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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
_________________________________
FORM 10-Q
_________________________________
þ
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2019
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: 001-36257
 RETROPHIN, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware
 
27-4842691
 
 
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
3721 Valley Centre Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92130
 
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
 
(760) 260-8600
 
 
(Registrant’s Telephone number including area code)
 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
 
 
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
RTRX
The Nasdaq Global Market
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes þ  No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes þ  No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
þ
Accelerated filer
¨
Non-accelerated filer
¨
Smaller reporting company
¨
 
 
Emerging growth company
¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨ No þ
 The number of shares of outstanding common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Registrant as of May 6, 2019 was 41,439,478.
 

Table of Contents

RETROPHIN, INC.
Form 10-Q
For the Fiscal Quarter Ended March 31, 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
 
Page No.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1
Table of Contents

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS 
This report contains forward-looking statements regarding our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not deemed to represent an all-inclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements as denoted in this report. Additionally, statements concerning future matters are forward-looking statements.
Although forward-looking statements in this report reflect the good faith judgment of our management, such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known by us. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences in results and outcomes include, without limitation, those specifically addressed under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 (the "2018 10-K"), and in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q and information contained in other reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). You are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. 
We file reports with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us. You can also read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. You can obtain additional information about the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this report, except as required by law. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made throughout the entirety of this quarterly report, which are designed to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

2
Table of Contents

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
RETROPHIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except share amounts)
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Assets
(unaudited)
 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
69,838

 
$
102,873

Marketable securities
377,808

 
368,668

Accounts receivable, net
12,713

 
12,662

Inventory, net
5,571

 
5,619

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
8,171

 
4,140

Prepaid taxes
1,412

 
1,716

Total current assets
475,513

 
495,678

Property and equipment, net
2,995

 
3,146

Other non-current assets
13,471

 
7,709

Investment-equity
15,000

 
15,000

Intangible assets, net
159,753

 
186,691

Goodwill
936

 
936

Total assets
$
667,668

 
$
709,160

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

Accounts payable
$
7,627

 
$
6,954

Accrued expenses
46,619

 
49,695

Other current liabilities
8,292

 
6,165

Business combination-related contingent consideration
19,000

 
19,350

2019 Convertible debt
22,537

 
22,457

Total current liabilities
104,075

 
104,621

2025 Convertible debt
197,470

 
195,091

Other non-current liabilities
23,412

 
17,545

Business combination-related contingent consideration, less current portion
57,000

 
73,650

Total liabilities
381,957

 
390,907

Stockholders' Equity:
 

 
 

Preferred stock $0.0001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; 0 issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018
—

 
—

Common stock $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 41,438,020 and 41,389,524 issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively
4

 
4

Additional paid-in capital
596,644

 
589,795

Accumulated deficit
(310,994
)
 
(270,017
)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
57

 
(1,529
)
Total stockholders' equity
285,711

 
318,253

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
667,668

 
$
709,160

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

3
Table of Contents

RETROPHIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Net product sales
$
39,570

 
$
38,432

Operating expenses:
 

 
 

Cost of goods sold
1,017

 
1,613

Research and development
33,443


24,636

Selling, general and administrative
32,669


26,468

Change in fair value of contingent consideration
3,169

 
3,627

Impairment of L-UDCA IPR&D intangible asset
25,500

 
—

Write off of L-UDCA contingent consideration
(18,000
)
 
—

Total operating expenses
77,798

 
56,344

Operating loss
(38,228
)

(17,912
)
Other income (expenses), net:
 

 
 

Other income (expense), net
(302
)

121

Interest income
2,819


797

Interest expense
(4,865
)

(1,155
)
Total other expense, net
(2,348
)
 
(237
)
Loss before income taxes
(40,576
)
 
(18,149
)
Income tax expense
(401
)

(229
)
Net loss
$
(40,977
)
 
$
(18,378
)

 
 
 
Basic and diluted net loss per common share:
$
(0.99
)

$
(0.46
)
Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding:
41,410,314


39,657,418

Comprehensive loss:
 

 
 

Net loss
$
(40,977
)
 
$
(18,378
)
Foreign currency translation
117

 
22

Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities
1,469

 
(536
)
Comprehensive loss
$
(39,391
)
 
$
(18,892
)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

4
Table of Contents

RETROPHIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited, in thousands)
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
 
 
 
Net loss
$
(40,977
)
 
$
(18,378
)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
 

 
 

Depreciation and amortization
4,901

 
4,348

Non-cash interest expense
350

 
413

Amortization of premiums on marketable securities
(343
)
 
356

Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs
2,459

 
—

Provision for Inventory
189

 
816

Share based compensation
6,271

 
4,659

Change in fair value of contingent consideration
(14,831
)
 
3,627

Payments related to change in fair value of contingent consideration
(1,405
)
 
(4,245
)
Impairment of IPR&D intangible assets
25,500

 
—

Other
62

 
75

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of business acquisitions:
 

 
 

Accounts receivable
40

 
886

Inventory
(170
)
 
(593
)
Other current and non-current operating assets
(9,321
)
 
421

Accounts payable and accrued expenses
(3,103
)
 
(9,330
)
Other current and non-current operating liabilities
9,886

 
2,211

Net cash used in operating activities
(20,492
)
 
(14,734
)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
 

 
 

Purchase of fixed assets
(19
)
 
(39
)
Cash paid for intangible assets
(3,961
)
 
(8,217
)
Proceeds from the sale/maturity of marketable securities
72,990

 
26,924

Purchase of marketable securities
(80,422
)
 
(29,519
)
Cash paid for investments - equity
—

 
(10,000
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(11,412
)
 
(20,851
)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
 

 
 

Payment of acquisition-related contingent consideration
(905
)
 
(7,066
)
Payment of guaranteed minimum royalty
(509
)
 
(500
)
Proceeds from exercise of warrants
—

 
608

Proceeds from exercise of stock options
304

 
4,256

Net cash used in financing activities
(1,110
)
 
(2,702
)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
(21
)
 
10

Net change in cash and cash equivalents
(33,035
)
 
(38,277
)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year
102,873

 
99,394

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$
69,838

 
$
61,117

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

5
Table of Contents

RETROPHIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
(in thousands, except share amounts)
(unaudited)
 
Common Stock
 
Additional Paid in Capital
 
Accumulated
Deficit
 
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
 
Total
Stockholders'
Equity
 
Shares
 
Amount
 
 
 
 
Balance - December 31, 2017
39,373,745

 
$
4

 
$
471,800

 
$
(177,655
)
 
$
(1,015
)
 
$
293,134

Adoption of ASU 2017-11 - reclassification of derivative liability of warrants with down round provisions
—

 
—

 
5,394

 
10,316

 
—

 
15,710

Share based compensation
—

 
—

 
4,543

 
—

 
—

 
4,543

Issuance of common stock from stock option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units
330,928

 
—

 
4,256

 
—

 
—

 
4,256

Exercise of warrants
168,612

 
—

 
608

 
—

 
—

 
608

Unrealized loss on marketable securities
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
(536
)
 
(536
)
Foreign currency translation adjustments
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
22

 
22

ESPP expense
—

 
—

 
116

 
—

 
—

 
116

Net loss
—

 
—

 
—

 
(18,378
)
 
—

 
(18,378
)
Balance - March 31, 2018
39,873,285

 
$
4

 
$
486,717

 
$
(185,717
)
 
$
(1,529
)
 
$
299,475

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance - December 31, 2018
41,389,524

 
$
4

 
$
589,795

 
$
(270,017
)
 
$
(1,529
)
 
$
318,253

Share based compensation
—

 
—

 
6,370

 
—

 
—

 
6,370

Issuance of common shares under the equity incentive plan and proceeds from exercise
48,496

 
—

 
304

 
—

 
—

 
304

Unrealized gain on marketable securities
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
1,469

 
1,469

Foreign currency translation adjustments
—

 
—

 
—

 
—

 
117

 
117

ESPP expense
 
 
—

 
175

 
—

 
—

 
175

Net loss
—

 
—

 
—

 
(40,977
)
 
—

 
(40,977
)
Balance - March 31, 2019
41,438,020

 
$
4

 
$
596,644

 
$
(310,994
)
 
$
57

 
$
285,711

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.


6
Table of Contents

RETROPHIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATMENTS
NOTE 1.  DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Organization and Description of Business
Retrophin, Inc. (“we”, “our”, “us”, “Retrophin” and the “Company”) refers to Retrophin, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as well as our direct and indirect subsidiaries. Retrophin is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Diego, California, focused on identifying, developing and delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases. We regularly evaluate and, where appropriate, act on opportunities to expand our product pipeline through licenses and acquisitions of products in areas that will serve patients with rare diseases and that we believe offer attractive growth characteristics.
The Company is developing the following pipeline products:
The Company is developing fosmetpantotenate (RE-024), a novel small molecule, as a potential treatment for pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (“PKAN”). PKAN is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that is typically diagnosed in the first decade of life.
Sparsentan, also known as RE-021, is an investigational product candidate with a dual mechanism of action, a potent angiotensin receptor blocker (“ARB”) and selective endothelin receptor antagonist (“ERA”), with in vitro selectivity toward endothelin receptor type A. Sparsentan is currently being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical studies in the following indications:
•
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis ("FSGS") is a rare kidney disease characterized by proteinuria where the glomeruli become progressively scarred. FSGS is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease.
•
Immunoglobulin A nephropathy ("IgAN") is an immune-complex-mediated glomerulonephritis characterized by hematuria, proteinuria, and variable rates of progressive renal failure. IgAN is the most common primary glomerular disease.
The Company is a party to a joint development agreement with Censa Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Censa"), a privately held biotechnology company focused on developing therapies for orphan metabolic diseases, to evaluate sepiapterin ("CNSA-001") for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU).
In September 2017, the Company entered into a three-way Cooperative Research and Development Agreement ("CRADA") with the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and patient advocacy foundation NGLY1.org to collaborate on research efforts aimed at the identification of potential small molecule therapeutics for NGLY1 deficiency.
The Company sells the following three products:
•
Chenodal (chenodiol tablets) is approved in the United States for the treatment of patients suffering from gallstones in whom surgery poses an unacceptable health risk due to disease or advanced age. Chenodal has been the standard of care for cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis ("CTX") patients for more than three decades and the Company is currently pursuing adding this indication to the label.
•
Cholbam (cholic acid capsules) is approved in the United States for the treatment of bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects and is further indicated for adjunctive treatment of patients with peroxisomal disorders.
•
Thiola (tiopronin tablets) is approved in the United States for the prevention of cystine (kidney) stone formation in patients with severe homozygous cystinuria.
NOTE 2.  BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the 2018 10-K filed with the SEC on February 26, 2019. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information, the instructions for Form 10-Q and the rules and regulations of the SEC. Accordingly, since they are interim statements, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements, but reflect all adjustments consisting of normal, recurring adjustments, that are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future periods. The December 31, 2018 balance sheet information was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period consolidated financial statements to conform to the current period presentation.
A summary of the significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements follows:
Principles of Consolidation
The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

7
Table of Contents

Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements that an entity determines are within the scope of Topic 606, the entity performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that the entity will collect substantially all the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. See Note 3 for further discussion.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses are comprised of salaries and bonuses, benefits, non-cash share-based compensation, license fees, costs paid to third-party contractors to perform research, conduct clinical trials and pre/non-clinical trials, develop drug materials, and associated overhead expenses and facilities. We also incur indirect costs that are not allocated to specific programs because such costs benefit multiple development programs and allow us to increase our pharmaceutical development capabilities. These consist of internal shared resources related to the development and maintenance of systems and processes applicable to all of our programs.
Clinical Trial Expenses
Our clinical trials are conducted pursuant to contracts with contract research organizations (CROs) that support conducting and managing clinical trials. The financial terms and activities of these agreements vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven expense levels. Generally, these agreements set forth activities that drive the recording of expenses such as start-up, initiation activities, enrollment, treatment of patients, or the completion of other clinical trial activities.
Expenses related to clinical trials are accrued based on our estimates and/or representations from service providers regarding work performed, including actual level of patient enrollment, progress of the clinical trials, and completion of patient studies. Other incidental costs related to patient enrollment or treatment are accrued when reasonably certain. If the amounts we are obligated to pay under our clinical trial agreements are modified (for instance, as a result of changes in the clinical trial protocol or scope of work to be performed), we adjust our accruals accordingly on a prospective basis. Revisions to our contractual payment obligations are charged to expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become reasonably certain.
We currently have three Phase 3 clinical trials in process that are in varying stages of activity, with ongoing non-clinical support trials. As such, clinical trial expenses will vary depending on all the factors set forth above and may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter.
Adoption of New Accounting Standards
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. The new standard establishes a right-of-use ("ROU") model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. See Note 6 for further discussion.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies. Unless otherwise noted, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations upon adoption.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. Topic 326 amends guidance on reporting credit losses for assets held at amortized cost basis and available for sale debt securities. For assets held at amortized cost basis, Topic 326 eliminates the probable initial recognition threshold in current GAAP and, instead, requires an entity to reflect its current estimate of all expected credit losses. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial assets to present the net amount expected to be collected. For available for sale debt securities, credit losses should be measured in a manner similar to current GAAP, however Topic 326 will require that credit losses be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down. This ASU update affects entities holding financial assets and net investment in leases that are not accounted for at fair value through net income. The amendments affect loans, debt securities, trade receivables, net investments in leases, off balance sheet credit exposures, reinsurance receivables, and any other financial assets not excluded from the scope that have the contractual right to receive cash. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. As of March 31, 2019, the Company held $377.8 million in available for sale debt securities. If adopted as of March 31, 2019, this ASU update would not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.


8
Table of Contents

NOTE 3. REVENUE RECOGNITION
Product Revenue, Net
The Company sells Chenodal and Cholbam (Kolbam), which are aggregated as bile acid products, and Thiola through direct-to-patient distributors. The Company sells its products worldwide, with more than 95% of the revenue generated in North America.
Revenues from product sales are recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’s product, which occurs upon delivery to the customer.
Deductions from Revenue
Revenues from product sales are recorded at the net sales price, which includes provisions resulting from discounts, rebates and co-pay assistance that are offered to its customers, health care providers, payors and other indirect customers relating to the Company’s sales of its products. These provisions are based on the amounts earned or to be claimed on the related sales and are classified as a reduction of accounts receivable (if the amount is payable to the customer) or as a current liability (if the amount is payable to a party other than a customer). Where appropriate, these reserves take into consideration the Company’s historical experience, current contractual and statutory requirements, specific known market events and trends, industry data and forecasted customer buying and payment patterns. Overall, these reserves reflect the Company’s best estimates of the amount of consideration to which it is entitled based on the terms of the contract. If actual results in the future vary from the Company’s provisions, the Company will adjust the provision, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known. Our historical experience is that such adjustments have been immaterial.
Government Rebates: We calculate the rebates that we will be obligated to provide to government programs and deduct these estimated amounts from our gross product sales at the time the revenues are recognized. Allowances for government rebates and discounts are established based on actual payer information, which is reasonably estimated at the time of delivery, and the government-mandated discounts applicable to government-funded programs. Rebate discounts are included in other current liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Commercial Rebates: We calculate the rebates that we incur due to contracts with certain commercial payors and deduct these amounts from our gross product sales at the time the revenues are recognized. Allowances for commercial rebates are established based on actual payer information, which is reasonably estimated at the time of delivery. Rebate discounts are included in other current liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Prompt Pay Discounts: We offer discounts to certain customers for prompt payments. We accrue for the calculated prompt pay discount based on the gross amount of each invoice for those customers at the time of sale.
Product Returns: Consistent with industry practice, we offer our customers a limited right to return product purchased directly from the Company, which is principally based upon the product’s expiration date. Generally, shipments are only made upon a patient prescription thus returns are minimal.
Co-pay Assistance: We offer a co-pay assistance program, which is intended to provide financial assistance to qualified commercially insured patients with prescription drug co-payments required by payors. The calculation of the accrual for co-pay assistance is based on an identification of claims and the cost per claim associated with product that has been recognized as revenue.
The following table summarizes net product revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
 
Bile acid products
$
18,390

 
$
18,508

 
Thiola
21,180

 
19,924

 
Total net product revenue
$
39,570

 
$
38,432

 
NOTE 4. MARKETABLE SECURITIES
The Company's marketable securities as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 were comprised of available-for-sale marketable securities which are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses reported in accumulated other comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in other income or expense. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are included in interest income. The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion is included in interest income. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, investment activity for the Company included $73.0 million in maturities and $80.4 million in purchases, all relating to debt based marketable securities.

