Item 1. Business
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties relating to the future financial performance of
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and actual events or results may differ
materially. These statements concern, among other things, the possible success
and therapeutic applications of our product candidates and research programs,
the timing and nature of the clinical and research programs now underway or
planned, and the future sources and uses of capital and our financial needs.
These statements are made by us based on management's current beliefs and
judgment. In evaluating such statements, stockholders and potential investors
should specifically consider the various factors identified under the caption
"Risk Factors" which could cause actual results to differ materially from those
indicated by such forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligation
to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
General
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that
discovers, develops, and intends to commercialize pharmaceutical products for
the treatment of serious medical conditions. Our clinical and preclinical
pipeline includes product candidates for the treatment of cancer, diseases of
the eye, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, allergies,
asthma, obesity, and other diseases and disorders. Developing and
commercializing new medicines entails significant risk and expense. Since
inception we have not generated any sales or profits from the commercialization
of any of our product candidates.
Our core business strategy is to combine our strong foundation in basic
scientific research and discovery-enabling technology with our manufacturing and
clinical development capabilities to build a successful, integrated
biopharmaceutical company. Our efforts have yielded a diverse and growing
pipeline of product candidates that have the potential to address a variety of
unmet medical needs. We believe that our ability to develop product candidates
is enhanced by the application of our technology platforms. These platforms are
designed to discover specific genes of therapeutic interest for a particular
disease or cell type and validate targets through high-throughput production of
mammalian models. We continue to invest in the development of enabling
technologies to assist in our efforts to identify, develop, and commercialize
new product candidates.
Below is a summary of our clinical programs.
• VEGF TRAP: Protein-based product candidate designed to bind Vascular
Endothelial Growth Factor (called VEGF, also known as Vascular Permeability
Factor or VPF) and its relative, Placental Growth Factor (called PLGF), and
prevent their interaction with cell surface receptors. VEGF (and to a less
validated degree PLGF) is required for the growth of blood vessels that are
needed for tumors to grow and is a potent regulator of vascular permeability
and leakage. In 2001, we initiated a dose-escalation Phase I clinical trial
designed to assess the safety and tolerability of the VEGF Trap in subjects
with advanced solid tumor malignancies. This trial continues to test
increasing doses of VEGF Trap delivered by subcutaneous injection as per the
protocol and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2004. A second
phase, expected to begin in the first half of 2004, will test higher doses
of the VEGF Trap delivered intravenously. We are also evaluating the VEGF
Trap for the potential treatment of certain eye diseases and in March 2004,
announced the initiation of a Phase I study of the VEGF Trap in patients
with the neovascular or "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration.
In September 2003, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Aventis
Pharmaceuticals Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize the VEGF Trap in
multiple oncology, ophthalmology, and possibly other indications throughout
the world with the exception of Japan, where product rights remain with us.
Aventis made a non- refundable up-front payment of $80.0 million and
purchased 2,799,552 newly issued unregistered shares of our Common Stock for
$45.0 million. Under the collaboration agreement, we and Aventis will share
co-promotion rights and profits on sales, if any, of the VEGF Trap. Aventis
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has agreed to make a $25.0 million payment to us upon achievement of an
early-stage clinical milestone. We may also receive up to $360.0 million in
additional milestone payments upon receipt of specified marketing approvals
for up to eight VEGF Trap indications in Europe or the United States.
Regeneron has agreed to continue to manufacture clinical supplies of the
VEGF Trap at our plant in Rensselaer, New York. Aventis has agreed to be
responsible for providing commercial scale manufacturing capacity for the
VEGF Trap.
Under the collaboration agreement, agreed upon development expenses incurred
by both companies during the term of the agreement will be funded by
Aventis. If the collaboration becomes profitable, we will reimburse Aventis
for 50% of the VEGF Trap development expenses in accordance with a formula
based on the amount of development expenses and our share of the
collaboration profits, or at a faster rate at our option. In 2004, we and
Aventis plan to invest approximately $100 million to support the development
of the VEGF Trap. The broad based development program will include multiple
Phase I studies to evaluate the VEGF Trap in combination with other
therapies in various cancer indications, Phase II single-agent studies of
the VEGF Trap in separate cancer indications, and multiple Phase I studies
of the VEGF Trap in certain eye diseases.
• INTERLEUKIN-1 TRAP (IL-1 Trap): Protein-based product candidate designed to
bind the interleukin-1 (called IL-1) cytokine and prevent its interaction
with cell surface receptors. IL-1 is thought to play an important role in
rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. In October 2003, we
announced that the IL-1 Trap demonstrated evidence of clinical activity and
safety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Phase II dose-ranging
study in approximately 200 patients. Patients treated with the highest dose,
100 milligrams of the IL-1 Trap, exhibited non-statistically significant
improvements in the proportion of American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20
responses versus placebo, the primary endpoint of the trial. Patients
treated with the IL-1 Trap also exhibited improvements in secondary
endpoints of the trial. The IL-1 Trap was generally well tolerated and was
not associated with any drug-related serious adverse events.
On February 27, 2004, Regeneron announced plans to initiate a Phase IIb
study of the IL-1 Trap in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the second
half of 2004. The Phase IIb study will be conducted in a larger patient
population, testing higher doses and for a longer period of time than in the
previous Phase II trial. In addition, we intend to conduct studies of the
IL-1 Trap in a variety of other inflammatory diseases where interleukin-1 is
believed to play a critical role. We are currently working on new product
formulations that would allow delivery of higher doses of IL-1 Trap either
through subcutaneous or intravenous administration and plan to conduct
patient tolerability studies in the first half of 2004.
Since March 2003, we have been collaborating with Novartis Pharma AG on the
development of the IL-1 Trap. On February 27, 2004, we announced that
Novartis had provided notice of its intention not to proceed with the joint
development of the IL-1 Trap. Under the terms of the collaboration
agreement, Novartis remains obligated to fund agreed upon pre-Phase III IL-1
Trap development expenses during the nine-month notice period before its
voluntary termination becomes effective. Novartis and we retain rights under
the collaboration agreement to elect to collaborate on the development and
commercialization of other IL-1 antagonists being developed independently by
the other party that are in earlier stages of development than the IL-1
Trap.
