UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
[X] |
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934 |
For
the quarterly period ended June 30, 2020
OR
[ ] |
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934 |
Commission
file number: 001-15911
CELSION
CORPORATION
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
|
52-1256615 |
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
|
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
Number)
|
997
Lenox Drive, Suite 100,
Lawrenceville,
NJ 08648
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(609)
896-9100
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act
Title
of each class |
|
Trading
symbol(s) |
|
Name
of each exchange on
which
registered
|
Common
stock, par value $0.01 per share |
|
CLSN |
|
Nasdaq
Capital Market |
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such
shorter period that the registrant was required to file such
reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically
every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to
Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant
was required to submit such files). Yes [X] No
[ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer,
an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of
“large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting
company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act (Check One):
Large
accelerated filer [ ] |
Accelerated
filer [ ] |
Non-accelerated
filer [ ] |
Smaller
reporting company [X] |
Emerging
growth company [ ] |
|
If an
emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant
has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided
pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
[ ]
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes [ ] No
[X]
As of
August 13, 2020, Celsion Corporation had 33,232,380 shares of
common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding.
CELSION
CORPORATION
QUARTERLY
REPORT ON
FORM
10-Q
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
report includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All
statements other than statements of historical fact are
“forward-looking statements” for purposes of this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q, including, without limitation, any projections of
earnings, revenue or other financial items, any statements of the
plans and objectives of management for future operations
(including, but not limited to, pre-clinical development, clinical
trials, manufacturing and commercialization), uncertainties and
assumptions regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our
business, operations, clinical trials, supply chain, strategy,
goals and anticipated timelines, any statements concerning proposed
drug candidates, potential therapeutic benefits, or other new
products or services, any statements regarding future economic
conditions or performance, any changes in the course of research
and development activities and in clinical trials, any possible
changes in cost and timing of development and testing, capital
structure, financial condition, working capital needs and other
financial items, any changes in approaches to medical treatment,
any introduction of new products by others, any possible licenses
or acquisitions of other technologies, assets or businesses, our
ability to realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits of
our acquisition of the assets of EGEN, Inc., including achieving
operational cost savings and synergies in light of any delays we
may encounter in the integration process and additional unforeseen
expenses, any possible actions by customers, suppliers, partners,
competitors and regulatory authorities, compliance with listing
standards of The Nasdaq Capital Market and any statements of
assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases,
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expects,” “plans,”
“anticipates,” “estimates,” “potential” or “continue,” or the
negative thereof or other comparable terminology. Although we
believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions
within the bounds of our knowledge of our industry, business and
operations, we cannot guarantee that actual results will not differ
materially from our expectations.
Our
future financial condition and results of operations, as well as
any forward-looking statements, are subject to inherent risks and
uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set
forth in Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors” below and for the reasons
described elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. All
forward-looking statements and reasons why results may differ
included in this report are made as of the date hereof and we do
not intend to update any forward-looking statements, except as
required by law or applicable regulations. The discussion of risks
and uncertainties set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
is not necessarily a complete or exhaustive list of all risks
facing us at any particular point in time. We operate in a highly
competitive, highly regulated and rapidly changing environment and
our business is in a state of evolution. Therefore, it is likely
that new risks will emerge, and that the nature and elements of
existing risks will change, over time. It is not possible for
management to predict all such risk factors or changes therein, or
to assess either the impact of all such risk factors on our
business or the extent to which any individual risk factor,
combination of factors, or new or altered factors, may cause
results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement.
Except
where the context otherwise requires, in this Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q, the “Company,” “Celsion,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to
Celsion Corporation, a Delaware corporation and its wholly-owned
subsidiary CLSN Laboratories, Inc., also a Delaware
corporation.
Trademarks
The
Celsion brand and product names, including but not limited to
Celsion® and ThermoDox® contained in this
document are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of
Celsion Corporation or its subsidiary in the United States (U.S.)
and certain other countries. This document also contains references
to trademarks and service marks of other companies that are the
property of their respective owners.
PART I: FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
Item
1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CELSION
CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE
SHEETS
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
(Unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
22,653,760 |
|
|
$ |
6,875,273 |
|
Investment in debt
securities - available for sale, at fair value |
|
|
2,791,868 |
|
|
|
7,985,886 |
|
Accrued interest
receivable on investment securities |
|
|
7,866 |
|
|
|
21,369 |
|
Advances and deposits on clinical programs and other current
assets |
|
|
1,342,566 |
|
|
|
1,352,670 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
26,796,060 |
|
|
|
16,235,198 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property
and equipment (at cost, less accumulated depreciation of $3,174,681
and $3,096,681, respectively)
|
|
|
339,200 |
|
|
|
405,363 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred tax
asset |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
1,819,324 |
|
In-process
research and development, net |
|
|
15,736,491 |
|
|
|
15,736,491 |
|
Goodwill |
|
|
1,976,101 |
|
|
|
1,976,101 |
|
Operating lease
right-of-use assets, net |
|
|
1,244,308 |
|
|
|
1,431,640 |
|
Other intangible
assets, net |
|
|
227,318 |
|
|
|
340,976 |
|
Deposits and other assets |
|
|
403,482 |
|
|
|
333,274 |
|
Total other assets |
|
|
19,587,700 |
|
|
|
21,637,806 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
46,722,960 |
|
|
$ |
38,278,367 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE
SHEETS
(Continued)
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
(Unaudited) |
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable ─ trade |
|
$ |
2,402,142 |
|
|
$ |
2,862,949 |
|
Other accrued
liabilities |
|
|
1,507,683 |
|
|
|
2,303,547 |
|
Notes payable –
current portion, net of deferred financing costs |
|
|
4,385,915 |
|
|
|
1,840,228 |
|
Operating lease
liability - current portion |
|
|
410,005 |
|
|
|
387,733 |
|
Deferred revenue - current portion |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
Total
current liabilities |
|
|
9,205,745 |
|
|
|
7,894,457 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earn-out milestone
liability |
|
|
6,015,279 |
|
|
|
5,717,709 |
|
Note payable, net
of deferred financing costs |
|
|
5,610,555 |
|
|
|
7,963,449 |
|
Operating lease
liability - non-current portion |
|
|
933,219 |
|
|
|
1,143,717 |
|
Deferred revenue - non-current portion |
|
|
750,000 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
22,514,798 |
|
|
|
23,719,332 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commitments and contingencies |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock -
$0.01 par value (100,000 shares authorized, and no shares issued or
outstanding at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019) |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock -
$0.01 par value (112,500,000 shares authorized; 33,229,714 and
23,256,152 shares issued at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019,
respectively, and 33,229,380 and 23,255,818 shares outstanding at
June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively) |
|
|
332,297 |
|
|
|
232,562 |
|
Additional paid-in
capital |
|
|
324,869,780 |
|
|
|
304,885,663 |
|
Accumulated other
comprehensive gain |
|
|
7,866 |
|
|
|
42,778 |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
|
(300,916,593 |
) |
|
|
(290,516,780 |
) |
Total
stockholders’ equity before treasury stock |
|
|
24,293,350 |
|
|
|
14,644,223 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Treasury
stock, at cost (334 shares at June 30, 2020 and December 31,
2019) |
|
|
(85,188 |
) |
|
|
(85,188 |
) |
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
|
24,208,162 |
|
|
|
14,559,035 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
|
$ |
46,722,960 |
|
|
$ |
38,278,367 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Licensing revenue |
|
$ |
125,000 |
|
|
$ |
125,000 |
|
|
$ |
250,000 |
|
|
$ |
250,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and
development |
|
|
2,990,861 |
|
|
|
3,558,074 |
|
|
|
6,042,910 |
|
|
|
6,325,733 |
|
General and administrative |
|
|
1,901,136 |
|
|
|
2,136,684 |
|
|
|
3,740,042 |
|
|
|
4,354,548 |
|
Total operating expenses |
|
|
4,891,997 |
|
|
|
5,694,758 |
|
|
|
9,782,952 |
|
|
|
10,680,281 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss
from operations |
|
|
(4,766,997 |
) |
|
|
(5,569,758 |
) |
|
|
(9,532,952 |
) |
|
|
(10,430,281 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other (expense)
income: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Loss) gain from
change in valuation of earn-out milestone liability |
|
|
(256,296 |
) |
|
|
(127,061 |
) |
|
|
(297,570 |
) |
|
|
3,002,939 |
|
Fair value of
warrants issued in connection with amendment to modify GEN-1
earn-out milestone payments |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
(400,000 |
) |
Investment
income |
|
|
20,960 |
|
|
|
144,602 |
|
|
|
109,269 |
|
|
|
258,393 |
|
Interest
expense |
|
|
(340,602 |
) |
|
|
(349,448 |
) |
|
|
(679,967 |
) |
|
|
(700,195 |
) |
Other
(expense) income |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
(2,850 |
) |
|
|
1,407 |
|
|
|
(2,823 |
) |
Total other (expense) income, net |
|
|
(575,938 |
) |
|
|
(334,757 |
) |
|
|
(866,861 |
) |
|
|
2,158,314 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss |
|
$ |
(5,342,935 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,904,515 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,399,813 |
) |
|
$ |
(8,271,967 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss per common share |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted |
|
$ |
(0.18 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.29 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.37 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.42 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted |
|
|
29,887,329 |
|
|
|
20,605,762 |
|
|
|
27,830,573 |
|
|
|
19,713,449 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(Unaudited)
|
|
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Other comprehensive
(loss) gain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Changes in: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realized (gains) losses on
investment securities recognized in investment income, net |
|
$ |
(2,865 |
) |
|
$ |
(969 |
) |
|
$ |
(46,097 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,350 |
) |
Unrealized
gains on investment securities, net |
|
|
6,918 |
|
|
|
8,721 |
|
|
|
11,185 |
|
|
|
75,054 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in unrealized gains (losses) on
available for sale securities, net |
|
|
4,053 |
|
|
|
7,752 |
|
|
|
(34,912 |
) |
|
|
64,704 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
|
(5,342,935 |
) |
|
|
(5,904,515 |
) |
|
|
(10,399,813 |
) |
|
|
(8,271,967 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive
loss |
|
$ |
(5,338,882 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,896,763 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,434,725 |
) |
|
$ |
(8,207,263 |
) |
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Cash flows from
operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(10,399,813 |
) |
|
$ |
(8,271,967 |
) |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to
net cash from operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and
amortization |
|
|
378,990 |
|
|
|
362,027 |
|
Change in fair
value of earn-out milestone liability |
|
|
297,570 |
|
|
|
(3,002,939 |
) |
Fair value of
warrants issued in connection with amendment to modify
the GEN-1 earn-out milestone payments |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
Recognition of
deferred revenue |
|
|
(250,000 |
) |
|
|
(250,000 |
) |
Stock-based
compensation costs |
|
|
1,030,726 |
|
|
|
1,308,492 |
|
Shares issued in
exchange for services |
|
|
─ |
|
|
|
5,350 |
|
Deferred income
tax asset |
|
|
1,819,324 |
|
|
|
─ |
|
Amortization
of deferred finance charges and debt discount associated with notes
payable |
|
|
192,793 |
|
|
|
191,724 |
|
Net changes
in: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accrued interest
on investment securities |
|
|
13,503 |
|
|
|
2,636 |
|
Advances, deposits
and other current assets |
|
|
(60,104 |
) |
|
|
(931,654 |
) |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
|
|
(946,265 |
) |
|
|
24,460 |
|
Net cash (used in) operating activities: |
|
|
(7,923,276 |
) |
|
|
(10,161,871 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases of
investment securities |
|
|
(9,940,894 |
) |
|
|
(13,279,686 |
) |
Proceeds from sale
and maturity of investment securities |
|
|
15,100,000 |
|
|
|
11,900,000 |
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
|
|
(11,837 |
) |
|
|
(262,728 |
) |
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities |
|
|
5,147,269 |
|
|
|
(1,642,414 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from
financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from sale
of common stock equity, net of issuance costs |
|
|
18,182,599 |
|
|
|
4,464,060 |
|
Proceeds from
issuance of common stock upon conversion of stock options |
|
|
371,895 |
|
|
|
─ |
|
Proceeds from
Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans |
|
|
1,324,750 |
|
|
|
─ |
|
Repayments on Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans |
|
|
(1,324,750 |
) |
|
|
─ |
|
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
18,554,494 |
|
|
|
4,464,060 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase (decrease)
in cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
15,778,487 |
|
|
|
(7,340,225 |
) |
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
|
|
6,875,273 |
|
|
|
13,353,543 |
|
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of period |
|
$ |
22,653,760 |
|
|
$ |
6,013,318 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF CASH FLOWS (continued)
(Unaudited)
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30, |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest paid |
|
$ |
(487,174 |
) |
|
$ |
(508,471 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
paid for amounts included in measurement of lease liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating cash flows from lease payments |
|
$ |
262,084 |
|
|
$ |
224,585 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-cash financing and investing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value of warrants issued in connection with amendment to
modify the GEN-1 earn-out milestone payments |
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Right
of use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Right of use assets |
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
1,797,561 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock issued in lieu of cash bonus payments |
|
$ |
498,632 |
|
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Realized and unrealized (gains) losses, net, on investment
securities |
|
$ |
(34,912 |
) |
|
$ |
64,704 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Unaudited)
THREE
MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020
Three Months Ended |
|
Common
Stock
Outstanding
|
|
|
Additional
Paid
in
|
|
|
Treasury Stock |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at April 1,
2020 |
|
|
29,257,101 |
|
|
$ |
292,574 |
|
|
$ |
311,570,995 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
3,813 |
|
|
$ |
(295,573,658 |
) |
|
$ |
16,208,536 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(5,342,935 |
) |
|
|
(5,342,935 |
) |
Sale of equity through financing
facilities |
|
|
3,831,415 |
|
|
|
38,314 |
|
|
|
12,349,538 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
12,387,852 |
|
Issuance of common stock upon exercise
of options |
|
|
140,864 |
|
|
|
1,409 |
|
|
|
370,486 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
371,895 |
|
Realized and unrealized gains and
losses, net, on investments securities |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,053 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,053 |
|
Stock-based
compensation expense |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
578,761 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
578,761 |
|
Balance at
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
33,229,380 |
|
|
$ |
332,297 |
|
|
$ |
324,869,780 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
7,866 |
|
|
$ |
(300,916,593 |
) |
|
$ |
24,208,162 |
|
THREE
MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
Three
Months Ended
|
|
Common
Stock
Outstanding
|
|
|
Additional
Paid
in
|
|
|
Treasury Stock |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2019 |
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance
at April 1, 2019 |
|
|
19,662,020 |
|
|
$ |
196,624 |
|
|
$ |
297,231,041 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
86,824 |
|
|
$ |
(276,032,699 |
) |
|
$ |
21,396,602 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(5,904,515 |
) |
|
|
(5,904,515 |
) |
Sale of equity through financing
facilities |
|
|
1,337,775 |
|
|
|
13,378 |
|
|
|
2,695,798 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2,709,176 |
|
Realized and unrealized gains and
losses, net, on investments securities |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
7,752 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
7,752 |
|
Stock-based compensation expense |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
617,347 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
617,347 |
|
Issuance of
restricted stock |
|
|
2,500 |
|
|
|
24 |
|
|
|
5,325 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,349 |
|
Balance at
June 30, 2019 |
|
|
21,002,295 |
|
|
$ |
210,026 |
|
|
$ |
300,549,511 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
94,576 |
|
|
$ |
(281,937,214 |
) |
|
$ |
18,831,711 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS
OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (continued)
(Unaudited)
SIX
MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020
Six Months Ended |
|
Common
Stock
Outstanding
|
|
|
Additional
Paid
in
|
|
|
Treasury Stock |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
Total |
|
Balance
at January 1, 2020 |
|
|
23,255,818 |
|
|
$ |
232,562 |
|
|
$ |
304,885,663 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
42,778 |
|
|
$ |
(290,516,780 |
) |
|
$ |
14,559,035 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(10,399,813 |
) |
|
|
(10,399,813 |
) |
Sale of equity through financing
facilities |
|
|
9,402,843 |
|
|
|
94,027 |
|
|
|
18,088,572 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
18,182,599 |
|
Issuance of common stock upon exercise
of options |
|
|
140,864 |
|
|
|
1,409 |
|
|
|
370,486 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
371,895 |
|
Realized and unrealized gains and
losses, net, on investments securities |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(34,912 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(34,912 |
) |
Stock-based compensation expense |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,030,726 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,030,726 |
|
Issuance of
common stock in lieu of cash bonus |
|
|
429,855 |
|
|
|
4,299 |
|
|
|
494,333 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
498,632 |
|
Balance at June 30, 2020 |
|
|
33,229,380 |
|
|
$ |
332,297 |
|
|
$ |
324,869,780 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
7,866 |
|
|
$ |
(300,916,593 |
) |
|
$ |
24,208,162 |
|
SIX
MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
Six Months Ended
|
|
Common
Stock
Outstanding
|
|
|
Additional
Paid
in
|
|
|
Treasury Stock |
|
|
Accumulated Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2019 |
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Income |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
Total |
|
Balance
at January 1, 2019 |
|
|
18,831,834 |
|
|
$ |
188,322 |
|
|
$ |
294,393,313 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
29,872 |
|
|
$ |
(273,665,247 |
) |
|
$ |
20,861,072 |
|
Net loss |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(8,271,967 |
) |
|
|
(8,271,967 |
) |
Sale of equity through financing
facilities |
|
|
2,159,961 |
|
|
|
21,599 |
|
|
|
4,442,461 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
4,464,060 |
|
Common stock warrants issued in
connection with amendment to modify GEN-1 earn-out milestone
payments |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
Realized and unrealized gains and
losses, net, on investments securities |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
64,704 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
64,704 |
|
Stock-based compensation expense |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,308,492 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
1,308,492 |
|
Issuance of
restricted stock |
|
|
10,500 |
|
|
|
105 |
|
|
|
5,245 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
5,350 |
|
Balance at June 30, 2019 |
|
|
21,002,295 |
|
|
$ |
210,026 |
|
|
$ |
300,549,511 |
|
|
|
334 |
|
|
$ |
(85,188 |
) |
|
$ |
94,576 |
|
|
$ |
(281,937,214 |
) |
|
$ |
18,831,711 |
|
See
accompanying notes to the condensed consolidated financial
statements.
CELSION CORPORATION
NOTES
TO THE CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
FOR
THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020
Note
1. Business Description
Celsion
Corporation (“Celsion” and the “Company”) is a fully integrated
development stage oncology drug company focused on advancing a
portfolio of innovative cancer treatments, including directed
chemotherapies, DNA-mediated immunotherapy and RNA based therapies.
Celsion is a fully integrated oncology company focused on
developing a portfolio of innovative cancer treatments, including
immunotherapies, DNA-based therapies and directed chemotherapies.
The Company’s product pipeline includes GEN-1, a DNA-based
immunotherapy for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer and
ThermoDox®, a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of
doxorubicin, currently in Phase III development for the treatment
of primary liver cancer and in development for other cancer
indications. Celsion has two feasibility stage platform
technologies for the development of novel nucleic acid-based
immunotherapies and other anti-cancer DNA or RNA therapies. Both
are novel synthetic, non-viral vectors with demonstrated capability
in nucleic acid cellular transfection.With these technologies we
are working to develop and commercialize more efficient, effective
and targeted oncology therapies that maximize efficacy while
minimizing side-effects common to cancer treatments.
Note
2. Basis of Presentation
The
accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements,
which include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned
subsidiary, CLSN Laboratories, Inc, have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the
instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. All
significant intercompany balances and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation. Certain information and disclosures
normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance
with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and
regulations.
In
the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of
normal recurring accruals considered necessary for a fair
presentation, have been included in the accompanying unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements. Operating results for
the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019
are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected
for any other interim period(s) or for any full year. For further
information, refer to the financial statements and notes thereto
included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) on March 25, 2020.
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP
requires management to make judgments, estimates, and assumptions
that affect the amounts reported in the Company’s financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ
materially from those estimates. Events and conditions arising
subsequent to the most recent balance sheet date have been
evaluated for their possible impact on the financial statements and
accompanying notes. With the recent introduction of the COVID-19
pandemic to the United States, the Company continues to monitor the
impact of this pandemic on its financial condition and results of
operations, along with the valuation of its long-term assets,
intangible assets, and goodwill. The effect of this matter could
potentially have an impact on the valuation of such assets in the
future. The COVID-19 matter is discussed in more detail in Note 3
to the financial statements.
Note
3. Financial Condition and Business Plan
Since
inception, the Company has incurred substantial operating losses,
principally from expenses associated with the Company’s research
and development programs, clinical trials conducted in connection
with the Company’s product candidates, and applications and
submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Company
has not generated significant revenue and has incurred significant
net losses in each year since our inception. As of June 30, 2020,
the Company has incurred approximately $301 million of cumulative
net losses and we had approximately $25.5 million in cash,
investment securities, and interest receivable. We have substantial
future capital requirements to continue our research and
development activities and advance our product candidates through
various development stages. The Company believes these expenditures
are essential for the commercialization of its
technologies.
The
Company expects its operating losses to continue for the
foreseeable future as it continues its product development efforts,
and when it undertakes marketing and sales activities. The
Company’s ability to achieve profitability is dependent upon its
ability to obtain governmental approvals, manufacture, and market
and sell its new product candidates. There can be no assurance that
the Company will be able to commercialize its technology
successfully or that profitability will ever be achieved. The
operating results of the Company have fluctuated significantly in
the past.
COVID-19
Pandemic
In
January 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared an
outbreak of coronavirus, COVID-19, to be a “Public Health Emergency
of International Concern,” and the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services declared a public health emergency to aid the U.S.
healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. This virus has
spread to over 100 countries, including the United States.
Governments and businesses around the world have taken
unprecedented actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,
including, but not limited to, shelter-in-place orders,
quarantines, significant restrictions on travel, as well as
restrictions that prohibit many employees from going to work.
Uncertainty with respect to the economic impacts of the pandemic
has introduced significant volatility in the financial markets. The
Company did not observe significant impacts on its business or
results of operations for the three-month and six-month periods
ended June 30, 2020 due to the global emergence of COVID-19. While
the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Company’s future results
will depend on future developments, the pandemic and associated
economic impacts could result in a material impact to the Company’s
future financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows.
The
Company’s ability to raise additional capital may be adversely
impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the
recent disruptions to, and volatility in, financial markets in the
United States and worldwide resulting from the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic. The disruptions caused by COVID-19 may also disrupt the
clinical trials process and enrolment of patients. This may delay
commercialization efforts. The Company is currently monitoring its
operating activities in light of these events and it is reasonably
possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the
Company’s financial condition and results of operations. The
specific impact, if any, is not readily determinable as of the date
of these financial statements.
The
actual amount of funds the Company will need to operate is subject
to many factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control.
These factors include the following:
● |
the
progress of research activities; |
|
|
● |
the
number and scope of research programs; |
|
|
● |
the
progress of preclinical and clinical development
activities; |
|
|
● |
the
progress of the development efforts of parties with whom the
Company has entered into research and development
agreements; |
|
|
● |
the
costs associated with additional clinical trials of product
candidates; |
|
|
● |
the
ability to maintain current research and development licensing
arrangements and to establish new research and development and
licensing arrangements; |
|
|
● |
the
ability to achieve milestones under licensing
arrangements; |
|
|
● |
the
costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other
intellectual property rights; and |
|
|
● |
the
costs and timing of regulatory approvals. |
On
July 13, 2020, the Company announced that it has received a
recommendation from the independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC)
to consider stopping the global Phase III OPTIMA Study of
ThermoDox® in combination with radiofrequency ablation
(RFA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or
primary liver cancer. The recommendation was made following the
second pre-planned interim safety and efficacy analysis by the DMC
on July 9, 2020. The DMC’s analysis found that the pre-specified
boundary for stopping the trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed
with an actual value of 0.903. The Company intends to follow the
advice of the DMC and will consider its options to either stop the
study or continue to follow patients after a thorough review of the
data, and an evaluation of the probability of success. Timing for
this decision is made less urgent by the fact that the OPTIMA Study
has been fully enrolled since August 2018 and that the vast
majority of the trial expenses have already been incurred. On
August 4, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing it
will continue following patients for overall survival (“OS”),
noting that the unexpected and marginally crossed futility
boundary, suggested by the Kaplan-Meier analysis at the second
interim analysis on July 9, 2020, may be associated with a data
maturity issue.
During
2019 and 2018, the Company submitted applications to sell a portion
of the Company’s State of New Jersey net operating losses as part
of the Technology Business Tax Certificate Program sponsored by The
New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Under the program,
emerging biotechnology companies with unused NOLs and unused
research and development credits are allowed to sell these benefits
to other New Jersey-based companies. The Company received approval
from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to sell $1.9
million of its State of New Jersey net operating losses recognizing
a tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2019 for the net
proceeds (approximately $1.8 million). In early 2020, the Company
entered into an agreement to sell these net operating losses. In
April of 2020, the Company completed the sale of its State of New
Jersey net operating losses and received $1.8 million in net
proceeds. In 2018, the Company completed the sale of a portion of
its State of New Jersey net operating losses for calendar years
2011 - 2017 totalling approximately $11.1 million for net proceeds
of approximately $10.4 million in December 2018. The proceeds of
$10.4 million were reflected as a tax benefit for the year ended
December 31, 2018. In June 2020, the Company filed an application
with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to sell
substantially all of its remaining State of New Jersey net
operating losses totalling $2.0 million available under the
program.
In
June 2018, the Company entered into the Horizon Credit Agreement
with Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (“Horizon”) that
provided $10 million in new capital (the “Horizon Credit
Agreement”). The obligations under the Horizon Credit Agreement are
secured by a first-priority security interest in substantially all
assets of Celsion other than intellectual property assets. Payments
under the loan agreement are interest only (calculated based on
one-month LIBOR plus 7.625%) for the first twenty-four (24) months
through July 2020, followed by a 24-month amortization period of
principal and interest starting on August 1, 2020 and ending
through the scheduled maturity date.
With
$25.5 million in cash, investments, interest receivable and up to
$2.0 million in potential proceeds from the sale of the 2019 State
of New Jersey net operating losses, coupled with remaining
availability under the Capital-on-Demand™ Sales Agreement (the
“Capital on Demand Agreement”) with JonesTrading Institutional
Services LLC, the Company believes it has sufficient capital
resources to fund its operations through the end of
2021.
The
Company has based its estimates on assumptions that may prove to be
wrong. The Company may need to obtain additional funds sooner or in
greater amounts than it currently anticipates. Potential sources of
financing include strategic relationships, public or private sales
of the Company’s shares or debt, the sale of the Company’s State of
New Jersey net operating losses and other sources. If the Company
raises funds by selling additional shares of common stock or other
securities convertible into common stock, the ownership interest of
existing stockholders may be diluted.
Note
4. New Accounting Pronouncements
From
time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and are adopted by us
as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, we
believe that the impact of recently issued accounting
pronouncements will not have a material impact on the Company’s
condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations,
and cash flows, or do not apply to our operations.
In
June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13,
“Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of
Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, which modifies the
measurement of expected credit losses on certain financial
instruments. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-13 in its first
quarter of 2021 utilizing the modified retrospective transition
method. Based on the composition of the Company’s investment
portfolio and current market conditions, the adoption of ASU
2016-13 is not expected to have a material impact on its condensed
consolidated financial statements.
In
August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value
Measurement: Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure
Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which adds and
modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value
measurements. Under the new guidance, entities will no longer be
required to disclose the amount of and reasons for transfers
between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, or
valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. However,
public companies will be required to disclose the range and
weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop
Level 3 fair value measurements, and related changes in unrealized
gains and losses included in other comprehensive income. This
update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15,
2019, and interim periods within those periods, and early adoption
is permitted. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact
on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial
statements.
In
December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic
740). The standard simplifies the accounting for incomes taxes by
removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740
related to the approach for intra-period tax allocation and the
recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis
differences. The standard also clarifies the accounting for
transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill.
The standard also improves consistent application of and simplifies
GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending
existing guidance. The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and
interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December
15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently
evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have
on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
Note
5. Net Loss per Common Share
Basic
loss per share is calculated based upon the net loss available to
common shareholders divided by the weighted average number of
common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share
is calculated after adjusting the denominator of the basic earnings
per share computation for the effects of all dilutive potential
common shares outstanding during the period. The dilutive effects
of preferred stock, options and warrants and their equivalents are
computed using the treasury stock method.
