iart-20231231
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023
or
For the transition period from to
COMMISSION FILE NO. 000-26224
INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES HOLDINGS CORPORATION
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
Princeton , New Jersey (ZIP CODE)
(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
REGISTRANT’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (609) 275-0500
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
Title of Each Class Trading Symbol Name of Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, Par Value $.01 Per Share IART Nasdaq Global Select Market
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
NONE
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐
No☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ No ☐
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒ Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of June 30, 2023, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates was approximately $3,256.6 million based upon the closing sales price of the registrant’s common stock on The Nasdaq Global Select Market on such date. The number of shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value, outstanding as of February 27, 2024 was 78,219,780.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:
Certain portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to its scheduled May 9, 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES HOLDINGS CORPORATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I
Item 1. Business 6
Item 1A. Risk Factors 17
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 32
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 32
Item 2. Properties 34
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 34
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 34
PART II
Item 6. [Reserved] 36
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 51
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 52
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 53
Item 9B. Other Information 53
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 53
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 53
Item 11. Executive Compensation 53
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 53
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statements Schedule 54
SIGNATURES 59
Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise indicates, all references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Integra LifeSciences,” “Integra,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We have made statements in this report, including statements under “Business” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, ("the Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("the "Exchange Act"). These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us including, among other things:
•the on-going and possible future effects of global challenges, including macroeconomic uncertainties, such as supply chain disruptions, inflation, bank failures, rising interest rates and availability of capital markets, the Israel-Hamas and Ukraine-Russia wars, other economic disruptions and U.S. and global recession concerns, on our customers and suppliers, and on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows;
•general economic and business conditions, both domestically and in our international markets, including the effect of the continuing worldwide macroeconomic uncertainty and increasing trade regulations and tariffs;
•our expectations and estimates concerning future financial performance, financing plans and the impact of competition;
•anticipated trends in our business;
•anticipated demand for our products, particularly capital equipment;
•our ability to produce and deliver products in sufficient quantities to meet sales demands;
•the ongoing and possible future effects of supply chain constraints, including the availability of critical raw materials and components, as well as cost inflation in materials, packaging and transportation;
•our expectations concerning our ongoing restructuring, integration and manufacturing transfer and expansion activities;
•existing and future regulations affecting our business, and enforcement of those regulations;
•conducting business internationally;
•our failure to comply with the substantial regulation related to quality standards applicable to our manufacturing and quality processes could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations;
•our ability to remediate all matters identified in United States Food & Drug (the "FDA") observations and warning letters that we received or may receive;
•our ability to obtain additional debt and equity financing to fund capital expenditures, working capital requirements and acquisitions;
•physicians' willingness to adopt our recently launched and planned products, third-party payors' willingness to provide or continue reimbursement for any of our products and our ability to secure regulatory approval for products in development;
•initiatives launched by our competitors;
•our ability to protect our intellectual property, including trade secrets;
•our ability to complete acquisitions, integrate operations post-acquisition and maintain relationships with customers of acquired entities;
•the ability to successfully manage ongoing organizational and strategic changes, including our ability to attract, motivate and retain key employees and maintain engagement and efficiency in remote work environments;
•anticipated trends relating to our financial condition or results of operations, including the impact of interest rate and foreign currency exchange fluctuations;
•the effect of any future public health crises, including the timing, scope and effect of U.S. and international governmental, regulatory, fiscal, monetary and public health responses to such crises; and
•other risk factors described in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by forward-looking words such as “believe,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “target,” “pursue,” “forecast,” “hope” and similar expressions in this Annual Report on Form 10K. Forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our five-pillar growth strategy; the closing of our pending acquisition of Acclarent, Inc. on anticipated terms and timing, or at all; the anticipated benefits of our pending acquisition of Acclarent, Inc.; expectations and plans with respect to strategic initiatives, product development and regulatory approvals, including the anticipated resumption of manufacturing at the Company’s Boston, Massachusetts facility. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences in our future financial results include the cautionary statements set forth herein and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
OVERVIEW
Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation is a leading global medical technology company innovating treatment pathways to advance patient outcomes and set new standards of surgical, neurologic and regenerative care.
Founded in 1989 with the acquisition of an engineered collagen technology platform used to repair and regenerate tissue, our common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “IART.” We have developed numerous product lines from this technology for applications ranging from burn and deep tissue wounds to the repair of dura mater in the brain, as well as nerves and tendons. We have expanded our base regenerative technology business to include surgical instruments, neurosurgical products and advanced wound care through global acquisitions and product development to meet the evolving needs of our customers and enhance patient care.
Integra products are sold in more than 130 countries through a direct sales force as well as distributors and wholesalers. We manufacture and sell medical technologies and products in two reportable business segments: Codman Specialty Surgical ("CSS") and Tissue Technologies ("TT"). The CSS segment, which represents approximately two-thirds of our total revenue, consists of market-leading technologies and instrumentation used for a wide range of specialties, such as neurosurgery, neurocritical care and otolaryngology. We are the world leader in neurosurgery and one of the top three providers in instruments used in precision, specialty, and general surgical procedures. Our TT segment generates about one-third of our overall revenue and focuses on three main areas: complex wound surgery, surgical reconstruction, and peripheral nerve repair.
We have key manufacturing and research facilities located in California, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Utah, France, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland. We source most of our handheld surgical instruments and dural sealant products through specialized third-party vendors.
Vision
We aspire to continue to be a worldwide leader in neurosurgery and reconstructive surgery with a portfolio of leading businesses that delivers outstanding customer experiences through innovation, execution and teamwork to positively impact the lives of millions of patients and their families.
Strategy
Following the completion of our strategic refresh in 2023, we refocused our strategies around five pillars. Of these five pillars, we have identified three core growth drivers: (1) innovating for outcomes, (2) growing internationally, and (3) broadening our impact on care pathways. Our execution of the core growth drivers is enabled by two key levers: (4) driving operational and customer excellence and (5) cultivating a high-performance culture. As outlined in greater detail below, we believe these five pillars will enable us to realize and advance our integrated growth strategy.
To this end, our executive leadership team has established the following key priorities aligned to the following five pillars:
Innovating for Outcomes. An important part of Integra’s growth strategy is introducing new products to strengthen and expand our portfolio, including via acquisitions. For example, we entered into a stock purchase agreement to acquire Acclarent, Inc. (“Acclarent”) from Ethicon, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson in December 2023. Acclarent is an innovator and market leader in ear, nose and throat (“ENT”) procedures and we believe that the acquisition of Acclarent will provide Integra with the opportunity to become a leading provider of ENT products and technologies. Furthermore, we believe that, owing to the ENT segment being an anatomical adjacency to neurosurgery, the acquisition will allow Integra to deliver future innovation both within the ENT segment and across our other CSS technology platforms. Additionally, we seek clinical evidence to support regulatory approval and strong reimbursement of our product portfolio around the world, including new indications for existing technologies. For example, in 2021, we filed a pre-market approval (“PMA”) application for a specific indication for Surgimend® in the use of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. In 2022, we acquired SIA, which is also pursuing a pre-market approval for DuraSorb for use in implant-based breast reconstruction (“IBBR”), and in June 2023 we completed enrollment in the DuraSorb U.S. IDE clinical study for two-stage breast reconstruction; the primary follow-up period is one year after device implantation. We hope to obtain FDA approvals for both products in 2025. We also continued to advance the development of pioneering neurosurgical technologies with the expansion of our product offerings. In 2023 we launched the CUSA® Clarity Tips for use in surgical procedures requiring the controlled fragmentation, emulsification and aspiration of bone as well as in laparoscopic liver surgery.
Growing Internationally. Over the years, we have been significantly expanding our global footprint through investments in our commercial organization, the expansion and development of international markets and new product introductions. As part of our In-China-For-China strategy, we continue the build out of our assembly capabilities in our new facility in Suzhou, China. Several new products were introduced in select international markets in 2023, including MicroMatrix® and Certas Plus® Programmable Valve which were launched in Europe, and CUSA Clarity Laparoscopic tip which was launched in Australia,
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New Zealand, Japan, Canada, South Africa and Israel. In addition, DuraGen Secure, received approval in Japan, while DuraGen Plus, an absorbable and sutureless collagen onlay indicated as a dura substitute for the repair of dura mater, was approved in China.
Broadening Impact on Care Pathways. We seek ways to develop products and technologies that impact the lives of patients, starting with the journey that a patient takes from diagnosis and treatment planning to surgery and postoperative care. We are well-established in acute care in the hospital setting and continue to leverage that strong position to grow in this segment and shape treatment pathways into preoperative care and additional sites of care.
Driving Operations and Customer Excellence. We have been making investments to build more responsive and scalable processes, enhance the reliability of our supply chain, and drive productivity initiatives to further supply and lower costs. Additionally, we continue to invest in technologies, systems and processes to enhance the customer experience. In 2023, we continued to invest in our capacity expansion. This includes ongoing projects of transferring our Boston manufacturing to a new location in Braintree, Massachusetts., validating manufacturing processes in our manufacturing facility in Plainsboro, New Jersey and increasing cleanroom capacity in our Memphis, Tennessee location.
Cultivating a High-Performance Culture. In seeking to sustain a culture of excellence and accountability, we have focused on employee empowerment and agility and building a diverse and inclusive workplace. These efforts resulted in our being named in several best workplace lists globally in 2023. Additionally, we have been making further strides in advancing our environmental, social and governance ("ESG") agenda to drive sustainability across the organization and recently published our second annual ESG report in the third quarter of 2023. For more information on our ESG strategy, goals, performance, and achievements, please visit “Our Company—ESG Report” at https://www.integralife.com/esg-report. Information on our website is not incorporated by reference herein and is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
BUSINESS SEGMENTS
We currently manufacture and sell our medical technologies and products in the following two reportable business segments: Codman Specialty Surgical and Tissue Technologies. We include financial information regarding our reportable business segments and certain geographic information under "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and Note 16, Segment and Geographic Information to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
Codman Specialty Surgical
Our CSS segment offers global, neurosurgery market-leading technologies, brands and instrumentation. The product portfolio represents a continuum of care from pre-operative, to the neurosurgery operating room, to the neuro-critical care unit and post care for both adult and pediatric patients suffering from brain tumors, brain injury, cerebrospinal fluid pressure complications and other neurological conditions. We offer leading technologies in dural repair, ultrasonic tissue ablation, intracranial pressure ("ICP") monitoring, hydrocephalus management, and cranial stabilization systems, while providing a rich research and development pipeline for growth.
Rounding out the portfolio is a catalog of surgical headlamps, surgical instrumentation, as well as after-market service. With thousands of surgical instrument products, including specialty surgical instruments, we call on the central sterile processing unit of hospitals and acute care surgical centers. Additionally, through a strong U.S. distribution model, we can serve the needs of hundreds of medical offices.
Our global commercial network includes clinical specialists, a large direct global sales force and strategic partnerships and distributors that serve hospitals, integrated health networks, group purchasing organizations, clinicians, surgery centers and health care providers. Outside the U.S., we have a combination of direct and indirect sales channels in international markets to sell certain product lines.
Tissue Technologies
Our TT segment focuses on three main areas: complex wound surgery, surgical reconstruction, and peripheral nerve repair and consists of five unique regenerative technology areas - highly engineered bovine collagen, bovine dermis, porcine urinary bladder, human amniotic tissue, and resorbable synthetic mesh. This broad regenerative platform, which includes multiple leading brands such as Integra® Dermal Matrices, AmnioExcel®, SurgiMend®, MicroMatrix® and NeuraGen®, primarily addresses the needs of plastic, reconstructive and general surgeons focused on the treatment of acute wounds, such as burns, chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, and surgical tissue repair, such as hernia, tendon, peripheral nerve repair and protection. Following our acquisition of SIA in 2022, we have also sought to expand our IBBR product offerings and in June 2023 we completed enrollment in the DuraSorb U.S. IDE clinical study for two-stage breast reconstruction.
