e10vq
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-Q
(Mark One)
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QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
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For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2005 |
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or |
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£
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
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For the transition period from to . |
Commission file number 000-21291
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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74-2704230 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
301 Congress Avenue, Suite 1850
Austin, Texas 78701
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(512) 708-9310
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
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 R No £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes R No £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes £ No R
As of November 7, 2005, the registrant had 37,130,176 shares of its common stock, $0.001
par value per share, issued and outstanding.
INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC.
QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)
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December 31, |
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September 30, |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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(Unaudited) |
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ASSETS |
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Current Assets: |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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$ |
30,187 |
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$ |
10,621 |
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Short term investments |
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7,993 |
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7,985 |
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Total cash, cash equivalents and short term investments |
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38,180 |
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18,606 |
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Marketable securities |
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4,023 |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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659 |
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338 |
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Total current assets |
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38,839 |
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22,967 |
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Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of
$10,983 and $12,201, respectively |
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7,277 |
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6,565 |
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Grant rights acquired |
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1,582 |
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870 |
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Other assets |
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359 |
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334 |
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Total assets |
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$ |
48,057 |
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$ |
30,736 |
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LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY |
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Current Liabilities: |
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Accounts payable |
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$ |
2,683 |
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$ |
2,223 |
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Accrued liabilities |
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3,572 |
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3,378 |
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Deferred revenue |
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30 |
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258 |
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Current portion of notes payable |
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573 |
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665 |
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Total current liabilities |
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6,858 |
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6,524 |
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Notes payable, net of current portion |
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7,901 |
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7,946 |
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Deferred revenue, long-term |
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1,132 |
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1,336 |
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Total liabilities |
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15,891 |
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15,806 |
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Commitments and Contingencies |
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Stockholders Equity: |
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Preferred stock, $.001 par value per share; 5,000
shares authorized of which 4,900 shares are
undesignated and 100 shares are designated as Series A
non-voting convertible shares; 100 and zero Series A
shares issued and outstanding in 2004 and 2005,
respectively |
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1 |
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Common stock, $.001 par value per share; 100,000
shares authorized; 30,622 and 33,462 shares issued and
outstanding in 2004 and 2005, respectively |
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30 |
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33 |
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Additional paid-in capital |
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149,652 |
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150,640 |
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Deferred compensation |
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(161 |
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Accumulated deficit |
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(117,356 |
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(136,712 |
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Accumulated other comprehensive income |
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969 |
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Total stockholders equity |
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32,166 |
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14,930 |
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Total liabilities and stockholders equity |
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$ |
48,057 |
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$ |
30,736 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
1
INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)
(UNAUDITED)
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Three Months Ended |
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Nine Months Ended |
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September 30, |
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September 30, |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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Contract services, grant and other revenue |
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$ |
209 |
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$ |
398 |
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$ |
592 |
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$ |
1,243 |
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Costs and expenses: |
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Research and development |
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5,734 |
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5,090 |
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15,977 |
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16,029 |
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General and administrative |
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1,710 |
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1,657 |
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5,302 |
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5,473 |
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Total operating expenses |
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7,444 |
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6,747 |
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21,279 |
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21,502 |
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Loss from operations |
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(7,235 |
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(6,349 |
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(20,687 |
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(20,259 |
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Interest income |
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70 |
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161 |
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196 |
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538 |
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Interest expense |
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(125 |
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(153 |
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(353 |
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(461 |
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Other income |
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269 |
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277 |
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825 |
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826 |
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Net loss |
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$ |
(7,021 |
) |
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$ |
(6,064 |
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$ |
(20,019 |
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$ |
(19,356 |
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Net loss per share, basic and diluted |
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$ |
(0.26 |
) |
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$ |
(0.18 |
) |
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$ |
(0.75 |
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$ |
(0.61 |
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Shares used in computing basic and
diluted net loss per share |
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26,703 |
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33,394 |
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26,626 |
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31,782 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
2
INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Amounts in thousands)
(UNAUDITED)
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Nine Months Ended September 30, |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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Cash flows from operating activities: |
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Net loss |
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$ |
(20,019 |
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$ |
(19,356 |
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Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
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Depreciation |
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999 |
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1,218 |
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Share-based compensation |
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148 |
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550 |
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Amortization of grant rights acquired |
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712 |
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Other |
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10 |
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Changes in assets and liabilities: |
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(Increase) decrease in other assets |
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(16 |
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346 |
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Increase (decrease) in accounts payable |
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733 |
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(460 |
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Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities |
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2,175 |
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(194 |
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Increase in deferred revenue |
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172 |
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432 |
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Net cash used in operating activities |
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(15,808 |
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(16,742 |
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Cash flows from investing activities: |
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Purchases of property and equipment |
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(787 |
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(506 |
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Purchases of short-term investments |
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(32,997 |
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(26,908 |
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Maturities of short-term investments |
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23,924 |
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26,916 |
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Purchase of marketable securities |
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(3,041 |
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Net cash used in investing activities |
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(9,860 |
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(3,539 |
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Cash flows from financing activities: |
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Proceeds from sale of common stock |
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596 |
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601 |
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Proceeds from notes payable |
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876 |
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655 |
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Principal payments under notes payable and capital leases |
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(470 |
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(518 |
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Net cash provided by financing activities |
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1,002 |
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738 |
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Effect of exchange rate changes on cash |
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(23 |
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Net decrease in cash |
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(24,666 |
) |
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(19,566 |
) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
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36,397 |
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30,187 |
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Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
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$ |
11,731 |
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$ |
10,621 |
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Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: |
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Cash paid for interest |
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$ |
331 |
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$ |
424 |
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
3
INTROGEN THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Formation and Business of the Company
See Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
below for a discussion of our business.
We have not yet generated any significant revenues from unaffiliated third parties, nor is
there any assurance of future product revenues. Presently, we earn minimal revenue from contract
services activities, grants, interest income and rent from the lease of a portion of our facilities
to The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. We do not expect to generate revenues from
the commercial sale of our products in the near future. We may never generate revenues from the
commercial sale of our products.
Our research and development activities involve a high degree of risk and uncertainty. Our
ability to successfully develop, manufacture and market our proprietary products is dependent upon
many factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, the need for and the ability to obtain
additional financing, the reliance on collaborative research and development arrangements with
corporate and academic affiliates and the ability to develop manufacturing, sales and marketing
experience. Additional factors include uncertainties as to patents and proprietary technologies,
competitive technologies, technological change and risk of obsolescence, development of products,
competition, government regulations and regulatory approval, and product liability exposure. As a
result of these factors and the related uncertainties, there can be no assurance of our future
success.
2. Basis of Presentation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with United States generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and
pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These
financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required under United
States generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In managements
opinion, all accounting entries considered necessary for a fair presentation have been made in
preparing these financial statements, and such entries are normal in nature. Operating results for
the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of the
results that may be expected for the entire fiscal year. For further information, refer to the
consolidated financial statements and related footnotes as of December 31, 2004, and for the year
then ended, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2005.
3. Net Loss Per Share
Net loss per share is computed using the weighted average number of shares of common stock
outstanding. Due to losses incurred in all periods presented, the shares associated with stock
options, warrants and non-voting convertible preferred stock are not included because they are
anti-dilutive. The weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the three and
nine months ended September 30, 2005, includes the effects of the common stock issued in connection
with the conversion of preferred stock to common stock discussed in Note 12.
4. Stock-Based Compensation
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation, allows companies to adopt one of two methods for accounting for stock options. We
have elected the method that requires disclosure only of stock-based compensation. Because of this
election, we continue to account for our employee stock-based compensation plans using the
intrinsic value method allowed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock
Issued to Employees, as clarified by Interpretation No. 44, Accounting for Certain Transactions
Involving Stock Compensation. Accordingly, deferred compensation is recorded for stock-based
compensation grants based on the excess of the fair market value of the common stock on the
measurement date over the exercise price. The deferred compensation is amortized ratably over the
vesting period of each unit of
4
stock-based compensation grant, generally four years. If the exercise price of the stock-based
compensation grants is equal to the fair value of our stock on the date of grant, no compensation
expense is recorded.
In December 2004, SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment, was issued. This statement establishes
standards for the accounting for transactions in which an entity exchanges its equity investments
for goods and services. It also addresses transactions in which an entity incurs liabilities in
exchange for goods or services that are based on the fair value of the entitys equity instruments
or that may be settled by the issuance of those equity instruments. The statement does not change
the accounting guidance for share-based payments with parties other than employees. The statement
requires measurement of the cost of employee service received in exchange for an award of equity
instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award, with limited exceptions. That cost is
to be recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in
exchange for the award, which is usually the vesting period of the award. A public entity will
initially measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of a liability
instrument based on the instruments current fair value. The fair value of that award will be
remeasured subsequently at each reporting date through the settlement date. Changes in fair value
during the requisite service period will be recognized as compensation over that period. The grant
date fair value of employee share options and similar instruments will be estimated using option
pricing models adjusted for the unique characteristics of these instruments.
We will be required to comply with SFAS No. 123R for the annual reporting period beginning
January 1, 2006. We have not yet determined which fair-value method and transitional provision we
will follow. We expect the adoption of SFAS No. 123R could have a significant impact on our results
of operations. We do not expect such adoption to significantly impact our financial position or
liquidity. See the table in the following paragraph for the pro forma impact on net loss and net
loss per share from calculating stock-based compensation costs under the fair value alternative of
SFAS No. 123. The calculation of compensation cost for share-based payment transactions after the
effective date of SFAS No. 123R may be different from the calculation of compensation cost under
SFAS No. 123, but such differences have not yet been quantified.
The fair value of options granted for all periods presented was estimated on the applicable
grant dates using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Significant weighted average assumptions
used to estimate fair value for all years include: risk-free interest rates ranging from 3% to
6.75%; expected lives of ten years; no expected dividends; and volatility factors ranging from 62%
to 107%. Had compensation expense been determined consistent with the provisions of SFAS No. 123,
our net loss would have been increased to the following pro forma amounts (in thousands, except per
share information):
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Three Months Ended |
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Nine Months Ended |
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September 30, |
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September 30, |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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Net loss, as reported |
|
$ |
(7,021 |
) |
|
$ |
(6,064 |
) |
|
$ |
(20,019 |
) |
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$ |
(19,356 |
) |
Add: Stock-based employee
compensation expense included in
reported net loss, net of related
tax effects |
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46 |
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|
415 |
|
Deduct: Total stock-based employee
compensation expense determined
under fair value based method for
all awards |
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|
(616 |
) |
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|
(1,260 |
) |
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(2,087 |
) |
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(3,205 |
) |
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Pro forma net loss |
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$ |
(7,637 |
) |
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$ |
(7,324 |
) |
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$ |
(22,060 |
) |
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$ |
(22,146 |
) |
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Loss per share: |
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Basic and Diluted as reported |
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$ |
(0.26 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.18 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.75 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.61 |
) |
|
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Basic and Diluted pro forma |
|
$ |
(0.29 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.22 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.83 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.70 |
) |
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5. Acquisition of Magnum Therapeutics Corporation
In October 2004, we acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Magnum Therapeutics
Corporation (Magnum), a company owned prior to this acquisition by one of our executive officers.
We paid approximately $1.75 million for the Magnum stock by (1) issuing approximately 252,000
shares of our common stock valued at approximately $1.48 million at the acquisition date and (2)
assuming liabilities of approximately $272,000. With respect to the common stock we issued for the
acquisition, 50% of the shares are held by an independent escrow
5
agent for a period of approximately one year subsequent to the acquisition date to satisfy the
indemnification obligations of the selling shareholder under terms of the purchase agreement.
Magnums primary asset is the right to receive funding under a grant from the National
Institutes of Health. The grant activities and related funding will supplement research and
development programs we have in progress. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we earned $1.1
million of revenue related to funding under this grant. During the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2005, we earned $302,000 and $711,000, respectively, of revenue related to funding
under this grant. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, we earned no revenue
under this grant. In the event certain of Magnums technologies result in commercial products, we
may be obligated to pay royalties related to the sales of those products to certain third parties.
The results of Magnums operations have been included with those of the Company for the period
subsequent to the acquisition date. Since Magnum was a development stage company at the time we
acquired it, this acquisition was accounted for as an asset acquisition and not as a business
combination. Substantially all of the purchase consideration was allocated to acquired grant rights
described further in Note 6.
6. Intangible Assets
Our intangible assets with definite lives that are subject to amortization, all of which arose
from our acquisition of Magnum in October 2004 described in Note 5, are as follows (in thousands):
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December 31, 2004 |
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September 30, 2005 |
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Gross |
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Net |
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Gross |
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Net |
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Carrying |
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Accumulated |
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Carrying |
|
|
Carrying |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
Carrying |
|
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Amortization |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Amortization |
|
|
Amount |
|
Asset Acquisition: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquired Grant Rights
(22 month amortization
period) |
|
$ |
1,741 |
|
|
$ |
(159 |
) |
|
$ |
1,582 |
|
|
$ |
1,741 |
|
|
$ |
(871 |
) |
|
$ |
870 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending Balance |
|
$ |
1,741 |
|
|
$ |
(159 |
) |
|
$ |
1,582 |
|
|
$ |
1,741 |
|
|
$ |
(871 |
) |
|
$ |
870 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development expense includes amortization of intangibles of $237,000 and $712,000
for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2005, respectively. Since we had no intangibles
on our balance sheet prior to October 2004, there was no amortization expense in the three or nine
month periods ended September 30, 2004. Estimated annual amortization expense for 2005 and 2006 is
$949,000 and $633,000, respectively, and zero thereafter.
7. Investment in VirRx, Inc.
We have an agreement with VirRx, Inc. (VirRx) to purchase shares of VirRxs Series A Preferred
Stock for $150,000 on the first day of each fiscal quarter through January 1, 2006. We purchased
$150,000 and $450,000 of this stock during the three and nine month periods, respectively, ended
September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004. We record these purchases as research and development
expense. VirRx is required to use the proceeds from these stock sales in accordance with the terms
of a collaboration and license agreement between VirRx and us for the development of VirRxs
technologies. We may unilaterally terminate this collaboration and license agreement with 90 days
prior notice, which would also terminate the requirement for us to make any additional stock
purchases. In accordance with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation
46®, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of Accounting Research
Bulletin No. 51, VirRx is not consolidated in our financial statements. For additional discussion
of our agreements with VirRx, see Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, filed with the SEC on March 15,
2005.
8. Investment in SR Pharma plc
In July 2005, we purchased approximately 8.3% of the issued share capital of SR Pharma plc (SR
Pharma) for approximately $3.0 million. SR Pharma is a European biotechnology company publicly
traded on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) that is developing
oncology and other products. This investment is classified as marketable securities on our balance
sheet. Marketable securities are classified as
6
available-for-sale and are presented at estimated fair value with any unrealized gains or
losses included in other comprehensive income (loss).
9. Notes Payable
In May 2004, we amended the mortgage note payable to a bank related to our facilities. The
original $6.0 million principal balance of our mortgage note payable was increased to $7.8 million.
The proceeds from this increase were used to pay in full the principal and interest outstanding on
a second mortgage note payable with an original principal balance of approximately $3.3 million,
which resulted in that second mortgage note being retired. In addition to this note retirement, the
proceeds from this loan amendment were used to pay the costs related to this transaction of $96,000
and to add $668,000 to our cash and cash equivalents.
10. Common Stock Grant to Officers
In March 2005 and April 2005, options to purchase 95,200 shares of our common stock held by
certain of our officers reached the end of their stated contractual ten year life, resulting in the
expiration of the right to exercise those options. To provide those officers an economic equivalent
to those expired options, we granted them an aggregate of 90,101 shares of our common stock in May
2005, of which 57,259 shares were issued to those officers and 32,842 shares were withheld by us in
consideration for our payment on their behalf of approximately $249,000 of federal income taxes.
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2005, we recorded compensation expense of zero
and approximately $664,000, respectively, in connection with this issuance of shares.
