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ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS HOLDINGS INC - 10-K - 20020329 - PART_I
PART I
Item 1.
Our
Business
Overview
We are a specialty pharmaceutical company with
market leadership in pain management. We are engaged in the
research, development, sale and marketing of branded and generic
prescription pharmaceuticals used primarily to treat and manage
pain. According to IMS Health data, the total U.S. market for
pain management pharmaceuticals, excluding over-the-counter
products, totaled $14 billion for the 12 months ended
December 31, 2001. Our primary area of focus is analgesics,
which according to IMS Health data was the second most
prescribed class of medication in the United States in 2001.
Endo was incorporated on November 18, 1997
under the laws of the state of Delaware and has its principal
executive offices at 100 Painters Drive, Chadds Ford,
Pennsylvania 19317 (telephone number: (610) 558-9800).
We have a portfolio of branded products that
includes established brand names such as Percocet®,
Lidoderm®, Percodan® and Zydone®. Branded
products comprised approximately 68%, 76% and 67% of net sales
for fiscal years 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively. Through a
national dedicated contract sales force of approximately 230
sales representatives, we market our branded pharmaceutical
products to doctors, retail pharmacies and other healthcare
professionals throughout the United States.
We have established research and development
expertise in analgesics and devote significant resources to this
effort so that we can maintain and develop our product pipeline.
We enhance our financial flexibility by outsourcing many of our
functions, including manufacturing. Currently, our primary
suppliers of contract manufacturing services are Bristol-Myers
Squibb Pharma Company (f/k/a DuPont Pharmaceuticals), Novartis
Consumer Health, Inc. and Teikoku Seiyaku Pharmaceuticals.
Our Strategy
Our business strategy is to continue to
strengthen our position as a market leader in pain management,
while opportunistically pursuing other markets, especially those
with a complementary therapeutic or physician base. The elements
of our strategy include:
Capitalizing on our established brand names
through focused marketing and promotion.
We consider two of our brands,
Percocet® and Percodan®, to be gold
standards of pain management. Percocet® has been
prescribed by physicians since 1971, while Percodan® has
been prescribed since 1950. We believe that we have established
credibility with physicians as a result of these products
history of demonstrated effectiveness and safety. We plan to
continue to capitalize on this brand awareness to market new
products, as well as new formulations and dosages of our
existing branded products. We also believe that our strong
corporate and product reputation leads to more rapid adoption of
our new products by physicians.
Developing proprietary products and selected
generics.
To capitalize on our
expertise in pain management, we are developing new products to
address acute, chronic and neuropathic pain conditions by
treating moderate-to-severe pain. We are also developing new
patent protected products that leverage our patent portfolio
covering the combination of a number of compounds, including
opioids and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonists,
drugs that may substantially improve the treatment of pain by
addressing the underlying processes associated with acute and
chronic pain, including those processes relating to increased
sensitivity to pain signals and the development of analgesic
tolerance. These products include MorphiDex®, a patented
combination of morphine and the NMDA-receptor antagonist,
dextromethorphan, which is currently in Phase III clinical
trials. We anticipate resubmitting an amendment to the existing
new drug application (also known as an NDA), with the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (or the FDA), in the late third quarter
or during the fourth quarter of 2002. In addition, we are
co-developing an oral extended-release (ER) version of
oxymorphone with Penwest Pharmaceuticals. This product is
currently in Phase III clinical trials along with an
immediate-release (IR) form of oxymorphone, and we continue
to anticipate filing NDAs for both of these products with the
FDA in the second half of 2002.
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We have also developed extended-release version
of oxycodone, an AB-rated generic version of OxyContin®, a
product of The Purdue Frederick Company. According to IMS Retail
Provider Perspective data, OxyContin® generated U.S. sales
of approximately $1.5 billion in 2001, up from
approximately $1.0 billion in 2000. We have filed and
amended an abbreviated new drug application (or ANDA) with
the FDA for bioequivalent versions of the 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and
80mg strengths of OxyContin®. We believe we are the first
company to have filed an ANDA with the FDA for the
bioequivalents of the 10mg, 20mg and 40mg strengths of
OxyContin®, thereby entitling us to 180 days of
marketing exclusivity with respect to these strengths of this
product. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Developing and marketing product line
extensions for our existing brands.
We
plan to continue to develop and market extensions of existing
products through new formulations, dosages and delivery
platforms. During the fourth quarter of 1999, we complemented
the existing Percocet® 5.0/325 with three new formulations:
Percocet® 2.5/325, Percocet® 7.5/500 and
Percocet® 10.0/650. Additionally, during the fourth quarter
of 2001, we launched two new formulations: Percocet®
7.5/325 and Percocet®10.0/325. Net sales of Percocet®
products increased from $92.4 million in 2000 to
$101.0 million in 2001. We have also implemented this
strategy with a line extension of our Zydone® product, a
combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
Acquiring and in-licensing complementary
products, compounds and technologies.
We look to continue to enrich our
product line through selective product acquisitions and
in-licensing, or acquiring licenses to products, compounds and
technologies from third parties. In July 2000, we acquired
Algos and the rights to the patented development-stage product
MorphiDex®. Through this acquisition, we also acquired
rights to a portfolio of patents, including those covering the
combination of the NMDA-antagonist, dextromethorphan, with
opioids. In November 1998, we in-licensed Lidoderm®,
which became the first FDA-approved product for the relief of
the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia, a chronic, painful
condition that may follow an attack of shingles. We launched
this product in September 1999. Net sales of Lidoderm®
increased from $22.5 million in 2000 to $40.9 million in
2001. In September 1997, we entered into a collaboration
agreement with Penwest Pharmaceuticals under which we are
co-developing an oral extended-release version of oxymorphone.
We also entered into a collaboration agreement with Lavipharm
Laboratories Inc., under which we obtained rights to certain of
Lavipharms existing drug-delivery platforms in combination
with defined drug substances.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe that we have established a position as
a market leader among pain-focused pharmaceutical companies by
capitalizing on our following core strengths:
Established portfolio of branded products.
We have assembled a core portfolio of
branded pharmaceutical products to treat and manage pain. These
products include Percocet® and Percodan®, which have
been marketed since 1971 and 1950, respectively, and which we
consider to be gold standards of pain management
based on their long history of demonstrated product safety and
effectiveness. According to IMS Health data, approximately 86%
of oxycodone with acetaminophen prescriptions are written as
Percocet. We believe our close relationships with
physicians who we consider to be pain management thought
leaders in pain centers, hospitals, and other pain
management institutions enable us to improve our penetration in
these types of institutions. We believe this interaction has
also allowed us to pursue, through in-licensing, products
targeted at additional or novel indications, such as
Lidoderm® for post-herpetic neuralgia.
Substantial pipeline focused on pain
management.
As a result of our focused
research and development effort, we have three products in Phase
III and three products in Phase II clinical trials. If clinical
studies progress as we anticipate, we expect to file NDAs with
the FDA in 2002 for our three products currently in Phase III
clinical trials. These are MorphiDex®, oxymorphone ER and
oxymorphone IR.
Research and development expertise.
Our research and development effort is
focused on expanding our product portfolio by capitalizing on
our core expertise with narcotic analgesics. We have assembled
an experienced and multi-disciplined research and development
team of scientists and technicians with a proven expertise
working with opioids and complex formulations. We believe this
expertise allows for timely FDA
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approval of our products. We have demonstrated
our ability to commercialize our research and development
efforts during the last four years through the launch of a
number of new products and product extensions all of which, in
the aggregate, contributed approximately 54% of our net sales in
2001.
Selective focus on generic products.
Our generic product portfolio includes
products focused on pain management. Development of these
products involves barriers to entry such as complex formulation,
regulatory or legal challenges or difficulty in raw material
sourcing. We believe products with these characteristics will
face a lesser degree of competition and therefore provide longer
product life cycles and higher profitability than commodity
generic products. We have executed this strategy successfully
with products such as morphine sulfate extended-release tablets,
which we introduced in November 1998 as a bioequivalent of
MS Contin®, a Purdue Frederick product. In addition,
we believe we are the first company to have filed an ANDA with
the FDA for the bioequivalent versions of the 10mg, 20mg and
40mg strengths of OxyContin®. We believe it is a
significant advantage to be the first successful filer of an
ANDA for a generic drug. See Governmental
Regulation.