We have a specialized sales organization composed of directly employed sales representatives, as well as specialty distributors, organized based upon their call point. Our wound reconstruction sales representatives call on surgeons doing procedures in limb salvage, trauma, wound reconstruction and burns, and chronic wounds primarily in the inpatient wound care clinic setting. We
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also have a dedicated surgical reconstruction sales team focused on plastic and reconstructive surgery and hernia procedures with differentiated products. Finally, we have a distributor network focused on biologics. Outside the U.S., we have a combination of direct and indirect sales channels in international markets to sell certain product lines.
This business segment also includes private-label sales of a broad set of our regenerative and wound care technologies. Our customers are other medical technology companies that sell to end markets primarily in spine, surgical and wound care.
COMPETITION
The healthcare industry is highly competitive and characterized by continual change and improvements in technology. This is particularly the case in the market segments in which we operate. A number of companies have developed or are expected to develop products that compete or will compete with our products. Many of these competitors offer a broader product portfolio and have greater brand recognition than we do, which may make these competitors more attractive to hospitals, group purchasing organizations, laboratories, physicians and other potential customers. Competitors may develop superior products or products of similar quality for sale at the same or lower prices. Moreover, our products could be rendered obsolete by changes to industry standards or guidelines or advances in technology. We can give no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully with existing or new competitors
Our competitors for CSS include divisions within Medtronic, Inc., Stryker Corporation, Steris PLC, and B. Braun Medical, Inc. In addition, we compete with many smaller specialized companies and larger companies that do not otherwise focus on the offerings of Codman Specialty Surgical technologies. We rely on the depth and breadth of our sales and marketing organization, our innovative technologies, and our procurement and manufacturing operations to maintain our competitive position.
Our competitors for TT include Smith & Nephew plc, Organogenesis Holdings Inc., MiMedx Group, Inc., Allergan PLC, Becton Dickinson and Company, and Axogen, Inc. We compete with additional companies who partially participate in soft tissue reconstruction of complex wounds, peripheral nerve repair and surgical reconstruction. In addition, our products also compete against medical practices that treat a condition without using a medical device or any particular product, such as medical practices that utilize autograft tissue instead of our dermal regeneration products, duraplasty products and nerve repair products. Depending on the product line, we compete based on our products' features, strength of our sales force or distributors, sophistication of our technology and cost effectiveness of our solution.
We believe that the success of our products depends on our ability to differentiate ourselves and to demonstrate that our products deliver the clinical and operational attributes that are most important and cost-effective to customers. These attributes include, but are not limited to, superiority in efficacy, ease of use, reliability, accuracy, quality and cost. We believe our continued success depends in large part upon our ability to invest in product enhancements and technologies that will help us distinguish our product portfolio from our competitors.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Our research and development activities focus on identifying unmet surgical needs and addressing those needs with innovative solutions and products. The markets in which we participate are characterized by rapid technological change, frequent product introductions and evolving customer requirements. Investment in research and development is critical to driving our future growth. Our research and development efforts are focused on the further development and improvement of our existing products, the design and development of new innovative medical technologies and regulatory compliance across all our business segments. We apply our core competency in regenerative technology to innovate products for neurosurgical, wound applications, plastic surgery, and reconstructive surgery and we have extensive R&D development programs for our core platforms of electromechanical technologies. Additionally, we conduct products and clinical studies to generate efficacy and health economic evidence.
Regenerative Technologies.We were the first company to receive an FDA claim for regeneration of dermal tissue and are a world leader in regenerative technology. Our regenerative technology development program applies our expertise in bioengineering to a range of biomaterials including natural materials such as purified collagen, intact human or animal tissues, honey as well as resorbable synthetic polymers with our DuraSorband DuraSealproduct lines. These unique product designs are used for neurosurgical and reconstructive surgical applications, as well as dermal regeneration, including the healing of chronic and acute wounds, tendon and nerve repair. Our regenerative technology platform includes our legacy Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template ("IDRT") products and complementary technologies that we have acquired. Our collagen manufacturing capability, combined with our history of innovation, including our launch of NeuraGen 3D, provides us with strong platform technologies for multiple indications.
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In the second quarter of 2023, after consultation with the FDA, The Company initiated a voluntary global recall of all products manufactured at the Boston facility, including Primatrix®, Surgimend®, RevizeTM, and TissueMendTM, distributed between March 1, 2018 and May 22, 2023. See Item 1A. Risk Factors, under the heading Risks Related to our Regulatory Environment and under Item 7. General Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - FDA Matters of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion.
In the third quarter of 2021, we filed a PMA application for a specific indication for Surgimend® in the use of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. In 2022, we acquired SIA, which is also PMA for DuraSorb with IBBR, and in June 2023 we completed enrollment in the DuraSorb U.S. IDE clinical study for two-stage breast reconstruction; the primary follow-up period is one year after device implantation. By offering two distinct product solutions, we believe we have the opportunity to build a leading position in the IBBR market. We hope to obtain FDA approvals in 2025.
Additionally, in 2022 we launched NeuraGen 3D Nerve Guide Matrix, a resorbable implant for repair of peripheral nerve discontinuities and engineered to create an optimized environment for nerve regeneration. Following the completion of design control activities in 2022, we launched both Cytal and MicroMatrix in Europe in 2023. In 2023, the Company received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for MicroMatrix® Flex.
Electromechanical Technologies and Instrumentation. The CSS business consists of a broad portfolio of market-leading brands, such as Codman®, DuraGen®, DuraSeal®, CUSA®, Mayfield®,Bactiseal®, and Certas® Plus,which are used for the management of multiple disease states, including brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus and other neurological conditions. The growth in this business in recent years has been fueled by geographic expansion and new product registrations in markets, such as China, Japan, and Europe, which we expect to continue in the near-to-long term. Because our electromechanical products and instruments address significant needs in surgical procedures and limit uncertainty for surgeons, we continue to invest in registrations, clearances, and approvals for new indications and next generation improvements to our market-leading products. We have several active programs focused on life cycle management and innovation for capital and disposable products in our portfolio. Our product development efforts are focused on core clinical applications in cerebrospinal fluid ("CSF") management, neuro-critical care monitoring, minimally invasive instruments and electrosurgery and ultrasonic medical technologies, as well as our ambition to transform the standard of care in neurosurgery with product advancements in minimally invasive surgery ("MIS") and the surgical management of intracerebral hemorrhage ("ICH"). Our lighting franchise is among the most dynamic in the industry.
We are focused on the development of core clinical applications in our electromechanical technologies portfolio. We continue to update our CUSA Clarity platform by incorporating new ultrasonic handpiece and integrated electrosurgical capabilities. In 2022, we made progress to several enhancements to our CUSA Clarity Tissue Ablation System. The extended laparoscopic tip was launched in the U.S. to enhance laparoscopic liver procedures. In addition, a single-sided bone tip received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. Commercial launch was completed successfully in early 2023. In August 2023, we launched a modified 23 kHz CUSA Electrosurgery Module (CEM) for Clarity handpieces that can be used with additional electrosurgery generators. We continue to work with several instrument partners to bring new surgical instrument platforms to the market.
Throughout 2023 we also continued to advance the early-stage technology platforms we acquired in 2019. Through the acquisition of Arkis Biosciences, Inc. ("Arkis") we added a platform technology, CerebroFlo® external ventricular drainage ("EVD"), catheter with Endexo® technology, a permanent additive designed to reduce the potential for catheter obstruction due to thrombus formation. The CerebroFlo EVD catheter has demonstrated an average of 99% less thrombus accumulation onto its surface, in vitro, compared to a market leading EVD catheter. Our work to combine our Bactiseal® antimicrobial technology with the Endexo anti-occlusive technology continues to progress for both a silicone-based hydrocephalus and EVD project.
Throughout 2023, we continued to advance our innovation from the Rebound Therapeutics Corporation ("Rebound Therapeutics"), which was acquired in 2019. Rebound Therapeutics specializes in a single-use medical device, known as the Aurora Surgiscope, which is the only tubular retractor system designed for cranial surgery with an integrated access channel, camera and lighting. The 9mm Surgiscope received 510(k) clearance from the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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In the third quarter of 2021, we launched our CereLink ICP Monitor System in the U.S. and Europe and continued the global rollout in the first half of 2022. On August 18, 2022, the Company, after consultation with the FDA and other regulatory authorities outside of the United States, initiated an immediate voluntary global product removal of all CereLink® intracranial pressure monitors. We believe that the out-of-range readings are principally caused by a combined interaction of electrical noise (originating from sources such as electrical components in the device, other devices set up near the CereLink Monitor, and the hospital power grid) and an electrical potential difference between the patient and monitor. We submitted a traditional 510(k) submission to the FDA on September 15, 2023 as a result of customer reports about monitors whose pressure readings were out of range. We have received 510(k) clearance from the FDA on February 4th, 2024. We plan to resume shipments of CereLink monitors in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2024. Shipments resumed in international markets with a limited release in the third quarter of 2023. See Item 1A. Risk Factors, under the heading Risks Related to our Regulatory Environment and under Item 7. General Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - FDA Matters of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion.
MANUFACTURE AND AVAILABILITY OF RAW MATERIALS
We manufacture products at manufacturing facilities located in various countries throughout the world. We purchase many of the components and raw materials used in manufacturing our products from numerous suppliers in various countries.
In general, raw materials essential to our businesses are readily available from multiple sources. For reasons of quality assurance, availability, or cost effectiveness, certain components and raw materials are available only from one or a limited number of suppliers. We have established long-term supply contracts with many of our suppliers and our practice is to maintain sufficient inventory of components so that our production will not be significantly disrupted even if a particular component or material is not available for a period of time. Due to the high standards and FDA requirements applicable to manufacturing our products, such as the FDA's Quality System Regulation and Good Manufacturing Practices, we may not be able to quickly establish additional or replacement sources for certain components or materials. Some of our manufacturing operations are located outside of the U.S., including in Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Ireland and France. Those manufacturing operations are also subject to additional challenges and risks associated with international operations described under the caption “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the event we are unable to obtain sufficient quantities of raw materials or components on commercially reasonable terms or in a timely manner, our ability to manufacture our products on a timely and cost-competitive basis may be compromised, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Certain of our products, including but not limited to our dermal regeneration products, duraplasty products, wound care products, and nerve and tendon repair products, contain material derived from bovine tissue. We take great care to provide products that are safe and free of agents that can cause disease. In particular, the collagen used in the products that we manufacture is derived from the deep flexor tendon of cattle less than 24-months old from New Zealand, a country that has never had a reported case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("BSE") (otherwise known as mad cow disease), from the U.S. or from fetal bovine dermis. The World Health Organization classifies different types of cattle tissue for relative risk of BSE transmission. Deep flexor tendon and fetal bovine skin are in the lowest-risk category for BSE transmission, and therefore considered to have a negligible risk of containing the agent that causes BSE.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
We seek patent and trademark protection for our key technology, products and product improvements, both in the U.S. and in selected foreign countries. When determined appropriate, we have enforced and plan to continue to enforce and defend our patent and trademark rights. In general, however, we do not rely solely on our patent and trademark estate to provide us with any significant competitive advantages as it relates to our existing product lines. We also rely upon trade secrets and continuing technological innovations to develop and maintain our competitive position. In an effort to protect our trade secrets, we have a policy requiring our employees, consultants and advisors to execute proprietary information and invention assignment agreements upon commencement of employment or consulting relationships with us. These agreements also provide that all confidential information developed or made known to the individual during the course of their relationship with us must be kept confidential, except in specified circumstances.
AccuDrain®, AmnioExcel®, Aquasonic®, Auragen®, Aurora® Surgiscope®, Bactiseal®, BioDFence®, BioDOptix®, Brainet®, Budde®, BuzzTM, CereLink®, CerebroFlo® EVD Catheter with Endexo® Technology, Codman®, Codman Accu-Flo®, Codman Bicol®, Codman® Certas® Plus, Codman® Hakim®Programmable valve, Codman Holter®, Codman ICP Express®, Codman Microsensor®, Codman VersaTru®, Codman VPV®, Contour-Flex®, Cranioplastic®, CRW®, CRW PrecisionTM, CthermTM, CUSA®, Cytal®, DirectLink®, DuraGen®, DuraSeal®, DuraSorb®, Gentrix®, HeliCote®, HeliPlug®, HeliTape®, HeliMend®, Helistat®, Helitene®, HermeticTM, Hy-Tape®, Integra®, IntegraLink®, Isocool®, Jarit®, Lead-LokTM, Licox®, LimiTorrTM,
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Luxtec®, Mayfield®, MatriStem UBMTM, MediHoney®, MicroFrance®, MicroMatrix®, Miltex®, MischlerTM, MoniTorr ICPTM, Natus®, NeuraGen®, NeuraWrapTM, Nicolet®, Omnigraft®, Omni-Tract®, OSV II®, Padgett®, PriMatrix®, PureflowTM, Q-SnorTM, RedmondTM, RevizeTM, Ruggles®, Signacreme®, SurgiMend®, TCC-EZ®, TenoGlide®, TissueMend®, Ultra VSTM, VersaTru®, Xtrasorb®, zRIPTM, and the Integra logo are some of the material trademarks of Integra LifeSciences Corporation and its subsidiaries. MAYFIELD® is a registered trademark of SM USA, Inc., and is used by Integra under license.