In September 2005, an option to purchase 96,000 shares of our common stock held by one of our
officers reached the end of its stated contractual ten year life, resulting in the expiration of
the right to exercise the option. To provide the officer an economic equivalent to the expired
option, we granted him 88,261 shares of our common stock subsequent to September 30, 2005, of which
56,090 shares were issued to the officer and 32,171 shares were withheld by us in consideration for
our payment on his behalf of approximately $156,000 of federal income taxes. During the quarter
ending December 31, 2005, we anticipate recording compensation expense of approximately $434,000 in
connection with this issuance of shares.
Our insider trading policy restricts sales of our common stock by our officers and employees.
Accordingly, the expiring options described above could not be exercised pursuant to a cashless
exercise program prior to their respective expiration dates due to these insider trading
restrictions.
11. Common Stock Purchase Warrant
We previously had an agreement with a third party under which they were to perform investor
relations services on our behalf focusing on the sophisticated, global financial community. That
agreement provided for us to issue this third party a warrant to purchase up to 500,000 shares of
our common stock under certain circumstances. We have cancelled this agreement in accordance with
its terms and have no obligation to issue this stock purchase warrant.
12. Conversion of Preferred Stock to Common Stock
In June 2005, the 100,000 issued and outstanding shares of our Series A non-voting convertible
preferred stock were converted into 2,343,721 shares of our common stock. The preferred shares were
cancelled and replaced by newly issued shares of our common stock. We received no cash or other
consideration in connection with this conversion. After this conversion, we have 5,000,000 shares
of authorized and unissued preferred shares, of which 4,900,000 shares are undesignated and 100,000
shares are designated as Series A non-voting convertible preferred shares.
13. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income or Loss
Accumulated other comprehensive income or loss is included as a component of stockholders
equity and is composed of (1) foreign currency translation adjustments and (2) unrealized gains and
losses on investments
7
designated as available-for-sale securities. Accumulated comprehensive income (loss) is
calculated as follows (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
Nine Months Ended |
|
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2005 |
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Net loss |
|
$ |
(7,021 |
) |
|
$ |
(6,064 |
) |
|
$ |
(20,019 |
) |
|
$ |
(19,356 |
) |
Foreign currency translation adjustments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23 |
) |
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
992 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive loss |
|
$ |
(7,021 |
) |
|
$ |
(5,095 |
) |
|
$ |
(20,019 |
) |
|
$ |
(18,387 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14. London Stock Exchange
We are evaluating the feasibility of listing our common stock on the LSE, which would be in
addition to the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ National Market System in the United
States. We believe an LSE listing would allow us to better leverage our assets on a global basis
and, specifically, in Europe and Asia.
15. Subsequent Event Common Stock Sale to and Alliance with Colgate-Palmolive Company
In November 2005, we entered into an alliance agreement with Colgate-Palmolive Company
(Colgate-Palmolive) to develop and potentially market oral healthcare products. In connection with
the alliance agreement and pursuant to a common stock purchase agreement, Colgate-Palmolive
purchased 3,610,760 shares of our common stock at a purchase price of $5.539 per share for a total
of approximately $20.0 million. These shares are subject to trading and transfer restrictions for
one year from the date of purchase. Under the common stock purchase agreement, Colgate-Palmolive
also agreed to vote these shares and any other shares of our capital stock owned by it in favor of
corporate actions approved by our Board of Directors. This voting agreement is subject to
suspension or termination upon certain events specified in the common stock purchase agreement.
Pursuant to the alliance agreement, we will conduct research and development activities
involving specialized formulations of our molecular therapies (such as p53, mda-7 and FUS-1)
targeted at precancerous conditions of the oral cavity and at oral cancer. The objective is to
market these formulations as oral healthcare products. Excluded from the alliance agreement is our
current portfolio of cancer product candidates, including ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN 225 and
INGN 401.
Under the alliance agreement, Colgate-Palmolive has a first right to negotiate development,
manufacturing, marketing and distribution rights with us for specifically designed oral healthcare
products for use in the human oral cavity that may result from these research and development
activities. In addition, we agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop one or more
specialized oral formulations through completion of Phase II clinical trials within the seven-year
term of the alliance agreement. We can terminate our development efforts earlier under certain
circumstances, including if the prospects for these products do not warrant further investment, or
if we expend $15.0 million in this effort. In calculating the amount of our expenditures on these
efforts, we may include grant funding received by us or our collaborators for work performed by
third parties (e.g., universities and other institutions) that is directly related to program
activities, as specified in the alliance agreement. The term of the alliance agreement continues to
November 2012, unless earlier terminated by the parties as provided in the alliance agreement.
Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our condensed
consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q. The discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and entail
various risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those projected in
the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth below
under Risk Factors.
8
Product Development Overview
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in 1993. We are a biopharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of targeted molecular therapies
for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. We are developing product candidates to treat a
wide range of cancers using non-integrating tumor suppressors, cytokines and molecular gene agents.
These agents are designed to increase production of normal cancer-fighting proteins that act to
overpower cancerous cells, stimulate immune activity and enhance conventional cancer therapies.
Our primary approach to the treatment of cancers is to deliver genes that increase production
of normal cancer-fighting proteins. Rather than acting to repair or replace aberrant or missing
genes and thereby creating a long-term or permanent change to the patients genome, our products
work in a different manner by acting as templates for the transient in vivo production of proteins
that have pharmacological properties. The resultant proteins engage disease-related molecular
targets or receptors to produce a specific therapeutic effect.
We believe the use of genes that do not integrate into the patients genome and that are
cleared from the body after administration in order to induce the production of biopharmaceutical
proteins is an emerging field presenting a new approach for treating many cancers without the toxic
side effects common to traditional therapies. We have developed significant expertise in
identifying therapeutic genes, which are genes that may be used to treat disease, and in using what
we believe are safe and effective delivery systems to transport these genes to the cancer cells. We
believe we are able to treat a number of cancers in a way that kills cancer cells without harming
normal cells.
We have entered into an alliance agreement with Colgate-Palmolive to develop and potentially
market oral healthcare products. See the Alliance with Colgate-Palmolive Company section below
for further discussion of this alliance agreement.
ADVEXIN® Therapy (p53)
Our lead product candidate, ADVEXIN® therapy, combines the p53 tumor suppressor
gene with a non-replicating, non-integrating adenoviral gene delivery system we have developed and
extensively tested. The p53 gene is one of the most potent members of a group of
naturally-occurring tumor suppressor genes, which act to kill cancer cells, arrest cancer cell
growth and protect cells from becoming cancerous.
We have received Fast Track designation for ADVEXIN therapy from the FDA under its protocol
assessment program as a result of the FDAs agreement with the design of our two ongoing Phase 3
clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy. Under this Fast Track designation, the FDA will take actions to
expedite the evaluation and review of a Biologics License Application (BLA) for ADVEXIN therapy. We
plan to pursue with the FDA an Accelerated Approval of ADVEXIN therapy, which is one alternative
provided under a Fast Track designation.
We have conducted a series of meetings with the FDA to develop and implement the filing
strategy for the BLA for ADVEXIN therapy, which is the application for approval to market and sell
ADVEXIN therapy in the United States. As a result of these meetings, we are developing and pursuing
an initial rolling BLA filing strategy based primarily on data from our Phase 2 clinical trials of
ADVEXIN therapy for treatment of recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. The FDA has
concurred that preliminary evaluation of this data suggests a level of efficacy consistent with the
standard for the initiation of a rolling BLA (a submission process also known as Submission Of a
Partial Application or SOPA). The FDA has also concluded that ADVEXIN therapy continues to show
promise with respect to an unmet medical need since there are no approved biological therapies in
the United States for recurrent head and neck cancer. The FDA has also concluded that the clinical
development program for ADVEXIN therapy for recurrent head and neck cancer continues to meet the
criteria for Fast Track designation. In conjunction with the new data, the new analyses, and other
newly employed biological techniques, we are hopeful of more specifically targeting recurrent head
and neck cancer in patients resulting in even better efficacy than has already been demonstrated.
Accordingly, we have submitted a SOPA request to the FDA Division of Cell and Gene Therapy
proposing a rolling BLA for ADVEXIN therapy for the treatment of recurrent head and neck cancer,
based primarily on data from our Phase 2 clinical trials. We have further proposed to the FDA that,
since the basis of the proposed rolling
9
BLA is Phase 2 clinical data utilizing surrogate endpoints, the rolling BLA could be evaluated
under the provisions of Subpart H for Accelerated Approval. In order to fully explore all of the
review and approval possibilities for ADVEXIN therapy, the FDA has requested we submit existing new
data and analyses from the Phase 2 ADVEXIN therapy clinical trials for recurrent head and neck
cancer. Given that we have two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in head and neck cancer as discussed
further below, we and the FDA are evaluating the most effective use of the data from these Phase 2
and 3 clinical trials in the review and approval of ADVEXIN therapy. Regulatory approval approaches
may allow Accelerated Approval on the basis of Phase 2 clinical data with subsequent confirmatory
data being provided by the Phase 3 clinical studies or, alternatively, a full approval based on
data from Phase 2 and certain Phase 3 clinical trials. We will also be exploring with the FDA
whether its recently announced Critical Path Initiative, which permits new product evaluation on
the basis of specifically targeted (i.e., by prognostic or biologic parameters) clinical trials
and/or patient populations, can be used in the ADVEXIN therapy approval process.
ADVEXIN therapy for head and neck cancer has been designated an Orphan Drug under the Orphan
Drug Act. This designation may give us up to seven years of marketing exclusivity for ADVEXIN
therapy for this indication if approved by the FDA.
Our two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy in patients with recurrent squamous
cell cancer of the head and neck are multi-national, multi-site trials. These trials involve
administration of ADVEXIN therapy, both independently and in combination with chemotherapy, in
recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck.
We have conducted multi-national, multi-site Phase 2 clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy in 217
patients with recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck treated previously with surgery,
radiation or chemotherapy. In the combined analysis of these trials, the overall tumor growth
control rate was 59%. Tumor growth control rate represents the percentage of treated tumors where
there was disappearance of the tumor, shrinkage of the tumor or the absence of additional tumor
growth beyond 25% of pre-treatment measurements. In approximately 10% of the treated lesions, there
was either complete tumor regression or a reduction of tumor size greater than or equal to 50% of
the pre-treatment size. We have been evaluating subpopulations of patients participating in these
trials defined by various prognostic, medical and biological characteristics to provide refined
targeting of ADVEXIN therapy. Analyses of the data from these patient subpopulations showed that
the objective response rate (complete responses and partial responses) was 15% or greater. These
findings, along with other data, are planned for presentation at future scientific meetings and for
future publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
We performed a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy combined with systemic chemotherapy
for the treatment of breast cancer prior to surgery and a Phase 1 clinical trial using ADVEXIN
therapy in patients with locally recurrent breast cancer involving the chest wall. In the breast
cancer study of 12 women with very large tumors, the combination of ADVEXIN and chemotherapy
resulted in objective clinical responses with greater than 50% tumor reduction in all patients and
the ability to remove all of the tumors surgically. These data are better than the expected results
with chemotherapy alone and were presented at the 2004 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
We completed a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy administered as a complement to
radiation therapy in non-small cell lung cancer. In the 19 patients who participated in the trial,
combined ADVEXIN and radiation treatment resulted in 63% biopsy-proven complete responses at three
months, which is approximately four times the expected rate using radiotherapy alone. The results
of this study were published in Clinical Cancer Research.
We performed a Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy for the treatment of
advanced, unresectable, squamous cell esophageal cancer. Results of this trial in patients with
esophageal cancer refractory to chemotherapy and radiation indicate three of the ten patients
treated, or 30%, had significant symptomatic improvement in swallowing after receiving ADVEXIN
therapy. The median survival of the patients treated with ADVEXIN therapy was approximately twelve
months, which compared favorably to historical controls in which a median survival of less than ten
months was observed for patients who did not respond to standard treatments. Six patients, or 60%,
were still alive one year after beginning therapy. This clinical trial was performed at Chiba
University in Japan.
We are currently conducting additional Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy
by itself and in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy in a variety of cancers. These
additional clinical trials include:
10
|
|
|
A Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy in squamous cell carcinoma of the
oral cavity, or oropharynx, that can be removed surgically, to assess the feasibility,
efficacy and safety of administering ADVEXIN therapy at the time of surgery for
suppression of remaining tumor cells, followed by a combination of chemotherapy and
radiation therapy. |
|
|
|
|
A Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial in which a mouthwash or oral rinse
formulation of ADVEXIN therapy, which has been designated as INGN 234, is administered to
prevent precancerous oral lesions from developing into cancerous lesions. |
We have completed other clinical trials of Advexin, including Phase 1 studies in prostate
cancer and bronchoalveolar carcinoma. To date, clinical investigators at sites in North America,
Europe and Japan have treated over 500 patients with ADVEXIN therapy, establishing a large safety
database. Findings from several of our clinical trials have been published in Clinical Cancer
Research and Proceedings of the American Society for Clinical Oncology as well as presented at
numerous conferences, including the San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference in December 2004 and
various meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association for Cancer
Research and the American Society of Gene Therapy.
A growing body of data suggests ADVEXIN therapy demonstrates clinical activity in a variety of
cancer indications. Safety data from our clinical trials suggest this activity may be achieved
without the treatment-limiting side effects frequently associated with many other cancer therapies.
Our clinical trials indicate ADVEXIN therapy is well tolerated as a monotherapy. The addition
of ADVEXIN therapy to standard chemotherapy, surgery or radiation does not appear to increase the
frequency or severity of side effects normally associated with these treatment regimens.
Recent pre-clinical studies provide new insight into the molecular pathways by which the p53
gene, the active component of ADVEXIN therapy, kills tumor cells. These pre-clinical studies were
undertaken to provide additional molecular data supporting the activity observed during the
clinical development of ADVEXIN therapy and to provide additional information regarding the
specific pathways that mediate the observed clinical effects of ADVEXIN therapy. The studies were
conducted by our collaborators at Okayama University in Japan and at The University of Texas M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center and were published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Other pre-clinical data
suggest the enhanced therapeutic effects of a combination of ADVEXIN and Erbitux®
therapies in an animal model of human non-small cell lung cancer. Other pre-clinical studies
conducted by our collaborators at Wayne State University, the Karmanos Cancer Institute located in
Detroit, Michigan and the University of California-Irvine, as published in The Laryngoscope, show
that the combination of ADVEXIN therapy and docetaxel resulted in increased levels of programmed
cell death in head and neck tumor cells. Two lung cancer patients, who were part of our ADVEXIN
therapy studies program and who had recently celebrated their five-year survival anniversary, were
featured in Conquest magazine, a publication of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. In addition, a
patient with recurrent head and neck cancer who achieved a complete tumor remission on ADVEXIN
therapy continues to be disease-free over six years later while receiving repeated ADVEXIN
treatments.
We hold the worldwide rights for pre-clinical and clinical development, manufacturing,
marketing and commercialization of ADVEXIN therapy.
INGN 241 (mda-7)
INGN 241 uses the mda-7 gene, a promising tumor suppressor gene that we believe, like p53, has
broad potential to induce apoptosis or cell death in many types of cancer. We have combined the
mda-7 gene product with our adenoviral gene delivery system to form INGN 241. Our pre-clinical
trials have shown that the protein produced by INGN 241 suppresses the growth of many cancer cells,
including those of the breast, lung, ovaries, colon, prostate and the central nervous system, while
not affecting the growth of normal cells. Because INGN 241 kills cancer cells even if other tumor
suppressor genes, including p53, are not functioning properly, it appears that mda-7 functions via
a novel mechanism of tumor suppression.
11
We have conducted pre-clinical work indicating that in addition to its known activity as a
tumor suppressor gene, the protein produced by the mda-7 gene may also stimulate the bodys immune
system to kill metastatic tumor cells and to protect the body against cancer, thereby offering the
potential of providing an added advantage in treating various cancers because it may attack cancer
using two different mechanisms. Because the mda-7 gene product may act as a cytokine, or immune
system modulator, it is also known as interleukin-24, or IL-24. The mda-7 gene and the protein it
produces may also work as a radiation sensitizer to make several types of human cancer cells more
susceptible to radiation therapy, and we have seen evidence of this effect in our pre-clinical
work.
