce, the referral of business, including the purchase or prescription of a particular drug. The federal government has published regulations that identify “safe harbors” or exemptions for certain payment arrangements that do not violate the anti-kickback statutes. Due to the breadth of the statutory provisions and the absence of guidance in the form of regulations or court decisions addressing some of our practices, it is possible that our practices might be challenged under anti-kickback or similar laws. False claims laws prohibit anyone from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, for payment to third party payors (including Medicare and Medicaid) claims for reimbursed drugs or services that are false or fraudulent, claims for items or services not provided as claimed or claims for medically unnecessary items or services. Our activities relating to the reporting of wholesaler or estimated retail prices for our products, the reporting of Medicaid rebate information and other information affecting federal and state and third-party payment for our products, and the sale and marketing of our products, could become subject to scrutiny under these laws.

In addition, pharmaceutical companies have been prosecuted under the False Claims Act in connection with their “off-label” promotion of drugs. For information regarding allegations with respect to “off-label” promotion by us, please see the risk factor titled “If we fail to comply or have in the past failed to comply with FDA or other government regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses

 

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and the promotion of products for which marketing approval has not been obtained, we could be subject to regulatory enforcement action by the FDA or other governmental authorities as well as follow-on actions filed by consumers and other end-payors, which actions could result in substantial fines, sanctions and damage awards against us, any of which could harm our business” above.

If the government were to allege that we were, or convict us of, violating these laws, there could be a material adverse effect on us, including a substantial fine, decline in our stock price, or both. Our activities could be subject to challenge for the reasons discussed above and due to the broad scope of these laws and the increasing attention being given to them by law enforcement authorities.

Risks Related to Manufacturing and Our Dependence on Third Parties

The manufacturing and manufacturing development of our products and product candidates present technological, logistical and regulatory risks, each of which may adversely affect our potential revenue.

The manufacturing and manufacturing development of pharmaceuticals, and, in particular, biologicals, are technologically and logistically complex and heavily regulated by the FDA and other governmental authorities. The manufacturing and manufacturing development of our products and product candidates present many risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

It may not be technically feasible to scale up an existing manufacturing process to meet demand or such scale-up may take longer than anticipated; and

 

   

Failure to comply with strictly enforced good manufacturing practices regulations and similar foreign standards may result in delays in product approval or withdrawal of an approved product from the market. For example, the FDA has conducted routine inspections of our manufacturing contractors, and some were issued a standard “notice of observations.” Failure to correct any deficiency could result in manufacturing delays.

Any of these factors could delay clinical trials, regulatory submissions and/or commercialization of our products for particular diseases, interfere with current sales, entail higher costs and result in our being unable to effectively sell our products.

Our manufacturing strategy, which relies on third-party manufacturers, exposes us to additional risks as a result of which we may lose potential revenue.

We do not have the resources, facilities or experience to manufacture any of our products or product candidates ourselves. Completion of our clinical trials and commercialization of our products requires access to, or development of, manufacturing facilities that meet FDA standards to manufacture a sufficient supply of our products. The FDA, the EU and foreign regulatory authorities must approve facilities that manufacture our products for commercial purposes, as well as the manufacturing processes and specifications for the product. We depend on third parties for the manufacture of our product candidates for preclinical and clinical purposes, and we rely on third parties with FDA- approved manufacturing facilities for the manufacture of Actimmune for commercial purposes. We have a long-term supply contract with BI for Actimmune, a long-term supply contract with Signa C.V. and ACIC Fine Chemicals Inc. for Esbriet active pharmaceutical ingredient and a contract with Catalent for the manufacture of the drug product for Esbriet. However, if we do not perform our obligations under these agreements, these agreements may be terminated.

Our manufacturing strategy for our products and product candidates presents many risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

If market demand for our products is less than our purchase obligations to our manufacturers, we may incur substantial penalties and substantial inventory write-offs.

 

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Manufacturers of our products are subject to ongoing periodic inspections by the EU, FDA and other regulatory authorities for compliance with strictly enforced good manufacturing practices regulations and similar foreign standards, and we do not have control over our third-party manufacturers’ compliance with these regulations and standards.

 

   

When we need to change third party manufacturers of a particular pharmaceutical product, the EU, FDA and foreign regulatory authorities must approve the new manufacturers’ facilities and processes prior to our use or sale of products it manufactures for us. This requires demonstrated compatibility of product, process and testing and compliance inspections. Delays in transferring manufacturing technology between third parties could delay clinical trials, regulatory submissions and commercialization of our product candidates.

