Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors. We discuss factors that we believe could cause or contribute to these differences below and elsewhere in this report, including those set forth under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and under “Forward-Looking Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
Corporate Overview
We are a pharmaceutical company singularly focused on developing and commercializing accessible, oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients struggling with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C. Through commercial execution and completion of our CLEAR Outcomes trial as well as advancing our pre-clinical pipeline, we continue to evolve into a differentiated, global cardiometabolic biotech. Our team of lipid experts are dedicated to lowering bad cholesterol through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines and their combinations with established medicines. Our first two products were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, European Medicines Agency, or EMA and Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, or Swissmedic, in 2020. Bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet are oral, once-daily, non-statin, LDL-C lowering medicines for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or ASCVD, or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or HeFH.
We recently completed a global cardiovascular outcomes trial, or CVOT, —known as Cholesterol Lowering via BEmpedoic Acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes. The trial was designed to evaluate whether treatment with bempedoic acid reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in patients who are statin averse and who have CVD or are at high risk for CVD. We initiated the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in December 2016 and fully enrolled the study with over 14,000 patients in August 2019. The primary endpoint of the study was the effect of bempedoic acid on four types of major adverse cardiovascular events, or MACE (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes was an event-driven trial and concluded once the predetermined number of MACE endpoints occurred. On December 7, 2022, we announced that the study had met its primary endpoint. We anticipate reporting full results from the study at ACC.23 Annual Scientific Session & Expo together with the World Congress of Cardiology (or ACC.23/WCC) on March 4, 2023. We intend to use results from this CVOT to support submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S., Europe and other territories and plan to file for such regulatory approvals in the first half of 2023.
On November 23, 2022, we entered into a waiver and amendment to our Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement, or RIPA, with Eiger III SA LLC, or Oberland, in which we agreed to make a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in an amount equal to $50 million from the restricted cash account, or the Partial Call. Under this amendment, the amount of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (as defined in the RIPA) was reduced to $177,777,778. Refer to Note 10 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information.
We were incorporated in Delaware in January 2008, and commenced our operations in April 2008. Since our inception, we have focused substantially all of our efforts and financial resources on developing and commercializing bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe tablet. In February 2020, the FDA approved NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET. NEXLETOL was commercially available in the U.S. on March 30, 2020 and NEXLIZET was commercially available in the U.S. on June 4, 2020. While we began to generate revenue from the sales of our products in 2020, we have funded our operations to date primarily through proceeds from sales of preferred stock, convertible promissory notes and warrants, public offerings of common stock and warrants, the incurrence of indebtedness, through collaborations with third parties and revenue interest purchase agreements. We have incurred losses in each year since our inception.
We have never been profitable and our net losses were $233.7 million and $269.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Substantially all of our net losses resulted from costs incurred in connection with research and development programs, selling, general and administrative costs associated with our operations. We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future in connection with our ongoing activities, including, among others:
•commercializing NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the U.S; and
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•pursuing other research and development activities.
Accordingly, we may need additional financing to support our continuing operations and further the development and commercialization of our products. We may seek to fund our operations and further development activities through collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings, permitted public or private equity offerings or through other sources. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Our failure to raise capital as and when needed would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategy or continue operations. We will need to generate significant revenues to achieve profitability, and we may never do so.
Product Overview
NEXLETOL is a first-in-class ATP Citrate Lyase, or ACL, inhibitor that lowers LDL-C by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis and up-regulating the LDL receptors. Completed Phase 3 studies conducted in more than 3,000 patients, with over 2,000 patients treated with NEXLETOL, demonstrated an average 18 percent placebo corrected LDL-C lowering when used in patients on moderate or high-intensity statins. NEXLETOL was approved by the FDA in February 2020 as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with HeFH or established ASCVD who require additional lowering of LDL-C.
NEXLIZET contains bempedoic acid and ezetimibe and lowers elevated LDL-C through complementary mechanisms of action by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis in the liver and absorption in the intestine. Phase 3 data demonstrated NEXLIZET lowered LDL-C by a mean of 38 percent compared to placebo when added on to maximally tolerated statins. NEXLIZET was approved by the FDA in February 2020 as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with HeFH or established ASCVD who require additional lowering of LDL-C.
NILEMDO is a first-in-class ACL inhibitor that lowers LDL-C by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis and up-regulating the LDL receptors. NILEMDO was approved by the EC in March 2020 for use in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and non-familial) or mixed dyslipidemia, as an adjunct to diet in combination with a statin or statin with other lipid-lowering therapies in adult patients unable to reach LDL-C goals with the maximum tolerated dose of a statin, or alone or in combination with other lipid-lowering therapies as an adjunct to diet in adult patients who are statin-intolerant, or for whom a statin is contraindicated.
NUSTENDI contains bempedoic acid and ezetimibe and lowers elevated LDL-C through complementary mechanisms of action by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis in the liver and absorption in the intestine. NUSTENDI was approved by the EC in March 2020 for use in adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and non-familial) or mixed dyslipidemia, as an adjunct to diet in combination with a statin in adult patients unable to reach LDL-C goals with the maximum tolerated dose of a statin in addition to ezetimibe, alone in patients who are either statin-intolerant or for whom a statin is contraindicated, and are unable to reach LDL-C goals with ezetimibe alone, or as an adjunct to diet in adult patients already being treated with the combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe as separate tablets with or without statin.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, we incurred $83.5 million in direct expenses related to our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT and other ongoing clinical studies.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we incurred $65.9 million in direct expenses related to our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT and other ongoing clinical studies.
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The COVID-19 Pandemic
The full extent to which the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, or the future outbreak of any other highly infectious or contagious diseases, may impact our business, including our commercialization efforts will depend on continuously changing circumstances, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted at this time, such as the duration of such pandemic including future waves of infection, the emergence and prevalence of more contagious variants, such as the "Omicron" variant and the BA.2 subvariants of the virus, or the global availability and utilization of effective vaccines, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. The ongoing fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic but it has had a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of heightening the risks to which we are subject, including the reliance on third parties in our supply chain for materials and manufacturing and delivery of our drugs and drug candidates, our ability to effectively promote and market our approved products, disruptions in health regulatory agencies' operations globally, the volatility of our common stock, our ability to access capital markets, and our ability to successfully commercialize and generate revenue from our approved drugs.
Because COVID-19 infections have been reported throughout the U.S. and worldwide, and as new strains continue to be identified, certain national, state, and local governmental authorities have issued orders, proclamations, and/or directives aimed at minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Although many of these restrictions have been eased or lifted, in response to local surges and new waves of infection, some countries, states, and local governments have reinstituted these restrictions, and additional, more restrictive orders, proclamations, and/or directives may be issued in the future. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of our employees, partners, and patients, including requiring adherence to onsite occupancy limits and appropriate safety measures designed to comply with federal, state, and local guidelines.
Our ability to successfully launch, commercialize, and generate revenue from NEXLETOL, NEXLIZET, NILEMDO and NUSTENDI has been and may continue to be adversely affected by the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians’ offices and other medical institutions had limited access for nonpatients, which included our sales personnel. In addition, social distancing or testing requirements and precautionary measures due to COVID-19 have impacted the ability of our sales personnel to interact in-person with customers. As a result, in many circumstances we limited our interactions with physicians and payors and adapted our launch strategies and tactics to a virtual model, including developing and deploying various technology-enabled platforms for virtual engagement such as remote detailing, digital and non-personal marketing channels, and social media. These circumstances have affected and may continue to adversely affect the ability of our sales professionals to effectively market our approved drugs to physicians and the rates of uptakes for our approved drugs, which may have a negative impact on our sales and our market penetration. In addition, patient visits with physicians have decreased as a result of COVID-19, due to travel restrictions, social distancing or testing requirements, prioritization of healthcare resources to address the pandemic, and/or fear of exposure to the virus, which we believe has adversely affected and could continue to have an adverse impact on new patient starts and overall patient treatment volume.
While it is not possible at this time to estimate the entirety of the impact that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will have on our business or operations, the continued spread or future waves of COVID-19 or other highly infectious or contagious diseases, measures taken by governments, actions taken to protect employees, and the broad impact of the pandemic on all business activities may materially and adversely affect our preclinical activities, clinical development progress, data and timelines, commercialization efforts including any revenue from sales, supply chain continuity, and general business operations, and our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially harmed as a result.
To date, we have not experienced any interruption of our supply of drug products needed to support our product sales. However, such interruptions may occur due to supply chain issues related to COVID-19, such as the demand for vaccines and potential for manufacturing facilities and materials to be commandeered under the Defense Production Act of 1950, or equivalent foreign legislation, which may make it more difficult to obtain materials or manufacturing capacity at our third-party manufacturers to the products needed for our clinical trials and commercial product, which could lead to delays in our future trials and/or issues with our commercial supply. We remain focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet, liquidity and financial flexibility and continue to monitor developments. We will continue to work diligently with our partners and stakeholders to continue supporting patient access to our approved medicines, advancing our products under regulatory review as well as in clinical studies to the extent safe to do so for patients, caregivers and healthcare practitioners, and ensuring the continuity of our manufacturing and supply chain. For additional information related to the potential impact of COVID-19 on our business, please read Part I Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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Financial Operations Overview
Product sales, net
Product sales, net is related to our sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET. NEXLETOL was commercially available in the U.S. on March 30, 2020 and NEXLIZET was commercially available in the U.S. on June 4, 2020.