Targeted national sales and marketing
infrastructure.
We market our products
directly to physicians through a dedicated contract sales force
of approximately 160 community-based field representatives
and 70 specialty/ institutional representatives. The sales
force focuses on high-prescribing physicians in pain management,
surgery, oncology and primary care. These sales representatives,
as well as regional and district managers, are provided
exclusively to us pursuant to an agreement with Ventiv Health
U.S. Sales Inc. We have a flexible arrangement with Ventiv,
whereby we have the option to hire all of these sales
representatives and managers as our full time employees at any
time. We maintain an internal sales management infrastructure to
direct and focus these sales force efforts.
Experienced and dedicated management team.
With an average of approximately
20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, our
management team has a proven track record of building our
business through internal growth as well as acquisitions and
licensing. Members of our senior management led the purchase of
the company from The DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Company in
August 1997. In September 1999, management in-licensed
and launched Lidoderm®, an orphan drug for the treatment of
the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia. In July 2000, we
acquired Algos to obtain its patent-protected platform and
technology. Management has received FDA approval on more than
fifteen new products and product extensions since 1997 and has
grown net sales from approximately $108.4 million in 1998
to approximately $252.0 million in 2001. In addition,
management has vested stock options to acquire up to 11% of our
common stock and has the potential to receive as much as an
additional 9% of our common stock through options that vest if
the price of our common stock reaches specified defined targets.
These options are exercisable solely for shares currently held
by Endo Pharma LLC, and their exercise will not dilute the
ownership of our other common stockholders.
Our Industry
According to IMS Health data, the total U.S.
market for pain management pharmaceuticals, excluding
over-the-counter products, totaled $14.3 billion for the
12 months ended December 31, 2001. This represents an
approximately 28% compounded annual growth rate since 1998. Our
primary area of focus within this market is analgesics. In 2001,
analgesics were the second most prescribed medication in the
United States with over 232 million prescriptions written
for this classification. These products are used primarily for
the treatment of pain associated with orthopedic fractures and
sprains, back injuries, migraines, joint diseases, cancer and
various surgical procedures.
Opioid analgesics comprised approximately 76% of
the analgesics prescriptions in 2001. This market segment has
grown to $3.6 billion for the 12 months ended
December 31, 2001, representing a compound annual growth
rate of 31% since 1998. If branded products were substituted for
generic products, we believe
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the dollar value of this market segment would be
substantially larger. The growth in this segment has been
primarily fueled by the:
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increasing physician recognition of the need and
patient demand for effective treatment of pain;
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aging population (according to the U.S. Census
Bureau, in 1990 the population aged 65 and older reached
31 million people and is expected to grow to
40 million people by 2010, representing 29% growth over
this period);
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introduction of new and reformulated branded
products; and
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increasing number of surgical procedures.
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Product Overview
The following table summarizes select pain
products in our portfolio as well as those in development:
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Product
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Active ingredient
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Branding
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Status
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Percocet®
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oxycodone and acetaminophen
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Branded
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Marketed
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Lidoderm®
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lidocaine 5%
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Branded
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Marketed
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Percodan®
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oxycodone and aspirin
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Branded
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Marketed
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Zydone®
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hydrocodone and acetaminophen
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Branded
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Marketed
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Morphine Sulfate ER
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morphine sulfate
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Generic
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Marketed
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MorphiDex®
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morphine and dextromethorphan
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Branded
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Phase III
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Oxymorphone ER
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oxymorphone hydrochloride
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Branded
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Phase III
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Oxymorphone IR
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oxymorphone hydrochloride
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Branded
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Phase III
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HydrocoDex
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hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and dextromethorphan
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Branded
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Phase II
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OxycoDex
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oxycodone and dextromethorphan
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Branded
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Phase II
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PercoDex
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oxycodone, acetaminophen and dextromethorphan
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Branded
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Phase II
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Oxycodone ER
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oxycodone
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Generic
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ANDA filed; subject to litigation(1)
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(1)
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See Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
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Branded
Products
Percocet
®. We
consider Percocet® to be a gold standard of
pain management. Launched in 1971, Percocet® is approved
for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain. Although
Percocet® has faced generic competition for more than
15 years, in 2001, according to the IMS National
Prescription Audit, approximately 12.5 million prescriptions for
this combination of oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen
were written for the brand name Percocet®, of which, due to
generic substitution, only approximately 14% were filled by
pharmacists with our brand Percocet®.
During the fourth quarter of 1999, we introduced
three new strengths of Percocet®: Percocet® 2.5/325,
Percocet® 7.5/500 and Percocet® 10.0/650,
complementing the existing Percocet® 5.0/325. Prior to the
launch of these products, physician prescribing practices had
indicated that over 80% of prescriptions were written for
amounts other than the label amount. As an example, the current
prescription information for the original Percocet®,
Percocet® 5.0/325, calls for one tablet every six hours.
Approximately 30% of prescriptions written directed patients to
take two tablets every four hours, translating into a dosage of
10mg every four hours. By offering new prescription strengths,
we have enabled physicians to prescribe one tablet of the proper
dose for their patients, facilitating greater ease and
compliance. On January 3, 2000, the Food and Drug
Administration approved another manufacturers ANDA for a
generic equivalent to Percocet® 7.5/500 and
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Percocet® 10.0/650. This generic equivalent
became available in April 2001. During the fourth quarter
of 2001, we launched two new formulations: Percocet®
7.5/325 and Percocet® 10.0/325. These new dosage forms
allow physicians the flexibility of increasing the dose of
narcotic while still maintaining a low level of acetaminophen.
There is currently no generic equivalent available for these new
dosage forms. All of the Percocet® products were
responsible for net sales of $51.5 million,
$92.4 million and $101.0 million in the years 1999,
2000 and 2001, respectively. The Percocet® franchise
accounted for approximately 40% of our 2001 net sales.
Lidoderm®
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Lidoderm® was launched in September 1999. A patented,
topical patch product containing lidocaine, it is the first
FDA-approved product for the relief of the pain from
post-herpetic neuralgia. There are approximately 200,000
patients per year who suffer from this condition in the United
States, the majority of whom are elderly. The FDA has granted
Lidoderm® orphan status, meaning that no other
lidocaine-containing patch product can be approved for this
indication until March 2006. In 1999, 2000 and 2001,
Lidoderm® net sales were $5.7 million,
$22.5 million and $40.9 million, respectively.
Lidoderm® accounted for approximately 16% of our 2001 net
sales.
Percodan
®.
Launched in 1950 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain,
we also consider Percodan® to be a gold
standard of pain management. In 2001, according to the IMS
National Prescription Audit, approximately 398,000 prescriptions
for oxycodone hydrochloride and oxycodone terephthalate in
combination with aspirin were written for the brand name
Percodan®. Due to generic substitution, only approximately
21% of these prescriptions were filled by pharmacists with
Percodan®.
Zydone®
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February 1999, we launched Zydone® tablets, branded
hydrocodone/acetaminophen products for the relief of
moderate-to-severe pain. Zydone® is available in three
strengths, 5.0mg, 7.5mg and 10.0mg, each in combination with
400mg acetaminophen.
Other.
The balance
of our branded portfolio consists of a number of products, none
of which accounted for more than 5% of our total net sales in
the 2001 fiscal year.
Generic Products
When a branded pharmaceutical product is no
longer protected by the relevant patents, normally as a result
of a patents expiration, third parties have an opportunity
to introduce generic counterparts to such branded product.
Generic pharmaceutical products are therapeutically equivalent
to their brand-name counterparts and are generally sold at
prices significantly less than the branded product. Accordingly,
generic pharmaceuticals may provide a safe, effective and
cost-effective alternative to users of branded products.