• INTERLEUKIN-4/ INTERLEUKIN-13 TRAP (IL-4/13 Trap): Protein-based product
candidate designed to bind both the interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 (called
IL-4 and IL-13) cytokines and prevent their interaction with cell surface
receptors. IL-4 and IL-13 are thought to play a major role in diseases such
as asthma, allergic disorders, and other inflammatory diseases. In October
2002, we initiated a Phase I trial for the IL-4/13 Trap in adult subjects
with mild to moderate asthma. This placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose
escalation study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability of the
IL-4/13 Trap. The trial is expected to be completed in the first quarter of
2004 and we anticipate presenting the results at a scientific conference in
the second quarter of 2004. We are also evaluating the potential use of the
IL-4/13 Trap in other therapeutic indications.
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• AXOKINE®: Protein-based product candidate designed to act on the brain
region regulating appetite and energy expenditure. AXOKINE is being
developed for the treatment of obesity. In March 2003, we reported data from
the 12-month treatment period of our initial Phase III pivotal trial of
AXOKINE. The double-blind treatment period in this study is being followed
by a twelve-month open-label extension phase, during which all study
subjects receive AXOKINE. The extension phase is expected to be completed in
the first quarter of 2004. We are currently conducting research on improving
the formulation and delivery of AXOKINE and evaluating its commercial
potential. We do not expect to initiate any Phase III clinical trials of
AXOKINE in 2004.
Our Areas of Focus
Anti-Angiogenesis/Angiogenesis in Cancer and Other Settings: VEGF Trap and
the Angiopoietins
Research. A plentiful blood supply is required to nourish every tissue and
organ of the body. Diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis wreak their
havoc, in part, by destroying blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries)
and compromising blood flow. Decreases in blood flow (known as ischemia) can
result in non-healing skin ulcers and gangrene, painful limbs that cannot
tolerate exercise, loss of vision, and heart attacks. In other cases, disease
processes can damage blood vessels by breaking down vessel walls, resulting in
defective and leaky vessels. Leaking vessels can lead to swelling and edema, as
occurs in brain tumors following ischemic stroke, in diabetic retinopathy, and
in arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Finally, some disease processes,
such as tumor growth, depend on the induction of new blood vessels.
In many clinical settings, positively or negatively regulating blood vessel
growth could have important therapeutic benefits, as could the repair of damaged
and leaky vessels. Thus, building new vessels, by a process known as
angiogenesis, can improve circulation to ischemic limbs and the heart, aid in
healing skin ulcers or other chronic wounds, and in establishing tissue grafts.
Reciprocally, blocking tumor-induced angiogenesis can blunt tumor growth. In
addition, repairing leaky vessels can reverse swelling and edema.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor was the first growth factor shown to be
specific for blood vessels, by virtue of having its receptor specifically
expressed on blood vessel cells. In 1994, we discovered a second family of
angiogenic growth factors, termed the Angiopoietins, and we have received
patents covering the members of this family. The Angiopoietins include naturally
occurring positive and negative regulators of angiogenesis, as described in
numerous scientific manuscripts published by our scientists and their
collaborators. The Angiopoietins are being evaluated in preclinical research by
us and our academic collaborators.
Our studies have revealed that VEGF and the Angiopoietins normally function
in a coordinated and collaborative manner during blood vessel growth. Thus, for
example, the growth of new blood vessels to nourish ischemic tissue appears to
require both these agents. In addition, Angiopoietin-1 seems to play a critical
role in stabilizing the blood vessel wall, and in animal models administration
of this growth factor can prevent or repair leaky vessels. In terms of blocking
vessel growth, manipulation of both VEGF and Angiopoietins seems to be of value.
The approach of inhibiting angiogenesis as a mechanism of action for an
oncology medicine was further validated in February 2004, when the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (or FDA) approved Genentech, Inc.'s VEGF inhibitor,
Avastin™. Avastin is an antibody product designed to inhibit VEGF and interfere
with the blood supply to cancerous tumors. We exploited our Trap technology
(which is described below) to develop a protein-based blocker of VEGF, referred
to as the VEGF Trap.
Oncology. Cancer is a heterogeneous set of diseases and one of the leading
causes of death in the developed world. A mutation in any one of dozens of
normal genes can eventually lead a cell to become cancerous; however, a common
feature of cancer cells is that they need to get nutrients and remove waste
products, just as normal cells do. The vascular system is designed to supply
nutrients and remove waste from normal tissues. Cancer cells can use the
vascular system either by taking over preexisting blood vessels or by promoting
the growth of new blood vessels. VEGF is secreted by many tumors to stimulate
the growth of new blood vessels to support the tumor. Countering the effects of
VEGF, thus blocking the blood supply to tumors, has been shown to provide
therapeutic benefits.
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Diseases of the Eye. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic
Retinopathy (DR) are two of the leading causes of adult blindness in the
developed world. In both conditions, severe visual loss is caused by a
combination of retinal edema and neovascular proliferation. VEGF both stimulates
angiogenesis and increases vascular permeability, has been shown to be a major
pathogenic factor in both DR and AMD, and is believed to be involved in other
medical problems affecting the eyes. Counteracting the effects of VEGF may
provide a significant therapeutic benefit to patients suffering from these
disorders.
AMD is a leading cause of severe visual loss in people over the age of 55 in
developed countries. It is estimated that, in the U.S., 6% of individuals aged
65-74 and 20% of those older than 75 are affected with AMD. DR is a major
complication of diabetes mellitus that can lead to significant vision
impairment. DR is characterized, in part, by vascular leakage, which results in
the collection of fluid in the retina. When the macula, the central area that is
responsible for fine visual acuity, is involved, loss of visual acuity occurs.
This is referred to as Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). DME is the most prevalent
cause of moderate visual loss in patients with diabetes.