9
Table of Contents

Marketable securities consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Commercial paper
$
53,373

 
$
59,255

Corporate debt securities
324,435

 
299,413

Securities of government sponsored entities
—

 
10,000

Total marketable securities:
$
377,808

 
$
368,668

The following is a summary of short-term marketable securities classified as available-for-sale as of March 31, 2019 (in thousands):
 
Remaining Contractual Maturity
(in years)
 
Amortized Cost
 
Unrealized Gains
 
Unrealized Losses
 
Aggregate Estimated Fair Value
Commercial paper
Less than 1
 
$
53,366

 
$
20

 
$
(13
)
 
$
53,373

Corporate debt securities
Less than 1
 
147,633

 
28

 
(200
)
 
147,461

Total maturity less than 1 year
 
 
200,999

 
48

 
(213
)
 
200,834

Corporate debt securities
1 to 2
 
176,622

 
436

 
(84
)
 
176,974

Total maturity 1 to 2 years
 
 
176,622

 
436

 
(84
)
 
176,974

Total available-for-sale securities
 
 
$
377,621

 
$
484

 
$
(297
)
 
$
377,808

The following is a summary of short-term marketable securities classified as available-for-sale as of December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
 
Remaining Contractual Maturity
(in years)
 
Amortized Cost
 
Unrealized Gains
 
Unrealized Losses
 
Aggregate Estimated Fair Value
Commercial paper
Less than 1
 
$
59,313

 
$
—

 
$
(58
)
 
$
59,255

Corporate debt securities
Less than 1
 
149,824

 
—

 
(604
)
 
149,220

Total maturity less than 1 year
 
 
209,137

 
—

 
(662
)
 
208,475

Corporate debt securities
1 to 2
 
150,813

 
18

 
(638
)
 
150,193

Securities of government-sponsored entities
1 to 2
 
9,997

 
4

 
(1
)
 
10,000

Total maturity 1 to 2 years
 
 
160,810

 
22

 
(639
)
 
160,193

Total available-for-sale securities
 
 
$
369,947

 
$
22

 
$
(1,301
)
 
$
368,668

The primary objective of the Company’s investment portfolio is to enhance overall returns while preserving capital and liquidity. The Company’s investment policy limits interest-bearing security investments to certain types of instruments issued by institutions with primarily investment grade credit ratings and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by asset class and issuer. All available for sale securities are held in current assets regardless of contractual maturities exceeding one year, as the Company has the ability to sell them within the next twelve months.
The Company reviews the available-for-sale investments for other-than-temporary declines in fair value below cost basis each quarter and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the cost basis of an asset may not be recoverable. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, including the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been below the cost basis and adverse conditions related specifically to the security, including any changes to the credit rating of the security, and the intent to sell, or whether the Company will more likely than not be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. The assessment of whether a security is other-than-temporarily impaired could change in the future due to new developments or changes in assumptions related to any particular security. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company believed the cost basis for available-for-sale investments was recoverable in all material respects.
NOTE 5. FUTURE ACQUISITION RIGHT AND JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT
Censa Pharmaceuticals Inc.
In December 2017, the Company entered into a Future Acquisition Right and Joint Development Agreement (the “Option Agreement”) with Censa, which became effective in January 2018. The Company made an upfront payment of $10 million, agreed to fund certain development activities of Censa’s CNSA-001 program which are expected to be approximately$19.7 million through proof of concept, and paid $5.0 million related to a development milestone for the right, but not the obligation, to acquire Censa (the “Option”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a separate Agreement and Plan of Merger. The Company capitalized the upfront and milestone payments and has expensed the development funding as incurred. The Company is treating the upfront payment and milestone payment, both of which are consideration for the Option, as a cost-method investment with a carrying value of $15.0 million as of March 31, 2019.
If the Company exercises the Option, the Company will acquire Censa for an additional $65 million, which may be reduced by up to $2.6 million of development funding ("creditable"), paid as a combination of 20% in cash and 80% in shares of the Company’s common stock, valued at a fixed price of $21.40 per share; provided, however, that Censa may elect on behalf of its equity holders to receive the upfront consideration in 100% cash

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if the average price per share of the Company’s common stock for the ten trading days ending on the date the Company provides a notice of interest to exercise the Option is less than $19.26. In addition, if the Company exercises the Option and acquires Censa, the Company would be required to make further cash payments to Censa’s equity holders of up to an aggregate of $25 million if the CNSA-001 program achieves specified development and commercial milestones.
The Company determined that Censa is a variable interest entity ("VIE"), however concluded that the Company is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE. As such, the Company did not consolidate Censa’s results into its consolidated financial statements. The Company will continue to monitor facts and circumstances for changes that could potentially result in the Company becoming the primary beneficiary.
The following table presents the Company’s development funding roll-forward through March 31, 2019 and its effect on the upfront consideration if the Option exercise is elected (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
Non-creditable development funding commitment
$
17,091

Development funding creditable against purchase option
2,612

Total development funding
19,703

Development funding paid through March 31, 2019
18,299

Development funding payable
$
1,404

NOTE 6.  LEASES
As of January 1, 2019 the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, using a modified retrospective basis method under which prior comparative periods are not restated.
The new standard establishes an ROU model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. In addition, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, ASU No. 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, and ASU No. 2018-20, Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors, to clarify and amend the guidance in ASU No. 2016-02. The Company has elected the following as practical expedients from within these ASUs: 1) an entity need not reassess whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, 2) an entity need not reassess the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and 3) an entity need not reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases.
As of January 1, 2019 the Company had a single operating lease for its office located in San Diego, CA. The lease was originally signed in July 2016, amended in July 2017, and is for approximately 45,000 square feet of office space in adjacent buildings. The term of the original lease is 7 years, 7 months, and is coterminous for all space occurring in July 2024. Under the terms of the lease, the Company will pay base annual rent (subject to an annual fixed percentage increase), plus property taxes and other normal and necessary expenses, such as utilities, repairs, security and maintenance. Certain incentives were included in the lease, including approximately $2.3 million in tenant improvement allowances and seven months of rent abatement. The Company has the right to extend the lease for five years.
As of January 1, 2019 the Company's remaining minimum lease payments and unamortized lease incentives were approximately $14 million and $1.8 million, respectively. Using a discount rate equal to our borrowing rate of 7.7% and a remaining term of 5 years, 7 months, the Company determined the ROU asset and lease liability as of adoption were $7.9 million and $11.3 million, respectively. There was no cumulative adjustment to our beginning accumulated deficit balance.
In March 2019, the company amended the existing office lease to add approximately 16,000 square feet of office space in adjacent buildings. The additional space is expected to be utilized through August 2020 and has future minimum lease payments of approximately $1.0 million. The Company determined the ROU asset and lease liability were each $1.0 million.

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Following is a schedule of the future minimum rental commitments for our operating lease reconciled to the lease liability and ROU assets as of March 31, 2019 (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019

2019
$
2,250

2020
2,958

2021
2,486

2022
2,560

2023
2,637

Thereafter
1,585

Total undiscounted future minimum payments
14,476

Present value discount
(2,530
)
Total lease liability
11,946

Lease incentives
(1,702
)
Straight line lease expense in excess of cash payments
(1,635
)
Total ROU asset
$
8,609


As of March 31, 2019, the current and non-current portions of the ROU asset were recorded to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
$
2,590

Other non-current assets
6,019

Total ROU asset
$
8,609


As of March 31, 2019, the current and non-current portions of the lease liability were recorded to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
Other current liabilities
$
3,054

Other non-current liabilities
8,892

Total lease liabilities
$
11,946


For the 3 months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recorded $0.7 million in expense related to operating leases .
NOTE 7.  FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Financial Instruments and Fair Value
The Company accounts for financial instruments in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”). ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value.  The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements).  The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under ASC 820 are described below:
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;
Level 2 – Quoted prices in markets that are not active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and
Level 3 – Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Company’s marketable securities and all other financial instruments, all of which have counter-parties with high credit ratings, were valued based on quoted market prices or model driven valuations using significant inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data. Based on the fair value hierarchy, the Company classified marketable securities within Level 2.
In estimating the fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration, the Company used the Monte Carlo Simulation model as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. Based on the fair value hierarchy, the Company classified the fair value measurement of contingent consideration within Level 3.
Financial instruments with carrying values approximating fair value include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, due to their short term nature. As of March 31, 2019, the estimated fair value of the Company's 4.5% Senior Convertible Notes due 2019 was $29.7

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million and the estimated fair value of the Company's 2.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 was $262.4 million, considering factors such as market conditions, prepayment and make-whole provisions, variability in pricing from multiple lenders and the term of the debt.
The following table presents the Company’s assets and liabilities, measured and recognized at fair value on a recurring basis, classified under the appropriate level of the fair value hierarchy as of March 31, 2019 (in thousands):

As of March 31, 2019

Total carrying and estimated fair value
 
Quoted prices in active markets
(Level 1)
 
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
 
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
69,838

 
$
49,173

 
$
20,665

 
—

Marketable securities, available-for-sale
377,808

 
—

 
377,808

 
—

Total
$
447,646

 
$
49,173

 
$
398,473

 
$
—

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business combination-related contingent consideration
$
76,000

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
76,000

Total
$
76,000

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
76,000

The following table presents the Company’s assets and liabilities, measured and recognized at fair value on a recurring basis, classified under the appropriate level of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
 
As of December 31, 2018
 
Total carrying and estimated fair value
 
Quoted prices in active markets
(Level 1)
 
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
 
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$
102,873

 
$
62,978

 
$
39,895

 
$
—

Marketable securities, available-for-sale
368,668

 
—

 
368,668

 
—

Total
$
471,541

 
$
62,978

 
$
408,563

 
$
—

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business combination-related contingent consideration
93,000

 
—

 
—

 
93,000

Total
$
93,000

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
93,000

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the estimated fair value of the Company's business combination-related contingent consideration for the three months ended March 31, 2019 (in thousands):
 
Fair Value Measurements of Acquisition-Related Contingent Consideration
(Level 3)
Balance at January 1, 2019
$
93,000

L-UDCA write-off
(18,000
)
Changes in the fair value of contingent consideration
3,169

Contractual payments included in accrued liabilities at March 31, 2019
(2,093
)
Contractual payments
—

Foreign currency impact
(76
)
Balance at March 31, 2019
$
76,000

The key assumptions included in the calculations for contingent consideration were the future number of patients in treatment, projected revenues, discount rate, and the timing of payments. The present value of the expected payments considers the time at which the obligations are expected to be settled and a discount rate that reflects the risk associated with the performance payments.
During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company recognized $3.2 million in operating expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the change in fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, $1.5 million and $1.6 million of the charges were related to the increase in contingent consideration liabilities for the products Chenodal and Cholbam, respectively. In each case, the value increased due to passage of time. In addition, the Company made a portfolio decision not to pursue further development of L-UDCA. The related contingent consideration of $18.0 million was accordingly considered fully written off. See Note 17 for further discussion.
During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company incurred charges of $3.6 million in operating expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the change in fair value of the contingent consideration liabilities. For the three months ended March 31, 2018, $0.8 million, $1.8 million, and $1.0 million of the charges were related to the increase in contingent consideration

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liabilities for the products Chenodal and Cholbam and product candidate L-UDCA, respectively. In each case, the value increased due to passage of time.
NOTE 8. INTANGIBLE ASSETS
As of March 31, 2019, the net book value of amortizable intangible assets was approximately $159.8 million.
The following table sets forth amortizable intangible assets as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in thousands):

March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Finite-lived intangible assets
$
233,375

 
$
255,643

Less: accumulated amortization
(73,622
)
 
(68,952
)
Net carrying value
$
159,753

 
$
186,691

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company made a portfolio decision not to pursue further development of L-UDCA, acquired in 2016. The related in-progress research and development intangible asset ("IPR&D") of $25.5 million was accordingly considered fully impaired and written off. As of December 31, 2018, the value of the IPR&D was $25.5 million. See Note 17 for further discussion.
The following table summarizes amortization expense for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):

Three Months Ended March 31,

2019
 
2018
Research and development
$
286

 
$
103

Selling, general and administrative
4,445

 
4,096

Total amortization expense
$
4,731

 
$
4,199


NOTE 9.  CONVERTIBLE NOTES PAYABLE
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2025
On September 10, 2018, the Company completed its registered underwritten public offering of $276 million aggregate principal amount of 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 ("2025 Notes"), and entered into a base indenture and supplemental indenture agreement ("2025 Indenture") with respect to the 2025 Notes. The 2025 Notes will mature on September 15, 2025 ("Maturity Date”), unless earlier repurchased, redeemed, or converted. The 2025 Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and bear interest at an annual rate of 2.50%, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year. The first payment was made on March 15, 2019.
The composition of the Company’s 2025 Notes are as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
2.50% convertible senior notes due 2025
$
276,000

 
$
276,000

Unamortized debt discount
(72,681
)
 
(74,836
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(5,849
)
 
(6,073
)
Total 2025 Notes, net of unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs
$
197,470

 
$
195,091

The net proceeds from the issuance of the 2025 Notes were approximately $267.2 million, after deducting commissions and the offering expenses payable by the Company. A portion of the net proceeds from the 2025 Notes were used by the Company to repurchase $23.4 million aggregate principal amount of its then-outstanding 4.5% senior convertible notes due in 2019 in privately-negotiated transactions.
Holders may convert their 2025 Notes at their option only in the following circumstances: (1) during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on December 31, 2018 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock for each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 130% of the conversion price on the applicable trading day; (2) during the five consecutive business days immediately after any 10 consecutive trading day period (“measurement period”) if the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of 2025 Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock on such trading day and the conversion rate on such trading day; (3) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events or distributions on the Company’s common stock; (4) if the Company calls the 2025 Notes for redemption; and (5) at any time from, and including, May 15, 2025 until the close of business on the scheduled trading day immediately before the Maturity Date. The Company will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, at the Company’s election, based on the applicable conversion rate.