SEASONALITY
Revenues during our fourth quarter tend to be stronger than other quarters because many hospitals increase their purchases of our products during the fourth quarter to coincide with the end of their budget cycles in the U.S. In general, our first quarter usually has lower revenues than the preceding fourth quarter, the second and third quarters have higher revenues than the first quarter, and the fourth quarter revenues are the highest in the year. The main exceptions to this pattern occur because of material acquisitions.
GOVERNMENT REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE
We are a manufacturer and marketer of medical devices and Human Tissue and Cell Based Products ("HCT/Ps") and therefore are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA, the Center for Medicare Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS"), other federal governmental agencies and, in some jurisdictions, by state and foreign governmental authorities. These regulations govern the introduction of new medical devices and HCT/Ps, the observance of certain standards with respect to the design, manufacture, testing, labeling, promotion and sales of the products, the maintenance of certain records, the ability to track devices, the reporting of potential product defects, the import and export of products, and other matters. FDA product approvals may be withdrawn or suspended if compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or if problems occur following initial marketing.
Our business is also affected by patient and data privacy laws and government payer cost containment initiatives, as well as environmental health and safety laws and regulations.
United States Food and Drug Administration
Our products are subject to extensive regulation particularly as to safety, efficacy and adherence to FDA Quality System Regulation, and related manufacturing standards. Medical device products are subject to rigorous FDA and other governmental agency regulations in the United States and similar regulations of foreign agencies abroad. The FDA regulates the design, development, research, preclinical and clinical testing, introduction, manufacture, advertising, labeling, packaging, marketing, distribution, import and export, and record keeping for such products, in order to ensure that medical products distributed in the United States are safe and effective for their intended use. In addition, the FDA is authorized to establish special controls to provide reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of most devices. Non-compliance with applicable requirements can result in import detentions, fines, civil and administrative penalties, injunctions, suspensions or losses of regulatory approvals, recall or seizure of products, operating restrictions, refusal of the government to approve product export applications or allow us to enter into supply contracts, and criminal prosecution. The regulatory process for obtaining product approvals and clearances can be onerous and costly.
Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the "FD&C Act"), authorization to commercially distribute a new medical device in the U.S. is generally obtained in one of two primary ways. The first, known as pre-market notification or the 510(k) process, requires us to demonstrate that our medical device is substantially equivalent to a legally marketed medical device. A 510(k) pre-market notification filing must contain information establishing that the device to be sold is substantially equivalent to a device commercially distributed prior to May 28, 1976 or to a device that has been determined by the FDA to be substantially equivalent. The second, more rigorous process, known as pre-market approval (“PMA”) requires us to independently demonstrate that a medical device is safe and effective for its intended use. This process is generally much more time-consuming and expensive than the 510(k) process. The PMA process involves a complex and lengthy testing process that is subject to review by the FDA and may require several years to obtain. We may need to first obtain an investigational device exemption (for significant risk devices), known as an IDE, in order to conduct extensive clinical testing of the device to obtain the necessary clinical data for submission to the FDA. The FDA will approve a PMA only if after evaluating the supporting technical data it finds that the PMA contains sufficient, valid scientific evidence to assure that the device is safe and effective for its intended use(s). This approval may be granted with post-approval requirements including inspection of manufacturing facilities and/or additional patient follow-up for an indefinite period of time.
The FDA also may require a post-approval clinical study as a condition of approval. To perform clinical trials for significant risk devices in the U.S. on an unapproved product, we are required to obtain an IDE from the FDA. The FDA also may require a filing for approval prior to marketing products that are modifications of existing products or new indications for existing products. Moreover, after clearance/approval is given, if the product is shown to be hazardous or defective, the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies have the power to withdraw the clearance or approval, as the case may be, or require us to change the device, its manufacturing process or its labeling, to supply additional proof of its safety and effectiveness or to recall, repair,
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replace or refund the cost of the medical device. Because we currently export medical devices manufactured in the U.S. that have not been approved by the FDA for distribution in the U.S., we are required to obtain approval/registration in the country to which we are exporting and maintain certain records relating to exports and make these available to the FDA for inspection, if required.
Human Cells, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products
Integra, through its wholly-owned subsidiary BioD LLC (“BioD”), is involved with the recovery, processing, storage, transportation and distribution of donated amniotic tissue. The FDA has specific regulations governing HCT/Ps. An HCT/P is a product containing, or consisting of, human cells or tissue intended for transplantation into a human patient. Examples of HCTPs include bone, ligament, skin and cornea.
Some HCT/Ps fall within the definition of a biological product, medical device or drug regulated under the FD&C Act. These biologic, device or drug HCT/Ps must comply both with the requirements exclusively applicable to HCT/Ps and, in addition, with requirements applicable to biologics, devices or drugs, including premarket clearance or approval from the FDA.
Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (“Section 361”) authorizes the FDA to issue regulations to prevent the introduction, transmission or spread of communicable disease. HCT/Ps regulated as “361” HCT/Ps are subject to requirements relating to registering facilities and listing products with the FDA, screening and testing for tissue donor eligibility, and Good Tissue Practices when processing, storing, labeling, and distributing HCT/Ps, including required labeling information, stringent record keeping, and adverse event reporting.
The American Association of Tissue Banks (“AATB”) has issued operating standards for tissue banking. Compliance with these standards is a requirement in order to become an AATB-accredited tissue establishment. In addition, some states have their own tissue banking regulations. We are licensed or have permits for tissue banking in California, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. In Tennessee, we are registered with the FDA Center for Biological Evaluations and Research.
Procurement of certain human organs and tissue for transplantation is subject to the restrictions of the National Organ Transplant Act, which prohibits the transfer of certain human organs, including skin and related tissue for valuable consideration, but permits the reasonable payment associated with the removal, transportation, implantation, processing, preservation, quality control and storage of human tissue and skin. BioD is a registered Tissue Bank and is involved with the recovery, storage and transportation of donated human amniotic tissue.
Medical Device Regulations
The FDA requires that a manufacturer obtain 510(k) clearance or a PMA for a variety of reasons, such as introducing a new medical device or new indication for use of an existing medical device, before introducing it into the U.S. market. The type of marketing authorization is generally linked to the classification of the device. The FDA classifies medical devices into three classes based on risk. Regulatory control increases from Class I (lowest risk) to Class III (highest risk). The FDA generally must clear or approve the commercial sale of new medical devices in Classes II and III. Commercial sales of our Class II medical devices (except for Class II exempt devices) and Class III medical devices within the U.S. must be preceded by either a pre-market notification filing pursuant to Section 510(k) of the FD&C Act (Class II) or the granting of a pre-market approval, or PMA (Class III).
The process of obtaining a Section 510(k) clearance generally requires the submission of performance data and may require clinical data, which in some cases can be extensive, to demonstrate that the device is “substantially equivalent” to another device that is currently marketed under a 510(k); a device that is referred to as “predicate device.” As a result, FDA clearance requirements may extend the development process for a considerable length of time. In the case of a PMA, the FDA may require additional review by an advisory panel, which can further lengthen the process. The PMA process, which is reserved for new devices that are not substantially equivalent to any predicate device and for high-risk devices (i.e., Class III devices) that are used to support or sustain human life or which present a potential, unreasonable risk of illness or injury, may take several years and requires the submission of extensive performance and clinical information.
Medical devices can be marketed only for the indications for which they are cleared or approved. After a device has received 510(k) clearance for a specific intended use, any change or modification that significantly affects its safety or effectiveness, such as a significant change in the design, materials, method of manufacture or intended use, may require a new 510(k) clearance or PMA approval and payment of an FDA user fee. The determination as to whether or not a modification could significantly affect the device’s safety or effectiveness is initially left to the manufacturer using available FDA guidance; however, the FDA may review this determination to evaluate the regulatory status of the modified product at any time and may require the manufacturer to cease marketing and recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA approval is obtained. The manufacturer may also be subject to significant regulatory fines or penalties.
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We also are required to register with the FDA as a medical device manufacturer and any devices we manufacture and distribute pursuant to clearance or approval by the FDA are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA and certain state agencies. These include product listing and establishment registration requirements, which help facilitate FDA inspections and other regulatory actions, and our manufacturing sites are subject to periodic inspection by the FDA for compliance with the FDA's Quality System Regulations. These regulations require that we manufacture our products and maintain our documents in a prescribed manner with respect to design, manufacturing, testing and control activities. Further, we are required to comply with various FDA requirements and other legal requirements for labeling and promotion. FDA regulates unclassified devices via the 510(k) process and has the authority to classify these devices and/or require Special Controls, additional testing and submission of a new 510(k) as part of the classification process for unclassified devices that are currently on the market as 510(k) cleared products. If the FDA believes that a company is not in compliance with applicable regulations, it may issue a warning letter, institute proceedings to detain or seize products, issue a recall order, impose operating restrictions, enjoin future violations and assess civil penalties against that company, its officers or its employees and may recommend criminal prosecution to the U.S. Department of Justice. The majority of Integra manufacturing facilities participate in the Medical Device Single Audit Program and are audited annually for compliance with the Quality System for US FDA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Japan.
Medical device regulations also are in effect in many of the countries in which we do business outside the U.S. In the European Economic Area ("EEA"), which is comprised of the 27 member states of the European Union (the "EU") plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, medical devices need to comply with specific requirements. These requirements were previously known as "Essential Requirements" under the former EU Medical Devices Directive (Council Directive 93/42/EEC, or MDD) and are now defined "General Safety and Performance Requirements (GSPR)" under the new EU Medical Devices Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/745, or "EU MDR"). Although the requirements set forth in the EU MDR are generally consistent with those laid out in the MDD (with a few exceptions), the EU MDR is intended, among other things, to establish a uniform, transparent, predictable and sustainable regulatory framework across the EEA for medical devices and ensure a high level of safety and health while supporting innovation. These laws range from comprehensive medical device approval and Quality System requirements for some or all of our medical device products to simpler requests for product data or certifications. Under the MDD, medical devices must meet the MDD standards and receive CE Mark Certification prior to marketing in the EEA. Although we continue to transition our certification profile to meet the new EU MDR requirements, these stricter regulations set forth in the EU MDR may pose additional challenges for Integra to continue marketing products in the EU as these regulations come into force. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors - We are subject to stringent domestic and foreign medical device regulations and oversight and any adverse action may adversely affect our ability to compete in the marketplace and our financial condition and business operations” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
CE Mark Certification requires a comprehensive quality system program, technical documentation, clinical evaluation and data on the product which are then reviewed, by a Notified Body. A Notified Body is an organization designated by the national governments of the EU member states to make independent judgments about whether a product complies with the requirements established by each CE marking directive. The MDD, MDR, ISO 9000 series and ISO 13485 are recognized international quality standards that are designed to ensure that we develop and manufacture quality medical devices. Other countries are also instituting regulations regarding medical devices or interpreting and enforcing existing regulations more strictly. Compliance with these regulations requires extensive documentation and clinical reports for our products, revisions to labeling, and other requirements such as facility inspections to comply with the registration requirements. A recognized Notified Body audits our facilities annually to verify our compliance with the ISO 13485 Quality System standard.