Collaboration revenue
Collaboration revenue is related to our collaboration agreements with Daiichi Sankyo and Otsuka. Collaboration revenue in the year ended December 31, 2022, was primarily related to sales of bulk tablets under supply agreements and royalty revenue received from collaboration partners. Collaboration revenue in the year ended December 31, 2021, was primarily related to the initial recognition of the upfront payment from our license and collaboration agreement with DS, sales of bulk tablets under supply agreements, and royalty revenue received from collaboration partners. Under contracted supply agreements with ex-U.S. collaborators, we may manufacture and supply quantities of active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, or bulk tablets reasonably required by ex-U.S. collaboration partners for the development or sale of licensed products in their respective territory. We recognize revenue when the collaboration partner has obtained control of the API or bulk tablets. We also receive royalties from the commercialization of such products, and record our share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by the collaborators.
Cost of Goods Sold
Cost of goods sold is related to our net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and the cost of goods sold from our supply agreements with collaboration partners.
Research and Development Expenses
Our research and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred in connection with the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, which include:
•expenses incurred under agreements with consultants, contract research organizations, or CROs, and investigative sites that conduct our preclinical and clinical studies;
•the cost of acquiring, developing and manufacturing clinical study materials and commercial product manufacturing supply prior to product approval, including the procurement of ezetimibe in our continued development of our bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet;
•employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, stock-based compensation and travel expenses;
•allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities, insurance and other supplies; and
•costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements.
We expense research and development costs as incurred. To date, substantially all of our research and development work has been related to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Costs for certain development activities, such as clinical studies, are recognized based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to us by our vendors. Our direct research and development expenses consist principally of external costs, such as fees paid to investigators, consultants, central laboratories and CROs in connection with our clinical studies. We do not allocate acquiring and manufacturing clinical study materials, salaries, stock-based compensation, employee benefits or other indirect costs related to our research and development function to specific programs.
We will continue to incur research and development expenses in the foreseeable future as they relate to closing-out activities for the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT and any other development programs or additional indications we choose to pursue. We expect research and development expenses to decrease after we report the full results of the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT. We cannot determine with certainty the duration and completion costs associated with the ongoing or future clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. The duration, costs and timing associated with the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet will depend on a variety of factors,
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including uncertainties associated with the results of our clinical studies and our ability to obtain regulatory approval outside the U.S. and Europe. For example, if a regulatory authority were to require us to conduct clinical studies beyond those that we currently anticipate will be required for the completion of clinical development or post-commercialization clinical studies of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development or post-commercialization clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consist of salaries and related costs for personnel, including stock-based compensation, associated with our sales, executive, accounting and finance, commercial, operational and other administrative functions. Other general and administrative expenses include selling expenses, facility-related costs, communication expenses and professional fees for legal, patent prosecution, protection and review, consulting and accounting services.
We expect our selling, general and administrative expenses will increase at the end of 2023 after we report full results from the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in connection with potential additional global regulatory submissions for new product indications, expanded commercialization initiatives for NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and increases in our associated headcount.
Interest Expense
Interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 was related to our Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement, or RIPA, with Eiger III SA LLC, or Oberland, an affiliate of Oberland Capital and our Convertible Notes issued in November 2020.
Other Income
Other income, net, for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily relates to the sale of lease vehicles associated with the reduction in force, interest income and the accretion or amortization of premiums and discounts earned on our cash, cash equivalents and investment securities. Other income, net, for the year ended December 31, 2021 included a gain on extinguishment of our convertible debt in addition to the sale of lease vehicles associated with the reduction in force, interest income and the accretion or amortization of premiums and discounts earned on our cash, cash equivalents and investment securities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis, including those related to our collaboration agreements and revenue interest liability. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events, contractual milestones and other various factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 2 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We believe the following accounting policies to be most critical to understanding our results and financial operations.
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Product Sales, Net
We sell NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET to wholesalers in the U.S and, in accordance with ASC 606, recognize revenue at the point in time when the customer is deemed to have obtained control of the product, which generally occurs upon receipt by the customer. Product sales are recorded at the net selling price, which includes variable considerations for rebates, chargebacks, co-pay assistance programs, distribution related fees, product returns, and other sales-related discounts and fees. Calculating these net product sales involves judgments and estimates. We estimate a range of possible outcomes which are probability-weighted for relevant factors such as contracts with customers, healthcare providers, payors and government agencies, statutorily-defined discounts applicable to government-funded programs, forecasted payor mix, customer buying and payment patterns, and other relevant factors. The reserves reflect our best estimates of the amount of consideration to which we are entitled based on the terms of the applicable contract. The amount of variable consideration may be constrained and is included in the net sales price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur in a future period. Given the early stage of our commercial operations we have provided constraint of our variable consideration due to its potential consumption trends. Actual amounts of consideration ultimately received may differ from our estimates. Each period, we review our estimates of rebates, co-pay assistance programs, distribution fees and other applicable provisions. If actual results vary from estimates, we adjust these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known. A 3% change to our year ended December 31, 2022 net product sales would have an impact of approximately $1.7 million.
Revenue Interest Liability
We have entered into a RIPA to support the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and provide for other working capital needs. The revenue interest liability related to the RIPA is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method and is presented as interest expense on the statements of operations. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. This estimate is complex and highly judgmental as it is based on our future revenue projections and expectations about future economic and market conditions. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. Under the terms of the agreement, every $100 million of net sales generated, less than or equal to $250 million in an annual aggregate year, would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $10.0 million or 10.0% at the stated repayment rate in the first year. Annual net sales for a calendar year exceeding $250 million would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $3.3 million or 3.3% for every $100 million of sales above the threshold. Issuance costs in connection with the RIPA are amortized to interest expense over the estimated term of the RIPA.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted
For information on new accounting standards adopted and the impact, on our financial position or results of operations, see Note 2 to our audited financial statements found elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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Results of Operations
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
The following table summarizes our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Revenues:
Operating Expenses:
Product sales, net
Product sales, net for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $55.9 million compared to $40.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of approximately $15.9 million. The increase is primarily due to prescription growth of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET. NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET became commercially available in the U.S. on March 30, 2020 and June 4, 2020, respectively.
Collaboration revenue
Collaboration revenue recognized from our collaboration agreements for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $19.6 million compared to $38.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $18.8 million primarily related to the recognition of $28.0 million in revenue related to the initial recognition of the upfront payment from our license and collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo in April 2021, partially offset by increases in product sales to collaboration partners under our supply agreements and royalty revenue.
Cost of goods sold
Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $27.0 million compared to $14.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $12.8 million. The increase is primarily related to increased product sales to our collaboration partners under our supply agreements and increased net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022, were $118.9 million compared to $106.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of approximately $12.9 million. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to an increase in CVOT costs as we achieved 100% MACE accumulations and continued close-out activities.
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022, were $109.1 million compared to $185.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $75.9 million. The decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to decreases in compensation costs related to the reduction in force in the fourth quarter of 2021 and a $13.3 million one-time charge associated with a legal settlement in 2021.
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Interest expense
Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $56.8 million, compared to $46.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of approximately $10.4 million. The increase in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily due to additional non-cash interest expense attributable to our RIPA with Oberland.
Other income, net
Other income, net for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $2.7 million compared to $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $1.3 million. This decrease was primarily due to a $2.6 million gain on extinguishment on the exchange of our convertible notes for shares of our common stock and a gain on sale of our lease vehicles due to the reduction in force in the year ended December 31, 2021, partially offset by higher interest income on our investments due to higher interest rates in the year ended December 31, 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
While we began to generate revenue from the sales of our products in 2020, we have funded our operations to date primarily through proceeds from sales of preferred stock, convertible promissory notes and warrants, public offerings of common stock and warrants, the incurrence of indebtedness, milestone payments from collaboration agreements and our revenue interest purchase agreement. Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreements with Daiichi Sankyo and Otsuka, we are eligible for substantial additional sales and regulatory milestone payments and royalties. Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreements entered into April 2021 with Daiichi Sankyo, we received an upfront cash payment of $30.0 million in May 2021 and are eligible for substantial additional sales milestone payments and royalties. In December 2021, we entered into an underwriting agreement where we sold shares of common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase shares of our common stock and received net proceeds of $208.7 million. On April 15, 2022, we filed a new registration statement on Form S-3, which registers the offering, issuance and sale of up to $239 million of common stock from time to time in “at-the-market” offerings (the “New ATM Program”). During 2022, we issued 13,043,797 shares of common stock resulting in net proceeds of approximately $90.8 million. On February 21, 2023, we terminated the open market sales agreement with Jefferies LLC and entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agent, to provide for the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $70 million of common stock from time to time in “at-the-market” offerings, or the 2023 ATM Program, pursuant to our existing Form S-3 and the prospectus supplement to be filed on February 21, 2023. We may continue to use the 2023 ATM program or issue stock through other capital markets to address potential funding requirements. We anticipate that we will incur losses for the foreseeable future as we continue to incur substantial expenses related to the ongoing commercialization of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and expenses associated with our research and development activities.We anticipate that our current cash, cash equivalents, investments, expected future net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET, and expected future revenue under our collaboration agreements is sufficient to fund continuing operations for the foreseeable future.