The
total number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of
warrants, stock option grants and equity awards were 8,560,124 and
4,595,990 shares for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and
2019, respectively. Warrants with an exercise price of $0.01 (as
more fully described in Note 13) exercisable for 200,000 shares of
common stock were considered issued in calculating basic loss per
share. For the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30,
2020 and 2019, diluted loss per common share was the same as basic
loss per common share as the other warrants and equity awards that
were convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock were
excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per common share as
their effect would have been anti-dilutive. The Company did not pay
any dividends during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and
2019.
Note
6. Investment in Debt Securities Available for Sale
Investments
in debt securities available for sale with a fair value of
$2,791,868 and $7,985,886 as of June 30, 2020 and December 31,
2019, respectively, consist of corporate debt securities. These
investments are valued at estimated fair value, with unrealized
gains and losses reported as a separate component of stockholders’
equity in accumulated other comprehensive loss.
Investments
in debt securities available for sale are evaluated periodically to
determine whether a decline in their value is other than temporary.
The term “other than temporary” is not intended to indicate a
permanent decline in value. Rather, it means that the prospects for
near term recovery of value are not necessarily favorable, or that
there is a lack of evidence to support fair values equal to, or
greater than, the carrying value of the security. Management
reviews criteria such as the magnitude and duration of the decline,
as well as the reasons for the decline, to predict whether the loss
in value is other than temporary. Once a decline in value is
determined to be other than temporary, the value of the security is
reduced and a corresponding charge to earnings is
recognized.
A
summary of the cost, fair value and maturities of the Company’s
short-term investments is as follows:
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
Cost |
|
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Cost |
|
|
Fair Value |
|
Short-term
investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investments in debt securities |
|
$ |
2,784,002 |
|
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,943,108 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
2,784,002 |
|
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,943,108 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
Cost |
|
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Cost |
|
|
Fair Value |
|
Short-term
investment maturities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Within 3 months |
|
$ |
2,784,002 |
|
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,943,108 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
2,784,002 |
|
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,943,108 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
The
following table shows the Company’s investment securities gross
unrealized gains (losses) and fair value by investment category and
length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous
unrealized loss position at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.
The Company has reviewed individual securities to determine whether
a decline in fair value below the amortizable cost basis is other
than temporary.
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
Available for sale securities (all unrealized holding
gains and losses are less than 12 months at date of
measurement) |
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Unrealized
Holding
Gains
|
|
|
Fair Value |
|
|
Unrealized
Holding
Gains
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investments in debt securities with unrealized Gains |
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,866 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
|
$ |
42,778 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
7,866 |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
|
$ |
42,778 |
|
Investment
income, which includes net realized gains on sales of available for
sale securities and investment income interest and dividends, is
summarized as follows:
|
|
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Interest and dividends
accrued and paid |
|
$ |
18,095 |
|
|
$ |
143,633 |
|
Realized
gains |
|
|
2,865 |
|
|
|
969 |
|
Investment
income, net |
|
$ |
20,960 |
|
|
$ |
144,602 |
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
Interest and dividends
accrued and paid |
|
$ |
63,172 |
|
|
$ |
248,043 |
|
Realized
gains |
|
|
46,097 |
|
|
|
10,350 |
|
Investment
income, net |
|
$ |
109,269 |
|
|
$ |
258,393 |
|
Note
7. Fair Value Measurements
FASB
Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Section 820 “Fair Value
Measurements and Disclosures,” establishes a three-level hierarchy
for fair value measurements which requires an entity to maximize
the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable
inputs when measuring fair value. The three levels of inputs that
may be used to measure fair value are as follows:
Level
1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) or identical assets or liabilities in
active markets that the entity has the ability to access as of the
measurement date;
Level
2: Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices
such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted
prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are
observable or can be corroborated by observable market data;
and
Level
3: Significant unobservable inputs that reflect a reporting
entity’s own assumptions that market participants would use in
pricing an asset or liability.
Cash
and cash equivalents, accounts payable and other accrued
liabilities are reflected in the condensed consolidated balance
sheet at their approximate estimated fair values primarily due to
their short-term nature. The fair values of securities available
for sale are determined by relying on the securities’ relationship
to other benchmark quoted securities and classified its investments
as Level 2 items at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. There were
no transfers of assets or liabilities between Level 1 and Level 2
and no transfers in or out of Level 3 during the six-month period
ended June 30, 2020 or during the year ended December 31, 2019. The
changes in Level 3 liabilities were the result of changes in the
fair value of the earn-out milestone liability included in earnings
and in-process R&D. The earnout milestone liability is valued
using a risk-adjusted assessment of the probability of payment of
each milestone, discounted to present value using an estimated time
to achieve the milestone (see Note 13). The in-process R&D is
valued using a multi-period excess earnings method (see Note
8).
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value are summarized
below:
|
|
Total Fair Value |
|
|
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets/Liabilities
(Level 1) |
|
|
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) |
|
|
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |
|
Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recurring
items as of June 30, 2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate debt securities, available for sale |
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
2,791,868 |
|
|
$ |
─
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recurring
items as of December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate debt securities, available for sale |
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
7,985,886 |
|
|
$ |
─
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recurring
items as of June 30, 2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earn-out milestone liability (Note 13) |
|
$ |
6,015,279 |
|
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
─
|
|
|
$ |
6,015,279 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recurring
items as of December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earn-out milestone liability (Note 13) |
|
$ |
5,717,709 |
|
|
$ |
─ |
|
|
$ |
─
|
|
|
$ |
5,717,709 |
|
Note
8. Intangible Assets
In
June 2014, we completed the acquisition of substantially all of the
assets of EGEN, Inc., an Alabama corporation, which has changed its
company name to EGWU, Inc. after the closing of the acquisition
(“EGEN”). We acquired all of EGEN’s right, title and interest in
and to substantially all of the assets of EGEN, including cash and
cash equivalents, patents, trademarks and other intellectual
property rights, clinical data, certain contracts, licenses and
permits, equipment, furniture, office equipment, furnishings,
supplies and other tangible personal property. In addition, CLSN
Laboratories assumed certain specified liabilities of EGEN,
including the liabilities arising out of the acquired contracts and
other assets relating to periods after the closing date.
Acquired
In-process Research and Development
Acquired
in-process research and development (IPR&D) consists of EGEN’s
drug technology platforms: TheraPlas and TheraSilence. The fair
value of the IPR&D drug technology platforms was estimated to
be $24.2 million as of the acquisition date. As of the closing of
the acquisition, the IPR&D was considered indefinite lived
intangible assets and will not be amortized. IPR&D is reviewed
for impairment at least annually as of our third quarter ended
September 30, and whenever events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying value of the assets might not be
recoverable. The Company’s IPR&D consisted of three core
elements, its RNA delivery system, its glioblastoma multiforme
cancer (GBM) product candidate and its ovarian cancer
indication.
The
Company’s ovarian cancer indication, with original value of $13.3
million, has not been impaired since its acquisition. At September
30, 2019, the Company evaluated its IPR&D of the ovarian cancer
indication and concluded that it is not more likely than not that
the asset is impaired. As no other indicators of impairment existed
during the fourth quarter of 2019, or first half of 2020, no
impairment charges were recorded during the six months ended June
30, 2020 and 2019.
The
Company’s GBM candidate, with original value of $9.4 million had
cumulative impairments through 2018 of $7 million, with remaining
carrying value of $2.4 million at December 31, 2019 and March 31,
2020, On September 30, 2019, the Company evaluated its IPR&D of
the (GBM) product candidate and concluded that it is not more
likely than not that the asset is further impaired. As no other
indicators of impairment existed during the fourth quarter of 2019
and in the first half of 2020, no impairment charges were recorded
during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.
The
Company’s RNA delivery system, with an initial value of $1.5,
million was previously fully impaired.
Covenants
Not to Compete
Pursuant
to the EGEN Purchase Agreement, EGEN provided certain covenants
(“Covenant Not To Compete”) to the Company whereby EGEN agreed,
during the period ending on the seventh anniversary of the closing
date of the acquisition on June 20, 2014, not to enter into any
business, directly or indirectly, which competes with the business
of the Company nor will it contact, solicit or approach any of the
employees of the Company for purposes of offering employment. The
Covenant Not to Compete which was valued at approximately $1.6
million at the date of the EGEN acquisition has a definitive life
and is amortized on a straight-line basis over its life of 7 years.
The Company recognized amortization expense of $56,829 in each of
the three-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The Company
recognized amortization expense of $113,658 in each of the
six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.
The
carrying value of the Covenant Not to Compete was $227,318, net of
$1,363,896 accumulated amortization as of June 30, 2020 and
$340,976, net of $1,250,238 accumulated amortization, as of
December 31, 2019.
Following
is a schedule of future amortization amounts during the remaining
life of the Covenant Not to Compete.
|
|
Year Ended June 30, |
|
2021 |
|
$ |
227,318 |
|
2022 and
thereafter |
|
|
─ |
|
Total |
|
$ |
227,318 |
|
Goodwill
The
purchase price exceeded the estimated fair value of the net assets
acquired by approximately $2.0 million which was recorded as
Goodwill. Goodwill represents the difference between the total
purchase price for the net assets purchased from EGEN and the
aggregate fair values of tangible and intangible assets acquired,
less liabilities assumed. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at
least annually as of our third quarter ended September 30 or sooner
if we believe indicators of impairment exist. As of June 30, 2020,
we concluded that the Company’s fair value exceeded its carrying
value therefore “it is not more likely than not” that the Goodwill
was impaired.
As
described in Note 3, on July 13, 2020, the Company announced that
it has received a recommendation from the DMC to consider stopping
the global Phase III OPTIMA Study of ThermoDox® in combination with
RFA for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or primary
liver cancer. This event will be incorporated in the Company’s
assessment of the carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets
as of the date the information was available, which is the third
quarter of 2020.
Following
is a summary of the net fair value of the assets acquired in the
EGEN asset acquisition for the three-month period ended June 30,
2020:
|
|
IPR&D |
|
|
Goodwill |
|
|
Covenant Not
To Compete |
|
For the six-months ended June 30,
2020 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance at January 1,
2020, net |
|
$ |
15,736,491 |
|
|
$ |
1,976,101 |
|
|
$ |
340,976 |
|
Amortization |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(113,658 |
) |
Balance at June
30, 2020, net |
|
$ |
15,736,491 |
|
|
$ |
1,976,101 |
|
|
$ |
227,318 |
|
Note
9. Other Accrued Liabilities
Other
accrued liabilities at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include
the following:
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amounts due to contract
research organizations and other contractual agreements |
|
$ |
284,000 |
|
|
$ |
475,440 |
|
Accrued payroll and related
benefits |
|
|
1,054,272 |
|
|
|
1,604,541 |
|
Accrued professional fees |
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
|
204,155 |
|
Other |
|
|
19,411 |
|
|
|
19,411 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
1,507,683 |
|
|
$ |
2,303,547 |
|
Note
10. Notes and Loans Payable
Horizon
Credit Agreement
On
June 27, 2018, the Company entered the Horizon Credit Agreement.
The Company drew down $10 million upon closing of the Horizon
Credit Agreement on June 27, 2018.
During
the three-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Company incurred
$243,299 in interest expense and amortized $96,727 as interest
expense for debt discounts and end of term charges in connection
with the Horizon Credit Agreement. During the three-month period
ended June 30, 2019, the Company incurred $255,182 in interest
expense and amortized $94,266 as interest expense for debt
discounts and end of term charges in connection with the Horizon
Credit Agreement.
During
the six-month period ended June 30, 2020, the Company incurred
$486,597 in interest expense and amortized $192,793 as interest
expense for debt discounts and end of term charges in connection
with the Horizon Credit Agreement. During the six-month period
ended June 30, 2019, the Company incurred $508,471 in interest
expense and amortized $191,724 as interest expense for debt
discounts and end of term charges in connection with the Horizon
Credit Agreement.
Following
is a schedule of future principal payments, net of unamortized debt
discounts and amortized end of term charges, due on the Horizon
Credit Agreement:
|
|
As of June 30, |
|
2021 |
|
$ |
4,583,336 |
|
2022 |
|
|
5,000,000 |
|
2023 |
|
|
416,664 |
|
2024 and
thereafter |
|
|
- |
|
Subtotal of future principal
payments |
|
|
10,000,000 |
|
Unamortized
debt issuance costs, net |
|
|
(3,530 |
) |
Total |
|
$ |
9,996,470 |
|
Paycheck
Protection Program
On
April 23, 2020, we entered into a loan agreement with Silicon
Valley Bank (the “April PPP Loan”), pursuant to the Paycheck
Protection Program (the “PPP”), established pursuant to the
recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
(the “CARES Act”) and administered by the U.S. Small Business
Administration (“SBA”). We thereafter received proceeds of $632,220
under the April PPP Loan. The April PPP Loan application required
Celsion to certify that there was economic uncertainty surrounding
the Company and that, as such, the April PPP Loan was necessary to
support our ongoing operations. Celsion made this certification in
good faith after analyzing, among other things, its financial
situation and access to alternative forms of capital, and believed
that the Company satisfied all eligibility criteria for the April
PPP Loan, and that our receipt of the April PPP Loan proceeds was
consistent with the broad objectives of the PPP of the CARES Act.
The certification given with respect to the April PPP Loan did not
contain any objective criteria and was subject to interpretation.
Considering subsequent guidance issued by the SBA in consultation
with the U.S. Department of the Treasury at that time, out of an
abundance of caution we returned the proceeds of the PPP Loan in
full on May 13, 2020.
Shortly
after the April PPP Loan was repaid, the SBA provided further
guidance with respect to these certifications providing a safe
harbor under which companies such as Celsion with PPP loans of less
than $2 million will be deemed to have made these certifications in
good faith. Therefore, as the Company continued to believe it
qualifies for a loan under the PPP, it reapplied for and eventually
received the new PPP Loan for $692,530 on May 26, 2020 (the “May
PPP Loan”). The May PPP Loan was guaranteed by the SBA and
evidenced by a promissory note of the Company dated May 26, 2020
(the “Note”) in the principal amount of $692,530 payable to the
lender. Pursuant to the terms of the Note, was payable in part or
in full, at any time, without penalty. On June 22, 2020, as
disclosed in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on the
same date, the Company commenced an offering of 2,666,667 shares of
its common stock which closed on June 24, 2020 (Note 11) and
received net proceeds of approximately $9.1 million. In light of
the proceeds received from this equity offering, the Company
elected to repay the May PPP Loan in full (including interest
accrued of $577) on June 24, 2020, terminating all obligations of
the Company under the Note.
Note
11. Stockholders’ Equity
In
September 2018, the Company filed with the SEC a new $75 million
shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “2018 Shelf
Registration Statement”) (File No. 333-227236) that allows the
Company to issue any combination of common stock, preferred stock
or warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock. This shelf
registration was declared effective on October 12, 2018 and will
expire three years from that date.
Aspire Purchase Agreements
On August 31, 2018, the Company entered into a common stock
purchase agreement (the “2018 Aspire Purchase Agreement”) with
Aspire Capital Fund, LLC (“Aspire Capital”) which provides that,
upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set
forth therein, Aspire Capital was committed to purchase up to an
aggregate of $15.0 million of shares of the Company’s common stock
over the 24-month term of the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement.
During 2018, the Company sold and issued an aggregate of 0.1
million shares under the 2018 Aspire Purchase Agreement, receiving
approximately $0.2 million. During 2019, the Company sold and
issued an aggregate of 3.3 million shares under the 2018 Aspire
Purchase Agreement, receiving approximately $6.3 million. As a
result of the Company and Aspire entering into a new purchase
agreement on October 28, 2019 (the “2019 Aspire Purchase
Agreement”) discussed in the next paragraph, the 2018 Aspire
Purchase Agreement was terminated.
The 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement provided that, upon the terms
and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth therein,
Aspire Capital was committed to purchase up to an aggregate of
$10.0 million of shares of the Company’s common stock over the
24-month term of the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement. During 2019,
the Company sold and issued an aggregate of 0.5 million shares
under the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement, receiving approximately
$0.7 million. During the first quarter of 2020 through March 5,
2020 when the Company delivered notice to Aspire terminating the
2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement, the Company sold 1.0 million shares
of common stock under the Aspire Purchase Agreement, receiving
approximately $1.6 million in additional gross proceeds.
Capital on DemandTM Sales Agreement
On
December 4, 2018, the Company entered into the Capital on Demand
Agreement with JonesTrading, pursuant to which the Company may
offer and sell, from time to time, through JonesTrading shares of
Common Stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $16.0
million.
The
Shares will be issued pursuant to Celsion’s previously filed and
effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-227236),
the base prospectus dated October 12, 2018, filed as part of such
Registration Statement, and the prospectus supplement dated
December 4, 2018, filed by Celsion with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. During 2019, the Company sold and issued an aggregate
of 0.5 million shares under the Capital on Demand Agreement,
receiving approximately $1.0 million in gross proceeds. During 2020
through June 30, 2020, the Company sold and issued an aggregate of
1.2 million shares under the Capital on Demand Agreement, receiving
approximately $3.5 million in gross proceeds. The Company has not
sold any shares under the Capital on Demand Agreement subsequent to
June 30, 2020 through the date of this Quarterly Report on Form
10Q. As of June 30, 2020, the Company has approximately $11.5
million available under the Capital on Demand Agreement.
Registered Direct Offering
On
February 27, 2020, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement
(the “Purchase Agreement”) with several institutional investors,
pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell, in a registered
direct offering (the “February 2020 Offering”), an aggregate of
4,571,428 shares (the “Shares”) of our common stock at an offering
price of $1.05 per Share for gross proceeds of approximately $4.8
million before the deduction of the Placement Agent fees and
offering expenses. The Shares were offered by the Company pursuant
to a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-227236). The
Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties
and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing.
In a concurrent private placement (the “Private Placement”), the
Company agreed to issue to the investors that participated in the
Offering, for no additional consideration, warrants, to purchase up
to 2,971,428 shares of Common Stock (the “Original Warrants”). The
Original Warrants were initially exercisable six months following
their date of issue and were set to expire on the five-year
anniversary of such initial exercise date. The Original Warrants
had an exercise price of $1.15 per share subject to adjustment as
provided therein. On March 12, 2020, the Company entered into
private exchange agreements (the “Exchange Agreements”) with
holders of the Original Warrants. Pursuant to the Exchange
Agreements, in return for a higher exercise price of $1.24 per
share of Common Stock, the Company issued new warrants to the
Investors to purchase up to 3,200,000 shares of Common Stock (the
“Exchange Warrants”) in exchange for the Original Warrants. The
Exchange Warrants, like the Original Warrants, are initially
exercisable six months following their issuance (the “Initial
Exercise Date”) and expire on the five-year anniversary of their
Initial Exercise Date. Other than having a higher exercise price,
different issue date, Initial Exercise Date and expiration date,
the terms of the Exchange Warrants are identical to those of the
Original Warrants. On July 31, 2020, the Company filed a Form S-3
Registration Statement to register the shares of Common Stock
issuable under the Exchange Warrants.
Underwritten Offering
On
June 22, 2020, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement
(the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (the
“Underwriter”), relating to the issuance and sale (the
“Underwritten Offering”) of 2,666,667 shares of the Company’s
common stock. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement,
the Underwriter agreed to purchase the shares at a price of $3.4875
per share. The Underwriter offered the shares at a public offering
price of $3.75 per share, reflecting an underwriting discount equal
to $0.2625, or 7.0% of the public offering price. The net proceeds
to the Company from the Underwritten Offering, after deducting the
underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by
the Company, were approximately $9.1 million. The Underwritten
Offering closed on June 24, 2020 and was made pursuant to the
Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File
No. 333-227236) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on September 7, 2018, and declared effective on October 12, 2018,
including the base prospectus dated October 12, 2018 included
therein and the related prospectus supplement.
The
Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations,
warranties and agreements by the Company, customary conditions to
closing, indemnification obligations of the Company and the
Underwriter including for liabilities under the Securities Act,
other obligations of the parties, and termination provisions.
Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, until December 31, 2020,
the Underwriter shall have a right of first refusal to act as sole
underwriter, initial purchaser, placement/selling agent, or
arranger, as the case may be, on any new financing for the Company
(excluding equipment lease financings, loans or grants from
governmental authorities or in connection with government programs
and financings relating to or sales of tax attributes) during such
period. The Underwriter shall have the sole right to determine
whether or not any other broker dealer shall have the right to
participate in any such offering and the economic terms of any such
participation. Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, subject to
certain exceptions, the Company and certain of the Company’s
executive officers and directors have agreed that, without the
prior written consent of the Underwriter and subject to certain
negotiated exceptions, they will not, for a period of 60 days, in
either case, following the date of the final prospectus supplement,
sell or otherwise dispose of any of the Company’s securities held
by them.
Note
12. Stock-Based Compensation
The
Company has long-term compensation plans that permit the granting
of equity-based awards in the form of stock options, restricted
stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, other
stock awards, and performance awards.
At
the 2018 Annual Stockholders Meeting of the Company held on May 15,
2018, the Company’s stockholders approved the Celsion Corporation
2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”). The 2018 Plan, as
adopted, permits the granting of 2,700,000 shares of Celsion common
stock as equity awards in the form of incentive stock options,
nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock
units, stock appreciation rights, other stock awards, performance
awards, or in any combination of the foregoing. At the 2019 Annual
Stockholders Meeting of the Company held on May 14, 2019,
stockholders approved an amendment to the 2018 Plan whereby the
Company increased the number of shares of common stock available by
1,200,000 to a total of 3,900,000 under the 2018 Plan, as amended.
Prior to the adoption of the 2018 Plan, the Company had maintained
the Celsion Corporation 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2007
Plan”). At the 2020 Annual Stockholders Meeting of the Company held
on June 15, 2020, stockholders approved an amendment to the 2018
Plan, as previously amended, whereby the Company increased the
number of shares of common stock available by 2,500,000 to a total
of 6,400,000 under the 2018 Plan, as amended.
Prior
to the adoption of the 2018 Plan, the Company had maintained the
Celsion Corporation 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2007 Plan”).
The 2007 Plan permitted the granting of 688,531 shares of Celsion
common stock as equity awards in the form of incentive stock
options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock, restricted
stock units, stock appreciation rights, phantom stock, performance
awards, or in any combination of the foregoing. The 2018 Plan
replaced the 2007 Plan although the 2007 Plan remains in effect for
awards previously granted under the 2007 Plan. Under the terms of
the 2018 Plan, any shares subject to an award under the 2007 Plan
which are not delivered because of the expiration, forfeiture,
termination or cash settlement of the award will become available
for grant under the 2018 Plan.
The
Company has issued stock awards to employees and directors in the
form of stock options and restricted stock. Options are generally
granted with strike prices equal to the fair market value of a
share of Celsion common stock on the date of grant. Incentive stock
options may be granted to purchase shares of common stock at a
price not less than 100% of the fair market value of the underlying
shares on the date of grant, provided that the exercise price of
any incentive stock option granted to an eligible employee owning
more than 10% of the outstanding stock of Celsion must be at least
110% of such fair market value on the date of grant. Only officers
and key employees may receive incentive stock options.
Option
and restricted stock awards vest upon terms determined by the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and are subject to
accelerated vesting in the event of a change of control or certain
terminations of employment. The Company issues new shares to
satisfy its obligations from the exercise of options or the grant
of restricted stock awards.
On
February 19, 2019, the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors approved the grant of (i) inducement stock options (the
“Inducement Option Grants”) to purchase a total of 140,004 shares
of Celsion common stock, and (ii) inducement restricted stock
awards (the “Inducement Stock Grants”) totalling 13,000 shares of
Celsion common stock to two new employees collectively. Each award
has a grant date of the date of grant. Each Inducement Option Grant
has an exercise price per share equal to $2.18 which represents the
closing price of Celsion’s common stock as reported by the Nasdaq
Capital Market on the date of grant. Each Inducement Option Grant
will vest over three years, with one-third vesting on the one-year
anniversary of the employee’s first day of employment with the
Company and one-third vesting on the second and third anniversaries
thereafter, subject to the new employee’s continued service
relationship with the Company on each such date. Each Inducement
Option Grant has a ten-year term and is subject to the terms and
conditions of the applicable stock option agreement. Each
Inducement Stock Grant will vest on the one-year anniversary of the
employee’s first day of employment with the Company and is subject
to the new employee’s continued service relationship with the
Company through such date and is subject to the terms and
conditions of the applicable restricted stock agreement.
A
summary of stock option awards and restricted stock grants for the
six-months ended June 30, 2020 is presented below:
|
|
Stock Options |
|
|
Restricted Stock Awards |
|
|
Weighted
Average
|
|
|
|
Options
Outstanding
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
Non-vested
Restricted
Stock
Outstanding
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Grant
Date
Fair
Value
|
|
|
Contractual
Terms
of
Equity
Awards
(in
years)
|
|
Equity awards outstanding
at January 1, 2020 |
|
|
4,332,142 |
|
|
$ |
2.63 |
|
|
|
8,750 |
|
|
$ |
1.59 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity awards granted |
|
|
644,000 |
|
|
$ |
3.52 |
|
|
|
429,855 |
|
|
$ |
1.16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options exercised |
|
|
(140,864 |
) |
|
$ |
2.64 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vested and issued |
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
(429,855 |
) |
|
$ |
1.16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity awards
forfeited, cancelled or expired |
|
|
(110,002 |
) |
|
$ |
2.21 |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity awards
outstanding at June 30, 2020 |
|
|
4,725,276 |
|
|
$ |
2.76 |
|
|
|
8,750 |
|
|
$ |
1.59 |
|
|
|
8.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
intrinsic value of outstanding equity awards at June 30, 2020 |
|
$ |
5,494,924 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7,875 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity awards
exercisable at June 30, 2020 |
|
|
3,194,777 |
|
|
|
2.86 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
intrinsic value of equity awards exercisable at June 30, 2020 |
|
$ |
3,733,421 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of
June 30, 2020, there was a total of 6,510,174 shares of Celsion
common stock reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan which were
comprised of 4,594,022 shares of Celsion common stock subject to
equity awards previously granted under the 2018 Plan and 2007 Plan
and 1,916,152 shares of Celsion common stock available for future
issuance under the 2018 Plan. As of June 30, 2020, there was a
total of 140,004 shares of Celsion common stock subject to
outstanding inducement awards.
Total
compensation cost related to stock options and restricted stock
awards amounted to $578,761 and $622,696 for the three-month
periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Of these
amounts, $200,186 and $239,406 was charged to research and
development during the three-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and
2019, respectively, and $378,575 and $383,290 was charged to
general and administrative expenses during the three-month periods
ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Total
compensation cost related to stock options and restricted stock
awards amounted to $1,030,726 and $1,313,842 for the six-month
periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Of these
amounts, $378,122 and $479,794 was charged to research and
development during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and
2019, respectively, and $652,604 and $834,048 was charged to
general and administrative expenses during the six-month periods
ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
As of
June 30, 2020, there was $2.4 million of total unrecognized
compensation cost related to non-vested stock-based compensation
arrangements. That cost is expected to be recognized over a
weighted-average period of 1.5 years. The weighted average grant
date fair values of the stock options granted was $3.10 and $1.88
during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019,
respectively. In connection with the Company’s annual 2019 bonus
program, the Company issued 429,855 shares of common stock from the
2018 Stock Incentive Plan in lieu of paying cash for 50% of the
annual bonus awards. These amounts were fully accrued for in the
consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31,
2019.
During
2020, the Company received gross proceeds of $371,895 from the
issuance of 140,864 shares of common stock upon exercise of stock
option awards under the 2018 Plan. No options were exercised in
2019.
The
fair values of stock options granted were estimated at the date of
grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The
Black-Scholes model was originally developed for use in estimating
the fair value of traded options, which have different
characteristics from Celsion’s stock options. The model is also
sensitive to changes in assumptions, which can materially affect
the fair value estimate. The Company used the following assumptions
for determining the fair value of options granted under the
Black-Scholes option pricing model:
|
|
|
Six
Months Ended June 30, |
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
|
2019 |
|
Risk-free interest
rate |
|
|
0.71% to 1.33 |
% |
|
|
2.42%-2.65 |
% |
Expected volatility |
|
|
100.4% to 104.2 |
% |
|
|
101.3%-106.2 |
% |
Expected life (in years) |
|
|
8.5 to 10.0 |
|
|
|
7.5 to 9.3 |
|
Expected dividend yield |
|
|
- |
% |
|
|
- |
% |
Expected
volatilities utilized in the model are based on historical
volatility of the Company’s stock price. The risk-free interest
rate is derived from values assigned to U.S. Treasury bonds with
terms that approximate the expected option lives in effect at the
time of grant.