Certain countries, as well as the EU, have issued regulations that govern products that contain materials derived from animal sources. Regulatory authorities are particularly concerned with materials infected with the agent that causes BSE. These regulations affect our dermal regeneration products, duraplasty products, hernia repair products, biomaterial products for the spine, nerve and tendon repair products and certain other products, all of which contain material derived from bovine tissue. Although we take great care to provide that our products are safe and free of agents that can cause disease, products that contain materials derived from animals, including our products, may become subject to additional regulation, or even be banned in certain countries, because of concern over the potential for prion transmission. Significant new regulations, a ban of our products, or a movement away from bovine-derived products because of an outbreak of BSE could have a material, adverse effect on our current business or our ability to expand our business. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Risks Related to our Regulatory Environment" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Postmarket Requirements.After a device is cleared or approved for commercial distribution, numerous regulatory requirements apply. These include the FDA Quality System Regulations which cover the procedures and documentation of the design, testing, production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, sterilization, storage and shipping of medical devices; the FDA's general prohibition against promoting products for unapproved or 'off-label' uses; the Medical Device Reporting regulation, which requires that manufacturers report to the FDA if their device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury if it were to recur; and the Reports of Corrections and Removals regulation, which require manufacturers to report recalls and field corrective actions
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to the FDA if initiated to reduce a risk to health posed by the device or to remedy a violation of the FD&C Act. Postmarket requirements are also followed globally where our products are registered and approved. These foreign jurisdictions have similar requirements to the FDA which include reporting requirements such as adverse events and recalls.
Regulations Governing Reimbursement
Market acceptance of our medical products in the U.S. and other countries is dependent upon the purchasing and procurement practices of our customers and patient need for our products and procedures and, the coverage and reimbursement of patients’ medical expenses by government healthcare programs, private insurers or other healthcare payors. The delivery of our devices is subject to regulation by the HHS and comparable state and non-U.S. agencies responsible for reimbursement and regulation of healthcare items and services. Healthcare providers that purchase medical devices generally rely on third-party payors, including, in the U.S., the Medicare and Medicaid programs and private payors, such as indemnity insurers, employer group health insurance programs and managed care plans, to reimburse all or part of the cost of the products. As a result, demand for our products is and will continue to be dependent in part on the coverage and reimbursement policies of these payors. The manner in which reimbursement is sought and obtained varies based upon the type of payor involved and the setting in which the product is furnished and utilized. Reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payors may be subject to periodic adjustments as a result of legislative, regulatory and policy changes, as well as budgetary pressures. Possible reductions in, or eliminations of, coverage or reimbursement by third-party payors, or denial of, or provision of uneconomical reimbursement for new products may affect our customers' revenue and ability to purchase our products. Any changes in the healthcare regulatory, payment or enforcement landscape relative to our customers' healthcare services have the potential to significantly affect our operations and revenue.
Implementation of legislative or regulatory reforms to reimbursement systems, including price regulation, competitive bidding and tendering, coverage and payment policies, comparative effectiveness of therapies, technology assessments and managed-care arrangements, or adverse decisions relating to our products by administrators of these systems in coverage or reimbursement, could significantly reduce reimbursement or result in the denial of coverage, which could have an impact on the acceptance of and demand for our products and the prices that our customers are willing to pay for them.
Other regulations
Anti-Bribery Laws. In the U.S., we are subject to laws and regulations pertaining to healthcare fraud and abuse, including anti-kickback laws and physician self-referral laws that regulate the means by which companies in the health care industry may market their products to hospitals and health care professionals and may compete by discounting the prices of their products. Similar anti-bribery laws exist in many of the countries in which we sell our products outside the U.S., as well as the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) which addresses the activities of U.S. companies in foreign markets. Our products also are subject to regulation regarding reimbursement, and U.S. healthcare laws apply when a customer submits a claim for a product that is reimbursed under a federally funded healthcare program. These global laws require that we exercise care in designing our sales and marketing practices, including interactions with healthcare professionals, and customer discount arrangements. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – We are exposed to a variety of risks relating to our international sales and operations” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.
Import-export. Our international operations subject us to laws regarding sanctioned countries, entities and persons, customs, and import-export. Among other things, these laws restrict, and in some cases can prevent, U.S. companies from directly or indirectly selling goods, technology or services to people or entities in certain countries. In addition, these laws require that we exercise care in our business dealings with entities in and from foreign countries. In addition to our need to comply with such regulations in connection with our direct activities, we also sell and provide goods, technology and services to agents, representatives and distributors who may export such items to customers and end-users. If we, or the third parties through which we do business, are not in compliance with applicable import, export control or economic sanctions laws and regulations, we may be subject to civil or criminal enforcement action, and varying degrees of liability. Such actions may disrupt or delay sales of our products or services or result in restrictions on our distribution and sales of products or services that may materially impact our business
Environmental Health and Safety. Our research, development and manufacturing processes involve the controlled use of certain hazardous materials. We are subject to country-specific, federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the use, manufacture, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and certain waste products. We believe that our environmental, health and safety procedures for handling and disposing of these materials comply with the standards prescribed by the controlling laws and regulations. However, risk of accidental releases or injury from these materials is possible. These risks are managed to minimize or eliminate associated business impacts. In the event of this type of accident, we could be held liable for damages and face a liability that could exceed our resources. We could be subject to a regulatory shutdown of a facility that could prevent the distribution and sale of products manufactured there for a significant period of time, and we could suffer a casualty loss that could require a shutdown of the facility in order to repair it, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business. Although we continuously strive to maintain full compliance with respect to all applicable global
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environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, we could incur substantial costs to fully comply with future laws and regulations, and our operations, business or assets may be negatively affected. Furthermore, global environmental, health and safety compliance is an ongoing process. We have compliance procedures in place for compliance with Employee Health & Safety laws, driven by a centrally led organizational structure that ensures proper implementation, which is essential to our overall business objectives.
In addition, we are subject to numerous federal, state, foreign and local laws relating to safe working conditions, environmental protection and fire hazard control, among others. We may be required to incur significant costs to comply with these laws and regulations in the future and complying with these laws may result in a material adverse effect upon our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Laws and Regulations. As a business with a significant global footprint, compliance with evolving regulations and standards in data privacy and cybersecurity (relating to the confidentiality and security of our information technology systems, products such as medical devices, and other services provided by us) may result in increased costs, lower revenue, new complexities in compliance, new challenges for competition, and the threat of increased regulatory enforcement activity. Our business relies on the secure electronic transmission, storage and hosting of sensitive information, including personal information, financial information, intellectual property, and other sensitive information related to our customers and workforce.
For example, in the U.S., the collection, maintenance, protection, use, transmission, disclosure and disposal of certain personal information and the security of medical devices are regulated at the U.S. federal and state, and industry levels. U.S. federal and state laws protect the confidentiality of certain patient health information, including patient medical records, and restrict the use and disclosure of patient health information by health care providers. For example, in the U.S. we are obligated to comply with the requirements of the Health Insurance and Portability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (collectively, “HIPPA”). Under HIPAA, the HHS has issued regulations, including the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules, to protect the privacy and security of protected health information used or disclosed by covered entities including health care providers and their business associates, as well as covered subcontractors. HIPAA also regulates standardization of data content, codes and formats used in health care transactions and standardization of identifiers for health plans and providers. Penalties for violations of HIPAA regulations include significant civil and criminal penalties for each violation. In addition, the FDA has issued guidance advising manufacturers to take cybersecurity risks into account in product design for connected medical devices and systems, to assure that appropriate safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of unauthorized access or modification to medical devices that contain software and reduce the risk of introducing threats into hospital systems that are connected to such devices. The FDA also issued guidance on post market management of cyber security in medical devices.
Outside the U.S., we are impacted by the privacy and data security requirements at the international, national and regional level, and on an industry specific basis. Legal requirements in these countries relating to the collection, storage, handling and transfer of personal data and, potentially, intellectual property continue to evolve with increasingly strict enforcement regimes. In Europe, for example, we are subject to EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") which requires member states to impose minimum restrictions on the collection, use and transfer of personal data and includes, among other things, a requirement for prompt notice of data breaches to data subjects and supervisory authorities in certain circumstances and significant fines for non-compliance. The GDPR also requires companies processing personal data of individuals residing in the EU to comply with EU privacy and data protection rules.
Please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Failure to comply with laws relating to the confidentiality of sensitive personal information or standards related to the transmission of electronic health data, may require us to make significant changes to our products, or incur penalties or other liabilities” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional discussion of the risks accompanying compliance with data privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations.
These laws and regulations impact the ways in which we use and manage personal data, protected health information, and our information technology systems. They also impact our ability to move, store, and access data across geographic boundaries. Compliance with these requirements may require changes in business practices, complicate our operations, and add complexity and additional management and oversight needs. They also may complicate our clinical research activities, as well as product offerings that involve transmission or use of clinical data.
HUMAN CAPITAL
Our people are our greatest asset and we view human capital management and the strength of our employees as integral to the long-term success of our business. We understand that we rely on our employees worldwide to propel our organization forward with great ideas, innovations and leadership.
Workforce Demographics
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As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 3,946 regular full and part time employees and 1383 contingent, subcontracted, and outsourced partners.
Approximately 70% of our employees are located in the United States, 21% in Europe, 2% in Latin America and Canada and 7% in Asia Pacific which includes Australia and New Zealand.
Diversity and Inclusion
A diverse workforce and an inclusive culture and work environment is a business priority and a key to our long-term success. We believe our company is stronger when we build diverse teams and leverage broad perspectives. Diverse teams meet the needs of our shareholders, customers, colleagues and communities we serve. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion starts at the top with our Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. At all levels of the Company, we focus on attracting, retaining, and developing our diverse talent. We have implemented initiatives to promote awareness of our corporate commitment to diversity and inclusion and employ trainings and other educational programs to inform and educate our workforce – forming communities of advocates and allies to help advance a culture of inclusion – develop inclusive leadership skills and identify and minimize the impact of unconscious bias. Through our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), leadership councils and external partnerships, we provide opportunities for colleagues to create a welcoming culture, advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace and to provide feedback to our executive team. In fiscal year 2023, we expanded the number of Integra-sponsored ERGs to seven (7) as we believe our ERGs, which are employee-led groups, provide career and leadership development and networking opportunities for members and strengthen ties between employees of many different backgrounds, cultures, and interests.
Compensation and Benefits
Our compensation philosophy is designed to reinforce and align with our mission, business strategy, and financial needs. We invest in the physical, emotional and financial well-being of our employees through our robust compensation and benefit programs. We provide market-competitive compensation and benefits based on benchmarking surveys we conduct regularly for all position levels against relevant peer companies. Our annual and long-term incentive packages are linked directly to business and individual performance, with a balance of short- and long-term financial and strategic objectives. We have an employee stock purchase plan. Eligibility for non-salary benefits such as salary continuance, life insurance, health insurance, and similar benefits, follows local regulations and practices.
We are a pay-for-performance company committed to fair pay. All compensation decisions are made without regard to personal characteristics such as, but not limited to, gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, religion, or veteran status. As part of our commitment to compensation equity, Integra regularly conducts a pay equity analysis, reviewing how our organization compensates employees against external and internal data in conjunction with the role and scope of each position and making adjustments if necessary.
Talent Development and Retention
We have comprehensive and effective human capital development programs in place because we believe that the personal success of our employees is critical to the overall success of our business. To build a diverse and talented organization, we have invested in honing our recruiting and hiring processes to attract top talent and engage new hires from the very beginning of their experience at Integra.
We offer a variety of opportunities for our employees to learn and grow. Continued learning and development is a critical component of employee job satisfaction, retention, and career advancement—and ultimately, a driver of business success. We encourage and promote experiential, collaborative, and formal learning programs. Employees are also encouraged to discuss with their managers the skills, training, and experience needed to grow and develop. In addition to several skills-based trainings available (technical, sales, leadership ability) to all employees, managers may recommend external job-specific development programs to employees. These programs are paid for directly by Integra.
Employee Health and Safety:
We are committed to providing a safe environment for all employees and visitors. We rely on our environmental, health and safety management systems as well as entrusting our managers to oversee and ensure health and safety at their respective sites and foster a workplace culture to achieve that end. We implement our approach globally by our systems and support at regional and country levels from colleagues that implement proper safety protocols, identify and correct hazards, and remain safety conscious at all times. Managers are expected to enforce health and safety regulations, including compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Our Environmental Health and Safety ("EH&S") organizational structure incorporates both
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workplace EH&S coordinators and compliance teams. We have developed an Incident Procedure Policy and General Safety Rules that guide our colleagues to improve our workplace environment, improve safety, and reduce risk and costs.