We have identified the molecular pathways by which mda-7, the active component of INGN 241,
induces growth arrest and programmed cell death or apoptosis in cancer cells. Pre-clinical studies
using lung cancer cells have demonstrated that the mda-7 protein binds to a critical cellular
enzyme known as PKR. The binding of mda-7 to PKR is essential for the anti-cancer activity of INGN
241. The identification of this binding partner demonstrates a significant advancement in
understanding how this therapeutic can be effective against cancer. Additional studies have
identified bystander killing of pancreatic cancer cells by the mda-7 protein. Bystander killing
involves the killing of neighboring pancreatic tumor cells by the mda-7 protein released from
adjacent INGN 241-treated pancreatic cells.
Pre-clinical data indicate that INGN 241 works synergistically with celecoxib, marketed by
Pfizer as Celebrex®, to inhibit the growth and increase apoptosis of breast cancer
cells. These data demonstrate the potential utility of INGN 241 in combination with celecoxib, a
drug approved for treatment of precancerous lesions of the colon as well as arthritis. The
combination of celecoxib and INGN 241 showed greater than additive increases in cell death compared
with either therapy alone and also resulted in the suppression of tumor cell growth. The data
appear in a recent issue of the medical journal Surgery.
In pre-clinical studies, we have observed that the expression of mda-7 in ovarian cancer cells
potently activates a cell death or apoptotic pathway regulated by the Fas signaling system. This
activation resulted in significant increases in apoptosis and inhibition of cancer cell
proliferation that were specific to cancer cells. These effects were not observed in normal ovarian
tissue, supporting previous data that showed a cancer-selective effect of INGN 241. These data were
reported in the medical journal Cancer Research.
We have published the results of a pre-clinical study indicating INGN 241 may suppress the
growth in vivo of non-small cell lung cancer through apoptosis in combination with
anti-angiogenesis. The data demonstrate that INGN 241 can inhibit production of the VEGF protein, a
potent inducer of angiogenesis, within lung cancer cells, which in turn inhibits tumor
angiogenesis, a key requirement for tumor growth.
Pre-clinical work has demonstrated that administration of INGN 241 results in the development
of systemic immune responses against tumor cells and suggests that INGN 241 could be used as a
novel cancer vaccine. In pre-clinical studies, implantation of INGN 241-treated tumor cells into
mice resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth. Significantly, mice that were immunized
with INGN 241-treated cells showed inhibition of tumor growth after a subsequent challenge with
additional tumor cells.
Pre-clinical studies with INGN 241 in breast cancer cell lines have shown that treatment with
a combination of INGN 241 plus Herceptin induces cell death in Her-2/neu positive breast cancer
cells at a rate greater than that seen with either agent alone. In these studies, it was also noted
that while Herceptin exhibited no activity on Her-2/neu negative cells, INGN 241 did induce cell
death in these cells.
Pre-clinical studies indicate that the mda-7 protein released from cells treated with INGN 241
can kill nearby, untreated breast cancer cells resulting in additional therapeutic effect. This
bystander effect occurs when the therapeutic protein binds to certain receptors on nearby cancer
cells. We believe this bystander effect is significant because it could indicate that the number
of cancer cells that can be killed by INGN 241 is greater than the number of cells that take up
this novel investigational cancer therapy.
Findings and results arising from our development of INGN 241 have been published in the
Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Molecular Therapy, Oncogene, Surgery, and International
Immunopharmacolgy.
12
We have completed enrollment of a Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial using INGN 241 to
evaluate safety, mechanism of action and efficacy in approximately 25 patients with solid tumors.
This trial has indicated that in patients with solid tumors, INGN 241 was well tolerated, was
biologically active and displayed minimal toxicity associated with its use. We have initiated a
Phase 2 clinical trial using INGN 241 in patients with metastatic melanoma.
Data from our Phase 1 trial of INGN 241 in patients with solid tumors, which was published in
Molecular Therapy, demonstrate that direct injection of INGN 241 induced programmed cell death in
100% of the tumors treated, even in patients who had failed prior therapy with other anti-cancer
drugs. Clinical responses were observed in 44% of the treated lesions, including complete and
partial responses (greater than or equal to 50% reduction in tumor size) in two patients with
melanoma. Patients treated with INGN 241 had increases in a subset of T-cells that help to destroy
cancer cells, which is consistent with the role of the mda-7 protein as a member of the interleukin
family of immune stimulating proteins.
We have an exclusive license to the mda-7 gene for our therapeutic applications from Corixa
Corporation (Corixa), which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKlein. Pre-clinical studies regarding the
active component of INGN 241 have included research at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center and Columbia University.
INGN 225 (p53 vaccine)
As a supplement to our gene-induced therapeutic protein programs, we are developing INGN 225
using the p53 gene to create a highly specific therapeutic cancer vaccine that stimulates a
particular type of immune system cell known as a dendritic cell. Research published in Current
Opinion in Drug Discovery & Development concluded that ADVEXIN therapy can be used with a patients
isolated dendritic cells as an antigen delivery and immune enhancing therapeutic strategy.
Pre-clinical testing has shown that the immune system can recognize and kill tumors after treatment
with dendritic cells stimulated by the p53 gene, which suggests a vaccine consisting of dendritic
cells stimulated by the p53 gene could have broad utility as a treatment for progression of solid
tumors.
We are conducting a Phase 1/Phase 2 trial in collaboration with the Moffitt Cancer Center at
the University of South Florida in patients with small-cell lung cancer. We are also conducting a
Phase 1/Phase 2 trial in patients with breast cancer in collaboration with the University of
Nebraska. In both trials, INGN 225 is administered after the patients have been treated with
standard chemotherapy.
Interim results from the Phase 1/Phase 2 trial in patients with small-cell lung cancer who
were previously treated with chemotherapy indicate that greater than 60% of the evaluable patients
in the study treated with INGN 225 had objective responses to subsequent chemotherapy. Historically
the expected objective response rate in these patients to further chemotherapy is between 5% and
15%. We believe the data indicate INGN 225 may sensitize tumors to the effects of platinum and
taxane chemotherapies. Of particular interest, patients with highly aggressive disease (termed
platinum resistant) showed improved response rates and increased survival compared to historical
controls. These findings are consistent with the results observed in lung and breast cancer
patients treated with ADVEXIN therapy that increased the expected effects of cisplatin, taxane and
doxorubicin chemotherapies. As platinum, taxanes and doxorubicin are among the most common types of
cancer chemotherapies, these findings may have important implications for improving the efficacy of
these widely utilized cancer treatments.
INGN 234 (p53 topical)
We are developing INGN 234 for the prevention of oral cancers and the treatment of oral
leukoplakia. We are conducting a Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial in which p53 is being
administered in an oral mouthwash formulation to prevent precancerous oral lesions from developing
into cancerous lesions. We are conducting pre-clinical work on other topical administrations of
tumor suppressor genes to control or prevent oral or dermal cancers. We are investigating multiple
delivery platforms, including both viral and non-viral approaches. We are also investigating
combining gene delivery with rinses, patches, ointments and enhancing polymers. We believe the
opportunity exists to develop non-toxic treatments for pre-malignant and malignant cells that can
be easily exposed to natural biological tumor suppressor and DNA repairing genes.
13
We have entered into an alliance agreement with Colgate-Palmolive to develop and potentially
market oral healthcare products. See the Alliance with Colgate-Palmolive Company section below
for further discussion of this alliance agreement.
INGN 401 (FUS-1)
INGN 401 uses a nanoparticle vector system to deliver the tumor suppressor gene FUS-1, which
we exclusively license from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Pre-clinical studies have shown that
FUS-1, delivered using an adenoviral or a non-viral delivery system through either intravenous
(systemic) administration or direct intratumoral injection, significantly inhibits the growth of
tumors and greatly reduces the metastatic spread of lung cancer in animals.
Pre-clinical data suggest that INGN 401 may have utility as a monotherapy in lung cancer. We
have observed significant inhibition of tumor growth in lung cancer animal models following INGN
401 monotherapy treatment when compared with untreated animals.
INGN 401 has demonstrated synergistic activity with Gefitinib, a novel class of anti-cancer
agents that decrease tumor growth by inhibiting growth factor receptors that promote tumor
proliferation. While Gefitinib can produce dramatic responses in a small subset of lung cancer
patients, most lung cancers are refractory to its effects. The data indicate nanoparticle delivery
of INGN 401 can synergize with Gefitinib in killing lung tumor cells resistant to Gefitinib alone.
Furthermore, in Gefitinib-sensitive tumors, INGN 401 delivery significantly enhanced anti-cancer
activity.
A Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial is ongoing at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center testing INGN
401 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who have previously been treated with
chemotherapy. Data and findings from our work to develop INGN 401 have been published in Cancer
Gene Therapy and Cancer Research.
INGN 402 and INGN 403 (nanoparticle formulations of p53 and mda-7, respectively)
We are developing two nanoparticle formulations for systemic delivery. INGN 402 contains the
p53 tumor suppressor gene and INGN 403 contains the mda-7 tumor suppressor gene, also known as
interleukin 24 (IL-24). Early studies with these new nanoparticle drug candidates have demonstrated
a good safety profile and promising anti-cancer activity in murine lung tumor models. Data from the
mda-7 nanoparticle studies was published in DNA and Cell Biology.
INGN 007 (replication-competent viral therapy)
Through our strategic collaboration with VirRx, we are developing INGN 007, a
replication-competent viral therapy in which viruses bind directly to cancer cells, replicate in
those cells, and cause those cancer cells to die. Pre-clinical testing in animal models indicates
INGN 007 over-expresses a gene that allows the vector to saturate the entire tumor. This testing
has demonstrated that INGN 007 has a favorable safety profile and significantly inhibits tumor
growth. Findings from this work to develop INGN 007 have been published in Cancer Research and were
presented at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Other Research and Development Programs
We are conducting a number of pre-clinical and research programs involving a variety of
therapeutic genes for the treatment of cancer. These programs involve genes that act through
diverse mechanisms to inhibit the growth of or kill cancer cells.
We license from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center a group of genes known as the 3p21.3 family of
genes. Pre-clinical research performed on these genes by collaborators at The University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggests that the 3p21.3 genes play a
critical role in the suppression of tumor growth in lung and other cancers. This family of genes
includes the FUS-1 gene we are testing as INGN 401. We are working with M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center to further evaluate other 3p21.3 genes as clinically relevant therapeutics.
14
We are evaluating additional genes, including BAK, which hold promise as therapeutic
candidates. BAK is a pro-apoptotic gene that kills cancer cells. We are working with our
collaborators at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center to identify and develop both viral and non-viral
vectors containing this gene. We had exclusive rights to use the BAK gene under a license with LXR
Biotechnology, Inc. (LXR), the rights of which were subsequently sold to Tanox, Inc.
As a supplement to our gene-induced protein therapy product programs, we are evaluating the
development of mebendazole, our first small molecule candidate, which we refer to as INGN 601, for
treatment of cancer and other hyperproliferative diseases. The use of the mebendazole compound is
approved by the FDA for the oral treatment of parasitic diseases. Pre-clinical work suggests that
mebendazole may also be an effective treatment for cancer. The results of pre-clinical
investigations involving mebendazole and lung cancer were published in Clinical Cancer Research and
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. We are working with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center to further evaluate
this molecule as a cancer treatment.
We believe our research and development expertise gained from our molecular therapies for
cancer is also applicable to other diseases that, like cancer, result from cellular dysfunction and
uncontrolled cell growth. As a result, we are conducting research in collaboration with medical
institutions to understand the safety and effectiveness of our molecular therapy product candidates
in the treatment of other diseases.
Alliance with Colgate-Palmolive Company
In November 2005, we entered into an alliance agreement with Colgate-Palmolive to develop and
potentially market oral healthcare products. In connection with the alliance agreement and pursuant
to a common stock purchase agreement, Colgate-Palmolive purchased 3,610,760 shares of our common
stock at a purchase price of $5.539 per share for a total of approximately $20.0 million. These
shares are subject to trading and transfer restrictions for one year from the date of purchase.
Under the common stock purchase agreement, Colgate-Palmolive also agreed to vote these shares and
any other shares of our capital stock owned by it in favor of corporate actions approved by our
Board of Directors. This voting agreement is subject to suspension or termination upon certain
events specified in the common stock purchase agreement.
Pursuant to the alliance agreement, we will conduct research and development activities
involving specialized formulations of our molecular therapies (such as p53, mda-7 and FUS-1)
targeted at precancerous conditions of the oral cavity and at oral cancer. The objective is to
market these formulations as oral healthcare products. Excluded from the alliance agreement is our
current portfolio of cancer product candidates, including ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN 225 and
INGN 401.
Under the alliance agreement, Colgate-Palmolive has a first right to negotiate development,
manufacturing, marketing and distribution rights with us for specifically designed oral healthcare
products for use in the human oral cavity that may result from these research and development
activities. In addition, we agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to develop one or more
specialized oral formulations through completion of Phase II clinical trials within the seven-year
term of the alliance agreement. We can terminate our development efforts earlier under certain
circumstances, including if the prospects for these products do not warrant further investment, or
if we expend $15.0 million in this effort. In calculating the amount of our expenditures on these
efforts, we may include grant funding received by us or our collaborators for work performed by
third parties (e.g., universities and other institutions) that is directly related to program
activities, as specified in the alliance agreement. The term of the alliance agreement continues to
November 2012, unless earlier terminated by the parties as provided in the alliance agreement.
Introgen Enabling Technologies
We have a portfolio of technologies, referred to as enabling technologies, for administering
gene-based products to patients and for enhancing the effects of these products, which we plan to
exploit to develop additional gene-based products to treat cancer and other diseases which, like
cancer, result from cellular dysfunction and uncontrolled cell growth.
Viral Delivery Systems
15
We have demonstrated that ADVEXIN therapy and INGN 241, which use our adenoviral vector
system, enter tumor cells and express their proteins despite the bodys natural immune response to
the adenoviral vector. While the adenoviral vector system used appears to be appropriate for the
treatment of cancer by local administration, we have developed a number of additional systems that
utilize modified adenoviral vectors for gene delivery. These systems also may be applicable to
indications where activity of the gene for disease treatment is required for longer periods of time
or where systemic administration may be necessary.
Nanoparticle Systemic Delivery Platform
We have in-licensed and are developing a non-viral, nanoparticle delivery platform as a
complementary delivery technology for certain types of cancers, or clinical indications,
particularly those that require systemic administration. We are currently using this technology in
INGN 401, INGN 402 and INGN 403.
Data published in DNA and Cell Biology highlight the potential utility of combining our
nanoparticle delivery system with the mda-7 gene for the treatment of lung cancer. The data
reported in this publication demonstrate that combining this innovative delivery system with the
mda-7 gene results in potent anti-cancer effects and systemic tumor growth inhibition in an animal
model of lung cancer. We believe combining potent anti-cancer genes, such as mda-7 or p53, with our
nanoparticle delivery system could allow development of clinical strategies to attack metastatic
cancers.
Replication-Competent Viral Delivery Systems
Through our strategic collaboration with VirRx, we are developing replication-competent viral
therapies in which viruses bind directly to cancer cells, replicate in those cells, and cause those
cancer cells to die. This technology forms the basis for our INGN 007 product development. We
anticipate pursuing clinical confirmation as to whether this self-amplifying delivery system can
complement our existing adenoviral gene delivery system, which is replication disabled, in selected
therapeutic scenarios, in applications beyond INGN 007.