Note
13. Earn-out Milestone Liability
Pursuant
to the Amended Asset Purchase Agreement entered by and between
Company and EGWU, Inc in March 2019, payment of the earnout
milestone liability related to the Ovarian Cancer Indication of
$12.4 million was modified. The Company has the option to make a
$7.0 million payment within 10 business days of achieving the
milestone; or make a payment of $12.4 million in cash, common stock
of the Company, or a combination of either, within one year of
achieving the milestone.
As of
June 30, 2020, March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the Company
fair valued the earn-out milestone liability at $6.0 million, $5.8
million and $5.7 million, respectively and recognized a non-cash
charge of $0.2 and $0.3 million for the three-month and six-month
periods ended June 30, 2020, respectively. In assessing the earnout
milestone liability at June 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020, the
Company fair valued each of the two payment options per the Amended
Asset Purchase Agreement and weighted them at 80% and 20%
probability for the $7.0 million and the $12.4 million payments,
respectively.
As of
June 30, 2019, March 31, 2019, and December 31, 2018, the Company
fair valued the earn-out milestone liability at $13.1 million, $5.8
million and $8.9 million, respectively and recognized a non-cash
charge of $0.1 million and a non-cash benefit of $3.0 million
during the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2019,
respectively. In assessing the earnout milestone liability at June
30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, the Company fair valued each of the
two payment options per the Amended Asset Purchase Agreement and
weighted them at 80% and 20% probability for the $7.0 million and
the $12.4 million payments, respectively.
The
following is a summary of the changes in the earn-out milestone
liability for the six-month period ended June 30, 2020:
Balance at January 1, 2020 |
|
$ |
(5,717,709 |
) |
Non-cash loss
from the change in fair value |
|
|
(297,570 |
) |
Balance at June 30, 2020 |
|
$ |
(6,015,279 |
) |
The
following is a schedule of the Company’s risk-adjustment assessment
of each milestone:
Date |
|
Risk-adjustment Assessment
of Achieving each Milestone |
|
|
Discount
Rate |
|
|
Estimated Time
to Achieve |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2020 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
0.54
to 1.54 years |
|
March 31, 2020 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
1.04
to 2.04 years |
|
December 31, 2019 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
1.12
to 2.12 years |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30, 2019 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
0.75
to 1.75 years |
|
March 31, 2019 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
1.00
to 2.00 years |
|
December 31, 2018 |
|
|
80 |
% |
|
|
9 |
% |
|
1.25
years |
|
Note
14. Warrants
Common
Stock Warrants
Following
is a summary of all warrant activity for the six months ended June
30, 2020:
Warrants |
|
Number
of Warrants
Issued
|
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants outstanding at December 31,
2019 |
|
|
626,098 |
|
|
$ |
1.87 |
|
Warrants issued
during the six months ended June 30, 2020 (see Note 11) |
|
|
3,200,000 |
|
|
$ |
1.24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warrants outstanding at June 30,
2020 |
|
|
3,826,098 |
|
|
$ |
1.34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate intrinsic value of
outstanding warrants at June 30, 2020 |
|
$ |
9,096,322 |
|
|
|
|
|
Schedule of weighted average exercise price and remaining
contractual terms at June 30, 2020 |
|
Warrants provided to EGWU, Inc. (Note 13) |
|
|
All other warrants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of warrants
issued |
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
3,626,098 |
|
Weighted average exercise prise |
|
$ |
0.01 |
|
|
$ |
1.42 |
|
Weighted average contractual terms remaining |
|
|
No
expiration |
|
|
|
5.1
years |
|
Note
15. Leases
The
Company maintains a lease, as amended, for its 10,870 square foot
premises located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey which is currently
set to expire September 1, 2023. Also, the Company maintains a
lease for an 11,500 square foot premises located in Huntsville
Alabama, which is currently set to expire in January
2023.
We
adopted ASC Topic 842 on January 1, 2019 using the modified
retrospective transition method for all lease arrangements at the
beginning of the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods
beginning January 1, 2019 are presented under ASC 842, while prior
period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported in
accordance with our historic accounting under Topic 840, Leases.
The standard had a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated
Balance Sheet but had no impact on our condensed consolidated net
earnings and cash flows. The most significant impact of adopting
ASC Topic 842 was the recognition of the right-of-use (ROU) asset
and lease liabilities for operating leases, which are presented in
the following three-line items on the Consolidated Condensed
Balance Sheet: (i) operating lease right-of-use asset; (ii) current
operating lease liabilities; and (iii) operating lease liabilities.
Therefore, on date of adoption of ASC Topic 842, the Company
recognized a ROU asset of $1.4 million, operating lease
liabilities, current and non-current collectively, of $1.5 million
and reduced other liabilities by approximately $0.1 million. We
elected the package of practical expedients for leases that
commenced before the effective date of ASC Topic 842 whereby we
elected to not reassess the following: (i) whether any expired or
existing contracts contain leases; (ii) the lease classification
for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) initial direct costs
for any existing leases. In addition, we have lease agreements with
lease and non-lease components, and we have elected the practical
expedient for all underlying asset classes and account for them as
a single lease component. We have no finance leases. We determine
if an arrangement is a lease at inception. We have operating leases
for office space and research and development facilities. Neither
of our leases include options to renew; however, one contains an
option for early termination. We considered the option of early
termination in measurement of right-of-use assets and lease
liabilities, and we determined it is not reasonably certain to be
terminated. In connection with the 2nd Lease Amendment
for the New Jersey office lease in January 2019, the Company
considered this as one modified lease and not as two separate
leases. Therefore, in January 2019, the Company determined this
lease was an operating lease and remeasured the ROU asset and lease
liability. Therefore, the Company increased the ROU asset and
operating lease liabilities by $0.4 million to $1.8 million and
$1.9 million, respectively.
Following
is a table of the lease payments and maturity of our operating
lease liabilities as of June 30, 2020:
|
|
For
the
year
ending
December
31,
|
|
Remainder of 2020 |
|
$ |
263,726 |
|
2021 |
|
|
530,734 |
|
2022 |
|
|
535,579 |
|
2023 |
|
|
233,116 |
|
2024 and
thereafter |
|
|
- |
|
Subtotal future lease payments |
|
|
1,563,155 |
|
Less
imputed interest |
|
|
(219,931 |
) |
Total lease
liabilities |
|
$ |
1,343,224 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average remaining
life |
|
|
3.2
years |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average discount
rate |
|
|
9.98 |
% |
For
the three-month and six-month periods ending June 30, 2020,
operating lease expense was $130,595 and $261,190, respectively and
cash paid for operating leases included in operating cash flows was
$131,452 and $262,084, respectively. For the three-month and
six-month periods ending June 30, 2019, operating lease expense was
$130,595 and $261,190, respectively and cash paid for operating
leases included in operating cash flows was $118,415 and 224,585,
respectively.
Note
16. Technology Development and Licensing Agreements
On
May 7, 2012, the Company entered into a long-term commercial supply
agreement with Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Hisun) for
the production of ThermoDox® in the China territory. In
accordance with the terms of the agreement, Hisun will be
responsible for providing all of the technical and regulatory
support services, including the costs of all technical transfer,
registration and bioequivalence studies, technical transfer costs,
Celsion consultative support costs and the purchase of any
necessary equipment and additional facility costs necessary to
support capacity requirements for the manufacture of
ThermoDox®. Celsion will repay Hisun for the aggregate
amount of these development costs and fees commencing on the
successful completion of three registration batches of
ThermoDox®. Hisun is also obligated to certain
performance requirements under the agreement. The agreement will
initially be limited to a percentage of the production requirements
of ThermoDox® in the China territory with Hisun
retaining an option for additional global supply after local
regulatory approval in the China territory. In addition, Hisun will
collaborate with Celsion around the regulatory approval activities
for ThermoDox® with the China State Food and Drug
Administration (CHINA FDA). During the first quarter of 2015, Hisun
completed the successful manufacture of three registration batches
of ThermoDox®.
On
January 18, 2013, we entered into a technology development contract
with Hisun, pursuant to which Hisun paid us a non-refundable
research and development fee of $5 million to support our
development of ThermoDox® in mainland China, Hong Kong
and Macau (the China territory). Following our announcement on
January 31, 2013 that the HEAT study failed to meet its primary
endpoint, Celsion and Hisun have agreed that the Technology
Development Contract entered into on January 18, 2013 will remain
in effect while the parties continue to collaborate and are
evaluating the next steps in relation to ThermoDox® ,
which include the sub-group analysis of patients in the Phase III
HEAT Study for the hepatocellular carcinoma clinical indication and
other activities to further the development of
ThermoDox® for the Greater China market. The $5.0
million received as a non-refundable payment from Hisun in the
first quarter 2013 has been recorded to deferred revenue and will
continue to be amortized over the 10 -year term of the agreement,
until such time as the parties find a mutually acceptable path
forward on the development of ThermoDox® based on
findings of the ongoing post-study analysis of the HEAT Study
data.
On
July 19, 2013, the Company and Hisun entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding to pursue ongoing cooperation for the continued
clinical development of ThermoDox ® as well as the
technology transfer relating to the commercial manufacture of
ThermoDox® for the China territory. This expanded level
of cooperation includes development of the next generation
liposomal formulation with the goal of creating safer, more
efficacious versions of marketed cancer
chemotherapeutics.
Among
the key provisions of the Celsion-Hisun Memorandum of Understanding
are:
● |
Hisun
will provide the Company with internal resources necessary to
complete the technology transfer of the Company’s proprietary
manufacturing process and the production of registration batches
for the China territory; |
|
|
● |
Hisun
will coordinate with the Company around the clinical and regulatory
approval activities for ThermoDox® as well as other
liposomal formations with the CHINA FDA; and |
|
|
● |
Hisun
will be granted a right of first offer for a commercial license to
ThermoDox® for the sale and distribution of
ThermoDox® in the China territory. |
On
August 8, 2016, we signed a Technology Transfer, Manufacturing and
Commercial Supply Agreement (“GEN-1 Agreement”) with Hisun to
pursue an expanded partnership for the technology transfer relating
to the clinical and commercial manufacture and supply of GEN-1,
Celsion’s proprietary gene mediated, IL- 12 immunotherapy, for the
greater China territory, with the option to expand into other
countries in the rest of the world after all necessary regulatory
approvals are in effect. The GEN- 1 Agreement will help to support
supply for both ongoing and planned clinical studies in the U.S.,
and for potential future studies of GEN- 1 in China. GEN- 1 is
currently being evaluated by Celsion in first line ovarian cancer
patients.
Key
provisions of the GEN-1 Agreement are as follows:
● |
the
GEN-1 Agreement has targeted unit costs for clinical supplies of
GEN-1 that are substantially competitive with the Company’s current
suppliers; |
|
|
● |
once
approved, the cost structure for GEN-1 will support rapid market
adoption and significant gross margins across global
markets; |
|
|
● |
Celsion
will provide Hisun a certain percentage of China’s commercial unit
demand, and separately of global commercial unit demand, subject to
regulatory approval; |
|
|
● |
Hisun
and Celsion will commence technology transfer activities relating
to the manufacture of GEN-1, including all studies required by
CHINA FDA for site approval; and |
|
|
● |
Hisun
will collaborate with Celsion around the regulatory approval
activities for GEN-1 with the CHINA FDA. A local China partner
affords Celsion access to accelerated CHINA FDA review and
potential regulatory exclusivity for the approved
indication. |
The
Company evaluated the Hisun arrangement in accordance with ASC 606
and determined that its performance obligations under the agreement
include the non-exclusive, royalty-free license, research and
development services to be provided by the Company, and its
obligation to serve on a joint committee. The Company concluded
that the license was not distinct since its value is closely tied
to the ongoing research and development activities. As such, the
license and the research and development services are bundled as a
single performance obligation. Since the provision of the license
and research and development services are considered a single
performance obligation, the $5,000,000 upfront payment is being
recognized as revenue ratably through 2022.
Note
17. Commitments and Contingencies
On
September 20, 2019, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a
derivative and putative class action lawsuit against the Company
and certain officers and directors (the “Shareholder Action”). The
Company is a defendant in this derivative and putative class action
lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division,
filed by a shareholder against the Company (as both a class action
defendant and nominal defendant), and certain of its officers and
directors (the “Individual Defendants”), with the caption O’Connor
v. Braun et al., Docket No. MER-C-000068-19 (the “Shareholder
Action”). The Shareholder Action alleges breaches of the
defendants’ fiduciary duties based on allegations that the
defendants omitted or made improper statements when seeking
shareholder approval of the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan. The
Shareholder Action seeks, among other things, any damages sustained
by the Company as a result of the defendants’ alleged wrongdoing, a
declaratory judgment against all defendants invalidating the 2018
Stock Incentive Plan and declaring any awards made under the Plan
invalid, rescinded, and subject to disgorgement, an order
disgorging the equity awards granted to the Individual Defendants
under the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, and attorneys’ fees and costs.
Without admitting the validity of any of the claims asserted in the
Shareholder Action, or any liability with respect thereto, and
expressly denying all allegations of wrongdoing, fault, liability,
or damage against the Company and the Individual Defendants arising
out of any of the conduct, statements, acts or omissions alleged,
or that could have been alleged, in the Shareholder Action, the
Company and the Individual Defendants have concluded that it is
desirable that the claims be settled on the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement. The Company
and the Individual Defendants are entering into the Settlement
Agreement for settlement purposes only and solely to avoid the cost
and disruption of further litigation.
On
April 24, 2020, the Company, the Individual Defendants, and the
plaintiff (the “Parties”) entered into a Settlement Agreement and
Release (the “Settlement Agreement”), which memorializes the terms
of the Parties’ settlement of the Shareholder Action (the
“Settlement”). The Settlement calls for repricing of certain stock
options and payment of plaintiff legal fees of $187,500. On July
24, 2020, the Court issued an order approving the Parties’ proposed
form of notice to shareholders regarding the Settlement. A hearing
to determine whether the Court should issue a final order approving
the proposed Settlement has been scheduled for September 8, 2020.
On August 3, 2020, the Company filed notice of the Settlement
Agreement on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC.
Note
18. Subsequent Events
On
July 13, 2020, the Company announced that it has received a
recommendation from the DMC to consider stopping the global Phase
III OPTIMA Study of ThermoDox® in combination with RFA
for the treatment of HCC, or primary liver cancer. The
recommendation was made following the second pre-planned interim
safety and efficacy analysis by the DMC on July 9, 2020. The DMC
analysis found that the pre-specified boundary for stopping the
trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed with an actual value of
0.903. The Company intends to follow the advice of the DMC and will
consider its options either to stop the study or continue to follow
patients after a thorough review of the data, and an evaluation of
the probability of success. Timing for this decision is made less
urgent by the fact that the OPTIMA Study has been fully enrolled
since August 2018 and that the vast majority of the trial expenses
have already been incurred. On August 4, 2020, the Company issued a
press release announcing it will continue following patients for
overall survival (“OS”), noting that the unexpected and marginally
crossed futility boundary, suggested by the Kaplan-Meier analysis
at the second interim analysis on July 9, 2020, may be associated
with a data maturity issue.
Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS.
Forward-Looking
Statements
Statements
and terms such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “plan”,
“believe” and words of similar import regarding our expectations as
to the development and effectiveness of our technologies, the
potential demand for our products, and other aspects of our present
and future business operations, constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Although we believe that our expectations are
based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of our knowledge
of our industry, business and operations, we cannot guarantee that
actual results will not differ materially from our expectations. In
evaluating such forward-looking statements, readers should
specifically consider the various factors contained in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 25, 2020, which
factors include, without limitation, plans and objectives of
management for future operations or programs or proposed new
products or services; changes in the course of research and
development activities and in clinical trials; possible changes in
cost and timing of development and testing; possible changes in
capital structure, financial condition, working capital needs and
other financial items; changes in approaches to medical treatment;
clinical trial analysis and future plans relating thereto; our
ability to realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits of
our acquisition of substantially all of the assets of EGEN, Inc.,
including achieving operational cost savings and synergies in light
of any delays we may encounter in the integration process and
additional unforeseen expenses; introduction of new products by
others; possible licenses or acquisitions of other technologies,
assets or businesses; and possible actions by customers, suppliers,
partners, competitors and regulatory authorities. These and other
risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated by forward-looking
statements.
The
discussion of risks and uncertainties set forth in this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q and in our most recent Annual Report on Form
10-K, as well as in other filings with the SEC, is not a complete
or exhaustive list of all risks facing the Company at any
particular point in time. We operate in a highly competitive,
highly regulated and rapidly changing environment and our business
is constantly evolving. Therefore, it is likely that new risks will
emerge, and that the nature and elements of existing risks will
change, over time. It is not possible for management to predict all
such risk factors or changes therein, or to assess either the
impact of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to
which any individual risk factor, combination of factors, or new or
altered factors, may cause results to differ materially from those
contained in any forward-looking statement. We disclaim any
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement that
may be made from time to time by us or on our
behalf.
Strategic
and Clinical Overview
Celsion
is a fully integrated oncology company focused on developing a
portfolio of innovative cancer treatments, including
immunotherapies, DNA-based therapies and directed chemotherapies.
The Company’s product pipeline includes GEN-1, a DNA-based
immunotherapy for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer and
ThermoDox®, a proprietary heat-activated liposomal encapsulation of
doxorubicin, currently in Phase III development for the treatment
of primary liver cancer and in development for other cancer
indications. Celsion has two feasibility stage platform
technologies for the development of novel nucleic acid-based
immunotherapies and other anti-cancer DNA or RNA therapies. Both
are novel synthetic, non-viral vectors with demonstrated capability
in nucleic acid cellular transfection. With these technologies we
are working to develop and commercialize more efficient, effective
and targeted oncology therapies that maximize efficacy while
minimizing side effects common to cancer treatments.
ThermoDox®
ThermoDox®
is being evaluated in a Phase III clinical trial for primary liver
cancer, which we call the OPTIMA Study, which was initiated in
2014. ThermoDox® is a liposomal encapsulation of doxorubicin, an
approved and frequently used oncology drug for the treatment of a
wide range of cancers. Localized heat at hyperthermia temperatures
(greater than 40° Celsius) releases the encapsulated doxorubicin
from the liposome enabling high concentrations of doxorubicin to be
deposited preferentially in and around the targeted
tumor.
The OPTIMA Study. The OPTIMA Study represents an evaluation
of ThermoDox® in combination with a first line therapy, RFA, for
newly diagnosed, intermediate stage HCC patients. HCC incidence
globally is approximately 755,000 new cases per year and is the
third largest cancer indication globally. Approximately 30% of
newly diagnosed patients can be addressed with RFA.
On
February 24, 2014, we announced that the United States Food and
Drug Administration (the “FDA”) provided clearance for the OPTIMA
Study, which is a pivotal, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase
III trial of ThermoDox®, in combination with standardized RFA, for
the treatment of primary liver cancer. The trial design of the
OPTIMA Study is based on the comprehensive analysis of data from an
earlier clinical trial called the HEAT Study (the “HEAT Study”).
The OPTIMA Study is supported by a hypothesis developed from an
overall survival analysis of a large subgroup of patients from the
HEAT Study.
Post-hoc
data analysis from our earlier Phase III HEAT Study suggest that
ThermoDox® may substantially improve OS, when compared to the
control group, in patients if their lesions undergo a 45-minute RFA
procedure standardized for a lesion greater than 3 cm in diameter.
Data from nine OS sweeps have been conducted since the top line
progression free survival (“PFS”) data from the HEAT Study were
announced in January 2013, with each data set demonstrating
substantial improvement in clinical benefit over the control group
with statistical significance. On August 15, 2016, we announced
updated results from its final retrospective OS analysis of the
data from the HEAT Study. These results demonstrated that in a
large, well bounded, subgroup of patients with a single lesion
(n=285, 41% of the HEAT Study patients), treatment with a
combination of ThermoDox® and optimized RFA provided an average 54%
risk improvement in OS compared to optimized RFA alone. The Hazard
Ratio (“HR”) at this analysis is 0.65 (95% CI 0.45 - 0.94) with a
p-value of 0.02. Median OS for the ThermoDox® group has been
reached which translates into a two-year survival benefit over the
optimized RFA group (projected to be greater than 80 months for the
ThermoDox® plus optimized RFA group compared to less than 60 months
projection for the optimized RFA only group).
While
this information should be viewed with caution since it is based on
a retrospective analysis of a subgroup, we also conducted
additional analyses that further strengthen the evidence for the
HEAT Study subgroup. We commissioned an independent computational
model at the University of South Carolina Medical School. The
results unequivocally indicate that longer RFA heating times
correlate with significant increases in doxorubicin concentration
around the RFA treated tissue. In addition, we conducted a
prospective preclinical study in 22 pigs using two different
manufacturers of RFA and human equivalent doses of ThermoDox® that
clearly support the relationship between increased heating duration
and doxorubicin concentrations.
The
OPTIMA Study was designed with extensive input from globally
recognized HCC researchers and expert clinicians and after
receiving formal written feedback from the FDA. The OPTIMA Study
was designed to enroll up to 550 patients globally at approximately
65 clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, European Union (EU), China
and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and will evaluate
ThermoDox® in combination with standardized RFA, which will require
a minimum of 45 minutes across all investigators and clinical sites
for treating lesions three to seven centimeters, versus
standardized RFA alone. The primary endpoint for this clinical
trial is overall survival (“OS”), and the secondary endpoints are
progression free survival and safety. The statistical plan calls
for two interim efficacy analyses by an independent Data Monitoring
Committee (“DMC”). The Company completed enrollment of 556 patients
in the Phase III OPTIMA Study in August 2018.
On
December 18, 2018, we announced that the DMC for the OPTIMA Study
completed its last scheduled review of all patients enrolled in the
trial and unanimously recommended that the OPTIMA Study continue
according to protocol to its final data readout. The DMC’s
recommendation was based on the Committee’s assessment of safety
and data integrity of all patients randomized in the trial as of
October 4, 2018. The DMC reviewed study data at regular intervals
throughout the patient enrollment period, with the primary
responsibilities of ensuring the safety of all patients enrolled in
the study, the quality of the data collected, and the continued
scientific validity of the study design. As part of its review of
all 556 patients enrolled into the trial, the DMC evaluated a
quality matrix relating to the total clinical data set, confirming
the timely collection of data, that all data are current as well as
other data collection and quality criteria.
On
August 5, 2019, the Company announced that the prescribed number of
OS events had been reached for the first prespecified interim
analysis of the OPTIMA Phase III Study. Following preparation of
the data, the first interim analysis was conducted by the DMC on
November 1, 2019. This timeline was consistent with the Company’s
stated expectations and is necessary to provide a full and
comprehensive data set that may represent the potential for a
successful trial outcome. In accordance with the statistical plan,
this initial interim analysis has a target of 118 events, or 60% of
the total number required for the final analysis. At the time of
the data cutoff, the Company received reports of 128 events. The
hazard ratio for success at 128 events is approximately 0.63, which
represents a 37% reduction in the risk of death compared with RFA
alone and is consistent with the 0.65 hazard ratio that was
observed in the prospective HEAT Study subgroup, which demonstrated
a two-year overall survival advantage and a median time to death of
more than seven and a half years.
On
August 13, 2019, the Company announced that results from an
independent analysis of the Company’s ThermoDox®
HEAT Study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
were published in the peer-reviewed publication, Journal of
Vascular and Interventional Radiology. The analysis was
conducted by the intramural research program of the NIH and the NIH
Center for Interventional Oncology (CIO), with the full data set
from the Company’s HEAT Study. The analysis evaluated the full data
set to determine if there was a correlation between baseline tumor
volume and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) heating time
(minutes/tumor volume in milliliters), with or without
ThermoDox® treatment, for patients with HCC. The NIH
analysis was conducted under the direction of Dr. Bradford Wood,
MD, Director, NIH Center for Interventional Oncology and Chief, NIH
Clinical Center Interventional Radiology.
The
article titled, “RFA Duration Per Tumor Volume May Correlate
With Overall Survival in Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients
Treated With RFA Plus Lyso-thermosensitive Liposomal
Doxorubicin,” discussed the NIH analysis of results from 437
patients in the HEAT Study (all patients with a single lesion
representing 62.4% of the study population). The key finding was
that increased RFA heating time per tumor volume significantly
improved overall survival (OS) in patients with single-lesion HCC
who were treated with RFA plus ThermoDox®, compared to
patients treated with RFA alone. A one-unit increase in RFA
duration per tumor volume was shown to result in about a 20%
improvement in OS for patients administered ThermoDox®,
compared to RFA alone. The authors conclude that increasing RFA
heating time in combination with ThermoDox®
significantly improves OS and establishes an improvement of over
two years versus the control arm when the heating time per
milliliter of tumor is greater than 2.5 minutes. This finding is
consistent with the Company’s own results, which defined the
optimized RFA procedure as a 45-minute treatment for tumors with a
diameter of 3 centimeters. Thus, the NIH analysis lends support to
the hypothesis underpinning the OPTIMA Study.
On
November 4, 2019, the Company announced that the DMC unanimously
recommended the OPTIMA Study continue according to protocol. The
recommendation was based on a review of blinded safety and data
integrity from 556 patients enrolled in the Company’s
multinational, double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal Phase III
OPTIMA Study. The DMC’s pre-planned interim efficacy review
followed 128 patient events, or deaths, which occurred in August
2019. Data presented demonstrated that PFS and OS data appear to be
tracking with patient data observed at a similar point in the
Company’s subgroup of patients followed prospectively in the
earlier Phase III HEAT Study, upon which the OPTIMA Study is
based.
The
data review demonstrated the following:
|
● |
The
OPTIMA Study patient demographics and risk factors are consistent
with what the Company observed in the HEAT Study subgroup with all
data quality metrics meeting expectations. |
|
|
|
|
● |
Median
PFS for the OPTIMA Study reached 17 months as of August 2019. These
blinded data compare favorably with 16 months median PFS for all
285 patients in the HEAT Study subgroup of patients treated with
RFA >45 minutes. |
|
|
|
|
● |
Median
OS for the OPTIMA Study has not been reached as of August 5, 2019,
however median OS appears to be consistent with the HEAT Study
subgroup of patients treated with RFA >45 minutes and followed
prospectively for overall survival. |
|
|
|
|
● |
The
OPTIMA Study has lost only 4 patients to follow-up from the
initiation of the trial in September 2014 through August 2019 while
the trial design allows for 3% risk for loss per year, which at
this point would have exceeded 60 patients. |
Unblinded
PFS and OS were tracking similarly to the subgroup of patients who
received more than 45 minutes of RFA in our HEAT Study and followed
prospectively for more than three years. This subgroup in the HEAT
Study demonstrated a 2-year overall survival advantage and a median
time to death of more than 7 ½ years. This tracking appears to bode
well for success at the second of two pre-planned interim efficacy
analysis, which is intended after a minimum of 158 patient deaths
and is projected to occur during the second quarter of 2020. The
hazard ratio for success at 158 events is 0.70. This is below the
hazard ratio of 0.65 observed in the HEAT Study subgroup of
patients treated with RFA > 45 minutes.
On
April 15, 2020, the Company announced that the prescribed minimum
number of events of 158 patient deaths had been reached for the
second pre-specified interim analysis of the OPTIMA Phase III
Study. The hazard ratio for success at 158 deaths is 0.70, which
represents a 30% reduction in the risk of death compared with RFA
alone. On July 13, 2020, the Company announced that it has received
a recommendation from the DMC to consider stopping the global
OPTIMA Study. The recommendation was made following the second
pre-planned interim safety and efficacy analysis by the DMC on July
9, 2020. The DMC analysis found that the pre-specified boundary for
stopping the trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed with an actual
value of 0.903. However, the 2-sided p-value of 0.524 for this
analysis provides uncertainty, subsequently, the DMC has left the
final decision of whether or not to stop the OPTIMA Study to
Celsion. There were no safety concerns noted during the interim
analysis. The Company intends to follow the advice of the DMC and
will consider our options either to stop the study or continue to
follow patients after a thorough review of the data, and an
evaluation of our probability of success. Timing for this decision
is made less urgent by the fact that the OPTIMA Study has been
fully enrolled since August 2018 and that the vast majority of the
trial expenses have already been incurred. On August 4, 2020, the Company issued a
press release announcing it will continue following patients for
overall survival (“OS”), noting that the unexpected and marginally
crossed futility boundary, suggested by the Kaplan-Meier analysis
at the second interim analysis on July 9, 2020, may be associated
with a data maturity issue.