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The initial conversion rate for the 2025 Notes is 25.7739 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of 2025 Notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $38.80 per share. If a “make-whole fundamental change” (as defined in the 2025 Indenture) occurs, then the company will, in certain circumstances, increase the conversion rate for a specified period of time.
The 2025 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after September 15, 2022 and, in the case of any partial redemption, on or before the 40th scheduled trading day before the Maturity Date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2025 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on each of at least 20 trading days during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice. If a fundamental change (as defined in the 2025 Indenture) occurs, then, subject to certain exceptions, holders may require the Company to repurchase their 2025 Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the 2025 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date.
In the event of conversion, holders would forgo all future interest payments, any unpaid accrued interest and the possibility of further stock price appreciation. Upon the receipt of conversion requests, the settlement of the 2025 Notes will be paid pursuant to the terms of the 2025 Indenture. In the event that all of the 2025 Notes are converted, the Company would be required to repay the $276.0 million in principal value and any conversion premium in any combination of cash and shares of its common stock at the Company’s option. In addition, calling the 2025 Notes for redemption will constitute a “make whole fundamental change."
The 2025 Notes are the Company’s general unsecured obligations that rank senior in right of payment to all of its indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the 2025 Notes, and equal in right of payment to the Company’s unsecured indebtedness.
The 2025 Notes are currently classified on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2019 as long-term debt.
Under ASC 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options, an entity must separately account for the liability and equity components of convertible debt instruments (such as the 2025 Notes) that may be settled entirely or partially in cash upon conversion, in a manner that reflects the issuer’s economic interest cost. The liability component of the instrument is valued in a manner that reflects the market interest rate for a similar nonconvertible instrument at the date of issuance. The initial carrying value of the liability component was $198.6 million. The equity component of $77.4 million, representing the conversion option, was determined by deducting the fair value of the liability component from the par value of the 2025 Notes and is recorded in additional paid-in capital on the consolidated balance sheet at the issuance date. That equity component is treated as a discount on the liability component of the 2025 Notes, which is amortized over the seven year term of the 2025 Notes using the effective interest rate method. The equity component is not re-measured as long as it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification. The Company allocated the total transaction costs of approximately $8.8 million related to the issuance of the 2025 Notes to the liability and equity components of the 2025 Notes based on their relative values. Transaction costs attributable to the liability component are amortized to interest expense over the seven-year term of the 2025 Notes, and transaction costs attributable to the equity component are netted with the equity component in stockholders’ equity.
The effective interest rate on the liability components of the 2025 Notes for the period from the date of issuance through March 31, 2019 was 7.7%. The following table sets forth total interest expense recognized related to the 2025 Notes (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Contractual interest expense
1,725

 
—

Amortization of debt discount
2,155

 
—

Amortization of debt issuance costs
224

 
—

Total interest expense for the 2025 Notes
$
4,104

 
$
—

The 2025 Notes do not contain any financial or operating covenants or any restrictions on the payment of dividends, the issuance of other indebtedness or the issuance or repurchase of securities by the Company. The 2025 Indenture contains customary events of default with respect to the 2025 Notes, including that upon certain events of default, 100% of the principal and accrued and unpaid interest on the 2025 Notes will automatically become due and payable.
Senior Convertible Notes Due 2019
On May 29, 2014, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement relating to a private placement by the Company of $46.0 million aggregate principal 4.50% senior convertible notes due in 2019 (the “2019 Notes”) which are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at an initial conversion price of $17.41 per share. The conversion price is subject to customary anti-dilution protection. The 2019 Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.5% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year. The 2019 Notes mature on May 30, 2019 unless earlier converted or repurchased in accordance with their terms, and there are no contractual payments due prior to that date.
In September 2018, the Company used part of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 2025 Notes noted above to repurchase $23.4 million aggregate principal value of the 2019 Notes in privately-negotiated transactions for approximately $40.2 million in cash. The partial repurchase of the 2019 Notes resulted in a $17.0 million loss on early extinguishment of debt in September 2018. At March 31, 2019, approximately $22.6 million of principal remained outstanding on the 2019 Notes.

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The composition of the Company’s 2019 Notes are as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
4.50% senior convertible notes due 2019
$
22,590

 
$
22,590

Unamortized debt discount
(50
)
 
(125
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(3
)
 
(8
)
Total 2019 Notes, net of unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs
$
22,537

 
$
22,457


NOTE 10. ACCRUED EXPENSES
Accrued expenses at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Government rebates payable
$
8,988

 
$
8,464

Compensation related costs
7,856

 
10,446

Accrued royalties and contingent consideration
6,042

 
6,805

Research and development
17,955

 
16,515

Selling, general and administrative
3,812

 
2,990

Miscellaneous accrued
1,966

 
4,475

Total accrued expenses
$
46,619

 
$
49,695

NOTE 11.  LOSS PER COMMON SHARE
Basic and diluted net loss per common share is calculated by dividing net loss applicable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of common stock equivalents. The Company’s potentially dilutive shares, which include outstanding stock options, restricted stock units, warrants, and shares issuable upon conversion of the 2019 Notes and 2025 Notes, are considered to be common stock equivalents and are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.
Basic and diluted net loss per share is calculated as follows (net loss amounts are stated in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
Shares
 
Net Loss
 
EPS
 
Shares
 
Net Loss
 
EPS
Basic and diluted loss per share
41,410,314

 
$
(40,977
)
 
$
(0.99
)
 
39,657,418

 
$
(18,378
)
 
$
(0.46
)
The following common stock equivalents have been excluded because they were anti-dilutive (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Restricted stock units
549

 
139

Convertible debt
8,411

 
2,642

Options
7,654

 
7,025

Warrants
—

 
633

Total anti-dilutive shares
16,614

 
10,439

NOTE 12.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Research Collaboration and Licensing Agreements
As part of the Company's research and development efforts, the Company enters into research collaboration and licensing agreements with unrelated companies, scientific collaborators, universities, and consultants. These agreements contain varying terms and provisions which include fees and milestones to be paid by the Company, services to be provided, and ownership rights to certain proprietary technology developed under the agreements. Some of these agreements contain provisions which require the Company to pay royalties, in the event the Company sells or licenses any proprietary products developed under the respective agreements.

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Legal Proceedings
In August 2017, Martin Shkreli, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, was convicted on securities fraud charges following investigations by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company was not a target of these investigations and cooperated with them fully. Mr. Shkreli has appealed his conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In connection with the trial and pending appeal proceedings, Mr. Shkreli sought advancement of his legal fees from the Company, and the Company has advanced a total of $5.4 million in legal fees, of which $3.8 million has been reimbursed by its directors’ and officers’ insurance carriers. Pending the outcome of Mr. Shkreli's appeal, the insurance carriers have reserved their rights to assert that certain of the advanced funds pertain to claims excluded from coverage under the relevant insurance policy and are therefore recoverable by the carriers. As a result, the final amount of the reimbursement from the insurance carriers is not currently estimable. In addition, a portion of these and the other legal fees the Company has advanced to Mr. Shkreli will be subject to reimbursement by Mr. Shkreli under Delaware law in the event it is ultimately determined that Mr. Shkreli is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company in these proceedings.
In August 2015, the Company filed a lawsuit in federal district court for the Southern District of New York against Mr. Shkreli, asserting that he breached his fiduciary duty of loyalty during his tenure as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and a member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Shkreli served a demand for JAMS arbitration on Retrophin, claiming that Retrophin had breached his December 2013 employment agreement. In response to Mr. Shkreli’s arbitration demand, the Company asserted counterclaims in the arbitration that are substantially similar to the claims it previously asserted in the federal lawsuit against Mr. Shkreli. In October 2018, after the arbitration panel determined that Retrophin's counterclaims were arbitrable, the Company voluntarily dismissed the federal action without prejudice. The Company does not expect the claims and counterclaims in the arbitration to be heard by the arbitration panel before mid-2019. In connection with these proceedings, Mr. Shkreli sought advancement of his legal fees from the Company relating to his defense of the Company’s claims against him. The Company has advanced, and expects to continue to advance, certain of these legal fees to Mr. Shkreli.
On October 23, 2018, Spring Pharmaceuticals, LLC (Spring) filed a lawsuit against the Company, Martin Shkreli, Mission Pharmacal Company and Alamo Pharma Services, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging that the Company violated various federal and state antitrust and unfair competition laws by allegedly refusing to sell samples of the Thiola® brand drug so that Spring can conduct the bioequivalence testing needed to submit an ANDA to the FDA for approval to market a generic version of the product.  Spring is seeking injunctive relief and damages. The Company intends to vigorously defend against Spring’s claims. On January 15, 2019, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. On April 10, 2019, the Court stayed the Company's motion to dismiss for 90 days to allow for discovery limited to the question of whether Spring has standing to sue. No amounts have been accrued related to this matter and the outcome cannot be determined.
The Company is not aware of any other proceedings or claims that could have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on its results of operations or financial condition.
NOTE 13.  SHARE BASED COMPENSATION
Restricted Shares
Service Based Restricted Stock Units
The following table summarizes the Company’s service based restricted stock unit activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Number of Restricted Stock Units
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested December 31, 2018
400,426

 
$
24.95

Granted
62,850

 
23.12

Vested
(24,769
)
 
20.88

Forfeited/canceled
(1,250
)
 
25.25

Unvested March 31, 2019
437,257

 
$
24.92

At March 31, 2019, unamortized stock compensation for service based restricted stock units was $8.3 million, with a weighted-average recognition period of 3.0 years.

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Performance Based Restricted Stock Units
The following table summarizes the Company’s performance based restricted stock unit activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Number of Restricted Stock Units
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested December 31, 2018
226,750

 
$
21.54

Granted
50,000

 
23.34

Vested
—

 
—

Forfeited/canceled
—

 
—

Unvested March 31, 2019
276,750

 
$
21.86

At March 31, 2019, unamortized stock compensation for performance based restricted stock units was $1.8 million, with a weighted-average recognition period of 1.2 years.
Stock Options
The following table summarizes stock option activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Shares Underlying Options
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (years)
 
Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2018
7,277,337

 
$
18.55

 
6.94
 
$
40,650

Granted
440,700

 
23.20

 
 
 
 
Exercised
(23,727
)
 
12.81

 
 
 
 
Forfeited/canceled
(33,134
)
 
24.94

 
 
 
 
Outstanding at March 31, 2019
7,661,176

 
$
18.81

 
6.87
 
$
40,435

At March 31, 2019, unamortized stock compensation for stock options was $30.9 million, with a weighted-average recognition period of 2.8 years.
At March 31, 2019, outstanding options to purchase 5.0 million shares of common stock were exercisable with a weighted-average exercise price per share of $16.92.
Share Based Compensation
The following table sets forth total stock-based compensation for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Research and development
$
1,670

 
$
1,407

Selling, general & administrative
4,850

 
3,202

Total
$
6,520

 
$
4,609

Exercise of Warrants
The Company issued 168,612 shares of common stock upon the exercise of outstanding warrants during the three months ended March 31, 2018, for cash received by the Company in the amount of $0.6 million. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there were zero warrants exercisable for common shares outstanding.
NOTE 14.  INCOME TAXES
The following table summarizes our effective tax rate and income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Effective tax rate
(1.0
)%
 
(1.3
)%
Income tax expense
$
(0.4
)
 
$
(0.2
)

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NOTE 15. INVENTORY
Inventory, net of reserves, consisted of the following at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Raw materials
$
4,377

 
$
4,689

Finished goods
1,194

 
930

Total inventory
$
5,571

 
$
5,619

The inventory reserve was $1.9 million and $1.8 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.
NOTE 16. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Accounts receivable, net of reserves for prompt pay discounts and doubtful accounts, was $12.7 million and $12.7 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The total reserves for both periods were immaterial.
NOTE 17. DISPOSITIONS
In June 2016, the company acquired certain rights to L-UDCA for $0.5 million cash. At the same time the company established a related non-cash asset of $25.5 million for IPR&D and a liability of $25.0 million for contingent consideration (deferred financing) related net sales royalties and milestones. As a result of our quarterly valuation update process during 2016 and 2017, the contingent liability was decreased by $2.3 million and $5.7 million, respectively, and increased by $1.0 million during 2018. The resulting balance of the L-UDCA contingent liability at December 31, 2018 was $18.0 million.
During the first quarter of 2019, the company elected to discontinue development of the L-UDCA program, resulting in the write off of the intangible asset of $25.5 million originally recorded in 2016, and the reversal of associated contingent consideration of $18.0 million. This resulted in a net $7.5 million non-cash charge to first quarter operations.
NOTE 18. SUBSEQUENT EVENT
On April 23, 2019, Retrophin, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an office lease with an effective date of April 12, 2019 (the “Lease”) with Kilroy Realty, L.P. (the “Landlord”) for the lease of approximately 77,242 square feet of the building located at 3611 Valley Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92130 (the “Premises”). The Company expects to use the premises as its new principal corporate offices and plans to consolidate its corporate headquarters into the premises from the current location of multiple suites in adjacent buildings at 3721 and 3661 Valley Centre Drive, San Diego, California 92130. Under the terms of the Lease, the Company will have the one time right of first offer on the suites it currently occupies and a general right of first offer to lease additional space from the Landlord in the development. The commencement date of the Lease is expected to be October 1, 2020. The initial term of the Lease is 7 years, 7 months (the “Initial Term”), and the Landlord has granted the Company an option to extend the term of the Lease by a period of five years. The aggregate base rent due over the Initial Term under the terms of the Lease is approximately $36.5 million.
Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, both of which are contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26, 2019. Past operating results are not necessarily indicative of results that may occur in future periods.
Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this discussion contains forward-looking statements and information 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, or the Exchange Act, which are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects and plans and objectives of management. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that we make. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the risks set forth in Part II, Item IA, “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements are applicable only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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Overview
We are a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Diego, California, focused on identifying, developing and delivering life-changing therapies to people living with rare diseases.
Our Product Candidates and Products That Have Been Approvedhttps://cdn.kscope.io/a95873dc23685c2ffee1a9c3af8e47a9-productpiplinegraphq12019a01.jpg
* CNSA-001 is being developed in a strategic collaboration with Censa Pharmaceuticals.