As of December 31, 2022, our primary sources of liquidity were our cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments which totaled $166.9 million. We invest our cash equivalents and investments in highly liquid, interest-bearing investment-grade securities and government securities to preserve principal.
The following table summarizes the primary sources and uses of cash for the periods presented below:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 8,104 (50,484)
Net cash provided by financing activities 32,606 268,223
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (134,117) (46,070)
Operating Activities
We have incurred and expect to continue to incur, significant costs related to the commercialization of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and related to ongoing research and development, regulatory and other clinical study costs associated with the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet.
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Net cash used in operating activities totaled $174.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, consisting of net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET fully offset by cash used to fund the commercialization activities of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and the research and development costs related to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, adjusted for non-cash expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, interest expense related to our RIPA with Oberland and convertible notes, depreciation and amortization and changes in working capital. Net cash used in operating activities totaled $263.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, consisting of net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and $30.0 million in upfront fees from our collaboration agreement with DS fully offset by cash used to fund the commercialization activities of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and the research and development costs related to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, adjusted for non-cash expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, interest expense related to our RIPA with Oberland and convertible notes, depreciation and amortization and changes in working capital. The decrease in cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021 was primarily related to management implementing certain cost optimization measures, including a reduction in force in the fourth quarter of 2021, to align operational and expense structure to better enable future growth for their approved products and to prioritize their investment in the CLEAR Outcomes trial.
Investing Activities
Net cash provided by investing activities of $8.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 consisted primarily of proceeds from the sales of highly liquid, interest bearing investment grade and government securities. Net cash used in investing activities of $50.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted primarily of purchases of highly liquid, interest bearing investment grade and government securities.
Funds invested in available-for-sale investments in the year ended December 31, 2022 will become available for our use over the next twelve months.
Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities of $32.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, related primarily to proceeds from our ATM program, partially offset by a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in an amount equal to $50.0 million from the restricted cash account under the waiver and amendment of our RIPA with Oberland, and payments on our revenue interest liability. Net cash provided by financing activities of $268.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, related primarily to net $208.7 million received from our offering of common stock and warrants in December 2021, $50.0 million in cash from our RIPA with Oberland, proceeds from the issuance of common stock through the "at-the-market" offering and cash received from stock option exercises, offset by payments on our revenue interest liability.
On August 3, 2021, we filed an automatically effective registration statement on Form S-3ASR, or Registration Statement, with the SEC which registers the offering, issuance and sale of an unspecified amount of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and/or units of any combination thereof. We simultaneously entered into an open market sale agreement with Jefferies LLC, as sales agent, to provide for the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $250 million of common stock from time to time in “at-the-market” offerings under the Registration Statement and related prospectus filed with the Registration Statement, or the ATM Program. During the year ended December 31, 2021, we issued 897,364 shares of common stock resulting in net proceeds of approximately $9.7 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other expenses, pursuant to the ATM Program. On April 15, 2022, we filed a new registration statement on Form S-3, which registers the offering, issuance and sale of up to $239 million of common stock from time to time in “at-the-market” offerings, or the New ATM Program. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we issued 13,043,797 shares of common stock, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $90.8 million after deducting $3.1 million of underwriting discounts and commissions and other expenses, pursuant to the New ATM Program. On February 21, 2023, we terminated the open market sales agreement with Jefferies LLC and entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., as sales agent, to provide for the issuance and sale by the Company of up to $70 million of common stock from time to time in “at-the-market” offerings, or the 2023 ATM Program, pursuant to our existing Form S-3 and the prospectus supplement to be filed on February 21, 2023. We may continue to use the 2023 ATM Program to address potential short-term or long-term funding requirements that may arise. Such program will continue to be subject to the volatility of the price of our common stock and general market conditions.
In December 2021, we entered into an underwriting agreement where we sold 32,142,858 shares of common stock and accompanying warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 32,142,858 shares of our common stock. We also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 4,821,428 additional shares of common stock and/or accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of up to 4,821,428 shares of our common stock. The underwriters exercised the option to purchase additional warrants to purchase 4,821,428 shares of Common Stock. The aggregate net proceeds received by us from the
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offering was $208.7 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by us and excluding the net proceeds, if any, from the exercise of the common warrants. The warrants are immediately exercisable and will expire two years from the date of issuance, at an exercise price of $9.00 per share, which may provide us with additional funding, if such warrants are exercised by their holders.
In 2019, we entered into a RIPA with Oberland. Pursuant to the RIPA, Oberland paid us $125.0 million at closing, less certain issuance costs, and, subject to the terms and conditions of the RIPA, we received an additional $25.0 million upon regulatory approval of NEXLETOL in 2020 and were eligible to receive an additional $50.0 million at our option upon reaching certain sales thresholds. In April 2021, we entered into Amendment No. 2 to the RIPA and Oberland waived the original trailing six-month world-wide net sales condition to the third installment payment under the RIPA and released the final $50 million payment payable to us under the terms of the RIPA. The amendment also updated the tiered payment percentage. As the quarterly net revenue from sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and certain other products in the United States did not exceed $15.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, we deposited $50.0 million in a deposit account with Oberland, which reduced our unrestricted cash. On November 23, 2022, we entered into a waiver and amendment to the RIPA with Oberland, in which we agreed to make a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in an amount equal to $50 million from the restricted cash account (the “Partial Call”). Under this amendment, the amount of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (as defined in the RIPA) was reduced to $177,777,778. As consideration for the payments, Oberland has the right to receive certain revenue interests from us based on the net sales of certain products which will be tiered payments ranging from 3.3% to 10% of our net sales in the covered territory (as detailed in the RIPA). Esperion reacquires 100% revenue rights upon repayment completion. We recorded the proceeds from the RIPA as a liability on the balance sheets and are accounting for the RIPA under the effective-interest method over the estimated life of the RIPA. Future payments under the RIPA may range from $24.8 million in the next year to a maximum total payment of $363.3 million beyond one year. Per the terms of the agreement, every $100 million of net sales generated, less than or equal to $250 million in an annual aggregate, would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $10.0 million or 10% at the stated repayment rate in the first year. In the future, as net sales thresholds set forth in the agreement are met and the repayment percentage rate changes, the amount of the obligation and timing of payment is likely to change. As the U.S. net sales were less than $350 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Covered Territory was expanded to include worldwide sales beginning in 2022. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. Refer to Note 10 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information.
On November 16, 2020, we issued $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.00% convertible senior subordinated notes due 2025 to certain financial institutions as the initial purchasers of the convertible notes. An additional $30.0 million of additional convertible notes (collectively, the "Convertible Notes"), which were issued pursuant to the exercise of the initial purchasers' option to purchase such convertible notes, closed on November 18, 2020. On October 22, 2021, we entered into the Exchange Agreement with the Holders, of our Convertible Notes. Under the terms of the Exchange Agreement the Holders agreed to exchange with us $15.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes held in the aggregate by them (and accrued interest thereon) for shares of our common stock, which closed on November 3, 2021. Future payments under the convertible notes include annual interest of $10.6 million and a principal payment of $265.0 million in 2025. Refer to Note 11 to our audited financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Plan of Operations and Funding Requirements
We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future in connection with closing our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT and our continued commercialization activities associated with NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the U.S. Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreements with DSE, Otsuka, and DS, we are eligible for substantial additional sales and regulatory milestone payments and royalties. We estimate that current cash resources, proceeds to be received in the future for product sales and proceeds under the collaboration agreements with Daiichi Sankyo and Otsuka are sufficient to fund operations for the foreseeable future. We have based these estimates on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we may use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect. We may look to secure additional cash resources should positive corporate events or milestones provide sufficient opportunities. We may need to secure additional cash resources or implement certain additional cost reduction initiatives to continue to fund the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, particularly if our net product sales do not meet our expectations. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and ongoing commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, and the extent to which we entered and may enter into collaborations with pharmaceutical partners regarding the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, we are unable to estimate the amounts of increased capital outlays and operating expenses associated with completing the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:
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•our ability to successfully develop and commercialize NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET or other product candidates;
•the costs, timing and outcomes of our ongoing clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet;
•the time and cost necessary to obtain regulatory approvals for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet outside the U.S. and Europe;
•our ability to establish any future collaboration or commercialization arrangements on favorable terms, if at all;
•our ability to realize the intended benefits of our existing and future collaboration and partnerships, including receiving potential milestone payments from collaboration partners;
•the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims; and
•the implementation of operational and financial information technology.