Employee Engagement and Wellbeing
We regularly seek employee feedback and sentiment about our workplace through global engagement surveys conducted on at least a bi-annual basis. After each survey is complete, we share detailed results with senior management and all employees within each department. We are incorporating employee survey results into our corporate strategies – across company, division and function levels – and have further used this employee feedback to modify corporate programs and initiatives. We believe this process enables us to monitor employee engagement and create a continuously improving, satisfying work environment for our employees.
We are committed to improving the quality of life of our employees and their families. Our health and wellbeing programs differ by country and typical benefits include comprehensive health insurance, disability coverage, workplace accommodations, parental leave and other leaves of absence based on health or life events (e.g., bereavement), employee assistance programs, fitness reimbursement, and flu shots. We also provide on-demand health advocates to help employees navigate the health insurance system, access to digital health solutions, a weight management program, smoking cessation assistance, a substance use disorder helpline, a diabetes health program and other similar programs to drive healthy behaviors and awareness.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
Financial information about our geographical areas is set forth in our financial statements Note 16, Segment and Geographic Information, to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act of 1934. In accordance with the Exchange Act, we file annual reports on Form 10K, quarterly reports on Form 10Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission, ("the SEC"). Our financial information may be viewed, including the information contained in this report, and other reports we file with the SEC, on the Internet, without charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we file them with the SEC, in the “SEC Filings” page of the Investor Relations section of our website at investor.integralife.com. A copy may also be obtained for any of these reports, without charge, from our Investor Relations department, 1100 Campus Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Alternatively, reports filed may be viewed or obtained through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (investor.integralife.com), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels as well as social media to communicate with the public about our Company, our services and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our Company to review the information we post on the social media channels listed on our investor relations website. We have used, and intend to continue to use, our investor relations website as means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Additional corporate governance information, including our certificate of incorporation, bylaws, corporate governance guidelines, board committee charters, and global code of conduct, is also available on our investor relations website under the heading “Corporate Governance.” The contents of our websites are not intended to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or in any other report or document we file with the SEC, and any references to our website are intended to be inactive textual references only.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS
The continuing worldwide macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty may adversely affect our business and prospects.
Geopolitical instability and other macroeconomic factors, including inflation, supply chain disruptions, interest rate and foreign currency rate fluctuations, and volatility in the capital markets could negatively impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Global economic disruptions have continued to impact the global supply chain, primarily through constraints on raw materials and electronic components. Additionally, we have observed a reduction in both inbound and outbound transportation capacity as a result of port closures, shipping lane disruptions and delays since the Coronavirus Disease ("COVID-19") pandemic, all of which is causing longer lead times in receiving raw materials, as well as increased freight costs. These highly competitive and constrained supply chain conditions are increasing our cost of sales, which has and may continue to adversely impact our profitability.
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Continued concerns about the systemic impact of potential long-term and wide-spread recession and geopolitical issues, including wars and acts of terrorism, have contributed to increased market volatility and diminished expectations for economic growth in the world. Our business and results of operations have been and may continue to be adversely impacted by changes in macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, rising interest rates, bank failures and the accessibility of capital markets. Uncertainty about global economic conditions may also cause decreased demand for our products and services and increased competition, which could result in lower sales volume and downward pressure on the prices for our products, longer sales cycles, and slower adoption of new technologies. A weakening of macroeconomic conditions may also adversely affect our suppliers, which could result in interruptions in supply.
Market acceptance of our medical products in the U.S. and other countries is dependent upon the medical equipment purchasing and procurement practices of our customers, patient need for our products and procedures and the reimbursement of patients' medical expenses by government healthcare programs and third-party payors. The continuing uncertainty surrounding global economic conditions and financial markets may cause the purchasers of medical equipment to decrease their procurement activities. Economic uncertainty, an increase in unemployment rates, as well as increasing health insurance premiums, co-payments and deductibles may adversely affect demand for our products and procedures. Furthermore, governments and other third-party payors around the world facing tightening budgets could move to further reduce the reimbursement rates or the scope of coverage offered, which could adversely affect sales of our products.
RISKS RELATING TO OUR BUSINESS
Our operating results may fluctuate.
Our operating results, including components of operating results such as gross margin and operating expenses, may fluctuate from time to time. Our operating results have fluctuated in the past and can be expected to do so from time to time in the future. Some of the factors that may cause these fluctuations include:
•economic conditions worldwide, which could affect the ability of hospitals and other customers to purchase our products and could result in a reduction in elective and non-reimbursed operative procedures;
•the impact of acquisitions, our ability to integrate acquisitions, and our restructuring activities including portfolio rationalization, and divestitures;
•expenditures for major initiatives, including acquired businesses and integrations thereof and restructuring;
•the timing of significant customer orders, which tend to increase in the fourth quarter coinciding with the end of budget cycles;
•increased competition for a wide range of customers across all our product lines in the markets our products are sold;
•market acceptance of our existing products, as well as products in development;
•retention of current employees and recruiting of new employees in light of market competition for talent and relevant skills;
•the timing of regulatory approvals as well as changes in country-specific regulatory requirements;
•changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies of countries in which we do business;
•changes in the variable interest rates of our debt instruments which could impact debt service requirements;
•potential backorders, lost sales and expenses incurred in connection with product recalls or field corrective actions;
•disruption of our operations and sales resulting from political instability, war, insurrections, extreme weather conditions, the outbreak of disease, natural disasters, or other events outside our control that damage our manufacturing, distribution, or infrastructure of those facilities, or the suppliers and service providers for those facilities;
•our ability to manufacture and ship our products efficiently or in sufficient quantities to meet sales demands;
•changes in the cost or decreases in the supply of raw materials and services, including sterilization, energy, steel and honey;
•the timing of our research and development expenditures;
•reimbursement for our products by third-party payors such as Medicare, Medicaid, private and public health insurers and foreign governmental health systems;
•risks related to epidemics or similar widespread health concerns;
•the ability to maintain existing distribution rights to and from certain third parties;
•the ability to maintain business if or when we opt to convert such business from distributors to a direct sales model;
•the ability of our commercial sales representatives to obtain sales targets in a reasonable time frame;
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•the impact of changes to our sales organization, continued channel expansion, including increased specialization;
•peer-reviewed publications discussing the clinical effectiveness of the products we sell;
•inspections of our manufacturing facilities for compliance with Quality System Regulations (Good Manufacturing Practices), which could result in Form 483 observations, warning letters, injunctions or other adverse findings from the FDA or from equivalent regulatory bodies, and corrective actions, procedural changes and other actions that we determine are necessary or appropriate to address the results of those inspections, any of which may affect production and our ability to supply our customers with our products;
•changes in regulations or guidelines that impact the sales and marketing practices for products that we sell;
•the increased regulatory scrutiny of certain of our products, including products which we manufacture for others, could result in removal from the market or involve field corrective actions that could affect the marketability of our products;
•enforcement or defense of intellectual property rights;
•changes in tax laws, or their interpretations; and
•the impact of goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges if future operating results of the acquired businesses are significantly less than the results anticipated at the time of the acquisitions.
Fluctuations in our operating results, including any of the above factors, may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate.
The industry and market segments in which we operate are highly competitive, and we may be unable to compete effectively with other companies.
There is intense competition among medical device companies. We compete with established medical technology companies in many of our product areas. Competition also comes from early-stage companies, universities, research institutions and other non-profit entities. In certain cases, our products compete primarily against medical practices that treat a condition without using a device or any particular product, such as the medical practices that use autograft tissue instead of our dermal regeneration products, duraplasty products and nerve repair products, or that use other technologies that cost less than our products. Many of our competitors have access to greater financial, technical, research and development, marketing, manufacturing, sales, distribution, administrative, consulting and other resources than we do. Our competitors may be more effective at developing commercial products or navigating the regulatory approval process in the markets in which we operate. They may be able to gain market share by offering lower-cost products or products that enjoy better reimbursement from third-party payors and foreign governmental health systems.
Our competitive position depends on our ability to achieve market acceptance for our products, develop new products, enhance existing products, implement marketing plans, secure regulatory approval for products under development and maintain previously-obtained approvals, demonstrate clinical and economic effectiveness, obtain and maintain reimbursement coverage and funding under third-party payors and foreign governmental health systems, obtain patent protection and produce products consistently in sufficient quantities to meet demand. We may need to develop new applications for our products to remain competitive. Technological advances by one or more of our current or future competitors or their achievement of superior reimbursement from third-party payors and foreign governmental health systems could render our present or future products obsolete or uneconomical. Our future success will depend upon our ability to compete effectively against current technology as well as to respond effectively to technological advances, changes in customers' requirements or in payor or regulatory evidence requirements. Additionally, purchasing decisions of our customers may be based on clinical evidence or comparative effectiveness studies and, because of our vast array of products, we might not be able to fund the studies necessary to gain entry or maintain our position or provide the required information to compete effectively. Other companies may have more resources available to fund such studies. For example, competitors have launched and are developing products to compete with our dural repair products, regenerative skin, neuro critical care monitors and ultrasonic tissue ablation devices, among others. In the current environment of managed care, consolidation among health care providers, increased competition, and declining reimbursement rates, we have been increasingly required to compete on the basis of price. Competitive pressures could adversely affect our profitability. Given these factors, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to compete effectively or continue our level of success in the areas in which we compete.
Changes in the healthcare industry may require us to decrease the selling price for our products, may reduce the size of the market for our products, or may eliminate a market, any of which could have a negative impact on our financial performance.
Trends toward managed care, healthcare cost containment and other changes in government and private sector initiatives in the U.S. and other countries in which we do business are placing increased emphasis on the delivery of more cost-effective medical therapies that could adversely affect the sale and/or the prices of our products. For example:
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•third-party payors of hospital services and hospital outpatient services, including Medicare, Medicaid, private and public health insurers and foreign governmental health systems, annually revise their payment methodologies, which can result in stricter standards for reimbursement of hospital charges for certain medical procedures or the elimination of reimbursement;
•several foreign countries have implemented reforms of their respective healthcare sectors in an effort to reduce healthcare spending, including restricting funding to only those medical technologies and procedures with proven effectiveness, increasing patient co-payments and providing for payback measures. Governmental health systems have revised and continue to consider revisions of healthcare budgets, which could result in stricter standards for implementing certain medical procedures, increased scrutiny of medical devices, and downward pricing pressure;
•Medicare, Medicaid, private and public health insurer and foreign governmental cutbacks could create downward pricing pressure on our products;
•in the U.S., Medicare and Medicaid coverage as well as commercial payor coverage determinations could reduce or eliminate reimbursement or coverage for certain of our wound matrix, amniotic, surgical reconstruction and advanced wound dressing products as well as other products in most regions, negatively affecting our market for these products, and future determinations could reduce or eliminate reimbursement or coverage for these products in other regions and could reduce or eliminate reimbursement or coverage for other products;
•there has been a consolidation among healthcare facilities and purchasers of medical devices in the U.S., some of whom prefer to limit the number of suppliers from whom they purchase medical products, and these entities may decide to stop purchasing our products or demand discounts on our prices;
•in the U.S., we are party to contracts with group purchasing organizations, which negotiate pricing for many member hospitals, require us to discount our prices for certain of our products and limit our ability to raise prices for certain of our products, particularly surgical instruments;
•there is economic pressure to contain healthcare costs in domestic and international markets, and, regardless of the consolidation discussed above, providers generally are exploring ways to cut costs by eliminating purchases or driving reductions in the prices that they pay for medical devices, implementing national and provincial tender pricing, as recently implemented in China, or increasing clinical or economic evidence thresholds for product formularies;
•there are proposed and existing laws, regulations and industry policies in domestic and international markets regulating the sales and marketing practices and the pricing and profitability of companies in the healthcare industry;
•proposed laws or regulations may permit hospitals to provide financial incentives to doctors for reducing hospital costs, will award physician efficiency, and will encourage partnerships with healthcare service and goods providers to reduce prices; and
•there have been initiatives by third-party payors and foreign governmental health systems to challenge the prices charged for medical products that could affect our ability to sell products on a competitive basis.