Clinical Development - VEGF Trap. In November 2001, we initiated a Phase I
clinical trial designed to assess the safety and tolerability of the VEGF Trap
in subjects with solid tumor malignancies. The Phase I trial is an open-label
study in subjects with advanced tumors and is evaluating the VEGF Trap at
increasing dose levels. The ongoing study is being conducted at three clinical
sites in the United States, and the trial is expected to be completed in the
first half of 2004. A second phase, expected to begin in the first half of 2004,
will test higher doses of the VEGF Trap delivered intravenously. We are also
evaluating the VEGF Trap for the potential treatment of certain diseases of the
eye and in March 2004, announced the initiation of a Phase I study of the VEGF
Trap in patients with the neovascular or "wet" form of age-related macular
degeneration.
In September 2003, we entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Aventis to
jointly develop and commercialize the VEGF Trap in multiple oncology,
ophthalmology, and possibly other indications throughout the world with the
exception of Japan, where product rights remain with us. In 2004, we and Aventis
plan to invest approximately $100 million to support the development of the VEGF
Trap. The broad based development program will include multiple Phase I studies
to evaluate the VEGF Trap in combination with other therapies in various cancer
indications, Phase II single-agent studies of the VEGF Trap in separate cancer
indications, and multiple Phase I studies of the VEGF Trap in certain eye
diseases.
Trap Technology and Additional Traps
Research. Our research on ciliary neurotrophic factor, or CNTF, led to the
discovery that CNTF, although it is a neurotrophic factor, belongs to the
"superfamily" of signaling molecules called cytokines. Cytokines are soluble
proteins secreted by the cells of the body. In many cases, cytokines act as
messengers to help regulate immune and inflammatory responses. In excess,
cytokines can be harmful and have been linked to a variety of diseases. Blocking
cytokines and growth factors is a proven therapeutic approach with a number of
medicines or product candidates already approved or in clinical development. The
cytokine superfamily includes factors such as erythropoietin, thrombopoietin,
granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and the interleukins (or ILs).
During the 1990s, our scientists made a number of breakthroughs in
understanding how receptors work for an entire family of cytokines, which had
broad relevance for many other families of cytokines and growth factors. Based
on these findings, we developed a new class of protein-based antagonists, termed
Traps, which could be designed to target and block specific cytokines and growth
factors implicated in human disease. Examples include the VEGF Trap (designed to
block VEGF and PLGF), the IL-1 Trap (designed to block both IL-1 alpha and IL-1
beta), the IL-4 Trap (designed to block IL-4), the IL-6 Trap (designed to block
IL-6), the IL-18 Trap (designed to block IL-18), and the IL-4/13 Trap (designed
to block IL-4 and IL-13).
In preclinical studies, these Traps are more potent than other growth factor
and cytokine antagonists, potentially allowing lower levels of these drug
candidates to be used. Moreover, because these Traps are comprised entirely of
natural human-derived protein sequences, they may be less likely to induce an
immune reaction in humans. Because pathological levels of certain cytokines and
growth factors seem to contribute to a variety of diseases, our Traps have the
potential to be important therapeutic agents.
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We have clinical programs underway for our IL-1 Trap and IL-4/13 Trap (see
below) and research programs underway for an IL-6 Trap and an IL-18 Trap. IL-6
has been implicated in the pathology and progression of multiple myeloma,
certain solid tumors, AIDS, lymphomas (both AIDS-related and non-AIDS-related),
osteoporosis, and other conditions. IL-18 is thought to contribute to a number
of inflammatory and immunological diseases and disorders. We also have patents
covering additional Traps for IL-2, IL-3, IL-5, IL-15, and others, which are
being studied in earlier stage research programs. Our research also includes
molecular and cellular research to improve or modify Trap technology, process
development efforts to produce experimental and clinical research supplies, and
in vivo and in vitro studies to further understand and demonstrate the efficacy
of the Traps.
Clinical Development.
IL-1 Trap. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease in which the immune
system attacks the tissue that lines and cushions joints. Over time, the
cartilage, bone, and ligaments of the joint erode, leading to progressive joint
deformity and joint destruction, generally in the hand, wrist, knee, and foot.
Joints become painful and swollen and motion is limited. Over two million
people, 1% of the U.S. population, are estimated to have rheumatoid arthritis,
and 10% of those eventually become disabled. Women account for roughly
two-thirds of these patients.
In July 2002, we announced the initiation of a dose-ranging Phase II study
of the IL-1 Trap in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. This trial enrolled
approximately 200 subjects who received weekly self-injections of one of three
fixed doses of IL-1 Trap or placebo for 12 weeks, followed by 10 weeks of
off-treatment follow-up. In October 2003, we announced that in this trial the
IL-1 Trap demonstrated evidence of clinical activity and safety. Patients
treated with the highest dose, 100 milligrams of the IL-1 Trap, exhibited
non-statistically significant improvements in the proportion of American College
of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 responses versus placebo, the primary endpoint of the
trial. Patients treated with the IL-1 Trap also exhibited improvements in
secondary endpoints of the trial. The IL-1 Trap was generally well tolerated and
was not associated with any drug-related serious adverse events.
On February 27, 2004, we announced plans to initiate a Phase IIb study of
the IL-1 Trap in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the second half of 2004.
The Phase IIb study will be conducted in a larger patient population, testing
higher doses and for a longer period of time than in the previous Phase II
trial. In addition, we intend to conduct studies of the IL-1 Trap in a variety
of other inflammatory diseases where interleukin-1 is believed to play an
important role. We are currently working on new product formulations that would
allow delivery of higher doses of IL-1 Trap either through subcutaneous or
intravenous administration and plan to conduct patient tolerability studies in
the first half of 2004.
Since March 2003, we have been collaborating with Novartis Pharma AG on the
development of the IL-1 Trap. On February 27, 2004, we announced that Novartis
had provided notice of its intention not to proceed with the joint development
of the IL-1 Trap. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Novartis
remains obligated to fund agreed upon pre-Phase III IL-1 Trap development
expenses during the nine-month notice period before its voluntary termination
becomes effective. Novartis and we retain rights under the collaboration
agreement to elect to collaborate on the development and commercialization of
other IL-1 antagonists being developed independently by the other party that are
in earlier stages of development than the IL-1 Trap.