Until such time, if ever, as we can generate U.S. substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings and equity offerings or other sources. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a common stockholder. Debt financing, if available and permitted under the terms of our RIPA, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with pharmaceutical partners or royalty-based financing arrangements, such as the collaboration arrangement with DSE, Otsuka and DS, and the RIPA with Oberland, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. For instance, as part of the RIPA with Oberland, Oberland has the right to receive certain revenue interests from us based on the net sales of certain products, and we have granted Oberland a senior security interest in certain of our assets. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to allow us to make required payments, we may have to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets or seek additional capital. If we raise funds by selling additional equity, such sale would result in dilution to our stockholders. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or permitted debt financings or through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements or permitted royalty-based financing arrangements when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
We do not currently have, nor did we have during the periods presented, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined by Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We had cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments of approximately $166.9 million at December 31, 2022. The primary objectives of our investment activities are to preserve principal, provide liquidity and maximize income without significantly increasing risk. Our primary exposure to market risk relates to fluctuations in interest rates which are affected by changes in the general level of U.S. interest rates. Given the short-term nature of our cash equivalents, we believe that a sudden change in market interest rates would not be expected to have a material impact on our financial condition and/or results of operation. We do not have any foreign currency or other derivative financial instruments.
We maintain significant amounts of cash and cash equivalents at one or more financial institutions that are in excess of federally insured limits. We do not believe that our cash and cash equivalents have significant risk of default or illiquidity.
We contract with CROs and investigational sites globally. We are therefore subject to fluctuations in foreign currency rates in connection with these agreements. We do not hedge our foreign currency exchange rate risk.
Inflation generally affects us by increasing our cost of labor and clinical study costs. We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our results of operations during the year ended December 31, 2022.
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The warrants currently have an exercise price of $9 per share and holders of the warrants may not exercise if the market price of our common stock is below $9. As a result, we may be unable to obtain potential proceeds from the exercise of these warrants if the market price of our common stock does not exceed $9 per share.
We have entered into a revenue interest purchase agreement. Our primary exposure to market risk is that the interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. Our Convertible Notes, which were issued in November 2020, carry a fixed interest rate of 4.0% per year. Since the Convertible Notes bear interest at a fixed rate, we have no direct financial statement risk associated with changes in interest rates. We do not believe a change in interest rate has had a material effect on our results of operations during the year ended December 31, 2022.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The financial statements required to be filed pursuant to this Item 8 are appended to this report. An index of those financial statements is found in Item 15.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 is (1) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (2) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer, who is our principal executive officer, and our Chief Financial Officer, who is our principal financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As of December 31, 2022, our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934). Our management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives, and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded based upon the evaluation described above that, as of December 31, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for our company. Internal control over financial reporting is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act as a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer and effected by the company’s board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of our company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements prepared for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
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Our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, based on criteria for effective internal control over financial reporting established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013), issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on its assessment, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2022, based on those criteria.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes to our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the three months ended December 31, 2022, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not Applicable.
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PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the information that will be contained in our proxy statement related to the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which we intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the end of our fiscal year pursuant to General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the information that will be contained in our proxy statement related to the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which we intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the end of our fiscal year pursuant to General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the information that will be contained in our proxy statement related to the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which we intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the end of our fiscal year pursuant to General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the information that will be contained in our proxy statement related to the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which we intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the end of our fiscal year pursuant to General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
Our independent public accounting firm is Ernst & Young LLP, Detroit, Michigan, PCAOB Auditor ID 42.
The information required by this Item is incorporated herein by reference to the information that will be contained in our proxy statement related to the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which we intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days of the end of our fiscal year pursuant to General Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
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PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)The following documents are filed as part of this report:
(1)Financial Statements:
Balance Sheets F-4
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss F-5
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) F-6
Statements of Cash Flows F-7
Notes to Financial Statements F-8
(2)Financial Statement Schedules:
All financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not applicable, not required or the information required is shown in the financial statements or the notes thereto.
(3)Exhibits. The exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are set forth on the Exhibit Index included herein. The Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.
None.
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Exhibit Index
Exhibit No. Description of Exhibit
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23.1** Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
101.SCH** Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL** Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.LAB** Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE** Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
101.DEF** Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
______________________________________________________
(#) Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
(*) Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(**) Filed herewith.
(***) The certifications furnished in Exhibit 32.1 hereto are deemed to accompany this Annual Report on Form 10-K and will not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such certifications will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that the Registrant specifically incorporates it by reference.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ SHELDON L. KOENIG
Sheldon L. Koenig
President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated below and on the dates indicated:
Signature Title Date
Sheldon L. Koenig (Principal Executive Officer)
Benjamin Halladay and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ JEFFREY BERKOWITZ, J.D. Director February 21, 2023
Jeffrey Berkowitz, J.D.
/s/ J. MARTIN CARROLL Director February 21, 2023
J. Martin Carroll
/s/ SETH H.Z. FISCHER Director February 21, 2023
Seth H.Z. Fischer
/s/ ALAN FUHRMAN Director February 21, 2023
Alan Fuhrman
/s/ ANTONIO M. GOTTO, M.D., D. PHIL Director February 21, 2023
Antonio M. Gotto, M.D., D. Phil
/s/ STEPHEN ROCAMBOLI Director February 21, 2023
Stephen Rocamboli
/s/ JAY SHEPARD Director February 21, 2023
Jay Shepard
/s/ NICOLE VITULLO Director February 21, 2023
Nicole Vitullo
/s/ TRACY M. WOODY Director February 21, 2023
Tracy M. Woody
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Index to the Financial Statements
Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm F-2
Financial Statements
Balance Sheets F-4
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss F-5
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) F-6
Statements of Cash Flows F-7
Notes to Financial Statements F-8
F-1
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the related statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders' equity (deficit) and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosure to which it relates.
F-2
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Valuation of revenue interest liability
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2008.
Detroit, Michigan
February 21, 2023
F-3
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share data)
Assets
Current assets:
Prepaid clinical development costs 1,026 1,138
Property and equipment, net 164 664
Right of use operating lease assets 1,036 1,898
Intangible assets 56 56
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Current liabilities:
Accrued clinical development costs 5,426 7,013
Deferred revenue from collaborations 3,507 5,683
Operating lease liabilities 384 1,392
Operating lease liabilities 665 524
Deferred revenue from collaborations — 634
Commitments and contingencies (Note 5)
Stockholders’ (deficit) equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2) (31)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit $ 247,939 $ 381,590
See accompanying notes to the financial statements.
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
Year Ended December 31,
Revenues:
Operating expenses:
Net loss per common share (basic and diluted) $ (3.52) $ (9.31)
Other comprehensive (loss) gain:
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments $ 29 $ (31)
See accompanying notes to the financial statements.
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)
(in thousands, except share data)
Accumulated
Additional Other Total
Common Stock Paid-In Accumulated Treasury Comprehensive Stockholders'
Shares Amount Capital Deficit Stock Loss Equity (Deficit)
Adoption of new accounting pronouncement — — (93,475) 1,548 — — (91,927)
Vesting of restricted stock units 203,344 — — — — — —
Other comprehensive loss — — — — — (31) (31)
Vesting of restricted stock units 440,697 1 — — — — 1
Other comprehensive gain — — — — — 29 29
See accompanying notes to the financial statements.
F-6
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
Operating activities
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Amortization of premiums and discounts on investments 279 12
Amortization of discount and issuance costs on convertible notes 1,621 1,621
Gain on extinguishment of convertible debt — (2,646)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Prepaids and other assets 1,419 99
Other long-term liabilities — (1,290)
Investing activities
Proceeds from sales/maturities of investments 68,001 —
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 8,104 (50,484)
Financing activities
Proceeds from revenue interest liability, net of issuance costs — 49,917
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options — 3,762
Payment for debt issuance costs on convertible notes — (440)
Payments on revenue interest liability (8,024) (3,389)
Repayment of principal on revenue interest liability (50,000) —
Payment for other issuance costs (219) (315)
Net cash provided by financing activities 32,606 268,223
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (134,117) (46,070)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 124,775 $ 258,892
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Issuance costs not yet paid $ 1 $ 269
Non cash right of use asset 5 $ (7)
See accompanying notes to the financial statements.
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Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements
1. The Company and Basis of Presentation
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. ("the Company”) is a pharmaceutical company singularly focused on developing and commercializing accessible, oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients struggling with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol ("LDL-C"). Through commercial execution and completion of the CLEAR Outcomes trial as well as advancing the Company's pre-clinical pipeline, the Company continues to evolve into a differentiated, global cardiometabolic biotech. The Esperion team of lipid experts are dedicated to lowering bad cholesterol through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines and their combinations with established medicines. The Company's first two products were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), European Medicines Agency ("EMA") and Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products ("Swissmedic") in 2020. Bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet are oral, once-daily, non-statin, LDL-C lowering medicines for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ("ASCVD") or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia ("HeFH").