Any and all of the above factors could materially and adversely affect our levels of revenue and our profitability.
Our current strategy involves growth through acquisitions, which requires us to incur substantial costs and potential liabilities for which we may never realize the anticipated benefits, and also requires us to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our business operations in order to avoid our business being materially and adversely affected.
In addition to internally generated growth, our current strategy involves growth through acquisitions. Between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023, we have acquired two businesses at a total cost of approximately $358.4 million which amount includes our acquisition of ACell, Inc. in January 2021 for $306.9 million and our acquisition of Surgical Innovation Associates, Inc. for $51.5 million in December 2022. Both of these acquisitions added products to our complex wound management and plastic and reconstructive surgery product portfolios, respectively, and provides additional growth opportunities for our TT segment.
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In December 2023, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Acclarent from Johnson & Johnson, for $275.0 million in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments, and a cash payment of $5.0 million upon the achievement of a regulatory milestone. Completion of our pending acquisition of Acclarent is conditioned upon the receipt of certain regulatory approvals, and we cannot provide assurance that these approvals will be obtained. If any conditions, including with respect to divestitures, or changes to the proposed structure of the acquisition are required to obtain these regulatory approvals, they may have the effect of jeopardizing or delaying completion of the pending acquisition or reducing the anticipated benefits of the pending acquisition. If we are required to agree to any material conditions in order to obtain any approvals required to complete the pending acquisition, the business and results of operations of our company following the closing may be adversely affected.
We may be unable to continue to implement our growth strategy and it may ultimately be unsuccessful. A significant portion of our growth in revenues has resulted from, and is expected to continue to result from, the acquisition of businesses or products complementary to our own. We engage in evaluations of potential acquisitions and are in various stages of discussion regarding possible acquisitions, certain of which, if consummated, could be significant to us. Failure to complete the Acclarent acquisition, on a timely basis or at all, could negatively impact our future business and financial results and those of the acquired business. Any new acquisition could result in material transaction expenses, increased operating, amortization and interest expenses, and possible in-process research and development charges for acquisitions that do not meet the definition of a “business,” any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our operating results. Certain businesses that we acquire may not have adequate financial, disclosure, regulatory, quality or other compliance controls at the time we acquire them and could require significant expenditures to address those controls or subject us to increased risk. As we grow by acquisition, we must manage and integrate the new businesses to bring them into our systems for financial, disclosure, compliance, regulatory and quality control, realize economies of scale, and control costs. Failure to integrate acquired businesses and operations (including acquired employees and systems), retain key customers and suppliers of any acquired business or manage the cost of providing our products or price our products appropriately could preclude realization of the full benefits that we expect from there transactions. Our failure to meet the challenges involved in integrating the business in order to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions could cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, our activities and could materially and adversely affect our results of operations. In addition, acquisitions involve other risks, including diversion of management resources otherwise available for the running of our business and the development of our business as well as risks associated with entering markets in which our marketing teams and sales force has limited experience or where experienced distribution alliances are not available. Some acquisitions may include the need for ongoing product development to occur consistent with time sensitive milestones in order for the Company to achieve its commercial projections for the acquisition. Our future profitability will depend in part upon our ability to develop our resources to adapt to these new products or business areas and to identify and enter into or maintain satisfactory distribution networks. As a result of our acquisitions of other healthcare businesses, we may be subject to the risk of unanticipated business uncertainties, regulatory and other compliance matters or legal liabilities relating to those acquired businesses for which the sellers of the acquired businesses may not indemnify us, for which we may not be able to obtain insurance (or adequate insurance), or for which the indemnification may not be sufficient to cover the ultimate liabilities. We may not be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates in the future, obtain acceptable financing or consummate any future acquisitions. Certain potential acquisitions are subject to antitrust and competition laws, which laws could impact our ability to pursue strategic acquisitions and could result in mandated divestitures. If we are unsuccessful in our acquisition strategy, we may be unable to meet our financial targets and our financial performance could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, dispositions of certain key products, technologies and other rights, including pursuant to conditions imposed on us to obtain regulatory approvals, may affect our business operations.
These risks may be heightened in cases where a substantial portion of an acquired businesses’ operations, employees or customers are located outside the U.S. Any one or all of these factors could complicate the integration of acquired employees and operations, increase operating costs or lower anticipated financial performance. Many of these factors are also outside of our control. For example, following the anticipated consummation of the Acclarent acquisition, the ongoing conflict in Israel, including any escalation or expansion thereof, and the measures enacted by the Israeli and other governments in response may make it more difficult for us to both integrate Acclarent and realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition.
Even if the operations of the businesses are integrated successfully, we may not realize the full benefits of the acquisition, including the synergies, cost savings or sales or growth opportunities that we expect. These benefits may not be achieved within the anticipated time frame, or at all. Additional unanticipated costs could be incurred in the integration of the businesses. All of these factors could cause a reduction to our earnings per share, decrease or delay the expected accretive effect of the transaction, and negatively impact the price of our common stock.
Our global business exposes us to operational and economic risks.
A significant portion of our current operations are conducted and located outside the United States, and our growth strategy involves expanding our existing foreign operations and entering into new foreign jurisdictions. We have significant manufacturing and distribution sites in North America and Europe.
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Our international operations subject us to laws regarding sanctioned countries, entities and persons, customs, import-export, laws regarding transactions in foreign countries, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and local anti-bribery and other laws regarding interactions with healthcare professionals, and product registration requirements. Among other things, these laws restrict, and in some cases prevent, U.S. companies from directly or indirectly selling goods, technology or services to people or entities in certain countries. In addition, these laws require that we exercise care in structuring our sales and marketing practices and effecting product registrations in foreign countries.
As we seek to continue to expand and strengthen our international operations, we may experience difficulty in growing our sales in certain new markets and other international markets in which we are attempting to increase our presence due to, among other things, customer acceptance, undeveloped and/or unfamiliar distribution channels, regulatory restrictions and changes, and business knowledge of these markets.
From time to time, proposals are made to significantly change existing trade agreements and relationships between the U.S. and other countries. In recent years, the U.S. government has implemented substantial changes to U.S. trade policies, including import restrictions, increased import tariffs and changes in U.S. participation in multilateral trade agreements, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to replace the former North American Free Trade Agreement. The ongoing global economic competition and trade tensions between the U.S. and China has resulted in the U.S. government assessing supplemental tariffs on certain goods imported from China and China’s assessment of retaliatory tariffs on certain imports of U.S. goods into China. In addition, the United States has assessed or proposed supplemental tariffs and quantitative restrictions on U.S. imports of certain products from other countries as well. Owing to the complex relationships between the U.S. and such other countries, political, diplomatic, military, or other events could result in business disruptions, including increased regulatory enforcement against companies, tariffs, trade embargoes, export restrictions and the termination or modification of existing trade agreements. The imposition of such restrictions could increase the cost of the Company’s products and the components and raw materials that go into making them, require the Company to change its operations and the products it offers and negatively impact consumer confidence and spending, all of which, both individually and in the aggregate, could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict and resulting sanctions and export restrictions are creating barriers to doing business in Russia and adversely impacting global supply chains. While we have no manufacturing, distribution or direct material suppliers in the region, we are closely monitoring the potential raw material or supplier impact in both Russia and Ukraine. Materials like palladium and neon, which are both dependent on Russian supply, are part of broader semiconductor shortages in industry. Additional sanctions, export restrictions, and potential countermeasures within Russia may lead to greater uncertainty and geopolitical shifts in Asia that could cause additional adverse impacts on global supply chains and our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Exchange rate fluctuations and foreign currency hedges could adversely affect our financial results.
We generate significant revenues outside the U.S. in multiple foreign currencies, and in U.S. dollar-denominated transactions conducted with customers who generate revenue in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For those foreign customers who purchase our products in U.S. dollars, currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which those customers do business may have a negative impact on the demand for our products in foreign countries where the U.S. dollar has increased in value compared to the local currency.
Since we have operations based outside the U.S. and we generate revenues and incur operating expenses in multiple foreign currencies, we experience currency exchange risk with respect to those foreign currency-denominated revenues and expenses. Our most significant currency exchange risk relates to transactions conducted in Australian dollars, British pounds, Canadian dollars, Chinese yuan, Euros, Japanese yen, and Swiss francs.
We cannot predict the consolidated effects of exchange rate fluctuations upon our future operating results because of the number of currencies involved, the variability of currency exposure and the potential volatility of currency exchange rates. Although we address currency risk management through regular operating and financing activities, and, on a limited basis, through the use of derivative financial instruments, those actions may not prove to be fully effective. For a description of our use of derivative financial instruments, see Note 6, Derivative Instruments to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
Our future financial results could be adversely affected by impairments or other charges.
We are required to test both goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis based upon a fair value approach, rather than amortizing them over time. We are also required to test goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs such as a significant decline in revenues or cash flows for certain products, or the discount rates used in the calculations of discounted cash flows change significantly, or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce our enterprise fair value below its book value. If such a decline, rate change or circumstance were to materialize, we may record an impairment of these intangible assets that could be material to the financial
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statements. See Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Estimates” of this Annual Report on Form 10K, and Note 7, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Part IV, Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
The guidance on long-lived assets requires that we assess the impairment of our long-lived assets, including finite-lived intangible assets, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable as measured by the sum of the expected future undiscounted cash flows.
Also, Company decisions and other economic factors relating to our trade names may occur over time. For instance, we may discontinue certain products in the future as we continue to assess the profitability of our product lines. As a result, we may need to record impairment charges or accelerate amortization on certain trade names or technology-related intangible assets in the future.
The value of a medical device business is often volatile, and the assumptions underlying our estimates made in connection with our assessments under the guidance may change as a result of that volatility or other factors outside our control and may result in impairment charges. The amount of any such impairment charges could be significant and have a material, adverse effect on our reported financial results for the period in which the charge is taken and could have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities, including the notes and the common stock into which they may be converted.
Lack of market acceptance for our products or market preference for technologies that compete with our products could reduce our revenues and profitability.
Market acceptance of our products depends on many factors, including our ability to convince prospective customers that our technology is an attractive alternative to other technologies, to manufacture products in sufficient quantities and at acceptable costs, and to supply and service sufficient quantities of our products directly or through our distribution alliances. For example, the use of autograft tissue is a well-established means for repairing the dermis, and it competes for acceptance in the market with our collagen-based wound care products. In addition, unfavorable payment amounts or adverse coverage determinations of third-party payors, including Medicare, Medicaid, private and public health insurers, and foreign governmental health systems, regarding our products or third-party determinations that favor a competitor’s product over ours, could harm acceptance or continued use of our products. For example, greater market acceptance of our wound graft products may ultimately depend on our ability to demonstrate that coverage and reimbursement are available and favorable, or because they are an attractive, cost-effective alternative to other treatment options.
If there are negative events in the healthcare industry, whether real or perceived, there could be a negative impact on the industry as a whole. The industry is subject to rapid and continuous change arising from, among other things, consolidation, technological improvements, the pressure on governments, third-party payors and providers to reduce healthcare costs, and healthcare reform legislation and initiatives domestically and internationally. In addition, our future success depends, in part, on our ability to license and develop additional products. Even if we determine that a product candidate has medical benefits, the cost of commercializing, either through internal development or payments associated with licensing arrangements, could be too high to justify development and we could ultimately face competitors with more effective products and better reimbursement status that cost less and are ready for commercial introduction before our products. If we are unable to develop additional commercially viable products, our future prospects could be materially and adversely affected.
One or more of these factors could vary unpredictably, and such variations could have a material, adverse effect on our competitive position. We may not be able to adjust our contemplated plan of development to meet changing market demands.
It could be difficult to replace some of our suppliers.
