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Liquidity Matters
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Liquidity Matters

Note 2 — Liquidity Matters

The Company’s vaccine candidates currently under development will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive pre-clinical and clinical testing, and regulatory approval prior to commercial use. The Company’s research and development efforts may not be successful and any potential vaccine candidates may not prove to be safe and effective in clinical trials. Even if developed, these vaccine candidates may not receive regulatory approval or be successfully introduced and marketed at prices that would permit the Company to operate profitably. The commercial launch of any vaccine is subject to significant risks including, but not limited to, manufacturing scale-up and market acceptance.

Since its inception, the Company has incurred, and continues to incur, significant losses from operations. At December 31, 2011, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $14.1 million and short-term investments with a fair value of $4.2 million. Since December 31, 2011 through March 8, 2012, the Company has sold 5.2 million shares under its At Market Issuance Sales Agreement for $7.2 million in net proceeds.

Based on the Company’s cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments balances as of December 31, 2011, anticipated revenue under the contract with the Department of Health and Human Services, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (“HHS BARDA”) that was awarded in February 2011, possible proceeds from sales of the Company’s common stock under its At Market Issuance Sales Agreement and its current business operations, the Company believes it has adequate capital resources available to operate at planned levels for at least the next twelve months. Additional capital will be required in the future to develop its vaccine candidates through clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization. The Company’s ability to generate revenue under the HHS BARDA contract is subject to its performance under the contract; its ability to raise funds under its At Market Issuance Sales Agreement is subject to both its business performance and market conditions. Further, the Company may seek additional capital through public or private equity offerings, debt financing, strategic alliance and licensing arrangements, non-dilutive government contracts, collaborative arrangements, or some combination of these financing alternatives. Any capital raised by an equity offering, whether public or private, will likely be substantially dilutive to the existing stockholders and any licensing or development arrangement may require the Company to give up rights to a product or technology at less than its full potential value. Other than the Company’s At Market Issuance Sales Agreement and the Improvement Allowance (see Note 15), the Company has not secured any additional commitments for new financing, nor can the Company provide any assurance that financing will be available on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. If the Company is unable to perform under the HHS BARDA contract or obtain additional capital, it will assess its capital resources and will likely be required to delay, reduce the scope of, or eliminate one or more of its research and development programs, and/or downsize the organization, including its general and administrative infrastructure.