The HEAT Study. On January 31, 2013, the Company
announced that the HEAT Study, ThermoDox® in combination with RFA,
did not meet the primary endpoint, PFS, in the Phase III clinical
trial enrolling 701 patients with primary liver cancer. This
determination was made after conferring with the HEAT Study
independent DMC, that the HEAT Study did not meet the goal of
demonstrating a clinically meaningful improvement in progression
free survival. In the trial, ThermoDox® was well-tolerated with no
unexpected serious adverse events. Following the announcement of
the HEAT Study results, we continued to follow patients for OS, the
secondary endpoint of the HEAT Study. We have conducted a
comprehensive analysis of the data from the HEAT Study to assess
the future strategic value and development strategy for
ThermoDox®.
GEN-1
GEN-1
is a DNA-based immunotherapeutic product candidate for the
localized treatment of ovarian cancer by intraperitoneally
administering an Interleukin-12 (“IL-12”) plasmid formulated with
our proprietary TheraPlas delivery system. In this DNA-based
approach, the immunotherapy is combined with a standard
chemotherapy drug, which can potentially achieve better clinical
outcomes than with chemotherapy alone. We believe that increases in
IL-12 concentrations at tumours sites for several days after a
single administration could create a potent immune environment
against tumor activity and that a direct killing of the tumor with
concomitant use of cytotoxic chemotherapy could result in a more
robust and durable antitumor response than chemotherapy alone. We
believe the rationale for local therapy with GEN-1 is based on the
following.
|
● |
Loco-regional
production of the potent cytokine IL-12 avoids toxicities and poor
pharmacokinetics associated with systemic delivery of recombinant
IL-12; |
|
|
|
|
● |
Persistent
local delivery of IL-12 lasts up to one week and dosing can be
repeated; and |
|
|
|
|
● |
Ideal
for long-term maintenance therapy. |
GEN-I OVATION Study. In February 2015, we announced that
the FDA accepted, without objection, the Phase I dose-escalation
clinical trial of GEN-1 in combination with the standard of care in
neoadjuvant ovarian cancer (the “OVATION Study”). On September 30,
2015, we announced enrollment of the first patient in the OVATION
Study. The OVATION Study was designed to (i) identify a safe,
tolerable and potentially therapeutically active dose of GEN-1 by
recruiting and maximizing an immune response; (ii) to enroll three
to six patients per dose level and will evaluate safety and
efficacy and (iii) attempt to define an optimal dose for a
follow-on Phase I/II study. In addition, the OVATION Study
establishes a unique opportunity to assess how cytokine-based
compounds such as GEN-1, directly affect ovarian cancer cells and
the tumor microenvironment in newly diagnosed patients. The study
was designed to characterize the nature of the immune response
triggered by GEN-1 at various levels of the patients’ immune
system, including:
|
● |
Infiltration
of cancer fighting T-cell lymphocytes into primary tumor and tumor
microenvironment including peritoneal cavity, which is the primary
site of metastasis of ovarian cancer; |
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|
● |
Changes
in local and systemic levels of immuno-stimulatory and
immunosuppressive cytokines associated with tumor suppression and
growth, respectively; and |
|
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|
● |
Expression
profile of a comprehensive panel of immune related genes in
pre-treatment and GEN-1-treated tumor tissue. |
We
initiated the OVATION Study at four clinical sites at the
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Oklahoma University Medical
Center, Washington University in St. Louis and the Medical College
of Wisconsin. During 2016 and 2017, we announced data from the
first fourteen patients in the OVATION Study, who completed
treatment. On October 3, 2017, we announced final clinical and
translational research data from the OVATION Study.
Key
translational research findings from all evaluable patients are
consistent with the earlier reports from partial analysis of the
data and are summarized below:
|
● |
The
intraperitoneal treatment of GEN-1 in conjunction with neoadjuvant
chemotherapy resulted in dose dependent increases in IL-12 and
Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels that were predominantly in the
peritoneal fluid compartment with little to no changes observed in
the patients’ systemic circulation. These and other post-treatment
changes including decreases in VEGF levels in peritoneal fluid are
consistent with an IL-12 based immune mechanism; |
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● |
Consistent
with the previous partial reports, the effects observed in the IHC
analysis were pronounced decreases in the density of
immunosuppressive T-cell signals (Foxp3, PD-1, PDL-1, IDO-1) and
increases in CD8+ cells in the tumor microenvironment; |
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● |
The
ratio of CD8+ cells to immunosuppressive cells was increased in
approximately 75% of patients suggesting an overall shift in the
tumor microenvironment from immunosuppressive to pro-immune
stimulatory following treatment with GEN-1. An increase in CD8+ to
immunosuppressive T-cell populations is a leading indicator and
believed to be a good predictor of improved overall survival;
and |
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|
|
● |
Analysis
of peritoneal fluid by cell sorting, not reported before, shows a
treatment-related decrease in the percentage of immunosuppressive
T-cell (Foxp3+), which is consistent with the reduction of Foxp3+
T-cells in the primary tumor tissue, and a shift in tumor naïve
CD8+ cell population to more efficient tumor killing memory
effector CD8+ cells. |
The
Company also reported positive clinical data from the first
fourteen patients who completed treatment in the OVATION Study.
GEN-1 plus standard chemotherapy produced positive clinical
results, with no dose limiting toxicities and positive dose
dependent efficacy signals which correlate well with positive
surgical outcomes as summarized below:
|
● |
Of
the fourteen patients treated in the entire study, two patients
demonstrated a complete response, ten patients demonstrated a
partial response and two patients demonstrated stable disease, as
measured by RECIST criteria. This translates to a 100% disease
control rate and an 86% objective response rate (“ORR”). Of the
five patients treated in the highest dose cohort, there was a 100%
ORR with one complete response and four partial
responses; |
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● |
Fourteen
patients had successful resections of their tumors, with nine
patients (64%) having a complete tumor resection (“R0”), which
indicates a microscopically margin-negative resection in which no
gross or microscopic tumor remains in the tumor bed. Seven out of
eight (88%) patients in the highest two dose cohorts experienced a
R0 surgical resection. All five patients treated at the highest
dose cohort experienced a R0 surgical resection; and |
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● |
All
patients experienced a clinically significant decrease in their
CA-125 protein levels as of their most recent study visit. CA-125
is used to monitor certain cancers during and after treatment.
CA-125 is present in greater concentrations in ovarian cancer cells
than in other cells. |
On
March 2, 2019, the Company announced final PFS results from the
OVATION Study. Median PFS in patients treated per protocol (n=14)
was 21 months and was 17.1 months for the intent-to-treat
population (n=18) for all dose cohorts, including three patients
who dropped out of the study after 13 days or less, and two
patients who did not receive full NAC and GEN-1 cycles. Under the
current standard of care, in women with Stage III/IV ovarian cancer
undergoing NAC, the disease progresses within about 12 months on
average. The results from the OVATION Study support continued
evaluation of GEN-1 based on promising tumor response, as reported
in the PFS data, and the ability for surgeons to completely remove
visible tumor at debulking surgery. GEN-1 was well tolerated, and
no dose-limiting toxicities were detected. Intraperitoneal
administration of GEN-1 was feasible with broad patient
acceptance.
GEN-1 OVATION 2 Study. The Company held an Advisory Board
Meeting on September 27, 2017 with the clinical investigators and
scientific experts including those from Roswell Park Cancer
Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical School, and M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center to review and finalize clinical, translational
research and safety data from the Phase IB OVATION Study in order
to determine the next steps forward for our GEN-1 immunotherapy
program.
On
November 13, 2017, the Company filed its Phase I/II clinical trial
protocol with the FDA for GEN-1 for the localized treatment of
ovarian cancer. The protocol is designed with a single dose
escalation phase to 100 mg/m² to identify a safe and tolerable dose
of GEN-1 while maximizing an immune response. The Phase I portion
of the study will be followed by a continuation at the selected
dose in 130 patients randomized Phase II study.
In
the OVATION 2 Study, patients in the GEN-1 treatment arm will
receive GEN-1 plus chemotherapy pre- and post-interval debulking
surgery. The OVATION 2 Study will include up to 130 patients with
Stage III/IV ovarian cancer, with 12 to 15 patients in the Phase I
portion and up to 118 patients in Phase II. The study is powered to
show a 33% improvement in the primary endpoint, PFS, when comparing
GEN-1 with neoadjuvant + adjuvant chemotherapy versus neoadjuvant +
adjuvant chemotherapy alone. The PFS primary analysis will be
conducted after at least 80 events have been observed or after all
patients have been followed for at least 16 months, whichever is
later.
On
November 5, 2019, the Company announced that the independent Data
Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) completed its safety review of data
from the first eight patients enrolled in the ongoing Phase I/II
OVATION 2 Study. Based on the DSMB’s recommendation, the study will
continue as planned and the Company will proceed with completing
enrollment in the Phase I portion of the trial.
In
March 2020, the Company announced highly encouraging initial
clinical data from the first 15 patients enrolled in the ongoing
Phase I/II OVATION 2 Study for patients newly diagnosed with Stage
III and IV ovarian cancer. The OVATION 2 Study combines GEN-1, the
Company’s IL-12 gene-mediated immunotherapy, with standard-of-care
neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Following NACT, patients undergo
interval debulking surgery (IDS), followed by three additional
cycles of chemotherapy.
GEN-1
plus standard NACT produced positive dose-dependent efficacy
results, with no dose-limiting toxicities, which correlates well
with successful surgical outcomes as summarized below:
|
● |
Of
the 15 patients treated in the Phase I portion of the OVATION 2
Study, nine patients were treated with GEN-1 at a dose of 100 mg/m²
plus NACT and six patients were treated with NACT only. All 15
patients had successful resections of their tumors, with seven out
of nine patients (78%) in the GEN-1 treatment arm having an R0
resection, which indicates a microscopically margin-negative
resection in which no gross or microscopic tumor remains in the
tumor bed. Only three out of six patients (50%) in the NACT only
treatment arm had a R0 resection. |
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● |
When
combining these results with the surgical resection rates observed
in the Company’s prior Phase Ib dose-escalation trial (the OVATION
1 Study), a population of patients with inclusion criteria
identical to the OVATION 2 Study, the data reflect the strong
dose-dependent efficacy of adding GEN-1 to the current standard of
care NACT: |
|
|
|
|
% of
Patients
with
R0 Resections |
|
0, 36, 47 mg/m² of GEN-1
plus NACT |
|
n=12 |
|
|
42 |
% |
61, 79, 100 mg/m² of GEN-1 plus
NACT |
|
n=17 |
|
|
82 |
% |
|
● |
The
objective response rate (ORR) as measured by Response Evaluation
Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria for the 0, 36, 47 mg/m²
dose GEN-1 patients were comparable, as expected, to the higher
(61, 79, 100 mg/m²) dose GEN-1 patients, with both groups
demonstrating an approximate 80% ORR. |
On March 23, 2020, the Company announced that the
European
Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products
(COMP) has recommended that
GEN-1 be designated as an orphan medicinal product for the
treatment of ovarian cancer. GEN-1, designed using Celsion’s
proprietary TheraPlas
platform technology, is an IL-12 DNA plasmid vector encased in a
non-viral nanoparticle delivery system, which enables cell
transfection followed by persistent, local secretion of the IL-12
protein. GEN-1 previously received orphan designation from
the FDA and is
currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial (the
OVATION 2 Study) for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with
Stage III and IV ovarian cancer.
On March 26, 2020, the Company announced with
Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company, that examining matched
patient data provided by Medidata in a synthetic control arm (SCA)
with results from the Company’s completed Phase Ib dose-escalating
OVATION I Study with GEN-1 in Stage III/IV ovarian cancer patients
showed positive results in progression-free survival (PFS). The
hazard ratio (HR) was 0.53 in the intent-to-treat (ITT) group,
showing strong signals of efficacy. GEN-1, designed using Celsion’s
proprietary TheraPlas platform technology, is an IL-12 DNA plasmid
vector encased in a non-viral nanoparticle delivery system, which
enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local secretion
of the IL-12 protein. Celsion believes these data may warrant
consideration of strategies to accelerate the clinical development
program for GEN-1 in newly diagnosed, advanced ovarian cancer
patients by the FDA. In its March 2019 discussion with Celsion, the
FDA noted that preliminary findings from the Phase Ib OVATION I
Study were exciting but lacked a control group to evaluate GEN-1’s
independent impact on impressive tumor response, surgical results
and PFS. The FDA encouraged the Company to continue its GEN-1
development program and consult with FDA with new findings that may
have a bearing on designations such as Fast Track and Breakthrough
Therapy. SCAs have the
potential to revolutionize clinical trials in certain oncology
indications and some other diseases where a randomized control is
not ethical or practical. SCAs are formed by carefully selecting
control patients from historical clinical trials to match the
demographic and disease characteristics of the patients treated
with the new investigational product. SCAs have been shown to mimic
the results of traditional randomized controls so that the
treatment effects of an investigational product can be visible by
comparison to the SCA. SCAs can help advance the scientific
validity of single arm trials, and in certain indications, reduce
time and cost, and expose fewer patients to placebos or existing
standard-of-care treatments that might not be effective for
them.
On July 27, 2020, the Company announced the randomization of the
first two patients in the Phase II portion of the Phase I/II
OVATION 2 Study with GEN-1 in advanced ovarian cancer. The Company
anticipates completing enrolment of up to 118 patients in the third
quarter of 2021. Because this is an open-label study, the Company
intends to provide clinical updates throughout the course of
treatment including response rates and surgical resection
scores.
TheraPlas Technology Platform. TheraPlas is a technology
platform for the delivery of DNA and messenger RNA (“mRNA”)
therapeutics via synthetic non-viral carriers and is capable of
providing cell transfection for double-stranded DNA plasmids and
large therapeutic RNA segments such as mRNA. There are two
components of the TheraPlas system, a plasmid DNA or mRNA payload
encoding a therapeutic protein and a delivery system. The delivery
system is designed to protect the DNA/RNA from degradation and
promote trafficking into cells and through intracellular
compartments. We designed the delivery system of TheraPlas by
chemically modifying the low molecular weight polymer to improve
its gene transfer activity without increasing toxicity. We believe
TheraPlas is a viable alternative to current approaches to gene
delivery due to several distinguishing characteristics, including
enhanced molecular versatility that allows for complex
modifications to improve activity and safety.
Technology Development and Licensing Agreements. Our
current efforts and resources are applied on the development and
commercialization of cancer drugs including tumor-targeting
chemotherapy treatments using focused heat energy in combination
with heat-activated drug delivery systems, immunotherapies and
RNA-based therapies.
On
August 8, 2016, we signed the GEN-1 Agreement with Hisun to pursue
an expanded partnership for the technology transfer relating to the
clinical and commercial manufacture and supply of GEN-1, Celsion’s
proprietary gene mediated, IL-12 immunotherapy, for the China
territory, with the option to expand into other countries in the
rest of the world after all necessary regulatory approvals are
obtained. The GEN-1 Agreement will help to support supply for both
ongoing and planned clinical studies in the U.S. and for potential
future studies of GEN-1 in China. GEN-1 is currently being
evaluated by Celsion in first line ovarian cancer
patients.
In
June 2012, Celsion and Hisun signed a long-term commercial supply
agreement for the production of ThermoDox®. Hisun is one the
largest manufacturers of chemotherapy agents globally, including
doxorubicin. In July 2013, the ThermoDox® collaboration was
expanded to focus on next generation liposomal formulation
development with the goal of creating safer, more efficacious
versions of marketed cancer chemotherapeutics. During 2015, Hisun
successfully completed the manufacture of three registration
batches for ThermoDox® and has obtained regulatory approvals to
supply ThermoDox® to participating clinical trial sites in all of
the countries of South East Asia and North America, as well as to
the European Union countries allowing for early access to
ThermoDox®. The future manufacturing of clinical and commercial
supplies by Hisun will result in a cost structure allowing Celsion
to profitably access all global markets, including third world
countries, and help accelerate the Company’s product development
program in China for ThermoDox® in primary liver cancer and other
approved indications.
Business Plan
As a
clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, our business and our
ability to execute our strategy to achieve our corporate goals are
subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Material risks and
uncertainties relating to our business and our industry are
described in “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q.
Since
inception, the Company has incurred substantial operating losses,
principally from expenses associated with the Company’s research
and development programs, clinical trials conducted in connection
with the Company’s product candidates, and applications and
submissions to the FDA. The Company has not generated significant
revenue and have incurred significant net losses in each year since
our inception. As of June 30, 2020, the Company has incurred
approximately $301 million of cumulative net losses and we had
approximately $25.5 million in cash, investment securities, and
interest receivable. We have substantial future capital
requirements to continue our research and development activities
and advance our product candidates through various development
stages. The Company believes these expenditures are essential for
the commercialization of its technologies.
The
Company expects its operating losses to continue for the
foreseeable future as it continues its product development efforts,
and when it undertakes marketing and sales activities. The
Company’s ability to achieve profitability is dependent upon its
ability to obtain governmental approvals, manufacture, and market
and sell its new product candidates. There can be no assurance that
the Company will be able to commercialize its technology
successfully or that profitability will ever be achieved. The
operating results of the Company have fluctuated significantly in
the past.
COVID-19
Pandemic
In
January 2020, the WHO declared an outbreak of coronavirus,
COVID-19, to be a “Public Health Emergency of International
Concern,” and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
declared a public health emergency to aid the U.S. healthcare
community in responding to COVID-19. This virus has spread to over
100 countries, including the United States. Governments and
businesses around the world have taken unprecedented actions to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including, but not limited to,
shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, significant restrictions on
travel, as well as restrictions that prohibit many employees from
going to work. Uncertainty with respect to the economic impacts of
the pandemic has introduced significant volatility in the financial
markets. The Company did not observe significant impacts on its
business or results of operations for the thus far in 2020 due to
the global emergence of COVID-19. While the extent to which
COVID-19 impacts the Company’s future results will depend on future
developments, the pandemic and associated economic impacts could
result in a material impact to the Company’s future financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The
Company’s ability to raise additional capital may be adversely
impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the
recent disruptions to, and volatility in, financial markets in the
United States and worldwide resulting from the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
The
disruptions caused by COVID-19 may also disrupt the clinical trials
process and enrolment of patients. This may delay commercialization
efforts. The Company is currently monitoring its operating
activities in light of these events and it is reasonably possible
that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s
financial condition and results of operations, the specific impact
is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial
statements.
The
actual amount of funds the Company will need to operate is subject
to many factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control.
These factors include the following:
● |
the
progress of research activities; |
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|
● |
the
number and scope of research programs; |
|
|
● |
the
progress of preclinical and clinical development
activities; |
|
|
● |
the
progress of the development efforts of parties with whom the
Company has entered into research and development
agreements; |
|
|
● |
the
costs associated with additional clinical trials of product
candidates; |
● |
the
ability to maintain current research and development licensing
arrangements and to establish new research and development and
licensing arrangements; |
|
|
● |
the
ability to achieve milestones under licensing
arrangements; |
|
|
● |
the
costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other
intellectual property rights; and |
|
|
● |
the
costs and timing of regulatory approvals. |
On
July 13, 2020, the Company announced that it has received a
recommendation from the DMC to consider stopping the global Phase
III OPTIMA Study of ThermoDox® in combination with RFA
for the treatment of HCC, or primary liver cancer. The
recommendation was made following the second pre-planned interim
safety and efficacy analysis by the DMC on July 9, 2020. The DMC
analysis found that the pre-specified boundary for stopping the
trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed with an actual value of
0.903. The Company intends to
follow the advice of the DMC and will consider its options either
to stop the study or continue to follow patients after a thorough
review of the data, and an evaluation of the probability of
success. Timing for this decision is made less urgent by the fact
that the OPTIMA Study has been fully enrolled since August
2018 and that the vast
majority of the trial expenses have already been incurred. On
August 4, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing it
will continue following patients for overall survival (“OS”),
noting that the unexpected and marginally crossed futility
boundary, suggested by the Kaplan-Meier analysis at the second
interim analysis on July 9, 2020, may be associated with a data
maturity issue.
During
2019 and 2018, the Company submitted applications to sell a portion
of the Company’s State of New Jersey net operating losses as part
of the Technology Business Tax Certificate Program sponsored by The
New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Under the program,
emerging biotechnology companies with unused NOLs and unused
research and development credits are allowed to sell these benefits
to other New Jersey-based companies. As more fully discussed in
Note 9, the Company received approval from the New Jersey Economic
Development Authority to sell $1.9 million of its State of New
Jersey net operating losses recognizing a tax benefit for the year
ended December 31, 2019 for the net proceeds (approximately $1.8
million). In early 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to
sell these net operating losses. In April of 2020, the Company
completed the sale of its State of New Jersey net operating losses
and received $1.8 million in net proceeds. In 2018, the Company
completed the sale of a portion of its State of New Jersey net
operating losses for calendar years 2011 - 2017 totalling
approximately $11.1 million for net proceeds of approximately $10.4
million in December 2018. The proceeds of $10.4 million were
reflected as a tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2018. In
June 2020, the Company filed an application with the New Jersey
Economic Development Authority to sell substantially all of its
remaining State of New Jersey net operating losses totalling $2.0
million available under the program.
In
June 2018, the Company entered into the Horizon Credit Agreement
with Horizon that provided $10 million in new capital. The
obligations under the Horizon Credit Agreement are secured by a
first-priority security interest in substantially all assets of
Celsion other than intellectual property assets. Payments under the
loan agreement are interest only (calculated based on one-month
LIBOR plus 7.625%) for the first twenty-four (24) months after
through July 2020, closing, followed by a 24-month amortization
period of principal and interest starting on August 1, 2020 and
ending through the scheduled maturity date.
With
$25.5 million in cash, investments, interest receivable and up to
$2.0 million in potential proceeds from the sale of the 2019 State
of New Jersey net operating losses, coupled with remaining
availability under the Capital-on-Demand Equity Facility with
JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, the Company believes it
has sufficient capital resources to fund its operations through the
end of 2021.
The
Company has based its estimates on assumptions that may prove to be
wrong. The Company may need to obtain additional funds sooner or in
greater amounts than it currently anticipates. Potential sources of
financing include strategic relationships, public or private sales
of the Company’s shares or debt, the sale of the Company’s State of
New Jersey net operating losses and other sources. If the Company
raises funds by selling additional shares of common stock or other
securities convertible into common stock, the ownership interest of
existing stockholders may be diluted.
Financing Overview
Equity, Debt and Other Forms of Financing
As
more fully discussed in Note 3 of the Financial Statement included
in this Quarterly Report, during the fourth quarter of 2018 and
2020, the Company received eligibility from the New Jersey Economic
Development Authority to sell $11.1 million and $1.9 million,
respectively, of its unused New Jersey net operating losses under
the Technology Business Tax Certificate Program, and after selling
these net operating losses, received $10.4 million and $1.8 million
of non-dilutive funding in the fourth quarter of 2018 and second
quarter of 2020, respectively. In June 2020, the Company filed an
application with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to
sell substantially all the remaining $2.0 million of its State of
New Jersey net operating losses available under the
program.
On
April 23, 2020, we entered into the April PPP Loan, pursuant to the
CARES Act and administered by the SBA. We thereafter received
proceeds of $632,220 under the April PPP Loan. The April PPP Loan
application required Celsion to certify that there was economic
uncertainty surrounding the Company and that, as such, the April
PPP Loan was necessary to support our ongoing operations. Celsion
made this certification in good faith after analysing, among other
things, its financial situation and access to alternative forms of
capital, and believed that the Company satisfied all eligibility
criteria for the April PPP Loan, and that our receipt of the April
PPP Loan proceeds was consistent with the broad objectives of the
PPP of the CARES Act. The certification given with respect to the
April PPP Loan does not contain any objective criteria and is
subject to interpretation. Considering subsequent guidance issued
by the U.S. Small Business Administration in consultation with the
U.S. Department of the Treasury at that time, out of an abundance
of caution we returned the proceeds of the PPP Loan in full on May
13, 2020.
Shortly
after the April PPP Loan was repaid, the SBA provided further
guidance with respect to these certifications providing a safe
harbor under which companies such as Celsion with PPP loans of less
than $2 million will be deemed to have made these certifications in
good faith. Therefore, as the Company continued to believe it
qualifies for a loan under the PPP, it reapplied for and eventually
received the May PPP Loan for $692,530 on May 26, 2020. The May PPP
Loan is guaranteed by the SBA and evidenced the Note in the
principal amount of $692,530 payable to the lender. Pursuant to the
terms of the Note, it may be prepaid in part or in full, at any
time, without penalty. On June 22, 2020, as disclosed in the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on the same date, the
Company commenced an offering of 2,666,667 shares of its common
stock which closed on June 24, 2020 (Note 11) and received net
proceeds of approximately $9.1 million. In light of the proceeds
received from this equity offering, the Company elected to repay
the May PPP Loan in full (including interest accrued of $577), on
June 24, 2020, terminating all obligations of the Company under the
Note.
In
June 2018, the Company entered into the Horizon Credit Agreement
with Horizon that provided $10 million in new capital. The
obligations under the Horizon Credit Agreement are secured by a
first-priority security interest in substantially all assets of
Celsion other than intellectual property assets. Payments under the
loan agreement are interest only (calculated based on one-month
LIBOR plus 7.625%) for the first twenty-four (24) months after
through July 2020, closing, followed by a 24-month amortization
period of principal and interest starting on August 1, 2020 and
ending through the scheduled maturity date.
During
2019 and thus far in 2020, we issued a total of 13.8 million shares
of common stock in the following equity transactions raising
approximately $27.8 million in gross proceeds.
● |
On
June 22, 2020, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement
(the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (the
“Underwriter”), relating to the issuance and sale (the
“Underwritten Offering”) of 2.7 shares of the Company’s common
stock. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the
Underwriter agreed to purchase the shares at a price of $3.4875 per
share. The Underwriter offered the shares at a public offering
price of $3.75 per share, reflecting an underwriting discount equal
to $0.2625, or 7.0% of the public offering price. The net proceeds
to the Company from the Underwritten Offering, after deducting the
underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by
the Company, are approximately $9.1 million. The Underwritten
Offering closed on June 24, 2020 and was made pursuant to the
Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File
No. 333- 227236) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on September 7, 2018, and declared effective on October 12, 2018,
including the base prospectus dated October 12, 2018 included
therein and the related prospectus supplement.
|
● |
On
February 27, 2020, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement
(the “Purchase Agreement”) with several institutional investors,
pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell, in a registered
direct offering (the “February 2020 Offering”), an aggregate of 4.6
million shares (the “Shares”) of our common stock at an offering
price of $1.05 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $4.8
million before the deduction of the Placement Agent fees and
offering expenses. The Shares were offered by the Company pursuant
to a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-227236). The
Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties
and agreements by the Company and customary conditions to closing.
In a concurrent private placement (the “Private Placement”), the
Company agreed to issue to the investors that participated in the
Offering, for no additional consideration, warrants, to purchase up
to 3.0 million shares of Common Stock (the “Original Warrants”).
The Original Warrants were initially exercisable six months
following their and were set to expire on the five-year anniversary
of such initial exercise date. The Warrants had an exercise price
of $1.15 per share subject to adjustment as provided therein. On
March 12, 2020 the Company entered into private exchange agreements
(the “Exchange Agreements”) with holders the Warrants. Pursuant to
the Exchange Agreements, in return for a higher exercise price of
$1.24 per share of Common Stock, the Company issued new warrants to
the Investors to purchase up to 3.2 million shares of Common Stock
(the “Exchange Warrants”) in exchange for the Original Warrants.