IL-4/13 Trap. One in 13 Americans suffers from allergies and one in 18
suffers from asthma. The number of people afflicted with these diseases has been
growing at a fast rate. It is believed that IL-4 and IL-13 play a role in these
diseases. These two cytokines are essential to the normal functioning of the
immune system, creating a vital communication link between white blood cells. In
the case of asthma and allergies, however, it is thought that excess levels of
IL-4 and IL-13 causes overactivity of the immune system, which contributes to
disease initiation and progression.
Antagonists for IL-4 and IL-13 may be therapeutically useful in a number of
allergy and asthma-related conditions, including as an adjunct to vaccines where
blocking IL-4 and IL-13 may help to elicit more of the desired type of immune
response to the vaccine. We have developed both an IL-4 Trap and an IL-4/13
Trap,
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which is a single molecule that can block both interleukin-4 and interleukin-13.
In October 2002, we initiated a placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose
escalation Phase I clinical trial designed to assess the safety and tolerability
of the IL-4/13 Trap in subjects with mild to moderate asthma. The trial is
expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2004. We are also evaluating
the potential use of the IL-4/13 Trap in other therapeutic indications.
Obesity and Metabolic Diseases
Food intake and metabolism are regulated by complex interactions between
diverse neural and hormonal signals that serve to maintain an optimal balance
between energy intake, storage, and utilization. The hypothalamus, a small area
at the base of the brain, is critically involved in the integration of
peripheral signals which reflect nutritional status and neural outputs which
regulate appetite, food seeking behaviors, and energy expenditure. Obesity and
related metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, reflect a dysregulation in
the systems which ordinarily tightly couple energy intake to energy expenditure.
Our preclinical research program encompasses the study of both central
(neuropeptide) and peripheral (hormonal) regulators of food intake and
metabolism in health and disease.
Obesity is a major health problem in all developed countries. The prevalence
of obesity in the United States has increased substantially during the past
decade. A 1999 Congressional Report funded by the National Institutes of Health
confirmed that obesity significantly increases a number of health risks,
including type 2 diabetes. Obesity-related conditions, such as stroke and
myocardial infarct are estimated to contribute to about 300,000 deaths yearly,
ranking second only to smoking as a cause of preventable death. Several studies
published in 2002 demonstrate that even modest levels of weight loss, when
maintained over an extended period of time, can significantly reduce the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes. Health care expenditures for obesity-related
conditions now total over $200 billion a year in the United States. Current
treatment of obesity consists of diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes,
and a limited number of medicines. There are several approved medicines
currently indicated for the treatment of obesity, including sibutramine
(Meridia®, a registered trademark of Abbott Laboratories) and orlistat
(Xenical®, a registered trademark of Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc.).
Clinical Development - AXOKINE. We are developing AXOKINE for the treatment
of obesity. AXOKINE is our patented genetically re-engineered form of CNTF. In
March 2003, we reported data from the 12-month treatment period of our initial
Phase III pivotal trial of AXOKINE. The double-blind treatment period in this
study is being followed by a twelve-month open-label extension phase, during
which all study subjects receive AXOKINE. The extension phase is expected to be
completed in the first quarter of 2004.
Two AXOKINE trials remain ongoing. These trials, which each include
approximately 300 subjects, are evaluating the safety of intermittent treatment
with AXOKINE and studying maintenance of weight loss following short-term
treatment regimens. Results from these trials are expected to be available in
mid-2004.
We are currently conducting research on improving the formulation and
delivery of AXOKINE and evaluating its commercial potential. We do not expect to
initiate any Phase III clinical trials of AXOKINE in 2004.
Muscle Atrophy and Related Disorders
Muscle atrophy occurs in many neuromuscular diseases and also when muscle is
unused, as often occurs during prolonged hospital stays and during
convalescence. Currently, physicians have few options to treat subjects with
muscle atrophy or other muscle conditions which afflict millions of people
globally. Thus, a treatment that has beneficial effects on skeletal muscle could
have significant clinical benefit. Our muscle program is currently focused on
conducting in vivo and in vitro experiments with the objective of demonstrating
and further understanding the molecular pathways involved in muscle atrophy and
hypertrophy, and discovering therapeutic candidates that can modulate these
pathways. This work is being conducted in collaboration with scientists at The
Procter & Gamble Company.
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Cartilage Growth Factor System and Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis results from the wearing down of the articular cartilage
surfaces that cover joints. Thus, growth factors that specifically act on
cartilage cells could have utility in osteoarthritis. Our scientists have
discovered a growth factor receptor system selectively expressed by cartilage
cells, termed Regeneron Orphan Receptor 2 (ROR2). We have also demonstrated that
this growth factor receptor system is required for normal cartilage development
in mice. In addition, together with collaborators, we have demonstrated that
mutations in this growth factor receptor system cause inherited defects in
cartilage development in humans. Thus, this growth factor receptor system is a
promising new target for cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis, but we have
not yet identified any therapeutic molecules from our research to advance to
clinical development.
Fibrosis
Fibrotic diseases, such as cirrhosis, result from the excess production of
fibrous extracellular matrix by certain cell types. We and our collaborators
identified orphan receptors, termed Discoidin Domain Receptors 1 and 2 (DDR1 and
DDR2), that are expressed by the activated cell types in fibrotic disease. Our
work in this area is currently focused on determining whether selective
inhibition or activation of DDR1 and DDR2 would be beneficial in the setting of
fibrotic disease. Further, we are studying key signaling pathways which allow
particular fibrosis-inducing cells to multiply. Inhibition of such pathways may
be useful in preventing the development of fibrosis. These research activities
are being conducted in collaboration with scientists at Procter & Gamble.