 

   

Our manufacturers might not be able or may refuse to fulfill our commercial or clinical trial needs, which would require us to seek new manufacturing arrangements and may result in substantial delays in meeting market or clinical trial demands. For example, our current long-term supply contract with Signa C.V. and ACIC Fine Chemicals Inc. for the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Esbriet does not impose any obligation on Signa C.V. or ACIC Fine Chemicals Inc. to reserve a minimum annual capacity for the production of such ingredient, which could impair our ability to obtain product from them in a timely fashion.

 

   

We may not have intellectual property rights, or may have to share intellectual property rights, to any improvements in the manufacturing processes or new manufacturing processes for our products.

 

   

Our product costs may increase if our manufacturers pass their increasing costs of manufacture on to us.

 

   

If third-party manufacturers do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or meet expected deadlines, we may not be able to obtain or maintain regulatory approvals for our products and product candidates and we may experience stock-outs. This would adversely impact our ability to successfully commercialize our products and product candidates. Furthermore, we may not be able to locate any necessary acceptable replacement manufacturers or enter into favorable agreements with such replacement manufacturers in a timely manner, if at all.

 

   

If our agreement with a third-party manufacturer expires, we may not be able to renegotiate a new agreement with that manufacturer on favorable terms, if at all. If we cannot successfully complete such renegotiation, we may not be able to locate any necessary acceptable replacement manufacturers or enter into favorable agreements with such replacement manufacturers in a timely manner, if at all. For example, our current supply agreement with BI for Actimmune is set to expire at the end of December 2012. If we are unable to negotiate an extension of this supply agreement with BI before it expires, we would need to secure a replacement manufacturer and negotiate acceptable terms with such replacement manufacturer. If we are unable to do so in a timely basis, or at all, we may experience a stock-out as well as lose our ability to maintain our regulatory approvals for Actimmune.

Any of these factors could delay clinical trials, regulatory submissions or commercialization of our products for particular diseases, interfere with current sales, entail higher costs and result in our being unable to effectively sell our products.

A disruption in our ability to ship Esbriet from our packaging facilities in the United States to our distributor in the European Union or a disruption in our distribution channels in the European Union could result in significant product delays and adversely affect our results.

We currently ship Esbriet from packaging facilities in the U.S. to our distributor in the EU. A disruption in our ability to ship Esbriet to our distributor in the EU or a disruption in our distributor

 

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channels in the EU for any reason, including as a result of a natural disaster, terrorism or failure of our commercial carrier, could result in product delivery delays. If this were to occur, we may be unable to satisfy customer orders on a timely basis, if at all. A significant disruptive event to our ability to distribute Esbriet could adversely affect our ability to generate revenue from Esbriet and materially affect our business and results of operations.

We rely on third parties to conduct clinical trials for our products and product candidates, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily.

If our third-party contractors do not successfully carry out their contractual duties or meet expected deadlines, we may be delayed in or prevented from obtaining regulatory approvals for our products and product candidates, and may not be able to successfully commercialize our products and product candidates for targeted diseases. We do not have the ability to independently conduct clinical trials for all of our products and product candidates, and we rely on third parties such as contract research organizations, medical institutions and clinical investigators to perform this function. For example, we use contract research organizations to conduct our new Phase 3 ASCEND trial for pirfenidone. Our ability to monitor and audit the performance of these third parties is limited. If these third parties do not perform satisfactorily, our clinical trials may be extended or delayed, resulting in potentially substantial cost increases to us and other adverse impacts on our product development efforts. We may not be able to locate any necessary acceptable replacements or enter into favorable agreements with them, if at all.

Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property Rights

We may not be able to obtain, maintain and protect certain proprietary rights necessary for the development and commercialization of our products or product candidates.

Our commercial success will depend in part on obtaining and maintaining patent protection on our products and product candidates and successfully defending these patents against third-party challenges. Our ability to commercialize our products will also depend in part on the patent positions of third parties, including those of our competitors. The patent positions of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can be highly uncertain and involve complex legal and factual questions. No consistent policy regarding the breadth of claims allowed in biotechnology patents has emerged to date. Accordingly, we cannot predict with certainty the scope and breadth of patent claims that may be afforded to other companies’ patents. In addition, each country has its own rules regarding the allowability and enforceability of certain types of patents and therefore there can be no assurance that our patents applications will be granted or that our issued patents will be enforceable in any given jurisdiction. We could incur substantial costs in litigation if we are required to defend against patent suits brought by third parties, or if we initiate suits to protect our patent rights.