Our generic portfolio is currently comprised of
products that cover a broad range of indications, most of which
are focused in pain management. Our primary generic product is
morphine sulfate extended-release tablets, which accounted for
17% of our total net sales in 2001. Launched in
November 1998, morphine sulphate extended-release tablets
are a bioequivalent of MS Contin®. In November 1998,
we launched the 15mg, 30mg and 60mg strengths, in May 2001,
we launched the 100mg strength and in September 2001, we
launched the 200mg strength, thereby completing the product
line. We also have a generic oxycodone hydrochloride and
acetaminophen product, Endocet®, which accounted for 9% of
our total net sales in 2001. The balance of our generic
portfolio consisted of several products, none of which accounted
for more than 5% of our total net sales for 2001.
We principally pursue the development and
marketing of generic pharmaceuticals that have one or more
barriers to entry. The characteristics of the products that we
may target for generic development may include:
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complex formulation or development
characteristics;
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regulatory or legal challenges; or
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difficulty in raw material sourcing.
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We believe products with these characteristics
will face a lesser degree of competition, and, therefore provide
longer product life cycles and/or higher profitability than
commodity generic products.
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Products in Development
Our pipeline portfolio contains products intended
to address acute pain, chronic pain and neuropathic pain
conditions. We cannot predict when or if any of these products
will be approved by the FDA.
MorphiDex
®. We
are currently conducting Phase III clinical trials of
MorphiDex®, a patented combination of morphine and the
NMDA-receptor antagonist, dextromethorphan. A new drug
application was submitted to the FDA by Algos for
MorphiDex® in August 1998. In August 1999, Algos
received a not-approvable letter received from the
FDA. A not-approvable letter is issued by the FDA for various
reasons and outlines deficiencies that must be corrected prior
to a products approval. Following our acquisition of Algos
in July 2000, we met with the FDA in September 2000 to
discuss MorphiDex®. At this meeting, the FDA requested,
among other things, the submission of a second pivotal chronic
multiple dosing study to support the intended indication of
MorphiDex®. We have initiated three chronic multiple dosing
studies of MorphiDex®. If successful, these studies will
complement the already successful pivotal chronic multiple
dosing study previously submitted to the FDA and provide the
data necessary for the commercial optimization of the product.
We intend to file with the FDA an amendment to the existing NDA
for MorphiDex® as soon as possible and, subject to the
successful completion of these studies, including successful
patient recruitment, currently expect to be in a position to
file this reapplication in the late third quarter or during the
fourth quarter of 2002. Under the guidelines included in the
Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992, as amended, we
anticipate that the FDA will respond within six months after its
acceptance of the reapplication. Once approved, we expect
MorphiDex® to compete in the $2 billion severe pain market.
Oxymorphone ER.
We
are currently conducting Phase III clinical trials of an oral
extended-release version of oxymorphone. We have marketed
oxymorphone in the U.S. for over 40 years in injection and
suppository form. We are co-developing this oral
extended-release version of oxymorphone with Penwest
Pharmaceuticals and currently expect to be in a position to file
the NDA application in the second half of 2002. Once approved,
we expect oxymorphone ER will also compete in the $2 billion
severe pain market.
Other.
In addition
to MorphiDex® and our oral extended-release version of
oxymorphone, we have a third product in Phase III clinical
trials (oxymorphone immediate release (IR)), three in Phase II
(HydrocoDex, OxycoDex and PercoDex) and other
products in various stages of development. These analgesic
products address the broad spectrum of pain management.
Competition
The pharmaceutical industry is highly
competitive. Our competitors vary depending upon therapeutic and
product categories. Competitors include the major brand name and
generic manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, especially those doing
business in the United States, including, Abbott Laboratories,
Johnson & Johnson, The Purdue Frederick Company, Roxane
Laboratories, Inc. and Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
We compete principally through our targeted
product development strategies. In addition to product
development, other competitive factors in the pharmaceutical
industry include product quality and price, reputation and
access to technical information.
The competitive environment of the branded
product business requires us to continually seek out
technological innovations and to market our products
effectively. However, our branded products not only face
competition from other brands, but also from generic versions.
Generic versions are generally significantly less expensive than
branded versions, and, where available, may be required in
preference to the branded version under third-party
reimbursement programs, or substituted by pharmacies. The
entrance of generic competition to one of our branded products
generally reduces our market share and adversely affects our
profitability and cash flows.
Newly introduced generic products with limited or
no other generic competition are typically sold at higher
selling prices. As competition from other generic products
increases, selling prices of the generic products typically
decline. Consequently, the maintenance of profitable operations
in generic pharmaceuticals depends, in part, on our ability to
select, develop and launch new generic products in a timely and
cost efficient manner and to maintain efficient, high quality
manufacturing relationships.
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We have witnessed a consolidation of our
customers as chain drug stores and wholesalers merge or
consolidate. In addition, a number of our customers have
instituted source and bundling programs that enhance the access
that suppliers who participate in such source programs have to
the customers of the wholesaler. Consequently, there is
heightened competition among drug companies for the business of
this smaller and more selective customer base of chain drug
stores and large wholesalers.
Research and Development
We devote significant resources to research and
development. At December 31, 2001, our research and
development staff consisted of 52 employees, primarily
based in Garden City, New York and at our corporate headquarters
in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. For fiscal years 1999, 2000 and
2001, our expenditures on research and development were
$9.4 million, $26.0 million and $39.0 million,
respectively. In addition to our internal research and
development staff, we have agreements and arrangements with
various contract research organizations to conduct and
coordinate our toxicology and clinical studies.
Seasonality
Although our business is affected by the
purchasing patterns and concentration of our customers, our
business is not materially impacted by seasonality. Generally,
the fourth fiscal quarter has relatively higher net sales than
each of the first three fiscal quarters.
Customers
We sell our products directly to a limited number
of large pharmacy chains and through a limited number of
wholesale drug distributors who, in turn, supply products to
pharmacies, hospitals, governmental agencies and physicians.
Three distributors individually accounted for 27%, 20% and 13%
of our net sales in 1999. Three distributors and one pharmacy
chain individually accounted for 26%, 16%, 12% and 10%,
respectively, of our net sales in 2000. Three distributors and
one pharmacy chain individually accounted for 28%, 24%, 19% and
10%, respectively, of our net sales in 2001.
Recently, there have been numerous mergers and
acquisitions among wholesale distributors as well as rapid
growth of large retail drug store chains. As a result, a small
number of large wholesale distributors control a significant
share of the market, and the number of independent drug stores
and small drug store chains has decreased.
Patents, Trademarks, Licenses and Proprietary
Property
We currently hold 12 U.S. issued patents and
three foreign issued patents, approximately 15 U.S. patent
applications pending and approximately 50 foreign patent
applications pending with respect to our products. We have
licenses for 31 U.S. issued patents, one U.S. patent application
pending, 66 foreign issued patents and 26 foreign patent
applications pending. The effect of these issued patents is that
they provide us patent protection for the claims covered by the
patents.
We believe that our patents, the protection of
discoveries in connection with our development activities, our
proprietary products, technologies, processes and know-how and
all of our intellectual property are important to our business.
All of our brand products and certain generic products, such as
Endocet® and Endodan®, are sold under trademarks. To
achieve a competitive position, we rely on trade secrets,
non-patented proprietary know-how and continuing technological
innovation, where patent protection is not believed to be
appropriate or attainable. In addition, as outlined above, we
have a number of patent licenses from third parties, some of
which may be important to our business. See
Licenses and Collaboration Agreements.
There can be no assurance that any of our patents, licenses or
other intellectual property will afford us any protection from
competition.
We rely on confidentiality agreements with our
employees, consultants and other parties to protect, in part,
trade secrets and other proprietary technology. There can be no
assurance that these agreements will not
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be breached, that we will have adequate remedies
for any breach, or that others will not independently develop
equivalent proprietary information or other third parties will
not otherwise gain access to our trade secrets and other
intellectual property.