The Exchange Warrants, like the Original Warrants, are initially
exercisable six months following their issuance (the “Initial
Exercise Date”) and expire on the five-year anniversary of their
Initial Exercise Date. Other than having a higher exercise price,
different issue date, Initial Exercise Date and expiration date,
the terms of the Exchange Warrants are identical to those of the
Original Warrants. |
● |
On
August 31, 2018, the Company entered into the 2018 Aspire Purchase
Agreement with Aspire Capital Fund LLC (“Aspire Capital”) which
provides that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and
limitations set forth therein, Aspire Capital was committed to
purchase up to an aggregate of $15.0 million of shares of the
Company’s common stock over the 24-month term of the 2018 Aspire
Purchase Agreement. On October 12, 2018, the Company filed with the
SEC a prospectus supplement to the 2018 Shelf Registration
Statement registering all of the shares of common stock that may be
offered to Aspire Capital from time to time. The timing and amount
of sales of the Company’s common stock to Aspire Capital. Aspire
Capital has no right to require any sales by the Company but is
obligated to make purchases from the Company as directed by the
Company in accordance with the Purchase Agreement. There were no
limitations on use of proceeds, financial or business covenants,
restrictions on future funding, rights of first refusal,
participation rights, penalties or liquidated damages in the
Purchase Agreement. In consideration for entering into the Purchase
Agreement, concurrently with the execution of the Purchase
Agreement in 2018, the Company issued to Aspire Capital 164,835
Commitment Shares. The 2018 Aspire Purchase Agreement could be
terminated by the Company at any time, at its discretion, without
any cost to the Company. During 2019 the Company sold and issued an
aggregate of 3.3 million shares under the Purchase Agreement,
receiving approximately $6.3 million. All proceeds from the Company
received under the 2018 Aspire Purchase Agreement were used for
working capital and general corporate purposes. As a result of the
Company and Aspire Capital entering into a new purchase agreement
on October 28, 2019 discussed in the next paragraph, the 2018
Aspire Purchase Agreement was terminated. The Company sold a total
of 3.4 million shares receiving $6.5 million under the 2018 Aspire
Agreement during 2018 through its termination in 2019.
|
|
|
● |
On
October 28, 2019, Company entered into the 2019 Aspire Purchase
Agreement with Aspire Capital. The terms and conditions pursuant to
the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement were substantially similar to
the 2018 Aspire Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the new 2019 Aspire
Purchase Agreement, Aspire Capital was committed to purchase up to
an aggregate of $10.0 million of shares of the Company’s common
stock over the 24-month term of the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement.
Concurrently with entering into the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement,
the Company also entered into a registration rights agreement with
Aspire Capital (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), in which the
Company agreed to file one or more registration statements, as
permissible and necessary to register under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), registering the sale of
the shares of the Company’s common stock that have been and may be
issued to Aspire Capital under the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement.
In consideration for entering into the 2019 Aspire Purchase
Agreement, the Company issued to Aspire Capital an additional 0.1
million Commitment Shares. On November 8, 2019, the Company filed
with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-1 registering all
the shares of common stock that may be offered to Aspire Capital
from time to time under the 2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement. During
2019, the Company sold 0.5 million shares of common stock under the
2019 Aspire Purchase Agreement, receiving approximately $0.7
million in gross proceeds. On March 5, 2020, the Company delivered
notice to Aspire Capital terminating the 2019 Aspire Purchase
Agreement effective as of March 6, 2020. During the first quarter
of 2020 though the date of termination, the Company sold 1.0
million shares of common stock under the 2019 Aspire Purchase
Agreement and received $1.6 million in gross proceeds.
|
|
|
● |
On
December 4, 2018, the Company entered into a new Capital on
DemandTM Sales Agreement (the “Capital on Demand
Agreement”) with JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, as sales
agent (“JonesTrading”), pursuant to which the Company may offer and
sell, from time to time, through JonesTrading shares of common
stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $16.0 million.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, if
any, for general corporate purposes, including research and
development activities, capital expenditures and working capital.
The Company is not obligated to sell any Common Stock under the
Capital on Demand Agreement and, subject to the terms and
conditions of the Capital on Demand Agreement, JonesTrading will
use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal
trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal law,
rules and regulations and the rules of The Nasdaq Capital Market,
to sell common stock from time to time based upon Celsion’s
instructions, including any price, time or size limits or other
customary parameters or conditions the Company may impose. Under
the Capital on Demand Agreement, JonesTrading may sell common stock
by any method deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined
in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended. The Capital on Demand Agreement will terminate upon the
earlier of (i) the sale of all shares of our common stock subject
to the Sales Agreement, and (ii) the termination of the Capital on
Demand Agreement by JonesTrading or Celsion. The Capital on Demand
Agreement may be terminated by JonesTrading or the Company at any
time upon 10 days’ notice to the other party, or by JonesTrading at
any time in certain circumstances, including the occurrence of a
material adverse change in the Company. During 2019 and in 2020
thus far, the Company sold 0.5 million and 1.2 million shares of
common stock under the Capital on Demand Agreement, respectively,
receiving gross proceeds of approximately $1.0 million and $3.5
million. |
Significant
Accounting Policies
Our
significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 1
to our consolidated financial statements included in our 2019
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019
filed with the SEC on March 25, 2020.
In
June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2016-13,
“Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of
Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, which modifies the
measurement of expected credit losses on certain financial
instruments. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-13 in its first
quarter of 2021 utilizing the modified retrospective transition
method. Based on the composition of the Company’s investment
portfolio and current market conditions, the adoption of ASU
2016-13 is not expected to have a material impact on its
consolidated financial statements.
In
August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value
Measurement: Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure
Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which adds and
modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value
measurements. Under the new guidance, entities will no longer be
required to disclose the amount of and reasons for transfers
between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, or
valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. However,
public companies will be required to disclose the range and
weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop
Level 3 fair value measurements, and related changes in unrealized
gains and losses included in other comprehensive income. This
update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15,
2019, and interim periods within those periods, and early adoption
is permitted. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact
on the Company’s financial statements.
In
December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic
740). The standard simplifies the accounting for incomes taxes by
removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740
related to the approach for intra-period tax allocation and the
recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis
differences. The standard also clarifies the accounting for
transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill.
The standard also improves consistent application of and simplifies
GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending
existing guidance. The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and
interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December
15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently
evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have
on its consolidated financial statements.
As a
clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, our business and our
ability to execute our strategy to achieve our corporate goals are
subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Material risks and
uncertainties relating to our business and our industry are
described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” under “Part II: Other
Information” included herein.
FINANCIAL
REVIEW FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020 AND
2019
Results
of Operations
For
the three months ended June 30, 2020 our net loss was $5.1 million
compared to a net loss of $2.4 million for the same three-month
period of 2019. For the six months ended June 30, 2020 our net loss
was $10.4 million compared to a net loss of $8.3 million for the
same three-month period of 2019.
With
$25.5 million in cash, investments, interest receivable and income
tax receivable at June 30, 2020, coupled with future sales of the
Company’s State of New Jersey net operating losses well as the
remaining availability under the Capital on Demand Equity
Agreement, the Company believes it has sufficient capital resources
to fund its operations through the end of 2021.
|
|
Three Months Ended June 30, |
|
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
Change Increase (Decrease) |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
% |
|
Licensing Revenue: |
|
$ |
125 |
|
|
$ |
125 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
- |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clinical
Research |
|
|
1,481 |
|
|
|
2,327 |
|
|
|
(846 |
) |
|
|
(36.4 |
)% |
Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls |
|
|
1,510 |
|
|
|
1,231 |
|
|
|
279 |
|
|
|
22.7 |
% |
Research and
development expenses |
|
|
2,991 |
|
|
|
3,558 |
|
|
|
(567 |
) |
|
|
(15.9 |
)% |
General and administrative expenses |
|
|
1,901 |
|
|
|
2,137 |
|
|
|
(236 |
) |
|
|
(11.0 |
)% |
Total
operating expenses |
|
|
4,892 |
|
|
|
5,695 |
|
|
|
(803 |
) |
|
|
(14.1 |
)% |
Loss
from operations |
|
$ |
(4,767 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,570 |
) |
|
$ |
803 |
|
|
|
14.4 |
% |
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30, |
|
|
|
(In thousands) |
|
|
Change Increase (Decrease) |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
% |
|
Licensing Revenue: |
|
$ |
250 |
|
|
$ |
250 |
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
- |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clinical
Research |
|
|
3,299 |
|
|
|
4,107 |
|
|
|
(808 |
) |
|
|
(19.7 |
)% |
Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls |
|
|
2,744 |
|
|
|
2,218 |
|
|
|
526 |
|
|
|
23.7 |
% |
Research and
development expenses |
|
|
6,043 |
|
|
|
6,325 |
|
|
|
(282 |
) |
|
|
(4.5 |
)% |
General and administrative expenses |
|
|
3,740 |
|
|
|
4,355 |
|
|
|
(615 |
) |
|
|
(14.1 |
)% |
Total
operating expenses |
|
|
9,783 |
|
|
|
10,680 |
|
|
|
(897 |
) |
|
|
(8.4 |
)% |
Loss
from operations |
|
$ |
(9,533 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,430 |
) |
|
$ |
897 |
|
|
|
8.6 |
% |
Comparison of the Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 and
2019
Licensing Revenue
In
January 2013, we entered a technology development contract with
Hisun, pursuant to which Hisun paid us a non-refundable technology
transfer fee of $5.0 million to support our development of
ThermoDox® in the China territory. The $5.0 million received as a
non-refundable payment from Hisun in the second quarter 2013 has
been recorded to deferred revenue and will be amortized over the
ten-year term of the agreement; therefore, we recorded deferred
revenue of $125,000 in each of the second quarters of 2020 and
2019.
Research and Development Expenses
Research
and development (“R&D”) expenses decreased by $0.6 million to
$3.0 million in the second quarter of 2020 from $3.6 million in the
same period of 2019. Costs associated with the OPTIMA Study
decreased to $0.6 million in the second quarter of 2020 compared to
$1.2 million in the same period of 2019. Costs associated the
OVATION 2 Study increased to $0.2 million in the second quarter of
2020 compared to $0.1 million in the same period of 2019.
Regulatory costs were $0.3 million in the second quarter of 2020
compared to $0.4 million in the same period of 2019. Other clinical
costs were consistent at $0.5 million in the second quarter of 2020
compared to $0.6 million in the same period of 2019. Costs
associated with the development of GEN-1 to support the OVATION 2
Study were $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2020 compared to
$0.8 million in the same period of 2019. Production costs
associated with the development of ThermoDox® increased to $0.8
million in the second quarter of 2020 compared to $0.4 million in
the same period of 2019.
General and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses decreased to $1.9 million in the second
quarter of 2020 compared to $2.1 million in the same period of
2019. This decrease is primarily attributable to lower professional
fees in the second quarter of 2020 when compared to the same period
of 2019.
Change in Earn-out Milestone Liability and Warrant
Expense
The
total aggregate purchase price for the acquisition of assets from
EGEN included potential future earn-out payments contingent upon
achievement of certain milestones. The difference between the
aggregate $30.4 million in future earn-out payments and the $13.9
million included in the fair value of the acquisition consideration
at June 20, 2014 was based on the Company’s risk-adjusted
assessment of each milestone and utilizing a discount rate based on
the estimated time to achieve the milestone. These milestone
payments are fair valued at the end of each quarter and any change
in their value is recognized in the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
On
March 28, 2019, the Company and EGWU, Inc, entered into the Amended
Asset Purchase Agreement discussed in Note 8. Pursuant to the
Amended Asset Purchase Agreement, payment of the earnout milestone
liability related to the Ovarian Cancer Indication of $12.4 million
has been modified. The Company has the option to make the payment
as follows:
|
● |
$7.0
million in cash within 10 business days of achieving the milestone;
or |
|
|
|
|
● |
$12.4
million in cash, common stock of the Company, or a combination of
either, within one year of achieving the milestone. |
The
Company provided EGWU, Inc. 200,000 warrants to purchase common
stock at a strike price of $0.01 per warrant share as consideration
for entering into the amended agreement. These warrant shares have
no expiration and were fair valued at $2.00 using the closing price
of a share of Celsion stock on the date of issuance offset by the
exercise price and recorded as an expense in the income statement
and were classified as equity on the balance sheet.
As of
June 30, 2020, and March 31, 2020, the Company fair valued the
earn-out milestone liability at $6.0 million and $5.8 million,
respectively and recognized a non-cash charge of $0.2 million
during the second quarter of 2020. In assessing the earnout
milestone liability at June 30, 2020, the Company fair valued each
of the two payment options per the Amended Asset Purchase Agreement
and weighted them at 80% and 20% probability for the $7.0 million
and the $12.4 million payments, respectively.
As of
June 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019, the Company fair valued the
earn-out milestone liability at $5.9 million and $5.8 million,
respectively and recognized a non-cash charge of $0.1 million
during the second quarter of 2019. In assessing the earnout
milestone liability at June 30, 2019, the Company the fair valued
each of the two payment options per the Amended Asset Purchase
Agreement and weighted them at 80% and 20% probability for the $7.0
million and the $12.4 million payments, respectively.
Investment income and interest expense
The
Company realized $0.1 million of investment income from its
short-term investments during the second quarter of 2019.
Investment income was insignificant in the second quarter of
2020
In
connection with the Horizon Credit Agreement, the Company incurred
$0.7 million in interest expense in each of the second quarters of
2020 and 2019.
Comparison of the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and
2019
Licensing Revenue
In
January 2013, we entered a technology development contract with
Hisun, pursuant to which Hisun paid us a non-refundable technology
transfer fee of $5.0 million to support our development of
ThermoDox® in the China territory. The $5.0 million received as a
non-refundable payment from Hisun in the second quarter 2013 has
been recorded to deferred revenue and will be amortized over the
ten-year term of the agreement; therefore, we recorded deferred
revenue of $250,000 in each of the first halves of 2020 and
2019.
Research and Development Expenses
R&D
expenses decreased by $0.3 million to $6.0 million in the first
half of 2020 from $6.3 million in the same period of 2019. Costs
associated with the OPTIMA Study decreased to $1.3 million in the
first half of 2020 compared to $2.1 million in the same period of
2019. Costs associated the OVATION 2 Study increased to $0.5
million in the first half of 2020 compared to $0.2 million in the
same six-month period of 2019. Regulatory costs were $0.4 million
in the first half of 2020 compared to $0.6 million in the same
period of 2019. Other clinical costs were consistent at $1.1
million in the first half of 2020 compared to $1.2 million in the
same period of 2019. Costs associated with the development of GEN-1
to support the OVATION 2 Study were $1.6 million in the first half
of 2020 compared to $1.5 million in the same period of 2019.
Production costs associated with the development of ThermoDox®
increased to $1.1 million in the first half of 2020 compared to
$0.7 million in the same period of 2019.
General and Administrative Expenses
General
and administrative expenses decreased to $3.7 million in the first
half of 2020 compared to $4.4 million in the same period of 2019.
This decrease is primarily attributable to lower personnel costs
and professional fees in the first six months of 2020 when compared
to the same period of 2019.
Change in Earn-out Milestone Liability and Warrant
Expense
The
total aggregate purchase price for the acquisition of assets from
EGEN included potential future earn-out payments contingent upon
achievement of certain milestones. The difference between the
aggregate $30.4 million in future earn-out payments and the $13.9
million included in the fair value of the acquisition consideration
at June 20, 2014 was based on the Company’s risk-adjusted
assessment of each milestone and utilizing a discount rate based on
the estimated time to achieve the milestone. These milestone
payments are fair valued at the end of each quarter and any change
in their value is recognized in the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
On
March 28, 2019, the Company and EGWU, Inc, entered into the Amended
Asset Purchase Agreement discussed in Note 8. Pursuant to the
Amended Asset Purchase Agreement, payment of the earnout milestone
liability related to the Ovarian Cancer Indication of $12.4 million
has been modified. The Company has the option to make the payment
as follows:
|
● |
$7.0
million in cash within 10 business days of achieving the milestone;
or |
|
|
|
|
● |
$12.4
million in cash, common stock of the Company, or a combination of
either, within one year of achieving the milestone. |
The
Company provided EGWU, Inc. 200,000 warrants to purchase common
stock at a strike price of $0.01 per warrant share as consideration
for entering into the amended agreement. These warrant shares have
no expiration and were fair valued at $2.00 using the closing price
of a share of Celsion stock on the date of issuance offset by the
exercise price and recorded as an expense in the income statement
and were classified as equity on the balance sheet.
As of
June 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, the Company fair valued the
earn-out milestone liability at $6.0 million and $5.7 million,
respectively and recognized a non-cash charge of $0.3 million
during the first half of 2020. In assessing the earnout milestone
liability at June 30, 2020, the Company fair valued each of the two
payment options per the Amended Asset Purchase Agreement and
weighted them at 80% and 20% probability for the $7.0 million and
the $12.4 million payments, respectively.
As of
June 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018, the Company fair valued the
earn-out milestone liability at $5.9 million and $8.8 million,
respectively and recognized a non-cash benefit of $3.0 million
during the first half of 2019. In assessing the earnout milestone
liability at June 30, 2019, the Company the fair valued each of the
two payment options per the Amended Asset Purchase Agreement and
weighted them at 80% and 20% probability for the $7.0 million and
the $12.4 million payments, respectively.
Investment income and interest expense
The
Company realized $0.1 million and $0.3 million of investment income
from its short-term investments during the first half of 2020 and
2019, respectively.
In connection with the Horizon Credit Agreement, the Company
incurred $0.7 million in interest expense in each of the first
halves of 2020 and 2019.
Financial
Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources
Since
inception we have incurred significant losses and negative cash
flows from operations. We have financed our operations primarily
through the net proceeds from the sales of equity, credit
facilities and amounts received under our product licensing
agreement with Yakult and our technology development agreement with
Hisun. The process of developing and commercializing
ThermoDox®, GEN-1 and other product candidates and
technologies requires significant research and development work and
clinical trial studies, as well as significant manufacturing and
process development efforts. We expect these activities, together
with our general and administrative expenses to result in
significant operating losses for the foreseeable future. Our
expenses have significantly and regularly exceeded our revenue, and
we had an accumulated deficit of $301 million at June 30,
2020.
At
June 30, 2020 we had total current assets of $26.8 million
(including cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and
related interest receivable on short-term investments of $25.5
million) and current liabilities of $9.2 million, resulting in net
working capital of $17.6 million. At December 31, 2019 we had total
current assets of $16.2 million (including cash, cash equivalents,
short-term investment, interest receivable of $14.9 million) and
current liabilities of $7.9 million, resulting in net working
capital of $8.3 million. We have substantial future capital
requirements to continue our research and development activities
and advance our product candidates through various development
stages. The Company believes these expenditures are essential for
the commercialization of its technologies.
Net
cash used in operating activities for the first six months of 2020
was $7.9 million. Net cash provided by investing activities was
$5.1 million during the first six months of 2020. Net cash provided
by financing activities was $18.6 million during the first six
months of 2020 from net proceeds received through the sale of our
common stock. The Company also received $1.3 million from two PPP
Loans in 2020 pursuant to the CARES Act which have been paid back
in full as of June 30, 2020.
We
expect to seek additional capital through further public or private
equity offerings, debt financing, additional strategic alliance and
licensing arrangements, collaborative arrangements, potential sales
of our net operating losses, or some combination of these financing
alternatives. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of
equity securities, the percentage ownership of our stockholders
could be significantly diluted, and the newly issued equity
securities may have rights, preferences, or privileges senior to
those of the holders of our common stock. If we raise funds through
the issuance of debt securities, those securities may have rights,
preferences, and privileges senior to those of our common stock. If
we seek strategic alliances, licenses, or other alternative
arrangements, such as arrangements with collaborative partners or
others, we may need to relinquish rights to certain of our existing
or future technologies, product candidates, or products we would
otherwise seek to develop or commercialize on our own, or to
license the rights to our technologies, product candidates, or
products on terms that are not favorable to us. The overall status
of the economic climate could also result in the terms of any
equity offering, debt financing, or alliance, license, or other
arrangement being even less favorable to us and our stockholders
than if the overall economic climate were stronger. We also will
continue to look for government sponsored research collaborations
and grants to help offset future anticipated losses from operations
and, to a lesser extent, interest income.
If
adequate funds are not available through either the capital
markets, strategic alliances, collaborators, or sales of our net
operating losses, we may be required to delay or, reduce the scope
of, or terminate our research, development, clinical programs,
manufacturing, or commercialization efforts, or effect additional
changes to our facilities or personnel, or obtain funds through
other arrangements that may require us to relinquish some of our
assets or rights to certain of our existing or future technologies,
product candidates, or products on terms not favorable to
us.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations
None.
Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE
DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK
The
primary objective of our investment activities is to preserve our
capital until it is required to fund operations while at the same
time maximizing the income, we receive from our investments without
significantly increasing risk. Our cash flow and earnings are
subject to fluctuations due to changes in interest rates in our
investment portfolio. We maintain a portfolio of various issuers,
types, and maturities. These securities are classified as
available-for-sale and, consequently, are recorded on the condensed
consolidated balance sheet at fair value with unrealized gains or
losses reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive
loss included in stockholders’ equity.
Except as discussed herein, the information required in this Item 3
is not significantly different from the information set forth in
“Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk” in our 2019 Form 10-K and is therefore not presented
herein.
Item 4. CONTROLS AND
PROCEDURES
We
have carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the
participation of management, including our principal executive
officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of
the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures,
as that term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act of
1934. Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and
principal financial officer have concluded that, as of June 30,
2020, which is the end of the period covered by this report, our
disclosure controls and procedures are effective at the reasonable
assurance level in alerting them in a timely manner to material
information required to be included in our periodic reports with
the SEC.
There
were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting
identified in connection with the evaluation that occurred during
the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or
are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control
over financial reporting.
Our
management, including our chief executive officer and chief
financial officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and
procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will
prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how
well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not
absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are
met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no
evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all
control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the company
have been detected. These inherent limitations include the
realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that
breakdowns can occur because of simple errors or mistakes.
Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts
of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by
management override of the control. The design of any system of
controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the
likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any
design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all
potential future conditions. Over time, controls may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of
compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because
of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system,
misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be
detected.
PART II: OTHER
INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal
Proceedings
On
September 20, 2019, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a
derivative and putative class action lawsuit against the Company
and certain officers and directors (the “Shareholder Action”). The
Company is a defendant in this derivative and putative class action
lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division,
filed by a shareholder against the Company (as both a class action
defendant and nominal defendant), and certain of its officers and
directors (the “Individual Defendants”), with the caption O’Connor
v. Braun et al., Docket No. MER-C-000068-19 (the “Shareholder
Action”). The Shareholder Action alleges breaches of the
defendants’ fiduciary duties based on allegations that the
defendants omitted or made improper statements when seeking
shareholder approval of the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan. The
Shareholder Action seeks, among other things, any damages sustained
by the Company as a result of the defendants’ alleged wrongdoing, a
declaratory judgment against all defendants invalidating the 2018
Stock Incentive Plan and declaring any awards made under the Plan
invalid, rescinded, and subject to disgorgement, an order
disgorging the equity awards granted to the Individual Defendants
under the 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, and attorneys’ fees and costs.
Without admitting the validity of any of the claims asserted in the
Shareholder Action, or any liability with respect thereto, and
expressly denying all allegations of wrongdoing, fault, liability,
or damage against the Company and the Individual Defendants arising
out of any of the conduct, statements, acts or omissions alleged,
or that could have been alleged, in the Shareholder Action, the
Company and the Individual Defendants have concluded that it is
desirable that the claims be settled on the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement. The Company
and the Individual Defendants are entering into the Settlement
Agreement for settlement purposes only and solely to avoid the cost
and disruption of further litigation.
On
April 24, 2020, the Company, the Individual Defendants, and the
plaintiff (the “Parties”) entered into a Settlement Agreement and
Release (the “Settlement Agreement”), which memorializes the terms
of the Parties’ settlement of the Shareholder Action (the
“Settlement”). The Settlement calls for repricing of certain stock
options and payment of plaintiff legal fees of $187,500. On July
24, 2020, the Court issued an order approving the Parties’ proposed
form of notice to shareholders regarding the Settlement. A hearing
to determine whether the Court should issue a final order approving
the proposed Settlement has been scheduled for September 8, 2020.
On August 3, 2020, the Company filed notice of the Settlement
Agreement on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The
following is a summary of the risk factors, uncertainties and
assumptions that we believe are most relevant to our business.
These are factors that, individually or in the aggregate, we think
could cause our actual results to differ significantly from
expected or historical results and our forward-looking statements.
We note these factors for investors as permitted by Section 21E of
the Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933. Additional risks that we currently believe are immaterial may
also impair our business operations. Investors should carefully
consider the risks described below before making an investment
decision and understand that it is not possible to predict or
identify all such factors. Consequently, investors should not
consider the following to be a complete discussion of all potential
risks or uncertainties that may impact our business. Moreover, we
operate in a competitive and rapidly changing environment. New
factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict
the impact of all of these factors on our business, financial
condition or results of operations. We undertake no obligation to
publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events, or otherwise. The description
provided in this Item 1A includes any material changes to and
supersedes the description of the risk factors associated with our
business previously disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 filed on
March 25, 2020 with the SEC. In assessing these risks, investors
should also refer to the other information contained or
incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report and our other
filings made from time to time with the SEC.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS
We
have a history of significant losses from operations and expect to
continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable
future.
Since
our inception, our expenses have substantially exceeded our
revenue, resulting in continuing losses and an accumulated deficit
of $301 million at June 30, 2020. For the year ended December 31,
2019 and the six months ended June 30, 2020, we incurred net losses
of $16.9 million and $10.4 million, respectively. We currently have
no product revenue and do not expect to generate any product
revenue for the foreseeable future. Because we are committed to
continuing our product research, development, clinical trial and
commercialization programs, we will continue to incur significant
operating losses unless and until we complete the development of
ThermoDox®, GEN-1 and other new product candidates and these
product candidates have been clinically tested, approved by the
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and successfully
marketed. The amount of future losses is uncertain. Our ability to
achieve profitability, if ever, will depend on, among other things,
us or our collaborators successfully developing product candidates,
obtaining regulatory approvals to market and commercialize product
candidates, manufacturing any approved products on commercially
reasonable terms, delays or setbacks we may experience associated
with our preclinical studies, clinical trials, third parties, or
supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing a sales and
marketing organization or suitable third-party alternatives for any
approved product and raising sufficient funds to finance business
activities. If we or our collaborators are unable to develop and
commercialize one or more of our product candidates or if sales
revenue from any product candidate that receives approval is
insufficient, we will not achieve profitability, which could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition,
results of operations and prospects.
We
do not expect to generate revenue for the foreseeable
future.
We
have devoted our resources to developing a new generation of
products and will not be able to market these products until we
have completed clinical trials and obtain all necessary
governmental approvals. ThermoDox® and the product candidates we
purchased in our acquisition of EGEN, including GEN-1, are still in
various stages of development and trials and cannot be marketed
until we have completed clinical testing and obtained necessary
governmental approval. Following our announcement on January 31,
2013 that the HEAT Study failed to meet its primary endpoint of
progression free survival, we continued to follow the patients
enrolled in the HEAT Study to the secondary endpoint, overall
survival. Based on the overall survival data from the post-hoc
analysis of results from the HEAT Study, we launched a pivotal,
double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial of ThermoDox® in
combination with RFA in primary liver cancer, known as the OPTIMA
Study, in the first half of 2014. GEN-1 is currently in an early
stage of clinical development for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
We conducted a Phase I dose-escalation clinical trial of GEN-1 in
combination with the standard of care in neo-adjuvant ovarian
cancer starting in the second half of 2015 and completing
enrollment in 2017. We also expanded our ovarian cancer development
program to include a Phase I/II dose escalating trial evaluating
GEN-1 in ovarian cancer patients. Our delivery technology
platforms, TheraPlas and TheraSilence, are in preclinical stages of
development. Accordingly, our revenue sources are, and will remain,
extremely limited until our product candidates are clinically
tested, approved by the FDA or foreign regulatory agencies and
successfully marketed. We cannot guarantee that any of our product
candidates will be approved by the FDA or any foreign regulatory
agency or marketed, successfully or otherwise, at any time in the
foreseeable future or at all.
Drug
development is an inherently uncertain process with a high risk of
failure at every stage of development. Our lead drug candidate
failed to meet its primary endpoint in our earlier Phase III
clinical trial.
On
January 31, 2013, we announced that ThermoDox® in combination with
RFA failed to meet the primary endpoint of the Phase III clinical
trial for primary liver cancer, known as the HEAT study. We have
not completed our final analysis of the data and do not know the
extent to which, if any, the failure of ThermoDox® to meet its
primary endpoint in the Phase III trial could impact our other
ongoing studies of ThermoDox® including a pivotal, double-blind,
placebo-controlled Phase III trial of ThermoDox® in combination
with RFA in primary liver cancer, known as the OPTIMA study, which
we launched in the first half of 2014. The trial design of the
OPTIMA study is based on the overall survival data from the
post-hoc analysis of results from the HEAT study. We completed a
Phase I dose-escalation clinical trial of GEN-1 in combination with
the standard of care in neo-adjuvant ovarian cancer in the third
quarter of 2017 and expanded our clinical development program for
GEN-1 into a follow-on Phase I/II trial for newly diagnosed ovarian
cancer in 2018.