Additional Enabling Technologies
Our research and licensing activities include a number of additional technologies that expand
our capabilities. These activities include the following:
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Multi-Gene Vector System. This technology is designed to combine multiple
genes with a vector. This approach has the potential for use with both viral and non-viral
delivery systems to allow the activity of more than one gene at a time for disease
treatment. |
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Pro-Apoptotic Gene Delivery System. This technology is designed to allow the
activity of pro-apoptotic, or apoptosis-inducing, genes during treatment only, while
temporarily suppressing the ability of the apoptotic gene to kill producer cells during
production. This system could facilitate higher volume production of pro-apoptotic agents. |
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Tissue-Specific Targeting Systems. This technology is designed to limit the
activity of the gene for disease treatment to particular cell types. It is intended to be
applied to both viral and non-viral vectors. |
Manufacturing and Process Development
Commercialization of a molecular and gene-based product requires process methodologies,
formulations and quality release assays in order to produce high quality materials at a large
scale. We believe the expertise we have developed in the areas of manufacturing and process
development represents a competitive advantage. We have developed scale-up methodologies for both
upstream and downstream production processes, formulations that are safe and stable, and product
release assays that support product quality control.
We own and operate state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, including a commercial-scale,
validated manufacturing facility designed to comply with the FDAs current Good Manufacturing
Practices requirements,
16
commonly known as CGMP requirements. We have produced numerous batches of ADVEXIN therapy
clinical material for use in our Phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials. The design and processes of the
facility used for ADVEXIN therapy production have been reviewed with the FDA. We plan to use our
facilities for the market launch of ADVEXIN therapy. We also use our facilities to produce INGN 241
and other investigative materials for use in clinical trials of those product candidates. From time
to time, as requirements for our own products allow, we also manufacture pre-clinical and clinical
materials for outside parties for a fee under contract services arrangements.
Patents and Intellectual Property
Our Portfolio
Our success will depend in part on our ability to develop and maintain proprietary aspects of
our technology. To this end, we have an intellectual property program directed at developing
proprietary rights in technology that we believe may be important to our success. We also rely on a
licensing program to ensure continued strong technology development and technology transfer from
companies and research institutions with whom we work. We have entered into a number of exclusive
license agreements or options with companies and institutions, including M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Corixa (which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKlein), Aventis
Pharmaceutical Products, Inc. (Aventis), Columbia University, VirRx and LXR, with the LXR rights
being subsequently sold to Tanox, Inc. In addition to patents, we rely on trade secrets and
proprietary know-how, which we seek to protect, in part, through confidentiality and proprietary
information agreements.
We currently own or have an exclusive license to a large number of issued and pending United
States and foreign patents and patent applications. If we do not seek a patent term extension, the
currently issued United States patents that we own or have exclusively licensed will expire between
the years 2010 and 2017. The exclusive licenses that give us rights on the patents, and
applications that such licenses cover, will expire no earlier than the life of any patent covered
under the license.
Adenoviral p53 Compositions and Therapies
In developing our patent portfolio, we have focused our efforts in part on seeking protection
for our potential products and how they will be used in the clinical trials. Arising out of our
work with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, we currently have an exclusive license to a number of
United States and corresponding international patent applications directed to adenoviruses that
contain the p53 gene, referred to as adenoviral p53, adenoviral p53 pharmaceutical compositions and
the use of adenoviral p53 compositions in various cancer therapies and protocols. One of these
applications, directed to the clinical use of adenoviral p53 to treat cancer, has issued as a
United States patent. Additionally, various other United States patents have issued to which we
have licensed exclusive rights, which are directed to adenoviral p53 compositions in general,
adenoviral p53 pharmaceutical compositions, therapeutic applications of adenoviral p53, as well as
a patent covering the DNA core of adenoviral p53. We have also exclusively licensed from Aventis a
patent application directed to adenoviral p53 and its clinical applications. We also have an
exclusive license to a United States patent application and corresponding international
applications directed to the use of the p53 gene in the treatment of cancer patients whose tumors
express a normal p53 protein.
Combination Therapy with the p53 Gene
Our portfolio development includes seeking protection for clinical therapeutic strategies that
combine the use of the p53 gene with traditional cancer therapies. In this regard, also arising out
of our work with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, we have an exclusive license to two issued United
States patents with corresponding international applications directed to cancer therapy using the
p53 gene in combination with DNA-damaging agents such as conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
This patent and corresponding international applications concern the therapeutic application of the
p53 gene before, during or after chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We have also exclusively licensed
from Aventis a United States patent and corresponding international applications directed to
therapy using the p53 gene together with taxanes such as Taxol® or Taxotere®.
Furthermore, we have exclusively licensed a United States patent application and corresponding
international applications directed to the use of the p53 gene in combination with surgical
intervention in cancer therapy.
Adenovirus Production, Purification and Formulation
17
Another focus of our research has involved the development of procedures for the
commercial-scale production of our potential adenoviral-based products, including that of ADVEXIN
therapy. In this regard, we own three issued United States patents as well as a number of pending
United States applications and corresponding international applications directed to highly purified
adenoviral compositions, commercial-scale processes for producing adenoviral gene-based
compositions having a high level of purity, as well as to storage-stable formulations. These
applications include procedures for preparing commercial quantities of recombinant adenoviruses for
gene-based products and include procedures applicable to the p53 gene, as well as any of the other
of our potential gene-based products. We have also licensed from Aventis a United States
application and corresponding international applications directed to processes for the production
of purified adenoviruses, which are useful for gene-based applications. With respect to
storage-stable formulations, we were issued a United States patent directed to compositions and
methods concerning improved, storage-stable adenovirus formulations. This patent is not limited to
our ADVEXIN product candidate and may eventually replace formulations currently in use.
Other Tumor Suppressor Genes
We either own or have exclusively licensed rights in a number of other patents and
applications directed to the clinical application of various tumor suppressor genes other than the
p53 gene, including the mda-7, BAK, the 3p21.3 gene family (FUS-1) and anti-sense K-ras genes. We
have exclusively licensed or optioned rights in a number of issued United States patents covering
the use of the mda-7, BAK and PTEN genes.
Other Therapeutic, Composition and Process Technologies
We own or have exclusively licensed a number of United States and international patent
applications on a range of additional technologies. These include various applications and patents
relating to the p53 gene, combination therapy with 2-methoxyestradiol, anti-proliferative factor
technologies, retroviral delivery systems, stimulation of anti-p53, screening and product assurance
technologies, as well as second-generation p53 gene molecules. We have exclusively licensed a
number of United States and international applications directed to various improved vectors for use
in gene-based protocols, gene-based applications employing more than one gene for disease
treatment, as well as applications directed to the delivery of genes for disease treatment without
the use of a vector, or non-viral therapy. For example, a United States patent, exclusively
licensed to us, was recently issued that is directed to adenoviruses that exhibit tissue specific
replication. We also have exclusive rights in an issued United States patent and corresponding
international applications directed to a low toxicity analogue of IL-2, also called F42K.
Benzimidazole Small Molecule Cancer Therapy Program
We also have exclusively licensed a United States and a corresponding international patent
application directed to the use of a family of known anti-helminthic benzimidazole molecules, most
notably mebendazole, in the treatment of cancer. These applications are directed generally to the
use of small molecules of the benzimidazole family to induce apoptosis in cancers, as well as to
treat cancer patients, particularly those having p53-related cancers. Both of these therapeutic
actions are based on the discovery by our scientists and their collaborators that members of the
benzimidazole family will actively induce apoptosis in cancer cells, particularly in conjunction
with the action of an endogenous or exogenously added p53 gene.
Financial Overview
Since our inception in 1993, we have used our resources primarily to conduct research and
development activities for ADVEXIN therapy and, to a lesser extent, other product candidates. At
September 30, 2005, we had an accumulated deficit of $136.7 million. We anticipate we will incur
losses in the future that may be greater than losses incurred in prior periods. At September 30,
2005, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $18.6 million. During the nine
months ended September 30, 2005, we used $16.7 million of cash and cash equivalents for operating
activities. In addition, we used $506,000 for purchases of property and equipment and $518,000 for
principal payments on notes payable to support those activities. These uses of cash were offset by
the receipt of $655,000 under notes payable to finance equipment acquisitions and by the receipt of
$601,000 from sales of common stock resulting from stock option exercises. We expect to incur
substantial additional operating expenses and losses over the next several years as our research,
development, pre-clinical testing and clinical trial activities
18
continue and as we evolve our operations and systems to support commercialization of our
product candidates. These losses, among other things, have caused and may cause our total assets,
stockholders equity and working capital to decrease. Currently, we earn revenue or income from
federal research grants, contract services and process development activities, the lease of a
portion of our facilities to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and interest income on cash placed in
short-term, investment grade securities. In order to fund our operating losses, we will need to
raise additional funds through public or private equity offerings, debt financings or additional
corporate collaboration and licensing arrangements. We do not know whether such additional
financing will be available when needed, or on terms favorable to us or our stockholders.
Mortgage Note Payable
In May 2004, we amended the mortgage note payable related to our facilities. The original $6.0
million principal balance of our note payable was increased to $7.8 million. The proceeds from this
increase were used to pay in full the principal and interest outstanding on another note payable
with an original principal balance of approximately $3.3 million, which resulted in that other note
being retired. In addition to this note retirement, the proceeds from this loan amendment were used
to pay the costs related to this transaction of $96,000 and to add $668,000 to our cash and cash
equivalents. The amended mortgage note payable bears interest at 6.25%. The note is payable in
monthly installments of $56,400 until May 2006. At that time, we may extend the note to a November
2009 maturity date. Upon such extension, the interest rate is modified to the lesser of (a) 2.5%
above the five-year U.S. Treasury Bond Note rate or (b) 8.5%, and principal and interest on the
note become payable in equal monthly installments based on a 225-month amortization period. The
principal balance outstanding on the notes extended maturity date is payable in full at that time.
Acquisition of Magnum Therapeutics Corporation
In October 2004, we acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Magnum, a company owned
by one of our executive officers at the time of this acquisition. We paid approximately $1.75
million for the Magnum stock by (1) issuing approximately 252,000 shares of our common stock valued
at approximately $1.48 million at the acquisition date and (2) assuming liabilities of
approximately $272,000. With respect to the common stock we issued for the acquisition, 50% of the
shares are held by an independent escrow agent for a period of approximately one year subsequent to
the acquisition date to satisfy the indemnification obligations of the selling shareholder under
terms of the purchase agreement.
Magnums primary asset is the right to receive funding under a grant from the National
Institutes of Health. The grant activities and related funding will supplement research and
development programs we have in progress. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we earned $1.1
million of revenue related to funding under this grant. During the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2005, we earned $302,000 and $711,000, respectively, of revenue related to funding
under this grant. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, we earned no revenue
under this grant. In the event certain of Magnums technologies result in commercial products, we
may be obligated to pay royalties related to the sales of those products to certain third parties.
The results of Magnums operations are included with those of the Company for the period
subsequent to the October 2004 acquisition date. Since Magnum was a development stage company at
the time we acquired it, this acquisition was accounted for as an asset acquisition and not a
business combination.
The total purchase consideration has been allocated to the assets acquired based on their
respective fair values at the date of acquisition. The following presents the fair value of the net
assets acquired (in thousands):
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Cash and cash equivalents |
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$ |
9 |
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Acquired grant rights |
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$ |
1,741 |
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Sales of Common Stock
In December 2004, we sold approximately 3.5 million shares of our common stock in a direct
equity offering pursuant to a shelf registration statement for an aggregate purchase price of
approximately $24.3 million. Our net proceeds from this transaction, after related fees and
expenses, were approximately $22.9 million. In connection
19
with this transaction, we have issued or will issue warrants to the placement agents
representing us in this stock sale to purchase up to 225,238 shares of our common stock at a price
of $6.65 per share and to purchase up to 88,707 shares of our common stock at a price of $8.00 per
share. These warrants are exercisable beginning in December 2005 and expire in December 2009.
In November 2005, we sold approximately 3.6 million shares of our common stock in a direct
equity sale to Colgate-Palmolive pursuant to a shelf registration statement for an aggregate
purchase price of approximately $20.0 million. Our net proceeds from this transaction, after
related fees and expenses, were approximately $19.8 million. Please see Managements Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsAlliance with Colgate-Palmolive
Company above for further discussion of our agreement with Colgate-Palmolive.
London Stock Exchange
We are evaluating the feasibility of listing our common stock on the LSE, which would be in
addition to the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ National Market System in the United
States. We believe an LSE listing would allow us to better leverage our assets on a global basis
and, specifically, in Europe and Asia.
Conversion of Preferred Stock to Common Stock
In June 2005, the 100,000 issued and outstanding shares of our Series A non-voting convertible
preferred stock were converted into 2,343,721 shares of our common stock. The shares of preferred
stock were cancelled and replaced by newly issued shares of our common stock. We received no cash
or other consideration in connection with this conversion. After this conversion, we have 5,000,000
shares of authorized and unissued preferred shares, of which 4,900,000 shares are undesignated and
100,000 shares are designated as Series A non-voting convertible preferred shares.
Investment in SR Pharma plc
In July 2005, we purchased approximately 8.3% of the issued share capital of SR Pharma for
approximately $3.0 million. SR Pharma is a European biotechnology company publicly traded on the
Alternative Investment Market of the LSE that is developing oncology and other products.
Research Grants
We have a Small Business Technology Transfer grant from the National Cancer Institute to
support our Phase 2 clinical trial of INGN 241 in patients with metastatic melanoma. Magnum, our
wholly-owned subsidiary, has a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National
Institutes of Health for the development of complementary adenoviral vectors for the treatment of
cancer. We earned revenue under these grants of $302,000 and $204,000 during the three months
ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004, respectively, and $941,000 and $578,000 during the
nine months ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004, respectively.
Critical Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent
assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues
and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-term Investments. Our cash, cash equivalents and short-term
investments include investments in short-term, investment grade securities, which currently consist
primarily of United States federal government obligations. These investments are classified as
held-to-maturity and are carried at amortized cost. At any point in time, amortized costs may be
greater or less than fair value. If investments are sold prior to maturity, we could incur a
realized gain or loss based on the fair market value of the investments at the date of sale. We
could incur future losses on investments if the investment issuer becomes impaired or the
investment is downgraded.
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Marketable Securities. Our marketable securities consist of issued share capital of other
public companies and are classified as available-for-sale. Unrealized gains and losses are computed
using the published share price of the applicable stock exchange at the close of business on the
last day of the reporting period and are reported as a separate component of accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders equity until realized.
Intangible Assets. Grant rights acquired, which are presented as an intangible asset on our
balance sheet, resulted from our asset acquisition related to the Magnum purchase in October 2004.
We amortize that asset to expense on a straight-line basis over the estimated remaining life of
that asset. We review purchased intangible assets for impairment whenever changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. Such evaluations compare
the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by
the asset over its expected useful life. If the asset is considered to be impaired, we record an
impairment charge equal to the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair
value determined by utilizing a discounted cash flow technique.
Research and Development Costs. In conducting our clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy and other
product candidates, we procure services from numerous third-party vendors. The cost of these
services constitutes a significant portion of the cost of these trials and of our research and
development expense in general. These vendors do not necessarily provide us billings for their
services on a regular basis and, accordingly, are often not a timely source of information to
determine the costs we have incurred relative to their services for any given accounting period. As
a result, we make significant accounting estimates as to the amount of costs we have incurred
relative to these vendors in each accounting period. These estimates are based on numerous factors,
including, among others, costs set forth in our contracts with these vendors, the period of time
over which the vendor will render the services and the rate of enrollment of patients in our
clinical trials. Using these estimates, we record expenses and accrued liabilities in each
accounting period that we believe fairly represent our obligations to these vendors. Actual results
could differ from these estimates, resulting in increases or decreases in the amount of expense
recorded and the related accrual. We have consistently applied these estimation procedures in the
past and plan to continue applying such procedures in the same manner during the foreseeable
future. Our experience has been that our estimates have reasonably reflected the expenses we
actually incur.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 4 in the Unaudited Notes to Condensed Financial Statements in the Financial
Statements section above for a discussion of recently issued accounting pronouncements related to
stock-based compensation.
Results of Operations
Our operations consist primarily of the research and development of our product candidates and
technologies described in the Product Development Overview section above. Our research and
development expense includes, but is not limited to, expenses related to personnel, facilities and
equipment, pre-clinical research, clinical trials, manufacturing of materials for use in clinical
trials, conducting data analysis and conducting regulatory documentation submissions to the FDA.