We may find it necessary to initiate litigation
to enforce our patent rights, to protect our intellectual
property and to determine the scope and validity of the
proprietary rights of others. Litigation is costly and
time-consuming, and there can be no assurance that our
litigation expenses will not be significant in the future or
that we will prevail in any such litigation. See
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Governmental Regulation
The manufacture, testing, packaging, labeling,
distribution, sales and marketing of our products and our
ongoing product development activities are subject to extensive
and rigorous regulation at both the federal and state levels.
The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the Controlled
Substances Act and other federal statutes and regulations govern
or influence the testing, manufacture, safety, packaging,
labeling, storage, record keeping, approval, advertising,
promotion, sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products.
Noncompliance with applicable requirements can result in fines,
recall or seizure of products, total or partial suspension of
production and/or distribution, refusal of the government to
enter into supply contracts or to approve NDA and ANDAs, civil
sanctions and criminal prosecution.
FDA approval is required before each dosage form
of any new drug can be marketed. Applications for FDA approval
must contain information relating to efficacy, safety, toxicity,
pharmacokinetics, product formulation, raw material suppliers,
stability, manufacturing processes, packaging, labeling, and
quality control. The FDA also has the authority to revoke
previously granted drug approvals. Product development and
approval within this regulatory framework requires a number of
years and involves the expenditure of substantial resources.
We cannot determine what effect changes in
regulations or legal interpretations, when and if promulgated,
may have on our business in the future. Changes could, among
other things, require expanded or different labeling, the recall
or discontinuance of certain products, additional record keeping
and expanded documentation of the properties of certain products
and scientific substantiation. Such changes, or new legislation,
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
The evolving and complex nature of regulatory
requirements, the broad authority and discretion of the FDA and
the generally high level of regulatory oversight results in a
continuing possibility that from time to time, we will be
adversely affected by regulatory actions despite ongoing efforts
and commitment to achieve and maintain full compliance with all
regulatory requirements.
NDA
Process
FDA approval is required before any new drug can
be marketed. An NDA is a filing submitted to the FDA to obtain
approval of new chemical entities and other innovations for
which thorough applied research is required to demonstrate
safety and effectiveness in use. The NDA must contain complete
pre-clinical and clinical safety and efficacy data or a right of
reference to such data sponsored by the applicant. Before dosing
a new drug in healthy human subjects or patients may begin,
stringent government requirements for preclinical data must be
satisfied. The preclinical data, typically obtained from studies
in animals, as well as from laboratory studies, are submitted in
an Investigational New Drug application, or IND, or its
equivalent in countries outside the United States where clinical
trials are to be conducted. The preclinical data must provide an
adequate basis for evaluating both the safety and the scientific
rationale for the initiation of clinical trials.
Clinical trials are typically conducted in three
sequential phases, although the phases may overlap.
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In Phase I, which frequently begins with the
initial introduction of the compound into healthy human subjects
prior to introduction into patients, the product is tested for
safety, adverse effects, dosage, tolerance absorption,
metabolism, excretion and other elements of clinical
pharmacology.
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Phase II typically involves studies in a small
sample of the intended patient population to assess the efficacy
of the compound for a specific indication, to determine dose
tolerance and the optimal dose range as well as to gather
additional information relating to safety and potential adverse
effects.
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Phase III trials are undertaken to further
evaluate clinical safety and efficacy in an expanded patient
population at typically dispersed study sites, in order to
determine the overall risk- benefit ratio of the compound and to
provide an adequate basis for product labeling.
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Each trial is conducted in accordance with
certain standards under protocols that detail the objectives of
the study, the parameters to be used to monitor safety and
efficacy criteria to be evaluated. Each protocol must be
submitted to the FDA as part of the IND. In some cases, the FDA
allows a company to rely on data developed in foreign countries
or previously published data, which eliminates the need to
independently repeat some or all of the studies.
Data from preclinical testing and clinical trials
are submitted to the FDA in an NDA for marketing approval and to
other health authorities as a marketing authorization
application. The process of completing clinical trials for a new
drug may take several years and require the expenditures of
substantial resources. Preparing an NDA or marketing
authorization application involves considerable data collection,
verification, analysis and expense, and there can be no
assurance that approval from the FDA or any other health
authority will be granted on a timely basis, if at all. The
approval process is affected by a number of factors, primarily
the risks and benefits demonstrated in clinical trials as well
as the severity of the disease and the availability of
alternative treatments. The FDA or other health authorities may
deny an NDA or marketing authorization application if the
regulatory criteria are not satisfied, or such authorities may
require additional testing or information.
As a condition of approval, the FDA or other
regulatory authorities may require further studies, including
Phase IV post-marketing studies to provide additional data on
safety. The post-marketing studies could be used to gain
approval for the use of a product as a treatment for clinical
indications other than those for which the product was initially
tested. Also, the FDA or other regulatory authorities require
post-marketing reporting to monitor the adverse effects of the
drug. Results of post-marketing programs may limit or expand the
further marketing of the products.
ANDA
Process
FDA approval of an ANDA is required before a
generic equivalent of an existing, or listed drug can be
marketed. We usually receive approval for such products by
submitting an ANDA to the FDA. The ANDA process is abbreviated
in that the FDA waives the requirement of conducting complete
preclinical and clinical studies and instead relies on
bioequivalence studies. Bioequivalence compares the
rate of absorption and levels of concentration of a generic drug
in the body with those of the previously approved drug. When the
rate and extent of absorption of the test and reference drugs
are the same, the two drugs are bioequivalent and regarded as
therapeutically interchangeable.
An ANDA also may be submitted for a drug
authorized by approval of an ANDA suitability petition. Such
petitions may be submitted to secure authorization to file an
ANDA for a product that differs from a previously approved drug
in active ingredient, route of administration, dosage form or
strength. For example, the FDA has authorized the substitution
of acetaminophen for aspirin in certain combination drug
products and switching the drug from a capsule to tablet form.
Bioequivalence data may be required, if applicable, as in the
case of a tablet in place of a capsule, although the two
products would not be rated as interchangeable.
The timing of final FDA approval of ANDA
applications depends on a variety of factors, including whether
the applicant challenges any listed patents for the drug and
whether the manufacturer of the listed drug is entitled to one
or more statutory exclusivity periods, during which the FDA is
prohibited from approving, generic products. In certain
circumstances, a regulatory exclusivity period can extend beyond
the life of a patent, and thus block ANDAs from being approved
on the patent expiration date. For example, the FDA may now
extend the exclusivity of a product by six months past the date
of patent expiry if the manufacturer undertakes studies on the
effect of their product in children, a so-called pediatric
extension.
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The Generic Drug Enforcement Act of 1992 allows
the FDA to impose debarment and other penalties on individuals
and companies that commit certain illegal acts relating to the
generic drug approval process. In some situations, the Generic
Act requires the FDA to not accept or review ANDAs for a period
of time from a company or an individual that has committed
certain violations. It also provides for temporary denial of
approval of applications during the investigation of certain
violations that could lead to debarment and also, in more
limited circumstances, provides for the suspension of the
marketing of approved drugs by the affected company. Lastly, the
Generic Act allows for civil penalties and withdrawal of
previously approved applications. Neither we nor, we believe,
any of our employees have ever been subject to debarment.
Patent
and Non-Patent Exclusivity Periods
A sponsor of an NDA is required to identify in
its application any patent that claims the drug or a use of the
drug subject to the application. Upon NDA approval, the FDA
lists these patents in a publication referred to as the Orange
Book. Any person that files an ANDA to secure approval of a
generic version of this first, or listed, drug, or an NDA that
relies upon the data in the application for which the patents
are listed, must make a certification in respect to listed
patents. The FDA may not approve such an application for the
drug until expiration of the listed patents unless (1) the
later applicant certifies that the listed patents are invalid,
unenforceable or not infringed by the proposed generic drug and
gives notice to the holder or the NDA for the listed drug of the
bases upon which the patents are challenged, and (2) the
holder of the listed drug does not sue the later applicant for
patent infringement within 45 days of receipt of notice. If
an infringement suit is filed, the FDA may not approve the later
application for 30 months or such time as the court may
order.
