UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2006
OR
TRANSITION REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For the transition period from to
Commission File Number 0-19635
GENTA INCORPORATED
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 33-0326866 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
||
200 Connell
Drive Berkeley Heights, NJ |
07922 | ||
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | ||
(908) 286-9800 | |||
(Registrant's 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 No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of ‘‘accelerated filer and large accelerated filer’’ in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer | Accelerated filer | Non-accelerated filer | ||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).
Yes No
As of August 4, 2006, the registrant had 133,689,158 shares of common stock outstanding.
Genta
Incorporated
INDEX TO FORM
10-Q
Page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION |
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Item 1. | Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited): |
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Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005 | 3 |
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Consolidated Statements
of Operations for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 and 2005 |
4 |
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Consolidated Statements
of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 and 2005 |
5 |
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | 6 |
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Item 2. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 17 |
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Item 3. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk | 25 |
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Item 4. | Controls and Procedures | 25 |
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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION |
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Item 1. | Legal Proceedings | 27 |
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Item 1A. | Risk Factors | 28 |
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Item 2. | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds | 41 |
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Item 3. | Defaults Upon Senior Securities | 41 |
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Item 4. | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders | 41 |
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Item 5. | Other Information | 42 |
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Item 6. | Exhibits | 43 |
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SIGNATURES | 44 |
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CERTIFICATIONS |
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GENTA INCORPORATED
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE
SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except par value data) | June 30, 2006 |
December 31, 2005 |
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ASSETS |
|
|
||||||||||
Current assets: |
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||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 9,211 |
|
$ | 9,314 |
|
||||||
Marketable securities (Note 3) | 26,597 |
|
11,968 |
|
||||||||
Accounts receivable – net of allowances of $40 at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively | 65 |
|
59 |
|
||||||||
Inventory (Note 4) | 358 |
|
396 |
|
||||||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 1,275 |
|
1,655 |
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||||||||
Total current assets | 37,506 |
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23,392 |
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Property and equipment, net (Note 5) | 405 |
|
1,077 |
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||||||||
Prepaid royalties (Note 6) | 1,268 |
|
1,268 |
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||||||||
Other assets | 1,662 |
|
1,649 |
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Total assets | $ | 40,841 |
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$ | 27,386 |
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LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY |
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Current liabilities: |
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Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $ | 10,112 |
|
$ | 10,960 |
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||||||
Notes payable | 275 |
|
729 |
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||||||||
Total current liabilities | 10,387 |
|
11,689 |
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Commitments and contingencies (Note 12) |
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Stockholders' equity (Note 7): |
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Preferred stock, 5,000 shares authorized | — |
|
— |
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||||||||
Series
A convertible preferred stock, $.001 par value; 8 and 10 shares issued and outstanding, liquidation value of $385 and $485 at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively |
— |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Series G participating cumulative preferred stock, $.001 par value; 0 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005 | — |
|
— |
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||||||||
Common stock, $.001 par value; 250,000 and 150,000 shares authorized, 133,670 and 114,550 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively | 134 |
|
115 |
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||||||||
Additional paid-in capital | 412,956 |
|
373,709 |
|
||||||||
Accumulated deficit | (382,725 |
)
|
(358,187 |
)
|
||||||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income | 89 |
|
60 |
|
||||||||
Total stockholders' equity | 30,454 |
|
15,697 |
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||||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 40,841 |
|
$ | 27,386 |
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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
3
GENTA INCORPORATED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended June 30, | Six Months Ended June 30, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
(In thousands, except par value data) | 2006 | 2005 | 2006 | 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
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|
|
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||||||||||||||||||||
License fees and royalties | $ | — |
|
$ | 1,556 |
|
$ | — |
|
$ | 5,241 |
|
||||||||||||
Development funding | — |
|
6,234 |
|
— |
|
20,988 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Product sales – net (Note 2) | 379 |
|
97 |
|
446 |
|
172 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total revenues | 379 |
|
7,887 |
|
446 |
|
26,401 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost of goods sold | 22 |
|
(3 |
)
|
38 |
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12 |
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||||||||||||||||
Total cost of goods sold | 22 |
|
(3 |
)
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38 |
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12 |
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||||||||||||||||
Operating expenses: |
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|
|
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Research and development | 8,637 |
|
5,551 |
|
13,387 |
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9,421 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 6,716 |
|
4,635 |
|
12,173 |
|
8,621 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses – gross | 15,353 |
|
10,186 |
|
25,560 |
|
18,042 |
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||||||||||||||||
Aventis reimbursement | — |
|
(2,838 |
)
|
— |
|
(6,090 |
)
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses – net | 15,353 |
|
7,348 |
|
25,560 |
|
11,952 |
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||||||||||||||||
Other income/(expense): |
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|
|
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Gain on forgiveness of debt | — |
|
1,297 |
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— |
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1,297 |
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||||||||||||||||
Gain on maturity of marketable securities | 28 |
|
— |
|
121 |
|
— |
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||||||||||||||||
Interest income and other income, net | 343 |
|
101 |
|
526 |
|
285 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest expense | (17 |
)
|
(21 |
)
|
(33 |
)
|
(75 |
)
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||||||||||||||||
Total other income | 354 |
|
1,377 |
|
614 |
|
1,507 |
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Net (loss)/income | $ | (14,642 |
)
|
$ | 1,919 |
|
$ | (24,538 |
)
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income per basic and diluted share (Note 10) | $ | (0.11 |
)
|
$ | 0.02 |
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$ | (0.19 |
)
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$ | 0.17 |
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Shares used in computing net (loss)/income per basic share | 133,667 |
|
95,358 |
|
125,969 |
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95,358 |
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Shares used in computing net (loss)/income per diluted share | 133,667 |
|
95,531 |
|
125,969 |
|
95,535 |
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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
4
GENTA INCORPORATED
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH
FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
(In thousands) | 2006 | 2005 | ||||||||||
Operating Activities: |
|
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Net (loss)/income | $ | (24,538 |
)
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
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Adjustments to reconcile net (loss)/income to net cash used in operating activities: |
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Depreciation and amortization | 694 |
|
1,337 |
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Stock-based compensation (Note 8) | 1,443 |
|
— |
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Provision for sales returns | (300 |
)
|
— |
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Accounts receivable allowances | 7 |
|
4 |
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||||||||
Gain on maturity of marketable securities | (121 |
)
|
— |
|
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Loss on disposition of property and equipment | — |
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3 |
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||||||||
Compensation expense related to certain stock options issued in 1999 and 2000 | — |
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22 |
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Non-cash reimbursement of research and development expense | — |
|
(6,090 |
)
|
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Provision for excess inventory | — |
|
(21 |
)
|
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Gain on forgiveness of debt | — |
|
(1,297 |
)
|
||||||||
Amortization of deferred revenues | — |
|
(26,228 |
)
|
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Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
|
||||||||||
Accounts receivable | (13 |
)
|
(22 |
)
|
||||||||
Inventory (Note 4) | 38 |
|
33 |
|
||||||||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 380 |
|
825 |
|
||||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | (548 |
)
|
(6,051 |
)
|
||||||||
Other assets | (13 |
)
|
(10 |
)
|
||||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (22,971 |
)
|
(21,551 |
)
|
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Investing Activities: |
|
|
||||||||||
Purchase of marketable securities (Note 3) | (34,880 |
)
|
(9,942 |
)
|
||||||||
Maturities of marketable securities (Note 3) | 20,401 |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Purchase of property and equipment | (22 |
)
|
(26 |
)
|
||||||||
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | — |
|
34 |
|
||||||||
Net cash used in investing activities | (14,501 |
)
|
(9,934 |
)
|
||||||||
Financing Activities: |
|
|
||||||||||
Repayments of note payable | (454 |
)
|
(589 |
)
|
||||||||
Issuance of common stock, net (Note 7) | 37,725 |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options | 98 |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities | 37,369 |
|
(589 |
)
|
||||||||
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents | (103 |
)
|
(32,074 |
)
|
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 9,314 |
|
36,489 |
|
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | $ | 9,211 |
|
$ | 4,415 |
|
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See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
5
GENTA
INCORPORATED
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
June 30,
2006
(Unaudited)
1. | Organization and Business |
Genta Incorporated (‘‘Genta’’ or the ‘‘Company’’) is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in drug research and development, its sole reportable segment. The Company is dedicated to the identification, development and commercialization of novel drugs for the treatment of cancer and related diseases.
The Company has had recurring annual operating losses since its inception. Management expects that such losses will continue at least until its lead product, Genasense® (oblimersen sodium) Injection, receives approval for commercial sale in one or more indications. Achievement of profitability for the Company is dependent on the timing of Genasense® regulatory approvals in the U.S. and outside the U.S. Any adverse events with respect to approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (‘‘FDA’’) and/or European Medicines Agency (‘‘EMEA’’) could negatively impact the Company’s ability to obtain additional funding or identify potential partners.
The Company has prepared its financial statements under the assumption that it is a going concern. The Company’s recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
The Company had $35.8 million of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities on hand at June 30, 2006. Net cash used in operating activities during the six months ended June 30, 2006 was $23.0 million, which represents an average monthly outflow of $3.8 million. Management anticipates that cash outflow will increase in the upcoming months to prepare for the potential commercial approval and product launch of Genasense®. The Company should have sufficient cash funds to maintain its operations into the first quarter of 2007.
If the New Drug Application for Genasense® is approved, the Company anticipates that it will require additional cash if it undertakes to launch the product in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2006 in order to maximize the commercial opportunity. The Company has commenced discussions with several companies regarding partnerships for the further development and global commercialization of Genasense®. Those discussions are currently ongoing. Additional alternatives available to the Company to subsequently sustain its operations include financing arrangements with potential corporate partners, debt financing, asset-based loans, royalty-based financings, equity financing and other sources. However, there can be no assurance that any such collaborative agreements or other sources of funding will be available on favorable terms, if at all.
If the Company is unable to raise additional funds, management will need to do one or more of the following:
• | delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of the Company’s research and product development programs and sales and marketing activity; |
• | license third parties to develop and commercialize products or technologies that the Company would otherwise seek to develop and commercialize themselves; |
• | attempt to sell the Company; |
• | cease operations; or |
• | declare bankruptcy. |
6
2. | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements are presented on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. All professional accounting standards that are effective as of June 30, 2006 have been considered in preparing the consolidated financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect reported earnings, financial position and various disclosures. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior-year amounts to conform to the current-year presentation. The unaudited consolidated financial statements and related disclosures have been prepared with the presumption that users of the interim financial information have read or have access to the audited financial statements for the preceding fiscal year. Accordingly, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005. Results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. The Company has experienced significant quarterly fluctuations in operating results and it expects those fluctuations will continue.
Revenue Recognition
Genta recognizes revenue from product sales when title to product and associated risk of loss has passed to the customer and the Company is reasonably assured of collecting payment for the sale. All revenue from product sales are recorded net of applicable allowances for returns, rebates and other applicable discounts and allowances. The Company allows return of its product for up to twelve months after product expiration. In December 2004, a wholesaler contacted the Company to return a significant portion of its inventory of Ganite®. The Company agreed to the return of this product and recorded a provision for sales returns, as well as provided for potential returns from other wholesalers. In January 2005, the wholesaler returned $0.5 million of Ganite®. In the second quarter of 2006, the Company revised its forecast of expected Ganite® returns based on actual experience to date, product expiration dates and data obtained from wholesalers. As a result, the Company reduced its sales provision by $0.3 million, to reflect this change in estimate. At June 30, 2006, the Company’s remaining provision for sales returns was $0.3 million.