The Company recently completed a global cardiovascular outcomes trial ("CVOT"), —known as Cholesterol Lowering via BEmpedoic Acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen ("CLEAR") Outcomes. The trial was designed to evaluate whether treatment with bempedoic acid reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in patients who are statin averse and who have cardiovascular disease ("CVD") or are at high risk for CVD. The Company initiated the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in December 2016 and fully enrolled the study with over 14,000 patients in August 2019. The primary endpoint of the study was the effect of bempedoic acid on four types of major adverse cardiovascular events ("MACE") (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes was an event-driven trial and concluded once the predetermined number of MACE endpoints occurred. On December 7, 2022, the Company announced that the study had met its primary endpoint. The Company anticipates reporting full results from the study at ACC.23 Annual Scientific Session & Expo together with the World Congress of Cardiology ("ACC.23/WCC") on March 4, 2023. The Company intends to use results from this CVOT to support submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S., Europe and other territories and plans to file for such regulatory approvals in the first half of 2023.
On November 23, 2022, the Company entered into a waiver and amendment to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement ("RIPA") with Eiger III SA LLC ("Oberland"), in which the Company agreed to make a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in an amount equal to $50 million from the restricted cash account (the “Partial Call”). Under this amendment, the amount of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (as defined in the RIPA) was reduced to $177,777,778. Refer to Note 10 "Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement" for further information.
The Company's primary activities since incorporation have been conducting research and development activities, including nonclinical, preclinical and clinical testing, performing business and financial planning, recruiting personnel, raising capital, and commercializing its products. The Company received approval by the FDA in February 2020 to commercialize NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the U.S., and accordingly commenced principal operations on March 30, 2020 with the commercialization of NEXLETOL. The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties which include the need to successfully commercialize its products, research, develop, and clinically test therapeutic products; obtain regulatory approvals for its products; successfully manage relationships with its collaboration partners; expand its management, commercial and scientific staff; and finance its operations with an ultimate goal of achieving profitable operations.
The Company has sustained annual operating losses since inception and expects such losses to continue over the foreseeable future. The Company's ability to successfully launch, commercialize and generate revenue from NEXLETOL, NEXLIZET, NILEMDO and NUSTENDI has been and may continue to be adversely affected by the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While management believes current cash resources and future cash received from the Company's net product sales and collaboration agreements with Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE"), Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd ("Otsuka"), and Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd ("DS"), entered into on January 2, 2019, April 17, 2020 and April 26, 2021, respectively, will fund operations for the foreseeable future, management may continue to fund operations and advance the development of the Company's products and product candidates through a combination of collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings, and permitted private and public equity offerings or through other sources.
F-8
Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
1. The Company and Basis of Presentation (Continued)
If adequate funds are not available, the Company may not be able to continue the development of its current products or future product candidates, or to commercialize its current or future product candidates, if approved.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, net revenues, expenses and related disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company invests its excess cash in bank deposits, money market accounts, and short-term investments. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are reported at fair value.
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash consists of legally restricted amounts held by financial institutions pursuant to contractual arrangements. Pursuant to the Amendment and Waiver (as defined below), in 2021 the Company deposited $50.0 million in a deposit account that was subject to a block account control agreement. Oberland had the sole control over the funds deposited in the account and such funds could be withdrawn only with the consent of Oberland. On November 23, 2022, pursuant to the Waiver and Amendment No.3, the Company agreed to make a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in the amount of $50.0 million, the full amount that was subject to the block account control agreement. Refer to Note 10 "Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement" for further information on the Amendment and Waiver.
Investments
Investments are considered to be available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses, if any, are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The cost of investments classified as available-for-sale are adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity and recorded in other income, net. Realized gains and losses, if any, are determined using the specific identification method and recorded in other income, net. Investments with original maturities beyond 90 days at the date of purchase and which mature at, or less than twelve months from, the balance sheet date are classified as current. Investments with a maturity beyond twelve months from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits, stock-based compensation, and costs of programs necessary for the general conduct of the Company's business, including costs associated with the commercialization of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the U.S. Selling, general and administrative expenses are expensed as costs are incurred, services are performed, or goods are delivered. The Company incurred advertising costs of $11.3 million and $13.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Concentration of Credit Risk
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments consist of financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk. The Company has established guidelines for investment of its excess cash and believes the guidelines maintain safety and liquidity through diversification of counterparties and maturities. The Company enters into a limited number of distribution agreements with distributors and specialty pharmacies. The Company's net product sales are with these customers. As of December 31, 2022, eleven customers accounted for all of the Company's net trade receivables and as of December 31, 2021 nine customers accounted for all the Company's net trade receivables.
Inventories
Inventoriesare stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value and recognized on a first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. The Company uses standard cost to determine the cost basis for inventory. Inventory is capitalized based on when future economic benefit is expected to be realized.
The Company analyzes its inventory levels on a periodic basis to determine if any inventory is at risk for expiration prior to sale or has a cost basis that is greater than its estimated future net realizable value. Any adjustments are recognized through cost of goods sold in the period in which they are incurred.
Segment Information
The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment, which is the business of researching, developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated LDL-C.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments are carried at fair value. Financial instruments, including accounts receivable, other prepaid and current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Debt is carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, generally three to ten years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the related assets.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment and right-of-use operating lease assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss, if recognized, would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset over its respective fair value. No impairment losses have been recorded through December 31, 2022.
Leases
The Company reviews all arrangements to determine if the contract contains a lease or an embedded lease using the criteria in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 842 Leases ("ASC 842"). If a lease is identified, the Company reviews the consideration in the contract and separates the lease components from the nonlease components. In addition, the Company reviews the classification of the lease between operating and finance leases. According to ASC 842, lessees should discount lease payments at the lease commencement date using the rate implicit in the lease. If the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, a lessee must use its incremental borrowing rate for purposes of classifying the lease and measuring the right-of-use asset and liability. To the extent the rate is not implicit in the lease, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate it
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term in an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.
Convertible Notes
In August 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 simplified the accounting for convertible instruments by removing the separation models for convertible debt with cash conversion features and convertible instruments with a beneficial conversion feature, which required the fair value of the embedded conversion feature of convertible instruments be allocated to equity. Under ASU 2020-06, a convertible debt instrument with those features will generally be reported as a single liability at its amortized cost with no separate accounting for the embedded conversion features in equity. The adoption of this ASU resulted in the reclassification of the portion of the Company's convertible notes from equity to debt, which also reduced reported interest expense and increased reported net income. ASU 2020-06 requires the application of the if-converted method when calculating diluted earnings per share, eliminating the Company’s ability to use the treasury stock method when certain conditions are met. The ASU was effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company early adopted this standard on January 1, 2021 which resulted in a net increase in the Convertible Notes of approximately $92.0 million, an adjustment to accumulated deficit of approximately $1.5 million, and a reduction to additional paid-in capital of $93.5 million. The tax impact of the adoption was not material to the Company.
Revenue Interest Liability
The revenue interest liability is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method.
Revenue Recognition
In accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), the Company recognizes revenue when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services provided. To determine revenue recognition for arrangements within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following five steps: identify the contracts with a customer; identify the performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and recognize revenue when or as the entity satisfies a performance obligation. At contract inception the Company assesses the goods or services promised within each contract and determines those that are performance obligations and assesses whether each promised good or service is distinct. The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when or as the performance obligation is satisfied. The Company derives revenue through two primary sources: collaboration revenue and product sales. Collaboration revenue consists of the collaboration payments to the Company for collaboration arrangements outside of the United States for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of the Company's product candidates by the Company's partners and product sales consists of sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the United States.
a.Collaboration Revenue
The Company has entered into agreements related to its activities to develop, manufacture, and commercialize its product candidates. The Company earns collaboration revenue in connection with a collaboration agreement to develop and/or commercialize product candidates where the Company deems the collaborator to be the customer. In accordance with ASC 606, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or providing services to a customer. Revenue is recognized when (or as) the Company satisfies performance obligations under the terms of a contract. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, the Company may defer the recognition of all or a portion of the consideration received as the performance obligations are satisfied.
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
The collaboration agreements may require the Company to deliver various rights, services, and/or goods across the entire life cycle of a product or product candidate. In an agreement involving multiple goods or services promised to be transferred to a customer, the Company must assess, at the inception of the contract, whether each promise represents a separate performance obligation (i.e., is "distinct"), or whether such promises should be combined as a single performance obligation.
The terms of the agreements typically include consideration to be provided to the Company in the form of non-refundable up-front payments, development milestones, sales milestones, and royalties on sales of products within a respective territory. The Company recognizes regulatory and approval milestones consideration when it is probable that a future reversal is unlikely to occur. For sales based milestones and royalties based on sales of product in a territory, the Company applies the sales-based royalty exception in ASC 606 to all of these milestones and royalties.
At the inception of a contract, the transaction price reflects the amount of consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to its customer. In the arrangement where the Company satisfies performance obligation(s) during the regulatory phase over time, the Company recognizes collaboration revenue typically using an input method on the basis of regulatory costs incurred relative to the total expected cost which determines the extent of progress toward completion. The Company reviews the estimate of the transaction price and the total expected cost each period, and makes revisions to such estimates as necessary. Under contracted supply agreements with collaborators, the Company may manufacture and supply quantities of active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) or bulk tablets reasonably required by collaboration partners for the development or sale of licensed products in their respective territory. The Company recognizes revenue when the collaboration partner has obtained control of the API or bulk tablets. The Company records the costs related to the supply agreement in cost of goods sold on the statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).