On
July 13, 2020, the Company announced that it has received a
recommendation from the DMC to consider stopping the global Phase
III OPTIMA Study of ThermoDox® in combination with RFA
for the treatment of HCC, or primary liver cancer. The
recommendation was made following the second pre-planned interim
safety and efficacy analysis by the DMC on July 9, 2020. The DMC
analysis found that the pre-specified boundary for stopping the
trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed with an actual value of
0.903. The Company intends to
follow the advice of the DMC and will consider its options either
to stop the study or continue to follow patients after a thorough
review of the data, and an evaluation of the probability of
success. Timing for this decision is made less urgent by the fact
that the OPTIMA Study has been fully enrolled since August
2018 and that the vast
majority of the trial expenses have already been incurred. On
August 4, 2020, the Company issued a press release announcing it
will continue following patients for overall survival (“OS”),
noting that the unexpected and marginally crossed futility
boundary, suggested by the Kaplan-Meier analysis at the second
interim analysis on July 9, 2020, may be associated with a data
maturity issue.
Preclinical
testing and clinical trials are long, expensive and highly
uncertain processes and failure can unexpectedly occur at any stage
of clinical development, as evidenced by the failure of ThermoDox®
to meet its primary endpoint in the HEAT study. Drug development is
inherently risky and clinical trials take us several years to
complete. The start or end of a clinical trial is often delayed or
halted due to changing regulatory requirements, manufacturing
challenges, required clinical trial administrative actions, slower
than anticipated patient enrollment, changing standards of care,
availability or prevalence of use of a comparator drug or required
prior therapy, clinical outcomes including insufficient efficacy,
safety concerns, or our own financial constraints. The results from
preclinical testing or early clinical trials of a product candidate
may not predict the results that will be obtained in later phase
clinical trials of the product candidate. We, the FDA or other
applicable regulatory authorities may suspend clinical trials of a
product candidate at any time for various reasons, including a
belief that subjects participating in such trials are being exposed
to unacceptable health risks or adverse side effects. We may not
have the financial resources to continue development of, or to
enter into collaborations for, a product candidate if we experience
any problems or other unforeseen events that delay or prevent
regulatory approval of, or our ability to commercialize, product
candidates. The failure of one or more of our drug candidates or
development programs could have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
We
will need to raise additional capital to fund our planned future
operations, and we may be unable to secure such capital without
dilutive financing transactions. If we are not able to raise
additional capital, we may not be able to complete the development,
testing and commercialization of our product
candidates.
We
have not generated significant revenue and have incurred
significant net losses in each year since our inception. For the
year ended December 31, 2019 and the six months ended June 30,
2020, we incurred net losses of $16.9 million and $10.4 million,
respectively. We have incurred approximately $301 million of
cumulative net losses. As of June 30, 2020, cash, cash equivalents
and short-term investments and related interest receivable on
short-term investments of $25.5 million.
We
have substantial future capital requirements to continue our
research and development activities and advance our product
candidates through various development stages. For example,
ThermoDox® is currently being evaluated in a Phase III clinical
trial in combination with RFA for the treatment of primary liver
cancer and other preclinical studies. On July 13, 2020, the Company
announced that it has received a recommendation from the DMC to
consider stopping the global Phase III OPTIMA Study of
ThermoDox® in combination with RFA for the treatment of
HCC, or primary liver cancer. The recommendation was made following
the second pre-planned interim safety and efficacy analysis by the
DMC on July 9, 2020. The DMC analysis found that the pre-specified
boundary for stopping the trial for futility of 0.900 was crossed
with an actual value of 0.903. The Company intends to follow the advice of the DMC
and will consider its options either to stop the study or continue
to follow patients after a thorough review of the data, and an
evaluation of the probability of success. Timing for this decision
is made less urgent by the fact that the OPTIMA Study has been
fully enrolled since August 2018 and that the vast majority of the trial
expenses have already been incurred. On August 4, 2020, the Company
issued a press release announcing it will continue following
patients for overall survival (“OS”), noting that the unexpected
and marginally crossed futility boundary, suggested by the
Kaplan-Meier analysis at the second interim analysis on July 9,
2020, may be associated with a data maturity
issue.
We
completed a Phase I dose-escalation clinical trial of GEN-1 in
combination with the standard of care in neo-adjuvant ovarian
cancer in the third quarter of 2017 and expanded our clinical
development program for GEN-1 into a follow-on Phase I/II trial for
newly diagnosed ovarian cancer in 2018.
To
complete the development and commercialization of our product
candidates, we will need to raise substantial amounts of additional
capital to fund our operations. Our future capital requirements
will depend upon numerous unpredictable factors, including, without
limitation, the cost, timing, progress and outcomes of clinical
studies and regulatory reviews of our proprietary drug candidates,
including any unforeseen delays or increased costs we may incur as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or other causes, our efforts to
implement new collaborations, licenses and strategic transactions,
general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures and other
unforeseen uses of cash. We do not have any committed sources of
financing and cannot assure you that alternate funding will be
available in a timely manner, on acceptable terms or at all. We may
need to pursue dilutive equity financings, such as the issuance of
shares of common stock, convertible debt or other convertible or
exercisable securities. Such dilutive equity financings could
dilute the percentage ownership of our current common stockholders
and could significantly lower the market value of our common stock.
In addition, a financing could result in the issuance of new
securities that may have rights, preferences or privileges senior
to those of our existing stockholders.
If we
are unable to obtain additional capital on a timely basis or on
acceptable terms, we may be required to delay, reduce or terminate
our research and development programs and preclinical studies or
clinical trials, if any, limit strategic opportunities or undergo
corporate restructuring activities. We also could be required to
seek funds through arrangements with collaborators or others that
may require us to relinquish rights to some of our technologies,
product candidates or potential markets or that could impose
onerous financial or other terms. Furthermore, if we cannot fund
our ongoing development and other operating requirements,
particularly those associated with our obligations to conduct
clinical trials under our licensing agreements, we will be in
breach of these licensing agreements and could therefore lose our
license rights, which could have material adverse effects on our
business.
If
we do not obtain or maintain FDA and foreign regulatory approvals
for our drug candidates on a timely basis, or at all, or if the
terms of any approval impose significant restrictions or
limitations on use, we will be unable to sell those products and
our business, results of operations and financial condition will be
negatively affected.
To
obtain regulatory approvals from the FDA and foreign regulatory
agencies, we must conduct clinical trials demonstrating that our
products are safe and effective. We may need to amend ongoing
trials, or the FDA and/or foreign regulatory agencies may require
us to perform additional trials beyond those we planned. The
testing and approval process require substantial time, effort and
resources, and generally takes a number of years to complete. The
time to complete testing and obtaining approvals is uncertain, and
the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies have substantial
discretion, at any phase of development, to terminate clinical
studies, require additional clinical studies or other testing,
delay or withhold approval, and mandate product withdrawals,
including recalls. In addition, our drug candidates may have
undesirable side effects or other unexpected characteristics that
could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or
halt clinical trials and could result in a more restricted label or
the delay or denial of regulatory approval by regulatory
authorities.
Even
if we receive regulatory approval of a product, the approval may
limit the indicated uses for which the drug may be marketed. The
failure to obtain timely regulatory approval of product candidates,
the imposition of marketing limitations, or a product withdrawal
would negatively impact our business, results of operations and
financial condition. Even if we receive approval, we will be
subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory
review, which may result in significant additional expense and
subject us to restrictions, withdrawal from the market, or
penalties if we fail to comply with applicable regulatory
requirements or if we experience unanticipated problems with our
product candidates, when and if approved. Finally, even if we
obtain FDA approval of any of our product candidates, we may never
obtain approval or commercialize such products outside of the
United States, given that we may be subject to additional or
different regulatory burdens in other markets. This could limit our
ability to realize their full market potential.
Our
industry is highly regulated by the FDA and comparable foreign
regulatory agencies. We must comply with extensive, strictly
enforced regulatory requirements to develop, obtain, and maintain
marketing approval for any of our product
candidates.
Securing
FDA or comparable foreign regulatory approval requires the
submission of extensive preclinical and clinical data and
supporting information for each therapeutic indication to establish
the product candidate’s safety and efficacy for its intended use.
It takes years to complete the testing of a new drug or biological
product and development delays and/or failure can occur at any
stage of testing. Any of our present and future clinical trials may
be delayed, halted, not authorized, or approval of any of our
products may be delayed or may not be obtained due to any of the
following:
● |
factors
related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including regulators or
institutional review boards, or IRBs, or ethics committees may not
authorize us or our investigators to commence a clinical trial or
conduct a clinical trial at a prospective trial site |
|
|
● |
any
preclinical test or clinical trial may fail to produce safety and
efficacy results satisfactory to the FDA or comparable foreign
regulatory authorities; |
|
|
● |
preclinical
and clinical data can be interpreted in different ways, which could
delay, limit or prevent marketing approval; |
|
|
● |
negative
or inconclusive results from a preclinical test or clinical trial
or adverse events during a clinical trial could cause a preclinical
study or clinical trial to be repeated or a development program to
be terminated, even if other studies relating to the development
program are ongoing or have been completed and were
successful; |
|
|
● |
the
FDA or comparable foreign regulatory authorities can place a
clinical hold on a trial if, among other reasons, it finds that
subjects enrolled in the trial are or would be exposed to an
unreasonable and significant risk of illness or injury; |
|
|
● |
the
facilities that we utilize, or the processes or facilities of
third-party vendors, including without limitation the contract
manufacturers who will be manufacturing drug substance and drug
product for us or any potential collaborators, may not
satisfactorily complete inspections by the FDA or comparable
foreign regulatory authorities; and |
|
|
● |
we
may encounter delays or rejections based on changes in FDA policies
or the policies of comparable foreign regulatory authorities during
the period in which we develop a product candidate, or the period
required for review of any final marketing approval before we are
able to market any product candidate. |
In
addition, information generated during the clinical trial process
is susceptible to varying interpretations that could delay, limit,
or prevent marketing approval at any stage of the approval process.
Moreover, early positive preclinical or clinical trial results may
not be replicated in later clinical trials. As more product
candidates within a particular class of drugs proceed through
clinical development to regulatory review and approval, the amount
and type of clinical data that may be required by regulatory
authorities may increase or change. Failure to demonstrate
adequately the quality, safety, and efficacy of any of our product
candidates would delay or prevent marketing approval of the
applicable product candidate. We cannot assure you that if clinical
trials are completed, either we or our potential collaborators will
submit applications for required authorizations to manufacture or
market potential products or that any such application will be
reviewed and approved by appropriate regulatory authorities in a
timely manner, if at all.
Separately, in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, on March
10, 2020, the FDA announced its intention to postpone most
inspections of foreign manufacturing facilities and products
through at least April 2020, though no set end date has been
determined. On March 18, 2020, the FDA announced its intention to
temporarily postpone routine surveillance inspections of domestic
manufacturing facilities. Regulatory authorities outside the United
States may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide guidance regarding
the conduct of clinical trials, which guidance continues to evolve.
In April 2020, the FDA stated that its New Drug Program was
continuing to meet program user fee performance goals, but due to
many agency staff working on COVID-19 activities, it was possible
that the FDA would not be able to sustain that level of performance
indefinitely. If global health concerns continue to prevent the FDA
or other regulatory authorities from conducting their regular
inspections, reviews or other regulatory activities, it could
significantly impact the ability of the FDA to timely review and
process our regulatory submissions, which could have a material
adverse effect on our business
The
outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, could
adversely impact our business, including our preclinical studies
and clinical trials.
In
January 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a
global pandemic, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services declared a public health emergency to aid the U.S.
healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. This virus
continues to spread globally and, as of June 2020, has spread to
over 100 countries, including the United States. Governments and
businesses around the world have taken unprecedented actions to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including, but not limited to,
shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, and significant restrictions
on travel, as well as restrictions that prohibit many employees
from going to work. Uncertainty with respect to the economic
impacts of the pandemic has introduced significant volatility in
the financial markets. The Company did not observe significant
impacts on its business or results of operations for the three
months ended June 30, 2020 due to the global emergence of COVID-19.
While the extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Company’s future
results will depend on future developments, the pandemic and
associated economic impacts could result in a material impact to
the Company’s future financial condition, results of operations and
cash flows.
The
Company’s ability to raise additional capital may be adversely
impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the
recent disruptions to, and volatility in, financial markets in the
United States and worldwide resulting from the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
The
disruptions caused by COVID-19 may also disrupt preclinical
studies, the clinical trials process and enrollment of patients.
This may delay commercialization efforts. The Company is currently
monitoring its operating activities in light of these events and it
is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect
on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, the
specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of this
report.
While,
as of the date of this report, we have not experienced any material
disruptions to the execution of the clinical trials and the
research and development activities that we currently have
underway, as a result of the pandemic we may experience disruptions
that could severely impact research and development timelines and
outcomes, including, but not limited to:
● |
delays
or difficulties in enrolling patients in our clinical
trials; |
|
|
● |
delays
or difficulties in clinical site initiation, including difficulties
in recruiting clinical site investigators and clinical site
staff; |
|
|
● |
diversion
of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical trials,
including the diversion of hospitals serving as our clinical trial
sites and hospital staff supporting the conduct of our clinical
trials; |
|
|
● |
interruption
of key clinical trial activities, such as clinical trial site data
monitoring, due to limitations on travel imposed or recommended by
federal, state or foreign governments, employers and others or
interruption of clinical trial subject visits and study procedures
(such as procedures that are deemed non-essential under law,
regulation or institutional policies), which may impact the
integrity of subject data and clinical study endpoints; |
|
|
● |
interruption
or delays in the operations of the FDA or other regulatory
authorities, which may impact review and approval
timelines; |
● |
interruption
of, or delays in receiving, supplies of our product candidates from
our contract manufacturing organizations due to staffing shortages,
production slowdowns or stoppages and disruptions in delivery
systems; |
|
|
● |
interruptions
in preclinical studies due to restricted or limited operations at
our contracted research facilities; |
|
|
● |
unforeseen
costs we may incur as a result of the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic, including the costs of mitigation efforts; |
|
|
● |
deterioration
of worldwide credit and financial markets that could limit our
ability to obtain external financing to fund our operations and
capital expenditures; |
|
|
● |
investment-related
risks, including difficulties in liquidating investments due to
current market conditions and adverse investment
performance; |
|
|
● |
limitations
on employee resources that would otherwise be focused on the
conduct of our research and development activities, including
because of sickness of employees or their families or the desire of
employees to avoid contact with large groups of people;
or |
|
|
● |
interruptions
or limitations of the types described affecting our service
providers and collaboration partners, including contract research
organizations running clinical trials and collaboration partners
sponsoring clinical trials in which we are supplying our product
candidates or otherwise participating. |
In addition, the trading prices for common stock of other
biopharmaceutical companies have been highly volatile as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve. The extent to which
the outbreak impacts our business, preclinical studies and clinical
trials will depend on future developments, which are highly
uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the
ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the
pandemic, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United
States and other countries, business closures or business
disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United
States and other countries to diagnose, contain and treat the
disease. If we or any of the third parties with whom we engage were
to experience shutdowns or other business disruptions, our ability
to conduct our business and development activities in the manner
and on the timelines presently planned could be materially and
negatively impacted. There can be no assurance that any such
disruptions or delays will not materially adversely impact our
business, results of operations, access to financial resources and
our financial condition.
New
gene-based products for therapeutic applications are subject to
extensive regulation by the FDA and comparable agencies in other
countries. The precise regulatory requirements with which we will
have to comply, now and in the future, are uncertain due to the
novelty of the gene-based products we are
developing.
The
regulatory approval process for novel product candidates such as
ours can be significantly more expensive and take longer than for
other, better known or more extensively studied product candidates.
Limited data exist regarding the safety and efficacy of DNA-based
therapeutics compared with conventional therapeutics, and
government regulation of DNA-based therapeutics is evolving.
Regulatory requirements governing gene and cell therapy products
have changed frequently and may continue to change in the future.
The FDA has established the Office of Cellular, Tissue and Gene
Therapies within its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
(CBER), to consolidate the review of gene therapy and related
products, and has established the Cellular, Tissue and Gene
Therapies Advisory Committee to advise CBER in its review. It is
difficult to determine how long it will take or how much it will
cost to obtain regulatory approvals for our product candidates in
either the U.S. or the European Union or how long it will take to
commercialize our product candidates.
Adverse
events or the perception of adverse events in the field of gene
therapy generally, or with respect to our product candidates
specifically, may have a particularly negative impact on public
perception of gene therapy and result in greater governmental
regulation, including future bans or stricter standards imposed on
gene-based therapy clinical trials, stricter labeling requirements
and other regulatory delays in the testing or approval of our
potential products. For example, if we were to engage an NIH-funded
institution to conduct a clinical trial, we may be subject to
review by the NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities’ Recombinant
DNA Advisory Committee (the RAC). If undertaken, RAC can delay the
initiation of a clinical trial, even if the FDA has reviewed the
trial design and details and approved its initiation. Conversely,
the FDA can put an investigational new drug (IND) application on a
clinical hold even if the RAC has provided a favorable review or an
exemption from in-depth, public review. Such committee and advisory
group reviews and any new guidelines they promulgate may lengthen
the regulatory review process, require us to perform additional
studies, increase our development costs, lead to changes in
regulatory positions and interpretations, delay or prevent approval
and commercialization of our product candidates or lead to
significant post-approval limitations or restrictions. Any
increased scrutiny could delay or increase the costs of our product
development efforts or clinical trials.
Even
if our products receive regulatory approval, they may still face
future development and regulatory difficulties. Government
regulators may impose significant restrictions on a product’s
indicated uses or marketing or impose ongoing requirements for
potentially costly post-approval studies. This governmental
oversight may be particularly strict with respect to gene-based
therapies.
Serious
adverse events, undesirable side effects or other unexpected
properties of our product candidates may be identified during
development or after approval, which could lead to the
discontinuation of our clinical development programs, refusal by
regulatory authorities to approve our product candidates or, if
discovered following marketing approval, revocation of marketing
authorizations or limitations on the use of our product candidates
thereby limiting the commercial potential of such product
candidate.
As we
continue our development of our product candidates and initiate
clinical trials of our additional product candidates, serious
adverse events, undesirable side effects or unexpected
characteristics may emerge causing us to abandon these product
candidates or limit their development to more narrow uses or
subpopulations in which the serious adverse events, undesirable
side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less
severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit
perspective.
Even
if our product candidates initially show promise in these early
clinical trials, the side effects of drugs are frequently only
detectable after they are tested in large, Phase 3 clinical trials
or, in some cases, after they are made available to patients on a
commercial scale after approval. Sometimes, it can be difficult to
determine if the serious adverse or unexpected side effects were
caused by the product candidate or another factor, especially in
oncology subjects who may suffer from other medical conditions and
be taking other medications. If serious adverse or unexpected side
effects are identified during development and are determined to be
attributed to our product candidate, we may be required to develop
a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to mitigate those
serious safety risks, which could impose significant distribution
and use restrictions on our products.
In
addition, drug-related side effects could also affect subject
recruitment or the ability of enrolled subjects to complete the
trial, result in potential product liability claims, reputational
harm, withdrawal of approvals, a requirement to include additional
warnings on the label or to create a medication guide outlining the
risks of such side effects for distribution to patients. It can
also result in patient harm, liability lawsuits, and reputational
harm. Any of these occurrences could prevent us from achieving or
maintaining market acceptance and may harm our business, financial
condition and prospects significantly.
If
we encounter difficulties enrolling patients in our clinical
trials, our clinical development activities could be delayed or
otherwise adversely affected.
We
may experience difficulties in patient enrollment in our clinical
trials for a variety of reasons. The timely completion of clinical
trials in accordance with their protocols depends, among other
things, on our ability to enroll a sufficient number of patients
who remain in the trial until its conclusion. The enrollment of
patients depends on many factors, including:
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the
patient eligibility and exclusion criteria defined in the
protocol; |
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the
size of the patient population required for analysis of the trial’s
primary endpoints and the process for identifying
patients; |
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delays
in our research programs resulting from factors related to the
COVID-19 pandemic; |
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the
willingness or availability of patients to participate in our
trials; |
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the
proximity of patients to trial sites; |
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the
design of the trial; |
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our
ability to recruit clinical trial investigators with the
appropriate competencies and experience; |
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clinicians’
and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages and risks
of the product candidate being studied in relation to other
available therapies, including any new products that may be
approved for the indications we are investigating; |
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the
availability of competing commercially available therapies and
other competing drug candidates’ clinical trials; |
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our
ability to obtain and maintain patient informed consents;
and |
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the
risk that patients enrolled in clinical trials will drop out of the
trials before completion. |
In
addition, our clinical trials will compete with other clinical
trials for product candidates that are in the same therapeutic
areas as our product candidates, and this competition will reduce
the number and types of patients available to us, because some
patients who might have opted to enroll in our trials may instead
opt to enroll in a trial being conducted by one of our competitors.
Since the number of qualified clinical investigators is limited, we
expect to conduct some of our clinical trials at the same clinical
trial sites that some of our competitors use, which will reduce the
number of patients who are available for our clinical trials in
such clinical trial site. Certain of our planned clinical trials
may also involve invasive procedures, which may lead some patients
to drop out of trials to avoid these follow-up
procedures.
Further,
timely enrollment in clinical trials is reliant on clinical trial
sites which may be adversely affected by global health matters,
including, among other things, pandemics. For example, our clinical
trial sites may be located in regions currently being affected by
the COVID-19 coronavirus. Some factors from the COVID-19
coronavirus outbreak that we believe may adversely affect
enrollment in our trials include:
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the
diversion of healthcare resources away from the conduct of clinical
trial matters to focus on pandemic concerns, including the
attention of infectious disease physicians serving as our clinical
trial investigators, hospitals serving as our clinical trial sites
and hospital staff supporting the conduct of our clinical
trials; |
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patients
who would otherwise be candidates for enrollment in our clinical
trials, may become infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, which
may kill some patients and render others too ill to participate,
limiting the available pool of participants for our
trials; |
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limitations
on travel that interrupt key trial activities, such as clinical
trial site initiations and monitoring; |
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interruption
in global shipping affecting the transport of clinical trial
materials, such as investigational drug product and comparator
drugs used in our trials; and |
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employee
furlough days that delay necessary interactions with local
regulators, ethics committees and other important agencies and
contractors. |
These
and other factors arising from the COVID-19 coronavirus could
worsen in countries that are already afflicted with the virus or
could continue to spread to additional countries, each of which may
further adversely impact our clinical trials. The global outbreak
of the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to evolve and the conduct of
our trials may continue to be adversely affected, despite efforts
to mitigate this impact.
We
may not successfully engage in future strategic transactions, which
could adversely affect our ability to develop and commercialize
product candidates, impact our cash position, increase our expense
and present significant distractions to our
management.
In
the future, we may consider strategic alternatives intended to
further the development of our business, which may include
acquiring businesses, technologies or products, out- or
in-licensing product candidates or technologies or entering into a
business combination with another company. Any strategic
transaction may require us to incur non-recurring or other charges,
increase our near- and long-term expenditures and pose significant
integration or implementation challenges or disrupt our management
or business. These transactions would entail numerous operational
and financial risks, including exposure to unknown liabilities,
disruption of our business and diversion of our management’s time
and attention in order to manage a collaboration or develop
acquired products, product candidates or technologies, incurrence
of substantial debt or dilutive issuances of equity securities to
pay transaction consideration or costs, higher than expected
collaboration, acquisition or integration costs, write-downs of
assets or goodwill or impairment charges, increased amortization
expenses, difficulty and cost in facilitating the collaboration or
combining the operations and personnel of any acquired business,
impairment of relationships with key suppliers, manufacturers or
customers of any acquired business due to changes in management and
ownership and the inability to retain key employees of any acquired
business. Accordingly, although there can be no assurance that we
will undertake or successfully complete any transactions of the
nature described above, any transactions that we do complete may be
subject to the foregoing or other risks and have a material adverse
effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition
and prospects. Conversely, any failure to enter any strategic
transaction that would be beneficial to us could delay the
development and potential commercialization of our product
candidates and have a negative impact on the competitiveness of any
product candidate that reaches market.
Strategic
transactions, such as acquisitions, partnerships and
collaborations, including the EGEN asset acquisition, involve
numerous risks, including:
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the
failure of markets for the products of acquired businesses,
technologies or product lines to develop as expected; |
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uncertainties
in identifying and pursuing acquisition targets; |
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the
challenges in achieving strategic objectives, cost savings and
other benefits expected from acquisitions; |
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the
risk that the financial returns on acquisitions will not support
the expenditures incurred to acquire such businesses or the capital
expenditures needed to develop such businesses; |
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difficulties
in assimilating the acquired businesses, technologies or product
lines; |
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the
failure to successfully manage additional business locations,
including the additional infrastructure and resources necessary to
support and integrate such locations; |
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the
existence of unknown product defects related to acquired
businesses, technologies or product lines that may not be
identified due to the inherent limitations involved in the due
diligence process of an acquisition; |
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the
diversion of management’s attention from other business
concerns; |
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risks
associated with entering markets or conducting operations with
which we have no or limited direct prior experience; |
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risks
associated with assuming the legal obligations of acquired
businesses, technologies or product lines; |
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risks
related to the effect that internal control processes of acquired
businesses might have on our financial reporting and management’s
report on our internal control over financial
reporting; |
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the
potential loss of key employees related to acquired businesses,
technologies or product lines; and |
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the
incurrence of significant exit charges if products or technologies
acquired in business combinations are unsuccessful. |
We
may never realize the perceived benefits of the EGEN asset
acquisition or potential future transactions. We cannot assure you
that we will be successful in overcoming problems encountered in
connection with any transactions, and our inability to do so could
significantly harm our business, results of operations and
financial condition. These transactions could dilute a
stockholder’s investment in us and cause us to incur debt,
contingent liabilities and amortization/impairment charges related
to intangible assets, all of which could materially and adversely
affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, our effective tax rate for future periods could be
negatively impacted by the EGEN asset acquisition or potential
future transactions.
Our
business depends on license agreements with third parties to permit
us to use patented technologies. The loss of any of our rights
under these agreements could impair our ability to develop and
market our products.
Our
success will depend, in a substantial part, on our ability to
maintain our rights under license agreements granting us rights to
use patented technologies. For instance, we are party to license
agreements with Duke University, under which we have exclusive
rights to commercialize medical treatment products and procedures
based on Duke’s thermo-sensitive liposome technology. The Duke
University license agreement contains a license fee, royalty and/or
research support provisions, testing and regulatory milestones, and
other performance requirements that we must meet by certain
deadlines. If we breach any provisions of the license and research
agreements, we may lose our ability to use the subject technology,
as well as compensation for our efforts in developing or exploiting
the technology. Any such loss of rights and access to technology
could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Further,
we cannot guarantee that any patent or other technology rights
licensed to us by others will not be challenged or circumvented
successfully by third parties, or that the rights granted will
provide adequate protection. We may be required to alter any of our
potential products or processes or enter into a license and pay
licensing fees to a third party or cease certain activities. There
can be no assurance that we can obtain a license to any technology
that we determine we need on reasonable terms, if at all, or that
we could develop or otherwise obtain alternate technology. If a
license is not available on commercially reasonable terms or at
all, our business, results of operations, and financial condition
could be significantly harmed, and we may be prevented from
developing and commercializing the product. Litigation, which could
result in substantial costs, may also be necessary to enforce any
patents issued to or licensed by us or to determine the scope and
validity of another’s claimed proprietary rights.
If
any of our pending patent applications do not issue, or are deemed
invalid following issuance, we may lose valuable intellectual
property protection.
The
patent positions of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,
such as ours, are uncertain and involve complex legal and factual
issues. We own various U.S. and international patents and have
pending U.S. and international patent applications that cover
various aspects of our technologies. There can be no assurance that
patents that have issued will be held valid and enforceable in a
court of law through the entire patent term. Even for patents that
are held valid and enforceable, the legal process associated with
obtaining such a judgment is time consuming and costly.
Additionally, issued patents can be subject to opposition,
interferences or other proceedings that can result in the
revocation of the patent or maintenance of the patent in amended
form (and potentially in a form that renders the patent without
commercially relevant or broad coverage). Further, our competitors
may be able to circumvent and otherwise design around our patents.
Even if a patent is issued and enforceable, because development and
commercialization of pharmaceutical products can be subject to
substantial delays, patents may expire early and provide only a
short period of protection, if any, following the commercialization
of products encompassed by our patents. We may have to participate
in interference proceedings declared by the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office, which could result in a loss of the patent and/or
substantial cost to us.
