Item 1A. Risk Factors 17
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 58
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 59
Item 2. Properties 60
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 61
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 61
Item 6. Reserved 62
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 70
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 71
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 98
Item 9B. Other Information 100
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 100
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 101
Item 11. Executive Compensation 108
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 123
Item 15. Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules 125
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), and are subject to the safe
harbor created by those sections. For more information, see “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
As
used in this report, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Xtant,” “Xtant Medical,”
and the “Company” mean Xtant Medical Holdings, Inc. and our consolidated wholly-owned subsidiaries, unless the context indicates
another meaning.
We
own various unregistered trademarks and service marks, including our corporate logo. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade
names in this report are referred to without the ® and TM symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator
that the owner of such trademarks and trade names will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto.
We do not intend the use or display of other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement
or sponsorship of us by, any other companies. We include our website address throughout this report for reference only.
The
information contained on or connected to our website is not incorporated by reference into this report.
We
are a “smaller reporting company” as that term is defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Accordingly,
this report reflects the scaled reporting requirements of smaller reporting companies as set forth in Regulation S-K, promulgated under
the Exchange Act.
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The
statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding
our “expectations,” “hopes,” “beliefs,” “intentions,” or “strategies” regarding
the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances,
including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,”
“could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,”
“possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should” and “would,”
as well as similar expressions, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement
is not forward looking.
A
forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances and those future events or circumstances
may not occur. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Form 10-K.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information
and our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. These forward-looking statements
involve a number of risks, uncertainties, or assumptions, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results or performance
to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include,
but are not limited to, those factors described in the “Part I. Item 1.A. Risk Factors” section of this Form 10-K.
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may
vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We are including this cautionary statement to make
applicable and take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for forward-looking
statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
PART
I
Item
1. Business
Overview
Xtant
Medical Holdings, Inc. is a global medical technology company focused on the design, development, and commercialization of a comprehensive
portfolio of orthobiologics and spinal implant fixation systems to facilitate spinal fusion in complex spine, deformity, and degenerative
procedures. Our products are used by orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons to treat a variety of spinal disorders in the cervical,
thoracolumbar, and interbody spine.
We
promote and sell our products in the United States through independent distributors and stocking agents, supported by direct
employees. We have an extensive distribution channel of commissioned independent agents and stocking agents in the United States
representing some or all of our products. We also maintain a national accounts program to enable our agents to gain access to
independent health delivery network hospitals and through group purchasing organizations (“GPOs”). We have biologics
contracts with major GPOs, as well as extensive access to integrated delivery networks (“IDNs”) across the United States
for both our biologics and spine hardware products. We promote and sell our products internationally through direct sales
representatives and distribution partners in Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Australia, and certain Pacific region
countries.
We
have focused and intend to continue to focus primarily on four key growth initiatives: (1) introduce new products; (2) expand our distribution
network; (3) penetrate adjacent markets; and (4) leverage our growth platform with technology and strategic acquisitions. While the intent
of these four key growth initiatives is to increase our future revenues, no assurance can be provided that we will be successful in implementing
these growth initiatives or increasing our future revenues.
Recent
Acquisitions
Coflex
and CoFix Product Lines
On
February 28, 2023, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Surgalign SPV, Inc. (“Surgalign SPV”),
a then indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Surgalign Holdings, Inc. (“Surgalign Holdings”), which held certain intellectual
property, contractual rights and other assets related to the design, manufacture, sale and distribution of the Coflex and CoFix products
in the United States, for an aggregate purchase price of $17.0 million in cash. The Coflex and CoFix products have been approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) for the treatment of moderate to severe lumbar spinal stenosis in conjunction
with decompression and provide minimally invasive, motion preserving stabilization.
Surgalign
Holdings’ Hardware and Biologics Business
On
August 10, 2023, we completed the acquisition of certain assets of Surgalign Holdings and its subsidiaries on an as-is, where-is basis,
including specified inventory, intellectual property and intellectual property rights, contracts, equipment and other personal property,
records, all outstanding equity securities of Surgalign Holdings’ international subsidiaries, and intangibles related to the business
of designing, developing and manufacturing hardware medical technology and distributing biologics medical technology, as conducted by
Surgalign Holdings and its subsidiaries, and certain specified liabilities of Surgalign Holdings and its subsidiaries pursuant to an
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated June 18, 2023, between Surgalign Holdings and us (as amended, the “Surgalign Asset Purchase Agreement”).