G-Protein Coupled Receptors
G-Protein Coupled Receptors have historically been among the most useful
targets for pharmaceuticals. We use a genomics approach to discover new
G-Protein Coupled Receptors and then we characterize these receptors in our
disease models by examining their expression. Early stage research work on
selected G-Protein Coupled Receptors is being conducted in collaboration with
scientists at Procter & Gamble.
Technology Platforms
Our ability to discover and develop product candidates for a wide variety of
serious medical conditions results from the leveraging of our powerful
technology platforms, many of which were developed or enhanced by us. Although
the primary use of these technology platforms is for our own research and
development programs, we are also exploring the possibilities of exploiting
these technologies commercially through, for example, direct licensing or sale
of technology, or the establishment of research collaborations to discover and
develop drug targets. In December 2002, we entered into an agreement with Serono
S.A. to use excess capacity from our Velocigene™ technology platform to provide
Serono with knock-out and transgenic mammalian models of gene function. Under
the agreement, which was amended as of January 1, 2004 to expand the scope of
services available under the Velocigene platform, Serono will pay us up to
$4.0 million annually for up to five years.
Targeted Genomics™. In contrast to basic genomics approaches, which attempt
to identify every gene in a cell or genome, we use Targeted Genomics approaches
to identify specific genes likely to be of therapeutic interest. These
approaches do not depend on random gene sequencing, but rather on function-based
approaches to specifically target the discovery of genes for growth factors,
peptides, and their receptors that are most likely to have use for developing
drug candidates. This technology has already led to our discovery of the
Angiopoietin and Ephrin growth factor families for angiogenesis and vascular
disorders, the MuSK growth factor receptor system for muscle disorders, and the
Regeneron Orphan Receptor (ROR) growth factor receptor system that regulates
cartilage formation.
Velocigene™. A major challenge facing the biopharmaceutical industry in the
post-genomic era is the efficient assignment of function to random gene
sequences to enable the identification of validated drug targets. One way to
help determine the function of a gene is to generate mammalian models in which
the gene is removed (referred to as "knock-out mammalian models"), or is
over-produced (referred to as "transgenic mammalian models"), or in which a
color-producing gene is substituted for the gene of interest (referred to as
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"reporter knock-in mammalian models") to identify which cells in the model
system are expressing the gene. Until recently, technical hurdles involved in
the generation of mammalian models restricted the ability to produce multiple
models quickly and efficiently. We have developed proprietary technology that
allows for the rapid and efficient production of models on a high throughput
scale, enabling rapid assignment of function to gene sequences.
Designer Protein Therapeutics™. In cases in which the natural gene product
is itself not a product candidate, we utilize our Designer Protein Therapeutics
platform to genetically engineer product candidates with the desired properties.
We use these technologies to develop derivatives of growth factors and their
receptors, which can allow for modified agonistic or antagonistic properties
that may prove to be therapeutically useful. This technology platform has
already produced more than 10 patented proteins, including the VEGF Trap and the
IL-1 Trap, which are currently in clinical testing, and several others in
preclinical development.
Our Collaborative Programs
We have entered into collaboration and licensing agreements with various
companies, including Aventis, Novartis, Procter & Gamble, Amgen Inc., Sumitomo
Chemical Company, Ltd., Medarex, Inc., Emisphere Technologies, Inc., and Nektar
Therapeutics. In addition, we conduct many research programs in collaboration
with academic partners. In the future, we may enter into additional strategic
collaborations or licensing agreements focusing on one or more of our product
candidates, research programs, or technology platforms. Below are summaries of
our major collaborations.
Aventis. In September 2003, we entered into a collaboration agreement with
Aventis to jointly develop and commercialize the VEGF Trap. Aventis made a
non-refundable up-front payment of $80.0 million and purchased 2,799,552 newly
issued unregistered shares of our Common Stock for $45.0 million.
Under the collaboration agreement, we and Aventis will share co-promotion
rights and profits on sales, if any, of the VEGF Trap. Aventis has agreed to
make a $25.0 million payment to us upon achievement of an early-stage clinical
milestone. We may also receive up to $360.0 million in additional milestone
payments upon receipt of specified marketing approvals for up to eight VEGF Trap
indications in Europe or the United States. Regeneron has agreed to continue to
manufacture clinical supplies of the VEGF Trap at our plant in Rensselaer, New
York. Aventis has agreed to be responsible for providing commercial scale
manufacturing capacity for the VEGF Trap.
Under the collaboration agreement, agreed upon development expenses incurred
by both companies during the term of the agreement will be funded by Aventis. If
the collaboration becomes profitable, we will reimburse Aventis for 50 percent
of the VEGF Trap development expenses in accordance with a formula based on the
amount of development expenses and our share of the collaboration profits, or at
a faster rate at our option.
Aventis has the right to terminate the agreement without cause with at least
twelve months advance notice. Upon termination of the agreement for any reason,
any remaining obligation to reimburse Aventis for 50 percent of the VEGF Trap
development expenses will also terminate and we will retain all rights to the
VEGF Trap.
Novartis. In March 2003, we entered into a collaboration agreement with
Novartis to jointly develop and commercialize the IL-1 Trap. Novartis made a
non-refundable up-front payment of $27.0 million and purchased 7,527,050 newly
issued unregistered shares of our common stock for $48.0 million.
Development expenses incurred during 2003 were shared equally by us and
Novartis. We funded our share of 2003 expenses through a loan from Novartis that
will be forgiven, together with accrued interest, should certain preclinical and
clinical milestones be reached, and is otherwise due and payable on July 1,
2004.
On February 27, 2004, we announced that Novartis had provided notice of its
intention not to proceed with the joint development of the IL-1 Trap. Under the
terms of the collaboration agreement, Novartis remains obligated to fund agreed
upon pre-Phase III IL-1 Trap development expenses during the nine-month
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notice period before its voluntary termination becomes effective. Novartis and
we retain rights under the collaboration agreement to elect to collaborate on
the development and commercialization of other IL-1 antagonists being developed
independently by the other party that are in earlier stages of development than
the IL-1 Trap.