Outside vendors, some of whom are sole-source suppliers, provide key components and raw materials used in the manufacture of our products. Although we believe that alternative sources for many of these components and raw materials are available, any interruption in supply of a limited or sole-source component or raw material could harm our ability to manufacture our products until a new or alternative source of supply is identified and qualified. In addition, an uncorrected defect or supplier’s variation in a component or raw material, either unknown to us or incompatible with our manufacturing process, could harm our ability to manufacture products. We may not be able to find a sufficient alternative supplier in a reasonable time period, or on commercially reasonable terms, if at all, and our ability to produce and supply our products could be impaired. We believe that these factors are most likely to affect the following products that we sell:
•our collagen-based products and bovine-based products, such as the Integra Dermal Regeneration Template and wound matrix products, the DuraGen® family of products, our Absorbable Collagen Sponges, PriMatrix® and SurgiMend products;
•our products made from silicone, such as our neurosurgical shunts and drainage systems and hemodynamic shunts;
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•products which use many different specialty parts, electrical components, or chemicals from numerous suppliers, such as our intracranial monitors, shunts, catheters, tissue ablation, and headlights;
•our biosynthetic products, including the DuraSeal sealant system and DuraSorb biosynthetic mesh scaffold;
•products which are amniotic tissue-based
•products which are porcine tissue-based;
•products that use medical grade leptospermum honey, such as our Medihoney products; and
•our TCC-EZ® total contact cast system products.
The availability of amniotic tissue-based products depends upon, among other factors, the availability of tissue from human donors. Access to donated amniotic tissue could also be adversely impacted by regulatory changes or evolving public perceptions of the donor process.
Additionally, many of our products require sterilization by third-party suppliers. To the extent these suppliers are unable to provide sterilization services, whether due to lack of capacity, regulatory requirements, environmental concerns such as those relating to ethylene oxide or otherwise, we may be unable to transition sterilization to other suppliers in a timely or cost effective manner, or at all, which could have an adverse impact on our operating results.
Our supply chain and our cost of goods also may be negatively impacted by unanticipated price increases due to factors such as global economic disruptions, electronic component shortages, fear of future or ongoing pandemics, inflation, including wage inflation, recessionary conditions and geopolitical events, including the wars in Ukraine and Israel, all of which are beyond our control or the control of our suppliers.
While it is our policy to maintain sufficient inventory of components so that our production will not be significantly disrupted even if a particular component or material is not available for a period of time, we remain at risk that we will not be able to qualify new components or materials quickly enough to prevent a disruption if one or more of our suppliers ceases production of important components or materials.
We may experience difficulties, delays, performance impact or unexpected costs from consolidation of facilities and transfer of manufacturing facilities.
In recent years, we consolidated several facilities or transferred manufacturing operations from third parties to our existing internal manufacturing facilities and may further undertake similar consolidations or transfers in the future in order to improve our cost structure, achieve increased operating efficiencies, and improve our competitive standing or results of operations and/or to address unfavorable economic conditions. As part of these initiatives, we may also lose favorable tax incentives or not be able to renew leases on acceptable terms. We may further reduce staff, make changes to certain capital projects, close certain production operations and abandon leases for certain facilities that will not be used in our operations. In conjunction with any actions, we will continue to make significant investments and build the framework for our future growth. We may not realize, in full or in part, the anticipated benefits and savings from these efforts because of unforeseen difficulties, delays, implementation issues or unexpected costs. If we are unable to achieve or maintain all of the resulting savings or benefits to our business or other unforeseen events occur, our business and results of operations may be adversely affected.
If any of our facilities or those of our suppliers were damaged and/or our manufacturing or business processes interrupted, we could experience lost revenues and our business could be seriously harmed.
Damage to our manufacturing, distribution, development and/or research facilities because of fire, extreme weather conditions, natural disaster, power loss, communications failure, geopolitical disruption, unauthorized entry or other events, such as a flu or other health epidemic, could significantly disrupt our operations, the operations of suppliers and critical infrastructure and delay or prevent product manufacture and shipment during the time required to repair, rebuild or replace the damaged facilities. Certain of our manufacturing facilities are located in Puerto Rico, which in the past has experienced both severe hurricanes and other natural disasters. Climate change may increase both the frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters and, consequently, risks to our operations and growth. Although we maintain property damage and business interruption insurance coverage on these facilities, our insurance might not cover all losses under such circumstances, and we may not be able to renew or obtain such insurance in the future on acceptable terms with adequate coverage or at reasonable costs.
Global supply constraints have and may continue to adversely affect our ability to meet customer demand, and increase our costs to manufacture, transport and warehouse a certain subset of our products. In addition, global supply constraints have resulted in increases to the costs of production of certain of our products that we may not be able to pass on to our customers. We expect these factors will continue to impact us in the future and obtaining alternative sources of raw materials and components could involve significant costs and regulatory challenges and may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, if at all.
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We may have significant product liability exposure and our insurance may not cover all potential claims.
We are exposed to product liability and other claims if our technologies or products are alleged to have caused harm. We may not be able to obtain insurance for the potential liability on acceptable terms with adequate coverage or at reasonable costs. Any potential product liability claims could exceed the amount of our insurance coverage or may be excluded from coverage under the terms of the policy. Our insurance may not be renewed at a cost and level of coverage comparable to that then in effect.
Economic and political instability around the world could adversely affect the ability of hospitals, other customers, suppliers and distributors to access funds or otherwise have available liquidity, which could reduce orders for our products or interrupt our production or distribution or result in a reduction in elective and non-reimbursed operative procedures.
Economic and political instability around the world could adversely affect the ability of hospitals and other customers to access funds to enable them to fund their operating and capital budgets. As a result, hospitals and other customers could reduce budgets or put all or part of their budgets on hold or close their operations, which could have a negative effect on our sales, particularly the sales of capital equipment such as our ultrasonic surgical aspirators, neuro monitors and cranial stabilization products, or result in a reduction in elective and non-reimbursed procedures. The occurrence of those economic conditions could make it more difficult for us to accurately forecast and plan our future business activities and depending on their severity, could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our private label product lines depend significantly on key relationships with third parties, which we could be unable to establish and maintain.
Our private label business depends in part on entering into and maintaining long-term supply agreements with third parties. The third parties with whom we have entered into agreements might terminate these agreements for a variety of reasons, including developing other sources for the products that we supply. In addition, the voluntary global recall of all products manufactured in our Boston, Massachusetts facility ("the Boston recall") and manufacturing stoppage impacted certain of our private label products and, following the anticipated resumption of the commercialization of products manufactured at the Boston facility, we are unable to predict the effect that the Boston recall will have on our relationships for such private label products. The diminution or termination of our most important relationships could adversely affect our expectations for the growth of private label products.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
We are subject to stringent domestic and foreign medical device regulations and oversight and any adverse action may adversely affect our ability to compete in the marketplace and our financial condition and business operations.
Our medical devices and technologies, development activities and manufacturing processes are subject to extensive and rigorous regulation by numerous government agencies, including the FDA and comparable foreign agencies, as discussed in “Part 1, Item 1. Business – Government Regulation” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To varying degrees, each of these agencies monitors and enforces our compliance with laws and regulations governing the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, marketing and distribution of our medical devices. We are also subject to regulations that may apply to certain of our products that are Drug/Device Combination products or are considered to be subject to pharmaceutical regulations outside the U.S. Before a new medical device, or a new use of an existing product can be marketed in the United States, it must first receive either premarket clearance under Section 510(k) of the FD&C Act, a grant of a request for de novo classification, or a PMA from the FDA, unless an exemption applies. The process of obtaining marketing approval or clearance from the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory agencies for new products, or for enhancements or modifications to existing products could be costly, time consuming and burdensome, lead to failed clinical trials or weakened clinical evidence, involve modifications, repairs or replacements of our products and result in limitations on the indicated use of our products, which may negatively impact our ability to market our products and services, result in delays or prevent full commercial realization of future products or service. Furthermore, failure to obtain timely approvals or renewals may result in significant penalties and fines. Additional regulations govern the approval, initiation, conduct, monitoring, documentation and reporting of clinical studies to regulatory agencies in the countries or regions in which they are conducted. Failure to comply, could subject us to significant enforcement actions and sanctions, including halting the study, rejection of data generated in the study, seizure of investigational devices or data, sanctions against investigators, civil or criminal penalties, and other actions. In addition, without the data from one or more clinical studies, it may not be possible for us to secure the data necessary to support certain regulatory submissions, to secure reimbursement or demonstrate other requirements. We cannot assure that access to clinical investigators, sites and subjects, documentation and data will be available on the terms and timeframes necessary.
We are subject to extensive complex regulatory requirements by domestic and foreign government agencies and any failure to comply with our ongoing responsibilities under their applicable laws and regulations could result in a material adverse impact on our business. Failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in future product recalls, injunctions preventing the shipment of products or other enforcement actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, the FDA has taken the position that device manufacturers are prohibited from promoting their products other than for the uses and indications set forth in the approved product labeling, and any failure to comply could subject us to significant civil or criminal
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exposure, administrative obligations and costs, and/or other potential penalties from, and/or agreements with, the federal government.
We also are subject to the European Medical Device Regulation (“MDR”), which was adopted by the European Union (“EU”) as a common legal framework for all EU member states. The implementation for Class I products occurred on May 26, 2021 and the European Commission recently extended the implementation period to the end of 2027 for high-risk devices and to the end of 2028 for medium and low risk devices. Under the EU MDR, companies that wish to manufacture and distribute medical devices in EU member states must meet certain quality system, and safety requirements as well as ongoing product monitoring responsibilities. Companies must also obtain a “CE” marking (i.e., a mandatory conformity marking for certain products sold within the European Economic Area) for their products. Complying with the requirements of these regulations may require us to incur significant expenditures. Expenditures for EU MDR compliance activities amounted to $46.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and we anticipate incurring additional expenditures in connection with our on-going efforts to obtain certification for our products under the European Medical Device Regulation. Various penalties exist for non-compliance with the laws implementing the European Medical Device Regulations which if incurred, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and cash flows.
Further, the regulatory environment in China continues to evolve, and officials in the Chinese government exercise broad discretion in deciding how to interpret and apply regulations. It is possible that the Chinese government's current or future interpretation and application of existing or new regulations will negatively impact our China operations, result in regulatory investigations or lead to fines or penalties.
Should we delay or fail to comply with one or more of the regulatory requirements we could have reduced sales, increased costs, delays to new product introductions, enhancements or our strategic plans, or harm to our reputation or competitiveness, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.
In addition, maintaining compliance with multiple regulators, and multiple centers within the FDA, adds complexity and cost to our manufacturing processes. Our manufacturing facilities and those of our contract manufacturers are subject to periodic regulatory inspections by the FDA and other regulatory agencies, and these facilities are subject to the FDA's Quality System Regulation and Good Manufacturing Practices. Please refer to “Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – FDA Matters" (Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K) for more information relating to the warning letter we received from the FDA related to inspection observations of the quality systems at our Boston, Massachusetts manufacturing facility and our remediation efforts and expectations regarding the resumption of commercial distribution of products manufactured at the Boston facility. We or our contractors may fail to satisfy these regulatory requirements in the future, and any failure to do so may prevent us from selling our products.
Some of our activities may subject us to risks under federal and state laws prohibiting “kickbacks” and false or fraudulent claims.
We are subject to laws and regulations that govern the means by which companies in the healthcare industry may market their products to healthcare professionals and may compete by discounting the prices of their products, including for example, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, the federal False Claims Act, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), state law equivalents to these federal laws that are meant to protect against fraud and abuse and analogous laws in foreign countries. Violations of these laws are punishable by criminal and civil sanctions, including, but not limited to, in some instances civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, and exclusion from participation in federal and state healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Our international operations are subject to the provisions of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (“FCPA”), which prohibits U.S. companies and their representatives from offering or making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. In many countries, the healthcare professionals we regularly interact with may meet the definition of a foreign official for purposes of the FCPA. Our international operations are also subject to various other international anti-bribery laws such as the UK Anti-Bribery Act. In addition, the Chinese government recently launched a campaign to combat corruption in healthcare with a focus on pharmaceutical and medical device companies covering production, supply, sales, usage, and reimbursement.The target of the campaign is kickbacks to hospitals and healthcare professionals with a focus on transfers of value to healthcare professionals in the form of grants, donations, event sponsorships, honoraria, and consulting fees. Despite meaningful measures that we undertake to facilitate lawful conduct, which include training and compliance programs and internal policies and procedures, we may not always prevent unauthorized, reckless or criminal acts by our employees or agents, or employees or agents of businesses or operations we may acquire. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our operations, involve significant management distraction and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We also could be subject to adverse publicity, severe penalties, including criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement, further changes or enhancements to our procedures, policies and controls, personnel changes and other remedial actions. Moreover, our failure to comply with domestic or foreign laws could result in various adverse consequences, including possible delay in approval or refusal to approve a product, recalls, seizures, and withdrawal of an approved product from the market.