Pursuant to the Surgalign Asset Purchase Agreement, we were able to acquire Surgalign Holdings’ broad portfolio of spinal hardware
implants, including solutions for fusion procedures in the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine, and motion preservation solutions for
the lumbar spine. Additionally, we were able to acquire Surgalign Holdings’ biomaterials portfolio of advanced and traditional
orthobiologics. These offerings complement our portfolio of orthobiologics and spinal implant fixation systems. This transaction was
conducted through a process supervised by the United States Bankruptcy Court in connection with Surgalign Holdings’ bankruptcy
proceedings. We funded the purchase price of $5 million with cash on hand.
RTI
Surgical, Inc.’s nanOss Production Operations
On October 23, 2023, we acquired the nanOss production operations owned
by RTI Surgical, Inc. (“RTI”) pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement dated October 23, 2023 between us and RTI (the “RTI
Asset Purchase Agreement”). Under the terms of the RTI Asset Purchase Agreement, we acquired certain assets, including equipment
and inventory, used in RTI’s synthetic bone graft business and assumed from RTI the lease for the nanOss production facility located
in Greenville, North Carolina. The purchase price for the assets was $2 million in cash plus a low single digit royalty on sales prior
to October 23, 2028 of next generation nanOss products. We previously acquired the nanOss distribution rights and nanOss intellectual
property with the acquisition of assets related to the biologics and spinal fixation business of Surgalign Holdings, as described above.
Industry
and Market Overview
The
orthopedic biomaterials market consists of materials that are organic, inorganic or synthetic in nature. These materials are implanted
or applied in or near the indicated bone to aid in healing, encourage bone tissue augmentation, compensate in areas where bone tissue
is depleted, and restore structure to allow for repair. These materials are often used as substitutes to autograft materials, which are
taken from a harvest site in the patient to patch or repair the wounded or unhealthy site.
Fixation
is often instrumental in allowing the body to heal and regenerate tissue. Fixation provides the constructive support necessary for reestablishing
stability, by immobilizing the regenerative site, and relieving stress. Fixation also can help hold the biomaterial in place in order
to achieve a better outcome. Examples of fixation products can include, but are not limited to, plates, screws, pins, rods, spacers,
and staples. Fixation products may be made from various metals and polymer materials.
Conversely,
motion preservation devices are designed predominantly to stabilize the spine and allow for motion of the segments. Spine implants can
be surgically applied via traditional open surgery or via minimally invasive surgery. We provide devices in both the fixation and motion
preservation categories of the spine implant market and via both surgical methodologies.
Our
Orthobiologics Products
Our
biomaterial products include OsteoSponge, OsteoSponge SC, OsteoSelect DBM putty, OsteoSelect Plus DBM putty, OsteoWrap, and our line
of 3Demin products, as described below, as well as other allografts:
We
also process and distribute (i) sports allografts which are processed specifically for anterior and posterior cruciate ligament repairs,
anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and meniscal repair, (ii) milled spinal allografts which are comprised of cortical bone milled
to desired shapes and dimensions, and (iii) traditional allografts for multi-disciplinary applications including orthopedics, neurology,
podiatry, oral/maxillofacial, genitourinary and plastic/reconstructive.
Our
Spinal Implant Products
We
offer a comprehensive line of products that are used to treat a variety of spinal and sacroiliac conditions, including trauma, degeneration,
deformity and tumor, including use of minimally invasive surgery techniques. Some of our key spinal implant product lines include:
Cervical
Products
Thoracolumbar
Products
Sacroiliac
Joint Products
Interbody
Products
Interlaminar
Stabilization Products
Future
Products
In the near term, we plan to introduce a synthetic putty for bone graft
applications; the BMAC System, a cell concentration system; and Cortera, a rod pedical screw system that has both open and minimally invasive
modules. We are also in the process of developing other new products, including OsteoSelect Fiber Putty, a fiber-based putty; the OsteoSelect
MIS gun, a bone graft delivery system; 3Demin Fiber Plus, an enhanced loose fiber formulation; and various growth factor strips and shapes.
Sales
and Marketing
We
distribute our products in the United States through an extensive distribution network of commissioned independent sales agents and stocking
agents. As a result of our recent acquisitions, we have expanded our network in 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we had over 650 independent
sales agents and stocking agents. We also maintain a national accounts program to enable our agents to gain access to IDN hospitals and
through GPOs. We have biologics contracts with major GPOs, including Vizient, Premier, and HealthTrust Purchasing Group, as well as extensive
access to IDNs across the United States for both biologics and spine hardware systems.