Any litigation, including any interference proceedings to determine priority of inventions, oppositions to patents in foreign countries or litigation against our partners may be costly and time consuming and could harm our business. Litigation may be necessary in some instances to determine the validity, enforceability, scope and infringement of certain of our proprietary rights. Litigation may be necessary in other instances to determine the validity, scope or non-infringement of patent rights claimed by third parties to be pertinent to the manufacture, use or sale of our products. Ultimately, the outcome of such litigation could adversely affect the validity and scope of our patent or other proprietary rights or hinder our ability to manufacture and market our products.

The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain, and we cannot ensure that:

 

   

we were the first to make the inventions covered by each of our pending patent applications;

 

   

we were the first to file patent applications for these inventions;

 

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others will not independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies;

 

   

any of our pending patent applications will result in issued patents;

 

   

any of our issued patents or those of our licensors will be valid and enforceable;

 

   

any patents issued to us or our collaborators will provide a basis for commercially viable products or will provide us with any competitive advantages or will not be challenged by third parties;

 

   

we will develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable; or

 

   

the patents of others will not have a material adverse effect on our business.

For example, the pirfenidone molecule itself has no composition of matter patent protection in the United States or elsewhere. We must therefore rely primarily on the protection afforded by formulation and method of use patents relating to the use of pirfenidone for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF. While many countries such as the United States permit method of use patents relating to the use of drug products, in some countries the law relating to patentability of such use claims is evolving and may be unfavorably interpreted to prevent us from patenting some or all of our pending patent applications. There are some countries that currently do not allow such method of use patents, or that significantly limit the types of uses that are patentable.

In the EU, patents are subject to a post-grant opposition period, and enforcement of patents is on a country-by-country basis subject to varying, complex and evolving national requirements and standards. Competitors could challenge the validity of our patent claims and challenge whether their product actually infringes those claims. Such challenges would involve complex legal and factual questions and entail considerable costs and investment of effort.

Others have filed and in the future may file patent applications covering uses and formulations of pirfenidone, or interferon gamma-1b, or other products in our development program. If a third party has been or is in the future issued a patent that blocked our ability to commercialize any of our products, alone or in combination, for any or all of the diseases that we are targeting, we would be prevented from commercializing that product or combination of products for that disease or diseases unless we obtained a license from the patent holder. We may not be able to obtain such a license to a blocking patent on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we cannot obtain, maintain and protect the necessary proprietary rights for the development and commercialization of our products or product candidates, our business and financial prospects will be impaired.

Within the next few years various patents relating to interferon gamma-1b will expire and we will lose our ability to rely upon the intellectual property we currently own to prevent others from marketing interferon gamma-1b in the United States, which may impair our ability to generate revenue.

We have licensed certain patents relating to interferon gamma-1b, the active ingredient in Actimmune, from Genentech (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roche). A U.S. patent relating to the composition of interferon gamma-1b expires in 2014. Other material U.S. patents relating to interferon gamma-1b expire between 2009 and 2013. We also previously purchased certain patents relating to interferon gamma analogs from Amgen Inc. in 2002 including two U.S. patents issued on August 30, 2005 that will expire on August 30, 2022. When these various patents expire, we will be unable to use these patents to try to block others from marketing interferon gamma-1b in the United States and, as a result, sales of Actimmune may decline and our ability to generate revenue may decrease.

 

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Pirfenidone is the only commercially approved drug approved for the treatment of mild to moderate IPF. There are no other existing approved treatments. Therefore the incidence and prevalence of IPF that currently provide the basis of orphan drug designation in the European Union and the United States could change over time, and it is possible that orphan drug designation could be lost in these markets should the patient population exceed that required to maintain orphan drug status in these countries.