In addition, the holder of the NDA for the listed
drug is entitled to certain non-patent exclusivity before which
the FDA cannot approve an application for a competitive product.
If the listed drug is a new chemical entity, the FDA may not
accept for review any application for five years; if it is not a
new chemical entity, the FDA may not approve a competitive
application before expiration of three years. Certain other
periods of exclusivity may be available if the listed drug is
indicated for use in a rare disease or is studied for pediatric
indications.
Quality
Assurance Requirements
The FDA enforces regulations to assure that the
methods used in, and facilities and controls used for, the
manufacture, processing, packing and holding of drugs conform
with current good manufacturing practices, or cGMP. The cGMP
regulations the FDA enforces are comprehensive and cover all
aspects of operations, from receipt of raw materials to finished
product distribution, insofar as they bear upon whether drugs
meet all the identity, strength, quality, purity and safety
characteristics required of them. To assure compliance requires
a continuous commitment of time, money and effort in all
operational areas.
The FDA conducts pre-approval inspections of
facilities engaged in the manufacture, processing, packing,
testing and holding of the drugs subject to NDAs and ANDAs. If
the FDA concludes that the facilities to be used do not meet
cGMP requirements, it will not approve the application.
Corrective actions to remedy the deficiencies must be performed
and verified in a subsequent inspection. In addition,
manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs,
used to formulate the drug also ordinarily undergo a
pre-approval inspection, although the inspection can be waived
when an API manufacturer has had a passing cGMP inspection in
the immediate past. Failure of any facility to pass a
pre-approval inspection will result in delayed approval and
would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
The FDA also conducts periodic inspections of
facilities to assess their cGMP status. If the FDA were to find
serious cGMP non-compliance during such an inspection, it could
take regulatory actions that could adversely affect our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
Imported API and other components needed to manufacture our
products could be rejected by U.S. Customs. In respect to
domestic establishments, the FDA could initiate product seizures
or require product recalls and seek to enjoin a products
manufacture and distribution. In certain circumstances,
violations could support civil penalties and criminal
prosecutions. In addition, if the FDA concludes that a company
is not in compliance with cGMP
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requirements, sanctions may be imposed that
include preventing the company from receiving the necessary
licenses to export its products and classifying the company as
an unacceptable supplier, thereby disqualifying the
company from selling products to federal agencies.
We believe that we and our suppliers and outside
manufacturers are currently in compliance with cGMP requirements.
Other
FDA Matters
If there are any modifications to an approved
drug, including changes in indication, manufacturing process or
labeling or a change in a manufacturing facility, an application
seeking approval of such changes must be submitted to the FDA or
other regulatory authority. Additionally, the FDA regulates
post-approval promotional labeling and advertising activities to
assure that such activities are being conducted in conformity
with statutory and regulatory requirements. Failure to adhere to
such requirements can result in regulatory actions that could
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
Drug
Enforcement Agency
We also sell products that are controlled
substances as defined in the Controlled Substances Act,
which establishes certain security and record keeping
requirements administered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Agency, or DEA. The DEA is concerned with the control of
registered handlers of controlled substances, and with the
equipment and raw materials used in their manufacture and
packaging, in order to prevent loss and diversion into illicit
channels of commerce.
The DEA regulates controlled substances as
Schedule I, II, III, IV or V substances, with
Schedule I substances considered to present the highest
risk of substance abuse and Schedule V substances the
lowest risk. The active ingredients in some of our current
products and products in development, including oxycodone,
oxymorphone, morphine and hydrocodone, are listed by the DEA as
Schedule II or III substances under the Controlled
Substances Act of 1970. Consequently, their manufacture,
shipment, storage, sale and use are subject to a high degree of
regulation. For example, all Schedule II drug prescriptions
must be signed by a physician, physically presented to a
pharmacist and may not be refilled without a new prescription.
Furthermore, the amount of scheduled substances we can obtain
for clinical trials and commercial distribution is limited by
the DEA.
To meet its responsibilities, the DEA conducts
periodic inspections of registered establishments that handle
controlled substances. Facilities that conduct research,
manufacture or distribute controlled substances must be
registered to perform these activities and have the security,
control and accounting mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent
loss and diversion. Failure to maintain compliance, particularly
as manifested in loss or diversion, can result in regulatory
action that could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition. The DEA
may seek civil penalties, refuse to renew necessary
registrations, or initiate proceedings to revoke those
registrations. In certain circumstances, violations could
eventuate in criminal proceedings.
We and our third-party API suppliers, dosage form
manufacturers, distributors and researchers have necessary
registrations, and we believe all registrants operate in
conformity with applicable requirements.
Government
Benefit Programs
Medicaid, Medicare and other reimbursement
legislation or programs govern reimbursement levels, including
requiring that all pharmaceutical companies rebate to individual
states a percentage of their net sales arising from
Medicaid-reimbursed products. The federal and/or state
governments may continue to enact measures in the future aimed
at reducing the cost of prescription pharmaceuticals to the
public. We cannot predict the nature of such measures or their
impact on our profitability and cash flows.
13
Service Agreements
We contract with various third parties to provide
certain critical services including manufacturing, sales
representatives, warehousing, distribution, customer service,
certain financial functions, certain research and development
activities and medical affairs.
Third
Party Manufacturing/ Supply Agreements
We contract with various third party
manufacturers and suppliers to provide us with our raw materials
used in our products and finished goods including, among others,
Bristol-Myers Squibb (f/k/a DuPont Pharmaceuticals),
Novartis Consumer Health and Teikoku Seiyaku Pharmaceuticals.
While we generally have not had difficulty obtaining finished
goods, raw materials and components from suppliers in the past,
we cannot assure you that these necessary finished goods, raw
materials and components will continue to be available on
commercially acceptable terms in the future. If for any reason
we are unable to obtain sufficient quantities of any of the
finished goods or raw materials or components required for our
products, this may have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and results of operations. In
addition, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur
significant costs in obtaining the regulatory approvals and
taking other steps necessary to begin commercial production at
other manufacturers, including Novartis, of all our products
currently manufactured at Bristol-Myers Squibb. A description of
the material terms of the material third party manufacturing/
supply contracts follows:
Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company (f/k/a
DuPont Pharmaceuticals).
Bristol-Myers
Squibb (f/k/a DuPont Pharmaceuticals) currently
manufactures a significant number of our brand and generic
pharmaceutical products. Bristol-Myers Squibb manufactures
certain of the products that we purchased from DuPont
Pharmaceuticals as a result of our August 1997 acquisition
from DuPont Pharmaceuticals, as well as some of our new
products. The products are manufactured at either the
Bristol-Myers Squibb facility in Garden City, New York or the
Bristol-Myers Squibb facility in Manati, Puerto Rico. Both of
these facilities are FDA- and DEA-approved. Under the terms of
this agreement, we are able to introduce the manufacture of new
products that we have developed in those plants. For these
manufacturing services, we currently pay Bristol-Myers Squibb
compensation in the form of (1) a fixed amount to cover
Bristol-Myers Squibbs fixed manufacturing costs for both
manufacturing facilities, (2) an amount, adjusted on an
annual basis, to cover Bristol-Myers Squibbs variable
manufacturing costs for our products in both facilities and
(3) an additional fee, paid annually, based upon a
predetermined formula.
In addition to manufacturing services,
Bristol-Myers Squibb currently provides other ancillary services
to us in connection with the manufacture of our products such as
raw material procurement, product development, inventory
management and quality control services. Compensation for these
services is included in the compensation for manufacturing
services. The initial term of this agreement is five years,
expiring on August 26, 2002, and is renewable, at our
option, for a period of time not to exceed five years (through
August 2007) with pricing terms to be negotiated. We have
begun discussions with Bristol-Myers Squibb concerning
arrangements to manufacture certain of our products following
the expiration of the initial term in August 2002. If
Bristol-Myers Squibb determines to sell or otherwise transfer
either the Garden City plant facility or the Manati plant
facility and we determine that the acquirer of such facility
would not be an acceptable manufacturer of our products,
Bristol-Myers Squibb shall implement, at its cost, appropriate
arrangements for the manufacture and supply of the products
elsewhere.