Our
international footprint includes direct sales representatives and distribution partners in Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia,
and certain Pacific region countries. Additionally, as a result of our recent acquisitions, we gained distribution partners in the
European Union in 2023. Our European Union business is based in Wurmlingen, Germany. With our presence in the region, we can rely on
the large local network of spine manufacturers and the wider “Medical Valley Community” of spine and medical device
experts and talent. Our international warehousing and logistics have been outsourced to a qualified third-party logistics provider
based in the Netherlands that has scalable biomaterials and hardware capabilities and operations.
Donor
Procurement
Xtant’s
mission with respect to donor procurement is: “Honoring the gift of donation, by helping our patients live as full, and complete
a life as possible.”
In
furtherance of our mission, we have agreements with multiple recovery agencies, and we continue to explore options to expand our network
for access to donor tissue in anticipation of increased demand for our biologics products. We expect to be able to continue to build
our network for donor tissue as our processing capabilities and sales increase.
Competition
There
are various public and private organizations that offer both fixation and orthobiologics to their customers. Our primary competitors
include Medtronic plc, Johnson and Johnson, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., Stryker Corporation, Nuvasive, Inc., Bioventus Inc., Globus
Medical, Inc., SeaSpine Holdings Corporation, OrthoFix Medical Inc., Alphatec Holdings, Inc., ZimVie Inc., SI-Bone Inc., as well as dozens
of privately-owned companies. We also compete with tissue banks that do not offer spinal fixation products, such as AlloSource International,
Inc., LifeNet Health, and MTF Biologics.
Intellectual
Property
We
rely upon patents, trademarks, trade secrets and other proprietary rights to maintain and improve our competitive position. We review
third-party proprietary rights, including patents and patent applications, as available, to develop an effective intellectual property
strategy, avoid infringement of third-party proprietary rights, identify licensing opportunities and monitor the intellectual property
owned by others.
We
protect our proprietary rights through a variety of methods. As a condition of employment, we generally require employees to execute
an agreement relating to the confidential nature of and company ownership of proprietary information and assigning intellectual property
rights to us. We generally require confidentiality agreements with vendors, consultants, and others who may have access to proprietary
information. We generally limit access to our facilities and review the release of company information in advance of public disclosure.
There can be no assurances, however, that confidentiality agreements with employees, vendors, and consultants will not be breached, adequate
remedies for any breach would be available, or competitors will not discover or independently develop our trade secrets. Litigation also
may be necessary to protect trade secrets or techniques we own.
Patents
Although
we believe that, in the aggregate, our patents are valuable, and patent protection is beneficial to our business and competitive positioning,
our patent protection will not necessarily deter or prevent competitors from attempting to develop similar products. There can be no
assurances that our patents will provide competitive advantages for our products or that competitors will not challenge or circumvent
these rights. In addition, there can be no assurances that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) or foreign
patent offices will issue any of our pending patent applications. The USPTO and foreign patent offices may deny or require a significant
narrowing of the claims in our pending patent applications and the patents issuing from such applications. Any patents issuing from the
pending patent applications may not provide us with significant commercial protection. We could incur substantial costs in proceedings
before the USPTO or foreign patent offices, including opposition and other post-grant proceedings. These proceedings could result in
adverse decisions as to the patentability, priority of our inventions, and the narrowing or invalidation of claims in issued patents.
Additionally, the laws of some of the countries in which our products are or may be sold may not protect our intellectual property to
the same extent as the laws in the United States or at all.
Our
policy is to file patent applications in the United States and other countries when we believe it is commercially advantageous to do
so. We do not consider our business to be materially dependent upon any individual patent. As of December 31, 2023, our biologics patent
portfolio included 50 issued patents, 26 of which are issued U.S. patents, and 3 pending U.S. patent applications. Our fixation portfolio
is patent protected globally and includes 260 issued patents, 180 of which are issued U.S. patents, and 16 pending patent applications,
7 of which are U.S. patent applications. We expect that additional patent applications will be filed and prosecuted as inventions are
discovered, technological improvements and processes are developed, and specific applications are identified. There can be no assurance
that we will be able to obtain final approval of any patents.