We are developing the following pipeline products:
Fosmetpantotenate
We are developing fosmetpantothenate, a novel small molecule, as a potential treatment for pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (“PKAN”). PKAN is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that is typically diagnosed in the first decade of life. Symptoms of PKAN include dystonia, dysarthria, rigidity, retinal degeneration, and severe digestive problems. PKAN is estimated to affect up to 5,000 patients worldwide. There are currently no viable treatment options for patients with PKAN. Fosmetpantotenate is a phosphopantothenate replacement therapy that aims to restore levels of this key substrate in PKAN patients. Certain international health regulators have approved the initiation of dosing fosmetpantotenate in PKAN patients under physician-initiated studies in accordance with local regulations in their respective countries.
In 2015 and 2016 we filed a U.S. Investigational New Drug application ("IND"), completed the Phase I clinical trials and obtained both orphan drug and fast track designation in the United States. Additionally, we received orphan drug designation in the European Union and reached an agreement with the FDA under the Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) process for a Phase 3 clinical trial for PKAN.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, the pivotal Phase 3 FORT Study of fosmetpantotenate in PKAN completed patient enrollment. The FORT Study is designed to be registration-enabling in the U.S. and Europe, and we expect top-line data to become available in the third quarter of 2019.
Sparsentan
Sparsentan is an investigational product candidate with a dual mechanism of action, a potent angiotensin receptor blocker (“ARB”) and selective endothelin receptor antagonist (“ERA”), with in vitro selectivity toward endothelin receptor type A. We have secured a license to sparsentan from Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb (who referred to it as DARA). Sparsentan is currently being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical studies in the following indications:

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•
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis ("FSGS"), a leading cause of end-stage renal disease and nephrotic syndrome (“NS”). There are currently no FDA approved pharmacologic treatments for FSGS and off-label treatments are limited to ACE/ARBs, steroids, and immunosuppressant agents, which are effective in only a subset of patients. Every year approximately 5,400 patients are diagnosed with FSGS and we estimate that there are up to 40,000 FSGS patients in the United States with approximately half of them being candidates for sparsentan. In 2015 and 2016 we received orphan drug designation in the United States and European Union and generated positive data from our Phase 2 DUET study of sparsentan for the treatment of FSGS. In the second quarter of 2018, we announced the initiation of the Phase 3 DUPLEX Study of sparsentan in FSGS, and enrollment continues. This pivotal DUPLEX Study is designed to include an interim analysis of modified partial remission of proteinuria. We expect that successful achievement of this endpoint will serve as the basis for submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for sparsentan for the treatment of FSGS under the Subpart H accelerated approval pathway in the United States and Conditional Marketing Authorization ("CMA") consideration in Europe. The confirmatory endpoint of the study will compare changes in slope of estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR. Top-line data from the interim analysis are expected to become available in the second half of 2020.
•
Immunoglobulin A nephropathy ("IgAN") is characterized by hematuria, proteinuria, and variable rates of progressive renal failure. With an estimated prevalence of more than 100,000 people in the United States and greater numbers in Europe and Asia, IgAN is the most common primary glomerular disease. Most patients are diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 35, with up to 40% progressing to end stage renal disease within 15 years. There are currently no FDA approved treatments for IgAN. The current standard of care is renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade with immunosuppression also being commonly used for patients with significant proteinuria or rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. In the fourth quarter of 2018, we announced that the first patient had been dosed in the PROTECT Study, a global, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the long-term nephroprotective potential of sparsentan for the treatment of IgAN. The primary efficacy endpoint in the PROTECT Study is the change in proteinuria (urine protein-to-creatinine ratio) from baseline after 36 weeks of treatment. We expect that successful achievement of this endpoint will serve as the basis for submission of an NDA for sparsentan for the treatment of IgAN under the Subpart H accelerated approval pathway in the U.S. and CMA consideration in Europe. Secondary efficacy endpoints include change in eGFR from baseline to four weeks post-cessation of randomized treatment, as well as the rate of change in eGFR over 52-week and 104-week periods following the first six weeks of randomized treatment. Top-line data from the primary endpoint are expected to become available in the first half of 2022.
CNSA-001
In December 2017, we entered into a Future Acquisition Right and joint development agreement with Censa Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Censa"), which became effective on January 4, 2018 upon the satisfaction of certain conditions. Pursuant to the agreement, we agreed to fund certain development activities of Censa’s CNSA-001 program, in an aggregate amount expected to be approximately $17 million through proof of concept, and have the right, but not the obligation, to acquire Censa (the “Option”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in a separate Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”). In exchange for the Option, we paid Censa $10 million, and an additional $5 million upon Censa’s completion of a specified development milestone set forth in the Option Agreement, all of which will be distributed to Censa’s equityholders.
Censa, a privately held biotechnology company focused on developing therapies for the orphan metabolic diseases, is developing CNSA-001 for the treatment of phenylketonuria ("PKU"). CNSA-001 is an orally bioavailable form of a natural precursor of tetrahydrobiopterin ("BH4") with the potential to provide improved phenylalanine ("Phe") reduction in patients with PKU when compared to BH4. Preclinical research has suggested CNSA-001 may provide improved bioavailability, plasma stability and tissue exposure, leading to higher intracellular BH4 levels and subsequent greater Phe reduction when compared to the current standard of care in PKU. In pre-clinical models, CNSA-001 has also shown an ability to cross the blood-brain barrier which, if supported by clinical data, may lead to broader utility in additional indications such as primary BH4 deficiency (PBD) and Segawa syndrome. CNSA-001 has completed both the single and multiple ascending dose studies. In October 2018, the first patient was dosed in the Phase 2 proof of concept study of CNSA-001 for PKU, and enrollment continues.
PKU is a rare, genetic metabolic condition in which the body cannot breakdown Phe due to a missing or defective phenylalanine hydroxylase ("PAH") enzyme. High Phe levels can lead to developmental and physical growth delay, executive function impairment, seizures, and microcephaly caused by toxic Phe accumulation in the brain. PKU is typically diagnosed at birth and has an estimated addressable population of 45,000 to 50,000.
If the Company exercises the Option, the Company will acquire Censa for an additional $65 million, which may be reduced by up to $2.6 million of development funding, paid as a combination of 20% in cash and 80% in shares of the Company’s common stock, valued at a fixed price of $21.40 per share; provided, however, that Censa may elect on behalf of its equity holders to receive the upfront consideration in 100% cash if the average price per share of the Company’s common stock for the ten trading days ending on the date the Company provides a notice of interest to exercise the Option is less than $19.26. In addition, if the Company exercises the Option and acquires Censa, the Company would be required to make further cash payments to Censa’s equity holders of up to an aggregate of $25 million if the CNSA-001 program achieves specified development and commercial milestones.
Under the terms of the agreement, we are providing funding for the development of CNSA-001 in PKU. Censa is responsible for the development program, which is being conducted under the oversight of a joint steering committee. As part of the agreement, we owe certain milestone payments upon achievement of specified milestones and we have the exclusive option to acquire Censa upon conclusion of a specified option period, pending clinical proof of concept of CNSA-001 in PKU.
Censa is currently conducting a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study evaluating CNSA-001 in patients with PKU and we expect top-line data to become available to us during the second quarter of 2019, with a decision made on the Option to acquire in the third quarter of 2019.

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NGLY1 Deficiency Discovery Efforts
NGLY1 deficiency, is an extremely rare genetic disorder believed to be caused by a deficiency in an enzyme called N-glycanase-1, which is encoded by the gene NGLY1. The condition is characterized by symptoms such as developmental delays, seizures, complex hyperkinetic movement disorders, diminished reflexes and an inability to produce tears. There are no approved therapeutic options for NGLY1 deficiency, and current therapeutic strategies are limited to symptom management.
In September 2017, we entered into a three-way Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and patient advocacy foundation NGLY1.org to collaborate on research efforts aimed at the identification of potential small molecule therapeutics for NGLY1 deficiency.
We sell the following three products:
Chenodal® (chenodiol tablets)
Chenodal is a synthetic oral form of chenodeoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring primary bile acid synthesized from cholesterol in the liver, indicated for the treatment of radiolucent stones in well-opacifying gallbladders in patients in whom selective surgery would be undertaken except for the presence of increased surgical risk due to systemic disease or age.
Chenodal administration is known to reduce biliary cholesterol and the dissolution of radiolucent gallstones through suppression of hepatic synthesis of cholesterol, cholic acid and deoxycholic acid in the bile pool. Chenodal was first approved by the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") in 1983 for the management of gallstones but its marketing was later discontinued due to lack of commercial success. In 2009, Nexgen Pharma Inc.'s Abbreviated New Drug Application ("ANDA") for Chenodal was approved by the FDA for the treatment of gallstones. Chenodal is manufactured under this ANDA. In 2010, Chenodal was granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (“CTX”), a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease. We acquired Chenodal in March 2014.
While Chenodal is not labeled for CTX, it has been used as the standard of care for over three decades. We are working to obtain FDA approval of Chenodal for the treatment of CTX. The prevalence of CTX is estimated in the literature to be as high as 1 in 70,000 in the overall population. Pathogenesis of CTX involves deficiency of the enzyme 27-hydroxylase (encoded by the gene CYP27A1), a rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of primary bile acids, including chenodeoxycholic acid ("CDCA"), from cholesterol. The disruption of primary bile acid synthesis in CTX leads to toxic accumulation of cholesterol and cholestanol in most tissues. Most patients present with intractable diarrhea, premature cataracts, tendon xanthomas, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease in childhood and adolescence. Neurological manifestations of the disease, including dementia and cognitive and cerebellar deficiencies, emerge during late adolescence and adulthood. Oral administration of CDCA has been shown to normalize primary bile acid synthesis in patients with CTX.
Cholbam® (cholic acid capsules)
The FDA approved Cholbam (cholic acid capsules) in March 2015, the first FDA approved treatment for pediatric and adult patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects, and for adjunctive treatment of patients with peroxisomal disorders (including Zellweger spectrum disorders).  The effectiveness of Cholbam has been demonstrated in clinical trials for bile acid synthesis disorders and the adjunctive treatment of peroxisomal disorders. An estimated 200 to 300 patients are current candidates for therapy.
Kolbam, the branded name of Cholbam in Europe, is indicated in Europe for the treatment of certain inborn errors of primary bile acid synthesis, encompassing select single enzyme defects, in infants from one month of age for continuous lifelong treatment through adulthood.
Thiola® (tiopronin)
Thiola is approved by the FDA for the treatment of cystinuria, a rare genetic cystine transport disorder that causes high cystine levels in the urine and the formation of recurring kidney stones. The resulting long-term damage can cause loss of kidney function in addition to substantial pain and loss of productivity associated with renal colic and stone passage. The prevalence of cystinuria in the United States is estimated to be 10,000 to 12,000, indicating that there may be as many as 4,000 to 5,000 affected individuals with cystinuria in the United States that would be candidates for Thiola. An NDA has been filed for a new, more patient-friendly, formulation of Thiola and the FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act ("PDUFA") target action date of June 30, 2019.
Pipeline portfolio changes:
During the first quarter of 2019, the company elected to discontinue development of the L-UDCA program, resulting in removing the intangible asset of $25.5 million which was originally recorded in 2016 and the related $18.0 million in contingent liability. This resulted in a net $7.5 million non-cash charge to first quarter operations.
In June 2016, the company acquired certain rights to L-UDCA for $0.5 million cash. At the same time the company established a related non-cash asset of $25.5 million and liability of $25.0 million for IPR&D and contingent consideration (deferred financing) related net sales royalties and milestones. As a result of our quarterly valuation update process during 2016 and 2017, the contingent liability was decreased by $2.3 million and $5.7 million, respectively, and increased by $1.0 million during 2018. The resulting balance of the L-UDCA contingent liability at December 31, 2018 was $18.0 million.


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Results of Operations
Results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018.
Net Product Sales:
The following table provides information regarding net product sales (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
Change
Net product revenues by product:
 
 
 
 
 
Bile acid products
$
18,390

 
$
18,508

 
$
(118
)
Thiola
21,180

 
19,924

 
1,256

Total net product revenues
$
39,570

 
$
38,432

 
$
1,138

The sales increase for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018 was due to increased patient counts, as well as the normal fluctuations in timing of new patient starts and prescription refills.
Operating Expenses:
The following table provides information regarding operating expenses (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
Change
Cost of goods sold
$
1,017

 
$
1,613

 
$
(596
)
Research and development
33,443

 
24,636

 
8,807

Selling, general and administrative
32,669

 
26,468

 
6,201

Change in fair value of contingent consideration
3,169

 
3,627

 
(458
)
Impairment of L-UDCA IPR&D intangible asset
25,500

 
—

 
25,500

Write off of L-UDCA contingent consideration
(18,000
)
 
—

 
(18,000
)
 
$
77,798

 
$
56,344

 
$
21,454

Research and development expenses
We make significant investments in research and development in support of our development programs. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and include salaries and bonuses, benefits, non-cash share based compensation, license fees, costs paid to third-party contractors to perform research, conduct clinical trials, and develop drug materials, and associated overhead expenses and facility costs.
For the three months ended March 31, 2019 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company increased its research and development expenses by $8.8 million, which is due to increased clinical trial expenses related to our three on-going Phase 3 studies, fosmetpantotenate in PKAN and sparsentan in FSGS and IgAN.
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses include salaries and bonuses, benefits, non-cash share based compensation, professional fees, rent, depreciation and amortization, travel, insurance, business development, sales and marketing programs, and other operating expenses.
For the three months ended March 31, 2019 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company increased its selling, general and administrative expenses by $6.2 million due to compensation expense, primarily as a result of a larger employee base, and increased legal expenses.
Change in the valuation of contingent consideration
For the three months ended March 31, 2019 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018, the change in fair value of contingent consideration is due to timing of payments for Chenodal and Cholbam.

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The following table summarizes the Company's change in valuation of contingent consideration (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
Change
Chenodal
$
1,539

 
$
801

 
$
738

Cholbam
1,630

 
1,826

 
(196
)
L-UDCA
—

 
1,000

 
(1,000
)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
$
3,169

 
$
3,627

 
$
(458
)
Write off of L-UDCA Contingent Consideration and impairment of L-UDCA IPR&D intangible assets
In June 2016, the company acquired certain rights to L-UDCA for $0.5 million cash. At the same time the company established a related non-cash asset of $25.5 million and liability of $25.0 million for IPR&D and contingent consideration (deferred financing) related net sales royalties and milestones. As a result of our quarterly valuation update process during 2016 and 2017, the contingent liability was decreased by $2.3 million and $5.7 million, respectively, and increased by $1.0 million during 2018. The resulting balance of the L-UDCA contingent liability at December 31, 2018 was $18.0 million.
During the first quarter of 2019, the company elected to discontinue development of the L-UDCA program, resulting in removing the intangible asset of $25.5 million which was originally recorded in 2016, and the reversal of associated contingent consideration of $18.0 million. This resulted in a net $7.5 million non-cash charge to first quarter operations.
Other Income/(Expenses):
The following table provides information regarding other income (expenses), net (in thousands):
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
Change
Other income (expense), net
$
(302
)
 
$
121

 
$
(423
)
Interest income
2,819

 
797

 
2,022

Interest expense
(4,865
)
 
(1,155
)
 
(3,710
)
 
$
(2,348
)
 
$
(237
)
 
$
(2,111
)
The change in the Company's other income (expenses) for the three months ended March 31, 2019 as compared to the three months ended March 31, 2018 of $2.1 million is primarily due to the additional interest from the Company's 2.50% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2025 ("2025 Notes") issued in September 2018.
Income Tax Benefit:
For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we recognized an income tax expense of $0.4 million, representing an effective tax rate of 1.0%. Under GAAP, quarterly effective tax rates may vary significantly depending on the actual operating results in the various tax jurisdictions, and significant transactions, as well as changes in the valuation allowance related to the expected recovery of deferred tax assets.
For the three months ended March 31, 2019, as compared to the same period in 2018, the change in the tax expense and decrease in the effective income tax rate was primarily attributable to the increase in state tax expense in 2019.
The difference between the expected statutory federal tax benefit of 21% and the effective tax expense for three months ended March 31, 2019, was primarily attributable to the valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets.
At March 31, 2019, we had no unrecognized tax benefits. We did not recognize any interest or penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits during the three months ended March 31, 2019.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We believe that our available cash and short-term investments as of the date of this filing will be sufficient to fund our anticipated level of operations for at least the next 12 months. Management believes that our operating results will vary from quarter to quarter and year to year depending upon various factors including revenues, general and administrative expenses, and research and development expenses.