Teikoku Seiyaku Co.,
Ltd.
Under the terms of this
agreement, Teikoku, a Japanese manufacturer, manufactures
Lidoderm® at its Japanese facility for commercial sale by
us in the United States. We also have an option to extend the
supply area to other territories within a defined period of
time. We are required to purchase, on an annual basis, a minimum
amount of product from Teikoku. The purchase price for the
product is equal to a predetermined amount per unit of product.
The term of this agreement is from November 23, 1998 until
the shorter of (1) the expiration of the last to expire
patent that is licensed to us from Hind Healthcare Inc. or
(2) November 20, 2011. This agreement may be
terminated for material breach by either party and by us if the
Hind Healthcare license agreement is terminated.
Novartis Consumer Health,
Inc.
On May 3, 2001, we entered
into a long-term manufacturing and development agreement with
Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. whereby Novartis has agreed to
manufacture certain of our commercial products and products in
development. We are required to purchase, on an annual
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basis, a minimum amount of product from Novartis.
The purchase price per product is equal to a predetermined
amount per unit, subject to periodic adjustments. This agreement
has a five-year term, with automatic five-year renewals
thereafter. Either party may terminate this agreement on
three-years notice, effective at any time after the
initial five-year term. In addition, we may terminate this
agreement effective prior to the fifth anniversary of the
agreement upon three-years notice and the payment of
certain early termination fees. Either party may also terminate
this agreement on account of a material breach by the other.
Mallinckrodt Inc.
Under the terms of this agreement, Mallinckrodt will manufacture
and supply to us narcotic active drug substances, in bulk form,
and upon the expiration of Mallinckrodts existing supply
agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb, raw materials for inclusion
in our controlled substance pharmaceutical products. We are
required to purchase a fixed percentage of our annual
requirements of each narcotic active drug substance from
Mallinckrodt. The purchase price for these substances is equal
to a fixed amount, adjusted on an annual basis. The initial term
of this agreement is July 1, 1998 until June 30, 2013,
with an automatic renewal provision for unlimited successive
one-year periods. Either party may terminate this agreement for
a material breach.
In addition, under a separate agreement,
Mallinckrodt exclusively manufactures and supplies to us a
narcotic active drug substance that is not covered under the
previously discussed Mallinckrodt agreement. We are required to
purchase a fixed percentage of our annual requirements of this
narcotic active drug substance from Mallinckrodt. The purchase
price of the substance is a fixed amount that may be adjusted
annually in the event of Mallinckrodt product cost increases.
The term of this agreement is April 1, 1998 until
June 30, 2004, as extended pursuant to an amendment, dated
as of May 8, 2000, with an automatic renewal provision for
unlimited successive one-year periods. This agreement may also
be terminated for material breach by either party.
Other
Service Agreements
In addition to the long-term manufacturing
agreements described above, we have agreements with
(1) Livingston Healthcare Services, Inc. (n/k/a UPS Supply
Chain Management, Inc.) for customer service support, warehouse
and distribution services and certain financial functions,
(2) Kunitz and Associates Inc. for medical affairs and
(3) Ventiv Health U.S. Sales Inc. for sales. We also
have agreements and arrangements with various contract research
organizations for our toxicology and clinical studies. Although
we have no reason to believe that these agreements will not be
honored, failure by any of these third parties to honor their
contractual obligations would have a materially adverse effect
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A description of the material terms of these
agreements follows:
Livingston Healthcare Services Inc. (n/k/a UPS
Supply Chain Management, Inc.)
Under
the terms of this agreement, we appointed Livingston to provide
customer service support, chargeback processing, accounts
receivables management and warehouse and distribution services
for our products in the United States. During the term of the
agreement, the Livingston personnel responsible for providing
our customer service, chargeback processing and accounts
receivable management services may not provide these services to
any third party for any third party products which directly
compete with our products covered under the agreement. We pay
Livingston a (1) start-up fee, payable in three
installments, (2) a fixed monthly fee for all services and
(3) certain miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses, which, in
the aggregate, may, depending on the facts and circumstances at
the time, represent material costs to us. For the year ended
December 31, 2001, these fees and expenses were
approximately $5.0 million. The term of the agreement for
customer service support and chargeback processing services is
February 1, 2000 to January 31, 2003; for accounts
receivable services, February 1, 2000 to January 31,
2003; and for warehouse and distribution services,
February 1, 2000 to February 28, 2005. The agreement
may be renewed upon mutual agreement of the parties. The
agreement may be terminated for material breach by us, with
prior notice: (1) for a sale of our company or a sale of
substantially all of our business; by us, with prior notice, for
a change in our stock ownership or company control; (2) if
we decide to have these services provided in-house or by an
affiliate or (3) if Livingston fails to
15
provide additional storage space for our products
upon request. In the event of termination under certain
circumstances, we are required to pay Livingston for certain
capital investments and wind-down expenses.
Kunitz and Associates
Inc.
Under the terms of the agreement,
we appointed Kunitz as our exclusive provider in the United
States of pharmacovigilance, medical communications, product
information support, adverse drug experience surveillance and
medical literature search support, with respect to all of our
products. During the term of this agreement, Kunitz may not
provide identical or similar services to or for any third party
whose products directly compete with our products in the
prescription pain management therapeutic category. For these
services, we pay Kunitz a fixed amount, in equal monthly
installments. This agreement will expire on July 31, 2002,
unless we exercise our option to renew the agreement for up to
two successive one-year periods through July 31, 2004. The
agreement may be terminated by either party for material breach
or by us, with notice, for no reason.
Ventiv Health U.S. Sales
Inc.
Under the terms of this
agreement, a team of Ventiv professional sales representatives,
under our managements direction, exclusively promotes
certain of our products to healthcare professionals in the
United States. The term of this agreement is until
December 31, 2003, but will automatically renew for
one-year periods thereafter. The agreement may be terminated by
either party for material breach, by us (with 90 days
notice) for no reason or by Ventiv (with 180 days
notice) for no reason. Under the agreement, we reserve the
option to hire all of these sales representatives and managers
as our full-time employees at any time.
Licenses and Collaboration
Agreements
We enter into licenses and collaboration
agreements to develop, use, market and promote certain of our
products from or with other pharmaceutical companies and
universities.
Virginia Commonwealth
University.
We have licensed from
Virginia Commonwealth University certain patents and pending
patent applications in the field of pain management. These
include patents covering MorphiDex® and other combinations
of the NMDA-receptor antagonist, dextromethorphan, with opioids.
Under this license, we are required to pay royalties equal to 4%
of sales of products resulting from the licensed patents. In
addition, we will pay Virginia Commonwealth University 50% of
royalty payments received from any sublicensees until such
payments total $500,000 for a given year, 33% until the payments
total an additional $500,000 for such year and 25% thereafter.
This license lasts until the underlying patents expire.
Penwest
Pharmaceuticals.
In
September 1997, we entered into a collaboration agreement
with Penwest Pharmaceuticals to exclusively co-develop opioid
analgesic products for pain management, using Penwests
patent-protected proprietary technology, for commercial sale
worldwide. Under the terms of this agreement, we are currently
developing an opioid product for the treatment of pain. We
currently share on an equal basis the costs and profits of
products developed under this agreement. At this point in time,
we cannot predict the cost of this agreement. We have exclusive
U.S. marketing rights with respect to products developed
under this collaboration, subject to the terms and conditions
contained in this agreement. See Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources.
Hind Healthcare Inc.