In April 2002, the Company entered into a development and commercialization agreement (‘‘Collaborative Agreement’’) with Aventis. On November 8, 2004, Aventis gave notice to Genta that it was terminating its Collaborative Agreement with the Company. Under the terms of the agreement, Aventis continued to fund ongoing development activities for a six-month period. The Company follows the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (‘‘SAB’’) No. 104, Revenue Recognition and Emerging Issues Task Force (‘‘EITF’’) No. 00-21, Accounting for Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables.
In accordance with EITF No. 00-21 the Company analyzes its multiple element arrangements to determine whether the elements can be separated and accounted for individually as separate units of accounting. The Company recognizes license payments as revenue if the license has stand-alone value and the fair value of the undelivered items can be determined. If the license is considered to have stand-alone value but the fair value on any of the undelivered items cannot be determined, the license payments are recognized as revenue over the period of performance for such undelivered items or services. The Company’s estimate of the period of performance involves management judgment. Amounts received for milestones are recognized upon achievement of the milestone, as long as the milestone is deemed to be substantive and the Company has no other performance obligations.
7
The Company determined that, due to the nature of the ongoing development work related to its Collaborative Agreement with Aventis, the end of the development phase and the fair value of the undelivered elements were not determinable. Accordingly, the Company deferred recognition of the initial licensing fee and up-front development funding received from Aventis and recognized these payments on a straight-line basis over the original estimated useful life of the related first-to-expire patent of 115 months. As a result of the notice of termination of the agreement with Aventis, the Company determined that the remaining deferred revenue should be recognized over the six-month termination notice period from November 2004 to May 2005.
Research and Development
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred, including raw material costs required to manufacture products for clinical trials. Reimbursements for applicable Genasense®-related costs under the Collaborative Agreement, which terminated in May 2005, were recorded as a reduction to expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
On March 23, 2006, the Company entered into an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Emisphere Technologies, Inc. to develop an oral formulation of a gallium-containing compound. Under the terms of the new agreement, Genta will pay Emisphere up to $24 million only upon the achievement of certain milestones during the course of product development and royalties based upon sales. To date, no milestone payments have been made.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities
The carrying amounts of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. Marketable securities primarily consist of government securities, all of which are classified as available-for-sale marketable securities. Management determines the appropriate classification of securities at the time of purchase and reassesses the classification at each reporting date.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, ranging from three to five years. Leasehold improvements incurred in the renovation of the Company’s current offices are being amortized over the remaining life of the leases. The Company’s policy is to evaluate the appropriateness of the carrying value of the undepreciated value of long-lived assets. If such evaluation were to indicate an impairment of assets, such impairment would be recognized by a write-down of the applicable assets.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost being determined using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
Income Taxes
The Company uses the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred income taxes are determined based on the estimated future tax effects of differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities given the provisions of the enacted tax laws. Management records valuation allowances against net deferred tax assets, if based upon the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company generated additional net operating losses during the six months ended June 30, 2006 and continues to maintain a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets.
8
Stock Options
Effective January 1, 2006, Genta adopted the fair value recognition provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, (‘‘SFAS 123R’’), using the modified prospective transition method and therefore has not restated results for prior periods. Under the new standard, all share-based payments including grants of employee stock options are recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations based on their fair values, as pro-forma disclosure is no longer an alternative. The amount of compensation cost is measured based on the grant-date fair value of the equity instrument issued. The Company utilizes a Black-Scholes option-pricing model to measure the fair value of stock options granted to employees. See Note 8 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for a further discussion on stock-based compensation.
3. | Marketable Securities |
The carrying amounts of the Company’s marketable securities, which are primarily securities of government-backed agencies, approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value of available-for-sale marketable securities is as follows ($ thousands):
June
30, 2006 |
December
31, 2005 |
|||||||||||
Cost | $ | 26,508 |
|
$ | 11,908 |
|
||||||
Gross unrealized gains | 101 |
|
60 |
|
||||||||
Gross unrealized losses | (12 |
)
|
— |
|
||||||||
Fair value | $ | 26,597 |
|
$ | 11,968 |
|
||||||
During the six months ended June 30, 2006, the Company recorded $121 thousand in realized gains on the maturity of marketable securities.
The estimated fair value of each marketable security has been compared with its cost, and therefore, a net unrealized gain of $89 thousand and $60 thousand has been recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income at June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively.
4. | Inventory |
Inventory consisted of the following ($ thousands):
June
30, 2006 |
December 31, 2005 |
|||||||||||
Raw materials | $ | 191 |
|
$ | 191 |
|
||||||
Work in process | — |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Finished goods | 167 |
|
205 |
|
||||||||
$ | 358 |
|
$ | 396 |
|
|||||||
On May 10, 2005, the Company announced that Genta and Aventis had signed an agreement to finalize the termination of their development and commercialization collaboration for Genasense®. The termination agreement provided for no future financial obligations by either party and Aventis returned its current inventory of Genasense® drug supply to Genta. With this returned drug supply, the Company has substantial quantities of Genasense® which are recorded at zero cost. Such inventory would be available for the commercial launch of this product, should Genasense® be approved.
9
5. | Property and Equipment |
Property and equipment is comprised of the following ($ thousands):
Estimated Useful Lives |
June 30, 2006 |
December 31, 2005 |
||||||||||||||||
Computer equipment | 3 |
|
$ | 2,893 |
|
$ | 2,871 |
|
||||||||||
Software | 3 |
|
3,349 |
|
3,349 |
|
||||||||||||
Furniture and fixtures | 5 |
|
936 |
|
936 |
|
||||||||||||
Leasehold improvements | Life of lease | 410 |
|
410 |
|
|||||||||||||
Equipment | 5 |
|
82 |
|
82 |
|
||||||||||||
7,770 |
|
7,748 |
|
|||||||||||||||
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization | (7,365 |
)
|
(6,671 |
)
|
||||||||||||||
$ | 405 |
|
$ | 1,077 |
|
|||||||||||||
6. | Prepaid Royalties |
In December 2000, the Company recorded $1.3 million as the fair value for its commitment to issue 162,338 shares of common stock to a major university as consideration for an amendment to a license agreement initially executed on August 1, 1991 related to antisense technology licensed from the university. The amendment provided for a reduction in the royalty percentage rate to be paid to the university based on the volume of sales of the Company’s products containing the antisense technology licensed from such university. These shares were issued in the first quarter of 2001. The Company will amortize the prepaid royalties upon the commercialization of Genasense® through the term of the arrangement, which expires twelve years from the date of first commercial sale.
7. | Stockholders’ Equity |
Common Stock
In March 2006, the Board of Directors approved an amendment to increase the number of shares of authorized common stock to 250.0 million shares from 150.0 million shares. In June 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved this amendment at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
In March 2006, the Company issued 19.0 million shares of its common stock at a price of $2.15 per share, raising $37.7 million, net of fees and expenses.
In September 2005, the Board of Directors adopted a Stockholder Rights Plan and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a ‘‘Right’’) for each outstanding share of common stock of the Company, payable to holders of record as of the close of business on September 27, 2005. Generally, the rights become exercisable upon the earlier of the close of business on the tenth business day following the first public announcement that any person or group has become a beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Company’s common stock and the close of business on the tenth business day after the date of the commencement of a tender or exchange offer by any person which would, if consummated, result in such person becoming a beneficial owner of 15% or more of the Company’s common stock. Each Right shall be exercisable to purchase, for $25.00, subject to adjustment, one one-hundredth of a newly registered share of Series G Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share of the Company.
In August 2005, the Company issued 19.1 million shares of its common stock and received net proceeds of approximately $16.0 million.
10
Series A Preferred Stock
Each share of Series A Preferred Stock is immediately convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock, at a rate determined by dividing the aggregate liquidation preference of the Series A Preferred Stock by the conversion price. The conversion price is subject to adjustment for antidilution. As of June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, each share of Series A Preferred Stock was convertible into 10.6853 and 9.8067 shares of common stock, respectively. At June 30, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Company had 7,700 and 9,700 shares, respectively, of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. In April 2006, a holder of 2,000 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock converted these shares into the Company’s common stock in a non-cash transaction.
Series G Preferred Stock
The Company has authorized 5.0 million shares of preferred stock of which 2.0 million shares has been designated Series G Participating Cumulative Preferred. At June 30, 2006, the Company had no issued or outstanding shares of Series G Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock.
Common Stock Reserved
At June 30, 2006, the Company had 133.7 million shares of common stock outstanding, 12.8 million additional shares reserved for the conversion of convertible preferred stock and the exercise of outstanding options and warrants and 5.2 million additional shares of common stock authorized for issuance and remaining to be granted under the Company’s stock option plans.
8. | Stock-Based Compensation |
Effective January 1, 2006, the Company adopted SFAS 123R, which requires the Company to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for all equity awards granted based on the fair value of the award as of the grant date. SFAS 123R supersedes Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation (‘‘SFAS 123’’), and Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees (‘‘APB 25’’). The Company adopted SFAS 123R using the modified prospective transition method, which requires the Company to record compensation cost related to unvested stock awards as of December 31, 2005 by recognizing the unamortized grant date fair value of these awards over the remaining requisite service periods of those awards, with no change in historical reported earnings. Awards granted after December 31, 2005 are valued at fair value in accordance with the provisions of SFAS 123R and are recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of each award. The new standard also requires the Company to estimate forfeiture rates for all unvested awards, which it has done for 2006 based on its historical experience.
The Company estimates the fair value of each option award on the date of the grant using a Black-Scholes option valuation model. Expected volatilities are based on the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock over a period commensurate with the options’ expected term. The expected term represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding and is calculated in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘SEC’’) guidance provided in the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin 107, (‘‘SAB 107’’), using a ‘‘simplified’’ method. The risk-free interest rate assumption is based upon observed interest rates appropriate for the expected term of the Company’s stock options. The following table summarizes the weighted-average assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model for options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005:
2006 | 2005 | |||||||||||
Expected volatility | 97 |
%
|
119 |
%
|
||||||||
Expected dividends | — |
|
— |
|
||||||||
Expected term (in years) | 6.25 |
|
6.25 |
|
||||||||
Risk-free rate | 4.6 |
%
|
4.3 |
%
|
||||||||
11
Prior to 2006, the Company accounted for stock-based compensation in accordance with APB 25 using the intrinsic value method, which did not require that compensation cost be recognized for the Company’s stock options, provided the option exercise price was not less than the common stock’s fair market value on the date of the grant. The Company provided pro-forma disclosure amounts in accordance with SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation — Transition and Disclosure, as if the fair value method defined by SFAS No. 123 had been applied to its stock-based compensation. The Company’s net income and net income per share for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2005 would have been reduced if compensation cost related to stock options had been recorded in the financial statements based on fair value at the grant dates.
The following table sets forth the pro-forma net income as if the fair value method had been applied to all awards:
($ thousands, except per share data) | Three
Months Ended June 30, 2005 |
Six Months Ended June 30, 2005 |
||||||||||
Net income applicable to common shares, as reported | $ | 1,919 |
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
||||||
Add: Equity related employee compensation expense included in reported net income, net of related tax effects | 11 |
|
22 |
|
||||||||
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair values based method for all awards, net of related tax effects | (1,408 |
)
|
(2,954 |
)
|
||||||||
Pro forma net income | $ | 522 |
|
$ | 13,012 |
|
||||||
Net income per share attributable to common shareholders: |
|
|
||||||||||
As reported: Basic and diluted | $ | 0.02 |
|
$ | 0.17 |
|
||||||
Pro forma: Basic and diluted | $ | 0.01 |
|
$ | 0.14 |
|
||||||
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2005, selling, general and administrative expenses include $11 thousand and $22 thousand, respectively, of non-cash compensation expense related to certain stock options issued in 1999 and 2000.