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The Company had the following financial performance at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
Cash & Cash Equivalents
$
69,838

 
$
102,873

Marketable securities
377,808

 
368,668

Accumulated Deficit
(310,994
)
 
(270,017
)
Stockholders' Equity
285,711

 
318,253

 
 
 
 
Net Working Capital*
$
371,438

 
$
391,057

Net Working Capital Ratio**
4.57

 
4.74

* Current assets less current liabilities.
**Current assets divided by current liabilities.
Convertible Notes Payable
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2025
On September 10, 2018, the Company completed its registered underwritten public offering of $276 million aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes, and entered into a base indenture and supplemental indenture agreement ("2025 Indenture") with respect to the 2025 Notes. The 2025 Notes will mature on September 15, 2025 ("Maturity Date”), unless earlier repurchased, redeemed, or converted. The 2025 Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and bear interest at an annual rate of 2.50%, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, the first payment was made on March 15, 2019.
The composition of the Company’s 2025 Notes are as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
2.50% convertible senior notes due 2025
$
276,000

 
$
276,000

Unamortized debt discount
(72,681
)
 
(74,836
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(5,849
)
 
(6,073
)
Total 2025 Notes, net of unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs
$
197,470

 
$
195,091

The net proceeds from the issuance of the 2025 Notes were approximately $267.2 million, after deducting commissions and the offering expenses payable by the Company. A portion of the net proceeds from the 2025 Notes were used by the Company to repurchase $23.4 million aggregate principal amount of its then-outstanding 4.50% Senior Convertible Notes due in 2019 ("2019 Notes") in privately-negotiated transactions for approximately $40.2 million in cash.
Holders may convert their 2025 Notes at their option only in the following circumstances: (1) during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on December 31, 2018 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock for each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter exceeds 130% of the conversion price on the applicable trading day; (2) during the five consecutive business days immediately after any 10 consecutive trading day period (such 10 consecutive trading day period, the “measurement period”) if the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of 2025 Notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock on such trading day and the conversion rate on such trading day; (3) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events or distributions on the Company’s common stock; (4) if the Company calls the 2025 Notes for redemption; and (5) at any time from, and including, May 15, 2025 until the close of business on the scheduled trading day immediately before the Maturity Date. The Company will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of the Company’s common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of the Company’s common stock, at the Company’s election, based on the applicable conversion rate.
The initial conversion rate for the 2025 Notes is 25.7739 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of 2025 Notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $38.80 per share. If a “make-whole fundamental change” (as defined in the 2025 Indenture) occurs, then the Company will in certain circumstances increase the conversion rate for a specified period of time.
The 2025 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after September 15, 2022 and, in the case of any partial redemption, on or before the 40th scheduled trading day before the Maturity Date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2025 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date but only if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on each of at least 20 trading days during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date the Company sends the related redemption notice. If a fundamental change (as defined in the 2025 Indenture) occurs, then, subject to certain exceptions, holders may require the Company to repurchase their 2025 Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the 2025 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date.
In the event of conversion, holders would forgo all future interest payments, any unpaid accrued interest and the possibility of further stock price appreciation. Upon the receipt of conversion requests, the settlement of the 2025 Notes will be paid pursuant to the terms of the 2025 Indenture. In

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the event that all of the 2025 Notes are converted, the Company would be required to repay the $276.0 million in principal value and any conversion premium in any combination of cash and shares of its common stock (at the Company’s option).
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2019
On May 29, 2014, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement relating to a private placement by the Company of $46.0 million aggregate principal of 2019 Notes which are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock at an initial conversion price of $17.41 per share. The conversion price is subject to customary anti-dilution protection. The 2019 Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.5% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year. The 2019 Notes mature on May 30, 2019 unless earlier converted or repurchased in accordance with their terms, and there are no contractual payments due prior to that date.
In September 2018, the Company used part of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 2025 Notes noted above to repurchase $23.4 million aggregate principal value of the 2019 Notes in privately-negotiated transactions for approximately $40.2 million in cash. The partial repurchase of the 2019 Notes resulted in a $17.0 million loss on early extinguishment of debt in September 2018. At March 31, 2019, approximately $22.6 million of principal remained outstanding on the 2019 Notes.
The composition of the Company’s 2019 Notes are as follows (in thousands):
 
March 31, 2019
 
December 31, 2018
4.50% senior convertible notes due 2019
$
22,590

 
$
22,590

Unamortized debt discount
(50
)
 
(125
)
Unamortized debt issuance costs
(3
)
 
(8
)
Total 2019 Notes, net of debt discount and debt issuance costs
$
22,537

 
$
22,457

Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Cash used in operating activities was $20.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to cash used of $14.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in cash used is attributable to net changes in operating assets and liabilities and increased cash used in payments related to change in fair value of contingent consideration.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Cash used by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $11.4 million, compared to cash used of $20.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The change was primarily due to the $10 million option payment to CENSA pursuant to the Future Acquisition Right and Joint Development Agreement recorded as cash paid for investments - equity.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Cash used by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $1.1 million compared to cash used of $2.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The change was due to lower contingent consideration payments in 2019, offset by lower proceeds from the exercise of stock options and warrants. In the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company paid a net sales milestone payment for Cholbam.
Funding Requirements
We believe that our available cash and short-term investments as of the date of this filing will be sufficient to fund our anticipated level of operations for at least the next 12 months. This belief is based on many factors, some of which are beyond our control. Factors that may affect financing requirements include, but are not limited to:
•
revenue growth of our marketed products;
•
the rate of progress and cost of our clinical trials, preclinical studies and other discovery and research and development activities;
•
the timing of, and costs involved in, seeking and obtaining marketing approvals for our products, and in maintaining quality systems standards for our products;
•
debt service obligations on the 2019 Notes, which mature on May 30, 2019;
•
debt service obligations on the 2025 Notes;
•
our ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of our products to meet expected demand;
•
the costs of preparing, filing, prosecuting, maintaining and enforcing any patent claims and other intellectual property rights, litigation costs and the results of litigation;
•
our ability to enter into collaboration, licensing or distribution arrangements and the terms and timing of these arrangements;
•
the potential need to expand our business, resulting in additional payroll and other overhead expenses;
•
the potential in-licensing of other products or technologies; and

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•
the emergence of competing technologies or other adverse market or technological developments.
Future capital requirements will also depend on the extent to which we acquire or invest in additional complementary businesses, products and technologies.
Other Matters
Adoption of New Accounting Standards
See Note 2 to our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in this report for a discussion of adoption of new accounting standards.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in this report for a discussion of recently issued accounting pronouncements.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
In December 2017, the Company entered into a Future Acquisition Right of Joint Development Agreement with Censa, which became effective in January 2018. The Company determined that Censa is a variable interest entity ("VIE") and concluded that the Company is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE. As such, the Company did not consolidate Censa’s results into its consolidated financial statements. The Company will continue to monitor facts and circumstances for changes that could potentially result in the Company becoming the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We invest our excess cash and marketable securities primarily in United States government backed securities, asset-backed securities, and debt instruments of financial institutions and corporations with investment-grade credit ratings. These instruments have various short and long-term maturities, not exceeding two years. We do not utilize derivative financial instruments, derivative commodity instruments, or other market risk sensitive instruments, positions or transactions. Accordingly, we believe that, while the instruments held are subject to changes in the financial standing of the issuer of such securities, we are not subject to any material risks arising from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity prices or other market changes that affect market risk sensitive investments. A hypothetical 1% adverse move in interest rates along the entire interest rate yield curve would decrease our available for sale marketable securities by approximately $1.7 million if the Company were to sell the securities.
Item 4.  Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports required by the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the timelines specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and in reaching a reasonable level of assurance, management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
As required by SEC Rule 13a-15(b), we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the quarter covered by this report. Based on the foregoing, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
An evaluation was also performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of any change to our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter covered by this report and that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Our evaluation did not identify significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2019, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION 
Item 1.  Legal Proceedings
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements--Note 12 Commitments and Contingencies: Legal Proceedings in Part I, Item 1, of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following risk factors do not reflect any material changes to the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, other than the revisions to the risk factors set forth below with an asterisk (*) next to the title. The following information sets forth risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements we have made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and those we may make from time to time. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition could be harmed. Additional risks not presently known to us, or that we currently deem immaterial, may also affect our business operations.
Risks Related to the Development of our Product Candidates
Our clinical trials may fail to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates which could prevent or significantly delay their regulatory approval.
Before obtaining regulatory approval for the sale of any of our product candidates, we must subject these product candidates to extensive preclinical and clinical testing to demonstrate their safety and efficacy for humans. Clinical trials are expensive, time-consuming and may take years to complete.
We may experience numerous unforeseen events during, or as a result of, preclinical or nonclinical testing and the clinical trial process that could delay or prevent our ability to obtain regulatory approval or commercialize our product candidates, including:

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•
our preclinical or nonclinical tests or clinical trials may produce negative or inconclusive results, and we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional preclinical testing or clinical trials or we may abandon projects that we expect to be promising;
•
regulators may require us to conduct studies of the long-term effects associated with the use of our product candidates;
•
regulators or institutional review boards may not authorize us to commence a clinical trial or conduct a clinical trial at a prospective trial site;
•
the FDA or any non-United States regulatory authority may impose conditions on us regarding the scope or design of our clinical trials or may require us to resubmit our clinical trial protocols to institutional review boards for re-inspection due to changes in the regulatory environment;
•
the number of patients required for our clinical trials may be larger than we anticipate or participants may drop out of our clinical trials at a higher rate than we anticipate;
•
our third-party contractors or clinical investigators may fail to comply with regulatory requirements or fail to meet their contractual obligations to us in a timely manner;
•
we might have to suspend or terminate one or more of our clinical trials if we, regulators or institutional review boards determine that the participants are being exposed to unacceptable health risks;
•
regulators or institutional review boards may require that we hold, suspend or terminate clinical research for various reasons, including noncompliance with regulatory requirements;
•
the cost of our clinical trials may be greater than we anticipate;
•
the supply or quality of our product candidates or other materials necessary to conduct our clinical trials may be insufficient or inadequate or we may not be able to reach agreements on acceptable terms with prospective clinical research organizations; and
•
the effects of our product candidates may not be the desired effects or may include undesirable side effects or the product candidates may have other unexpected characteristics.
These risks and uncertainties impact all of our clinical programs. We will only obtain regulatory approval to commercialize a product candidate if we can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA, and in the case of foreign commercialization, to the applicable foreign regulatory authorities, in well-designed and conducted clinical trials, that our product candidates are safe and effective and otherwise meet the appropriate standards required for approval for a particular indication.
Our product development costs will also increase if we experience delays in testing or approvals. We do not know whether any preclinical tests or clinical trials will be initiated as planned, will need to be restructured or will be completed on schedule, if at all. Significant preclinical or clinical trial delays also could shorten the patent protection period during which we may have the exclusive right to commercialize our product candidates. Such delays could allow our competitors to bring products to market before we do and impair our ability to commercialize our products or product candidates.
If we are required to conduct additional clinical trials or other testing of our product candidates beyond those that we currently contemplate, if we are unable to successfully complete our clinical trials or other testing, if the results of these trials or tests are not positive or are only modestly positive or if there are safety concerns, we may:
•
be delayed in obtaining, or may not be able to obtain, marketing approval for one or more of our product candidates;
•
obtain approval for indications that are not as broad as intended or entirely different than those indications for which we sought approval; and
•
have the product removed from the market after obtaining marketing approval.
Our product candidates are intended to treat PKAN, FSGS and IgAN, each of which is a rare disease. Given that these development candidates are still undergoing required testing, we may not be able to initiate or continue clinical trials if we are unable to locate a sufficient number of eligible patients willing and able to participate in the clinical trials required by the FDA or foreign regulatory agencies. In addition, as other companies and researchers may be concurrently developing therapies for the same or similar indications that we are focused on, we could face competition for a limited number of patients, investigators and clinical trial sites willing to participate in clinical trials. Our inability to enroll a sufficient number of patients for any of our current or future clinical trials would result in significant delays or may require us to abandon one or more clinical trials altogether.
Success in preclinical testing and early clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful, and initial results from a clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results.
Success in preclinical testing and early clinical trials does not ensure that later clinical trials will be successful, and initial results from a clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results. For example, there can be no assurance that the favorable responses we have seen with the physician-initiated treatment of fosmetpantotenate in PKAN patients outside the United States will translate to positive data in the Phase 3 clinical trial of fosmetpantotenate or that the positive results from the DUET study of sparsentan in FSGS will be repeated in the Phase 3 clinical trial. Similarly, there can be no assurance that our clinical experience with sparsentan in FSGS will translate to favorable data in IgAN, which patient population has

