COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
9 Months Ended | |||
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Sep. 30, 2018 | ||||
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | ||||
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
Government Regulation Our products and facilities are subject to regulation by a number of federal and state governmental agencies. The FDA, in particular, maintains oversight of the formulation, manufacture, distribution, packaging, and labeling of all of our products. The Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) maintains oversight over our products that are controlled substances. Unapproved Products Two of our products, Esterified Estrogen with Methyltestosterone (“EEMT”) and Opium Tincture, are marketed without approved NDAs or Abbreviated New Drug Applications (“ANDAs”). During the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, net revenues for these products totaled $ 6.2 million and $7.9 million, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, net revenues for these products totaled $18.3 million and $20.9 million, respectively.The FDA's policy with respect to the continued marketing of unapproved products is stated in the FDA's September 2011 Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 440.100 titled “Marketed New Drugs without Approved NDAs or ANDAs.” Under this policy, the FDA has stated that it will follow a risk-based approach with regard to enforcement against such unapproved products. The FDA evaluates whether to initiate enforcement action on a case-by-case basis, but gives higher priority to enforcement action against products in certain categories, such as those marketed as unapproved drugs with potential safety risks or that lack evidence of effectiveness. We believe that, so long as we comply with applicable manufacturing standards, the FDA will not take action against us under the current enforcement policy. There can be no assurance, however, that the FDA will continue this policy or not take a contrary position with any individual product or group of products. If the FDA were to take a contrary position, we may be required to seek FDA approval for these products or withdraw such products from the market. If we decide to withdraw the products from the market, our net revenues for generic pharmaceutical products would decline materially, and if we decide to seek FDA approval, we would face increased expenses and might need to suspend sales of the products until such approval was obtained, and there are no assurances that we would receive such approval. In addition, one group of products that we manufacture on behalf of a contract customer is marketed by that customer without an approved NDA. If the FDA took enforcement action against such customer, the customer may be required to seek FDA approval for the group of products or withdraw them from the market. Our contract manufacturing revenues for these unapproved products for both the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were $0.6 million. Our contract manufacturing revenues for these unapproved products for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were $1.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively. We receive royalties on the net sales of a group of contract-manufactured products, which are marketed by the contract customer without an approved NDA. If the FDA took enforcement action against such customer, the customer may be required to seek FDA approval for the group of products or withdraw them from the market. Our royalties on the net sales of these unapproved products for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were less than 1% of total revenues. Louisiana Medicaid Lawsuit On September 11, 2013, the Attorney General of the State of Louisiana filed a lawsuit in Louisiana state court against numerous pharmaceutical companies, including us, under various state laws, alleging that each defendant caused the state’s Medicaid agency to provide reimbursement for drug products that allegedly were not approved by the FDA and therefore allegedly not reimbursable under the federal Medicaid program. The lawsuit relates to three cough and cold prescription products manufactured and sold by our former Gulfport, Mississippi operation, which was sold in September 2010. Through its lawsuit, the state seeks unspecified damages, statutory fines, penalties, attorneys’ fees, and costs. While we cannot predict the outcome of the lawsuit at this time, we could be subject to material damages, penalties, and fines. We intend to vigorously defend against all claims in the lawsuit. Civil Action In November of 2017, we were served with a complaint filed by Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC, in the United States District Court, District of Minnesota. The complaint alleges false advertising and unfair competition in violation of Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, Section 1125(a) of Title 15 of the United States Code, and Minnesota State law, and seeks injunctive relief and damages. The action is currently in the discovery phase. We intend to defend this action vigorously. Other Commitments and Contingencies All manufacturers of the drug Reglan and its generic equivalent metoclopramide, including ANI, have faced allegations from plaintiffs in various states, including California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, claiming bodily injuries as a result of ingestion of metoclopramide or its brand name, Reglan, prior to the FDA's February 2009 Black Box warning requirement. In August 2012, we were dismissed with prejudice from all New Jersey complaints. In August 2016, we settled the outstanding California short form complaints and in February 2018, we settled the remaining four complaints that were not captured in the 2016 settlement. We consider our exposure to this litigation to be limited due to several factors: (1) the only generic metoclopramide that we manufactured prior to the implementation of the FDA's warning requirement was an oral solution introduced after May 28, 2008; (2) our market share for the oral solution was a very small portion of the overall metoclopramide market; and (3) once we received a request for change of labeling from the FDA, we submitted our proposed changes within 30 days, and such changes were subsequently approved by the FDA. At the present time, we are unable to assess the likely outcome of the cases in the remaining states. Our insurance company has assumed the defense of this matter and paid all losses in settlement of the California cases. We cannot provide assurances that the outcome of these matters will not have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results. Furthermore, like all pharmaceutical manufacturers, we may be exposed to other product liability claims in the future, which could limit our coverage under future insurance policies or cause those policies to become more expensive, which could harm our business, financial condition, and operating results. Our ANDA for Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate (“EES”) was originally approved by the FDA on November 27 th , 1978. We purchased the EES ANDA from Teva on July 10, 2015, and subsequently launched EES on September 27, 2016. In August 2016, we filed with the FDA to reintroduce this product under a Changes Being Effected in 30 Days submission (a “CBE-30 submission”). Under a CBE-30 submission, certain defined changes to an ANDA can be made if the FDA does not object in writing within 30 days. The FDA’s regulations, guidance documents, and historic actions support the filing of a CBE-30 for the types of changes that we proposed for our EES ANDA. We received no formal written letter from the FDA within 30 days of the CBE-30 submission date, and as such, launched the product in accordance with FDA regulations. On December 16, 2016, and nearly four months after our CBE-30 submission, the FDA sent us a formal written notice that a Prior Approval Supplement (“PAS”) was required for this ANDA. Under a PAS, proposed changes to an ANDA cannot be implemented without prior review and approval by the FDA. Because we did not receive this notice in the timeframe prescribed by the FDA’s regulations, we believe that our supplemental ANDA is valid, and as such continued to market the product. In addition, we filed a PAS which was approved by the FDA on November 2, 2018.On or about September 20, 2017, the Company and certain of its employees were served with search warrants and/or grand jury subpoenas to produce documents and possibly testify relating to a federal investigation of the generic pharmaceutical industry. The Company has been cooperating and intends to continue cooperating with the investigation. However, no assurance can be given as to the timing or outcome of the investigation. |