Market exclusivity afforded by Orphan Drug designation is generally offered as an incentive to drug developers to invest in developing and commercializing products for unique diseases that impact a limited number of patients. With respect to the United States, the FDA may grant orphan drug designation to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which is generally a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. The company that obtains the first FDA approval for a designated orphan drug for a rare disease receives marketing exclusivity for use of that drug for the designated condition for a period of seven years from the date of approval. The orphan drug rules are similar in the EU and marketing exclusivity is for a period of ten years from the date of approval. Qualification to maintain Orphan Drug status is generally monitored by the regulatory authorities during the Orphan Drug exclusivity period. IPF is currently a poorly diagnosed disease in these markets. It is possible that with the approval of Esbriet in the EU, and the potential approval of pirfenidone in the United States, that the incidence and prevalence numbers for IPF could change in these markets. Should the incidence and prevalence of IPF patients who are eligible to receive pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF in these markets materially increase, it is possible that the orphan drug designation, and related market exclusivity, in these jurisdictions could be lost.

The pirfenidone molecule itself has no composition of matter patent protection in the United States or elsewhere, and may only be protected for the treatment of IPF by orphan drug designation in the United States and European Union.

The pirfenidone molecule itself has no composition of matter patent protection in the United States or elsewhere. The FDA and the EMA granted pirfenidone orphan drug designation for the treatment of IPF in 2004, which we currently anticipate will provide us seven and ten years of market exclusivity in the U.S. and EU, respectively, for the use of pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF from the date that pirfenidone is approved. Therefore, we may not have the ability to prevent others from commercializing pirfenidone for (i) IPF after the orphan drug designation exclusivity period ends, (ii) uses or pirfenidone covered by other patents held by third parties, or (iii) other uses of pirfenidone in the public domain for which there is no patent protection. We are relying on exclusivity granted from orphan drug designation in IPF to protect pirfenidone from competitors in this indication. In the EU we have been granted orphan drug designation for pirfenidone for the treatment of IPF by the EMA, which provides for ten years of market exclusivity until March 2021. The exclusivity period afforded by orphan drug designation in the United States begins on first NDA approval for this product in IPF and ends seven years thereafter. We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to maintain this orphan drug designation. Furthermore, although pirfenidone has received orphan drug marketing exclusivity for the treatment of patients with IPF, the FDA and/or the EMA can still approve different drugs for use in treating the same indication or disease, which would create a more competitive market for us and our revenues will be diminished.

In addition, other third parties have obtained patents in the United States and elsewhere relating to formulation and methods of use of pirfenidone for the treatment of certain diseases. As a result, it is possible that we could face competition from third party products that have pirfenidone as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. If a third party were to obtain FDA approval in the United States for the use of pirfenidone, or regulatory approval in another jurisdiction, for an indication before we did, such third party would be first to market and could establish the price for pirfenidone in these jurisdictions. This could adversely impact our ability to implement our pricing strategy for the product and may limit our ability to maximize the commercial potential of pirfenidone in the United States and elsewhere. The

 

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presence of a lower priced competitive product with the same active pharmaceutical ingredients as our product could lead to use of the competitive product for our anti-fibrotic indications. This could lead to pricing pressure for pirfenidone, which would adversely affect our ability to generate revenue from the sale of pirfenidone for anti-fibrotic indications.

Following expiration of orphan drug designation in the European Union, and if approved for commercial use by the FDA, in the United States, our current intellectual property portfolio may not prove to be sufficient to protect the continued exclusivity of pirfenidone for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF.

Because the pirfenidone molecule itself has no composition of matter patent protection in the United States or elsewhere, following expiration of orphan drug designation in the EU, and if approved for commercial use by the FDA, in the United States, we must rely primarily on the protection afforded by the formulation and method of use patents relating to the use of pirfenidone for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF.

We have three granted patents, two allowed patent applications, and a number of other pending patent applications in Europe relating to Esbriet’s formulation and use in IPF patients, particularly related to the safe and efficacious usage of the product. This collection of patents is expected to provide patent protection in Europe until 2030, and includes a granted patent that relates to the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics and safety of pirfenidone in IPF patients, which expires in late 2026, a granted patent which relates to the safe and efficacious usage of Esbriet in patients who develop elevation in liver transaminase levels, which expires in late 2029, and a granted patent relating to the titration of the dosing of Esbriet at the initiation of therapy, which expires in late 2027. We also have two allowed patent applications relating to the safe usage of pirfenidone with respect to fluvoxamine and smoking that are currently expected to extend exclusivity of pirfenidone for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF until 2030. We also have eight issued patents in the United States relating to the formulation or safe and/or effective use of pirfenidone in IPF patients. In addition we have numerous pending patent applications under active prosecution in other foreign jurisdictions. The laws regarding patentability and enforceability of patents such as ours varies on a country by country basis.