Trademarks
We
have registered, and continue to seek registration, of trademarks and continuously monitor and aggressively pursue users of names and
marks that potentially infringe upon our registered trademarks. We currently own the following registered trademarks: OsteoSponge®,
OsteoVive®, OsteoWrap®, OsteoLock®, BacFast®, OsteoSelect®, Elutia®, OsteoSTX®, hMatrix®, 3Demin®,
BACTERINSE®, Circle of Life®, Coflex®, CoFixTM, ASPECT®, BACJAC®, BACFUSE®, BIGFOOT®, CLARITY®,
CONTACT®, CROSS-FUSE®, LAT-FUSE®, LOCKED AND LOADED®, NANOSS®, NUNEC®, PAC PLATE®, QUANTUM®, RELEASE®,
SLIMFUSE®, STREAMLINE®, X-LINK®, ELEMAX®, UNISON®, FORTILINK®, TETRAFUSE®, CERVALIGN®, NANOSS 3D®,
DCI®, DSS®, HPS®, OPTISTRAIN®, PARADIGM SPINE®, the Paradigm Spine design logo, THE MOVEMENT IN SPINE CARE®,
DUALITY®, TIPLUS®, FIBREX®, MAXFUSE®, BIOMAX®, and CORTERA®. Under the X-spine name, we own the following registered
trademarks: SILEX®, X-SPINE®, IRIX®, CAPLESS®, CERTEX®, CALIX®, H-GRAFT®, SPIDER, X90®, HYDRAGRAFT®,
BUTREX®, FORTEX®, AXLE®, FIXCET®, XTANT®, Capless® and X-spine’s square design logo.
Trade
Secrets and Other Proprietary Rights
To
safeguard our proprietary knowledge and technology, we rely upon trade secret protection and non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements
with employees, consultants and third-party collaboration partners with access to our confidential information. Although we believe our
proprietary technology has value, because of rapid technological changes in the medical industry, we also believe that proprietary protection
is of less significance than factors such as the intrinsic knowledge and experience of our management, advisory board, consultants and
personnel and their ability to identify unmet market needs and to create, invent, develop and market innovative and differentiated products.
Government
Regulation
We
are registered with the FDA as a manufacturer of human cellular and tissue products (“HCT/Ps”) as well as medical devices,
and we are an accredited member in good standing of the American Association of Tissue Banks (“AATB”). We meet all licensing
requirements for the distribution of HCT/Ps in states with licensing requirements, including Florida, California, Delaware, Illinois,
Louisiana, Maryland, Oregon, and New York. Our industry is highly regulated, and we cannot predict the impact of future regulations on
either us or our customers.
Our
fixation products and instrumentation systems are regulated as medical devices and therefore are subject to extensive regulation by the
FDA, as well as by other domestic and international regulatory bodies. These regulations govern multiple activities that Xtant and our
suppliers, licensors and partners perform and will continue to perform. These regulated activities include product design and development,
testing, manufacturing, labeling, storage, safety, premarket clearance, advertising and promotion, product marketing, sales and distribution,
post-market surveillance and post-market adverse event reporting. All products currently marketed by Xtant are regulated as HCT/Ps and/or
have received 510(k) clearances.
Human
Tissue
Human
tissue product regulations are designed to ensure that sound, high quality practices are followed to prevent the introduction, transmission
or spread of communicable disease. Among other things, the regulations require that companies that recover, process, store, label, package
or distribute HCT/Ps register with the FDA. In addition, regulations provide criteria that must be met for donors to be eligible to donate
tissues and is referred to as the “Donor Eligibility” rule. Regulations also govern the processing and distribution of the
tissues and are often referred to as the “Current Good Tissue Practices” (“cGTP”) regulations.
An
HCT/P is regulated solely under section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (“PHSA”) and 21 CFR Part 1271 if it meets the
following four criteria:
1)
The HCT/P is minimally manipulated;
2)
The HCT/P is intended for homologous use only;
3)
The manufacture of the HCT/P does not involve the combination of the cells or tissues with another article (with limited exceptions);
and
4)
The HCT/P does not have a systemic effect and is not dependent upon the metabolic activity of living cells for its primary function;
or the HCT/P has a systemic effect or is dependent upon the metabolic activity of living cells for its primary function and: is for autologous
use; is for allogeneic use in a first-degree or second-degree blood relative; or is for reproductive use.