We
have filed patent applications, and plan to file additional patent
applications, covering various aspects of our technologies and our
proprietary product candidates. There can be no assurance that the
patent applications for which we apply would actually issue as
patents or do so with commercially relevant or broad coverage. The
coverage claimed in a patent application can be significantly
reduced before the patent is issued. The scope of our claim
coverage can be critical to our ability to enter into licensing
transactions with third parties and our right to receive royalties
from our collaboration partnerships. Since publication of
discoveries in scientific or patent literature often lags behind
the date of such discoveries, we cannot be certain that we were the
first inventor of inventions covered by our patents or patent
applications. In addition, there is no guarantee that we will be
the first to file a patent application directed to an
invention.
An
adverse outcome in any judicial proceeding involving intellectual
property, including patents, could subject us to significant
liabilities to third parties, require disputed rights to be
licensed from or to third parties or require us to cease using the
technology in dispute. In those instances where we seek an
intellectual property license from another, we may not be able to
obtain the license on a commercially reasonable basis, if at all,
thereby raising concerns on our ability to freely commercialize our
technologies or products.
We
rely on trade secret protection and other unpatented proprietary
rights for important proprietary technologies, and any loss of such
rights could harm our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
We
rely on trade secrets and confidential information that we seek to
protect, in part, by confidentiality agreements with our corporate
partners, collaborators, employees and consultants. We cannot
assure you that these agreements are adequate to protect our trade
secrets and confidential information or will not be breached or, if
breached, we will have adequate remedies. Furthermore, others may
independently develop substantially equivalent confidential and
proprietary information or otherwise gain access to our trade
secrets or disclose such technology. Any loss of trade secret
protection or other unpatented proprietary rights could harm our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our
products may infringe patent rights of others, which may require
costly litigation and, if we are not successful, could cause us to
pay substantial damages or limit our ability to commercialize our
products.
Our
commercial success depends on our ability to operate without
infringing the patents and other proprietary rights of third
parties. There may be third party patents that relate to our
products and technology. We may unintentionally infringe upon valid
patent rights of third parties. Although we currently are not
involved in any material litigation involving patents, a
third-party patent holder may assert a claim of patent infringement
against us in the future. Alternatively, we may initiate litigation
against the third-party patent holder to request that a court
declare that we are not infringing the third party’s patent and/or
that the third party’s patent is invalid or unenforceable. If a
claim of infringement is asserted against us and is successful, and
therefore we are found to infringe, we could be required to pay
damages for infringement, including treble damages if it is
determined that we knew or became aware of such a patent and we
failed to exercise due care in determining whether or not we
infringed the patent. If we have supplied infringing products to
third parties or have licensed third parties to manufacture, use or
market infringing products, we may be obligated to indemnify these
third parties for damages they may be required to pay to the patent
holder and for any losses they may sustain.
We
can also be prevented from selling or commercializing any of our
products that use the infringing technology in the future, unless
we obtain a license from such third party. A license may not be
available from such third party on commercially reasonable terms or
may not be available at all. Any modification to include a
non-infringing technology may not be possible, or if possible, may
be difficult or time-consuming to develop, and require
revalidation, which could delay our ability to commercialize our
products. Any infringement action asserted against us, even if we
are ultimately successful in defending against such action, would
likely delay the regulatory approval process of our products, harm
our competitive position, be expensive and require the time and
attention of our key management and technical personnel.
We
rely on third parties to conduct all of our clinical trials. If
these third parties are unable to carry out their contractual
duties in a manner that is consistent with our expectations, comply
with budgets and other financial obligations or meet expected
deadlines, we may not receive certain development milestone
payments or be able to obtain regulatory approval for or
commercialize our product candidates in a timely or cost-effective
manner.
We do
not independently conduct clinical trials for our drug candidates.
We rely, and expect to continue to rely, on third-party clinical
investigators, clinical research organizations (CROs), clinical
data management organizations and consultants to design, conduct,
supervise and monitor our clinical trials.
Because
we do not conduct our own clinical trials, we must rely on the
efforts of others and have reduced control over aspects of these
activities, including, the timing of such trials, the costs
associated with such trials and the procedures that are followed
for such trials. We do not expect to significantly increase our
personnel in the foreseeable future and may continue to rely on
third parties to conduct all of our future clinical trials. If we
cannot contract with acceptable third parties on commercially
reasonable terms or at all, if these third parties are unable to
carry out their contractual duties or obligations in a manner that
is consistent with our expectations or meet expected deadlines, if
they do not carry out the trials in accordance with budgeted
amounts, if the quality or accuracy of the clinical data they
obtain is compromised due to their failure to adhere to our
clinical protocols or for other reasons, or if they fail to
maintain compliance with applicable government regulations and
standards, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed or
terminated or may become significantly more expensive, we may not
receive development milestone payments when expected or at all, and
we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval for or
successfully commercialize our product candidates.
Despite
our reliance on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, we
are ultimately responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical
trials is conducted in accordance with the general investigational
plan and protocols for the trial. Moreover, the FDA requires
clinical trials to be conducted in accordance with good clinical
practices for conducting, recording and reporting the results of
clinical trials to assure that data and reported results are
credible and accurate and that the rights, integrity and
confidentiality of clinical trial participants are protected. We
also are required to register ongoing clinical trials and post the
results of completed clinical trials on a government-sponsored
database, ClinicalTrials.gov, within certain
timeframes. Failure to do so can result in fines, adverse publicity
and civil and criminal sanctions. Our reliance on third parties
that we do not control does not relieve us of these
responsibilities and requirements. If we or a third party we rely
on fails to meet these requirements, we may not be able to obtain,
or may be delayed in obtaining, marketing authorizations for our
drug candidates and will not be able to, or may be delayed in our
efforts to, successfully commercialize our drug candidates. This
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition, results of operations and prospects.
Because
we rely on third party manufacturing and supply partners, our
supply of research and development, preclinical and clinical
development materials may become limited or interrupted or may not
be of satisfactory quantity or quality.
We
rely on third party supply and manufacturing partners to supply the
materials and components for, and manufacture, our research and
development, preclinical and clinical trial drug supplies. We do
not own manufacturing facilities or supply sources for such
components and materials. There can be no assurance that our supply
of research and development, preclinical and clinical development
drugs and other materials will not be limited, interrupted,
restricted in certain geographic regions or of satisfactory quality
or continue to be available at acceptable prices. Suppliers and
manufacturers must meet applicable manufacturing requirements and
undergo rigorous facility and process validation tests required by
FDA and foreign regulatory authorities in order to comply with
regulatory standards, such as current Good Manufacturing Practices.
In the event that any of our suppliers or manufacturers fails to
comply with such requirements or to perform its obligations to us
in relation to quality, timing or otherwise, or if our supply of
components or other materials becomes limited or interrupted for
other reasons, we may be forced to manufacture the materials
ourselves, for which we currently do not have the capabilities or
resources, or enter into an agreement with another third party,
which we may not be able to do on reasonable terms, if at
all.
Our
business is subject to numerous and evolving state, federal and
foreign regulations and we may not be able to secure the government
approvals needed to develop and market our products.
Our
research and development activities, pre-clinical tests and
clinical trials, and ultimately the manufacturing, marketing and
labeling of our products, are all subject to extensive regulation
by the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies. Pre-clinical testing
and clinical trial requirements and the regulatory approval process
typically take years and require the expenditure of substantial
resources. Additional government regulation may be established that
could prevent or delay regulatory approval of our product
candidates. Delays or rejections in obtaining regulatory approvals
would adversely affect our ability to commercialize any product
candidates and our ability to generate product revenue or
royalties.
The
FDA and foreign regulatory agencies require that the safety and
efficacy of product candidates be supported through adequate and
well-controlled clinical trials. If the results of pivotal clinical
trials do not establish the safety and efficacy of our product
candidates to the satisfaction of the FDA and other foreign
regulatory agencies, we will not receive the approvals necessary to
market such product candidates. Even if regulatory approval of a
product candidate is granted, the approval may include significant
limitations on the indicated uses for which the product may be
marketed.
We
are subject to the periodic inspection of our clinical trials,
facilities, procedures and operations and/or the testing of our
products by the FDA to determine whether our systems and processes,
or those of our vendors and suppliers, are in compliance with FDA
regulations. Following such inspections, the FDA may issue notices
on Form 483 and warning letters that could cause us to modify
certain activities identified during the inspection.
Failure
to comply with the FDA and other governmental regulations can
result in fines, unanticipated compliance expenditures, recall or
seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production
and/or distribution, suspension of the FDA’s review of product
applications, enforcement actions, injunctions and criminal
prosecution. Under certain circumstances, the FDA also has the
authority to revoke previously granted product approvals. Although
we have internal compliance programs, if these programs do not meet
regulatory agency standards or if our compliance is deemed
deficient in any significant way, it could have a material adverse
effect on the Company.
We
are also subject to recordkeeping and reporting regulations. These
regulations require, among other things, the reporting to the FDA
of adverse events alleged to have been associated with the use of a
product or in connection with certain product failures. Labeling
and promotional activities also are regulated by the FDA. We must
also comply with record keeping requirements as well as
requirements to report certain adverse events involving our
products. The FDA can impose other post-marketing controls on us as
well as our products including, but not limited to, restrictions on
sale and use, through the approval process, regulations and
otherwise.
Many
states in which we do or may do business, or in which our products
may be sold, if at all, impose licensing, labeling or certification
requirements that are in addition to those imposed by the FDA.
There can be no assurance that one or more states will not impose
regulations or requirements that have a material adverse effect on
our ability to sell our products.
In
many of the foreign countries in which we may do business or in
which our products may be sold, we will be subject to regulation by
national governments and supranational agencies as well as by local
agencies affecting, among other things, product standards,
packaging requirements, labeling requirements, import restrictions,
tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements. There can be no
assurance that one or more countries or agencies will not impose
regulations or requirements that could have a material adverse
effect on our ability to sell our products.
We
have obtained Orphan Drug Designation for ThermoDox® and may seek
Orphan Drug Designation for other product candidates, but we may be
unsuccessful or may be unable to maintain the benefits associated
with Orphan Drug Designation, including the potential for market
exclusivity.
ThermoDox®
has been granted orphan drug designation for primary liver cancer
in both the U.S. and Europe. As part of our business strategy, we
may seek Orphan Drug Designation for other product candidates, but
we may be unsuccessful. Regulatory authorities in some
jurisdictions, including the U.S. and Europe, may designate drugs
for relatively small patient populations as orphan drugs. Under the
Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may designate a drug as an orphan drug if
it is a drug intended to treat a rare disease or condition, which
is generally defined as a patient population of fewer than 200,000
individuals annually in the U.S., or a patient population greater
than 200,000 in the U.S. where there is no reasonable expectation
that the cost of developing the drug will be recovered from sales
in the U.S.
Even
though we have obtained Orphan Drug Designation for ThermoDox® and
may obtain such designation for other product candidates in
specific indications, we may not be the first to obtain marketing
approval of these product candidates for the orphan-designated
indication due to the uncertainties associated with developing
pharmaceutical products. In addition, exclusive marketing rights in
the U.S. may be limited if we seek approval for an indication
broader than the orphan-designated indication or may be lost if the
FDA later determines that the request for designation was
materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure
sufficient quantities of the product to meet the needs of patients
with the rare disease or condition. Further, even if we obtain
orphan drug exclusivity for a product, that exclusivity may not
effectively protect the product from competition because different
drugs with different active moieties can be approved for the same
condition. Even after an orphan product is approved, the FDA can
subsequently approve the same drug with the same active moiety for
the same condition if the FDA concludes that the later drug is
safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient
care. Orphan Drug Designation neither shortens the development time
or regulatory review time of a drug nor gives the drug any
advantage in the regulatory review or approval process. In
addition, while we may seek Orphan Drug Designation for other
product candidates, we may never receive such
designations.
Fast
Track designation may not actually lead to a faster development or
regulatory review or approval process.
ThermoDox®
has received U.S. FDA Fast Track Designation. However, we may not
experience a faster development process, review, or approval
compared to conventional FDA procedures. The FDA may withdraw our
Fast Track designation if the FDA believes that the designation is
no longer supported by data from our clinical or pivotal
development program. Our Fast Track designation does not guarantee
that we will qualify for or be able to take advantage of the FDA’s
expedited review procedures or that any application that we may
submit to the FDA for regulatory approval will be accepted for
filing or ultimately approved.
Our
relationships with healthcare providers and physicians and
third-party payors will be subject to applicable anti-kickback,
fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations, which
could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, contractual
damages, reputational harm and diminished profits and future
earnings.
Healthcare
providers, physicians and third-party payors in the United States
and elsewhere play a primary role in the recommendation and
prescription of biopharmaceutical products. Arrangements with
third-party payors and customers can expose biopharmaceutical
manufacturers to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other
healthcare laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the
federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the federal False Claims Act,
which may constrain the business or financial arrangements and
relationships through which such companies sell, market and
distribute biopharmaceutical products. In particular, the research
of our product candidates, as well as the promotion, sales and
marketing of healthcare items and services, as well as certain
business arrangements in the healthcare industry, are subject to
extensive laws designed to prevent fraud, kickbacks, self-dealing
and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may
restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting,
marketing and promotion, structuring and commission(s), certain
customer incentive programs and other business arrangements
generally. Activities subject to these laws also involve the
improper use of information obtained in the course of patient
recruitment for clinical trials. The applicable federal, state and
foreign healthcare laws and regulations laws that may affect our
ability to operate include, but are not limited to:
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the
federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things,
knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying
any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate),
directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, to
induce or reward, or in return for, either the referral of an
individual, or the purchase, lease, order or recommendation of any
good, facility, item or service for which payment may be made, in
whole or in part, under a federal healthcare program, such as the
Medicare and Medicaid programs. A person or entity can be found
guilty of violating the statute without actual knowledge of the
statute or specific intent to violate it. In addition, a claim
submitted for payment to any federal health care program that
includes items or services that were made as a result of a
violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false
or fraudulent claim for purposes of the federal False Claims Act,
or FCA. The Anti-Kickback Statute has been interpreted to apply to
arrangements between biopharmaceutical manufacturers on the one
hand and prescribers, purchasers, and formulary managers, among
others, on the other. There are a number of statutory exceptions
and regulatory safe harbors protecting some common activities from
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the
federal civil and criminal false claims laws, including the FCA,
and civil monetary penalty laws which prohibit, among other things,
individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be
presented, false, fictious or fraudulent claims for payment to, or
approval by Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal healthcare
programs; knowingly making, using or causing to be made or used a
false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim
or an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the
federal government; or knowingly concealing or knowingly and
improperly avoiding or decreasing or concealing an obligation to
pay money to the federal government. A claim that includes items or
services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback
Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim under the FCA.
Manufacturers can be held liable under the FCA even when they do
not submit claims directly to government payors if they are deemed
to “cause” the submission of false or fraudulent claims. The FCA
also permits a private individual acting as a “whistleblower” to
bring qui tam actions on behalf of the federal government alleging
violations of the FCA and to share in any monetary
recovery; |
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the
federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996, or HIPAA, which created additional federal criminal statutes
that prohibit knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to
execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or
obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations,
or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the
custody or control of, any healthcare benefit program, regardless
of the payor (e.g., public or private) and knowingly and willfully
falsifying, concealing or covering up by any trick or device a
material fact or making any materially false statements in
connection with the delivery of, or payment for, healthcare
benefits, items or services relating to healthcare matters. Similar
to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity can be
found guilty of violating HIPAA without actual knowledge of the
statute or specific intent to violate it; |
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HIPAA,
as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health Act of 2009, or HITECH, and their respective
implementing regulations, which impose, among other things,
requirements relating to the privacy, security and transmission of
individually identifiable health information on certain covered
healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses,
known as covered entities, as well as their respective “business
associates,” those independent contractors or agents of covered
entities that perform services for covered entities that involve
the creation, use, receipt, maintenance or disclosure of
individually identifiable health information. HITECH also created
new tiers of civil monetary penalties, amended HIPAA to make civil
and criminal penalties directly applicable to business associates,
and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil
actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the
federal HIPAA laws and seek attorneys’ fees and costs associated
with pursuing federal civil actions; |
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the
federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act, created under the ACA, and
its implementing regulations, which require some manufacturers of
drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is
available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health
Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to
CMS information related to payments or other transfers of value
made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists,
optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors) and teaching
hospitals, as well as ownership and investment interests held by
physicians and their immediate family members. Effective January 1,
2022, these reporting obligations will extend to include transfers
of value made in the previous year to certain non-physician
providers such as physician assistants and nurse
practitioners; |
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federal
consumer protection and unfair competition laws, which broadly
regulate marketplace activities and activities that potentially
harm consumers; and |
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analogous
state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback
and false claims laws, which may apply to sales or marketing
arrangements and claims involving healthcare items or services
reimbursed by third-party payors, including private insurers, and
may be broader in scope than their federal equivalents; state and
foreign laws that require biopharmaceutical companies to comply
with the biopharmaceutical industry’s voluntary compliance
guidelines and the relevant compliance guidance promulgated by the
federal government or otherwise restrict payments that may be made
to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state
and foreign laws that require drug manufacturers to report
information related to payments and other transfers of value to
physicians and other healthcare providers, marketing expenditures
or drug pricing; state and local laws that require the registration
of biopharmaceutical sales representatives; and state and foreign
laws governing the privacy and security of health information in
certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in
significant ways and often are not preempted by HIPAA, thus
complicating compliance efforts. |
The
distribution of biopharmaceutical products is subject to additional
requirements and regulations, including extensive record-keeping,
licensing, storage and security requirements intended to prevent
the unauthorized sale of biopharmaceutical products.
The
scope and enforcement of each of these laws is uncertain and
subject to rapid change in the current environment of healthcare
reform, especially in light of the lack of applicable precedent and
regulations. Ensuring business arrangements comply with applicable
healthcare laws, as well as responding to possible investigations
by government authorities, can be time- and resource-consuming and
can divert a company’s attention from the business.
It is
possible that governmental and enforcement authorities will
conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or
future statutes, regulations or case law interpreting applicable
fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If any
such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful
in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could
have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition
of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties,
damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, reputational harm,
possible exclusion from participation in federal and state funded
healthcare programs, contractual damages and the curtailment or
restricting of our operations, as well as additional reporting
obligations and oversight if we become subject to a corporate
integrity agreement or other agreement to resolve allegations of
non-compliance with these laws. Further, if any of the physicians
or other healthcare providers or entities with whom we expect to do
business is found to be not in compliance with applicable laws,
they may be subject to significant criminal, civil or
administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government
funded healthcare programs. Any action for violation of these laws,
even if successfully defended, could cause a biopharmaceutical
manufacturer to incur significant legal expenses and divert
management’s attention from the operation of the business.
Prohibitions or restrictions on sales or withdrawal of future
marketed products could materially affect business in an adverse
way.
Ongoing
legislative and regulatory changes affecting the healthcare
industry could have a material adverse effect on our
business.
Political,
economic and regulatory influences are subjecting the healthcare
industry to potential fundamental changes that could substantially
affect our results of operations by requiring, for example: (i)
changes to our manufacturing arrangements; (ii) additions or
modifications to product labeling; (iii) the recall or
discontinuation of our products; or (iv) additional record-keeping
requirements.
In
the United States, there have been and continue to be a number of
legislative initiatives to contain healthcare costs. For example,
in March 2010, the ACA was passed, which substantially changed the
way health care is financed by both governmental and private
insurers, and significantly impacted the U.S. biopharmaceutical
industry. The ACA, among other things, addressed a new methodology
by which rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug
Rebate Program are calculated for drugs that are inhaled, infused,
instilled, implanted or injected, increased the minimum Medicaid
rebates owed by manufacturers under the Medicaid Drug Rebate
Program and extended the rebate program to individuals enrolled in
Medicaid managed care organizations, established annual fees and
taxes on manufacturers of certain branded prescription drugs, and
created a new Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in
which manufacturers must agree to offer 70% (increased pursuant to
the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, effective as of 2019)
point-of-sale discounts off negotiated prices of applicable brand
drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period,
as a condition for the manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be
covered under Medicare Part D.
Since
its enactment, some of the provisions of the ACA have yet to be
fully implemented, while certain provisions have been subject to
judicial, congressional, and executive challenges. As a result,
there have been delays in the implementation of, and action taken
to repeal or replace, certain aspects of the ACA. Since January
2017, President Trump has signed two Executive Orders designed to
delay the implementation of certain provisions of the ACA or
otherwise circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance
mandated by the ACA. The first Executive Order, singed on January
20, 2017 directs federal agencies with authorities and
responsibilities under the ACA to waive, defer, grant exemptions
from, or delay the implementation of any provision of the ACA that
would impose a fiscal or regulatory burden on states, individuals,
healthcare providers, health insurers, or manufacturers of
pharmaceuticals or medical devices. The second Executive Order,
signed on October 13, 2017 terminates the cost-sharing subsidies
that reimburse insurers under the ACA. Several state Attorneys
General filed suit to stop the administration from terminating the
subsidies, but their request for a restraining order was denied by
a federal judge in California on October 25, 2017. The loss of the
cost share reduction payments is expected to increase premiums on
certain policies issued by qualified health plans under the ACA.
Further, on June 14, 2018, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit ruled that the federal government was not required to pay
more than $12 billion in ACA risk corridor payments to third-party
payors who argued were owed to them. On December 10, 2019, the U.S.
Supreme Court heard arguments in Moda Health Plan, Inc. v.
United States. On April 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court held
that the ACA requires the federal government to compensate insurers
for significant losses their health plans incurred during the first
three years of the ACA’s marketplaces, and that insurers can sue
for nonpayment in the Court of Federal Claims. The effects of this
decision on third-party payors, the viability of the ACA
marketplace, providers, and potentially our business, are still
uncertain. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal
legislation, it has enacted laws that modify certain provisions of
the ACA such as removing penalties, starting January 1, 2019, for
not complying with the ACA’s individual mandate to carry health
insurance, delaying the implementation of certain ACA-mandated
fees, and increasing the point-of-sale discount that is owed by
pharmaceutical manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D. On
December 14, 2018, a U.S. District Court Judge in the Northern
District of Texas ruled that the ACA is unconstitutional in its
entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress
as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Additionally, on
December 18, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
upheld the District Court ruling that the individual mandate was
unconstitutional and remanded the case back to the District Court
to determine whether the remaining provisions of the ACA are
invalid as well. On March 2, 2020, the United States Supreme Court
granted the petitions for writs of certiorari to review this case,
and has allotted one hour for oral arguments, which are expected to
occur in the fall. We cannot predict what effect further changes to
the ACA would have on our business.
Other
legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United
States since the ACA was enacted. The Budget Control Act of 2011,
among other things, created measures for spending reductions by
Congress. A Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, tasked
with recommending a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2
trillion for the years 2013 through 2021, was unable to reach
required goals, thereby triggering the legislation’s automatic
reduction to several government programs, including aggregate
reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year.
These reductions went into effect on April 1, 2013 and, due to
subsequent legislative amendments to the statute, including the
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, or BBA, will remain in effect
through 2030, unless additional congressional action is taken. The
BBA also amended the ACA, effective January 1, 2019, by increasing
the point-of-sale discount that is owed by pharmaceutical
manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D and closing the
coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans, commonly referred to as
the “donut hole”. However, pursuant to the CARES Act, these
reductions will be suspended from May 1, 2020 through December 31,
2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and extend the reductions by one
year, through 2030, in order to offset the added expense of the
2020 suspension. On January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief
Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, further
reduced Medicare payments to several types of providers, including
hospitals, imaging centers and cancer treatment centers, and
increased the statute of limitations period for the government to
recover overpayments to providers from three to five
years.
Moreover,
increasing efforts by governmental and third-party payors in the
United States and abroad to cap or reduce healthcare costs may
cause such organizations to limit both coverage and the level of
reimbursement for newly approved products and, as a result, they
may not cover or provide adequate payment for our product
candidates. There has been increasing legislative and enforcement
interest in the United States with respect to specialty drug
pricing practices. Specifically, there have been several recent
U.S. Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted federal and
state legislation designed to, among other things, bring more
transparency to drug pricing, reduce the cost of prescription drugs
under Medicare, review the relationship between pricing and
manufacturer patient programs, and reform government program
reimbursement methodologies for drugs. Several states have adopted
price transparency requirements and those as well as any future
federal price transparency requirements that may be implemented in
the future could have a negative effect on our business.
Additionally, we expect to experience pricing pressures in
connection with the sale of any future approved product candidates
due to the trend toward managed healthcare, the increasing
influence of health maintenance organizations, cost containment
initiatives and additional legislative changes.
At
the federal level, the Trump administration’s budget for fiscal
year 2021 includes a $135 billion allowance to support legislative
proposals seeking to reduce drug prices, increase competition,
lower out-of-pocket drug costs for patients, and increase patient
access to lower-cost generic and biosimilar drugs. On March 10,
2020, the U.S. government sent “principles” for drug pricing to
Congress, calling for legislation that would, among other things,
cap Medicare Part D beneficiary out-of-pocket pharmacy expenses,
provide an option to cap Medicare Part D beneficiary monthly
out-of-pocket expenses, and place limits on pharmaceutical price
increases. The Trump administration previously released a
“Blueprint” to lower drug prices and reduce out of pocket costs of
drugs that contains additional proposals to increase manufacturer
competition, increase the negotiating power of certain federal
healthcare programs, incentivize manufacturers to lower the list
price of their products and reduce the out of pocket costs of drug
products paid by consumers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, or HHS, has solicited feedback on some of these measures
and has implemented others under its existing authority. For
example, in May 2019, CMS issued a final rule that would allow
Medicare Advantage Plans the option of using step therapy, a type
of prior authorization, for Part B drugs beginning January 1, 2020.
This final rule codified CMS’s policy change that was effective
January 1, 2019. Although a number of these and other measures may
require additional authorization to become effective, Congress and
the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue
to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control
drug costs. For example, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 was
introduced in the House of Representatives on September 19, 2019
and would require HHS to directly negotiate drug prices with
manufacturers. The Lower Drugs Costs Now Act of 2019 has passed out
of the House and was delivered to the Senate on December 16, 2019.
However, it is unclear whether this bill will make it through both
chambers and be signed into law, and if enacted, what effect it
would have on our business. Individual states in the United States
have also increasingly passed legislation and implemented
regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product pricing,
including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts,
restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost
disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed
to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
At the state level, legislatures have increasingly passed
legislation and implemented regulations designed to control
pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or
patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on
certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and
transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage
importation from other countries and bulk purchasing
At
the state level, legislatures are increasingly passing legislation
and implementing regulations designed to control biopharmaceutical
and biologic product pricing, including price or patient
reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain
product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency
measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation
from other countries and bulk purchasing.
We
cannot predict what healthcare reform initiatives may be adopted in
the future. Further, federal and state legislative and regulatory
developments are likely, and we expect ongoing initiatives in the
United States to increase pressure on drug pricing. Such reforms
could have an adverse effect on anticipated revenues from and any
product candidates that we may successfully develop and for which
we may obtain regulatory approval and may affect our overall
financial condition and ability to develop product
candidates.
We
may fail to comply with evolving European and other privacy
laws.
Since
we conduct clinical trials in the European Economic Area (“EEA”),
we are subject to additional European data-privacy laws. The
General Data Protection Regulation, (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) became
effective on May 25, 2018 and deals with the processing of personal
data and on the free movement of such data. The GDPR imposes a
broad range of strict requirements on companies subject to the
GDPR, including requirements relating to having legal bases for
processing personal information relating to identifiable
individuals and transferring such information outside the EEA,
including to the United States, providing details to those
individuals regarding the processing of their personal information,
keeping personal information secure, having data processing
agreements with third parties who process personal information,
responding to individuals’ requests to exercise their rights in
respect of their personal information, reporting security breaches
involving personal data to the competent national data protection
authority and affected individuals, appointing data protection
officers, conducting data protection impact assessments, and
record-keeping. The GDPR increases substantially the penalties to
which we could be subject in the event of any non-compliance,
including fines of up to 10,000,000 Euros or up to 2% of our total
worldwide annual turnover for certain comparatively minor offenses,
or up to 20,000,000 Euros or up to 4% of our total worldwide annual
turnover for more serious offenses. Given the limited enforcement
of the GDPR to date, we face uncertainty as to the exact
interpretation of the new requirements on our trials and we may be
unsuccessful in implementing all measures required by data
protection authorities or courts in interpretation of the new
law.