These patents can be challenged by our competitors in various jurisdictions who may argue such patents are invalid or unenforceable, lack sufficient written description or enablement, or that the claims of the issued patents should be limited or narrowly construed. Additionally, even if the validity of these patents were upheld in a patent challenge, a court may refuse to stop the other party from practicing the activity at issue on the ground that its activities are not covered by our patents. Any of these outcomes would limit our ability to exclusively market pirfenidone for the treatment in adults of mild to moderate IPF in the EU, and if approved for commercial use by the FDA, in the United States, as well as certain other countries where we have filed for patent protection.

If we breach our license agreement with Genentech, we may lose our ability to develop and market Actimmune.

We license certain patents and trade secrets relating to Actimmune from Genentech. If we breach this agreement with Genentech, they may be able to terminate the respective license, and we would have no further rights to utilize the licensed patents or trade secrets to develop and market Actimmune, which could adversely affect our revenue and financial prospects.

If we breach our license agreement with Shionogi, we may lose our ability to develop and commercialize pirfenidone in other jurisdictions.

In February 2010, we entered into an agreement with Shionogi whereby we have the ability to obtain access to certain patient level data from the Shionogi Phase 3 clinical trial with pirfenidone in

 

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patients with IPF, which we refer to as SP3, to be used as “pivotal study data” (as defined in the agreement) in connection with our regulatory filings. We did not use SP3 patient level data as pivotal study data in our recently approved MAA or in any other submissions in connection with review of the MAA. Similarly, we did not use SP3 patient level data as pivotal study data in our U.S. NDA or in any other submissions in connection with review of the U.S. NDA. However, going forward, we may elect to use SP3 patient level data as pivotal study data in our regulatory filings in the United States or in other jurisdictions. Should we breach our agreement with Shionogi, we may lose our ability to use Shionogi’s patient level data in our regulatory filings in the United States or in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory approval of pirfenidone in such jurisdictions.

Litigation or third-party claims of intellectual property infringement could require us to spend substantial time and money and could adversely affect our ability to develop and commercialize products.

Our commercial success depends in part on our ability and the ability of our collaborators to avoid infringing patents and proprietary rights of third parties. Third parties may accuse us or our collaborators of employing their proprietary technology in our products, or in the materials or processes used to research or develop our products, without authorization. Any legal action against our collaborators or us claiming damages and/or seeking to stop our commercial activities relating to the affected products, materials and processes could, in addition to subjecting us to potential liability for damages, require our collaborators or us to obtain a license to continue to utilize the affected materials or processes or to manufacture or market the affected products. We cannot predict whether we, or our collaborators, would prevail in any of these actions or whether any license required under any of these patents would be made available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we are unable to obtain such a license, we, or our collaborators, may be unable to continue to utilize the affected materials or processes or manufacture or market the affected products or we may be obligated by a court to pay substantial royalties and/or other damages to the patent holder. Even if we are able to obtain such a license, the terms of such a license could substantially reduce the commercial value of the affected product or products and impair our prospects for profitability. Accordingly, we cannot predict whether or to what extent the commercial value of the affected product or products or our prospects for profitability may be harmed as a result of any of the liabilities discussed above. Furthermore, infringement and other intellectual property claims, with or without merit, can be expensive and time-consuming to litigate and can divert management’s attention from our core business.

If the owners of the intellectual property we license fail to maintain the intellectual property, we may lose our rights to develop our products or product candidates.

We generally do not control the patent prosecution of intellectual property that we license from third parties. Accordingly, we are unable to exercise the same degree of control over this intellectual property as we would exercise over intellectual property that we own, and, as a result, we may lose our rights to such intellectual property and incur substantial costs. For example, if Genentech fails to maintain the intellectual property rights related to Actimmune licensed to us, we may lose our rights to develop and market certain therapeutic uses for Actimmune and may be forced to incur substantial additional costs to maintain or protect our intellectual property rights or to compel Genentech to do so.

If our employees, consultants and vendors do not comply with their confidentiality agreements or our trade secrets otherwise become known, our ability to generate revenue and profits may be impaired.

Patent prosecution may not be appropriate or obtainable for certain of our technologies, and we may instead protect such proprietary information as trade secrets. We protect these rights mainly through confidentiality agreements with our corporate partners, employees, consultants and vendors.