Under the Company's collaboration agreements, product sales and cost of sales may be recorded by the Company's collaborators as they are deemed to be the principal in the transaction. The Company receives royalties from the commercialization of such products, and records its share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by the collaborators.
b.Product Sales, Net
On March 30, 2020, NEXLETOL was commercially available in the U.S. through prescription and on June 4, 2020, NEXLIZET was commercially available in the U.S. through prescription. Net product sales totaled $55.9 million and $40.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.
The Company sells NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET to wholesalers in the U.S and recognizes revenue at the point in time when the customer is deemed to have obtained control of the product. The customer is deemed to have obtained control of the product at the time of physical receipt of the product at the customers’ distribution facilities, or free on board (“FOB”) destination, the terms of which are designated in the contract.
Product sales are recorded at the net selling price, which includes estimates of variable consideration for which reserves are established for (a) rebates and chargebacks, (b) co-pay assistance programs, (c) distribution fees, (d) product returns, and (e) other discounts and fees. Where appropriate, these estimates take into consideration a range of possible outcomes which are probability-weighted for relevant factors such as current contractual and statutory requirements, and forecasted customer buying and payment patterns. Overall, these reserves reflect the Company's best estimates of the amount of consideration to which it is entitled based on the terms of the applicable contract. The amount of variable consideration may be constrained and is included in the net sales price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur in a future period. Given the early stage of the Company’s commercial operations it has provided constraint of its variable consideration due to its potential consumption trends. Actual amounts of consideration ultimately received may differ from the Company's estimates. If actual results in the future vary from estimates, the Company adjusts these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known.
Liabilities for co-pay assistance, expected product returns, rebates, and distributor fees are classified as “Other accrued liabilities” in the balance sheets. Discounts, such as prompt pay discounts, and chargebacks are recorded as a reduction to trade accounts receivable in the balance sheets.
F-12
Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Forms of Variable Consideration
Rebates and Chargebacks: The Company estimates reductions to product sales for Public Health Service Institutions, such as Medicaid, Medicare and Veterans' Administration ("VA") programs, as well as certain other qualifying federal and state government programs, and other group purchasing organizations. The Company estimates these reductions based upon the Company's contracts with government agencies and other organizations, statutorily defined discounts and estimated payor mix. These organizations purchase directly from the Company's wholesalers at a discount and the wholesalers charge the Company back the difference between the wholesaler price and the discounted price. The Company's liability for Medicare and Medicaid rebates consists of estimates for claims that a state will make for a current quarter. The Company's reserve for this discounted pricing is based on expected sales to qualified healthcare providers and the chargebacks that customers have already claimed.
Co-pay assistance: Eligible patients who have commercial insurance may receive assistance from the Company to reduce the patient's out of pocket costs. The Company will buy down the difference between the amount of the eligible patient's co-pay when the drug is purchased at the pharmacy at a determined price. Liabilities for co-pay assistance are calculated by actual program participation from third-party administrators.
Distribution Fees: The Company has written contracts with its customers that include terms for distribution fees and costs for inventory management. The Company estimates and records distribution fees due to its customers based on gross sales.
Product Returns: The Company generally offers a right of return based on the product’s expiration date and certain spoilage and damaged instances. The Company estimates the amount of product sales that may be returned and records the estimate as a reduction of product sales in the period the related product sales is recognized. The Company’s estimates for expected returns are based primarily on an ongoing analysis of historical returns sales information and visibility into the inventory remaining in the distribution channel.
Discounts: The Company provides product discounts, such as prompt pay discounts, to its customers. The Company estimates cash discounts based on terms in negotiated contracts and the Company’s expectations regarding future payment patterns.
Cost of Goods Sold
Cost of goods sold is related to the Company's net product sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and the cost of the API and tablets supplied to collaboration partners under supply agreements. Cost of goods sold includes the actual product costs, including inbound freight charges and certain outbound freight charges, purchasing, sourcing, inspection and receiving costs.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred to further the Company’s research and development activities and include salaries and related benefits, costs associated with clinical activities, nonclinical activities, regulatory activities, manufacturing activities to support clinical activities and commercial product manufacturing supply prior to the Company's regulatory approval, research-related overhead expenses, in-licensing agreements and fees paid to external service providers that conduct certain research and development, clinical, and manufacturing activities on behalf of the Company. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Accrued Clinical Development Costs
Outside research costs are a component of research and development expense. These expenses include fees paid to clinical research organizations and other service providers that conduct certain clinical and product development activities on behalf of the Company. Depending upon the timing of payments to the service providers, the Company recognizes prepaid expenses or accrued expenses related to these costs. These accrued or prepaid expenses are based on management’s estimates of the work performed under service agreements, milestones achieved and experience with similar contracts. The Company monitors each of these factors and adjusts estimates accordingly.
F-13
Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
Income Taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. Accordingly, it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize a tax benefit from its deferred tax assets and as such, it has recorded a full valuation allowance.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value. The fair value for stock options and performance-based stock options is calculated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. If the instruments contain performance conditions, compensation expense is recognized only if achievement of the performance condition is probable. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. Expense is recognized during the period the related services are rendered.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company does not expect adoption of any recently issued accounting pronouncements to have a material impact on the financial statements.
3. Collaborations with Third Parties
DSE Agreement Terms
On January 2, 2019, the Company entered into a license and collaboration agreement with DSE, which was further amended on June 18, 2020. Pursuant to the agreement (as amended), the Company granted DSE exclusive commercialization rights to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in the European Economic Area, Turkey and Switzerland (“DSE Territory”). DSE will be responsible for commercialization in the DSE Territory. DSE's designated affiliate in Turkey will be solely responsible, at its sole cost and expense, for all regulatory matters relating to such products in Turkey, including obtaining regulatory approval for such products in Turkey. The Company remains responsible for clinical development, regulatory and manufacturing activities for the licensed products globally, included in the DSE Territory outside of Turkey.
Pursuant to the agreement, the Company received upfront cash of $150.0 million in 2019, and a $150.0 million cash payment to the Company in 2020 following the completion of the NUSTENDI Marketing Authorisation Applications ("MAA"). The Company is responsible for supplying DSE with certain manufacturing supply of the API or bulk tablets. The Company is also eligible to receive a substantial additional regulatory milestone payment upon the grant of the marketing authorisation in the European Union for the CV risk reduction label, depending on the range of relative risk reduction in the CLEAR Outcomes study. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive additional sales milestone payments related to total net sales achievements for DSE in the DSE Territory. Finally, the Company will receive tiered fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-five percent (25%) royalties on net DSE Territory sales.
The agreement calls for both parties to participate in a Joint Collaboration Committee (the “DSE JCC”). The DSE JCC is comprised of executive management from each company and the Company will lead in all aspects related to development and DSE will lead in all aspects related to commercialization in the DSE Territory.
Collaboration Revenue
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company recognized collaboration revenue of $18.2 million and $9.9 million, respectively, related to royalty revenue from DSE as well as the sales of bulk tablets to DSE pursuant to the supply agreement that was executed with DSE.
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
3. Collaborations with Third Parties (Continued)
All remaining future potential milestone amounts were not included in the transaction price, as they were all determined to be fully constrained following the concepts of ASC 606 due to the fact that such amounts hinge on development activities, regulatory approvals and sales-based milestones. Additionally, the Company expects that any consideration related to sales-based milestones will be recognized when the subsequent sales occur.
Otsuka Agreement Terms
On April 17, 2020, the Company entered into a license and collaboration agreement ("the Otsuka Agreement") with Otsuka. Pursuant to the Otsuka Agreement, the Company granted Otsuka exclusive development and commercialization rights to NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in Japan. Otsuka will be responsible for all development, regulatory, and commercialization activities in Japan. In addition, Otsuka will fund all clinical development costs associated with the program in Japan.
Pursuant to the agreement, the consideration consists of a $60.0 million upfront cash payment and the Company will be eligible to receive additional payments of up to $450.0 million if certain regulatory and commercial milestones are achieved by Otsuka. The potential future milestone payments include up to $20 million upon first JNDA submissions in the Otsuka Territory, up to $70.0 million upon the first NHI Price Listing for NEXLETOL in the Otsuka Territory, and up to $50.0 million upon the achievement of the primary major adverse cardiovascular events (“MACE”) in the CLEAR Outcomes study and inclusion of the CV risk reduction indication in the U.S. label, depending on the range of relative risk reduction in the CLEAR Outcomes study. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive additional sales milestone payments up to $310.0 million related to total net sales achievements for Otsuka in Japan. Finally, the Company will receive tiered fifteen percent (15%) to thirty percent (30%) royalties on net sales in Japan.
Collaboration Revenue
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized $0.6 million of collaboration revenue related to sales of bulk tablets to Otsuka pursuant to the supply agreement that was executed with Otsuka. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company did not recognize any revenue related to the agreement.