As a result of adopting SFAS 123R, the impact to the Consolidated Statement of Operations was to increase expenses and net loss by approximately $0.8 million and $1.4 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006, respectively. The impact on both basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 was $0.01 per share. The estimated share-based compensation expense, related to all of the Company’s share-based awards, recognized for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2006 was comprised as follows:
($ thousands, except per share data) | Three
Months Ended June 30, 2006 |
Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 |
||||||||||
Research and development expenses | $ | 191 |
|
$ | 398 |
|
||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses | 655 |
|
1,045 |
|
||||||||
Total share-based compensation expense | $ | 846 |
|
$ | 1,443 |
|
||||||
Net share-based compensation expense, per common share: |
|
|
||||||||||
Basic | $ | 0.01 |
|
$ | 0.01 |
|
||||||
Diluted | $ | 0.01 |
|
$ | 0.01 |
|
||||||
12
As of June 30, 2006, the Company has two share-based compensation plans, which are described below.
1998 Stock Incentive Plan
In June 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to increase the total number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the Company’s 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, (the ‘‘1998 Plan’’), from 18.5 million to 20.5 million shares. Pursuant to the 1998 Plan, 20.5 million shares have been provided for the grant of stock options to employees, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company. Option awards must be granted with an exercise price at not less than the fair market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant; those option awards generally vest over a four-year period in equal increments of 25%, beginning on the first anniversary of the date of the grant. All options granted have contractual terms of ten years from the date of the grant.
The following table summarizes the option activity under the 1998 Plan as of June 30, 2006 and changes during the six months then ended:
Stock Options | Number of Shares (in thousands) |
Weighted Average Exercise Price |
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years) |
Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Outstanding at January 1, 2006 | 9,418 |
|
$ | 5.04 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Granted | 1,928 |
|
$ | 2.08 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Exercised | — |
|
— |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Forfeited or expired | 123 |
|
$ | 6.98 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Outstanding at June 30, 2006 | 11,223 |
|
$ | 4.51 |
|
5.9 |
|
$ | 317 |
|
||||||||||||||
Exercisable at June 30, 2006 | 6,969 |
|
$ | 4.21 |
|
4.3 |
|
$ | 76 |
|
||||||||||||||
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during the three months and six months ended June 30, 2006 was $1.32 and $1.68, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value (the difference between Genta’s closing stock price on the last trading day of the second quarter of 2006 and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in-the money options) that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their options on June 30, 2006. The amount of aggregate intrinsic value will change based on the fair market value of the Company’s stock.
As of June 30, 2006, there was approximately $3.4 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation granted under the 1998 Plan, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.
1998 Non-Employee Directors’ Plan
Pursuant to the Company’s 1998 Non-Employee Directors’ Plan as amended (the ‘‘Directors’ Plan’’), 3.8 million shares have been provided for the grant of non-qualified stock options to the Company’s non-employee members of the Board of Directors. Option awards must be granted with an exercise price at not less than the fair market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. Initial option grants vest over a three-year period in equal increments, beginning on the first anniversary of the date of the grant. Subsequent grants, generally vest on the date of the grant. All options granted have contractual terms of ten years from the date of the grant.
The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date using the same valuation model used for options granted under the 1998 Plan.
13
The following table summarizes the option activity under the Directors’ Plan as of June 30, 2006 and changes during the six months then ended:
Stock Options | Number of Shares (in thousands) |
Weighted Average Exercise Price |
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years) |
Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||||
Outstanding at January 1, 2006 | 1,158 |
|
$ | 6.26 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Granted | 135 |
|
$ | 2.07 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Exercised | 100 |
|
$ | 0.98 |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Forfeited or expired | — |
|
— |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
Outstanding at June 30, 2006 | 1,193 |
|
$ | 6.23 |
|
6.1 |
|
$ | 129 |
|
||||||||||||||
Exercisable at June 30, 2006 | 1,145 |
|
$ | 6.44 |
|
6.0 |
|
$ | 108 |
|
||||||||||||||
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during the three and six months ended June 30, 2006 was $1.67. The aggregate intrinsic value in the table above represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value (the difference between Genta’s closing stock price on the last trading day of the first quarter of 2006 and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in-the money options) that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their options on June 30, 2006. The amount of aggregate intrinsic value will change based on the fair market value of the Company’s stock. The intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2006 was $0.2 million.
9. | Comprehensive Income |
An analysis of comprehensive income is presented below:
($ in thousands) | Three Months
Ended June 30, |
Six Months Ended June 30, |
||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | 2005 | 2006 | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income | $ | (14,642 |
)
|
$ | 1,919 |
|
$ | (24,538 |
)
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
||||||||||||
Change
in market value on available-for-sale marketable securities |
89 |
|
44 |
|
29 |
|
46 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total comprehensive (loss)/income | $ | (14,553 |
)
|
$ | 1,963 |
|
$ | (24,509 |
)
|
$ | 15,990 |
|
||||||||||||
14
10. | Net (Loss)/Income per Share |
The information required to compute basic and diluted net (loss)/income per share is as follows:
(amounts in thousands, except per share amounts) | Three Months Ended June 30, |
Six Months Ended June 30, |
||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | 2005 | 2006 | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Numerator: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income | $ | (14,642 |
)
|
$ | 1,919 |
|
$ | (24,538 |
)
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
||||||||||||
Denominator: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Weighted average shares outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Basic | 133,667 |
|
95,358 |
|
125,969 |
|
95,358 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Effect
of dilutive stock options, warrants and convertible preferred stock |
— |
|
173 |
|
— |
|
177 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Diluted | 133,667 |
|
$ | 95,531 |
|
125,969 |
|
95,535 |
|
|||||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income per share: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Basic | $ | (0.11 |
)
|
$ | 0.02 |
|
$ | (0.19 |
)
|
$ | 0.17 |
|
||||||||||||
Diluted | $ | (0.11 |
)
|
$ | 0.02 |
|
$ | (0.19 |
)
|
$ | 0.17 |
|
||||||||||||
For the three months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, 12.4 million and 10.6 million, respectively, of common shares issuable under the Company’s stock incentive plans and 0.4 million and 0.3 million, respectively, of common shares obtainable upon conversion of the Company’s Series A preferred stock and exercise of warrants were excluded from the computation of diluted (loss)/income per share because the effect of including them would have been antidilutive. Similarly, for the six months ended June 30, 2006 and 2005, 12.8 million and 10.7 million, respectively, of common shares issuable under the Company’s stock incentive plans and 0.4 million and 0.2 million, respectively, of common shares obtainable upon conversion of the Company’s Series A preferred stock and exercise of warrants were excluded from the computation of diluted (loss)/income per share because the effect of including them would have been antidilutive.
11. | Commitments and Contingencies |
Litigation and Potential Claims
In 2004, numerous complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Genta and certain of its principal officers on behalf of purported classes of the Company’s shareholders who purchased its securities during several class periods. The complaints have been consolidated into a single action and allege that the Company and certain of its principal officers violated the federal securities laws by issuing materially false and misleading statements regarding Genasense® for the treatment of malignant melanoma that had the effect of artificially inflating the market price of the Company’s securities. The shareholder class action complaint in the various actions seeks monetary damages in an unspecified amount and recovery of plaintiffs’ costs and attorneys’ fees. On September 30, 2005, the court granted in part and denied in part the Company’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ complaint. The court dismissed plaintiffs’ claim that the defendants engaged in a scheme or artifice to defraud plaintiffs, but allowed plaintiffs’ claims to proceed with respect to their allegations that defendants issued false and misleading public statements about Genasense®. The case has proceeded to discovery.
15
In addition, two separate shareholder derivative actions have been filed against the directors and certain officers of Genta in New Jersey State and Federal courts. The Federal shareholder derivative action was consolidated with the securities action. Genta has reached an agreement in principle with the Federal shareholder derivative plaintiffs to settle the Federal Shareholder derivative action. The settlement has been submitted to the court for approval and we are waiting for a determination.
Based on facts substantially similar to those asserted in the shareholder class actions, the State derivative plaintiffs claim that defendants have breached their fiduciary duties to the shareholders and committed other violations of New Jersey law. On February 9, 2006, the Superior Court of New Jersey dismissed the plaintiffs’ derivative complaint in the New Jersey State case based in part on plaintiffs’ failure to make a pre-suit demand on Genta's Board of Directors and in part based on plaintiffs’ failure to state a cause of action. Plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration was denied and they have filed a notice of appeal.
The Company believes these litigations are without merit and will continue to vigorously defend against these suits.
16
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Certain Factors Affecting Forward-Looking Statements — Safe Harbor Statement
The statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding the expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect our views as of the date they are made with respect to future events and financial performance, but are subject to many risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about:
• | the Company’s financial projections; |
• | the Company’s projected cash flow requirements and estimated timing of sufficient cash flow; |
• | the Company’s current and future license agreements, collaboration agreements, and other strategic alliances; |
• | the Company’s ability to obtain necessary regulatory approval for Genasense® (oblimersen sodium) Injection from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European Medicines Agency (EMEA); |
• | the safety and efficacy of the Company’s products; |
• | the commencement and completion of clinical trials; |
• | the Company’s ability to develop, manufacture and sell its products; |
• | the adequacy of the Company’s capital resources and the Company’s ability to obtain sufficient financing to maintain the Company’s planned operations; |
• | the adequacy of the Company’s patents and proprietary rights; |
• | the impact of litigation that has been brought against the Company and its officers and directors; |
• | the other risks described under Risk Factors in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 and in this Form 10-Q. |
We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.
We make available free of charge on our Internet website (http://www.genta.com) our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. The content on the Company’s website is available for informational purposes only. It should not be relied upon for investment purposes, nor is it incorporated by reference into this Form 10-Q.
Overview
Genta Incorporated is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in pharmaceutical research and development. We are dedicated to the identification, development and commercialization of novel drugs for the treatment of cancer and related diseases. The Company has had recurring annual operating losses since its inception and we expect to incur substantial operating losses due to continued requirements for ongoing and planned research and development activities, pre-clinical and clinical testing, manufacturing activities, regulatory activities and establishment of a sales and marketing organization. From our inception to June 30, 2006, we have incurred a cumulative net loss of $382.7 million. Management expects that such losses will continue at least until our lead product, Genasense®, receives approval from the FDA for commercial sale in one or more indications. Achievement of profitability is dependent on the timing of Genasense® regulatory approvals in the U.S. and outside the U.S. We have experienced significant quarterly fluctuations in operating results and we expect that these fluctuations in revenues, expenses and losses will continue.
17
We have prepared our financial statements under the assumption that the Company is a going concern. The Company’s recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
The Company has $35.8 million of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities on hand at June 30, 2006. On March 13, 2006, we sold 19.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $2.15 per share, raising $37.7 million, net of fees and expenses. During the six months ended June 30, 2006, cash used in operating activities was $23.0 million. Management anticipates that cash outflow will increase in the upcoming months to prepare for the potential commercial approval and product launch of Genasense®. The Company should have sufficient cash funds to maintain its present operations into the first quarter of 2007.
If the New Drug Application (NDA) for Genasense® is approved, management anticipates that it will require additional cash if it undertakes to launch the product in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2006 in order to maximize the commercial opportunity. We have commenced discussions with several companies regarding partnerships for the further development and global commercialization of Genasense®. Those discussions are currently ongoing. Additional alternatives available to us to subsequently sustain our operations include financing arrangements with potential corporate partners, debt financing, asset-based loans, royalty-based financings, equity financing and other sources. However, there can be no assurance that any such collaborative agreements or other sources of funding will be available on favorable terms, if at all.
We have completed and announced the results of Phase 3 trials of Genasense® in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant melanoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma.