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not previously been treated with sparsentan prior to the Phase 3 trial currently being conducted. We cannot assure that any current or future clinical trials of fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan and/or CNSA-001 will ultimately be successful.
Before obtaining regulatory approval to conduct clinical trials of our product candidates, we must conduct extensive preclinical tests to demonstrate the safety of our product candidates in animals. Preclinical testing is expensive, difficult to design and implement, and can take many years to complete. In addition, during the clinical development process, additional nonclinical toxicology studies are routinely conducted concurrently with the clinical development of a product candidate. If any of our product candidates show unexpected findings in concurrent toxicology studies, we could experience potentially significant delays in, or be required to abandon, development of that product candidate. A failure of one or more of our nonclinical studies can occur at any stage of testing.
Communications and/or feedback from the FDA related to our current or planned future clinical trials does not guarantee any particular outcome from regulatory review for such clinical trials.
Communications and/or feedback from the FDA related to our current or future clinical trials does not guarantee any particular outcome from regulatory review for such clinical trials.  For example, although we have obtained a Special Protocol Assessment ("SPA") agreement from the FDA for the Phase 3 clinical trial of fosmetpantotenate for the treatment of PKAN, this agreement does not guarantee any particular outcome from regulatory review.  The SPA is intended to provide assurance that if the agreed upon clinical trial protocols are followed and the clinical trial endpoints are achieved, the data may serve as the primary basis for an efficacy claim in support of an NDA. However, a SPA is not a guarantee of an approval of a product candidate or any permissible claims about the product candidate. In particular, a SPA agreement is not binding on the FDA if previously unrecognized public health concerns arise during the performance of the clinical trial, if other new scientific concerns regarding product candidate safety or efficacy arise or if the sponsoring company fails to comply with the agreed upon clinical trial protocols. Moreover, a SPA does not address all of the variables and details that may go into planning for or conducting a clinical trial, and changes in the protocol for a clinical trial can invalidate a SPA or require that the FDA agree in writing to the modified protocol. In addition, while a SPA addresses the requirements for submission of an NDA, the results of the related clinical trial may not support FDA approval. There can be no assurance that the Phase 3 clinical trial for fosmetpantotenate will demonstrate that fosmetpantotenate is safe and effective for treating PKAN or that the data will support an application for approval by the FDA.  In the third quarter of 2019, we plan to un-blind the data from our ongoing pivotal Phase 3 trial of fosmetpantontenate. If the results of this trial are not positive, or are not viewed sufficiently favorably, the market price of our common stock could decline significantly. In addition, following the initial 24 week study period, patients in this trial are eligible to participate in an open label extension.   Even if the initial un-blinded results from the trial are viewed positively, it is possible that negative consequences of the treatment could be observed in the future, which could adversely impact the regulatory and commercial prospects of fosmetpantontenate and our business may suffer.
In addition, in 2018, we initiated the following Phase 3 clinical trials of sparsentan: 1) a single Phase 3 clinical trial designed to serve as the basis for an NDA and MAA filing for sparsentan for the treatment of FSGS (the “DUPLEX Study”), and 2) a single Phase 3 clinical trial designed to serve as the basis for an NDA and MAA filing for sparsentan for the treatment of IgAN (the “PROTECT Study”).   We are conducting the DUPLEX Study and the PROTECT Study under the Subpart H pathway for potential accelerated approval in the US, and in the EU we plan to pursue potential Conditional Marketing Authorization, in both jurisdictions based on change in proteinuria.  Recognition of change in proteinuria as a surrogate endpoint in kidney disease is a relatively new regulatory development, and, as the field continues to evolve, new learnings may impact regulatory viewpoints.   We expect that the FDA’s and EMA’s determination as to whether the sufficiency of the data supports an accelerated approval in either jurisdiction will be made during the application review process. There can be no assurance that even if we achieve statistical significance on the interim or primary endpoints for the DUPLEX Study and/or the PROTECT Study, as applicable, that the FDA or EMA will deem that sufficient to grant accelerated approval or Conditional Marketing Authorization.
Although we received feedback from the FDA at an End of Phase 2 meeting for the sparsentan FSGS program during which the FDA communicated that it was open to accepting a substantial treatment effect on proteinuria in the DUPLEX Study as a basis for accelerated approval pursuant to Subpart H of the FDA regulations and although we subsequently gained alignment that our statistical modeling supported initiating a Phase 3 trial that proceeds on the Subpart H pathway, there can be no guarantee that the data generated from the study will be sufficient to serve as the basis for an NDA filing, including an NDA under Subpart H for accelerated approval.  In addition, our statistical modeling that supports proceeding with the Duplex Study on the Subpart H pathway is based on data from other FSGS studies.  To the extent that the model population is not representative of the Duplex Study population, the FDA may not agree that the new results continue to support a Subpart H pathway. Furthermore, even if sparsentan is granted accelerated approval for FSGS, there can be no assurance that the post-marketing confirmatory data will support full approval of sparsentan as a treatment for FSGS.
Also, although we have reached agreement with the FDA regarding the initiation of the PROTECT Study and the trial began in December 2018, we continue to have regulatory interactions regarding certain details of the study.  There can be no assurance that the study will proceed as planned and there can be no guarantee that the data generated from the study will be sufficient to serve as the basis for an NDA filing, including an NDA under Subpart H for accelerated approval or support Conditional Marketing Authorization in the EU.   Furthermore, even if sparsentan is granted accelerated approval for IgAN, there can be no assurance that the post-marketing confirmatory data will support full approval of sparsentan as a treatment for IgAN.
In addition, because both the DUPLEX Study and PROTECT Study are evaluating the same compound for the treatment of chronic kidney diseases and utilizing similar endpoints, the risk of success or failure for the two studies may, depending on the outcomes of the studies, end up being correlated.

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Even if we receive regulatory approval for any product candidates, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory review, which may result in significant additional expense.
Any regulatory approvals that we receive for any product candidates may be subject to significant limitations on the approved indicated uses for which the product may be marketed or to the conditions of approval, or contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing testing, including Phase 4 clinical trials, and surveillance to monitor the safety and efficacy of the product candidate.
In addition, if the FDA or a comparable foreign regulatory authority approves any product candidates, those products will be subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements, including for the manufacturing, labeling, packaging, distribution, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion, import, export, recordkeeping, conduct of potential post-marketing studies and post-market submission requirements. These requirements include submissions of safety and other post-marketing information and reports, registration, as well as continued compliance with current good manufacturing practices and good clinical practices, for any clinical trials that we conduct post-approval. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, undesirable side effects caused by the product, problems encountered by our third-party manufacturers or manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, either before or after product approval, may result in, among other things:
•
restrictions on the marketing, manufacturing, or distribution of the product;
•
requirements to include additional warnings on the label;
•
requirements to create or enhance a medication guide outlining the risks to patients;
•
withdrawal of the product from the market;
•
voluntary or mandatory product recalls;
•
requirements to change the way the product is administered or for us to conduct additional clinical trials;
•
fines, warning or untitled letters or holds on clinical trials;
•
refusal by the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications filed by us or our strategic partners, or suspension or revocation of product license approvals;
•
product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products;
•
injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties; and
•
harm to our reputation.
For example, we have certain post-marketing requirements and commitments associated with Cholbam. Further, we face risks relating to the post marketing obligations and commercial acceptance of Cholbam, which was approved by the FDA on March 17, 2015. If the regulatory approval for Chenodal, Cholbam and/or Thiola are withdrawn for any reason, it would have a material adverse impact on our sales and profitability.
The independent clinical investigators and contract research organizations that we rely upon to conduct our clinical trials may not be diligent, careful or timely, and may make mistakes, in the conduct of our trials.
We depend on independent clinical investigators and contract research organizations (“CROs”) to conduct our clinical trials under agreements with us. The CROs play a significant role in the conduct of our clinical trials. Failure of the CROs to meet their obligations could adversely affect clinical development of our product candidates. The independent clinical investigators are not our employees and we cannot control the timing or amount of resources they devote to our studies. If their performance is substandard, it could delay or prevent approval of our FDA applications. Moreover, these independent investigators and CROs may also have relationships with other commercial entities, some of which may compete with us. If independent investigators and CROs allocate their resources to assist our competitors at our expense, it could harm our competitive position.
We have limited control over the development activities of Censa’s CNSA-001 program and our investment in Censa’s CNSA-001 program may be adversely affected.
We have entered into a joint development agreement with Censa to evaluate CNSA-001 for the treatment of PKU. Under this agreement, we have agreed to fund certain development activities of Censa’s CNSA-001 program, in an aggregate amount expected to be approximately $19.7 million through proof of concept.  However, we have limited control over the development activities of Censa’s CNSA-001 program and face the risk that the development program for CNSA-001 will not be successful, that Censa does not conduct the development activities in a timely manner, or that the development program for CNSA-001 may cost more than expected to reach proof of concept.  If any of these issues arise, our investment in Censa’s CNSA-001 program may be adversely affected and our business may suffer.

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Risks Related to the Commercialization of Our Products
The commercial success of Chenodal, Cholbam and Thiola depends on them being considered to be effective drugs with advantages over other therapies.
The commercial success of our products Chenodal, Cholbam and Thiola depends on them being considered to be effective drugs with advantages over other therapies. A number of factors, as discussed in greater detail below, may adversely impact the degree of acceptance of these products, including their efficacy, safety, price and benefits over competing therapies, as well as the coverage and reimbursement policies of third-party payers, such as government and private insurance plans.
If unexpected adverse events are reported in connection with the use of any of these products, physician and patient acceptance of the product could deteriorate and the commercial success of such product could be adversely affected. We are required to report to the FDA events associated with our products relating to death or injury. Adverse events could result in additional regulatory controls, such as a requirement for costly post-approval clinical studies or revisions to our approved labeling which could limit the indications or patient population for a product or could even lead to the withdrawal of a product from the market.
*A number of recent regulatory and legislative initiatives have been introduced to encourage generic competition for pharmaceutical products, and if a generic version of any of our products enters the market, sales of that product would be negatively impacted.
Chenodal and Thiola are subject to immediate competition from compounded and generic entrants, as the ANDA and NDA for these drug products have no remaining patent or nonpatent exclusivity. There have been a number of recent regulatory and legislative initiatives designed to encourage generic competition for pharmaceutical products, including expedited review procedures for generic manufacturers and incentives designed to spur generic competition of branded drugs. In October 2018, we were named as a defendant in a lawsuit brought by a purported generic company seeking to acquire samples of Thiola in order to conduct bioequivalence studies.
Also, the FDA and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have been focused on brand companies’ denial of drug supply to potential generic competitors for testing, and the U.S. Congress has been considering a legislatively defined private right of action under which generic companies could bring suit against companies who refuse access to product for bioequivalence testing. We cannot currently predict the specific outcome or impact on our business of such regulatory actions or legislation. It is our policy to evaluate requests for samples of our branded products, and to provide samples in response to bona fide requests from certain qualified third parties, including generic manufacturers, subject to specified conditions.
Under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDC Act”), a pharmaceutical manufacturer may file an ANDA, seeking approval of a generic copy of an approved innovator product or an NDA under Section 505(b)(2) that relies on the FDA’s prior findings of safety and effectiveness in approving the innovator product. A Section 505(b)(2) NDA may be for a new or improved version of the original innovator product. The Hatch-Waxman Amendments also provide for certain periods of regulatory exclusivity, which preclude FDA approval (or in some circumstances, FDA acceptance) of an ANDA or Section 505(b)(2) NDA. In addition, the FDC Act provides, subject to certain exceptions, a period during which an FDA-approved drug may be afforded orphan drug exclusivity. In addition to the benefits of regulatory exclusivity, an innovator NDA holder may have patents claiming the active ingredient, product formulation or an approved use of the drug, which would be listed with the product in the FDA publication, “Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations,” known as the “Orange Book.” If there are patents listed in the Orange Book, a generic or Section 505(b)(2) applicant that seeks to market its product before expiration of the patents must include in the ANDA what is known as a “Paragraph IV certification,” challenging the validity or enforceability of, or claiming non-infringement of, the listed patent or patents. Notice of the certification must be given to the innovator, too, and if within 45 days of receiving notice the innovator sues to enforce its patents, approval of the ANDA is stayed for 30 months, or as lengthened or shortened by the court.
If a generic version of Chenodal, Thiola or any of our products is approved, sales of that product would be negatively impacted, which would have a material adverse impact on our sales and profitability.
*Changes in reimbursement practices of third-party payers could affect the demand for our products and the prices at which they are sold.
The business and financial condition of healthcare-related businesses will continue to be affected by efforts of governments and third-party payers to contain or reduce the cost of healthcare through various means. In the United States and some foreign jurisdictions, there have been a number of legislative and regulatory changes and proposed changes regarding the healthcare system that could prevent or delay marketing approval for fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan and CNSA-001, or any other product candidate that we develop, restrict or regulate post-approval activities and affect our ability to profitably sell fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan,and CNSA-001 or any other product candidate for which we obtain marketing approval.
Our products are sold to patients whose healthcare costs are met by third-party payers, such as government programs, private insurance plans and managed-care programs. These third-party payers are increasingly attempting to contain healthcare costs by limiting both coverage and the level of reimbursement for medical products and services. Levels of reimbursement, if any, may be decreased in the future, and future healthcare reform legislation, regulations or changes to reimbursement policies of third party payers may otherwise adversely affect the demand for and price levels of our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability.
Economic, social, and congressional pressure may result in individuals and government entities increasingly seeking to achieve cost savings through mechanisms that limit coverage or payment for our products. For example, state Medicaid programs are increasingly requesting

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manufacturers to pay supplemental rebates and requiring prior authorization for use of drugs. Managed care organizations continue to seek price discounts and, in some cases, to impose restrictions on the coverage of particular drugs. Government efforts to reduce Medicaid expenses may lead to increased use of managed care organizations by Medicaid programs. This may result in managed care organizations influencing prescription decisions for a larger segment of the population and a corresponding constraint on prices and reimbursement for our products.
We are dependent on third parties to manufacture and distribute our pharmaceutical products who may not fulfill their obligations.
We have no manufacturing capabilities and rely on third party manufacturers who are sole source suppliers for manufacturing of Chenodal, Cholbam and Thiola. The facilities used by our third party manufacturers must be approved by the FDA, or in the case of Kolbam in the European Union, the European Medicines Agency. Our dependence on third parties for the manufacture of our products may harm our profit margin on the sale of products and our ability to deliver products on a timely and competitive basis. If our third party manufacturers are unable to manufacture to specifications or in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, our ability to commercialize our products will be adversely impacted and could affect our ability to gain market acceptance for our products and negatively impact our revenues.
We currently have no in-house distribution channels for Chenodal, Cholbam or Thiola and we are dependent on a third-party distributor, Dohmen Life Sciences Services, an Eversana Company, to distribute such products. We rely on this distributor for all of our proceeds from sales of Chenodal, Cholbam and Thiola in the United States. The outsourcing of our distribution function is complex, and we may experience difficulties that could reduce, delay or stop shipments of such products. If we encounter such distribution problems, and we are unable to quickly enter into a similar agreement with another distributor on substantially similar terms, distribution of Chenodal, Cholbam and/or Thiola could become disrupted, resulting in lost revenues, provider dissatisfaction, and/or patient dissatisfaction.
Governments outside the United States tend to impose strict price controls and reimbursement approval policies, which may adversely affect our prospects for generating revenue.
In some countries, particularly European Union countries, the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental control. In these countries, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take considerable time (6 to 12 months or longer) after the receipt of marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that compares the cost effectiveness of our product candidate to other available therapies. If reimbursement of our products is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, our prospects for generating revenue outside of the United States, if any, could be adversely affected and our business may suffer.
If we are unable to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties to market and sell our product candidates, we may be unable to generate product revenue outside of the United States.
We may not be able to rely on orphan drug exclusivity for Cholbam/Kolbam or any of our products.
Regulatory authorities in some jurisdictions, including the United States and Europe, may designate drugs for relatively small patient populations as orphan drugs. We have obtained orphan designation for Cholbam/Kolbam in the United States and the European Union. Generally, if a product with an orphan drug designation subsequently receives the first marketing approval for the indication for which it has such designation, that product is entitled to a period of marketing exclusivity, which precludes the applicable regulatory authority from approving another marketing application for the same drug for the same indication for that time period. The applicable period is seven years in the United States and ten years in Europe. Even though we have been awarded orphan drug exclusivity for Cholbam in the United States, we may not be able to maintain it. For example, if a competitive product that contains the same active moiety and treats the same disease as our product is shown to be clinically superior to our product, any orphan drug exclusivity we have obtained will not block the approval of such competitive product and we may effectively lose orphan drug exclusivity. Similarly, if a competitive product that contains the same active moiety and treats the same disease as our product candidate is approved for orphan drug exclusivity before our product candidate, we may not be able to obtain approval for our product candidate until the expiration of the competitive product’s orphan drug exclusivity unless our product candidate is shown to be clinically superior to the competitive product.
Risks Related to our Products and Product Candidates
*Our products may not achieve or maintain expected levels of market acceptance or commercial success.
The success of our products is dependent upon achieving and maintaining market acceptance. Commercializing products is time consuming, expensive and unpredictable. There can be no assurance that we will be able to, either by ourselves or in collaboration with our partners or through our licensees, successfully commercialize new products or current products or gain market acceptance for such products. New product candidates that appear promising in development may fail to reach the market or may have only limited or no commercial success.
Further, the discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate (or are perceived to implicate) an entire class of products could have an adverse effect on sales of the affected products. Accordingly, new data about our products, or products similar to our products, could negatively impact demand for our products due to real or perceived side effects or uncertainty regarding efficacy and, in some cases, could result in product withdrawal.
Our current products and any products that we bring to the market, including fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan and CNSA-001, if they receive marketing approval, may not gain market acceptance by physicians, patients, third-party payers, and others in the medical community. If these products do not achieve an adequate level of acceptance, we may not generate significant product revenue and we may not become profitable. The