In November 1998, we entered into a license agreement with
Hind Healthcare Inc. for the sole and exclusive right to
develop, use, market, promote and sell Lidoderm® in the
United States. We paid Hind up-front fees and milestone payments
on the occurrence of certain events. From now until the shorter
of (1) the life of the last-to-expire patent license
pursuant to this license agreement and
(2) November 20, 2011, we will pay Hind non-refundable
royalties, including a minimum annual royalty of at least
$500,000 per year, on net sales of the product in the future.
Because these royalty payments are based on the net sales of the
product, the maximum cost of these royalty payments is uncertain
at this time. During 2001, we accrued $3.3 million for this
royalty. Either party may terminate this agreement for material
breach and we may terminate it immediately upon termination of
our supply agreement with Teikoku. In September 1999, we
launched Lidoderm®, the first FDA-approved product for the
treatment of the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia. In March 2002,
we extended this license with Hind to cover Lidoderm® in
Canada and Mexico.
16
Environmental Matters
Our operations are subject to substantial and
evolving federal, state and local environmental laws and
regulations concerning, among other matters, the generation,
handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of
toxic and hazardous substances. We believe that our facilities
and the facilities of our third party service providers are in
substantial compliance with all provisions of federal, state and
local laws concerning the environment and do not believe that
future compliance with these provisions will have a material
adverse effect on our financial condition or results of
operations.
Summary of Recent Transactions
On August 1, 2001, we moved into our new
corporate headquarters at 100 Painters Drive, Chadds Ford,
Pennsylvania. We lease this space from Painters Crossing
One Associates, L.P. See Item 2. Properties.
On October 17, 2001, we sold 11,400,000
additional shares of common stock at a price of $8.00 per share
in a follow-on public offering. On November 16, 2001, we
closed the sale of an additional 1,525,000 shares of common
stock, at $8.00 per share, in connection with the exercise by
the underwriters of their over-allotment option in connection
with this public offering. A total of 12,925,000 shares
common stock were issued and sold by the Company in this
offering for a total of $96.2 million in net proceeds.
On October 29, 2001, we used
$84.9 million of the net proceeds from the recently
completed public offering plus $16.1 million from our cash
balance to repay in full the term loans under the then current
credit facility. On December 21, 2001, we amended and
restated our credit facility. The details of this amendment and
restatement are set forth below. See
Description of Credit Facility.
On December 5, 2001, we commenced a tender
offer to purchase up to 13,500,000 of our outstanding
Class A Transferable Warrants (Nasdaq: ENDPW) and any and
all of our outstanding Class B Non-Transferable Warrants.
This tender offer expired at midnight on January 25, 2002.
We accepted an aggregate of 8,576,762 Class A Warrants and
8,500 Class B Warrants for payment at a purchase price of
$0.75 per warrant, or approximately $6.4 million in the
aggregate. We used cash on hand to finance the purchase of
tendered warrants. Following of the purchase of these warrants
by us, approximately 9.2 million Class A Warrants and
approximately 18,500 Class B Warrants remained outstanding
as of January 28, 2002.
Description of Credit Facility
On August 26, 1997, we entered into a credit
agreement with a number of lenders and The Chase Manhattan Bank
(n/k/a JPMorgan Chase Bank), as administrative agent. On
October 29, 2001, we repaid in full the $101.1 million
of term loans that were outstanding thereunder, and on
December 21, 2001, we amended and restated this credit
agreement. As of December 31, 2001, no amounts were
outstanding under the credit agreement.
Under the credit agreement, we have the ability
to borrow on a revolving basis up to $75.0 million. The
revolving loans have a final maturity of December 21, 2006.
The credit agreement also provides for a delayed draw term loan
that must be utilized, if at all, by August 26, 2002 solely
for the purpose of paying off the outstanding promissory notes
that are payable to Bristol-Myers Squibb. The aggregate
principal amount of this term loan is $25.0 million. The term
loan, once borrowed and repaid, may not be reborrowed, and it
has a final maturity date of December 21, 2006. As of
December 31, 2001, we have not borrowed under either the
revolving loans or the term loan.
These loans bear interest at an agreed-upon
spread over the applicable base rate (as defined in the credit
agreement) or over the London Interbank Offered Rate. The loans
outstanding under the credit agreement are secured by a first
priority security interest in substantially all of our assets.
These loans are subject to mandatory repayment in limited
circumstances. Voluntary prepayments of these loans and
voluntary reductions of the credit facility are permitted, in
whole or in part, at our option in minimum principal amounts,
without premium or penalty, subject to reimbursement of the
lenders costs under specified circumstances.
17
The credit agreement contains representations and
warranties, covenants, events of default and other provisions
customarily found in similar agreements.
Employees
As of December 31, 2001, we had 167
employees, of which 52 are engaged in research and development,
15 in regulatory work, 30 in sales and marketing, 18 in quality
assurance and 52 in general and administrative capacities. Our
employees are not represented by unions, and we believe that our
relations with our employees are good.
Dividend Policy
We have never paid cash dividends on our common
stock. Furthermore, the payment of cash dividends from earnings
is currently restricted by our credit facility. Assuming removal
of this restriction, the payment of cash dividends is subject to
the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent
on many factors, including our earnings, capital needs and
general financial condition. We anticipate that, for the
foreseeable future, we will retain our earnings in order to
finance the expansion of our business.
Item 2.
Properties
We lease all of our properties. Of these, the
most significant are our research and development facility
located in Garden City, New York and our corporate headquarters
in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Through the acquisition of Algos
in July 2000, we also acquired a lease of the former
corporate headquarters of Algos in Neptune, New Jersey. This
lease was terminated on April 30, 2001. A description of
the material terms of each of the agreements pertaining to these
properties follows:
Garden City, New York
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (f/k/a DuPont
Pharmaceuticals) Lease Agreement.
Under this agreement, we lease a laboratory and office building
from Bristol-Myers Squibb, which is located at Bristol-Myers
Squibbs Garden City, New York manufacturing facility. We
may use these facilities for the research and development of our
pharmaceutical products. The lease is not assignable by us
without the consent of Bristol-Myers Squibb. The lease may be
terminated (1) by us, if substantial premise alteration
changes are required in order to comply with government
regulations, (2) by Bristol-Myers Squibb, for tenant damage
and destruction to the premises and (3) as a result of
arbitration between the parties. The term of the lease is five
years, expiring August 26, 2002 and is renewable at our
option, provided the related manufacturing and supply agreement
between the parties has been renewed, for an additional
five-year period or successive one-year periods through
August 2007.
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Route 202-Concord Partners (formerly
Northstar) Lease Agreement.
Under this
agreement, we lease office space in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
that had been used for our headquarters and administrative
functions until August 2001. The lease commenced on
October 1, 1997, for an initial term of five years. The
annual base rent is adjusted annually by a fixed percentage.
After the initial term, the parties may extend this lease for
another five-year term. The lease may be assigned or the
premises sublet with the landlords written consent. We
amended this lease on December 16, 1997, January 6,
1999, November 23, 1999 and November 8, 2000, in order
for us to acquire additional office space in the same building
for an additional fee. Since we moved to our new headquarters in
August 2001, we intend to allow this lease to lapse on
October 1, 2002, in accordance with its terms.
Painters Crossing One Associates, L.P.
Lease Agreement.
On May 5, 2000,
we entered into a ten-year lease with Painters Crossing
One Associates, L.P. pursuant to which Painters Crossing
leases to us a building comprised of approximately
47,756 square feet located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. By
amendment dated February 26, 2001, this lease commenced on
August 1, 2001 and will end on August 31, 2010.
However, we, at our discretion, have the right to terminate this
lease at the end of the fifth year, by providing two years
notice
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and paying a fixed termination fee to
Painters Crossing. During the term of the lease, the
annual rent is a fixed amount paid in equal monthly installments
that increase after the first five years of the lease.
Neptune, New Jersey
Commercial Realty & Resources Corp.
Lease.
Through our acquisition of
Algos in July 2000, we had acquired the lease of the former
Algos corporate headquarters in Neptune, New Jersey. On
April 30, 2001, we terminated this lease and obtained from
the landlord a full and final release from any and all
obligations thereunder.