Procter & Gamble. In May 1997, we entered into a long-term collaboration
agreement with Procter & Gamble to discover, develop, and commercialize
pharmaceutical products. In connection with the collaboration, Procter & Gamble
made equity purchases of our Common Stock of $42.9 million in June 1997 and
$17.1 million in August 2000. These equity purchases were in addition to a
purchase by Procter & Gamble of $10.0 million of our common stock that was
completed in March 1997. Procter & Gamble also agreed to provide funding in
support of our research efforts related to the collaboration, of which we
received $80.0 million through December 31, 2003. From 1997 to 1999, Procter &
Gamble also provided research support for our AXOKINE program. As a result,
Procter & Gamble will be entitled to receive a small royalty on any sales of
AXOKINE.
In August 2000, Procter & Gamble made two non-recurring research progress
payments to us totaling $3.5 million. Effective December 31, 2000, we and
Procter & Gamble entered into a new long-term collaboration agreement, replacing
the companies' 1997 agreement. The new agreement extended Procter & Gamble's
obligation to fund our research under the new collaboration agreement through
December 2005, with no further research obligations by either party thereafter,
and focused the companies' collaborative research on therapeutic areas that are
of particular interest to Procter & Gamble, including muscle atrophy and muscle
diseases, fibrotic diseases, and selected G-Protein Coupled Receptors. For each
of these program areas, the parties contribute research activities and necessary
intellectual property rights pursuant to mutually agreed upon plans and budgets
established by operating committees. During the first five years of the
agreement, neither party may independently perform research on targets included
in the collaboration.
We and Procter & Gamble divided rights to the programs from the 1997
collaboration agreement that are no longer part of the companies' collaboration.
Procter & Gamble obtained rights to certain early stage programs. We have rights
to all other research programs including exclusive rights to the VEGF Trap, the
Angiopoietins, and our Orphan Receptors (RORs). Any product candidates that
result from the new collaboration will continue to be jointly developed and
marketed worldwide, with the companies equally sharing development costs and
profits. Under the new agreement, beginning in the first quarter of 2001,
research support from Procter & Gamble is $2.5 million per quarter (before
adjustments for inflation) through December 2005.
The new collaboration agreement expires on the later of December 31, 2005 or
the termination of research, development, or commercial activities relating to
compounds that meet predefined success criteria before that date. In addition,
if either party successfully develops a compound covered under the agreement to
a predefined development stage during the two-year period following December 31,
2005, the parties shall meet to determine whether to reconvene joint development
of the compound under the agreement. The agreement is also subject to
termination if either party enters bankruptcy, breaches its material
obligations, or undergoes a change of control. In addition to termination
rights, our new collaboration agreement with Procter & Gamble has an "opt-out"
provision, whereby a party may decline to participate further in a research or
product development program. In such cases, the opting-out party generally does
not have any further funding obligation and will not have any rights to the
product or program in question (but may be entitled to a royalty on any product
sales). If Procter & Gamble opts out of a product development program, and we do
not find a new partner, we would bear the full cost of the program.
Manufacturing
We maintain an 8,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Tarrytown, New
York. This facility, designed to comply with FDA current good manufacturing
practices (GMP), produces preclinical and clinical supplies of our product
candidates.
In 1993, we purchased our 104,000 square foot Rensselaer, New York
manufacturing facility, and in 2003 completed a 19,500 square foot expansion.
This facility is used to manufacture therapeutic candidates for our
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own preclinical and clinical studies. We also use the facility to manufacture a
product for Merck & Co., Inc. under a contract that expires in 2005. In July
2002, we leased 75,000 square feet in a building near our Rensselaer facility
which is being used for the manufacture of Traps and for warehouse space. As of
December 31, 2003, there were no impairment losses associated with long-lived
assets.
At December 31, 2003, we employed 274 people in our manufacturing operations
at these facilities.
In 1995, we entered into a long-term manufacturing agreement with Merck
(called, as amended, the Merck Agreement) to produce an intermediate for a Merck
pediatric vaccine at our Rensselaer facility. We agreed to modify portions of
our facility for manufacture of the Merck intermediate and to assist Merck in
securing regulatory approval for manufacturing in the Rensselaer facility. In
December 1999, we announced that the FDA had approved us as a contract
manufacturer for the Merck intermediate. Under the Merck Agreement, we are
manufacturing intermediate for Merck for six years, with certain minimum order
quantities each year. The Merck Agreement extends through 2005, but may be
terminated at any time by Merck upon one year's notice and may be extended by
mutual agreement. Merck reimbursed us for the capital costs to modify the
facility and for the cost of our activities performed on behalf of Merck prior
to the start of production. Merck pays an annual facility fee of $1.0 million,
subject to annual adjustment for inflation, reimburses us for certain
manufacturing costs, pays us a variable fee based on the quantity of
intermediate supplied to Merck, and makes certain additional payments. We
recognized contract manufacturing revenue related to the Merck Agreement of
$10.1 million in 2003, $11.1 million in 2002, and $9.8 million in 2001.
Among the conditions for regulatory marketing approval of a medicine is the
requirement that the prospective manufacturer's quality control and
manufacturing procedures conform to the GMP regulations of the health authority.
In complying with standards set forth in these regulations, manufacturers must
continue to expend time, money, and effort in the area of production and quality
control to ensure full technical compliance. Manufacturing establishments, both
foreign and domestic, are also subject to inspections by or under the authority
of the FDA and by other national, federal, state, and local agencies. If our
manufacturing facilities fail to comply with FDA and other regulatory
requirements, we will be required to suspend manufacturing. This will have a
material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and
cash flow.