In December 2004, we presented results from a randomized trial that was conducted in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL. In this trial, 241 patients who had relapsed or had not responded to prior therapy were treated with standard chemotherapy using fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (Flu/Cy). After stratifying patients using conventional criteria, they were randomly assigned to receive Genasense® or no additional treatment. Initial results showed that the trial achieved its primary endpoint: the proportion of patients who achieved a complete or nodular partial response (CR/nPR) was significantly improved with the addition of Genasense® to Flu/Cy chemotherapy (17% vs. 7%; P=0.025). The response required independent confirmation by an external clinical reviewer who was blinded to treatment assignment and who reviewed clinical, laboratory and radiologic data. A second independent reviewer evaluated bone marrow biopsies. Agreement between the clinical and bone marrow reviews was required in order to determine response in this study.
18
Extended patient follow-up in the CLL trial also showed that the duration of CR/nPR was significantly superior for patients treated with Genasense® plus chemotherapy. As of June 2005, six of the eight patients (75%) who achieved CR/nPR with chemotherapy alone have relapsed compared with five of twenty patients (25%) in the Genasense® treatment group. The median duration of CR/nPR was 22 months in the chemotherapy-alone group; the median had not been reached in the Genasense® group (P=0.03). All CR/nPR responses were ‘‘durable’’ (i.e., exceeding six months duration). Additional analysis showed that patients who achieved CR/nPR also experienced substantial clinical benefit, especially with respect to improvement of disease-related symptoms. Several secondary endpoints were not improved by the addition of Genasense®. For example, no difference was observed in overall response rate i.e., the percentage of patients who achieved CR/nPR plus partial response, or in time-to-disease progression. Overall survival will be formally evaluated in mid-2006 after all patients have completed a minimum of three years of follow-up. Adverse events (irrespective of relation to study drugs) during treatment or within 30 days from last dose of treatment that resulted in death occurred in nine patients treated with Genasense® plus chemotherapy compared with five patients treated with chemotherapy alone. The percentage of patients who experienced serious adverse events was increased in the Genasense® arm; however, the percentages of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse events were equal in the treatment arms. The incidence of certain serious adverse reactions, including but not limited to nausea, fever and catheter-related complications, was increased in patients treated with Genasense®.
On December 28, 2005, we completed submission of an NDA to the FDA that seeks accelerated approval for the use of Genasense® in combination with fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory CLL who have previously received fludarabine. Genasense® had received Fast Track designation by the FDA in CLL, meaning that the indication represents an unmet medical need. Genasense® had also been granted designation as an Orphan Drug by the FDA. On March 1, 2006, we announced that the NDA had been accepted for review by the FDA and set a target Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of October 29, 2006. However, acceptance of this NDA does not necessarily lead to FDA approval. We were notified by the FDA that we are scheduled to present our application in CLL to FDA’s Oncology Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC) on September 6, 2006. The advisory committee’s recommendations are not binding upon the FDA. Following its review of all our information concerning Genasense®, the FDA may refuse to approve altogether, or the FDA may ask for more data to be obtained before approval can be reconsidered. Either of these two decisions by the FDA would have a material adverse effect on our business.
One of the requirements for Accelerated Approval is that the Company will be required to conduct a confirmatory trial. We have formulated a design for such a trial, which has completed a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) by the FDA. The SPA indicates an agreement by the FDA that the protocol fulfills certain regulatory requirements regarding design and analysis. We anticipate that the trial will initiate patient enrollment during 2006. Although Fast Track designation, Orphan Drug designation and Accelerated Approval provisions are beneficial, we cannot assure you that the NDA will be approved.
In late 2003, we filed an NDA with the FDA for Genasense® as a treatment combined with chemotherapy for patients with advanced malignant melanoma. In May 2004, the application failed to gain a majority vote for marketing approval from ODAC. As a consequence, we withdrew the NDA, which allows us to potentially resubmit the application. However, we continued long-term follow-up of patients who were enrolled in the advanced malignant melanoma trial. On May 16, 2005, we announced updated data from this trial. The updated data continued to show statistical significance for overall response, complete response and progression free survival. Statistical significance was also achieved for durable response (P=0.02). We commissioned a new, independent review of the X-rays that documented the major responses, which confirmed the originally reported responses with high concordance. Overall survival by intent-to-treat analysis did not yield a statistically significant improvement (P=0.077). Our analysis also identified a statistically significant treatment interaction effect for blood levels of an enzyme known as LDH, which was a prospectively specified stratification factor. When this effect was analyzed by treatment arm, survival was significantly superior for patients who received Genasense® (P=0.018) and who did not have an elevation in LDH at study entry (n=508).
19
On January 3, 2006, we announced that we had completed a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the EMEA, which seeks approval for use of Genasense® plus dacarbazine for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma who have not previously received chemotherapy. On February 1, 2006, we announced that we had received notice from the EMEA that our MAA had been validated for review by the EMEA, which signals the start of formal scientific assessment. As part of this process, we received scientific questions from EMEA in June 2006 and expect to make a formal response to these questions in the third quarter of 2006.
In November 2004, we reported that our randomized Phase 3 clinical trial of Genasense® in patients with multiple myeloma did not meet our primary endpoint. The trial had been designed to evaluate whether the addition of Genasense® to standard therapy with high-dose dexamethasone could increase the time to development of progressive disease in patients who previously had received extensive therapy. Based on the results of the Phase 3 trial, we have no plans to submit an NDA in this indication at the current time. We have not yet determined what additional clinical trials, if any, may be undertaken in patients with multiple myeloma.
In addition, we are conducting (under our own sponsorship or in conjunction with various cooperative groups) randomized trials in non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, acute myeloid leukemia and hormone refractory prostate cancer. We are also conducting a number of non-randomized clinical trials in patients with various types of cancer, either under our own sponsorship or in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute.
On March 23, 2006, we entered into an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Emisphere Technologies, Inc. to develop an oral formulation of a gallium-containing compound. Ganite® (gallium nitrate injection), Genta’s only commercialized product, is derived from this class of compounds. Under the terms of the new agreement, we will pay Emisphere up to $24 million only upon the achievement of certain milestones during the course of product development and royalties based upon sales. Emisphere will utilize its proprietary oral delivery technology, eligen®, to supply a finished oral dosage form to Genta. We will reimburse Emisphere for time and expenses, as incurred, to create the oral dosage formulation. We will be responsible for toxicology, clinical development, regulatory submissions, and worldwide commercialization. The agreement is in effect until the later of (a) receipt of initial regulatory approval or (b) expiration of all royalty and payment obligations.
In April 2002, we entered into a series of agreements with Aventis regarding the development and commercialization of Genasense®. On November 8, 2004, we received from Aventis notice of termination of the agreements between Genta and Aventis. On May 10, 2005, we announced that Genta and Aventis had signed an agreement to finalize the termination of their development and commercialization collaboration for Genasense®. Among other provisions, the Standstill and Voting Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement that were established pursuant to the Aventis investment in Genta common stock in 2002 were not terminated at that time.
20
Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2006 and 2005
Summary
Operating Results For the three months ended June 30, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands) | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | $ | % | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
License fees and royalties | $ | — |
|
$ | (1,556 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
$ | 1,556 |
|
|||||||||||||
Development funding | — |
|
(6,234 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
6,234 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Product sales − net | 379 |
|
282 |
|
291 |
%
|
97 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total revenues | 379 |
|
(7,508 |
)
|
(95 |
%)
|
7,887 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost of goods sold | 22 |
|
25 |
|
833 |
%
|
(3 |
)
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Research and development | 8,637 |
|
3,086 |
|
56 |
%
|
5,551 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 6,716 |
|
2,081 |
|
45 |
%
|
4,635 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses − gross | 15,353 |
|
5,167 |
|
51 |
%
|
10,186 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Less: Aventis reimbursement | — |
|
2,838 |
|
100 |
%
|
(2,838 |
)
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses − net | 15,353 |
|
8,005 |
|
109 |
%
|
7,348 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Gain on forgiveness of debt | — |
|
(1,297 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
1,297 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Other income, net | 354 |
|
274 |
|
343 |
%
|
80 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income | $ | (14,642 |
)
|
($16,561 |
)
|
(863 |
%)
|
$ | 1,919 |
|
||||||||||||||
Total revenues
Total revenues were $0.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $7.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. License fees and development funding revenues of $7.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005 were generated by the recognition of the initial $10.0 million licensing fee and $40.0 million development funding received from Aventis in 2002 under the Collaborative Agreement. On November 8, 2004, Aventis gave six-months notice to Genta that it was terminating its Collaborative Agreement with us regarding the development and commercialization of Genasense®. We had previously determined that, due to the nature of the ongoing development work related to the Collaborative Agreement, the end of the development phase and the fair-value of the undelivered elements were not determinable. Accordingly, we deferred recognition of the initial licensing fee and up-front development funding received from Aventis and recognized these payments on a straight-line basis over the original estimated useful life of the related first-to-expire patent of 115 months. As a result of the notice of termination of the Collaborative Agreement, we determined that the remaining deferred revenue should be recognized over the termination period. On November 9, 2004, we began to recognize the remaining deferred revenue over the six-month period ended May 8, 2005.
Product sales-net are generated from sales of Ganite®, the Company’s commercial product for the treatment of cancer-related hypercalcemia. Product sales-net for the three months ended June 30, 2006 were $0.4 million, primarily impacted by a $0.3 million favorable adjustment to provision for returns of Ganite®. In the second quarter of 2006, the Company revised its forecast of expected Ganite® returns based on actual experience to date, product expiration dates and data obtained from wholesalers. As a result, the Company reduced its sales provision by $0.3 million, to reflect this change in estimate. Product sales-net in the prior-year period were $0.1 million.
21
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses before reimbursement were $8.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $5.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The increase is primarily due to manufacturing expenses to prepare for the production of Genasense® and expenses to prepare for regulatory review. Research and development expenses in 2006 also include the recognition of $0.2 million of stock option expense, resulting from the adoption of SFAS 123R. During the three months ended June 30, 2006, approximately $7.8 million or 91% of research and development expenses were incurred on the Genasense® project.
Due to the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in the clinical development and regulatory approval processes, the nature, timing and costs of the efforts necessary to complete projects in development are subject to wide variability. Results from clinical trials may not be favorable. Data from clinical trials are subject to varying interpretation and may be deemed insufficient by the regulatory bodies that review applications for marketing approvals. As such, clinical development and regulatory programs are subject to risks and changes that may significantly impact cost projections and timelines.
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $6.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $4.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The increase was primarily due to sales and marketing expenses incurred in preparation for the anticipated product launch of Genasense®. We expect these expenses to continue to increase substantially in anticipation of possible approval and product launch of Genasense®. Selling, general and administrative expenses in 2006 also include the recognition of $0.7 million of stock option expense, resulting from the adoption of SFAS 123R.
Aventis reimbursement
On May 10, 2005, we announced that Genta and Aventis had finalized a termination agreement, providing for no future financial obligations by either party. Consequently, none of the research and development expenses incurred by us during the three-month period ended June 30, 2006 were reimbursable.
Gain on Forgiveness of Debt
In May 2005, pursuant to the terms of the Collaborative Agreement with Aventis, $2.8 million of reimbursable costs accrued and owed to us by Aventis were applied against the line of credit with Aventis and the remaining balance of $1.3 million was forgiven.
Other income, net
Net other income of $0.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2006 increased from $0.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2005, primarily due to higher interest income resulting from higher investment balances.
Net (loss)/income
We recorded a net loss of $14.6 million, or $0.11 per share, for the three months ended June 30, 2006, compared with net income of $1.9 million, or $0.02 per share, for the three months ended June 30, 2005. The decrease is primarily due to the fact that the prior-year period included revenues of $7.8 million from the recognition of the license fee and development funding and $2.8 million from the reimbursement for research and development expenses, along with higher operating expenses in 2006, as described above.