Our research and development expense can be divided between programs in the pre-clinical stage and
programs in the clinical stage, and general research and development expenses attributable to all
programs. We manage our business by tracking research and development expenses in these categories
in lieu of tracking research and development expenses on a project-by-project basis. Tables setting
forth the amount of research and development expense we have incurred in each of these categories
are presented below under Comparison of Quarters Ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004
and Comparison of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004.
To commercialize our product candidates, we must obtain certain regulatory approvals.
Satisfaction of regulatory requirements typically takes many years and involves compliance with
requirements covering pre-clinical research, clinical trials, manufacturing, quality control,
labeling and promotion of drugs for human use. To obtain regulatory approvals, we must, among other
requirements, complete clinical trials and other work demonstrating our product candidates are safe
and effective for a particular cancer type or other disease. The FDA and other similar agencies
throughout the world have substantial discretion over the work we must perform to obtain regulatory
approval.
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The likelihood that a product candidate will be commercially successful may be affected by a
variety of factors, including, among others, the quality of the product candidate, the validity of
the target and disease indication, early clinical data, competition, manufacturing capability and
commercial viability. Because of the discretion of the FDA and similar agencies throughout the
world, as well as the foregoing factors, we cannot predict with reasonable accuracy (1) the future
expenses we will incur developing these product candidates, (2) when we will complete our work in
developing these product candidates or (3) when, if ever, we will earn significant revenues from
approved products that might result from these product development programs.
For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with developing our products, as
well as the risks and uncertainties associated with potential commercialization of our product
candidates, see the Risk Factors section of this Managements Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations, particularly the risk factors entitled:
|
|
|
If we are unable to commercialize ADVEXIN® therapy in various markets for multiple
indications, particularly for the treatment of head and neck cancer, our business will
be harmed; |
|
|
|
|
If we fail to comply with FDA requirements or encounter delays or difficulties in
clinical trials for our product candidates, we may not obtain regulatory approval of
some or all of our product candidates on a timely basis, if at all; |
|
|
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|
Even if our products are approved by regulatory authorities, if we fail to comply
with ongoing regulatory requirements, or if we experience unanticipated problems with
our products, these products could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the
market; |
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|
Failure to comply with foreign regulatory requirements governing human clinical
trials and marketing approval for drugs could prevent us from selling our products in
foreign markets, which may adversely affect our operating results and financial
conditions; |
|
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|
|
If we continue to incur operating losses for a period longer than we anticipate and
fail to obtain the capital necessary to fund our operations, we will be unable to
advance our development program and complete our clinical trials; |
|
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|
|
If we cannot maintain our existing corporate and academic arrangements and enter
into new arrangements, we may be unable to develop products effectively, or at all; |
|
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|
If we are not able to create effective collaborative marketing relationships, we may
be unable to market ADVEXIN therapy successfully or in a cost-effective manner; and |
|
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|
Even if we receive regulatory approval to market our ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN
225 or other product candidates, we may not be able to commercialize them profitably. |
Comparison of Quarters Ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004
In the following comparison of quarters ended September 30, 2005, and September 30, 2004,
references to the 2005 period refer to the three months ended September 30, 2005, and references to
the 2004 period refer to the three months ended September 30, 2004.
Revenues
Contract Services, Grant and Other Revenue. For the 2005 period, we earned revenues from (a) a
research grant from a U.S. Government agency and (b) a third party under an agreement to provide
manufacturing process development and product production services for the third party. In the 2004
period, we earned revenue from (a) research grants from U.S. Government agencies and (b) contract
research services provided to Aventis, one of our stockholders, under an agreement through which
Aventis provided funding for the conduct of a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy in breast
cancer. Total contract services, grant and other revenue was $398,000 for the 2005 period compared
to $209,000 for the 2004 period, an increase of 90%. This increase was primarily due to (1) revenue
earned under the Small Business Innovation Research grant held by Magnum, our wholly-owned
subsidiary, as a result of our acquisition of Magnum in October 2004, which is revenue we did not
earn in the 2004 period and (2) increased contract services revenue from a third party under an
agreement to provide manufacturing process development and product production services for the
third party.
22
Costs and Expenses
Research and Development. Research and development expense consisted of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Pre-clinical stage programs expense |
|
$ |
751 |
|
|
$ |
608 |
|
Clinical stage programs expense |
|
|
4,141 |
|
|
|
3,831 |
|
General research and development expense |
|
|
842 |
|
|
|
651 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total research and development expense |
|
$ |
5,734 |
|
|
$ |
5,090 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There was no share-based compensation expense in research and development expense during the
2005 or 2004 periods. The 11% decrease in research and development expense was a result of lower
costs in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period related to our ongoing work on the BLA for
ADVEXIN therapy for filing with the FDA as a result of the 2004 period, including certain
activities related to the initial stages of the BLA preparation that were not repeated in the 2005
period. These lower costs were partially offset by increased manufacturing and process development
costs in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period as we continued to develop our manufacturing
operations in support of the BLA for ADVEXIN therapy and in support of the production of clinical
materials for use in clinical trials for our ADVEXIN therapy and other product candidates.
General and Administrative. General and administrative expenses were $1.7 million for both the
2005 period and the 2004 period. These expenses included share-based compensation expense of zero
in the 2005 period and $57,000 in the 2004 period. These expenses were comparable between periods
as the level of general and administrative activities remained sufficient to support our operations
during the respective quarters.
Share-Based Compensation Expense. Share-based compensation expense was zero for the 2005
period compared to $57,000 for the 2004 period. The 100% decrease in this expense was due to
expense charges related to options granted to two non-employees during 2004 (for which there have
been no similar transactions during 2005) becoming fully amortized in June 2005, resulting in no
further expense charges related to those options during the three months ended September 30, 2005.
See Note 4 of the Unaudited Notes to Condensed Financial Statements in the Financial
Statements section above for a discussion of our application of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards (SFAS) No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation and the expected future effects
of our adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment.
In addition to the future effects of our adoption of SFAS No. 123R, the amount of share-based
compensation expense we record in future periods may increase if, for example, (1) we issue
additional options to purchase shares of our common stock at a price below the market price of
common stock on the grant date of such options, (2) the market value of our common stock increases
or (3) additional options are granted to individuals or entities other than employees or directors.
Interest Income, Interest Expense and Other Income
Interest income was $161,000 for the 2005 period compared to $70,000 for the 2004 period, an
increase of 130%. This increase was primarily due to (1) an increase in our average short-term
investments versus cash and cash equivalents and (2) higher interest rates earned on our invested
funds during the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period.
Interest expense was $153,000 for the 2005 period compared to $125,000 for the 2004 period, an
increase of 22%. This increase was primarily due to (1) additional borrowings subsequent to the
2004 period to finance equipment acquisitions and (2) higher interest rates charged on borrowings
subsequent to the 2004 period.
Other income was $277,000 for the 2005 period compared to $269,000 for the 2004 period, an
increase of 3%. This income is earned primarily from our sublease of space to M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center. This increase was
23
due to normal variations in the amount and timing of our billing to this lessee of the portion
of the operating expenses of our facilities they are required to pay.
Comparison of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004
In the following comparison of the nine months ended September 30, 2005, and September 30,
2004, references to the 2005 period refer to the nine months ended September 30, 2005 and
references to the 2004 period refer to the nine months ended September 30, 2004.
Revenues
Contract Services, Grant and Other Revenue. For the 2005 period, we earned revenues from (a)
research grants from U.S. Government agencies and (b) third parties under agreements to provide
manufacturing process development and product production services for them. In the 2004 period, we
earned revenue from (a) research grants from U.S. Government agencies and (b) contract research
services provided to Aventis, one of our stockholders, under an agreement through which Aventis
provided funding for the conduct of a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy in breast cancer.
Total contract services, grant and other revenue was $1.2 million for the 2005 period compared to
$592,000 for the 2004 period, an increase of 103%. This increase was primarily due to (1) revenue
earned under the Small Business Innovation Research grant held by Magnum, our wholly-owned
subsidiary, as a result of our acquisition of Magnum in October 2004, which is revenue we did not
earn in the 2004 period and (2) increased contract services revenues from third parties under
agreements to provide manufacturing process development and product production services for them.
Costs and Expenses
Research and Development. Research and development expense consisted of the following:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nine Months Ended |
|
|
|
September 30, |
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
2005 |
|
Pre-clinical stage programs expense |
|
$ |
2,058 |
|
|
$ |
2,112 |
|
Clinical stage programs expense |
|
|
11,579 |
|
|
|
11,591 |
|
General research and development expense |
|
|
2,340 |
|
|
|
2,326 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total research and development expense |
|
$ |
15,977 |
|
|
$ |
16,029 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development expense included share-based payments expense of $396,000 in the 2005
period and $44,000 in the 2004 period. This slight increase in research and development expenses
was a result of (1) increased manufacturing and process development costs in the 2005 period
compared to the 2004 period offset by lower costs in the 2005 period related to the preparation of
the BLA for ADVEXIN therapy for filing with the FDA and (2) higher share-based compensation expense
in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period, which increased for the reasons discussed below
under Share-Based Compensation Expense.
General and Administrative. General and administrative expenses were $5.5 million for the 2005
period compared to $5.3 million for the 2004 period. These expenses included share-based
compensation expense of $403,000 in the 2005 period and $104,000 in the 2004 period. This 4%
increase in general and administrative expenses was due to (1) higher share-based compensation
expense, which increased for the reasons discussed below under Share-Based Compensation Expense,
(2) increased consulting and professional fees related to compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
offset by (3) decreased costs related to securities offerings not pursued to completion in the 2004
period that were not repeated in the 2005 period.
Share-Based Compensation Expense. Share-based compensation expense was $799,000 for the 2005
period compared to $148,000 for the 2004 period. The share-based payments expense for the 2005
period includes $415,000 of stock-based employee compensation expense, $249,000 of federal taxes
related to the common stock grants discussed in Note 10 of the Unaudited Notes to Condensed
Financial Statements in the Financial Statements section above and $135,000 related to
non-employee stock compensation expense. The 440% increase in this expense was primarily due to (1)
the grant of shares of our common stock to certain officers in the 2005
24
period (for which there was no similar transaction during the 2004 period) as a result of the
expiration of certain of their stock options as discussed in Note 10 of the Unaudited Notes to
Condensed Financial Statements in the Financial Statements section above and (2) increased
expense related to certain stock options granted to non-employees in the 2004 period (for which
there was no similar transaction during the 2005 period) as a result of the market price of our
common stock being generally higher during the 2005 period than during the 2004 period.
See Note 4 of the Unaudited Notes to Condensed Financial Statements in the Financial
Statements section above for a discussion of our application of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards (SFAS) No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation and the expected future effects
of our adoption of SFAS No. 123R, Share-Based Payment.
In addition to the future effects of our adoption of SFAS No. 123R, the amount of share-based
compensation expense we record in future periods may increase if, for example, (1) we issue
additional options to purchase shares of our common stock at a price below the market price of
common stock on the grant date of such options, (2) the market value of our common stock increases
or (3) additional options are granted to individuals or entities other than employees or directors.
Interest Income, Interest Expense and Other Income
Interest income was $538,000 for the 2005 period compared to $196,000 for the 2004 period, an
increase of 174%. This increase was primarily due to (1) an increase in our average short-term
investments versus cash and cash equivalents and (2) higher interest rates earned on our invested
funds during the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period.
Interest expense was $461,000 for the 2005 period compared to $353,000 for the 2004 period, an
increase of 31%. This increase was primarily due to (1) additional borrowings subsequent to the
2004 period to finance equipment acquisitions and (2) higher interest rates charged on borrowings
subsequent to the 2004 period.
Other income was $826,000 for the 2005 period compared to $825,000 for the 2004 period. This
income is earned primarily from our sublease of space to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
In the following discussion of liquidity and capital resources, references to the 2005 period
refer to the nine months ended September 30, 2005 and references to the 2004 period refer to the
nine months ended September 30, 2004.
We have incurred annual operating losses since our inception, and at September 30, 2005 we had
an accumulated deficit of $136.7 million. From inception through September 30, 2005 we have
financed our operations primarily from the following sources:
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$49.7 million of collaborative research and development payments from Aventis; |
|
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|
|
$41.4 million of equity sales in December 2003 and December 2004 through
registered direct offerings under a shelf registration statement filed with the SEC; |
|
|
|
|
$39.4 million of private equity sales to Aventis; |
|
|
|
|
$32.2 million of net proceeds from our initial public offering in October 2000; |
|
|
|
|
$26.6 million of private equity sales, net of offering costs, to others
(including $10.8 million from the private sale of our common stock in June 2003); |
|
|
|
|
$18.0 million from contract services, grants, interest and other income; |
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|
$9.9 million in mortgage financing from banks for our facilities; |
25
|
|
|
$7.5 million of sales of ADVEXIN therapy product to Aventis for use in later-stage clinical trials; and |
|
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|
|
$5.7 million in leases and notes payable from commercial lessors and lenders to
acquire equipment pledged as collateral for those leases and notes. |
At September 30, 2005, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $18.6
million, compared to $38.2 million at December 31, 2004. Cash and cash equivalents constituted
$10.6 million and $30.2 million of these amounts at September 30, 2005 and December 31, 2004,
respectively. This decrease in cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2005 as compared to
December 31, 2004 was due to activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2005, that
included (1) $16.7 million used in operating activities, (2) $3.5 million used by investing
activities and (3) $738,000 provided by financing activities. We expect to continue to focus our
activities primarily on conducting Phase 3 and other clinical trials, conducting data analysis
related to those trials, preparing regulatory documentation submissions to the FDA, producing
ADVEXIN therapy and other clinical materials for use in our clinical trials and conducting
pre-marketing activities for ADVEXIN therapy. We expect to continue our research and development of
various other gene-based technologies. If ADVEXIN therapy or any of our other product candidates
are approved for commercial sale by the FDA, we expect to conduct activities supporting the
marketing, sales, production and distribution of those products, either ourselves or in
collaboration with other parties. The majority of our expenditures for the foreseeable future will
most likely be for these activities as they relate to ADVEXIN therapy. These activities may
increase the rate at which we use cash in the future as compared to the cash we used for operating
activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2005. We believe our existing working capital
can fund our operations for the next 12 to 15 months, although we may have to make adjustments to
the scope of operations to achieve that objective, and unforeseen events could shorten that time
period. Our existing resources may not be sufficient to support the commercial introduction of any
of our product candidates. In order to fund our operating losses, we will need to raise additional
funds through public or private equity offerings, debt financings or additional corporate
collaboration and licensing arrangements. We do not know whether such additional financing will be
available when needed or on terms favorable to us or our stockholders.
Net cash used in operating activities was $16.7 million for the 2005 period compared to $15.8
million for the 2004 period. This increase was due to:
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|
An aggregate decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities during the
2005 period compared to an aggregate increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
during the 2004 period due to variations in the timing of payments to vendors that is a
function of the nature of vendors to whom we have obligations and variations in the terms
of payment to them; |
with the above item offset by:
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|
|
Depreciation that increased in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period due
to acquisitions of property and equipment subsequent to the 2004 period; |
|
|
|
|
Share-based compensation expense that increased in the 2005 period compared to
the 2004 period for the reasons discussed above under Comparison of the Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2005 and September 30, 2004; |
|
|
|
|
Amortization of grant rights acquired during the 2005 period for which there
was no similar expense during the 2004 period since the rights being amortized arose in
connection with our acquisition of Magnum in October 2004; |
|
|
|
|
A decrease in other assets during the 2005 period compared to an increase in
other assets during the 2004 period due to (1) a prepayment of certain expenses in the
2004 period that did not occur in the 2005 period and (2) a decrease in federal grant
funding receivable during the 2005 period compared to an increase in federal grant funding
receivable during the 2004 period due to the receipt in the 2005 period of grant funding
earned during that period whereas grant funding earned during the 2004 period was received
in subsequent periods; and |
26
|
|
|
An increase in deferred revenue during the 2005 period that was greater than
the increase during the 2004 period due to an increase in payments from third parties in
advance of us performing work under agreements to provide manufacturing process
development services for them. |
Net cash used in investing activities was $3.5 million for the 2005 period compared to $9.9
million for the 2004 period. This decrease was primarily due to (1) a lower level of equipment
purchases in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period and (2) a lower level of net activity in
purchases and maturities of short-term investments in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period
due to the 2004 period including a higher level of purchases of short-term investments as a result
of cash from the sale of our common stock in December 2003 being available for such investments
during the 2004 period. These decreases were offset by our investment in shares of SR Pharma in
July 2005 as discussed in Note 8 of the Unaudited Notes to Condensed Financial Statements in the
Financial Statements section above.