In
particular, national laws of member states of the EU are in the
process of being adapted to the requirements under the GDPR,
thereby implementing national laws which may partially deviate from
the GDPR and impose different obligations from country to country,
so that we do not expect to operate in a uniform legal landscape in
the EEA. Also, as it relates to processing and transfer of genetic
data, the GDPR specifically allows national laws to impose
additional and more specific requirements or restrictions, and
European laws have historically differed quite substantially in
this field, leading to additional uncertainty. Further, the impact
of the impending “Brexit”, (whereby the United Kingdom is planning
to leave the EEA in March of 2019), either with or without a “deal”
is uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time.
In
the event we continue to conduct clinical trials in the EEA, we
must also ensure that we maintain adequate safeguards to enable the
transfer of personal data outside of the EEA, in particular to the
United States, in compliance with European data protection laws. We
expect that we will continue to face uncertainty as to whether our
efforts to comply with our obligations under European privacy laws
will be sufficient. If we are investigated by a European data
protection authority, we may face fines and other penalties. Anype1
such investigation or charges by European data protection
authorities could have a negative effect on our existing business
and on our ability to attract and retain new clients or
pharmaceutical partners. We may also experience hesitancy,
reluctance, or refusal by European or multi-national clients or
pharmaceutical partners to continue to use our products and
solutions due to the potential risk exposure as a result of the
current (and, in particular, future) data protection obligations
imposed on them by certain data protection authorities in
interpretation of current law, including the GDPR. Such clients or
pharmaceutical partners may also view any alternative approaches to
compliance as being too costly, too burdensome, too legally
uncertain, or otherwise objectionable and therefore decide not to
do business with us. Any of the foregoing could materially harm our
business, prospects, financial condition and results of
operations
The
success of our products may be harmed if the government, private
health insurers and other third-party payers do not provide
sufficient coverage or reimbursement.
Our
ability to commercialize our new cancer treatment systems
successfully will depend in part on the extent to which
reimbursement for the costs of such products and related treatments
will be available from third-party payors, which include government
authorities such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and the Veterans
Administration, managed care providers, private health insurers,
and other organizations. Patients who are provided medical
treatment for their conditions generally rely on third-party payors
to reimburse all or part of the costs associated with their
treatment. Coverage and adequate reimbursement from governmental
healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and commercial
payors is critical to new product acceptance. Patients are unlikely
to use our product candidates unless coverage is provided and
reimbursement is adequate to cover a significant portion of the
cost. The reimbursement status of newly approved medical products
is subject to significant uncertainty We cannot be sure that
coverage and reimbursement will be available for, or accurately
estimate the potential revenue from, our product candidates or
assure that coverage and reimbursement will be available for any
product that we may develop. Further, due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
millions of individuals have lost or will be losing employer-based
insurance coverage, which may adversely affect our ability to
commercialize our product candidates even if there is adequate
coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors.
Government
authorities and other third-party payors decide which drugs and
treatments they will cover and the amount of reimbursement. In the
United States, the principal decisions about reimbursement for new
medicines are typically made by the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, or CMS, an agency within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. CMS decides whether and to what extent a
new medicine will be covered and reimbursed under Medicare and
private payors tend to follow CMS to a substantial degree. No
uniform policy of coverage and reimbursement for drug products
exists among third-party payors. Therefore, coverage and
reimbursement for drug products can differ significantly from payor
to payor. The process for determining whether a third-party payor
will provide coverage for a product may be separate from the
process for setting the price or reimbursement rate that the payor
will pay for the product once coverage is approved. Coverage and
reimbursement by a third-party payor may depend upon a number of
factors, including the third-party payor’s determination that use
of a product is:
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a
covered benefit under its health plan; |
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safe,
effective and medically necessary; |
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appropriate
for the specific patient; |
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cost-effective;
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neither
experimental nor investigational. |
In
order to secure coverage and reimbursement for any product that
might be approved for sale, a company may need to conduct expensive
pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the medical
necessity and cost-effectiveness of the product, in addition to the
costs required to obtain FDA or other comparable regulatory
approvals. Additionally, companies may also need to provide
discounts to purchasers, private health plans or government
healthcare programs. Nonetheless, product candidates may not be
considered medically necessary or cost effective. A decision by a
third-party payor not to cover a product could reduce physician
utilization once the product is approved and have a material
adverse effect on sales, our operations and financial
condition.
Government,
private health insurers and other third-party payors are
increasingly attempting to contain healthcare costs by limiting
both coverage and the level of reimbursement for new therapeutic
products approved for marketing by the FDA. For example, Congress
passed the ACA in 2010 which enacted a number of reforms to expand
access to health insurance while also reducing or constraining the
growth of healthcare spending, enhancing remedies against fraud and
abuse, adding new transparency requirements for healthcare
industries, and imposing new taxes on fees on healthcare industry
participants, among other policy reforms. Federal agencies,
Congress and state legislatures have continued to show interest in
implementing cost containment programs to limit the growth of
health care costs, including price controls, price disclosures,
restrictions on reimbursement and other fundamental changes to the
healthcare delivery system. In addition, in recent years, Congress
has enacted various laws seeking to reduce the federal debt level
and contain healthcare expenditures, and the Medicare and other
healthcare programs are frequently identified as potential targets
for spending cuts. New government legislation or regulations
related to pricing or other fundamental changes to the healthcare
delivery system as well as a government or third-party payer
decision not to approve pricing for, or provide adequate coverage
or reimbursement of, our product candidates hold the potential to
severely limit market opportunities of such products. Accordingly,
even if coverage and reimbursement are provided by government,
private health insurers and third-party payors for uses of our
products, market acceptance of these products would be adversely
affected if the reimbursement available proves to be unprofitable
for health care providers.
Our
products may not achieve sufficient acceptance by the medical
community to sustain our business.
The
commercial success of our products will depend upon their
acceptance by the medical community and third-party payors as
clinically useful, cost effective and safe. Any of our drug
candidates or similar product candidates being investigated by our
competitors may prove not to be effective in trial or in practice,
cause adverse events or other undesirable side effects. Our testing
and clinical practice may not confirm the safety and efficacy of
our product candidates or even if further testing and clinical
practice produce positive results, the medical community may view
these new forms of treatment as effective and desirable or our
efforts to market our new products may fail. Market acceptance
depends upon physicians and hospitals obtaining adequate
reimbursement rates from third-party payors to make our products
commercially viable. Any of these factors could have an adverse
effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations.
The
commercial potential of a drug candidate in development is
difficult to predict. If the market size for a new drug is
significantly smaller than we anticipate, it could significantly
and negatively impact our revenue, results of operations and
financial condition.
It is
very difficult to predict the commercial potential of product
candidates due to important factors such as safety and efficacy
compared to other available treatments, including potential generic
drug alternatives with similar efficacy profiles, changing
standards of care, third party payor reimbursement standards,
patient and physician preferences, the availability of competitive
alternatives that may emerge either during the long drug
development process or after commercial introduction, and the
availability of generic versions of our successful product
candidates following approval by government health authorities
based on the expiration of regulatory exclusivity or our inability
to prevent generic versions from coming to market by asserting our
patents. If due to one or more of these risks the market potential
for a drug candidate is lower than we anticipated, it could
significantly and negatively impact the revenue potential for such
drug candidate and would adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Several
of our current clinical trials are being conducted outside the
United States, and the FDA may not accept data from trials
conducted in foreign locations.
Several
of our current clinical trials are being conducted outside the
United States. Although the FDA may accept data from clinical
trials conducted outside the United States, acceptance of these
data is subject to certain conditions imposed by the FDA. For
example, the clinical trial must be well designed and conducted and
performed by qualified investigators in accordance with ethical
principles. The trial population must also adequately represent the
U.S. population, and the data must be applicable to the U.S.
population and U.S. medical practice in ways that the FDA deems
clinically meaningful. In general, the patient population for any
clinical trials conducted outside of the United States must be
representative of the population for whom we intend to label the
product in the United States. In addition, while these clinical
trials are subject to the applicable local laws, FDA acceptance of
the data will be dependent upon its determination that the trials
also complied with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations. We
cannot assure you that the FDA will accept data from trials
conducted outside of the United States. If the FDA does not accept
the data from such clinical trials, it would likely result in the
need for additional trials, which would be costly and
time-consuming and delay or permanently halt our development of our
product candidates.
We
have no internal sales or marketing capability. If we are unable to
create sales, marketing and distribution capabilities or enter into
alliances with others possessing such capabilities to perform these
functions, we will not be able to commercialize our products
successfully.
We
currently have no sales, marketing or distribution capabilities. We
intend to market our products, if and when such products are
approved for commercialization by the FDA and foreign regulatory
agencies, either directly or through other strategic alliances and
distribution arrangements with third parties. If we decide to
market our products directly, we will need to commit significant
financial and managerial resources to develop a marketing and sales
force with technical expertise and with supporting distribution,
administration and compliance capabilities. If we rely on third
parties with such capabilities to market our products, we will need
to establish and maintain partnership arrangements, and there can
be no assurance that we will be able to enter into third-party
marketing or distribution arrangements on acceptable terms or at
all. To the extent that we do enter into such arrangements, we will
be dependent on our marketing and distribution partners. In
entering into third-party marketing or distribution arrangements,
we expect to incur significant additional expenses and there can be
no assurance that such third parties will establish adequate sales
and distribution capabilities or be successful in gaining market
acceptance for our products and services.
Technologies
for the treatment of cancer are subject to rapid change, and the
development of treatment strategies that are more effective than
our technologies could render our technologies
obsolete.
Various
methods for treating cancer currently are, and in the future, are
expected to be, the subject of extensive research and development.
Many possible treatments that are being researched, if successfully
developed, may not require, or may supplant, the use of our
technologies. The successful development and acceptance of any one
or more of these alternative forms of treatment could render our
technology obsolete as a cancer treatment method.
We
may not be able to hire or retain key officers or employees that we
need to implement our business strategy and develop our product
candidates and business, including those purchased in the EGEN
asset acquisition.
Our
success depends significantly on the continued contributions of our
executive officers, scientific and technical personnel and
consultants, including those retained in the EGEN asset
acquisition, and on our ability to attract additional personnel as
we seek to implement our business strategy and develop our product
candidates and businesses. Our operations associated with the EGEN
asset acquisition are located in Huntsville, Alabama. Key employees
may depart if we fail to successfully manage this additional
business location or in relation to any uncertainties or
difficulties of integration with Celsion. We cannot guarantee that
we will retain key employees to the same extent that we and EGEN
retained each of our own employees in the past, which could have a
negative impact on our business, results of operations and
financial condition. Our integration of EGEN and ability to operate
in the fields we acquired from EGEN may be more difficult if we
lose key employees. Additionally, during our operating history, we
have assigned many essential responsibilities to a relatively small
number of individuals. However, as our business and the demands on
our key employees expand, we have been, and will continue to be,
required to recruit additional qualified employees. The competition
for such qualified personnel is intense, and the loss of services
of certain key personnel or our inability to attract additional
personnel to fill critical positions could adversely affect our
business. Further, we do not carry “key man” insurance on any of
our personnel. Therefore, loss of the services of key personnel
would not be ameliorated by the receipt of the proceeds from such
insurance.
Our
success will depend in part on our ability to grow and diversify,
which in turn will require that we manage and control our growth
effectively.
Our
business strategy contemplates growth and diversification. Our
ability to manage growth effectively will require that we continue
to expend funds to improve our operational, financial and
management controls, reporting systems and procedures. In addition,
we must effectively expand, train and manage our employees. We will
be unable to manage our business effectively if we are unable to
alleviate the strain on resources caused by growth in a timely and
successful manner. There can be no assurance that we will be able
to manage our growth and a failure to do so could have a material
adverse effect on our business.
We
face intense competition and the failure to compete effectively
could adversely affect our ability to develop and market our
products.
There
are many companies and other institutions engaged in research and
development of various technologies for cancer treatment products
that seek treatment outcomes similar to those that we are pursuing.
We believe that the level of interest by others in investigating
the potential of possible competitive treatments and alternative
technologies will continue and may increase. Potential competitors
engaged in all areas of cancer treatment research in the U.S. and
other countries include, among others, major pharmaceutical,
specialized technology companies, and universities and other
research institutions. Most of our current and potential
competitors have substantially greater financial, technical, human
and other resources, and may also have far greater experience than
do we, both in pre-clinical testing and human clinical trials of
new products and in obtaining FDA and other regulatory approvals.
One or more of these companies or institutions could succeed in
developing products or other technologies that are more effective
than the products and technologies that we have been or are
developing, or which would render our technology and products
obsolete and non-competitive. Furthermore, if we are permitted to
commence commercial sales of any of our products, we will also be
competing, with respect to manufacturing efficiency and marketing,
with companies having substantially greater resources and
experience in these areas.
We
may be subject to significant product liability claims and
litigation.
Our
business exposes us to potential product liability risks inherent
in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of human therapeutic
products. We presently have product liability insurance limited to
$10 million per incident and $10 million annually. If we were to be
subject to a claim in excess of this coverage or to a claim not
covered by our insurance and the claim succeeded, we would be
required to pay the claim with our own limited resources, which
could have a severe adverse effect on our business. Whether or not
we are ultimately successful in any product liability litigation,
such litigation would harm the business by diverting the attention
and resources of our management, consuming substantial amounts of
our financial resources and by damaging our reputation.
Additionally, we may not be able to maintain our product liability
insurance at an acceptable cost, if at all.
We
or the third parties upon whom we depend may be adversely affected
by earthquakes, global pandemics or other natural disasters and our
business continuity and disaster recovery plans may not adequately
protect us from a serious disaster, including earthquakes, outbreak
of disease or other natural disasters.
Our
current operations are located in our facilities in Lawrenceville,
New Jersey. Any unplanned event, such as flood, fire, explosion,
earthquake, extreme weather condition, medical epidemics, power
shortage, telecommunication failure or other natural or manmade
accidents or incidents that result in us being unable to fully
utilize our facilities, or the manufacturing facilities of our
third-party contract manufacturers, may have a material and adverse
effect on our ability to operate our business, particularly on a
daily basis, and have significant negative consequences on our
financial and operating conditions. Loss of access to these
facilities may result in increased costs, delays in the development
of our product candidates or interruption of our business
operations. Earthquakes or other natural disasters could further
disrupt our operations and have a material and adverse effect on
our business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects. If a natural disaster, power outage or other event
occurred that prevented us from using all or a significant portion
of our headquarters, that damaged critical infrastructure, such as
our research facilities or the manufacturing facilities of our
third-party contract manufacturers, or that otherwise disrupted
operations, it may be difficult or, in certain cases, impossible,
for us to continue our business for a substantial period of time.
For example, in January 2020, the World Health Organization
declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency to aid
the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19. This virus
continues to spread globally and, as of June 2020, has spread to
over 100 countries, including the United States. Governments and
businesses around the world have taken unprecedented actions to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including, but not limited to,
shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, and significant restrictions
on travel, as well as restrictions that prohibit many employees
from going to work. An outbreak of communicable diseases in China
or elsewhere, or the perception that such an outbreak could occur,
and the measures taken by the governments of countries affected,
could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results
of operations by limiting our ability to manufacture products
within or outside China, forcing temporary closure of facilities
that we rely upon or increasing the costs associated with obtaining
clinical supplies of our product candidates. Please see the risk
factor titled “The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease,
COVID-19, could adversely impact our business, including our
preclinical studies and clinical trials” for additional
information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The
disaster recovery and business continuity plans we have in place
may prove inadequate in the event of a serious disaster or similar
event. We may incur substantial expenses as a result of the limited
nature of our disaster recovery and business continuity plans,
which, could have a material adverse effect on our business. As
part of our risk management policy, we maintain insurance coverage
at levels that we believe are appropriate for our business.
However, in the event of an accident or incident at these
facilities, we cannot assure you that the amounts of insurance will
be sufficient to satisfy any damages and losses. If our facilities,
or the manufacturing facilities of our third-party contract
manufacturers, are unable to operate because of an accident or
incident or for any other reason, even for a short period of time,
any or all of our research and development programs may be
harmed.
Our
internal computer systems, or those of our CROs or other
contractors or consultants, may fail or suffer security breaches,
which could result in a material disruption of our product
development programs.
Despite
the implementation of security measures, our internal computer
systems and those of our CROs and other contractors and consultants
are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, unauthorized
access, natural disasters, terrorism, war and telecommunication and
electrical failures. Such events could cause interruptions of our
operations. For instance, the loss of preclinical data or data from
any clinical trial involving our product candidates could result in
delays in our development and regulatory filing efforts and
significantly increase our costs. To the extent that any disruption
or privacy or security breach were to result in a loss of, or
damage to, our data, or inappropriate disclosure of confidential or
proprietary information, we could be subject to reputational harm,
monetary fines, civil suits, civil penalties or criminal sanctions
and requirements to disclose the breach, and other forms of
liability and the development of our product candidates could be
delayed.
Pandemics
such as the COVID-19 coronavirus could have an adverse impact on
our developmental programs and our financial
condition.
In
December 2019, a novel strain of the COVID-19 coronavirus was first
identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Any outbreak of
contagious diseases, or other adverse public health developments,
could have a material and adverse effect on our business
operations. These could include disruptions or restrictions on our
ability to travel, pursue partnerships and other business
transactions, conduct clinical trials, make shipments of biologic
materials, as well as be impacted by the temporary closure of the
facilities of suppliers and clinical trial sites. Any disruption of
suppliers, clinical trial sites or access to patients would likely
impact our clinical trial enrollment progress and rates as well as
our ability to access capital through the financial markets. The
extent to which the COVID-19 coronavirus impacts our business will
depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and
cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge
concerning the severity of the COVID-19 coronavirus and the actions
to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus or treat its impact, among
others.
RISKS
RELATED TO OUR SECURITIES
The
market price of our common stock has been, and may continue to be
volatile and fluctuate significantly, which could result in
substantial losses for investors and subject us to securities class
action litigation.
The
trading price for our common stock has been, and we expect it to
continue to be, volatile. The price at which our common stock
trades depends upon a number of factors, including our historical
and anticipated operating results, our financial situation,
announcements of technological innovations or new products by us or
our competitors, our ability or inability to raise the additional
capital we may need and the terms on which we raise it, and general
market and economic conditions. Some of these factors are beyond
our control. Broad market fluctuations may lower the market price
of our common stock and affect the volume of trading in our stock,
regardless of our financial condition, results of operations,
business or prospect. The closing price of our common stock as
reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market had a high price of $3.48 and
a low price of $1.35 in the 52-week period ended December 31, 2018,
a high price of $2.47 and a low price of $1.08 in the 52-week
period ended December 31, 2019, and a high price of $5.26 and a low
price of $0.72 from January 1, 2020 through August 13, 2020. Among
the factors that may cause the market price of our common stock to
fluctuate are the risks described in this “Risk Factors” section
and other factors, including:
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results
of preclinical and clinical studies of our product candidates or
those of our competitors; |
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regulatory
or legal developments in the U.S. and other countries, especially
changes in laws and regulations applicable to our product
candidates; |
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actions
taken by regulatory agencies with respect to our product
candidates, clinical studies, manufacturing process or sales and
marketing terms; |
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introductions
and announcements of new products by us or our competitors, and the
timing of these introductions or announcements; |
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announcements
by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions or other
strategic transactions or capital commitments; |
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fluctuations
in our quarterly operating results or the operating results of our
competitors; |
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variance
in our financial performance from the expectations of
investors; |
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changes
in the estimation of the future size and growth rate of our
markets; |
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changes
in accounting principles or changes in interpretations of existing
principles, which could affect our financial results; |
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failure
of our products to achieve or maintain market acceptance or
commercial success; |
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conditions
and trends in the markets we serve; |
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changes
in general economic, industry and market conditions; |
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success
of competitive products and services; |
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changes
in market valuations or earnings of our competitors; |
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changes
in our pricing policies or the pricing policies of our
competitors; |
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changes
in legislation or regulatory policies, practices or
actions; |
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the
commencement or outcome of litigation involving our company, our
general industry or both; |
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recruitment
or departure of key personnel; |
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changes
in our capital structure, such as future issuances of securities or
the incurrence of additional debt; |
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actual
or anticipated changes in earnings estimates or changes in stock
market analyst recommendations regarding our common stock, other
comparable companies or our industry generally; |
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actual
or expected sales of our common stock by our
stockholders; |
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acquisitions
and financings, including the EGEN asset acquisition;
and |
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the
trading volume of our common stock. |
In
addition, the stock markets, in general, The Nasdaq Capital Market
and the market for pharmaceutical companies in particular, may
experience a loss of investor confidence. Such loss of investor
confidence may result in extreme price and volume fluctuations in
our common stock that are unrelated or disproportionate to the
operating performance of our business, financial condition or
results of operations. These broad market and industry factors may
materially harm the market price of our common stock and expose us
to securities class action litigation. Such litigation, even if
unsuccessful, could be costly to defend and divert management’s
attention and resources, which could further materially harm our
financial condition and results of operations.
Future
sales of our common stock in the public market could cause our
stock price to fall.
Sales
of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public
market, or the perception that these sales might occur, could
depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our
ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity
securities. As of August 13, 2020, we had 33,232,380 shares of
common stock outstanding, all of which, other than shares held by
our directors and certain officers, were eligible for sale in the
public market, subject in some cases to compliance with the
requirements of Rule 144, including the volume limitations and
manner of sale requirements. In addition, all of the shares of
common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants will be freely
tradable without restriction or further registration upon
issuance.
Our
stockholders may experience significant dilution as a result of
future equity offerings or issuances and exercise of outstanding
options and warrants.
In
order to raise additional capital or pursue strategic transactions,
we may in the future offer, issue or sell additional shares of our
common stock or other securities convertible into or exchangeable
for our common stock, including the issuance of common stock in
relation to the achievement, if any, of milestones triggering our
payment of earn-out consideration in connection with the EGEN asset
acquisition. Our stockholders may experience significant dilution
as a result of future equity offerings or issuances. Investors
purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have
rights superior to existing stockholders. As of August 13, 2020, we
have a significant number of securities convertible into, or
allowing the purchase of, our common stock, including 3,826,098
shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants
outstanding, 4,665,526 options to purchase shares of our
common stock and restricted stock awards outstanding, and 1,981,652
shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock
incentive plan.
The
adverse capital and credit market conditions could affect our
liquidity.
Adverse
capital and credit market conditions could affect our ability to
meet liquidity needs, as well as our access to capital and cost of
capital. The capital and credit markets have experienced extreme
volatility and disruption in recent years. Our results of
operations, financial condition, cash flows and capital position
could be materially adversely affected by continued disruptions in
the capital and credit markets.
Changes
in tax law could adversely affect our financial condition and
results of operations.
The
rules dealing with U.S. federal, state, and local income taxation
are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative
process and by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury
Department. Changes to tax laws (which changes may have retroactive
application) could adversely affect us or holders of our common
stock. In recent years, many such changes have been made and
changes are likely to continue to occur in the future. For example,
on March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the “Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” or the CARES Act, which
included certain changes in tax law intended to stimulate the U.S.
economy in light of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, including
temporary beneficial changes to the treatment of net operating
losses, interest deductibility limitations and payroll tax matters.
Future changes in tax laws could have a material adverse effect on
our business, cash flow, financial condition or results of
operations. We urge investors to consult with their legal and tax
advisers regarding the implications of potential changes in tax
laws on an investment in our common stock.
Our
ability to use net operating losses to offset future taxable income
are subject to certain limitations.
On
December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed into
law the Tax Reform Act. The Tax Reform Act significantly changes
U.S. tax law by, among other things, lowering corporate income tax
rates, implementing a quasi-territorial tax system, providing a
one-time transition toll charge on foreign earnings, creating a new
limitation on the deductibility of interest expenses and modifying
the limitation on officer compensation. The Tax Reform Act
permanently reduces the U.S. corporate income tax rate from a
maximum of 35% to a flat 21% rate, effective January 1, 2018. Net
operating losses generated after December 31, 2017 are not subject
to expiration, and generally but may not be
carried back to prior taxable years except that, under the CARES
Act, net operating losses generated in 2018, 2019 and 2020 may be
carried back five taxable years. Additionally, for taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2020, the deductibility of such
federal net operating losses is limited to 80% of our taxable
income in any future taxable year. We currently have significant
net operating losses (NOLs) that may be used to offset future
taxable income. In general, under Section 382 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), a corporation that
undergoes an “ownership change” is subject to limitations on its
ability to utilize its pre-change NOLs to offset future taxable
income. During 2018, 2017 and years prior, we performed analyses to
determine if there were changes in ownership, as defined by Section
382 of the Internal Revenue Code that would limit our ability to
utilize certain net operating loss and tax credit carry forwards.
We determined we experienced ownership changes, as defined by
Section 382, in connection with certain common stock offerings in
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018. As a result, the utilization of
our federal tax net operating loss carry forwards generated prior
to the ownership changes is limited. Future changes in our stock
ownership, some of which are outside of our control, could result
in an ownership change under Section 382 of the Code, which would
significantly limit our ability to utilize NOLs to offset future
taxable income.
We
have never paid cash dividends on our common stock in the past and
do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our common stock in the
foreseeable future.
We
have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We
do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in
the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain all available
funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of
our business. As a result, capital appreciation, if any, of our
common stock will be the sole source of gain for the foreseeable
future for holders of our common stock.
Anti-takeover
provisions in our charter documents and Delaware law could prevent
or delay a change in control.
Our
certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage, delay or
prevent a merger or acquisition that a stockholder may consider
favorable by authorizing the issuance of “blank check” preferred
stock. This preferred stock may be issued by our Board of Directors
on such terms as it determines, without further stockholder
approval. Therefore, our Board of Directors may issue such
preferred stock on terms unfavorable to a potential bidder in the
event that our Board of Directors opposes a merger or acquisition.
In addition, our Board of Directors may discourage such
transactions by increasing the amount of time necessary to obtain
majority representation on our Board of Directors. Certain other
provisions of our bylaws and of Delaware law may also discourage,
delay or prevent a third party from acquiring or merging with us,
even if such action were beneficial to some, or even a majority, of
our stockholders.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity
Securities and Use of Proceeds.
None
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior
Securities.
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety
Disclosures.
Not
applicable.
Item 5. Other
Information.
None.
Item 6. Exhibits.
3.1+ |
|
Amended
and Restated By-Laws of the Company, dated June 16,
2020. |
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10.1+ |
|
Promissory
Note of the Company, dated May 26, 2020, payable to Silicon Valley
Bank. |
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10.2 |
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First
Amendment to the Celsion Corporation 2018 Stock Incentive Plan,
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current
Report on Form 8-K of the Company, filed on May 15,
2020. |
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10.3 |
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Second
Amendment to the Celsion Corporation 2018 Stock Incentive Plan,
incorporated by reference to the Current Report on Form 8-K of the
Company, filed on June 16, 2020. |
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10.4 |
|
Settlement
Agreement and Release, by and between the plaintiff to the
shareholder action captioned O’Connor v. Braun, et al., N.J.
Super., Dkt. No. MERC-00068-19, William J. O’Connor, derivatively
on behalf of Celsion Corporation and individually on behalf of
himself and all other similarly situated stockholders of Celsion
Corporation and defendants, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company,
filed on June 16, 2020. |
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10.5 |
|
Underwriting
Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2020, by and between Celsion
Corporation and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 1.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of the
Company, filed on June 22, 2020.
|
31.1+ |
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002. |
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31.2+ |
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002. |
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|
32.1* |
|
Certification
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
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+ |
|
Filed
herewith. |
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101** |
|
The
following materials from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 formatted in XBRL
(Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) the unaudited
Consolidated Balance Sheets, (ii) the unaudited Consolidated
Statements of Operations, (iii) the unaudited Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Loss, (iv) the unaudited Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows, (v) the unaudited Consolidated Statements
of Change in Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit), and (vi) Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements. |
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|
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* |
|
Exhibit
32.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor
shall such exhibit be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any
registration statement or other document filed under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act, except as
otherwise stated in such filing. |
|
|
|
** |
|
XBRL
information is filed herewith. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
August
14, 2020 |
CELSION
CORPORATION |
|
|
|
Registrant |
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|
By: |
/s/
Michael H. Tardugno |
|
|
Michael
H. Tardugno |
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Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer |
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|
|
|
By: |
/s/
Jeffrey W. Church |
|
|
Jeffrey
W. Church |
|
|
Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
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