22
Results of Operations for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2006 and 2005
Summary
Operating Results For the six months ended June 30, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands) | Increase (Decrease) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2006 | $ | % | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
License fees and royalties | $ | — |
|
$ | (5,241 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
$ | 5,241 |
|
|||||||||||||
Development funding | — |
|
(20,988 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
20,988 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Product sales − net | 446 |
|
274 |
|
160 |
%
|
172 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total revenues | 446 |
|
(25,955 |
)
|
(99 |
%)
|
26,401 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost of goods sold | 38 |
|
26 |
|
217 |
%
|
12 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Research and development | 13,387 |
|
3,966 |
|
42 |
%
|
9,421 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 12,173 |
|
3,552 |
|
42 |
%
|
8,621 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses − gross | 25,560 |
|
7,518 |
|
42 |
%
|
18,042 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Less: Aventis reimbursement | — |
|
6,090 |
|
100 |
%
|
(6,090 |
)
|
||||||||||||||||
Total operating expenses − net | 25,560 |
|
13,608 |
|
114 |
%
|
11,952 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Gain on forgiveness of debt | — |
|
(1,297 |
)
|
(100 |
%)
|
1,297 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Other income, net | 614 |
|
404 |
|
193 |
%
|
210 |
|
||||||||||||||||
Net (loss)/income | $ | (24,538 |
)
|
$ | (40,482 |
)
|
(254 |
%)
|
$ | 15,944 |
|
|||||||||||||
Total revenues
Total revenues were $0.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $26.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005. License fees and development funding revenues of $26.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005 were generated by the recognition of the initial $10.0 million licensing fee and $40.0 million development funding received from Aventis in 2002 under the Collaborative Agreement.
Product sales-net of Ganite® for the six months ended June 30, 2006 were $0.4 million, primarily impacted by a $0.3 million favorable adjustment to provision for returns of Ganite®. In the second quarter of 2006, the Company revised its forecast of expected Ganite® returns based on actual experience to date, product expiration dates and data obtained from wholesalers. As a result, the Company reduced its sales provision by $0.3 million, to reflect this change in estimate. Product sales-net in the prior-year period were $0.2 million.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses before reimbursement were $13.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $9.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005. The increase in expenses is primarily due to manufacturing expenses to prepare for the production of Genasense® and expenses to prepare for regulatory review. In addition, expenses in 2006 include the recognition of $0.4 million of stock option expense, resulting from the adoption of SFAS 123R. During the six months ended June 30, 2006, approximately $12.2 million or 91% of research and development expenses were incurred on the Genasense® project.
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $12.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 compared with $8.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005. The increase in expenses is primarily due to sales and marketing expenses incurred in preparation for the anticipated product launch of Genasense®. In addition, expenses in 2006 include the recognition of $1.0 million of stock option expense, resulting from the adoption of SFAS 123R.
23
Other income, net
Net other income of $0.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006 increased from $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005, primarily due to higher interest income and realized gains on the maturity of marketable securities resulting from higher investment balances.
Net (loss)/income
We recorded a net loss of $24.5 million, or $0.19 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2006, compared with net income of $15.9 million, or $0.17 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2005. The decrease is primarily due to the fact that the prior-year period included revenues of $26.2 million from the recognition of the license fee and development funding and $6.1 million from the reimbursement for research and development expenses, along with higher operating expenses in 2006, as described above.
Liquidity and capital resources
At June 30, 2006, we had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $35.8 million compared with $21.3 million at December 31, 2005. Cash used in operating activities was $23.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2006, compared with $21.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2005, reflecting additional spending in anticipation of potential commercial approval and product launch of Genasense®.
Management anticipates an increase in spending in upcoming months up to an average rate of approximately $5 million per month. The Company should have sufficient cash funds to maintain its present operations into the first quarter of 2007.
We have prepared our financial statements under the assumption that the Company is a going concern. The Company’s recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty, (see Item 1A, Risk Factors).
On March 13, 2006, we sold 19.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $2.15 per share for gross proceeds of $40.9 million, before fees and expenses. After deducting fees and expenses, we received net proceeds of $37.7 million.
If the NDA for Genasense® is approved, management anticipates that it will require additional cash if we undertake to launch the product in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2006 in order to maximize the commercial opportunity. We have commenced discussions with several companies regarding partnerships for the further development and commercialization of Genasense®. Those discussions are currently ongoing. Additional alternatives available to the Company to subsequently sustain its operations include financing arrangements with potential corporate partners, debt financing, asset-based loans, royalty-based financing, equity financing and other sources. However, there can be no assurance that any such collaborative agreements or other sources of funding will be available on favorable terms, if at all.
If we obtain NDA approval of Genasense® for one or more applications, we anticipate seeking additional product development opportunities through potential acquisitions or investments. Such acquisitions or investments may consume cash reserves or require additional cash or equity. Our working capital and additional funding requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including: (i) the progress of our research and development programs; (ii) the timing and results of pre-clinical testing and clinical trials; (iii) the level of resources that we devote to sales and marketing capabilities; (iv) technological advances; (v) the activities of competitors; (vi) our ability to establish and maintain collaborative arrangements with others to fund certain research and development efforts, to conduct clinical trials, to obtain regulatory approvals and, if such approvals are obtained, to manufacture and market products and (vii) legal costs and the outcome of outstanding legal proceedings.
24
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS 123R, Share-Based Payment, using the modified prospective transition method and therefore did not restate results for prior periods. Prior to January 1, 2006 we accounted for share-based compensation arrangements in accordance with APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees and complied with the disclosure provisions of SFAS 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation. SFAS 123R requires all public entities that used the fair-value method for either recognition or disclosure under SFAS 123 to apply the modified prospective transition method as of the required effective date. As a result, we adopted the provisions of SFAS 123R using this method, effective January 1, 2006. Under the modified prospective method, new awards are valued and accounted for prospectively upon adoption. Outstanding prior awards that are unvested as of January 1, 2006 are recognized as compensation cost over the remaining requisite service periods, as prior periods may not be restated. The adoption of SFAS 123R increased our expenses and reported net loss by $0.8 million and $1.4 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006, respectively.
In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation No. 48 (FIN 48), ‘‘Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.’’ FIN 48 prescribes detailed guidance for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of uncertain tax positions recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109, ‘‘Accounting for Income Taxes.’’ Tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold at the effective date to be recognized upon the adoption of FIN 48 and in subsequent periods.
FIN 48 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006 and the provisions of FIN 48 will be applied to all tax positions upon initial adoption of the Interpretation. The cumulative effect of applying the provisions of this Interpretation will be reported as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings for that fiscal year. The company is currently evaluating the potential impact of FIN 48 on its financial statements.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Our carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts payable and accrued expenses are a reasonable approximation of their fair value. The estimated fair values of financial instruments have been determined by us using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies (see Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements). We have not entered into and do not expect to enter into, financial instruments for trading or hedging purposes. We do not currently anticipate entering into interest rate swaps and/or similar instruments.
Our primary market risk exposure with regard to financial instruments is to changes in interest rates, which would impact interest income earned on such instruments. We have no material currency exchange or interest rate risk exposure as of June 30, 2006.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Conclusion Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As required by Rule 13a-15(b), Genta’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer conducted an evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this report of the effectiveness of the Company’s ‘‘disclosure controls and procedures’’ (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)). Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were operating effectively as of the end of the period covered by this report.
25
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Exchange Act Rule 13a-15 that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
26
PART II OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
In 2004, numerous complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Genta and certain of its principal officers on behalf of purported classes of the Company’s shareholders who purchased its securities during several class periods. The complaints have been consolidated into a single action and allege that the Company and certain of its principal officers violated the federal securities laws by issuing materially false and misleading statements regarding Genasense® for the treatment of malignant melanoma that had the effect of artificially inflating the market price of our securities. The shareholder class action complaint in the various actions seeks monetary damages in an unspecified amount and recovery of plaintiffs’ costs and attorneys’ fees. On September 30, 2005, the court granted in part and denied in part the Company’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ complaint. The court dismissed plaintiffs’ claim that the defendants engaged in a scheme or artifice to defraud plaintiffs, but allowed plaintiffs’ claims to proceed with respect to their allegations that defendants issued false and misleading public statements about Genasense®. The case has proceeded to discovery.
In addition, two separate shareholder derivative actions have been filed against the directors and certain officers of Genta in New Jersey State and Federal courts. The Federal shareholder derivative action was consolidated with the securities action. Genta has reached an agreement in principle with the Federal shareholder derivative plaintiffs to settle the Federal Shareholder derivative action. The settlement has been submitted to the court for approval and we are waiting for a determination.
Based on facts substantially similar to those asserted in the shareholder class actions, the State derivative plaintiffs claim that defendants have breached their fiduciary duties to the shareholders and committed other violations of New Jersey law. On February 9, 2006, the Superior Court of New Jersey dismissed the plaintiffs’ derivative complaint in the New Jersey State case based in part on plaintiffs’ failure to make a pre-suit demand on Genta's Board of Directors and in part based on plaintiffs’ failure to state a cause of action. Plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration was denied and they have filed a notice of appeal.
The Company believes these litigations are without merit and will continue to vigorously defend against these suits.
27
Item 1A. Risk Factors
You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information set forth in this Form 10-Q and the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock. The risks described below are not the only ones facing our Company. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations.
Risks Related to Our Business
We may be unsuccessful in our efforts to obtain approval from the FDA or EMEA and commercialize Genasense® or our other pharmaceutical products.
The commercialization of our pharmaceutical products involves a number of significant challenges. In particular, our ability to commercialize products, such as Ganite® and Genasense®, depends, in large part, on the success of our clinical development programs, our efforts to obtain regulatory approvals and our sales and marketing efforts directed at physicians, patients and third-party payors. A number of factors could affect these efforts, including:
• | our ability to demonstrate clinically that our products are useful and safe in particular indications; |
• | delays or refusals by regulatory authorities in granting marketing approvals; |
• | our limited financial resources and sales and marketing experience relative to our competitors; |
• | actual and perceived differences between our products and those of our competitors; |
• | the availability and level of reimbursement for our products by third-party payors; |
• | incidents of adverse reactions to our products; |
• | side effects or misuse of our products and the unfavorable publicity that could result; and |
• | the occurrence of manufacturing, supply or distribution disruptions. |
We cannot assure you that Genasense® will receive FDA or EMEA approval. Our financial condition and results of operations have been and will continue to be significantly affected by FDA and EMEA action with respect to Genasense®. Any adverse events with respect to FDA and/or EMEA approvals could negatively impact our ability to obtain additional funding or identify potential partners.
For example, on January 3, 2006, we announced that we had completed a Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, to the EMEA that seeks approval for use of Genasense® plus dacarbazine for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma who have not previously received chemotherapy. The centralized licensing procedure provides a single marketing authorization that is valid in all 25-member states of the European Community. Review of the application is coordinated by the EMEA, and Spain and France have been appointed as rapporteur and co-rapporteur countries, respectively. On February 1, 2006, we announced that we had received notice from the EMEA that its MAA had been validated for review by the EMEA, which signals the start of formal scientific assessment. As part of this process, we received scientific questions from EMEA in June 2006 and expect to make a formal response to these questions in the third quarter of 2006.