 

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These agreements generally provide that all confidential information developed or made known to an individual or company during the course of their relationship with us will be kept confidential and will not be used or disclosed to third parties except in specified circumstances. In the case of employees and consultants, our agreements generally provide that all inventions made by the individual while engaged by us will be our exclusive property. We cannot be certain that these parties will comply with these confidentiality agreements, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach, or that our trade secrets will not otherwise become known or be independently discovered by our competitors. If our trade secrets become known, we may lose a competitive advantage and our ability to generate revenue may therefore be impaired.

By working with corporate partners, research collaborators and scientific advisors, we are subject to disputes over intellectual property, and our ability to obtain patent protection or protect proprietary information may be impaired.

Under some of our research and development agreements, inventions discovered in certain cases become jointly owned by our corporate partner and us and in other cases become the exclusive property of one of us. It can be difficult to determine who owns a particular invention, and disputes could arise regarding those inventions. These disputes could be costly and could divert management’s attention from our business. Our research collaborators and scientific advisors have some rights to publish our data and proprietary information in which we have rights. Such publications may impair our ability to obtain patent protection or protect our proprietary information, which could impair our ability to generate revenue.

Risks Related to Our Financial Results and Other Risks Related to Our Business

If we continue to incur net losses for an extended period of time, we may be unable to continue our business.

We have incurred net losses since inception, and our accumulated deficit was approximately $865.1 million at June 30, 2011. We expect to incur substantial additional net losses prior to achieving profitability, if ever. The extent of our future net losses and the timing of our profitability are highly uncertain, and we may never achieve profitable operations. We are planning to expand the number of diseases for which our products may be marketed, and this expansion will require significant expenditures. To date, we have generated revenue primarily through the sale of Actimmune. However, Actimmune sales have decreased in recent periods and we expect this trend to continue into the future. We have not generated operating profits to date from our products. If the time required for us to achieve profitability is longer than we anticipate, we may not be able to continue our business.

Revenue from the sale of Actimmune has been declining and is expected to decline further.

Physicians may choose not to prescribe Actimmune or provide fewer patient referrals for Actimmune for the treatment of IPF for a variety of reasons, some of which are because:

 

   

Actimmune is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of IPF, and we therefore are unable to market or promote Actimmune for the treatment of IPF;

 

   

in our initial and Phase 3 INSPIRE clinical trials, Actimmune failed to meet the primary and secondary endpoints;

 

   

physicians prefer to enroll their patients in clinical trials for the treatment of IPF;

 

   

Actimmune does not have a drug compendia listing, often a criterion used by third-party payors to decide whether or not to reimburse off-label prescriptions;

 

   

physicians’ patients are unable to receive or lose reimbursement from a third-party reimbursement organization;

 

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  Ÿ  

physicians are not confident that Actimmune has a clinically significant treatment effect for IPF; or

 

   

a competing product shows a clinically significant treatment effect for IPF.

If we fail to obtain the capital necessary to fund our operations, we will be unable to successfully execute our business plan.

We believe our existing cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities, along with anticipated cash flows from our sales of Esbriet and Actimmune, will be sufficient to fund our operating expenses, debt obligations and capital requirements under our current business plan through at least the next twelve months. However, our current plans and assumptions may change, and our capital requirements may increase. We have no committed sources of capital and do not know whether additional financing will be available when needed, or, if available, that the terms will be favorable to our stockholders or us. If additional funds are not available, we may be forced to delay or terminate clinical trials, curtail operations or obtain funds through collaborative and licensing arrangements that may require us to relinquish commercial rights or potential markets, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. If adequate funds are not available, we will not be able to successfully execute our business plan.

Budget or cash constraints may force us to delay our efforts to develop certain products in favor of developing others, which may prevent us from meeting our stated timetables and commercializing those products as quickly as possible, or take certain cost saving efforts that could harm our financial results.

Because we are an emerging company with limited resources, and because research and development is an expensive process, we must regularly assess the most efficient allocation of our research and development resources. Accordingly, we may choose to delay our research and development efforts for a promising product candidate to allocate those resources to another program, which could cause us to fall behind our initial timetables for development of certain product candidates. As a result, we may not be able to fully realize the value of some of our product candidates in a timely manner, since they will be delayed in reaching the market, or may not reach the market at all.

Due to cash constraints or for strategic business reasons we may decide to take certain actions that reduce our expenses. For example, we sold to Roche our worldwide development and commercialization rights to danoprevir and received $175.0 million from the sale of such rights. On a forward-looking basis we will not incur the expense associated with further investment in danoprevir; however, our rights to share profits from sales of danoprevir in the United States have also been terminated and, as a result, our business and future financial results may be harmed.