Item 3.
Legal
Proceedings
On October 20, 2000, The Purdue Frederick
Company and related companies (Purdue Frederick) filed suit
against us and our subsidiary, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (EPI),
in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
alleging that EPIs bioequivalent version of Purdue
Fredericks OxyContin® (oxycodone hydrochloride
extended-release tablets), 40mg strength, infringes three of its
patents. This suit arose after EPI provided the plaintiffs with
notice that its ANDA submission for a bioequivalent version of
Purdue Fredericks OxyContin®, 40mg strength,
challenged the listed patents for OxyContin® 40mg tablets.
On March 13, 2001, Purdue Frederick filed a second suit
against us and EPI in the U.S. District Court for the Southern
District of New York alleging that EPIs bioequivalent
versions of Purdue Fredericks OxyContin®, 10mg and
20mg strengths, infringe the same three patents. This suit arose
from EPI having amended its earlier ANDA on February 9, 2001 to
add bioequivalent versions of the 10mg and 20mg strengths of
OxyContin®. On August 30, 2001, Purdue Frederick filed
a third suit against us and EPI in the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New York alleging that EPIs
bioequivalent version of Purdue Fredericks
OxyContin®, 80mg strength, infringes the same three
patents. This suit arose from EPI having amended its earlier
ANDA on July 30, 2001 to add the bioequivalent version of
the 80mg strength of OxyContin®.
For each of the 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and 80mg
strengths of this product, EPI made the required
Paragraph IV certification against the patents listed in
the FDAs Orange Book as covering these strengths of
OxyContin®. EPI has pleaded counterclaims that the patents
asserted by Purdue Frederick are invalid, unenforceable and/or
not infringed by EPIs formulation of oxycodone
hydrochloride extended-release tablets, 10mg, 20mg, 40mg and
80mg strengths. EPI has also counterclaimed for antitrust
damages based on allegations that Purdue Frederick obtained the
patents through fraud on the United States Patent and Trademark
Office and is asserting them while aware of their invalidity and
unenforceability. However, we cannot make any assurances as to
the outcome of this patent challenge. Purdue Frederick was
granted a preliminary injunction (Purdue Pharma L.P. v.
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, 98 F. Supp. 2d 362
(SDNY 2000)), which decision was affirmed on appeal (Purdue
Pharma L.P. v. Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH,
237 F.3d 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2001)), against a
different manufacturer based on the same patents that are being
asserted against us and EPI, and in the same court in which
Purdue Frederick sued. We believe the defenses rejected in the
preliminary injunction decision and in the appellate decision do
not substantially impact the principal defenses raised by us and
EPI.
On November 15, 2001, SmithKline Beecham
Corporation (and related companies) filed suit against EPI in
the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
alleging that EPIs bioequivalent version of
SmithKlines Paxil®, 40 mg strength, infringes
five of its patents. The FDA accepted EPIs ANDA submission
for a bioequivalent version of SmithKlines Paxil®,
40 mg strength, earlier in 2001. In this ANDA, EPI made the
required Paragraph IV certification against all of the
SmithKline patents listed in the FDAs Orange Book as
covering Paxil®. Paxil® is indicated for the treatment
of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and panic disorder.
Although we believe the patents asserted by SmithKline Beecham
are invalid and/or not infringed, no assurance can be given as
to the outcome of this patent challenge process.
Litigation similar to that described above may
also result from products we currently have in development, as
well as those that we may develop in the future. We, however,
cannot predict the timing or outcome of any such litigation, or
whether any such litigation will be brought against us.
19
On November 15, 2001, EPI was named, along
with ten other pharmaceutical companies, as a defendant in a
class action lawsuit filed by Bennie Toombs in the United States
District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. According
to the complaint, each of the defendant pharmaceutical companies
had allegedly manufactured and sold products containing
phenylpropanolamine (PPA). The complaint alleges that the
defendants failed to adequately warn plaintiff of the hazards of
the use of the subject products containing PPA and that as a
result of this failure to warn, plaintiffs suffered injury. The
action has been transferred by order of the United States
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to the Western
District of Washington, where it has been consolidated for
pretrial proceedings with other cases involving claims against
manufacturers of PPA-containing products. EPI is not a party to
any of these other actions and intends to vigorously defend
itself in the
Toombs
litigation.
In addition to the above, the Company is involved
in, or has been involved in, arbitrations or legal proceedings
that arise from the normal course of its business. The Company
cannot predict the timing or outcome of these claims and
proceedings. Currently, the Company is not involved in any
arbitration and/or legal proceeding that it expects to have a
material effect on its business, financial condition or results
of operations and cash flows.
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Item 4.
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Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security
Holders
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No matters were submitted to a vote of security
holders during the fourth quarter of our fiscal year ended
December 31, 2001.
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Item 4A.
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Executive Officers of the
Registrant
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Set forth below is information regarding each
current executive officer of Endo:
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Name
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Age
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Position and Offices
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Carol A. Ammon
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51
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President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and
Director
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Mariann T. MacDonald
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54
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Executive Vice President, Operations
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Jeffrey R. Black
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37
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Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer
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Peter A. Lankau
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49
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Senior Vice President, U.S. Business
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David A.H. Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
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52
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Senior Vice President, Research & Development
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Caroline B. Manogue
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33
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Senior Vice President, General Counsel &
Secretary
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CAROL A. AMMON, 51, is President, Chief Executive
Officer, Chairman and Director of Endo. Prior to joining Endo,
Ms. Ammon was the President of DuPont Mercks U.S.
Pharmaceuticals Division from 1996 through 1997, and from 1993
through 1995 she was the President of Endo Laboratories, L.L.C.
She also serves as a director on the boards of the Christiana
Care Health System and the St. Louis School of Pharmacy in St.
Louis, Missouri.
MARIANN T. MACDONALD, 54, is Executive Vice
President, Operations of Endo. Prior to joining Endo,
Ms. MacDonald was Vice President of Business Information,
Training, Administration & Technology for the U.S.
Pharmaceuticals Division of DuPont Merck from 1996 to 1997 and
Vice President of Operations for Endo Laboratories, L.L.C. from
1995 to 1996. From 1993 to 1995, Ms. MacDonald held various
management positions in DuPont Merck.
JEFFREY R. BLACK, 37, is Senior Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Endo. Prior to joining
Endo, Mr. Black became a Partner in June 1997 with
Deloitte & Touche LLP in the New York Merger and
Acquisition Services Group, after joining that firm in 1986.
PETER A. LANKAU, 49, is Senior Vice President,
U.S. Business of Endo. Prior to joining Endo in June 2000,
Mr. Lankau was Vice President, Sales and Marketing for
Alpharma USPD, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland. He was Vice
President, Sales U.S. Pharmaceuticals for Rhone
Poulenc Rorer, Inc. from 1996 to 1999, based in Collegeville,
Pennsylvania. Prior to 1996, Mr. Lankau was Executive
Director, Strategy and
20
Development for RPR from 1995 to 1996. Prior to
1995, he held various management positions at RPR including
business unit management, and had responsibility for RPRs
generics business as well as managed care.
DAVID A.H. LEE, M.D. Ph.D., 52, is Senior Vice
President, Research & Development and Regulatory
Affairs of Endo. Prior to joining Endo in December of 1997,
Dr. Lee was Executive Vice President, Research and
Development for CoCensys, Inc., an emerging pharmaceuticals
company based in Irvine, California, from 1992 through 1997.
Prior to joining CoCensys, Dr. Lee held various positions
at Solvay Pharmaceuticals in the Netherlands, ranging from head
of global clinical development programs to his final position as
V.P. Research and Development. Dr. Lee received his M.D.
and Ph.D. degrees from the University of London and specialized
in internal medicine and gastroenterology, prior to joining the
pharmaceutical industry.
CAROLINE B. MANOGUE, 33, is Senior Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary of Endo. Prior to
joining Endo in September 2000, Ms. Manogue was an
Associate at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP since 1995.
We have employment agreements with each of our
executive officers.
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