28
On December 28, 2005, we completed submission of an NDA to the FDA that sought accelerated approval for the use of Genasense® in combination with fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory CLL who have previously received fludarabine. Genasense® has received Fast Track designation by the FDA in CLL, meaning that the indication represents an unmet medical need. Genasense® has also been granted designation as an Orphan Drug by the FDA. On March 1, 2006, we announced that the NDA had been accepted for review by the FDA with a target action date of October 29, 2006. However, acceptance of this NDA does not necessarily lead to FDA approval. After reviewing in May 2005 a summary of our preliminary clinical data that were released in November 2004 from our CLL trial, the FDA expressed concern that simply achieving statistical significance in the primary endpoint (complete plus nodular partial responses [CR/nPR]) may not be likely to convey or predict clinical benefit, particularly absent improvement in time-to-progression. Subsequent to preparation of the preliminary data summary, we compiled additional information to support our claims of clinical benefit. First, the proportion of patients who relapsed from CR/nPR increased substantially over time from 25% to 75% in the patient group treated with chemotherapy alone. By contrast, the comparable increase in the Genasense® group was 16% to 25%, which indicated lower risk of relapse. Second, the preliminary clinical data indicated that the median duration of CR/nPR had not been reached in either treatment group. Further follow-up showed that CR/nPRs achieved with the addition of Genasense® to chemotherapy were significantly longer when compared with those responses achieved with chemotherapy alone. For example, the median CR/nPR duration in the chemotherapy alone group was reached at 22 months, whereas the median has still not been reached in the Genasense® group [P=0.03]. Third, we had prospectively collected data regarding specific parameters of disease-related morbidity, including but not limited to symptoms. Subsequent analysis of these data showed that patients in the Genasense® treatment group who achieved CR/nPR also attained substantial improvement in these disease parameters. The NDA that was submitted by us in December 2005, which includes these data, was subsequently accepted for review by the FDA in February 2006.
We were notified by the FDA that we are scheduled to present our application in CLL to FDA’s ODAC on September 6, 2006. The advisory committee’s recommendations are not binding upon the FDA. Following its review of all our information concerning Genasense®, the FDA may refuse to approve altogether, or may ask for more data to be obtained, so that approval can be reconsidered. Any of these decisions by the FDA would have a material adverse effect on our business. One requirement for Accelerated Approval is that we will be required to conduct a confirmatory trial. We have formulated a design for such a trial, which has completed a SPA by FDA. The SPA indicates an agreement by FDA that the protocol fulfills certain regulatory requirements regarding design and analysis. We anticipate that the trial will initiate patient enrollment during 2006. Although Fast Track designation, Orphan Drug designation and Accelerated Approval provisions are beneficial, we cannot assure you that the NDA will be approved. In particular, the FDA may not be satisfied that achievement of the primary endpoint used in our recent clinical trial, which was an increased proportion of complete responses/nodular partial responses compared to patients treated with standard chemotherapy, is a sufficient basis for approval. Further, increased symptom-free time may not be considered to be sufficient demonstration of clinical benefit.
29
Ultimately, our efforts may not prove to be as effective as those of our competitors. In the United States and elsewhere, our products will face significant competition. The principal conditions on which our product development efforts are focused and some of the other disorders for which we are conducting additional studies, are currently treated with several drugs, many of which have been available for a number of years or are available in inexpensive generic forms. Thus, even if we obtain regulatory approvals, we will need to demonstrate to physicians, patients and third-party payors that the cost of our products is reasonable and appropriate in light of their safety and efficacy, the price of competing products and the relative health care benefits to the patient. If we are unable to demonstrate that the costs of our products are reasonable and appropriate in light of these factors, we will likely be unsuccessful in commercializing our products.
Recurring losses and negative cash flows from operations raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
Our recurring losses from operations and negative cash flows from operations raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern and as a result, our independent registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph in its report on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005 with respect to this uncertainty. Substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern may create negative reactions to the price of the common shares of our stock and we may have a more difficult time obtaining financing.
We have prepared our financial statements on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts of liabilities that might be necessary should we be unable to continue in existence.
Our business will suffer if we fail to obtain timely funding. We may be unable to raise additional capital when needed and may not continue as a going concern.
Our operations to date have required significant cash expenditures. As a result of Aventis’ termination of the Collaborative Agreement, after May 8, 2005, we became solely responsible for all Genasense® related costs. Our future capital requirements will depend on the results of our research and development activities, preclinical studies and clinical trials, competitive and technological advances, and regulatory activities of the FDA and other regulatory authorities. In order to commercialize our products, we will need to raise additional funds. On March 13, 2006, we sold 19.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $2.15 per share, raising $37.7 million, net of fees and expenses. During the six month period ended June 30, 2006, cash used in operating activities was $23.0 million.
Management anticipates an increase in spending in upcoming months up to an average rate of approximately $5 million per month. The Company should have sufficient cash funds to maintain its present operations into the first quarter of 2007.
We will need to obtain more funding in the future through collaborations or other arrangements with research institutions and corporate partners or public and private offerings of our securities, including debt or equity financing. We may not be able to obtain adequate funds for our operations from these sources when needed or on acceptable terms. Future collaborations or similar arrangements may require us to license valuable intellectual property to, or to share substantial economic benefits with, our collaborators. If we raise additional capital by issuing additional equity or securities convertible into equity, our stockholders may experience dilution and our share price may decline. Any debt financing may result in restrictions on our spending.
30
If we are unable to raise additional funds, we will need to do one or more of the following:
• | delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our research and product development programs and sales and marketing activity; |
• | license third parties to develop and commercialize products or technologies that we would otherwise seek to develop and commercialize ourselves; |
• | attempt to sell our company; |
• | cease operations; or |
• | declare bankruptcy. |
We intend to be a direct marketer of some products in the United States. This effort will consume large amounts of our resources and management time and we may not be successful in our efforts.
Currently we do not have a sales force. Our sales force was eliminated in 2004 following our decision to withdraw the NDA for Genasense® for the treatment of advanced melanoma. We intend to recruit a sales force in the second half of 2006. In January 2006, we announced that we had appointed W. Lloyd Sanders as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. Most recently, Mr. Sanders was Vice President, Oncology Sales, at sanofi-aventis Group. We have hired a core team of seasoned managers in sales and marketing. If we are unable to recruit a sales force capable of marketing our products, our sales will be adversely affected, and the commercial success of our products will be limited.
On May 10, 2005, we announced that we and Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., part of sanofi-aventis Group, or Aventis, had signed an agreement to terminate their development and commercialization collaboration for Genasense®. We lost a significant source of funding for Genasense® as a result of this termination.
In April 2002, we entered into a series of agreements relating to the development and commercialization of Genasense®, to which we refer collectively as the Collaborative Agreement, with Aventis and its affiliates. On November 8, 2004, we received from Aventis a notice of termination of the Collaborative Agreement. On May 10, 2005, we announced that we had signed an agreement with Aventis to terminate our development and commercialization collaboration for Genasense®. The termination agreement provided for no future financial obligations by either party. Aventis also returned its then current inventory of Genasense® drug supply to us. In addition, we assumed responsibility for the randomized clinical trial of Genasense® in combination with docetaxel (Taxotere®; sanofi-aventis) in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, which recently completed accrual. Among other provisions, the Standstill and Voting Agreement and Registration Rights Agreement that were established pursuant to the Aventis investment in our common stock in 2002 did not terminate at this time.
We are seeking a new partner for the development and commercialization of Genasense®, and if we are unable to do so, we may not have sufficient resources to fully develop and commercialize Genasense®.
If we are unable to identify a partner, we will be solely responsible for the development and commercialization of Genasense®, including the costs associated therewith. We may not have sufficient resources to do so. Even if we are able to identify a partner, we may not be able to enter into an agreement on acceptable terms or at all.
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We have relied on and continue to rely on our contractual collaborative arrangements with research institutions and corporate partners for development and commercialization of our products. Our business could suffer if we are not able to enter into suitable arrangements, maintain existing relationships, or if our collaborative arrangements are not successful in developing and commercializing products.
We have entered into collaborative relationships relating to the conduct of clinical research and other research activities in order to augment our internal research capabilities and to obtain access to specialized knowledge and expertise. Our business strategy depends in part on our continued ability to develop and maintain relationships with leading academic and research institutions and with independent researchers. The competition for these relationships is intense, and we can give no assurances that we will be able to develop and maintain these relationships on acceptable terms.
We also seek strategic alliances with corporate partners, primarily pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, to help us develop and commercialize drugs. Various problems can arise in strategic alliances. A partner responsible for conducting clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval may fail to develop a marketable drug. A partner may decide to pursue an alternative strategy or focus its efforts on alliances or other arrangements with third parties. A partner that has been granted marketing rights for a certain drug within a geographic area may fail to market the drug successfully. Consequently, strategic alliances that we may enter into may not be scientifically or commercially successful. In this regard, in April 2002, we entered into a series of agreements relating to the development and commercialization of Genasense® with Aventis and its affiliates. On November 8, 2004, we received from Aventis a notice of termination of the Collaborative Agreement. On May 10, 2005, we announced that we and Aventis had signed an agreement to terminate our development and commercialization collaboration for Genasense® as described above.
We cannot control the resources that any collaborator may devote to our products. Any of our present or future collaborators may not perform their obligations as expected. These collaborators may breach or terminate their agreements with us, for instance upon changes in control or management of the collaborator, or they may otherwise fail to conduct their collaborative activities successfully and in a timely manner.
In addition, our collaborators may elect not to develop products arising out of our collaborative arrangements or to devote sufficient resources to the development, regulatory approval, manufacture, marketing or sale of these products. If any of these events occur, we may not be able to develop our products or commercialize our products.
An important part of our strategy involves conducting multiple product development programs. We may pursue opportunities in fields that conflict with those of our collaborators. In addition, disagreements with our collaborators could develop over rights to our intellectual property. The resolution of such conflicts and disagreements may require us to relinquish rights to our intellectual property that we believe we are entitled to. In addition, any disagreement or conflict with our collaborators could reduce our ability to obtain future collaboration agreements and negatively impact our relationship with existing collaborators. Such a conflict or disagreement could also lead to delays in collaborative research, development, regulatory approval or commercialization of various products or could require or result in litigation or arbitration, which would be time consuming and expensive, divert the attention of our management and could have a significant negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We anticipate that we will incur additional losses and we may never be profitable.
We have never been profitable. We have incurred substantial annual operating losses associated with ongoing research and development activities, preclinical testing, clinical trials, regulatory submissions and manufacturing activities. From the period since our inception to June 30, 2006, we have incurred a cumulative net loss of $382.7 million. We may never achieve revenue sufficient for us to attain profitability. Achieving profitability is unlikely unless Genasense® receives approval from the FDA for commercial sale in one or more indications.
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Our business depends heavily on a small number of products.
We currently market and sell one product, Ganite® and the principal patent covering its use for the approved indication expired in April 2005. We do not expect to expand our marketed product portfolio significantly in the short term unless Genasense® receives marketing approval. If Genasense® is not approved, if approval is significantly delayed, or if in the event of approval the product is commercially unsuccessful, we do not expect significant sales of other products to offset this loss of potential revenue.
To diversify our product line in the long term, it will be important for us to identify suitable technologies and products for acquisition or licensing and development. If we are unable to identify suitable technologies and products, or if we are unable to acquire or license products we identify, we may be unable to diversify our product line and to generate long-term growth.
We may be unable to obtain or enforce patents, other proprietary rights and licenses to protect our business; we could become involved in litigation relating to our patents or licenses that could cause us to incur additional costs and delay or prevent our introduction of new drugs to market.
Our success will depend to a large extent on our ability to:
• | obtain U.S. and foreign patent or other proprietary protection for our technologies, products and processes; |
• | preserve trade secrets; and |
• | operate without infringing the patent and other proprietary rights of third parties. |
Legal standards relating to the validity of patents covering pharmaceutical and biotechnological inventions and the scope of claims made under these types of patents are still developing, and they involve complex legal and factual questions. As a result, our ability to obtain and enforce patents that protect our drugs is highly uncertain. If we are unable to obtain and enforce patents and licenses to protect our drugs, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
We hold numerous U.S., foreign and international patents covering various aspects of our technology, which include novel compositions of matter, methods of large-scale synthesis and methods of controlling gene expression and methods of treating disease. In the future, however, we may not be successful in obtaining additional patents despite pending or future applications. Moreover, our current and future patents may not be sufficient to protect us against competitors who use similar technology. Additionally, our patents, the patents of our business partners and the patents for which we have obtained licensing rights may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated or circumvented. Furthermore, rights granted under our patents may not be broad enough to cover commercially valuable drugs or processes and therefore may not provide us with sufficient competitive advantage with respect thereto.