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We have in place policies and procedures for compliance that we believe are at least as stringent as those set forth in the AdvaMed Code of Ethics which was developed by AdvaMed, a trade association that represents the medical device industry, and which is intended to represent best practices with respect to medical device companies' interactions with healthcare providers. We regularly train our sales and marketing personnel on our policies regarding sales and marketing practices. Pursuant to the AdvaMed Code, we have certified our adoption of the AdvaMed Code. The sales and marketing practices of our industry have been the subject of increased scrutiny from federal and state government agencies, and we believe that this trend will continue. Various hospital organizations, medical societies and trade associations are establishing their own practices that may require detailed disclosures of relationships between healthcare professionals and medical device companies or ban or restrict certain marketing and sales practices such as gifts and business meals. Since these laws, regulations and ultimate enforcement continue to evolve, we cannot predict with certainty, what, if any, impact, changes to them may have on our business or our customers.
Our medical device products are subject to reporting requirements and recalls, even after receiving regulatory clearance, approval or certification, which could harm our reputation, business and financial results.
Both before and after a device is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply, which require manufacturers to follow, among other things, design, testing, production, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during the manufacturing process; labeling regulations, which prohibit the promotion of products for unapproved or “off-label” uses and impose other restrictions on labeling; and medical device reporting regulations that require us to report to FDA or similar governmental bodies in other countries if our products are ineffective or may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or malfunction in a way that would be reasonably likely to contribute to death or serious injury if the malfunction were to recur. The FDA and similar governmental bodies in other countries have the authority to require the recall, repair, replacement, or refund of such products, refuse to grant pending pre-market approval applications or require certificates of non-U.S. governments for exports, and/or require us to notify health professionals and others that the devices present unreasonable risks of substantial harm to the public health, and in certain rare circumstances, ban medical devices. We may, under own initiative, recall a product if a reasonable possibility of serious injury or any material deficiency in a device is found, or withdraw a product to improve device performance or for other reasons. For example, in May 2023, after consultation with the FDA, we initiated a voluntary global recall of all products manufactured in our Boston, Massachusetts facility distributed between March 1, 2018 and May 22, 2023. For more information concerning the Boston recall, including our remediation efforts and expectations regarding the resumption of commercial distribution of products manufactured at the Boston facility, please see "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - FDA Matters" in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Recalls of any of our products may divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and cash flows. A recall could harm our reputation with customers and consumers which could reduce the sales of our products. In addition, the FDA or other foreign governmental agencies may implement enforcement actions Any adverse regulatory action, depending on its magnitude, may restrict us from effectively marketing and selling our products and limit our ability to obtain future pre-market clearances or approvals, and could result in a substantial modification to our business practices and operations.
The adoption of healthcare reform in the U.S. and initiatives sponsored by other governments may adversely affect our business, results of operations and/or financial condition.
Our operations may be substantially affected by potential fundamental changes in the global political, economic and regulatory landscape of the healthcare industry. Government and private sector initiatives to limit the growth of healthcare costs are continuing in the U.S., and in many other countries in which we do business, causing the marketplace to put increased emphasis on the delivery of more cost-effective treatments. These initiatives include price regulation, competitive pricing, coverage and payment policies, comparative effectiveness of therapies, technology assessments and managed-care arrangements. For example, Congress also drafts and introduces, from time to time, legislation that could significantly change the statutory provisions governing the regulation of medical devices. In addition, the FDA may change its clearance and approval policies, adopt additional regulations or revise existing regulations, or take other actions, which may prevent or delay approval or clearance of our future products under development or impact our ability to modify our currently cleared products on a timely basis. For example, over the last several years, the FDA has proposed reforms to its 510(k) clearance process, and such proposals could include increased requirements for clinical data and a longer review period, or could make it more difficult for manufacturers to utilize the 510(k) clearance process for their products. The adoption of some or all of these initiatives could have a material, adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We cannot predict what impact ongoing uncertainty regarding federal and state health reform proposals, instability of the insurance markets, changes in the U.S. administration and policy, an expansion in government’s role in and/or additional proposals and/or changes to the U.S. health care system or its legislation will have on our customer’s purchasing decisions and/or reimbursement which could have a material adverse effect on our business. We expect that additional state and federal and
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foreign health care reform measures will be adopted in the future, including those initiatives affecting coverage and reimbursement for our products, any of which could limit the amounts that federal and state governments will pay for health care products and services, which could adversely affect the growth of the market for our products or demand for our products, or result in additional pricing pressures. We cannot predict the ultimate content, timing or effect of any healthcare reform legislation or the impact of potential legislation on us. We continue to monitor the implementation of such legislation and, to the extent new market or industry trends or new governmental programs evolve, we will consider implementing or implement programs in response.
Certain of our products contain materials derived from animal sources and may become subject to additional regulation.
Certain of our products are derived from bovine or porcine tissue sources.As a result, we may experience difficulties in processing and producing our bovine and porcine tissue products at scale, including problems related to yields, quality control and assurance, tissue availability, adequacy of control policies and procedures and availability of skilled personnel.
With respect to bovine, among other products, our dermal regeneration products, duraplasty products, wound care products, bone void fillers, nerve and tendon repair products and certain other products, contain material derived from bovine tissue. In 2023, 43.4% of our revenues derived from products containing material derived from bovine tissue. Products that contain materials derived from animal sources, including food, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, are subject to scrutiny in the media and by regulatory authorities. Regulatory authorities are concerned about the potential for the transmission of disease from animals to humans via those materials. This public scrutiny has been particularly acute in Japan and Western Europe with respect to products derived from animal sources, because of concern that materials infected with the agent that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as BSE or mad cow disease, may, if ingested or implanted, cause a variant of the human Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, an ultimately fatal disease with no known cure. The World Organization for Animal Health recognizes the U.S. as having a negligible risk for BSE, which is the highest status available.
We take care to provide that our products are safe and free of agents that can cause disease. In particular, we qualified a source of collagen from a country outside the U.S. that is considered BSE/TSE-free. The World Health Organization classifies different types of bovine tissue for relative risk of BSE transmission. Deep flexor tendon and bovine fetal skin, which are used in our products, are in the lowest-risk categories for BSE transmission and are therefore considered to have a negligible risk of containing the agent that causes BSE (an improperly folded protein known as a prion). Nevertheless, products that contain materials derived from animals, including our products, could become subject to additional regulation, or even be banned in certain countries, because of concern over the potential for the transmission of prions. Significant new regulations, or a ban of our products, could have a material, adverse effect on our current business or our ability to expand our business.
Certain countries, such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Argentina, have issued regulations that require our collagen products be sourced from countries where no cases of BSE have occurred, and the EU has requested that our dural replacement products and other products that are used in neurological tissue be sourced from a country where no cases of BSE have occurred. Currently, we source bovine fetal hides from the U.S. and purchase tendon from the U.S. and New Zealand. New Zealand has never had a case of BSE. We received approval in the U.S., the EU, Japan, Taiwan, China, Argentina as well as other countries for the use of New Zealand-sourced tendon in the manufacturing of our products. If we cannot continue to use or qualify a source of tendon from New Zealand or another country that has never had a case of BSE, we could be prohibited from selling our collagen products in certain countries.
We are subject to current and potential future requirements relating to protection of the environment, such as hazardous materials regulations, which may impose significant compliance or other costs on us.
Certain of our processes in manufacturing and research and development involve the controlled use of certain hazardous materials. In addition, we own and/or lease a number of facilities at which hazardous materials have been used in the past. Finally, we have acquired various companies that historically have used certain hazardous materials and that have owned and/or leased facilities at which hazardous materials have been used. For all of these reasons, we are subject to federal, state, foreign, and local laws and regulations governing the use, manufacture, storage, transportation, handling, treatment, remediation, and disposal of hazardous materials and certain waste products (“Environmental, Health, Safety and Transportation Laws”). Although we believe that our procedures for handling, transporting, and disposing of hazardous materials comply with the Environmental, Health, Safety and Transportation Laws, such laws may be amended in ways that increase our cost of compliance, perhaps materially.
Furthermore, the potential risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials cannot be eliminated, and there is also a risk that such contamination previously has occurred in connection with one of our facilities or in connection with one of the companies we have purchased. In the event of such an accident or contamination, we could be held liable for any damages that result and any related liability could exceed the limits or fall outside the coverage of our insurance and could exceed our resources and could have a material impact on our operations and cash flows. We may not be able to maintain insurance on acceptable terms or at all.
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Our business and operations are subject to risks related to climate change.
The long-term effects of global climate change present both physical risks (from the increased frequency of extreme weather conditions or natural disasters) and transition risks (from regulatory requirements or technology changes). Such extreme weather conditions could pose physical risks to our facilities and disrupt operation of our supply chain and may impact operational costs. Concern over global climate change could result in new legal or regulatory requirements designed to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment. If such laws or regulations are more stringent than current legal or regulatory requirements, we may experience increased compliance burdens and costs to meet the regulatory obligations and such measures may interrupt our operations or the operations of our suppliers, potentially leading to higher costs, and therefore negatively impact our results of operations.
Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, including those related to climate change and sustainability, may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and damage our reputation.
There is an increasing focus from certain investors, customers, consumers, employees and other stakeholders concerning ESG matters. Additionally, public interest and legislative pressure related to public companies’ ESG practices continue to grow. While we may create and publish voluntary disclosures regarding ESG matters from time to time, many of the statements in those voluntary disclosures are based on hypothetical expectations and assumptions that may or may not be representative of current or actual risks or events or forecasts of expected risks or events, including the costs associated therewith. Such expectations and assumptions are necessarily uncertain and may be prone to error or subject to misinterpretation given the long timelines involved and the lack of an established single approach to identifying, measuring and reporting on many ESG matters. If we do not adapt to or comply with new regulations, or fail to meet evolving investor, industry or stakeholder expectations and concerns regarding ESG issues, investors may reconsider their capital investment in our Company, and customers may choose to stop purchasing our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business or financial condition.
If we do not retain our key personnel and attract and retain other highly skilled employees, our business could suffer.
If we fail to recruit, develop and retain the necessary personnel, our business and our ability to obtain new customers, develop new products and provide acceptable levels of customer service could suffer. The success of our business is heavily dependent on the leadership of our key management personnel. Our success also depends on our ability to recruit, develop and retain and motivate highly skilled sales, marketing, manufacturing and scientific personnel. Competition for these persons in our industry is intense, and we may not be able to successfully recruit, train or retain qualified personnel. In addition, we recognize that attracting, retaining and developing a diverse workforce is a critical success factor for our business. In that regard, we are continuously facing significant competition in our markets and at all levels in the workforce. We also continue to face the challenges of maintaining employee well-being, recognizing that the continued additional financial, family and health burdens that many employees may be experiencing due to macroeconomic uncertainties, including inflation, and other factors, may adversely impact job performance, employee engagement and employee retention. Additionally, in our industry, there is substantial competition for key personnel in the regions in which we operate. Labor shortages and competition for qualified personnel, particularly as employees are increasingly able to work remotely, could cause disruptions in our business operations. If we fail to effectively manage any organizational and/or strategic changes, our financial condition, results of operations, and reputation, as well as our ability to successfully attract, motivate and retain key employees, could be harmed.
RISKS RELATED TO TAX AND DEBT
We may have additional tax liabilities.
We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and many foreign jurisdictions and are commonly audited by various tax authorities. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable, tax authorities may disagree with certain positions we have taken and the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. In addition, economic and political pressures to increase tax revenue in various jurisdictions may make resolving tax disputes favorably more difficult. The results of an audit or litigation could have a material, adverse effect on our financial statements in the period or periods for which that determination is made and could result in the imposition of fines and penalties.
Changes in tax laws or exposures to additional tax liabilities could negatively impact the Company's operating results.