All future potential milestone amounts were not included in the transaction price, as they were all determined to be fully constrained following the concepts of ASC 606 due to the fact that such amounts hinge on development activities, regulatory approvals and sales-based milestones. Additionally, the Company expects that any consideration related to royalties and sales-based milestones will be recognized when the subsequent sales occur.
The Company has not yet recognized any revenue for milestone payments as the related regulatory and commercial milestones have not yet been achieved.
DS Agreement Terms
Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreement ("DS Agreement"), executed in April 2021, the Company granted DS exclusive rights to develop and commercialize bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in the DS Territory. The agreement allows for potential expansion across geographies including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Colombia and other Latin American countries. Except for certain development activities in South Korea and Taiwan, DS will be responsible for development and commercialization in these territories. In addition, DS will fund all development costs associated with the program in the DS Territory. Pursuant to the agreement, the consideration consists of a $30.0 million upfront cash payment that is non-refundable, non-reimbursable and non-creditable. The Company will be eligible to receive additional one-time payments of up to $175.0 million if certain commercial milestones are achieved by DS. Also, the Company will receive tiered royalties of five percent (5%) to twenty percent (20%) of net sales in the DS Territory.
Collaboration Revenue
The Company considered the guidance under ASC 606 and concluded that the DS Agreement was in the scope of ASC 606. The Company concluded that the upfront payment of $30.0 million should be included in the transaction price and related to the following performance obligations under the DS Agreement: 1) the license to the Company’s intellectual property and 2) the obligation to provide ongoing development activities. The Company used the adjusted market assessment approach in
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
3. Collaborations with Third Parties (Continued)
determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s intellectual property and the expected cost plus margin approach in determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s obligation to provide ongoing development activities. Accordingly, during the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recognized $28.5 million of collaboration revenue related to the $30.0 million upfront payment. The $28.5 million relates to the performance obligations for the license to the Company’s intellectual property and a portion of ongoing regulatory and development activities conducted during the year ended December 31, 2021, in the amounts of $28.0 million and $0.5 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized $0.8 million of collaboration revenue related to the ongoing regulatory and development activities. The remaining $0.7 million of the upfront payment was deferred as of December 31, 2022 due to an on-going performance obligation related to the developmental activities in South Korea and Taiwan. This deferred revenue will be recognized ratably over the period leading up to the completion of these developmental activities.
All future potential milestone amounts were not included in the transaction price, as they were all determined to be fully constrained following the concepts of ASC 606 due to the fact that such amounts hinge on development activities, regulatory approvals and sales-based milestones. Additionally, the Company expects that any consideration related to royalties and sales-based milestones will be recognized when the subsequent sales occur.
Other Agreements
In December 2020, the Company entered into a licensing agreement with Serometrix to in-license a series of early stage compounds known as scaffolds related to its oral, small molecule PCSK9 inhibitor program. PCSK9 is an enzyme responsible for regulating LDL receptors. PCSK9 inhibitors stop LDL receptors from being broken down, increasing the number of LDL receptors present to remove cholesterol from the blood. The agreement allows the Company use of the PCSK9 compounds, which were patented by Serometrix prior to the licensing agreement, to perform further research and development with the goal of developing a small molecule oral PCSK9 inhibitor that can be taken as a tablet.
In exchange for these rights, the Company agreed to pay Serometrix an upfront payment, milestone payments and royalties on net sales of licensed products under the agreement. The Company is obligated to make milestone payments to Serometrix upon the achievement of specified development, regulatory and commercialization milestones. The development milestone payments due under the agreement depend on the licensed product being developed. As part of the agreement, the Company made an upfront cash payment of $12.5 million in December 2020, which was recorded to research and development expense, to Serometrix, with payments in future years tied to specific milestones. The Company has also agreed to pay tiered royalties based on net sales of all products licensed under the agreement of low to mid-single-digit percentages.
4. Inventories, net
Inventories, net consist of the following:
December 31,
(in thousands)
5. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
On January 12, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, against the Company and Tim Mayleben, captioned Kevin L. Dougherty v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 16-cv-10089). The lawsuit alleges that the Company and Mr. Mayleben violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 by allegedly failing to disclose in an August 17, 2015, public statement that the FDA would require a cardiovascular outcomes trial before approving the Company’s lead product candidate. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
5. Commitments and Contingencies (Continued)
stock price between August 18, 2015, and September 28, 2015, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. On March 12, 2021, the parties agreed to a settlement in principle of the securities class action, and on April 26, 2021, the parties entered into a stipulation of settlement to resolve all legal claims, in which defendants expressly deny that they have committed any act or omission giving rise to any liability under Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Under the terms of the stipulation of settlement, which the court approved on August 24, 2021, the Company and certain of the Company's insurance carriers caused a payment of $18.25 million to be made to the plaintiff class. As a result of this settlement agreement, the Company recorded a loss on settlement of $13.25 million during 2021 in selling, general, and administrative expenses on the statements of operations and comprehensive loss, which represents the litigation settlement of $18.25 million offset by $5.0 million in insurance claim proceeds from our insurance carriers.
6. Property and Equipment, net
Property and equipment, net, consist of the following:
December 31,
(in thousands)
Furniture, fixtures and other 1,170 1,170
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization 2,551 2,051
Property and equipment, net $ 164 $ 664
Depreciation expense was $0.5 million and $0.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
7. Other Accrued Liabilities
Other accrued liabilities consist of the following:
December 31,
(in thousands)
Accrued interest on convertible notes 1,325 1,325
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
8. Investments
The following table summarizes the Company’s cash equivalents and investments:
Gross Gross Estimated
Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Certificates of deposit 401 — — 401
Short-term investments:
Gross Gross Estimated
Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair
Cost Gains Losses Value
(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Certificates of deposit 400 — — 400
Short-term investments:
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, other income, net in the statements of operations includes interest income on available-for-sale investments of $2.4 million and $0.1 million, respectively. Other income, net in the statements of operations includes amortization of premiums and discounts on investments of $0.2 million and less than $0.1 million during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
At December 31, 2022, remaining contractual maturities of available-for-sale investments classified as current on the balance sheet were less than 12 months. The Company does not intend to sell the investments before maturity.
There were no unrealized gains or losses on investments reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to other income, net in the statements of operations during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
9. Fair Value Measurements
The Company follows accounting guidance that emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. Fair value is defined as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” Fair value measurements are defined on a three level hierarchy:
The following table presents the Company’s financial assets that have been measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Description Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Assets:
Certificates of deposit 401 401 — —
Assets:
Certificates of deposit 400 400 — —
There were notransfers between Levels 1, 2 or 3 during the years ended December 31, 2022 or December 31, 2021.
10. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
On June 26, 2019, the Company entered into a RIPA with Oberland, as agent for purchasers party thereto (the “Purchasers”), and the Purchasers named therein, to obtain financing in respect to the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and other working capital needs. Pursuant to the RIPA, the Company received $125.0 million at closing, less certain issuance costs. The Company was entitled to receive up to approximately $75.0 million in subsequent installments subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the RIPA: (i) $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of its product candidates and (ii) $50.0 million, at the Company’s option, upon reaching $100.0 million trailing worldwide six-month net sales any time prior to December 31, 2021 (the “Third Payment”). In March 2020, the Company received $25.0 million from Oberland upon receiving regulatory approval of NEXLETOL.
As consideration for such payments, the Purchasers will have a right to receive certain revenue interests (the “Revenue Interests”) from the Company based upon net sales of the Company’s certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments initially ranging from 2.5% to 7.5% of the Company’s net sales in the covered territory (the “Covered Territory”); provided that if annual net sales equal or exceed the Sales Threshold and if the Purchasers receive 100% of their invested
F-19
Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
10. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (Continued)
capital by December 31, 2024, the revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 0.4% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory beginning on January 1, 2025. If the Third Payment is drawn down by the Company, the applicable royalty rates will increase by one-third. The Covered Territory is the United States, but is subject to expand to include the world-wide net sales if the Company’s annual U.S. net sales are less than $350.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The U.S. net sales milestone thresholds are not to be taken as financial guidance. The Purchasers’ rights to receive the Revenue Interests shall terminate on the date on which the Purchasers have received Revenue Interests payments of 195% of the then aggregate purchase price (the “Cumulative Purchaser Payments”) paid to the Company, unless the RIPA is terminated earlier.
Under the RIPA, the Company has an option (the “Call Option”) to terminate the RIPA and repurchase future Revenue Interests at any time upon advance written notice. Additionally, the Purchasers have an option (the “Put Option”) to terminate the RIPA and to require the Company to repurchase future Revenue Interests upon enumerated events such as a bankruptcy event, an uncured material breach, a material adverse effect or a change of control.
In addition, the RIPA contains various representations and warranties, information rights, non-financial covenants, indemnification obligations and other provisions that are customary for a transaction of this nature.