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have been greatly affected by time-consuming and expensive litigation regarding patents and other intellectual property rights. We may be required to commence, or may be made a party to, litigation relating to the scope and validity of our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others. Such litigation could result in adverse decisions regarding the patentability of our inventions and products, the enforceability, validity or scope of protection offered by our patents or our infringement of patents held by others. Such decisions could make us liable for substantial money damages, or could bar us from the manufacture, sale or use of certain products. Moreover, an adverse decision may also compel us to seek a license from a third party. The costs of any license may be prohibitive and we may not be able to enter into any required licensing arrangement on terms acceptable to us.
The cost to us of any litigation or proceeding relating to patent or license rights, even if resolved in our favor, could be substantial. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of complex patent or licensing litigation more effectively than we can because of their substantially greater resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of any patent or related litigation could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.
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We also may be required to participate in interference proceedings declared by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in opposition or similar proceedings before foreign patent offices and in International Trade Commission proceedings aimed at preventing the importation of drugs that would compete unfairly with our drugs. These types of proceedings could cause us to incur considerable costs.
The principal patent covering the use of Ganite® for its approved indication, including Hatch-Waxman extensions, expired in April 2005.
We have licensed a portfolio of U.S. patents and applications from the University of Pennsylvania and the NIH relating to Genasense® and its backbone chemistry that expire between 2008 and 2015. Corresponding patent applications have been filed in Canada, Europe and Japan. The claims of these patents cover our proprietary antisense oligonucleotide molecules which target the Bcl-2 mRNA and methods employing them. We also hold several U.S. patent applications relating to methods of using Genasense® that expire in 2020, with approximately 45 corresponding foreign patent applications.
Most of our products are in an early stage of development, and we may never receive regulatory approval for these products.
Most of our resources have been dedicated to the research and development of potential antisense pharmaceutical products such as Genasense®, based upon oligonucleotide technology. While we have demonstrated the activity of antisense oligonucleotide technology in model systems in vitro and in animals, Genasense® is our only antisense product to have been tested in humans. Several of our other technologies that serve as a possible basis for pharmaceutical products are only in preclinical testing. Results obtained in preclinical studies or early clinical investigations are not necessarily indicative of results that will be obtained in extended human clinical trials. Our products may prove to have undesirable and unintended side effects or other characteristics that may prevent our obtaining FDA or foreign regulatory approval for any indication. In addition, it is possible that research and discoveries by others will render our oligonucleotide technology obsolete or noncompetitive.
We will not be able to commercialize our product candidates if our preclinical studies do not produce successful results or if our clinical trials do not demonstrate safety and efficacy in humans.
Our success will depend on the success of our currently ongoing clinical trials and subsequent clinical trials that have not yet begun. It may take several years to complete the clinical trials of a product, and a failure of one or more of our clinical trials can occur at any stage of testing. We believe that the development of each of our product candidates involves significant risks at each stage of testing. If clinical trial difficulties and failures arise, our product candidates may never be approved for sale or become commercially viable. We do not believe that any of our product candidates have alternative uses if our current development activities are unsuccessful.
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There are a number of difficulties and risks associated with clinical trials. These difficulties and risks may result in the failure to receive regulatory approval to sell our product candidates or the inability to commercialize any of our product candidates. The possibility exists that:
• | we may discover that a product candidate does not exhibit the expected therapeutic results in humans, may cause harmful side effects or have other unexpected characteristics that may delay or preclude regulatory approval or limit commercial use if approved; |
• | the results from early clinical trials may not be statistically significant or predictive of results that will be obtained from expanded, advanced clinical trials; |
• | institutional review boards or regulators, including the FDA, may hold, suspend or terminate our clinical research or the clinical trials of our product candidates for various reasons, including noncompliance with regulatory requirements or if, in their opinion, the participating subjects are being exposed to unacceptable health risks; |
• | subjects may drop out of our clinical trials; |
• | our preclinical studies or clinical trials may produce negative, inconsistent or inconclusive results, and we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials; and |
• | the cost of our clinical trials may be greater than we currently anticipate. |
For example, in November 2004, we reported that our randomized Phase 3 clinical trial of Genasense® in patients with multiple myeloma did not meet its primary endpoint. The trial had been designed to evaluate whether the addition of Genasense® to standard therapy with high-dose dexamethasone could increase the time to development of progressive disease in patients who previously had received extensive therapy. Based on the results of the Phase 3 trial, we have no plans to submit an NDA in this indication to the FDA at the current time. We have not yet determined what additional clinical trials, if any, may be undertaken in patients with multiple myeloma.
We cannot assure you that our ongoing preclinical studies and clinical trials will produce successful results in order to support regulatory approval of Genasense® in any territory or for any indication. Failure to obtain approval, or a substantial delay in approval of Genasense® for these or any other indications would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Clinical trials are costly and time consuming and are subject to delays; our business would suffer if the development process relating to our products were subject to meaningful delays.
Clinical trials are very costly and time-consuming. The length of time required to complete a clinical study depends upon many factors, including but not limited to the size of the patient population, the ability of patients to get to the site of the clinical study, the criteria for determining which patients are eligible to join the study and other issues. Delays in patient enrollment and other unforeseen developments could delay completion of a clinical study and increase its costs, which could also delay any eventual commercial sale of the drug that is the subject of the clinical trial.
Our commencement and rate of completion of clinical trials also may be delayed by many other factors, including the following:
• inability to obtain sufficient quantities of materials for use in clinical trials;
• inability to adequately monitor patient progress after treatment;
• unforeseen safety issues;
• the failure of the products to perform well during clinical trials and
• government or regulatory delays.
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If we fail to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals, we cannot market and sell our products in the United States or in other countries.
The FDA and comparable regulatory agencies in foreign countries (such as the EMEA) impose substantial pre-market approval requirements on the introduction of pharmaceutical products. These requirements involve lengthy and detailed preclinical and clinical testing and other costly and time-consuming procedures. Satisfaction of these requirements typically takes several years or more depending upon the type, complexity and novelty of the product. We cannot apply for FDA approval to market any of our products under development until preclinical and clinical trials on the product are successfully completed. Several factors could prevent successful completion or cause significant delays of these trials, including an inability to enroll the required number of patients or failure to demonstrate adequately that the product is safe and effective for use in humans. If safety concerns develop, the FDA could stop our trials before completion. We may not market or sell any product for which we have not obtained regulatory approval. In May 2004, the application failed to gain a majority vote for marketing approval from ODAC. As a consequence, we withdrew the NDA, which allows us to potentially resubmit the application.
We cannot assure you that the FDA, the EMEA or other regulatory agencies will ever approve the use of our products that are under development. If the patient populations for which our products are approved are not sufficiently broad, or if approval is accompanied by unanticipated labeling restrictions, the commercial success of our products could be limited and our business, results of operations and financial condition could consequently be materially adversely affected.
If the third party manufacturers upon which we rely fail to produce our products in the volumes that we require on a timely basis, or to comply with stringent regulations applicable to pharmaceutical drug manufacturers, we may face delays in the commercialization of, or be unable to meet demand for, our products and may lose potential revenues.
We do not manufacture any of our products or product candidates and we do not plan to develop any capacity to do so. We have contracted with third-party manufacturers to manufacture Ganite® and Genasense®. The manufacture of pharmaceutical products requires significant expertise and capital investment, including the development of advanced manufacturing techniques and process controls. Manufacturers of pharmaceutical products often encounter difficulties in production, especially in scaling up initial production. These problems include difficulties with production costs and yields, quality control and assurance and shortages of qualified personnel, as well as compliance with strictly enforced federal, state and foreign regulations. Our third-party manufacturers may not perform as agreed or may terminate their agreements with us.
In addition to product approval, any facility in which Genasense® is manufactured or tested for its ability to meet required specifications must be approved by the FDA and/or the EMEA before it can manufacture Genasense®. Failure of the facility to be approved could delay the approval of Genasense®.
We do not currently have alternate manufacturing plans in place. The number of third-party manufacturers with the expertise, required regulatory approvals and facilities to manufacture bulk drug substance on a commercial scale is limited, and it would take a significant amount of time to arrange for alternative manufacturers. If we need to change to other commercial manufacturers, the FDA and comparable foreign regulators must approve these manufacturers’ facilities and processes prior to our use, which would require new testing and compliance inspections, and the new manufacturers would have to be educated in or independently develop the processes necessary for the production of our products.
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Any of these factors could cause us to delay or suspend clinical trials, regulatory submissions, required approvals or commercialization of our products or product candidates, entail higher costs and result in us being unable to effectively commercialize our products. Furthermore, if our third-party manufacturers fail to deliver the required commercial quantities of bulk drug substance or finished product on a timely basis and at commercially reasonable prices, and we were unable to promptly find one or more replacement manufacturers capable of production at a substantially equivalent cost, in substantially equivalent volume and on a timely basis, we would likely be unable to meet demand for our products and we would lose potential revenues.
Even if we obtain regulatory approval, we will be subject to ongoing regulation, and any failure by us or our manufacturers to comply with such regulation could suspend or eliminate our ability to sell our products.
Ganite®, Genasense®, if it obtains regulatory approval, and any other product we may develop will be subject to ongoing regulatory oversight, primarily by the FDA. Failure to comply with post-marketing requirements, such as maintenance by us or by the manufacturers of our products of current Good Manufacturing Practices as required by the FDA, or safety surveillance of such products or lack of compliance with other regulations could result in suspension or limitation of approvals or other enforcement actions. Current Good Manufacturing Practices are FDA regulations that define the minimum standards that must be met by companies that manufacture pharmaceuticals and apply to all drugs for human use including those to be used in clinical trials as well as those produced for general sale after approval of an application by the FDA. These regulations define requirements for personnel, buildings and facilities, equipment, control of raw materials and packaging components, production and process controls, packaging and label controls, handling and distribution, laboratory controls and recordkeeping. Furthermore, the terms of any product candidate approval, including the labeling content and advertising restrictions, may be so restrictive that they could adversely affect the marketability of our product candidates. Any such failure to comply or the application of such restrictions could limit our ability to market our product candidates and may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Such failures or restrictions may also prompt regulatory recalls of one or more of our products, which could have material and adverse effects on our business.
The raw materials for our products are produced by a limited number of suppliers, and our business could suffer if we cannot obtain needed quantities at acceptable prices and qualities.
The raw materials that we require to manufacture our drugs, particularly oligonucleotides, are available from only a few suppliers. If these suppliers cease to provide us with the necessary raw materials or fail to provide us with an adequate supply of materials at an acceptable price and quality, we could be materially adversely affected.
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If third-party payors do not provide coverage and reimbursement for use of our products, we may not be able to successfully commercialize our products.
Our ability to commercialize drugs successfully will depend in part on the extent to which various third-party payors are willing to reimburse patients for the costs of our drugs and related treatments. These third-party payors include government authorities, private health insurers and other organizations, such as health maintenance organizations. Third-party payors often challenge the prices charged for medical products and services. Accordingly, if less costly drugs are available, third-party payors may not authorize or may limit reimbursement for our drugs, even if they are safer or more effective than the alternatives. In addition, the federal government and private insurers have changed and continue to consider ways to change the manner in which health care products and services are provided and paid for in the United States. In particular, these third-party payors are increasingly attempting to contain health care costs by limiting both coverage and the level of reimbursement for new therapeutic products. In the future, it is possible that the government may institute price controls and further limits on Medicare and Medicaid spending. These controls and limits could affect the payments we collect from sales of our products. Internationally, medical reimbursement systems vary significantly, with some countries requiring application for, and approval of, government or third-party reimbursement. In addition, some medical centers in foreign countries have fixed budgets, regardless of levels of patient care. Even if we succeed in bringing therapeutic products to market, uncertainties regarding future health care policy, legislation and regulation, as well as private market practices, could affect our ability to sell our products in quantities, or at prices, that will enable us to achieve profitability.