We have no obligations at this time to purchase significant amounts of additional property or
equipment, but our needs may change. It may be necessary for us to purchase larger amounts of
property and equipment to support our clinical programs and other research, development and
manufacturing activities. We may need to obtain debt or lease financing to facilitate such
purchases. If that financing is not available, we may need to use our existing resources to fund
those purchases, which could result in a reduction in the cash and cash equivalents available to
fund operating activities.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $738,000 during the 2005 period compared to $1.0
million during the 2004 period. This change was due to:
|
|
|
Higher proceeds from sales of common stock due to a higher level of stock
option exercises in the 2005 period compared to the 2004 period; |
|
|
|
|
A decrease in proceeds from notes payable in the 2005 period compared to the
2004 period due to the amendment of a mortgage note in the 2004 period, as discussed in the
Financial Overview section above, resulting in additional financing greater than that
obtained during the 2005 period for recent equipment acquisitions; and |
|
|
|
|
An increase in principal payments under notes payable and capital leases in the
2005 period compared to the 2004 period due to additional borrowings subsequent to the 2004
period to finance equipment acquisitions. |
We have an agreement with VirRx, which began in 2002, to purchase shares of VirRxs Series A
Preferred Stock. Key activity and provisions under this agreement include the following:
|
|
|
During the nine months ended September 30, 2005, we purchased $450,000 of
VirRxs Series A Preferred Stock for cash. These purchases are recorded as research and
development expense. We have agreed to purchase an additional $150,000 of this stock for
cash on the first day of each quarter through January 1, 2006. |
|
|
|
|
VirRx is required to use the proceeds from these stock sales in accordance with
the terms of a collaboration and license agreement between VirRx and us for the development
of VirRxs technologies. We may unilaterally terminate this collaboration and license
agreement with 90 days prior notice, which would also terminate the requirement for us to
make any additional stock purchases. |
|
|
|
|
Provided the collaboration and license agreement remains in place, we are
required to make additional milestone stock purchases, either for cash or through the
issuance of our common stock, upon the completion of Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical
trials involving technologies licensed under this agreement. We are required to make a $5.0
million cash milestone payment to VirRx, for which we receive no VirRx stock, upon approval
by the FDA of a BLA for the first collaboration product based on these technologies. To the
extent we have already made cash milestone payments, we may receive a credit of 50% of the
Phase 2 clinical trial milestone payments and 25% of the Phase 3 clinical trial milestone
payments against this $5.0 million cash milestone payment. The additional milestone stock
purchases and cash payment are not |
27
anticipated to be required in the near future. We have an option to purchase all outstanding
shares of VirRx at any time until March 2007.
We have fixed debt service obligations under notes payable for which the liability is
reflected on our balance sheet. We used the proceeds from these notes payable to finance facilities
and equipment. Aggregate payments due under these obligations are as follows (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt service payments for October 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 |
|
$ |
315 |
|
Total debt service due during the year ended December 31: |
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
1,196 |
|
2007 |
|
|
1,102 |
|
2008 |
|
|
777 |
|
2009 |
|
|
675 |
|
Thereafter |
|
|
10,155 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total debt service payments |
|
|
14,220 |
|
Less portion representing interest |
|
|
(5,609 |
) |
|
|
|
|
Total principal balance at September 30, 2005 |
|
$ |
8,611 |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal balance presented on the September 30, 2005 balance sheet as liabilities in these categories: |
|
|
|
|
Current portion of notes payable |
|
$ |
665 |
|
Notes payable, net of current portion |
|
|
7,946 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total principal balance at September 30, 2005 |
|
$ |
8,611 |
|
|
|
|
|
We have a fixed rent obligation under a ground lease for the land on which we built our
facilities. Since this is an operating lease, there is no liability reflected on our balance sheet
for this item, which is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. We make total
annual rent payments of at least $144,000 under this lease which will continue until the expiration
of the initial term of this lease in September 2026. Such payments are subject to adjustment in the
future for inflation. Future minimum annual rental payments due under all operating leases,
including a lease for office space we are in the process of extending, are as follows (in
thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
October 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005 |
|
$ |
89 |
|
Year ending December 31, |
|
|
|
|
2006 |
|
|
355 |
|
2007 |
|
|
261 |
|
2008 |
|
|
220 |
|
2009 |
|
|
144 |
|
Thereafter |
|
|
2,418 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total minimum lease payments under operating leases |
|
$ |
3,487 |
|
|
|
|
|
In the normal course of business, we enter into various long-term agreements with vendors to
provide services to us. Some of these agreements require up-front payment prior to services being
rendered, some require periodic monthly payments and some provide for the vendor to bill us for
their services as they are rendered. In substantially all cases, we may cancel these agreements at
any time with minimal or no penalty and pay the vendor only for services actually rendered.
Regardless of the timing of the payments under these agreements, we record the expenses incurred in
the periods in which the services are rendered.
Pursuant to a consulting agreement, we pay consulting fees of approximately $175,000 per annum
to EJ Financial Enterprises, Inc., a company owned by the Chairman of our Board of Directors. EJ
Financial Enterprises, Inc. provides us guidance on strategic product development, business
development and marketing activities. We are obligated to continue paying this fee until we
terminate the services of that company at our option.
We have a consulting agreement with Jack A. Roth, M.D., Chairman of the Department of Thoracic
Surgery and Director of the Keck Center for Gene Therapy at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center. Dr. Roth is the primary inventor of the technology upon which our ADVEXIN therapy is
based and numerous other technologies we utilize. We licensed Dr. Roths inventions from M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Roth is our Chief Medical Advisor and chairman of our scientific
advisory board. His duties involve the regular interaction and consultation with our scientists and
others on our behalf. As compensation for his services and responsibilities under this agreement,
we pay Dr. Roth $205,000 per annum, with that amount subject to adjustment for inflation in the
28
future. These payments continue through the end of the consulting agreement term on September
30, 2009. We may terminate this agreement at our option upon one years advance notice. If we had
terminated this agreement as of September 30, 2005, we would have been obligated to make final
payments totaling $205,000. Dr. Roth is one of our stockholders.
We have a consulting agreement with the placement agent and investment advisor who assisted us
with the sale of our common stock in December 2004. We will pay them a fee of $25,000 per month
through November 2005 in consideration for their ongoing assistance with business development and
financial matters.
We sublease a portion of our facilities to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center under a lease with a
non-cancelable term that expires in 2009. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is obligated to pay us rent
and facilities operating expense reimbursements of approximately $94,000 per month until February
2006 and $29,000 per month thereafter.
Risk Factors
If we are unable to commercialize ADVEXIN® therapy in various markets for multiple
indications, particularly for the treatment of head and neck cancer, our business will be
harmed.
Our ability to achieve and sustain operating profitability depends on our ability to
successfully commercialize ADVEXIN therapy in various markets for multiple indications, which
depends in large part on our ability to commence, execute and complete clinical programs and obtain
regulatory approvals for ADVEXIN therapy and other drug candidates. In particular, our ability to
achieve and sustain profitability will depend in large part on our ability to commercialize ADVEXIN
therapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer in the United States. We cannot assure you we
will receive approval for ADVEXIN therapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer or other types
of cancer or indications in the United States or in other countries or if approved that we will
achieve significant level of sales. If we are unable to do so, our business will be harmed.
If we fail to comply with FDA requirements or encounter delays or difficulties in clinical
trials for our product candidates, we may not obtain regulatory approval of some or all of our
product candidates on a timely basis, if at all.
In order to commercialize our product candidates, we must obtain certain regulatory approvals.
Satisfaction of regulatory requirements typically takes many years, and involves compliance with
requirements covering research and development, testing, manufacturing, quality control, labeling
and promotion of drugs for human use. To obtain regulatory approvals, we must, among other
requirements, complete clinical trials demonstrating our product candidates are safe and effective
for a particular cancer type or other disease. Regulatory approval of a new drug is never
guaranteed. The FDA has substantial discretion in the approval process. Despite the time and
experience exerted, failure can occur at any stage, and we could encounter problems causing us to
abandon clinical trials.
We have completed three Phase 2 clinical trials and are conducting two Phase 3 clinical trials
of our lead product candidate, ADVEXIN therapy, for the treatment of head and neck cancer. In
addition, we have completed a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy for the treatment of
non-small cell lung cancer and are conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial of ADVEXIN therapy for the
treatment of breast cancer. We also are conducting or have conducted several Phase 1 and Phase 2
clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy for other types of cancer. Current or future clinical trials may
demonstrate ADVEXIN therapy is neither safe nor effective.
While we have completed enrollment of patients in a Phase 1/early Phase 2 clinical trial of
INGN 241, a product candidate based on the mda-7 gene, and have initiated a follow-on Phase 2
clinical trial of INGN 241 for patients with metastatic melanoma, our most significant clinical
trial activity and experience has been with ADVEXIN therapy. We will need to continue conducting
significant research and animal testing, referred to as pre-clinical testing, to support performing
clinical trials for our other product candidates. It will take us many years to complete
pre-clinical testing and clinical trials, and failure could occur at any stage of testing. Current
or future clinical trials may demonstrate INGN 241 or our other product candidates are neither safe
nor effective.
Any delays or difficulties we encounter in our pre-clinical research and clinical trials, in
particular the Phase 3 clinical trials of ADVEXIN therapy for the treatment of head and neck
cancer, may delay or preclude regulatory
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approval. Our product development costs will increase if we experience delays in testing or
regulatory approvals or if we need to perform more or larger clinical trials than planned. Any
delay or preclusion could also delay or preclude the commercialization of ADVEXIN therapy or any
other product candidates. In addition, we or the FDA might delay or halt any of our clinical trials
of a product candidate at any time for various reasons, including:
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the product candidate is less effective and/or more toxic than current therapies; |
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the presence of unforeseen adverse side effects of a product candidate, including its delivery system; |
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a longer than expected time required to determine whether or not a product candidate is effective; |
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the death of patients during a clinical trial, even if the product candidate did not cause those deaths; |
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the failure to enroll a sufficient number of patients in our clinical trials; |
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the inability to produce sufficient quantities of a product candidate to complete the trials; or |
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the inability to commit the necessary resources to fund the clinical trials. |
We cannot be certain the results we observed in our pre-clinical testing will be confirmed in
clinical trials or the results of any of our clinical trials will support FDA approval.
Pre-clinical and clinical data can be interpreted in many different ways, and FDA officials could
interpret differently data we consider promising, which could halt or delay our clinical trials or
prevent regulatory approval.
Despite the FDAs designation of ADVEXIN therapy as a Fast Track product, we may encounter
delays in the regulatory approval process due to additional information requirements from the FDA,
unintentional omissions in our BLA for ADVEXIN therapy, or other delays in the FDAs review
process. We may encounter delays or rejections in the regulatory approval process because of
additional government regulation from future legislation or administrative action or changes in FDA
policy during the period of product development, clinical trials and FDA regulatory review.
Despite the initiation of the BLA process for ADVEXIN therapy under the FDAs accelerated
approval regulations, the FDA could determine that accelerated approval is not warranted and that a
traditional BLA filing must be made. Such a determination could delay regulatory approval.
Additionally, accelerated approval of an application could be subject to Phase 4 or post-approval
studies to validate the surrogate endpoint or confirm the effect on the clinical endpoint. Failure
to validate a surrogate endpoint or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing studies could
cause the product to be withdrawn from the market by the FDA on an expedited basis.
Even if our products are approved by regulatory authorities, if we fail to comply with ongoing
regulatory requirements, or if we experience unanticipated problems with our products, these
products could be subject to restrictions or withdrawal from the market.
Any product for which we obtain marketing approval, along with the manufacturing processes,
post-approval clinical data and promotional activities for such product, will be subject to
continual review and periodic inspections by the FDA and other regulatory bodies. Even if
regulatory approval of a product is granted, the approval may be subject to limitations on the
indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or certain requirements for costly
post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor the safety or efficacy of the product. Later
discovery of previously unknown problems with our products, including unanticipated adverse events
of unanticipated severity or frequency, manufacturer or manufacturing processes or failure to
comply with regulatory requirements, may result in restrictions on such products or manufacturing
processes, withdrawal of the products from the market, voluntary or mandatory recall, fines,
suspension of regulatory approvals, product seizures or detention, injunctions or the imposition of
civil or criminal penalties.
Failure to comply with foreign regulatory requirements governing human clinical trials and
marketing approval for drugs could prevent us from selling our products in foreign markets,
which may adversely affect our operating results and financial conditions.
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For marketing drugs and biologics outside the United States, the requirements governing the
conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary greatly from country
to country and may require additional testing. The time required to obtain approvals outside the
United States may differ from that required to obtain FDA approval. We may not obtain foreign
regulatory approval on a timely basis, if at all. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by
regulatory authorities in other countries, and approval by one foreign regulatory authority does
not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or by the FDA. Failure to comply
with these regulatory requirements or to obtain required approvals could impair our ability to
develop these markets and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and
financial condition.
We have a history of operating losses, expect to incur significant additional operating losses
and may never become profitable.
We have generated operating losses since we began operations in June 1993. As of September 30,
2005, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $136.7 million. We expect to incur substantial
additional operating expenses and losses over the next several years as our research, development,
pre-clinical testing and clinical trial activities increase. As we expand our operations and
develop systems to support commercialization of our product candidates, these losses, among other
things, have had, and are expected to continue to have, an adverse impact on our total assets,
stockholders equity and working capital.
We have no products that have generated any commercial revenue. Presently, we earn minimal
revenue from contract services activities, grants, interest income and rent from the lease of a
portion of our facilities to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. We do not expect to generate revenues
from the commercial sale of products in the near future, and we may never generate revenues from
the commercial sale of products.
If we continue to incur operating losses for a period longer than we anticipate and fail to
obtain the capital necessary to fund our operations, we will be unable to advance our
development program and complete our clinical trials.
Developing a new drug and conducting clinical trials is expensive. Our product development
efforts may not lead to commercial products, either because our product candidates fail to be found
safe or effective in clinical trials or because we lack the necessary financial or other resources
or relationships to pursue our programs through commercialization. Our capital and future revenues
may not be sufficient to support the expenses of our operations, the development of commercial
infrastructure and the conduct of our clinical trials and pre-clinical research.
We expect we will fund our operations over approximately the next 12 to 15 months with our
current working capital, which we accumulated primarily from sale of equity securities, income from
contract services and research grants, debt financing of equipment acquisitions, the lease of a
portion of our facilities to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and interest on invested funds. We may
need to raise additional capital sooner, however, under various circumstances, including if we
experience:
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an acceleration of the number, size or complexity of our clinical trials; |
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slower than expected progress in developing ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 or other product candidates; |
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higher than expected costs to obtain regulatory approvals; |
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higher than expected costs to pursue our intellectual property strategy; |
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higher than expected costs to further develop and scale up our manufacturing capability; |
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higher than expected costs to develop our sales and marketing capability; |
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faster than expected rate of progress and cost of our research and development and clinical trial activities; |
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a decrease in the amount and timing of milestone payments we receive from collaborators; |
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higher than expected costs of preparing an application for FDA approval of ADVEXIN therapy; |
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higher than expected costs of developing the processes and systems to support
FDA approval of ADVEXIN therapy; |
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an increase in our timetable and costs for the development of marketing
operations and other activities related to the commercialization of ADVEXIN therapy and our
other product candidates; |
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a change in the degree of success in our Phase 3 clinical trial of ADVEXIN
therapy and in the clinical trials of our other products; |
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the emergence of competing technologies and other adverse market developments; or |
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changes in or terminations of our existing collaboration and licensing arrangements. |
We do not know whether additional financing will be available when needed or on terms
favorable to us or our stockholders. We may need to raise any necessary funds through public or
private equity offerings, debt financings or additional corporate collaboration and licensing
arrangements. To the extent we raise additional capital by issuing equity securities, our
stockholders will experience dilution. If we raise funds through debt financings, we may become
subject to restrictive covenants. To the extent we raise additional funds through collaboration and
licensing arrangements, we may be required to relinquish some rights to our technologies or product
candidates, or grant licenses on terms not favorable to us. If we are not able to raise additional
funds, we may have to delay, reduce or eliminate our clinical trials and our development programs.