Negative conditions in the global markets may impair the liquidity of a portion of our investment portfolio.

Our investment securities consist of high-grade corporate debt securities, government agency securities and direct government obligation securities. Due to recent credit market and global economic conditions, markets for certain fixed-income securities have been volatile and have experienced limitations in liquidity. If there is insufficient demand for the securities we hold, we may not have liquid access to our investments and may be required to recognize an impairment for those securities should we conclude that such impairment is other-than-temporary. For example, as recently as September 30, 2010 we held in our investment portfolio $4.8 million of auction rate securities that had experienced illiquid market conditions requiring us to previously adjust the carrying-value of these securities. As of December 31, 2010, all of our auction rate securities had been sold or redeemed.

 

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Failure to accurately forecast demand for our products could result in additional charges for excess inventories or non-cancelable purchase obligations or supply shortages.

We base many of our operating decisions on anticipated revenue trends and competitive market conditions, which are difficult to predict. We acquire inventories and enter into non-cancelable purchase obligations in order to meet demand for our products based on these projections. For the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, we recorded charges of $0.5 million, $0.3 million and $0.7 million, respectively, for excess inventories related to Actimmune from previous years’ contractual purchases. We could be required to record additional charges for excess inventories and/or non-cancelable purchase obligations if demand for Actimmune decreases faster than we anticipate.

In addition, we are initiating our commercial launch of Esbriet in Germany in the second half of September 2011, with commercial launches in additional countries in the EU to follow. While we have attempted to forecast demand for Esbriet in Germany and the EU, until we have a sufficient history of commercial sales in such jurisdictions, we cannot know with certainty whether our inventory of Esbriet is in excess of or insufficient to meet demand. Further, we have just recently established our sales organization in the EU and we do not yet know if the size of the sales organization is sufficient to successfully commercialize Esbriet, which makes accurately forecasting demand more difficult. If we fail to accurately forecast demand for Esbriet, we may face temporary supply shortages, which will impair our ability to generate revenue from such demand, or excess inventories, which may result in additional charges for such excess inventory.

We may incur additional indebtedness in the future. Our significant level of indebtedness could limit cash flow available for our operations and expose us to risks that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As of June 30, 2011, we had $85 million of outstanding indebtedness under our 5.00% convertible notes due 2015, or 2015 notes. We may also incur additional indebtedness to meet future financing needs. Our indebtedness could have significant negative consequences for our business, results of operations and financial condition, including:

 

   

increasing our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

   

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing;

 

   

requiring the dedication of a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to service our indebtedness, thereby reducing the amount of our cash flow available for other purposes;

 

   

limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business;

 

   

dilution experienced by our existing stockholders as a result of the conversion of our 2015 notes into shares of common stock; and

 

   

placing us at a possible competitive disadvantage with less leveraged competitors and competitors that may have better access to capital resources.

As of June 30, 2011, our annual debt service obligation on our 2015 notes was $4.3 million. We cannot assure you that we will continue to maintain sufficient cash reserves or that our business will continue to generate cash flow from operations at levels sufficient to permit us to pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, or that our cash needs will not increase. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds necessary to make required

 

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payments, or if we fail to comply with the various requirements of the 2015 notes or any indebtedness which we may incur in the future, we would be in default, which would permit the holders of the 2015 notes or other indebtedness to accelerate the maturity of such notes or other indebtedness and could cause cross-defaults under the company’s other indebtedness. Any default under the 2015 notes or any indebtedness which we may incur in the future could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We may not have the ability to raise the funds necessary to finance any required repurchases of our outstanding 2015 notes, which would constitute an event of default under our indentures.

Under our 2015 notes indenture, if a designated event, such as the termination of trading of our common stock on The NASDAQ Global Select Market or a specified change of control transaction occurs prior to maturity, we may be required to redeem all or part of our 2015 notes. Although the 2015 notes indenture would allow us in certain circumstances to pay the redemption price for the 2015 notes in shares of our common stock, if a designated event were to occur, we may not have sufficient funds to pay the redemption prices for all the notes tendered.