Our business exposes us to potential product liability that may have a negative effect on our financial performance and our business generally.
The administration of drugs to humans, whether in clinical trials or commercially, exposes us to potential product and professional liability risks, which are inherent in the testing, production, marketing and sale of human therapeutic products. Product liability claims can be expensive to defend and may result in large judgments or settlements against us, which could have a negative effect on our financial performance and materially and adversely affect our business. We maintain product liability insurance (subject to various deductibles), but our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover claims. Furthermore, we cannot be certain that we will always be able to maintain or increase our insurance coverage at an affordable price. Even if a product liability claim is not successful, the adverse publicity and time and expense of defending such a claim may interfere with or adversely affect our business and financial performance.
We may incur a variety of costs to engage in future acquisitions of companies, products or technologies, and the anticipated benefits of those acquisitions may never be realized.
As a part of our business strategy, we may make acquisitions of, or significant investments in, complementary companies, products or technologies, although no significant acquisition or investments are currently pending. Any future acquisitions would be accompanied by risks such as:
• | difficulties in assimilating the operations and personnel of acquired companies; |
• | diversion of our management’s attention from ongoing business concerns; |
• | our potential inability to maximize our financial and strategic position through the successful incorporation of acquired technology and rights into our products and services; |
• | additional expense associated with amortization of acquired assets; |
• | maintenance of uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies; and |
• | impairment of existing relationships with employees, suppliers and customers as a result of the integration of new management personnel. |
We cannot guarantee that we will be able to successfully integrate any business, products, technologies or personnel that we might acquire in the future, and our failure to do so could harm our business.
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We face substantial competition from other companies and research institutions that are developing similar products, and we may not be able to compete successfully.
In many cases, our products under development will be competing with existing therapies for market share. In addition, a number of companies are pursuing the development of antisense technology and controlled-release formulation technology and the development of pharmaceuticals utilizing such technologies. We compete with fully integrated pharmaceutical companies that have more substantial experience, financial and other resources and superior expertise in research and development, manufacturing, testing, obtaining regulatory approvals, marketing and distribution. Smaller companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through their collaborative arrangements with large pharmaceutical companies or academic institutions. Furthermore, academic institutions, governmental agencies and other public and private research organizations have conducted and will continue to conduct research, seek patent protection and establish arrangements for commercializing products. Such products may compete directly with any products that may be offered by us.
Our competition will be determined in part by the potential indications for which our products are developed and ultimately approved by regulatory authorities. For certain of our potential products, an important factor in competition may be the timing of market introduction of our or our competitors’ products. Accordingly, the relative speed with which we can develop products, complete the clinical trials and approval processes and supply commercial quantities of the products to the market are expected to be important competitive factors. We expect that competition among products approved for sale will be based, among other things, on product efficacy, safety, reliability, availability, price, patent position and sales, marketing and distribution capabilities. The development by others of new treatment methods could render our products under development non-competitive or obsolete.
Our competitive position also depends upon our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, obtain patent protection or otherwise develop proprietary products or processes and secure sufficient capital resources for the often-substantial period between technological conception and commercial sales. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in this regard.
We are dependent on our key executives and scientists, and the loss of key personnel or the failure to attract additional qualified personnel could harm our business.
Our business is highly dependent on our key executives and scientific staff. The loss of key personnel or the failure to recruit necessary additional or replacement personnel will likely impede the achievement of our development objectives. There is intense competition for qualified personnel in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and there can be no assurances that we will be able to attract and retain the qualified personnel necessary for the development of our business.
Risks Related to Outstanding Litigation
The outcome of and costs relating to pending shareholder class action and shareholder derivative actions are uncertain.
In 2004, numerous complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against Genta and certain of its principal officers on behalf of purported classes of the Company’s shareholders who purchased its securities during several class periods. The complaints have been consolidated into a single action and allege that the Company and certain of its principal officers violated the federal securities laws by issuing materially false and misleading statements regarding Genasense® for the treatment of malignant melanoma that had the effect of artificially inflating the market price of our securities. The shareholder class action complaint in the various actions seeks monetary damages in an unspecified amount and recovery of plaintiffs’ costs and attorneys’ fees. On September 30, 2005, the court granted in part and denied in part the Company’s motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ complaint. The court dismissed plaintiffs’ claim that the defendants engaged in a scheme or artifice to defraud plaintiffs, but allowed plaintiffs’ claims to proceed with respect to their allegations that defendants issued false and misleading public statements about Genasense®. The case has proceeded to discovery.
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In addition, two separate shareholder derivative actions have been filed against the directors and certain officers of Genta in New Jersey State and Federal courts. The Federal shareholder derivative action was consolidated with the securities action. Genta has reached an agreement in principle with the Federal shareholder derivative plaintiffs to settle the Federal Shareholder derivative action. The settlement has been submitted to the court for approval and we are waiting for a determination.
Based on facts substantially similar to those asserted in the shareholder class actions, the State derivative plaintiffs claim that defendants have breached their fiduciary duties to the shareholders and committed other violations of New Jersey law. On February 9, 2006, the Superior Court of New Jersey dismissed the plaintiffs’ derivative complaint in the New Jersey State case based in part on plaintiffs’ failure to make a pre-suit demand on Genta's Board of Directors and in part based on plaintiffs’ failure to state a cause of action. Plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration was denied and they have filed a notice of appeal.
The Company believes these litigations are without merit and will continue to vigorously defend against these suits.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
Provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law may discourage a takeover and prevent our stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares.
Provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage third parties from seeking to obtain control of us and, therefore, could prevent our stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares. Our restated certificate of incorporation gives our board of directors the power to issue shares of preferred stock without approval of the holders of common stock. Any preferred stock that is issued in the future could have voting rights, including voting rights that could be superior to that of our common stock. The affirmative vote of 66 2/3% of our voting stock is required to approve certain transactions and to take certain stockholder actions, including the amendment of certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation. Our bylaws contain provisions that regulate how stockholders may present proposals or nominate directors for election at annual meetings of stockholders.
In addition, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which contains restrictions on stockholder action to acquire control of us.
On September 16, 2005, we announced that our Board of Directors approved a Stockholder Rights Plan and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right, which we refer to as a Right, for each share of our common stock held of record as of the close of business on September 27, 2005. In addition, Rights shall be issued in respect of all shares of common stock issued after such date, including the shares issued hereunder, pursuant to the Plan. The Rights contain provisions to protect stockholders in the event of an unsolicited attempt to acquire us, including an accumulation of shares in the open market, a partial or two-tier tender offer that does not treat all stockholders equally and other activities that the Board believes are not in the best interests of shareholders. The Rights may discourage a takeover and prevent our stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares.
We have not paid, and do not expect to pay in the future, cash dividends on our common stock.
We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any such dividends in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to retain our earnings, if any, for the development of our business.
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Our stock price is volatile.
The market price of our common stock, like that of the common stock of many other biopharmaceutical companies, has been and likely will continue to be highly volatile. Factors that could have a significant impact on the future price of our common stock include but are not limited to:
• | the results of preclinical studies and clinical trials by us or our competitors; |
• | announcements of technological innovations or new therapeutic products by us or our competitors; |
• | government regulation; |
• | developments in patent or other proprietary rights by us or our respective competitors, including litigation; |
• | fluctuations in our operating results; and |
• | market conditions for biopharmaceutical stocks in general. |
At June 30, 2006, we had 133.7 million shares of common stock outstanding, 12.8 million additional shares reserved for the conversion of convertible preferred stock and the exercise of outstanding options and warrants and 5.2 million additional shares of common stock authorized for issuance and remaining to be granted under our stock option plans. Future sales of shares of our common stock by existing stockholders, holders of preferred stock who might convert such preferred stock into common stock and option and warrant holders who may exercise their options and warrants to purchase common stock also could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Moreover, the perception that sales of substantial amounts of our common stock might occur could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
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
(a) The Company held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders, herein after referred to as the Annual Meeting, on June 16, 2006.
(b) Proxies for the meeting were solicited pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act. There was no solicitation in opposition to the Board of Directors' nominees for directors listed in the definitive proxy statement of the Company dated as of April 28, 2006. All of the Board of Directors' nominees were elected.
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(c) At the Annual Meeting, Stockholders voted to approve all resolutions that were proposed in the proxy statement. Briefly described below is each resolution voted upon at the Annual Meeting and the corresponding results.
(i) Election of seven directors. The result of the voting was as follows:
Directors | Votes For | Withheld | ||||||||||
Raymond P. Warrell, Jr., M.D. | 114,798,206 |
|
5,924,100 |
|
||||||||
Martin J. Driscoll | 114,943,350 |
|
5,778,956 |
|
||||||||
Jerome E. Groopman, M.D. | 114,864,563 |
|
5,857,743 |
|
||||||||
Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D. | 114,860,737 |
|
5,861,569 |
|
||||||||
Christopher P. Parios | 114,975,000 |
|
5,747,306 |
|
||||||||
Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D. | 110,371,960 |
|
10,350,346 |
|
||||||||
Douglas G. Watson | 113,129,263 |
|
7,593,043 |
|
||||||||
(ii) Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, to increase the authorized number of shares of capital stock available for issuance. The result of the voting was as follows:
For: | 104,340,544 votes | ||
Against: | 9,199,915 votes | ||
Abstain: | 7,181,844 votes | ||
(iii) Approval of an amendment to the Company’s 1998 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares authorized under the Plan. The result of the voting was as follows:
For: | 19,695,573 votes | ||
Against: | 7,997,683 votes | ||
Abstain: | 6,956,129 votes | ||
(iv) Ratification of the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2006. The result of the voting was as follows:
For: | 112,667,883 votes | ||
Against: | 810,272 votes | ||
Abstain: | 7,244,151 votes | ||
Item 5. Other Information
On July 21, 2006, Jerome Groopman, M.D. announced his resignation from the Board of Directors of the Company for personal health reasons. The resignation did not result from a disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies or practices.
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Item 6. Exhibits.
(a) | Exhibits |
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | ||
3.1 | Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Genta Incorporated, dated June 16, 2006 (filed herewith) | ||
4.1 | Genta Incorporated 1998 Incentive Stock Plan (Amended and Restated effective April 5, 2006) (filed herewith) | ||
10.1 | Employment Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2006, between the Company and Loretta M. Itri., M.D. (filed herewith) | ||
31.1 | Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith) | ||
31.2 | Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith) | ||
32.1 | Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) | ||
32.2 | Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) | ||
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized
Genta Incorporated | |||
Date: August 8, 2006 | |||
/s/ RAYMOND P. WARRELL, JR., M.D. | |||
Raymond P. Warrell, Jr., M.D. | |||
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | |||
(principal executive officer) | |||
Date: August 8, 2006 | |||
/s/ RICHARD J. MORAN | |||
Richard J. Moran | |||
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Corporate Secretary |
|||
(principal financial and accounting officer) | |||
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Exhibit Index
Exhibit Number |
Description of Document | ||
3.1 | Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Genta Incorporated, dated June 16, 2006 (filed herewith) | ||
4.1 | Genta Incorporated 1998 Incentive Stock Plan (Amended and Restated effective April 5, 2006) (filed herewith) | ||
10.1 | Employment Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2006, between the Company and Loretta M. Itri., M.D. (filed herewith) | ||
31.1 | Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith) | ||
31.2 | Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith) | ||
32.1 | Certification by Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) | ||
32.2 | Certification by Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) | ||
45