RIPA Amendments
On April 26, 2021, the Company entered into Amendment No. 2 (the “RIPA Amendment 2”) to the RIPA with Oberland, as agent for the purchaser parties thereto. Pursuant to the RIPA Amendment 2, Oberland waived the original trailing six-month world-wide net sales condition to the third installment payment under the RIPA and released the final $50 million payment payable to the Company under the terms of the RIPA. The Company and Oberland also agreed to amend additional terms of the RIPA such that the purchasers will have a right to receive certain revenue interests (the “Revenue Interests”) from the Company based on net sales of the Company’s certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments ranging from 3.33% to 10% (the “Third Payment Applicable Percentage”) of the Company’s net sales in the covered territory (the “Covered Territory”); provided that (a) prior to December 31, 2024, with respect to each country defined in the Daiichi Territory, if the percentage of net sales that Company receives from Daiichi (the “Receivables Percentage”) is less than the Third Payment Applicable Percentage, then the Revenue Interest for such country payable to the purchasers will be equal to the Receivables Percentages, (b) if annual net sales equal or exceed $350 million and if the Purchasers receive 100% of their invested capital (Cumulative Purchaser Payments") by December 31, 2024, the revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 3.33% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory for all subsequent calendar quarters and (c) if the Purchasers receive Revenue Interest payments less than 100% of Cumulative Purchaser Payments by December 31, 2024, the Third Payment Applicable Percentage will be increased to a single rate of the Company’s net sales that would have provided 100% of Cumulative Purchaser Payments had such rate applied from the initial funding by the Purchasers. The Covered Territory was originally the United States, but has been expanded to worldwide for all calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2022.
Under the RIPA Amendment 2, the Company has an option (the “Call Option”) to terminate the RIPA and repurchase future Revenue Interests at any time upon advance written notice. Additionally, the Purchasers have an option (the “Put Option”) to terminate the RIPA and to require the Company to repurchase future Revenue Interests upon enumerated events such as a bankruptcy event, an uncured material breach, a material adverse effect or a change of control. If the Put Option or the Call Option are exercised, the required repurchase price will be 200% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised prior to the third anniversary of the closing date, and 225% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised thereafter.
In accordance with the guidance in ASC 470‐50, “Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments,” the RIPA Amendment 2 was accounted for as a debt modification. The amendment resulted in a $0.1 million loss on modification of debt, consisting of third-party fees associated with the transaction, which is included in selling, general, and administrative expenses in the statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021.
On May 16, 2021, the Company entered into an Amendment to the Security Agreement and Waiver ("Amendment and Waiver") with the same parties to the Security Agreement, by and among the Company, Eiger Partners II LP (the "Purchaser") and Eiger III SA LLC (the "Purchaser Agent"), dated as of June 26, 2019 (the "Security Agreement"). Pursuant to the Amendment and Waiver, if (i) the net revenue from sales of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET and certain other products in the
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Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
10. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (Continued)
United States (as reported in the Company’s financial statements as “product sales, net” in accordance with GAAP and excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, upfront or milestone payments and other collaboration revenue) (the “Specified Net Revenue”) for the calendar quarter ended September 30, 2021 does not exceed $15.0 million, or (ii) the Specified Net Revenue for any calendar quarter ending after September 30, 2021 does not exceed $15.0 million, then the Company shall deposit $50.0 million in a deposit account that is subject to a block account control agreement in favor of the Purchase Agent, no later than the earlier of (x) the date the Specified Net Revenue for such calendar quarter has been determined and (y) 45 days after the last day of such calendar quarter. Since the Specified Net Revenue for the calendar quarter ended September 30, 2021 did not exceed $15.0 million, the Company deposited $50.0 million in a deposit account that is subject to a block account control agreement, which is classified as restricted cash on the balance sheets. The Purchaser Agent shall have sole dominion and control over all funds deposited in the deposited account and such funds may be withdrawn therefrom only with the consent of the Purchaser Agent. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of a Put Option Event, the Purchaser Agent shall have the right to apply amounts held in the deposit account in payment of certain secured obligations in the manner provided for in the Security Agreement. The Amendment and Wavier does not substitute, replace or release the Pledgors from any other obligations under the RIPA or Security Agreement.
On November 23, 2022, the Company entered into Waiver and Amendment No. 3 to Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement and Amendment No. 2 to Security Agreement (the “RIPA Amendment 3”), by and among the Company, the Purchasers and the Purchaser Agent, which amends (i) the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement, by and among the Company, the Purchasers, and the Purchaser Agent, dated effective as of June 26, 2019 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement dated as of November 9, 2020 and Amendment No. 2 to Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement dated as of April 26, 2021, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or modified from time to time, the “RIPA”) and (ii) the Security Agreement, by the Company in favor of the Purchaser Agent, dated as of June 28, 2019 (as amended by the Amendment to Security Agreement and Waiver by and among the Company, the Purchaser and the Purchaser Agent, effective as of May 16, 2021, and as may be further amended, restated, supplemented or modified from time to time, the “Security Agreement”). Pursuant to the RIPA Amendment 3, among other things, (a) the Company agreed to make a one-time partial call payment with regards to the Revenue Interests (as defined in the RIPA) in an amount equal to $50 million from the restricted cash account (the “Partial Call”), (b) the amount of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (as defined in the RIPA) was reduced to $177,777,778, and (c) the Purchasers and Purchaser Agent waived certain claimed defaults, breaches and Put Option Events under the RIPA and other related documents that may have occurred as a result of the Company’s opening of a new bank account.
In accordance with the guidance in ASC 470‐50, “Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments,” the RIPA Amendment 3 was accounted for as a debt modification. The amendment resulted in a less than $0.1 million loss on modification of debt, consisting of third-party fees associated with the transaction, which is included in selling, general, and administrative expenses in the statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.
In connection with the arrangement, as of December 31, 2022, the Company has recorded a liability, referred to as the “Revenue interest liability” on the balance sheet, of $243.6 million, net of $0.3 million of capitalized issuance costs in connection with the RIPA, which will be amortized to interest expense over the estimated term of the RIPA. The total redemption amount is equal to 225% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments, or $400 million. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on this liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method.
A significant increase or decrease in future net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. The Company recorded approximately $44.6 million and $33.9 million in interest expense related to this arrangement for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The repayment of the RIPA to Oberland does not have a fixed repayment schedule, rather it will be completely repaid and extinguished when the Company has repaid 225% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments. Since there is not a fixed repayment schedule, the Company does not project its future repayments by year. Each period, the Company estimates the future expected sales of its products in the covered territory and determines the effective annual imputed interest rate, which updates and changes the timing of the Company’s payments. Under the terms of the agreement, every $100 million of net sales generated,
F-21
Table of Contents
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)
10. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (Continued)
less than or equal to $250 million in an annual aggregate year, would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $10.0 million or 10.0% at the stated repayment rate in the first year. Annual net sales for a calendar year exceeding $250 million would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $3.3 million or 3.3% for every $100 million of sales above the threshold. As the U.S. net sales were less than $350 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Covered Territory was expanded to include worldwide sales beginning in 2022. The Company’s repayments of the RIPA are directly tied to the growth of its net sales, and as the Company’s net sales grow, the Company expects the related repayments of the RIPA to grow as well. The Company currently expects to repay $24.8 million in the next twelve months.
The effective annual imputed interest rate is 18.3% as of December 31, 2022. Payments made to Oberland as a result of the Company’s net sales will reduce the revenue interest liability.
The following table summarizes the revenue interest liability activity during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
(in thousands)
Interest expense recognized 33,907
Revenue interest payments (3,389)
Repayment upon execution of Amendment No. 3 (50,000)
Interest expense recognized 44,590
Revenue interest payments (8,024)
11. Convertible Notes
In November 2020, the Company issued $280.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.0% senior subordinated convertible notes due November 2025. The net proceeds the Company received from the offering was approximately $271.1 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company (the “Convertible Notes”). The Company used approximately $46.0 million of the net proceeds from the offering of the notes to pay the cost of the Capped Call (as defined below) and $55.0 million of the net proceeds from the offering of the initial notes to finance the Prepaid Forward (as defined below). The Convertible Notes are the Company's senior unsecured obligations and mature on November 15, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”), unless earlier repurchased or converted into shares of common stock under certain circumstances described below. The Convertible Notes are convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock, can be repurchased for cash, or a combination thereof, at the Company’s election, at an initial conversion rate of 30.2151 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $33.096 per share of common stock, subject to adjustment. The Company will pay interest on the Convertible Notes semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year.
The Convertible Notes are general unsecured obligations of the Company that are subordinated in right of payment to indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities under the Company’s RIPA, the revenue interests issued pursuant to such agreement, and any refinancing of the foregoing.
Holders may convert their Convertible Notes at their option at any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 15, 2025 in the following circumstances: (1) during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on March 31, 2021 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“common stock”), is greater than or equal to 130% of the conversion price for each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; (2) during the five business days after any five consecutive trading day period (such five consecutive trading day period, the “measurement period”) in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock and the conversion rate for the notes on each such trading day; (3) if the Company calls such notes for redemption, any such notes that have been called for redemption may be converted
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