Several
of our products, including OsteoSponge and OsteoWrap, are regulated as HCT/Ps and are therefore subject to the following regulatory requirements
under section 361 of the PHSA and 21 CFR Part 1271:
Failure
to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action by the FDA, which may include sanctions such as warning
or untitled letters, injunctions, or other action.
There
are many HCT/P products that must undergo regulatory review and licensure by the FDA. The approval process for a Biologics License Application
(“BLA”) includes a rigorous review of the safety and efficacy of the biological product. Successful applications typically
require testing and validation through a series of clinical and non-clinical studies taking place over multiple years of product development.
We refer to all of our HCT/P products as biologics.
Medical
Devices
The
Center for Devices and Radiological Health regulates the clearance and approval of conventional medical devices, such as our spinal hardware,
as well as some of the HCT/Ps that are also regulated as medical devices, such as our OsteoSelect DBM putty. In the United States, medical
devices are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and its implementing
regulations, and certain other federal and state statutes and regulations. The laws and regulations govern, among other things, the design,
manufacture, storage, recordkeeping, approval, labeling, promotion, post-approval monitoring and reporting, distribution and import and
export of medical devices. Failure to comply with applicable requirements may subject a device and/or its manufacturer to a variety of
administrative sanctions, such as FDA refusal to approve pending PMAs, issuance of warning letters, mandatory product recalls, import
detentions, civil monetary penalties, and/or judicial sanctions, such as product seizures, injunctions, and criminal prosecution.
Under
the FDCA, medical devices are classified into one of three classes based on the risk associated with the device and the level of control
necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are deemed to be low risk and are subject to
the fewest regulatory controls. Class III devices are generally the highest risk devices and are subject to the highest level of regulatory
control to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Class III devices must typically be approved by the FDA before they
are marketed.
Most
Class I devices and a minority of Class II devices are completely exempt from premarket review by the FDA. Most Class II devices and
a minority of Class I devices require 510(k) clearance. Devices that pose the highest risk, including life sustaining, life-supporting
or implantable devices, or devices deemed not substantially equivalent to a previously 510(k)-cleared device or a “pre-amendment”
Class III device in commercial distribution before May 28, 1976 for which PMA applications are not required, are placed in Class III
requiring PMA approval. A novel device is placed in Class III by default, but it may be eligible to be placed in Class I or Class II
via “de novo” classification if it can be shown to pose only low to moderate risk with appropriate regulatory controls.
The
PMA approval pathway requires proof of the safety and effectiveness of the device to the FDA’s satisfaction. The 510(k) clearance
pathway is much less burdensome and time-consuming than the PMA approval pathway. The de novo pathway has an enhanced burden compared
to the 510(k) clearance pathway, but is much less burdensome than a PMA approval process.
Under
the 510(k) clearance pathway, the applicant must submit to the FDA a premarket notification demonstrating that the medical device is
substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device. A predicate device may be a previously 510(k) cleared device, Class
II de novo device, or a pre-amendment device (unless the FDA has issued a regulation calling for PMA applications for this device type).
To be substantially equivalent, the proposed device must have the same intended use as the predicate device, and either have the same
technological characteristics as the predicate device or have different technological characteristics and be shown to be equally safe
and effective and not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness than the predicate device.
After
the FDA accepts the 510(k) premarket notification, it begins a substantive review. By statute, the FDA is required to complete its review
within 90 days of receiving the 510(k) notification. As a practical matter, clearance often takes longer, typically ranging from three
to nine months or more, and clearance is never assured. The FDA’s 510(k) review generally compares a proposed device to a predicate
device with respect to intended use and technology. The information necessary to show substantial equivalence will depend on the differences
between the proposed device and the predicate device, which may include bench, animal, and/or clinical studies. The discussion of what
data is needed is sometimes conducted in a voluntary process called the pre-submission process whereby companies meet with the FDA to
discuss the data needed for clearance.
If
the FDA finds the applicant’s device is substantially equivalent to the predicate device, it will send a letter to the applicant
stating that fact. This allows the applicant’s device to be commercially distributed in the United States. Otherwise, the applicant
must fulfill the much more rigorous premarketing requirements of the PMA approval process or seek reclassification of the device through
the de novo process.