If we cannot maintain our existing corporate and academic arrangements and enter into new
arrangements, we may be unable to develop products effectively, or at all.
Our strategy for the research, development and commercialization of our product candidates may
result in our entering into contractual arrangements with corporate collaborators, academic
institutions and others. We have entered into sponsored research, license and/or collaborative
arrangements with several entities, including M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the National Cancer
Institute, Chiba University in Japan, VirRx and Corixa (which was acquired by GlaxoSmithKlein), as
well as numerous other institutions that conduct clinical trials work or perform pre-clinical
research for us. Our success depends upon our collaborative partners performing their
responsibilities under these arrangements and complying with the regulations and requirements
governing clinical trials. We cannot control the amount and timing of resources our collaborative
partners devote to our research and testing programs or product candidates, or their compliance
with regulatory requirements which can vary because of factors unrelated to such programs or
product candidates. These relationships may in some cases be terminated at the discretion of our
collaborative partners with only limited notice to us. We may not be able to maintain our existing
arrangements, enter into new arrangements or negotiate current or new arrangements on acceptable
terms, if at all. Some of our collaborative partners may also be researching competing technologies
independently from us to treat the diseases targeted by our collaborative programs.
If we are not able to create effective collaborative marketing relationships, we may be unable
to market ADVEXIN therapy successfully or in a cost-effective manner.
To effectively market our products, we will need to develop sales, marketing and distribution
capabilities. In order to develop or otherwise obtain these capabilities, we may have to enter into
marketing, distribution or other similar arrangements with third parties in order to sell, market
and distribute our products successfully. To the extent we enter into any such arrangements with
third parties, our product revenues are likely to be lower than if we directly marketed and sold
our products, and any revenues we receive will depend upon the efforts of such third parties. We
have no experience in marketing or selling pharmaceutical products and we currently have no sales,
marketing or distribution capability. We may be unable to develop sufficient sales, marketing and
distribution capabilities to commercialize our products successfully.
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Serious and unexpected side effects attributable to gene therapy may result in governmental
authorities imposing additional regulatory requirements or a negative public perception of our
products.
ADVEXIN therapy and most of our other product candidates under development could be broadly
described as gene therapies. A number of clinical trials are being conducted by other
pharmaceutical companies involving gene therapy, including compounds similar to, or competitive
with, our product candidates. The announcement of adverse results from these clinical trials, such
as serious unwanted and unexpected side effects attributable to treatment, or any response by the
FDA to such clinical trials, may impede the timing of our clinical trials, delay or prevent us from
obtaining regulatory approval or negatively influence public perception of our product candidates,
which could harm our business and results of operations and depress the value of our stock.
The United States Senate has held hearings concerning the adequacy of regulatory oversight of
gene therapy clinical trials, as well as the adequacy of research subject education and protection
in clinical research in general, and to determine whether additional legislation is required to
protect volunteers and patients who participate in such clinical trials. The Recombinant DNA
Advisory Committee, or RAC, which acts as an advisory body to the National Institutes of Health,
has expanded its public role in evaluating important public and ethical issues in gene therapy
clinical trials. Implementation of any additional review and reporting procedures or other
additional regulatory measures could increase the costs of or prolong our product development
efforts or clinical trials.
We report to the FDA and other regulatory agencies serious adverse events, including those we
believe may be reasonably related to the treatments administered in our clinical trials. Such
serious adverse events, whether treatment-related or not, could result in negative public
perception of our treatments and require additional regulatory review or measures, which could
increase the cost of or prolong our clinical trials.
The FDA has not approved any gene therapy product or gene-induced product for sale in the
United States. The commercial success of our products will depend in part on public acceptance of
the use of gene therapy products or gene-induced products, which are a new type of disease
treatment for the prevention or treatment of human diseases. Public attitudes may be influenced by
claims that gene therapy products or gene-induced products are unsafe, and these treatment
methodologies may not gain the acceptance of the public or the medical community. Negative public
reaction to gene therapy products or gene-induced products could also result in greater government
regulation and stricter clinical trial oversight.
We cannot predict the safety profile of the use of ADVEXIN therapy when used in combination with
other therapies.
Many of our trials involve the use of ADVEXIN therapy in combination with other drugs or
therapies. While the data we have evaluated to date suggest ADVEXIN therapy does not increase the
adverse effects of other therapies, we cannot predict if this outcome will continue to be true or
whether possible adverse side effects not directly attributable to the other drugs will compromise
the safety profile of ADVEXIN therapy when used in certain combination therapies.
If we fail to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, our competitors may be able
to take advantage of our research and development efforts to develop competing drugs.
Our commercial success will depend in part on obtaining patent protection for our products and
other technologies and successfully defending these patents against third-party challenges. Our
patent position, like that of other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, is highly
uncertain. One uncertainty is the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or PTO, or the courts,
may deny or significantly narrow claims made under patents issued to us or patent applications we
file. This is particularly true for patent applications or patents that concern biotechnology and
pharmaceutical technologies, such as ours, since the PTO and the courts often consider these
technologies to involve unpredictable sciences. Another uncertainty is any patents that may be
issued or licensed to us may not provide any competitive advantage to us because they may not
effectively preclude others from developing and marketing products like ours. Also, our patents may
be successfully challenged, invalidated or circumvented in the future. In addition, our
competitors, many of which have substantial resources and have made significant investments in
competing technologies, may seek to apply for and obtain patents that will prevent, limit
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or interfere with our ability to make, use and sell our potential products either in the
United States or in international markets.
Our ability to develop and protect a competitive position based on our biotechnological
innovations, innovations involving genes, gene-induced therapeutic protein agents, viruses for
delivering the genes to cells, formulations, gene therapy delivery systems not involving viruses,
and the like, is particularly uncertain. Due to the unpredictability of the biotechnological
sciences, the PTO, as well as patent offices in other jurisdictions, has often required patent
applications concerning biotechnology-related inventions to be limited or narrowed substantially to
cover only the specific innovations exemplified in the patent application, thereby limiting their
scope of protection against competitive challenges. Similarly, courts have invalidated or
significantly narrowed many key patents in the biotechnology industry. Thus, even if we are able to
obtain patents covering commercially significant innovations, our patents may not be upheld or our
patents may be substantially narrowed.
Through our exclusive license from The University of Texas System for technology developed at
M. D Anderson Cancer Center, we have obtained and are currently seeking further patent protection
for adenoviral p53, including ADVEXIN therapy, and its use in cancer therapy. Further, the PTO
issued us a United States patent for our adenovirus production technology as well as a related
patent for purified adenoviral compositions. We also control, through licensing arrangements, five
issued United States patents for combination therapy involving the p53 gene and conventional
chemotherapy or radiation, two issued United States patents covering the use of adenoviral p53 in
cancer therapy, one issued United States patent covering adenoviral p53 as a product, one issued
United States patent covering the core DNA of adenoviral p53, one issued patent covering
pharmaceutical compositions of adenoviral p53 and clinical applications of such pharmaceutical
compositions, as well as three patents covering our mda-7 technology. Our competitors may challenge
the validity of one or more of our patents in the courts or through an administrative procedure
known as an interference, in which the PTO determines the priority of invention where two or more
parties are claiming the same invention. The courts or the PTO may not uphold the validity of our
patents, we may not prevail in such interference proceedings regarding our patents and none of our
patents may give us a competitive advantage. In this regard, we have been notified by the PTO that
an unidentified third party is attempting to provoke an interference with one of our patents
directed to adenoviral p53 therapy. We do not at present know the identity of this party and cannot
assess the likelihood of an interference actually being declared. Should that party prevail in an
interference proceeding, a patent may issue to that party that is infringed by, and therefore
potentially preclude our commercialization of, products like ADVEXIN therapy that are used for
adenoviral p53 therapy.
Schering-Plough has filed with the European Patent Office, or EPO, an opposition against our
European patent directed to combination therapy with p53 and conventional chemotherapy and/or
radiation. An opposition is an administrative proceeding instituted by a third party and conducted
by the EPO to determine whether a patent should be maintained or revoked in part or in whole, based
on evidence brought forth by the party opposing the patent. The EPO held an initial oral proceeding
in October 2003 and determined our patent should be maintained as amended. Schering-Plough has
appealed this decision, which is set to be heard and decided in February 2006. Resolution of this
appeal will require we expend time, effort and money. If Schering-Plough ultimately prevails in
having our European patent revoked on appeal, then the scope of our protection for our product in
Europe will be reduced. We would not expect, however, such a result to have a significant
detrimental impact on our commercialization efforts in Europe.
Third-party claims of infringement of intellectual property could require us to spend time and
money to address the claims and could limit our intellectual property rights.
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry has been characterized by extensive litigation
regarding patents and other intellectual property rights, and companies have employed intellectual
property litigation to gain a competitive advantage. We are aware of a number of issued patents and
patent applications related to gene therapy, the treatment of cancer and the use of the p53 and
other tumor suppressor genes. Schering-Plough Corporation, including its subsidiary Canji, Inc.,
controls various United States applications and a European patent and applications, some of which
are directed to therapy using the p53 gene, and others to adenoviruses containing the p53 gene, or
adenoviral p53, and to methods for carrying out therapy using adenoviral p53. Adenoviral p53
technology underlies our ADVEXIN therapy product candidate. Furthermore, we are aware of a United
States patent directed to replication-deficient recombinant adenoviral vectors apparently
controlled by Transgene SA. While we
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believe the claims of the Transgene adenoviral vector patent are invalid or not infringed by
our products, Transgene could assert a claim against us.
One of the foregoing patent applications directed to p53 therapy, which we understand is owned
by The Johns Hopkins University and controlled by Schering-Plough, was involved in a PTO
interference proceeding with a patent owned by Canji. This Johns Hopkins application was the United
States counterpart to the European patent recently revoked in its entirety by the EPO (see below).
Priority of invention in that interference was awarded by the PTO to the Johns Hopkins inventors,
leading to the issuance of a United States patent, and the Canji patent has been found
unpatentable. While it is our belief that the claims of the Johns Hopkins patent are invalid and
not infringed by our ADVEXIN therapy, Schering-Plough or Johns Hopkins may assert that our ADVEXIN
therapy, which uses p53 therapy, infringes the claims of such patent. While we believe we would
have both an invalidity and non-infringement defense against such an assertion, in the United
States an issued patent enjoys a presumption of validity, which can be overcome only through clear
and convincing evidence. We cannot assure you such a defense would prevail.
We may also become subject to infringement claims or litigation arising out of other patents
and pending applications of our competitors, if they issue, or additional interference proceedings
declared by the PTO to determine the priority of inventions. The defense and prosecution of
intellectual property suits, PTO interference proceedings and related legal and administrative
proceedings are costly and time-consuming to pursue, and their outcome is uncertain. Litigation may
be necessary to enforce our issued patents, to protect our trade secrets and know-how or to
determine the enforceability, scope and validity of the proprietary rights of others. An adverse
determination in litigation or interference proceedings to which we may become a party could
subject us to significant liabilities, require us to obtain licenses from third parties, or
restrict or prevent us from selling our products in certain markets. Although patent and
intellectual property disputes are often settled through licensing or similar arrangements, costs
associated with such arrangements may be substantial and could include ongoing royalties.
Furthermore, the necessary licenses may not be available to us on satisfactory terms, if at all. In
particular, if we were found to infringe a valid claim of the Transgene adenoviral vector United
States patent, the Johns Hopkins patent or a patent that may issue from a currently pending
application, our business could be materially harmed.
We have recently been involved in patent opposition proceedings before the EPO, in which we
have sought to have the EPO revoke three different European patents owned or controlled by
Canji/Schering-Plough. These European patents relate to the use of a p53 gene, or the use of tumor
suppressor genes, in the preparation of therapeutic products. In one opposition involving a Canji
European patent directed to the use of a tumor suppressor gene, the EPO revoked the European patent
in its entirety in a final, non-appealable decision. In the second opposition, involving a patent
that is directed to therapeutic and other applications of the p53 gene and that is owned by Johns
Hopkins and, we understand, controlled by Schering-Plough, the EPO recently revoked the patent in
its entirety. The patent owner has appealed this decision and a final hearing before the EPO
Technical Board of Appeals was held in June 2005, at which time the Technical Board of Appeals
confirmed the final revocation of all claims of this patent relevant to clinical therapeutic
applications of the p53 gene. In a third case involving the use of a p53 gene, the European patent
at issue was initially upheld, but finally revoked in a hearing held in late April 2004.
We may be subject to litigation and infringement claims that may be costly, divert managements
attention, and materially harm our business.
Extensive litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights has been common
in the biopharmaceutical industry. Litigation may be necessary to assert infringement claims,
enforce patent rights, protect trade secrets or know-how and determine the enforceability, scope
and validity of certain proprietary rights. The defense and prosecution of intellectual property
lawsuits, PTO interference proceedings, and related legal and administrative proceedings in the
United States and internationally involve complex legal and factual questions. As a result, such
proceedings are costly and time-consuming to pursue and their outcome is uncertain.
Regardless of merit or outcome, our involvement in any litigation, interference or other
administrative proceedings could cause us to incur substantial expense and could significantly
divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel. An adverse determination may subject
us to the loss of our proprietary position or to
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significant liabilities, or require us to seek licenses that may include substantial cost and
ongoing royalties. Licenses may not be available from third parties, or may not be obtainable on
satisfactory terms. An adverse determination or a failure to obtain necessary licenses may restrict
or prevent us from manufacturing and selling our products, if any. These outcomes could materially
harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we fail to meet our obligations under license agreements, we may lose our rights to key
technologies on which our business depends.
Our business depends in part on patents licensed from third parties. Those third-party license
agreements impose obligations on us, such as payment obligations and obligations to diligently
pursue development of commercial products under the licensed patents. If a licensor believes we
have failed to meet our obligations under a license agreement, the licensor could seek to limit or
terminate our license rights, which could lead to costly and time-consuming litigation and,
potentially, a loss of the licensed rights. During the period of any such litigation, our ability
to carry out the development and commercialization of product candidates could be significantly and
negatively affected. If our license rights were restricted or ultimately lost, our ability to
continue our business based on the affected technology platform would be severely adversely
affected.
Competition and technological change may make our product candidates and technologies less
attractive or obsolete.
We compete with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Canji, Inc. and Genvec,
Inc., which are pursuing forms of treatment similar to ours for the diseases ADVEXIN therapy and
our other product candidates target. We are aware Canji, with its parent Schering-Plough, has in
the past been involved in research and/or development of adenoviral p53 products and has numerous
patents and patent applications relating to adenoviral p53 therapy. We understand Schering-Plough
has stopped its adenoviral p53 clinical trials, and it is unknown whether these parties are
continuing their adenoviral p53 research and/or development efforts. We are also aware that a
Chinese pharmaceutical company, SiBioNo GeneTech, Inc., has recently announced it has received
regulatory approval from the Chinese drug regulatory agency to market an adenoviral p53 product
only in China. We control an issued Chinese patent covering adenoviral p53, and a number of pending
Chinese applications directed to p53 therapy and adenoviral production. We understand enforcement
of patents in China is unpredictable and we do not know if monetary damages could be recovered from
SiBioNo GeneTech if its product infringes our patent or patent applications. Patent enforcement and
respect of international patent standards, rules and laws have not historically been a key
characteristic of the Chinese government and patent system. Further, geopolitical developments,
including trade and tariff disputes between the government of China and the United States
Department of Commerce could add additional uncertainty to any effort to enforce patents, recover
damages, if any, or engage in the sales and marketing of patented or non-patented products in
China. We also may face competition from companies that may develop internally or acquire competing
technology from universities and other research institutions. As these companies develop or acquire
their technologies, they may develop competitive positions that may prevent or limit our product
commercialization efforts.