Competition
There is substantial competition in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical
industries from pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical companies. Our
competitors may include Genentech, Novartis, Pfizer Inc., Hoffmann-LaRoche,
Abbott Laboratories, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Merck, Amgen, and others. Many of our
competitors have substantially greater research, preclinical, and clinical
product development and manufacturing capabilities, and financial, marketing,
and human resources than we do. Our smaller competitors may also be significant
if they acquire or discover patentable inventions, form collaborative
arrangements, or merge with large pharmaceutical companies. Even if we achieve
product commercialization, one or more of our competitors may achieve product
commercialization earlier than we do or obtain patent protection that dominates
or adversely affects our activities. Our ability to compete will depend on how
fast we can develop safe and effective product candidates, complete clinical
testing and approval processes, and supply commercial quantities of the product
to the market. Competition among product candidates approved for sale will also
be based on efficacy, safety, reliability, availability, price, patent position,
and other factors.
VEGF Trap. Many companies are developing therapeutic molecules designed to
block the actions of VEGF specifically and angiogenesis in general. A variety of
approaches have been employed, including antibodies to VEGF, antibodies to the
VEGF receptor, small molecule antagonists to the VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase,
as well as multiple other anti-angiogenesis strategies. Many of these
alternative approaches may offer competitive advantages to our VEGF Trap in
efficacy, side-effect profile, or form of delivery. Additionally, many of these
developmental molecules may be at a more advanced stage of development than our
product candidate. In particular, Genentech recently was granted approval by the
FDA to market and sell Avastin™, a monoclonal antibody to VEGF. The marketing
approval for Avastin may make it more difficult for us to enroll patients in
clinical trials to support the VEGF Trap. This may delay or impair our ability
to
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successfully develop and commercialize the VEGF Trap. In addition, Eyetech
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has successfully advanced its clinical candidate for eye
diseases, Macugen, through Phase II/III trials. Eyetech is collaborating with
Pfizer to develop and commercialize Macugen. If they receive approval to market
Macugen for eye diseases, it would be more difficult for us to enroll patients
in clinical trials for the VEGF Trap in eye diseases. This may delay or impair
our ability to successfully develop and commercialize the VEGF Trap.
Cytokine Traps. Marketed products for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
and asthma are available as either oral or inhaled medicines, whereas our
Cytokine Traps currently are only planned for clinical trials as injectibles.
The markets for both rheumatoid arthritis and asthma are very competitive.
Several new, highly successful medicines are available for these diseases.
Examples include the TNF-antagonists Enbrel® (a registered trademark of Amgen),
Remicade® (a registered trademark of Centocor), and Humira® (a registered
trademark of Abbott) for rheumatoid arthritis, and the leukotriene-modifier
Singulair® (a registered trademark of Merck), as well as various inexpensive
corticosteroid medicines for asthma. The availability of highly effective FDA
approved TNF-antagonists makes it more difficult to successfully develop the
IL-1 Trap for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. It will be difficult to
enroll patients with rheumatoid arthritis to participate in clinical trials of
the IL-1 Trap, which may delay or impair our ability to successfully develop the
drug candidate. In addition, even if the IL-1 Trap is ever approved for sale, it
will be difficult for our drug to compete against these FDA approved
TNF-antagonists because doctors and patients will have significant experience
using these effective medicines.
AXOKINE. There is substantial competition in the discovery and development
of treatments for obesity, as well as established, cost-effective, and emerging
prescription and over-the-counter treatments for this condition. For example,
Hoffmann-LaRoche and Abbott already market well-established medicines for the
treatment of obesity and Amgen, Sanofi-Synthelabo, and a number of other
pharmaceutical companies are developing new potential therapeutics.
Sanofi-Synthelabo has a cannaboid receptor antagonist in Phase III clinical
development. In March 2004, Sanofi-Synthelabo reported that patients treated
with this clinical candidate demonstrated significant weight loss in completed
Phase III clinical trials. Many of these medicines or therapeutic candidates
appear to offer competitive advantages over AXOKINE. For example, AXOKINE
currently is available only in injectible form, while the currently available
marketed medicines for the treatment of obesity and Sanofi-Synthelabo's product
candidate are delivered in pill (or oral dosage) forms, which generally are
favored by people over injectible medicines. Therefore, even if AXOKINE is
approved for sale, the fact that it must be delivered by injection may severely
limit its market acceptance among patients and physicians.
Other Areas. Many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are attempting
to discover and develop small-molecule based therapeutics, similar in at least
certain respects to our program with Procter & Gamble. In these and related
areas, intellectual property rights have been sought and certain rights have
been granted to competitors and potential competitors of ours, and we may be at
a substantial competitive disadvantage in such areas as a result of, among other
things, our lack of experience, trained personnel, and expertise. A number of
corporate and academic competitors are involved in the discovery and development
of novel therapeutics using tyrosine kinase receptors, orphan receptors, and
compounds that are the focus of other research or development programs we are
now conducting. These competitors include Amgen and Genentech, as well as many
others. Many firms and entities are engaged in research and development in the
areas of cytokines, interleukins, angiogenesis, and muscle conditions. Some of
these competitors are currently conducting advanced preclinical and clinical
research programs in these areas. These and other competitors may have
established substantial intellectual property and other competitive advantages.
If a competitor announces a successful clinical study involving a product
that may be competitive with one of our product candidates or an approval by a
regulatory agency of the marketing of a competitive product, such announcement
may have a material adverse effect on our operations, or future prospects, or
the price of our common stock.
We also compete with academic institutions, governmental agencies, and other
public or private research organizations, which conduct research, seek patent
protection, and establish collaborative arrangements for the development and
marketing of products that would provide royalties for use of their technology.
These
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institutions are becoming more active in seeking patent protection and licensing
arrangements to collect royalties for use of the technology that they have
developed. Products developed in this manner may compete directly with products
we develop. We also compete with others in acquiring technology from such
institutions, agencies, and organizations.
Patents, Trademarks, and Trade Secrets
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain patents, maintain
trade secret protection, and operate without infringing on the proprietary
rights of third parties. Our policy is to file patent applications to protect
technology, inventions, and improvements that we consider important to the
development of our business. We have been granted approximately 100 U.S. patents
and we have approximately 100 pending U.S. applications. We are the nonexclusive
licensee of a number of additional U.S. patents and patent applications. We also
rely upon trade secrets, know-how, and continuing technological innovation to
develop and maintain our competitive position. We or our licensors or
collaborators have filed patent applications on products and processes relating
to AXOKINE, Cytokine Traps, VEGF Trap, and Angiopoietins, as well as other
technologies and inventions in the United States and in certain foreign
countries. We intend to file additional patent applications, when appropriate,
relating to improvements in these technologies and other specific products and
processes. We plan to aggressively prosecute, enforce, and defend our patents
and other proprietary technology.