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degree of market acceptance of our current products and product candidates, if approved for commercial sale, will depend on a number of factors, including:
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the prevalence and severity of any side effects, including any limitations or warnings contained in a product’s approved labeling;
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the efficacy and potential advantages over alternative treatments;
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the pricing of our product candidates;
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relative convenience and ease of administration;
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the willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies and of physicians to prescribe these therapies;
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the strength of marketing and distribution support and timing of market introduction of competitive products;
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publicity concerning our products or competing products and treatments; and
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sufficient third-party insurance coverage and reimbursement.
Even if a potential or current product displays a favorable efficacy and safety profile in preclinical and clinical trials, market acceptance of the product will not be known until after it is launched. Our efforts to educate patients, the medical community, and third-party payers on the benefits of our product may require significant resources and may never be successful. Such efforts to educate the marketplace may require more resources than are required by the conventional marketing technologies employed by our competitors.
If the market opportunities for our products and product candidates are smaller than we believe they are, our revenues may be adversely affected and our business may suffer.
Certain of the diseases that our current and future product candidates are being developed to address, such as PKAN, PKU, FSGS and IgAN, are relatively rare. Our projections of both the number of people who have these diseases, as well as the subset of people with these diseases who have the potential to benefit from treatment with our product candidates, may not be accurate.
Currently, most reported estimates of the prevalence of PKAN and FSGS are based on studies of small subsets of the population of specific geographic areas, which are then extrapolated to estimate the prevalence of the diseases in the broader world population. As new studies are performed the estimated prevalence of these diseases may change. There can be no assurance that the prevalence of PKAN and FSGS in the study populations accurately reflect the prevalence of these diseases in the broader world population. If our estimates of the prevalence of PKAN, PKU, FSGS, or IgAN or of the number of patients who may benefit from treatment with fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan, and CNSA-001 prove to be incorrect, the market opportunities for our product candidates may be smaller than we believe they are, our prospects for generating revenue may be adversely affected and our business may suffer.
Our product candidates may cause undesirable side effects or have other properties that could delay or prevent their regulatory approval or commercialization.
Undesirable side effects caused by our product candidates could interrupt, delay or halt clinical trials and could result in the denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or other regulatory authorities for any or all targeted indications, and in turn prevent us from commercializing our product candidates and generating revenues from their sale.
In addition, if any of our product candidates receive marketing approval and we or others later identify undesirable side effects caused by the product:
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regulatory authorities may require the addition of restrictive labeling statements;
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regulatory authorities may withdraw their approval of the product; and
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we may be required to change the way the product is administered or conduct additional clinical trials.
Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the affected product or could substantially increase the costs and expenses of commercializing the product candidate, which in turn could delay or prevent us from generating significant revenues from its sale or adversely affect our reputation.
We do not currently have patent protection for certain of our products and product candidates. If we are unable to obtain and maintain protection for the intellectual property relating to our technology and products, the value of our technology and products will be adversely affected.
Our success will depend in large part on our ability to obtain and maintain protection in the United States and other countries for the intellectual property covering, or incorporated into, our technology and products. The patent situation in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals generally is highly uncertain and involves complex legal, technical, scientific and factual questions. We may not be able to obtain additional issued patents relating to our technology or products. Even if issued, patents issued to us or our licensors may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated, held to be unenforceable or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing similar products or reduce the term of patent protection we may have for our products. Changes in either patent laws or in interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection. Fosmetpantotenate is covered by our U.S. Patent No. 8,673,883, which was granted in 2014 and expires in 2033. In addition, our U.S. Patent No. 9,181,286, which was granted on November 10,

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2015 and expires in 2033, covers the use of fosmetpantotenate for the treatment of PKAN, and our U.S. Patent No. 9,629,862, which was granted on April 25, 2017 and also expires in 2033, covers pharmaceutical compositions that contain fosmetpantotenate. Sparsentan is covered by U.S. Patent No. 6,638,937, which expires in 2019 and to which we have an exclusive license. In addition, U.S. Patent No. 9,662,312, to which we also have an exclusive license and which was granted on May 30, 2017 and expires in 2030, covers the use of sparsentan for treating glomerulosclerosis, including FSGS. And U.S. Patent No.9,993,461, to which we also have an exclusive license and which was granted on June 12, 2018 and expires in 2030, covers the use of sparsentan for treating IgA nephropathy as well as glomerulosclerosis, including FSGS.
For products we develop based on a new chemical entity not previously approved by the FDA, we expect that in addition to the protection afforded by our patent filings that we will be able to obtain either five years regulatory exclusivity via the provisions of the FDC Act and possibly seven years regulatory exclusivity via the orphan drug provisions of the FDC Act. In addition, we may be able to obtain up to five years patent term extension (to compensate for regulatory approval delay) for a patent covering such a product.
The degree of future protection for our proprietary rights is uncertain, and we cannot ensure that:
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we or our licensors were the first to make the inventions covered by each of our pending patent applications;
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we or our licensors were the first to file patent applications for these inventions;
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others will not independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies;
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any patents issued to us or our licensors that provide a basis for commercially viable products will provide us with any competitive advantages or will not be challenged by third parties;
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we will develop additional proprietary technologies that are patentable;
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we will file patent applications for new proprietary technologies promptly or at all;
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the claims we make in our patents will be upheld by patent offices in the United States and elsewhere;
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our patents will not expire prior to or shortly after commencing commercialization of a product; and
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the patents of others will not have a negative effect on our ability to do business.
We have negotiated a license agreement with Ligand Pharmaceuticals for the rights to sparsentan which we are initially developing for the treatment of FSGS and IgAN. This license subjects us to various commercialization, reporting and other obligations. If we were to default on our obligations, we could lose our rights to sparsentan. We have obtained a U.S. and European patent covering the use of sparsentan for treating glomerulosclerosis, including FSGS, and a second U.S. patent covering both the use of sparsentan for treating IgAN and the use of sparsentan for treating glomerulosclerosis, including FSGS. However, we cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain patent protection for various other potential indications for sparsentan, or whether, if granted, we would be able to enforce such patents.
Our patents also may not afford us protection against competitors with similar technology. Because patent applications in the United States and many other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all, and because publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, neither we nor our licensors can be certain that we or they were the first to make the inventions claimed in our or their issued patents or pending patent applications, or that we or they were the first to file for protection of the inventions set forth in these patent applications. If a third party has also filed a United States patent application prior to the effective date of the relevant provisions of the America Invents Act (i.e. before March 16, 2013) covering our product candidates or a similar invention, we may have to participate in an adversarial proceeding, known as an interference, declared by the USPTO to determine priority of invention in the United States. The costs of these proceedings could be substantial and it is possible that our efforts could be unsuccessful, resulting in a loss of our United States patent position.
We cannot assure you that third parties will not assert patent or other intellectual property infringement claims against us with respect to technologies used in our products. If patent infringement suits were brought against us, we may be unable to commercialize some of our products which could severely harm our business. Litigation proceedings, even if not successful, could result in substantial costs and harm our business.
We expect to rely on orphan drug status to develop and commercialize certain of our product candidates, but our orphan drug designations may not confer marketing exclusivity or other expected commercial benefits.
We expect to rely on orphan drug exclusivity for fosmetpantotenate and sparsentan and potential future product candidates that we may develop. Orphan drug status currently confers seven years of marketing exclusivity in the United States under the FDC Act, and up to ten years of marketing exclusivity in Europe for a particular product in a specified indication. The FDA and EMA have granted orphan designation for Chenodal, fosmetpantotenate and sparsentan for the treatment of CTX, PKAN and FSGS, respectively. While we have been granted these orphan designations, we will not be able to rely on these designations to exclude other companies from manufacturing or selling these molecules for the same indication beyond these time frames. Furthermore, any marketing exclusivity in Europe can be reduced from ten years to six years if the initial designation criteria have significantly changed since the market authorization of the orphan product.
For any product candidate for which we have been granted orphan drug designation in a particular indication, it is possible that another company also holding orphan drug designation for the same product candidate will receive marketing approval for the same indication before we do. If that were to happen, our applications for that indication may not be approved until the competing company's period of exclusivity expires. Even if we are the first to obtain marketing authorization for an orphan drug indication in the United States, there are circumstances under which a competing product may be approved for the same indication during the seven-year period of marketing exclusivity, such as if the later product is shown to be

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clinically superior to our orphan product, or if the later product is deemed a different product than ours. Further, the seven-year marketing exclusivity would not prevent competitors from obtaining approval of the same product candidate as ours for indications other than those in which we have been granted orphan drug designation, or for the use of other types of products in the same indications as our orphan product.
Any drugs we develop may become subject to unfavorable pricing regulations, third-party reimbursement practices or healthcare reform initiatives, thereby harming our business.
In March 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively, the "PPACA"), a sweeping law intended to broaden access to health insurance, reduce or constrain the growth of healthcare spending, enhance remedies against fraud and abuse, add new transparency requirements for healthcare and health insurance industries, impose new taxes and fees on the health industry and impose additional health policy reforms. The PPACA revised the definition of “average manufacturer price” for reporting purposes, which could increase the amount of Medicaid drug rebates to states. The PPACA also increased the mandated Medicaid rebate from 15.1% to 23.1% of the average manufacturer price, expanded the rebate to Medicaid managed care utilization and increased the types of entities eligible for the federal 340B drug discount program. Further, the law imposes a significant annual fee on companies that manufacture or import certain branded prescription drug products. There have been judicial, Congressional, and political challenges to certain aspects of the PPACA, as well as recent efforts by the Trump administration to repeal or replace certain aspects of the PPACA. Since January 2017, President Trump has signed two Executive Orders and other directives designed to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the PPACA or otherwise circumvent some of the requirements for health insurance mandated by the PPACA. Concurrently, Congress has considered legislation that would repeal or repeal and replace all or part of the PPACA. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, two bills affecting the implementation of certain taxes under the PPACA have been signed into law. The Tax Act of 2017 includes a provision which repealed, effective January 1, 2019, the tax-based shared responsibility payment imposed by the PPACA on certain individuals who fail to maintain qualifying health coverage for all or part of a year that is commonly referred to as the “individual mandate”. On January 22, 2018, President Trump signed a continuing resolution on appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that delayed the implementation of certain PPACA-mandated fees, including the so-called “Cadillac” tax on certain high cost employer-sponsored insurance plans, the annual fee imposed on certain health insurance providers based on market share, and the medical device excise tax on non-exempt medical devices. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 ("BBA"), among other things, amends the PPACA, effective January 1, 2019, to increase the discount that is owed by pharmaceutical manufacturers who participate in Medicare Part D from 50 percent to 70 percent, and closes the coverage gap in most Medicare drug plans, commonly referred to as the “donut hole”. In July 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") published a final rule permitting further collections and payments to and from certain PPACA qualified health plans and health insurance issuers under the PPACA risk adjustment program in response to the outcome of federal district court litigation regarding the method CMS uses to determine this risk adjustment. On December 14, 2018, a Texas U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the PPACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress as part of the Tax Act of 2017. While the Texas U.S. District Court Judge, as well as the Trump administration and CMS, have stated that the ruling will have no immediate effect pending appeal of the decision, it is unclear how this decision, subsequent appeals, and other efforts to repeal and replace the PPACA will impact the PPACA and our business.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the PPACA was enacted. For example, in August 2011, the President signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011, which, among other things, created the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to recommend to Congress proposals in spending reductions. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction did not achieve a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2 trillion for fiscal years 2012 through 2021, triggering the legislation’s automatic reduction to several government programs. This includes aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect beginning on April 1, 2013 and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, including the BBA, will stay in effect through 2027 unless additional Congressional action is taken. Additionally, in January 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was signed into law, which, among other things, reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals and imaging centers.
If we are unable to obtain coverage and adequate reimbursement from governments or third-party payers for any products that we may develop or if we are unable to obtain acceptable prices for those products, our prospects for generating revenue and achieving profitability will suffer.
Our prospects for generating revenue and achieving profitability will depend heavily upon the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement for the use of our approved product candidates from governmental and other third-party payers, both in the United States and in other markets. Reimbursement by a third-party payer may depend upon a number of factors, including the third-party payer’s determination that use of a product is:
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a covered benefit under its health plan;
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safe, effective and medically necessary;
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appropriate for the specific patient;
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cost-effective; and
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neither experimental nor investigational.
Obtaining reimbursement approval for a product from each government or other third-party payer is a time consuming and costly process that could require us to provide supporting scientific, clinical and cost effectiveness data for the use of our products to each payer. We may not be able to provide data sufficient to gain acceptance with respect to reimbursement or we might need to conduct post-marketing studies in order to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of any future products to such payers’ satisfaction. Such studies might require us to commit a significant amount of management time and financial and other resources. Even when a payer determines that a product is eligible for reimbursement, the payer may impose coverage limitations that preclude payment for some uses that are approved by the FDA or non-United States regulatory authorities. Also

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prior authorization for a product may be required. In addition, there is a risk that full reimbursement may not be available for high-priced products. Moreover, eligibility for coverage does not imply that any product will be reimbursed in all cases or at a rate that allows us to make a profit or even cover our costs. Interim payments for new products, if applicable, may also not be sufficient to cover our costs and may not be made permanent.
A primary trend in the United States healthcare industry and elsewhere is toward cost containment. We expect the changes made by PPACA, other legislation impacting the Medicare program and the 340B program, and the increasing emphasis on managed care to continue to put pressure on pharmaceutical product pricing. As these concerns continue to grow over the need for tighter oversight, there remains the possibility that the Heath Resources and Services Administration or another agency under the HHS will propose regulations or that Congress will explore changes to the 340B program through legislation. For example, a bill was introduced in 2018 that would require hospitals to report their low-income utilization of the program. Further, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule that would revise the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system for calendar year 2019, including a new reimbursement methodology for drugs purchased under the 340B program for Medicare patients at the hospital setting and recently announced the same change for physician-based practices under 340B in 2019. In addition, HHS has set January 1, 2019, as the effective date of the final rule setting forth the calculation of the ceiling price and application of civil monetary penalties. Pursuant to the final rule, after January 1, 2019, manufacturers must calculate 340B program ceiling prices on a quarterly basis. Moreover, manufacturers could be subject to a $5,000 penalty for each instance where they knowingly and intentionally overcharge a covered entity under the 340B program.
Further, there has been increasing legislative and enforcement interest in the United States with respect to drug pricing practices, including several recent U.S. congressional inquiries and proposed federal and enacted state legislation designed to, among other things, increase drug pricing transparency, expedite generic competition, review relationships between pricing and manufacturer patient assistance programs, and reform government program drug reimbursement methodologies. At the federal level, the Trump administration’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 contains further drug price control measures that could be enacted during the 2019 budget process or in other future legislation, including, for example, measures to permit Medicare Part D plans to negotiate the price of certain drugs under Medicare Part B, to allow some states to negotiate drug prices under Medicaid, and to eliminate cost sharing for generic drugs for low-income patients. Further, the current administration released a "Blueprint" to lower drug prices and reduce out of pocket costs of drugs that contains additional proposals to increase manufacturer competition, increase the negotiating power of certain federal healthcare programs, incentivize manufacturers to lower the list price of their products and reduce the out of pocket costs of drug products paid by consumers. The HHS has already started the process of soliciting feedback on some of these measures and, at the same time, is immediately implementing others under its existing authority. For example, in September 2018, CMS announced that it will allow Medicare Advantage Plans the option to use step therapy for Part B drugs beginning January 1, 2019, and in October 2018, CMS proposed a new rule that would require direct-to-consumer television advertisements of prescription drugs and biological products, for which payment is available through or under Medicare or Medicaid, to include in the advertisement the Wholesale Acquisition Cost, or list price, of that drug or biological product. On January 31, 2019, the HHS Office of Inspector General proposed modifications to the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute discount safe harbor .for the purpose of reducing the cost of drug products to consumers which, among other things, if finalized, will affect discounts paid by manufacturers to Medicare Part D plans,, Medicaid managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit managers working with these organizations. Although a number of these, and other potential proposals, may require authorization through additional legislation to become effective, Congress and the Trump administration have each indicated that it will continue to seek new legislative and/or administrative measures to control drug costs. At the state level, legislatures are increasingly passing legislation and implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical and biological product pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and transparency measures, and, in some cases, designed to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing.
Any reduction in reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid or other government-funded programs may result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our drugs. Additionally, we are currently unable to predict what additional legislation or regulation, if any, relating to the healthcare industry may be enacted in the future or what effect recently enacted federal legislation or any such additional legislation or regulation would have on our business.
We face potential product liability exposure far in excess of our limited insurance coverage.
The use of any of our potential products in clinical trials, and the sale of any approved products, may expose us to liability claims. These claims might be made directly by consumers, health care providers, pharmaceutical companies or others selling our products. We have obtained limited product liability insurance coverage for our clinical trials in the amount of $10 million per occurrence and $10 million in the aggregate. However, our insurance may not reimburse us or may not be sufficient to reimburse us for any expenses or losses we may suffer. Moreover, insurance coverage is becoming increasingly expensive, and we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or in sufficient amounts to protect us against losses due to liability. We intend to expand our insurance coverage to include the sale of commercial products if we obtain marketing approval for product candidates in development, but we may be unable to obtain commercially reasonable product liability insurance for any products approved for marketing. On occasion, juries have awarded large judgments in class action lawsuits based on drugs that had unanticipated side effects. A successful product liability claim or series of claims brought against us would decrease our cash reserves and could cause our stock price to fall.