After
a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute
a major change in its intended use, requires a new 510(k) clearance or could require reclassification through the de novo process or
a PMA approval. The FDA requires each manufacturer to make this determination in the first instance, but the FDA can review any such
decision. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer’s decision not to seek a new 510(k) clearance, the agency may require the manufacturer
to seek 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA approval. The FDA can also require a manufacturer to cease marketing and/or
recall the modified device until 510(k) clearance, de novo classification, or PMA approval is obtained.
Another
procedure for obtaining marketing authorization for a medical device is the “de novo classification” procedure. Devices of
a new type that the FDA has not previously classified based on risk are automatically classified into Class III, regardless of the level
of risk they pose. Additionally, in response to a 510(k) premarket notification, if the FDA determines that the device is “not
substantially equivalent” to a previously cleared device, the device is automatically designated as a Class III device. The device
sponsor must then fulfill more rigorous PMA requirements or can request a risk-based classification determination for the device in accordance
with the de novo process, which is a route to market for novel medical devices that are low to moderate risk and are not substantially
equivalent to a predicate device.
The
advantage of the de novo classification is that it generally requires less data than a PMA. The disadvantage is that it may require more
data than a 510(k) and most often will include human clinical data. A request for de novo classification also has a longer review time.
If the de novo application is denied, the device remains in Class III and PMA approval may be required before the device may be legally
marketed in the United States. The FDA is increasingly moving devices with slightly different proposed indication statements or different
technological features off the 510(k) path and onto the de novo path, resulting in more time and expense for the company.
A
device not eligible for 510(k) clearance or de novo classification must follow the PMA approval pathway, which requires proof of the
safety and effectiveness of the device to the FDA’s satisfaction. The cost of preparing and submitting a PMA is substantial and
a PMA application must provide extensive preclinical and clinical trial data and also detailed information about the device and its components
regarding, among other things, device design, manufacturing and labeling. Under federal law, the submission of most PMAs is additionally
subject to a substantial annually adjusted application user fee. Satisfaction of FDA PMA requirements typically takes years, and the
actual time required may vary substantially based upon the type, complexity, and novelty of the device or disease. In the future, Xtant
may decide to strategically commercialize products in the United States that would require a PMA, but there are no plans to do so at
the present time.
After
a medical device enters commercial distribution, numerous regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:
● Advertising and promotion requirements;
● Restrictions on sale, distribution or use of a device;
● An order of repair, replacement or refund;
● Device tracking requirements; and
The
FDA has broad post-market and regulatory enforcement powers. Medical device manufacturers are subject to unannounced inspections by the
FDA and other state, local and foreign regulatory authorities to assess compliance with the QSR and other applicable regulations, and
these inspections may include the manufacturing facilities of any suppliers. Failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements
can result in enforcement action by the FDA, which may include sanctions such as: warning letters, fines, injunctions, consent decrees
and civil penalties; unanticipated expenditures, repair, replacement, refunds, recall or seizure of our devices; operating restrictions,
partial suspension or total shutdown of manufacturing; the FDA’s refusal of our requests for 510(k) clearances, de novo classification,
or premarket approvals of new devices, new intended uses or modifications to existing devices; the FDA’s refusal to issue certificates
to foreign governments needed to export devices for sale in other countries; and withdrawing 510(k) clearances, de novo marketing authorization,
or premarket approvals that have already been granted; and criminal prosecution.
In
February 2024, the FDA issued a final rule replacing the QSR with the Quality Management System Regulation, or QMSR, which incorporates
by reference the quality management system requirements of ISO 13485:2016, as discussed below. The FDA has stated that the standards
contained in ISO 13485:2016 are substantially similar to those set forth in the existing QSR. This final rule does not go into effect
until February 2026.
International
Regulation
Many
foreign countries have regulatory bodies and restrictions similar to the FDA. International sales are subject to foreign government regulation,
the requirements of which vary substantially from country to country. The time required to obtain approval in a foreign country or to
obtain a CE Certificate of Conformity may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA approval and the related requirements may differ.
Some third-world countries accept CE Certificates of Conformity or FDA clearance or approval as part of applications of approval for
marketing of medical devices in their territory. Other countries, including Brazil, Canada, Australia and Japan, require separate regulatory
filings.