In July 2002, we announced that Amgen and Immunex Corporation (now part of
Amgen) granted us a non-exclusive license to certain patents and patent
applications which may be used in the development and commercialization of the
IL-1 Trap. The license followed two other licensing arrangements under which we
obtained a non-exclusive license to patents owned by ZymoGenetics, Inc. and
Tularik Inc. for use in connection with the IL-1 Trap program. These license
agreements would require us to pay royalties based on the net sales of the
IL-1 Trap if and when it is approved for sale. In total, the royalty rate under
these three agreements would be in the mid-single digits.
In August 2003, Merck granted us a non-exclusive license to certain patents
and patent applications which may be used in the development and
commercialization of AXOKINE. In consideration for the license, we issued to
Merck 109,450 newly issued unregistered shares of our Common Stock and agreed to
make an additional payment to Merck if the fair market value of the shares falls
below a certain threshold at the time that Merck has the right to sell them. We
agreed to make an additional payment upon receipt of marketing approval for a
product covered by the licensed patents and pay royalties, at staggered rates in
the mid-single digits, based on the net sales, if any, of products covered by
the licensed patents.
Patent law relating to the patentability and scope of claims in the
biotechnology field is evolving and our patent rights are subject to this
additional uncertainty. Others may independently develop similar products or
processes to those developed by us, duplicate any of our products or processes
or, if patents are issued to us, design around any products and processes
covered by our patents. We expect to continue to file product and process patent
applications with respect to our inventions. However, we may not file any such
applications or, if filed, the patents may not be issued. Patents issued to or
licensed by us may be infringed by the products or processes of others.
Defense and enforcement of our intellectual property rights can be expensive
and time consuming, even if the outcome is favorable to us. It is possible that
patents issued to or licensed to us will be successfully challenged, that a
court may find that we are infringing validly issued patents of third parties,
or that we may have to alter or discontinue the development of our products or
pay licensing fees to take into account patent rights of third parties.
Government Regulation
Regulation by government authorities in the United States and foreign
countries is a significant factor in the research, development, manufacture, and
marketing of our product candidates. All of our product candidates will require
regulatory approval before they can be commercialized. In particular, human
therapeutic products are subject to rigorous preclinical and clinical trials and
other pre-market approval
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requirements by the FDA and foreign authorities. Many aspects of the structure
and substance of the FDA and foreign pharmaceutical regulatory practices have
been reformed during recent years, and continued reform is under consideration
in a number of forums. The ultimate outcome and impact of such reforms and
potential reforms cannot be predicted.
The activities required before a product candidate may be marketed in the
United States begin with preclinical tests. Preclinical tests include laboratory
evaluations and animal studies to assess the potential safety and efficacy of
the product candidate and its formulations. The results of these studies must be
submitted to the FDA as part of an Investigational New Drug Application, which
must be reviewed by the FDA before proposed clinical testing can begin.
Typically, clinical testing involves a three-phase process. In Phase I, trials
are conducted with a small number of subjects to determine the early safety
profile of the product candidate. In Phase II, clinical trials are conducted
with subjects afflicted with a specific disease or disorder to provide enough
data to evaluate the preliminary safety, tolerability, and efficacy of different
potential doses of the product candidate. In Phase III, large-scale clinical
trials are conducted with patients afflicted with the specific disease or
disorder in order to provide enough data to understand the efficacy and safety
profile of the product candidate, as required by the FDA. The results of the
preclinical and clinical testing of a biologic product candidate are then
submitted to the FDA in the form of a Biologics License Application, or BLA, for
evaluation to determine whether the product candidate may be approved for
commercial sale. In responding to a BLA, the FDA may grant marketing approval,
request additional information, or deny the application.
Any approval required by the FDA for any of our product candidates may not
be obtained on a timely basis, or at all. The designation of a clinical trial as
being of a particular phase is not necessarily indicative that such a trial will
be sufficient to satisfy the parameters of a particular phase, and a clinical
trial may contain elements of more than one phase notwithstanding the
designation of the trial as being of a particular phase. The results of
preclinical studies or early stage clinical trials may not predict long-term
safety or efficacy of our compounds when they are tested or used more broadly in
humans.
Various federal and state statutes and regulations also govern or influence
the research, manufacture, safety, labeling, storage, record keeping, marketing,
transport, or other aspects of such product candidates. The lengthy process of
seeking these approvals and the compliance with applicable statutes and
regulations require the expenditure of substantial resources. Any failure by us
or our collaborators or licensees to obtain, or any delay in obtaining,
regulatory approvals could adversely affect the manufacturing or marketing of
our products and our ability to receive product or royalty revenue.
In addition to the foregoing, our present and future business will be
subject to regulation under the United States Atomic Energy Act, the Clean Air
Act, the Clean Water Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Toxic Substances
Control Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, national restrictions,
and other present and potential future local, state, federal, and foreign
regulations.
Employees
As of December 31, 2003, we had 644 full-time employees, of whom 110 held a
Ph.D. or M.D. degree or both. We believe that we have been successful in
attracting skilled and experienced personnel in a highly competitive
environment; however, competition for these personnel is intense. None of our
personnel are covered by collective bargaining agreements and our management
considers its relations with our employees to be good.
Available Information
We file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other
documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. The public may read and
copy any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room
at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information
on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330. Also, the SEC maintains an Internet website
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that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information
regarding issuers, including Regeneron, that file electronically with the SEC.
The public can obtain any documents that we file with the SEC at
http://www.sec.gov.
We also intend to make available free of charge on or through our Internet
website (http://www.regn.com) our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports
on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and, if applicable, amendments to
those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file
such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.
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