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We face substantial competition, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before or more successfully than we do. Our operating results will suffer if we fail to compete effectively.
Several of our competitors have substantially greater financial, research and development, distribution, manufacturing and marketing experience and resources than we do and represent substantial long-term competition for us. Other companies may succeed in developing and marketing products that are more effective and/or less costly than any products that may be developed and marketed by us, or that are commercially accepted before any of our products. Factors affecting competition in the pharmaceutical and drug industries vary, depending on the extent to which a competitor is able to achieve a competitive advantage based on its proprietary technology and ability to market and sell drugs. The industry in which we compete is characterized by extensive research and development efforts and rapid technological progress. Although we believe that our orphan drug status for Cholbam and proprietary position with respect to fosmetpantotenate and sparsentan may give us a competitive advantage, new developments are expected to continue and there can be no assurance that discoveries by others will not render such potential products noncompetitive. Furthermore, competitors could enter the market with generic versions of our products.
Our competitive position also depends on our ability to enter into strategic alliances with one or more large pharmaceutical and contract manufacturing companies, attract and retain qualified personnel, develop effective proprietary products, implement development and marketing plans, obtain patent protection, secure adequate capital resources and successfully sell and market our approved products. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully achieve all of the foregoing objectives.
Use of third parties to manufacture and distribute our products and product candidates may increase the risk that we will not have sufficient quantities of our product and product candidates or such quantities at an acceptable cost, and clinical development and commercialization of our product and product candidates could be delayed, prevented or impaired.
We do not own or operate manufacturing facilities for clinical or commercial production of our products. We have limited personnel with experience in drug manufacturing and we lack the resources and the capabilities to manufacture any of our product candidates on a clinical or commercial scale. We outsource all manufacturing and packaging of our preclinical, clinical, and commercial products to third parties. 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, particularly in scaling up initial production and in maintaining required quality control. These problems include difficulties with production costs and yields and quality control, including stability of the product candidate.
We do not currently have any agreements with third-party manufacturers for the long-term commercial supply of any of our development stage product candidates. We may be unable to enter into agreements for commercial supply with third-party manufacturers, or may be unable to do so on acceptable terms. Even if we enter into these agreements, the manufacturers of each product candidate will be single source suppliers to us for a significant period of time. Reliance on third-party manufacturers entails risks to which we may not be subject if we manufactured our product candidates or products ourselves, including:
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reliance on the third party for regulatory compliance and quality assurance;
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limitations on supply availability resulting from capacity and scheduling constraints of the third parties;
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impact on our reputation in the marketplace if manufacturers of our products fail to meet the demands of our customers;
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the possible breach of the manufacturing agreement by the third party because of factors beyond our control; and
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the possible termination or nonrenewal of the agreement by the third party, based on its own business priorities, at a time that is costly or inconvenient for us.
The failure of any of our contract manufacturers to maintain high manufacturing standards could result in injury or death of clinical trial participants or patients using our products. Such failure could also result in product liability claims, product recalls, product seizures or withdrawals, delays or failures in testing or delivery, cost overruns or other problems that could seriously harm our business or profitability.
Our contract manufacturers will be required to adhere to FDA regulations setting forth cGMP. These regulations cover all aspects of the manufacturing, testing, quality control and recordkeeping relating to our product candidates and any products that we may commercialize. Our manufacturers may not be able to comply with cGMP regulations or similar regulatory requirements outside the United States. Our manufacturers are subject to unannounced inspections by the FDA, state regulators and similar regulators outside the United States. Our failure, or the failure of our third-party manufacturers, to comply with applicable regulations could result in sanctions being imposed on us, including fines, injunctions, civil penalties, failure of regulatory authorities to grant marketing approval of our product candidates, delays, suspension or withdrawal of approvals, license revocation, seizures or recalls of product candidates or products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecutions, any of which could significantly and adversely affect regulatory approval and supplies of our product candidates.
Our product and any products that we may develop may compete with other product candidates and products for access to manufacturing facilities. There are a limited number of manufacturers that operate under cGMP regulations and that are both capable of manufacturing for us and willing to do so. If the third parties that we engage to manufacture products for our developmental or commercial products should cease to continue to do so for any reason, we likely would experience interruptions in cash flows and/or delays in advancing our clinical trials while we identify and qualify replacement suppliers, and we may be unable to obtain replacement supplies on terms that are favorable to us. Later relocation to another manufacturer will also require notification, review and other regulatory approvals from the FDA and other regulators and will subject our production to further cost and instability in the availability of our product candidates. In addition, if we are not able to obtain adequate supplies of our product

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candidates, or the drug substances used to manufacture them, it will be more difficult for us to sell our products and to develop our product candidates. This could greatly reduce our competitiveness.
Our current and anticipated future dependence upon others for the manufacture of our product candidates may adversely affect our future profit margins and our ability to develop product candidates and commercialize any products that obtain regulatory approval on a timely and competitive basis.
Materials necessary to manufacture our products and product candidates may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, which may delay the development and commercialization of our products and product candidates.
We rely on the manufacturers of our products and product candidates to purchase from third-party suppliers the materials necessary to produce the compounds for our preclinical and clinical studies and rely on these other manufacturers for commercial distribution if we obtain marketing approval for any of our product candidates. Suppliers may not sell these materials to our manufacturers at the time we need them or on commercially reasonable terms and all such prices are susceptible to fluctuations in price and availability due to transportation costs, government regulations, price controls, and changes in economic climate or other foreseen circumstances. We do not have any control over the process or timing of the acquisition of these materials by our manufacturers. Moreover, we currently do not have any agreements for the commercial production of these materials. If our manufacturers are unable to obtain these materials for our preclinical and clinical studies, product testing and potential regulatory approval of our product candidates would be delayed, significantly impacting our ability to develop our product candidates. If our manufacturers or we are unable to purchase these materials after regulatory approval has been obtained for our product candidates, the commercial launch of our product candidates would be delayed or there would be a shortage in supply, which would materially affect our ability to generate revenues from the sale of our product candidates.
Risks Related to Our Business
Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects, and our profitability in the future is uncertain.
We face the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays, many of which are beyond our control, associated with any business in its early stages and have a limited operating history on which an evaluation of our prospects can be made. Such prospects should be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered in the establishment of a business in a new industry, characterized by a number of market entrants and intense competition, and in the shift from development to commercialization of new products based on innovative technologies.
We have experienced significant growth over the past three years in the number of our employees and the scope of our operations. We have added sales and marketing, compliance and legal functions in addition to expansion of all functions to support a commercial organization. To manage our anticipated future growth, we must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Due to our limited resources, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. The physical expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert our management and business development resources. Any inability on the part of our management to manage growth could delay the execution of our business plans or disrupt our operations.
Factors that may inhibit our efforts to commercialize our products without strategic partners or licensees include:
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our inability to recruit and retain adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing personnel;
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the inability of sales personnel to obtain access to or educate adequate numbers of physicians to prescribe our products;
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the lack of complementary products to be offered by our sales personnel, which may put us at a competitive disadvantage against companies with broader product lines;
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unforeseen costs associated with expanding our own sales and marketing team for new products or with entering into a partnering agreement with an independent sales and marketing organization; and
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efforts by our competitors to commercialize competitive products.
Moreover, though we generate revenues from product sales arrangements, we may incur significant operating losses over the next several years. Our ability to achieve profitable operations in the future will depend in large part upon successful in-licensing of products approved by the FDA, selling and manufacturing these products, completing development of our products, obtaining regulatory approvals for these products, and bringing these products to market. The likelihood of the long-term success of our company must be considered in light of the expenses, difficulties and delays frequently encountered in the development and commercialization of new drug products, competitive factors in the marketplace, as well as the regulatory environment in which we operate.
In addition, we may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other known and unknown factors.
* We will likely experience fluctuations in operating results and could incur substantial losses.
We expect that our operating results will vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year as a result of investments in research and development, specifically our clinical and preclinical development activities. We have not completed development of any drugs and we anticipate that our expenses will increase substantially as we:
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continue our ongoing clinical development of fosmetpantotenate for the treatment of PKAN;

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continue the open label portion of DUET and conduct the planned Phase 3 trials of sparsentan indications;
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continue funding the clinical development of CNSA-001 for PKU;
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assuming FDA approval, the commercial launch of the next generation of Thiola;
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continue the research and development of additional product candidates;
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expand our sales and marketing infrastructure to commercialize our current products and any new products for which we may obtain regulatory approval; and
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expand operational, financial, and management information systems and personnel, including personnel to support product development efforts and our obligations as a public company.
To attain and sustain profitability, we must succeed in developing and commercializing drugs with significant market potential. This will require us to be successful in a range of challenging activities, including the discovery of product candidates, successful completion of preclinical testing and clinical trials of our product candidates, obtaining regulatory approval for these product candidates and manufacturing, marketing and selling those products for which we may obtain regulatory approval. We are only in the preliminary stages of these activities. We may not be successful enough in these activities to generate revenues that are substantial enough to achieve profitability. Even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to become or remain profitable could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, diversify our product offerings or continue our operations. A decline in the market price of our common stock may also cause a loss of a part or all of your investment.
Negative publicity regarding any of our products could impair our ability to market any such product and may require us to spend time and money to address these issues.
If any of our products or any similar products distributed by other companies prove to be, or are asserted to be, harmful to consumers and/or subject to FDA enforcement action, our ability to successfully market and sell our products could be impaired. Because of our dependence on patient and physician perceptions, any adverse publicity associated with illness or other adverse effects resulting from the use or misuse of our products or any similar products distributed by other companies could limit the commercial potential of our products and expose us to potential liabilities.
We may not have sufficient insurance to cover our liability in any current or future litigation claims either due to coverage limits or as a result of insurance carriers seeking to deny coverage of such claims.
We face a variety of litigation-related liability risks.  Our certificate of incorporation, bylaws, other applicable agreements, and/or Delaware law require us to indemnify (and advance expenses to) our current and past directors and officers and employees from reasonable expenses related to the defense of any action arising from their service to us, including circumstances under which indemnification is otherwise discretionary. While our directors and officers are included in a director and officer liability insurance policy, which covers all our directors and officers in some circumstances, our insurance coverage does not cover all of our indemnification obligations and may not be adequate to cover any indemnification or other claims against us. In addition, the underwriters of our present coverage may seek to avoid coverage in certain circumstances based upon the terms of the respective policies. If we incur liabilities that exceed our coverage under our directors and officers insurance policy or incur liabilities not covered by our insurance, we would have to self-fund any indemnification amounts owed to our directors and officers and employees in which case our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.  Further, if D&O insurance becomes prohibitively expensive to maintain in the future, we may be unable to renew such insurance on economic terms or unable renew such insurance at all. The lack of D&O insurance may make it difficult for us to retain and attract talented and skilled directors and officers to serve our company, which could adversely affect our business
* We may need substantial funding and may be unable to raise capital when needed, which would force us to delay, reduce or eliminate our product development programs or commercialization efforts.
We expect our general and research and development expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing and planned activities, particularly as we conduct Phase 3 clinical trials of fosmetpantotenate and sparsentan, continue funding the clinical development of CNSA-001 and potentially acquire Censa, and conduct any other later-stage clinical trials of our product candidates. In addition, subject to obtaining regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses for product sales and marketing, securing commercial quantities of product from our manufacturers, and product distribution. We currently have no additional commitments or arrangements for any additional financing to fund the research and development and commercial launch of our product candidates.
Management believes our ability to continue our operations depends on our ability to sustain and grow revenue, results of operations and our ability to access capital markets when necessary to accomplish our strategic objectives. Management believes that we may incur losses in the immediate future. We expect that our operating results will vary significantly from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year as a result of investments in research and development, specifically our clinical and preclinical development activities. We expect to finance our cash needs from cash on hand and results of operations, and depending on results of operations we may either need additional equity or debt financing, or need to enter into strategic alliances on products in development to continue our operations until we can achieve sustained profitability and positive cash flows from operating activities. Additional funds may not be available to us when we need them on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all. If adequate funds are not available to us on a timely basis, we may be required to reduce or eliminate research development programs or commercial efforts.
Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including:
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the progress and results of our pre-clinical and clinical studies of fosmetpantotenate, sparsentan, CNSA-001 and other drug candidates;

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the costs, timing and outcome of regulatory review of our product candidates;
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debt service obligations on the 2019 Notes, which mature on May 30, 2019, and 2025 Notes;
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the number and development requirements of other product candidates that we pursue;
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the costs of commercialization activities, including product marketing, sales and distribution;
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the emergence of competing technologies and other adverse market developments;
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the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications and maintaining, enforcing and defending intellectual property related claims;
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the extent to which we acquire or invest in businesses, products and technologies, including the extent to which we exercise our option to acquire Censa; and
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our ability to establish collaborations and obtain milestone, royalty or other payments from any such collaborators.
The market price for shares of our common stock may be volatile and purchasers of our common stock could incur substantial losses.
The price of our stock is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general, and the market for biotechnology companies in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including:
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results of clinical trials of our product candidates or those of our competitors;
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our entry into or the loss of a significant collaboration;
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regulatory or legal developments in the United States and other countries, including changes in the health care payment systems;
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our ability to obtain and maintain marketing approvals from the FDA or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States;
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variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;
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changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems;
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market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors and issuance of new or changed securities analysts’ reports or recommendations;