We have not established a sinking fund for payment of our outstanding notes, nor do we anticipate doing so. In addition, we may in the future enter into credit agreements or other agreements that may contain provisions prohibiting redemption or repurchase of the 2015 notes under certain circumstances, or may provide that a designated event constitutes an event of default under that agreement. If a designated event occurs at a time when we are prohibited from purchasing or redeeming the 2015 notes, we could seek a waiver from the holders of these notes or attempt to refinance these notes. If we were not able to obtain consent, we would not be permitted to repurchase the notes. Our failure to redeem tendered notes would constitute an event of default under the 2015 notes indenture, which might constitute a default under the terms of our other indebtedness.

If product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we may incur substantial liabilities.

The testing, marketing and sale of medical products entail an inherent risk of product liability. We have product liability risk for all of our product candidates and for all of the clinical trials we conduct, including our discontinued INSPIRE trial. If product liability costs exceed our liability insurance coverage, we may incur substantial liabilities. Whether or not we were ultimately successful in product liability litigation, such litigation would consume substantial amounts of our financial and managerial resources, and might result in adverse publicity, all of which would impair our business. While we believe that our clinical trial and product liability insurance currently provides adequate protection to our business, we may not be able to maintain our clinical trial insurance or product liability insurance at an acceptable cost, if at all, and this insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential claims or losses.

If we materially breach the representations and warranties we made to Roche under the Asset Purchase Agreement or any of our other contractual obligations, Roche has the right to seek indemnification from us for damages it suffers as a result of such breach. These amounts could be significant.

We have agreed to indemnify Roche and its affiliates against losses suffered as a result of our material breach of representations and warranties and our other obligations in the Asset Purchase

 

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Agreement we entered into with Roche and its affiliates in connection with our sale of our worldwide development and commercialization rights to danoprevir. If one or more of our representations and warranties were not true at the time we made them to Roche, we would be in breach of the Asset Purchase Agreement. In the event of a breach by us, Roche has the right to seek indemnification from us for damages suffered by Roche as a result of such breach. The amounts for which we could become liable to Roche may be significant.

Our use of hazardous materials, chemicals, viruses and radioactive compounds exposes us to potential liabilities.

Our research and development activities involve the controlled use and disposal of hazardous materials, chemicals, infectious disease agents and various radioactive compounds. Although we believe that our safety procedures for handling and disposing of such materials comply with the standards prescribed by state and federal regulations, we cannot completely eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials. In the event of such an accident, we could be held liable for significant damages or fines, which may not be covered by or may exceed our insurance coverage.

Insurance coverage is increasingly difficult to obtain or maintain.

While we currently maintain clinical trial and product liability insurance, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, general liability insurance, property insurance and warehouse and transit insurance, first- and third-party insurance is increasingly more costly and narrower in scope, and we may be required to assume more risk in the future. If we are subject to third-party claims or suffer a loss or damage in excess of our insurance coverage, we may be required to share that risk in excess of our insurance limits. Furthermore, any first- or third-party claims made on our insurance policies may impact our future ability to obtain or maintain insurance coverage at reasonable costs, if at all.

Failure to attract, retain and motivate skilled personnel and cultivate key academic collaborations will delay our product development programs and our business development efforts.

As of July 31, 2011, we had 122 full-time employees, and our success depends on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management, scientific and commercial personnel, especially in Europe, and on our ability to develop relationships with leading academic scientists. Competition for personnel and academic collaborations is intense. We are highly dependent on our current management and key scientific and technical personnel, including Daniel G. Welch, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, as well as the other principal members of our management. None of our employees, including members of our management team, has a long-term employment contract, and any of our employees can leave at any time. Our success will depend in part on retaining the services of our existing management and key personnel and attracting and retaining new highly qualified personnel. In addition, we may need to hire additional personnel and develop additional academic collaborations if we expand our research and development activities. We do not know if we will be able to attract, retain or motivate personnel or cultivate academic collaborations. Our inability to hire, retain or motivate qualified personnel or cultivate academic collaborations would harm our business.

Our ability to use our net operating losses and certain other tax attributes may be subject to annual limitations under federal and state tax law that could materially affect our ability to utilize such losses and attributes.

If a corporation undergoes an “ownership change” within the meaning of section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, or section 382, the corporation’s ability to utilize any net operating losses, or NOLs, and certain tax credits and other attributes generated before such an ownership change, is limited. We believe that we have in the past experienced ownership changes within the meaning of

 

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section 382 that have resulted in limitations under section 382 (and similar state provisions) on the use of our NOLs and other tax attributes. Future changes in ownership could result in additional ownership changes within the meaning of section 382 that could further limit our ability to utilize our NOLs and certain other tax attributes.

 

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