Some of our competitors are established companies with greater financial and other resources
than ours. Other companies may succeed in developing products earlier than we do, obtaining FDA
approval for products before we do or developing products that are more effective than our product
candidates. While we will seek to expand our technological capabilities to remain competitive,
research and development by others may render our technology or product candidates obsolete or
non-competitive or result in treatments or cures superior to any therapy developed by us.
Even if we receive regulatory approval to market our ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN 225 or
other product candidates, we may not be able to commercialize them profitably.
Our profitability will depend on the markets acceptance of ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN
225, if approved, and our other product candidates. The commercial success of our product
candidates will depend on whether:
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they are more effective than alternative treatments; |
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their side effects are acceptable to patients and doctors; |
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insurers and other third-party healthcare payers will provide adequate reimbursement for them; |
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we produce and sell them at a profit; and |
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we market ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241, INGN 225 and other product candidates effectively. |
We must achieve significant market share and obtain high per-patient prices for our products to
achieve profitability.
ADVEXIN therapy, our lead product candidate will, if approved, initially be targeted for the
treatment of recurrent squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, a disease with an annual
incidence of approximately 40,000 patients in the United States. As a result, our per-patient
prices must be sufficiently high in order to recover our development costs and achieve
profitability. Until additional disease targets with larger potential markets are approved, we
believe we will need to market worldwide to achieve significant market penetration. If we are
unable to obtain sufficient market share for our drug products at a high enough price, or obtain
expanded approvals for larger markets, we may not achieve profitability or be able to independently
continue our product development efforts.
If we are unable to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities or obtain regulatory
approvals for our manufacturing facilities, or if our manufacturing process is found to infringe
a valid patented process or processes of another company, then we may be unable to meet demand
for our products and lose potential revenues.
To complete our clinical trials and commercialize our product candidates, if approved, we will
need access to, or development of, facilities to manufacture a sufficient supply of our product
candidates. We have used manufacturing facilities we constructed in Houston, Texas to manufacture
ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 and other product candidates for currently planned clinical trials. We
anticipate our facilities are suitable for the initial commercial launch of ADVEXIN therapy. We
have no experience manufacturing ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 or any other product candidates in the
volumes necessary to support commercial sales. If we are unable to manufacture our product
candidates in clinical or, when necessary, commercial quantities, then we will need to rely on
third-party manufacturers to produce our products for clinical and commercial purposes. These
third-party manufacturers must receive FDA approval before they can produce clinical material or
commercial product. Our products may be in competition with other products for access to these
facilities and may be subject to delays in manufacture if third parties give other products greater
priority than ours. In addition, we may not be able to enter into any necessary third-party
manufacturing arrangements on acceptable terms. There are a limited number of contract
manufacturers who currently have the capability to produce ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 or our other
product candidates, and the inability of any of these contract manufacturers to deliver our
required quantities of product candidates timely and at commercially reasonable prices would
negatively affect our operations.
Before we can begin commercially manufacturing ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 or any other product
candidate, we must obtain regulatory approval of our manufacturing facilities and process.
Manufacturing of our product candidates for clinical and commercial purposes must comply with the
FDAs CGMP requirements, and foreign regulatory requirements. The CGMP requirements govern quality
control and documentation policies and procedures. In complying with CGMP and foreign regulatory
requirements, we will be obligated to expend time, money and effort in production, record keeping
and quality control to assure the product meets applicable specifications and other requirements.
We must also pass a FDA inspection prior to FDA approval.
Our current manufacturing facilities have not yet been subject to a Pre-Approval Inspection by
the FDA or other global regulatory authorities. Failure to pass Pre-Approval Inspections may
significantly delay approval of our products. If we fail to comply with these requirements, we
would be subject to possible regulatory action and may be limited in the jurisdictions in which we
are permitted to sell our products. Further, the FDA and foreign regulatory authorities have the
authority to perform unannounced periodic inspections of our manufacturing facilities to ensure
compliance with CGMP and foreign regulatory requirements. Our facilities in Houston, Texas are our
only manufacturing facilities. If these facilities were to incur significant damage or destruction,
then our ability
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to manufacture ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 or any other product candidates would be
significantly hampered, and our pre-clinical testing, clinical trials and commercialization efforts
would be delayed.
In order to produce our products in the quantities we believe will be required to meet
anticipated market demand, if our products are approved, we will need to increase, or scale-up,
our production process. If we are unable to do so, or if the cost of this scale-up is not
economically viable to us, we may not be able to produce our products in a sufficient quantity to
meet the requirements of future demand.
Canji controls a United States patent and the corresponding international applications,
including a European counterpart, relating to the purification of viral or adenoviral compositions.
While we believe our manufacturing process does not infringe this patent, Canji could still assert
a claim against us. We may also become subject to infringement claims or litigation if our
manufacturing process infringes upon other patents. The defense and prosecution of intellectual
property suits and related legal and administrative proceedings are costly and time-consuming to
pursue, and their outcome is uncertain.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers for some of our manufacturing materials. Any problems
experienced by such suppliers could negatively affect our operations.
We rely on third-party suppliers for most of the equipment, materials and supplies used in the
manufacturing of ADVEXIN therapy, INGN 241 and our other product candidates. Some items critical to
the manufacture of these product candidates are available from only a limited number of suppliers
or vendors. We do not have supply agreements with these key suppliers. To mitigate the related
supply risk, we maintain inventories of these items. Any significant problem experienced by one or
more of this limited number of suppliers could result in a delay or interruption in the supply of
materials to us until the supplier cures the problem or until we locate an alternative source of
supply. Such problems would likely lead to a delay or interruption in our manufacturing operations
or could require a significant modification to our manufacturing process, which could impair our
ability to manufacture our product candidates in a timely manner and negatively affect our
operations.
If product liability lawsuits are successfully brought against us, we may incur substantial
damages and demand for our product candidates may be reduced.
The testing and marketing of medical products is subject to an inherent risk of product
liability claims. Regardless of their merit or eventual outcome, product liability claims may
result in:
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decreased demand for our product candidates; |
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injury to our reputation and significant media attention; |
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withdrawal of clinical trial volunteers; |
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substantial delay in FDA approval; |
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costs of litigation; and |
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substantial monetary awards to plaintiffs. |
We currently maintain product liability insurance with coverage of $5.0 million per occurrence
with a $10.0 million annual aggregate limit. This coverage may not be sufficient to protect us
fully against product liability claims. We intend to expand our product liability insurance
coverage beyond clinical trials to include the sale of commercial products if we obtain marketing
approval for any of our product candidates. Our inability to obtain sufficient product liability
insurance at an acceptable cost to protect against product liability claims could prevent or limit
the commercialization of our products.
We use hazardous materials in our business, and any claims relating to improper handling,
storage or disposal of these materials could harm our business.
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Our business involves the use of a broad range of hazardous chemicals and materials.
Environmental laws impose stringent civil and criminal penalties for improper handling, disposal
and storage of these materials. In addition, in the event of an improper or unauthorized release
of, or exposure of individuals to, hazardous materials, we could be subject to civil damages due to
personal injury or property damage caused by the release or exposure. A failure to comply with
environmental laws could result in fines and the revocation of environmental permits, which could
prevent us from conducting our business.
Our stock price may fluctuate substantially.
The market price for our common stock will be affected by a number of factors, including:
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progress and results of our pre-clinical and clinical trials; |
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announcement of technological innovations by us or our competitors; |
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developments concerning proprietary rights, including patent and litigation matters; |
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publicity regarding actual or potential results with respect to products under
development by us or by our competitors; |
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regulatory developments; |
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the announcement of new products by us or our competitors; |
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quarterly variations in our or our competitors results of operations; |
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failure to achieve operating results projected by securities analysts; |
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changes in earnings estimates or recommendations by securities analysts; |
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developments in our industry; and |
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general market conditions and other factors. |
In addition, stock prices for many companies in the technology and emerging growth sectors
have experienced wide fluctuations that have often been unrelated to the operating performance of
such companies.
If we do not progress in our programs as anticipated, our stock price could decrease.
For planning purposes, we estimate the timing of a variety of clinical, regulatory and other
milestones, such as when a certain product candidate will enter clinical development, when a
clinical trial will be completed or when an application for regulatory approval will be filed. Some
of our estimates are included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Our estimates are based on
present facts and a variety of assumptions. Many of the underlying assumptions are outside of our
control. If milestones are not achieved when we expect them to be, investors could be disappointed,
and our stock price may decrease.
Any acquisition we might make may be costly and difficult to integrate, may divert management
resources or dilute stockholder value.
As part of our business strategy, we may acquire assets or businesses principally relating to
or complementary to our current operations, and we have in the past evaluated and discussed such
opportunities with interested parties. Any acquisitions we undertake will be accompanied by the
risks commonly encountered in business acquisitions. These risks include, among other things:
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potential exposure to unknown liabilities of acquired companies; |
39
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the difficulty and expense of assimilating the operations and personnel of acquired businesses; |
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diversion of management time and attention and other resources; |
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loss of key employees and customers as a result of changes in management; |
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the incurrence of amortization expenses; and |
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possible dilution to our stockholders. |
In addition, geographic distances may make the integration of businesses more difficult. We
may not be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered in connection
with any acquisitions.
If we lose key personnel or are unable to attract and retain additional, highly skilled
personnel required to develop our products or obtain new collaborations, our business will
suffer.
We depend, to a significant extent, on the efforts of our key employees, including senior
management and senior scientific, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and other personnel. The
development of new therapeutic products requires expertise from a number of different disciplines,
some of which is not widely available. We depend upon our scientific staff to discover new product
candidates and to develop and conduct pre-clinical studies of those new potential products. Our
clinical and regulatory staff is responsible for the design and execution of clinical trials in
accordance with FDA requirements and for the advancement of our product candidates toward FDA
approval. Our manufacturing staff is responsible for designing and conducting our manufacturing
processes in accordance with the FDAs CGMP requirements. The quality and reputation of our
scientific, clinical, regulatory and manufacturing staff, especially the senior staff, and their
success in performing their responsibilities, are a basis on which we attract potential funding
sources and collaborators. In addition, our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers
are involved in a broad range of critical activities, including providing strategic and operational
guidance. The loss of these individuals, or our inability to retain or recruit other key management
and scientific, clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and other personnel, may delay or prevent us
from achieving our business objectives. We face intense competition for personnel from other
companies, universities, public and private research institutions, government entities and other
organizations.
Future changes in financial accounting standards or practices or existing taxation rules or
practices may cause adverse unexpected financial reporting fluctuations and affect our reported
results of operations.
A change in accounting standards or practices or a change in existing taxation rules or
practices can have a significant effect on our reported results and may even affect our reporting
of transactions completed before the change is effective. New accounting pronouncements and
taxation rules and varying interpretations of accounting pronouncements and taxation practice have
occurred and may occur in the future. Changes to existing rules or the questioning of current
practices may adversely affect our reported financial results or the way we conduct our business.
For example, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based
Payment, (SFAS No. 123R) is effective for us beginning the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. This
statement requires that employee stock-based compensation be measured based on its fair-value on
the grant date and treated as an expense that is reflected in the financial statements over the
related service period. While we are currently evaluating the impact on our consolidated financial
statements of the adoption of SFAS No. 123R, we anticipate that our adoption of SFAS No. 123R will
have a significant impact on our results of operations for 2005 and subsequent periods.
Some of our insiders are parties to transactions with us that may cause conflicting obligations.
Dr. John N. Kapoor, the Chairman of our Board of Directors, is also associated with EJ
Financial Enterprises, Inc., a healthcare investment firm that is wholly owned by him, and
therefore may have conflicts of interest in allocating his time among us and his other business
activities, and he may have legal obligations to multiple entities. We have entered into a
consulting agreement with EJ Financial. The consulting agreement provides we will pay EJ Financial
$175,000 per year for certain management consulting services, which is based on anticipated time
spent by EJ Financial personnel on our affairs. EJ Financial is also involved in the management of
healthcare companies in various fields, and Dr. Kapoor is involved in various capacities with the
management and operation of these
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companies. In addition, EJ Financial is involved with other companies in the cancer field.
Although these companies are pursuing different therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer,
discoveries made by one or more of these companies could render our products less competitive or
obsolete.
David Parker, Ph.D., J.D., our Vice President, Intellectual Property, is a partner with the
law firm Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, which provides legal services to us as our primary outside
counsel for intellectual property matters.
In October 2004, we acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of Magnum, a company owned
by one of our executive officers. We paid approximately $1.75 million for the Magnum stock by (1)
issuing approximately 252,000 shares of our common stock valued at approximately $1.48 million at
the acquisition date and (2) assuming liabilities of approximately $272,000. With respect to the
common stock we issued for the acquisition, 50% of the shares are held by an independent escrow
agent for a period of approximately one year subsequent to the acquisition date to satisfy the
indemnification obligations of the selling shareholder under terms of the purchase agreement.
Magnums primary asset is the right to receive funding under a research grant from the National
Institutes of Health. Such grant activities and related funding will supplement research and
development programs we have in progress. During the year ended December 31, 2004, we earned $1.1
million of revenue under this grant. In the event certain of Magnums technologies result in
commercial products, we may be obligated to pay royalties related to the sales of those products to
certain third parties.
We have relationships with Jack A. Roth, M.D., and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, both of whom
are affiliated with The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System, one of our
stockholders. For more information concerning these relationships, see the notes to our
consolidated financial statements and the footnotes thereto as of December 31, 2004, and for the
year then ended, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the SEC on March 15,
2005.
We believe the foregoing transactions with insiders were and are in our best interests and the
best interests of our stockholders. However, the transactions may cause conflicts of interest with
respect to those insiders.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our fixed rate
long-term debt and short-term investments in investment grade securities, which consist primarily
of federal government obligations. Investments are classified as held-to-maturity and are carried
at amortized cost. We do not hedge interest rate exposure or invest in derivative securities. A
hypothetical 100-basis point decrease in the interest rates of our investments at the investment
balances as of September 30, 2005 would decrease our interest income by approximately $186,000 per
year and approximately $46,500 per quarter.
At September 30, 2005, the fair value of our fixed-rate debt approximated its carrying value
based upon discounted future cash flows using current market prices.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Our management evaluated, with the
participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of
our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer
have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information
we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules
and forms.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. There was no change in our internal
control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our
internal control over financial reporting.
41
PART II
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
We are involved from time to time in legal proceedings relating to claims arising out of our
operation in the ordinary course of business, including actions relating to intellectual property
rights.
We do not believe that the outcome of any present, or all litigation in the aggregate, will
have a material effect on our business. You can read the discussion of our opposition of the
patents under Risk Factors.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
None.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
None.
Item 5. Other Information
Pursuant to Section 10A(i)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as added by Section 202
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are responsible for disclosing the non-audit services
approved by the Audit Committee to be performed by Ernst & Young LLP, our independent auditors.
Non-audit services are defined as services other than those provided in connection with an audit or
a review of our financial statements. Except as set forth below, the services approved by the Audit
Committee are each considered by the Audit Committee to be audit-related services closely related
to the financial audit process. Each of the services was pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
The Audit Committee has also pre-approved additional engagements of Ernst & Young LLP for the
non-audit services of preparation of state and federal tax returns.
Item 6. Exhibits
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description of Document |
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4.4
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Form of Stock Purchase Warrant |
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10.52
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Letter Agreement Amendment dated July 14, 2005 by and
between Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. and Suiter
Limited |
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31.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended |
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32.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 the
Registrant has duly caused this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
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Introgen Therapeutics, Inc.
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By:
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/s/ James W. Albrecht, Jr. |
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James W. Albrecht, Jr. |
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On behalf of the Registrant and as Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
November 9, 2005
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description of Document |
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4.4
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Form of Stock Purchase Warrant |
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10.52
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Letter Agreement Amendment dated July 14, 2005 by and
between Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. and Suiter
Limited |
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31.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended |
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32.1
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 |
44