Healthcare
Fraud and Abuse
Healthcare
fraud and abuse laws apply to Xtant’s business when a customer submits a claim for an item or service that is reimbursed under
Medicare, Medicaid or most other federally-funded healthcare programs. The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things,
persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind,
to induce or reward either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, items or services for which
payment may be made, in whole or in part, under federal health care programs, such as by Medicare or Medicaid. The concerns that the
Anti-Kickback Statute addresses are multiple, but primary among them are, first, that the federal government pays/reimburses health care
providers for the true acquisition cost of goods and services provided to patients served by government programs. The government does
not want, for example, health care providers obtaining manufacturer discounts which are not disclosed to the government on cost report
forms submitted for reimbursement to the government. The government wants to be the beneficiary of such discounts. Second, for that reason,
the government wants transparency in the billing process which discloses such discounts to the government. Third, the government does
not want purchasing, prescription or referral decisions for medical devices biased by economics unrelated to the best choices for a patient.
The
Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is subject to evolving interpretations and has been applied by government enforcement officials to a number
of common business arrangements in the medical device industry. Remunerative relationships with physicians in which manufacturers give
health care providers gifts or pay for entertainment, sporting events, trips or other perquisites, may be viewed as an attempt to buy
loyalty to the manufacturer’s products. A number of states also have anti-kickback laws that establish similar prohibitions that
may apply to items or services reimbursed by government programs as well as any third-party payors, including commercial insurers. Further,
federal legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively
“PPACA”), among other things, clarified the intent requirements of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the federal criminal
statutes governing healthcare fraud. Specifically, a person or entity can be found to have violated the statutes without actual knowledge
of these statutes or specific intent to violate them. In addition, the PPACA amended the Social Security Act to provide that the government
may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false
or fraudulent claim for purposes of the Federal False Claims Act or federal civil money penalties statute. Amendments to the Federal
False Claims Act provide that a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is also a violation of the Federal False Claims Act, subjecting
healthcare entities to treble damages and mandatory penalties for each false claim or statement.
Additionally,
the civil Federal False Claims Act prohibits, among other things, knowingly presenting or causing the presentation of a false, fictitious
or fraudulent claim for payment of federal funds, or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false record or statement material to
a false or fraudulent claim to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. The purpose of the Federal
False Claims Act is to prevent manufacturers from causing or inducing inappropriate prescriptions leading to an inappropriate government
reimbursement. It often comes into play where a manufacturer suggests or assists a health care provider to bill for an off-label, uncovered
use. It also can occur when the reimbursement advice given by a manufacturer results in inappropriate reimbursement claims from “upcoding,”
miscoding, “stretched” coding, the use of inappropriate modifiers or inappropriate care settings. These behaviors can result
in the government paying for products or procedures that should not be reimbursed by the federal government. The manufacturer must be
truthful and not misleading in the reimbursement advice it gives to customers.
Actions
under the Federal False Claims Act may be brought by the Attorney General or as a qui tam action by a private individual in the name
of the government. Violations of the Federal False Claims Act can result in very significant monetary penalties and treble damages. The
federal government is using the Federal False Claims Act, and the accompanying threat of significant liability, in its investigations
of healthcare companies throughout the country for a wide variety of Medicare billing practices, as well as federal Anti-Kickback Statute
violations and certain marketing practices, including off-label promotion, and has obtained multi-million and multi-billion dollar settlements
under the Federal False Claims Act in addition to individual criminal convictions under applicable criminal statutes. Given the significant
size of actual and potential settlements, it is expected that the government will continue to devote substantial resources to investigating
healthcare providers’ and suppliers’ compliance with the healthcare reimbursement rules and fraud and abuse laws.
The
Federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act imposes annual reporting requirements on device manufacturers for payments and other transfers
of value provided by them, directly or indirectly, to physicians (including physician family members) and teaching hospitals, as well
as ownership and investment interests held by physicians. Device manufactures are also required to collect information on payments or
transfers of value to physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists,
and certified nurse midwives for reporting to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”). A manufacturer’s
failure to submit timely, accurately and completely the required information for all payments, transfers of value or ownership or investment
interests may result in civil monetary penalties. Certain states also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs, impose
restrictions on device manufacturer marketing practices and require tracking and reporting of gifts, compensation and other remuneration
to healthcare professionals and entities.
Our
operations are also subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”). We are required to comply with the FCPA,
which generally prohibits covered entities and their intermediaries from engaging in bribery or making other prohibited payments to foreign
officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or other benefits. In addition, the FCPA imposes accounting standards and
requirements on publicly traded United States corporations and their foreign affiliates, which are intended to prevent the diversion
of corporate funds to the payment of bribes and other improper payments, and to prevent the establishment of “off books”
slush funds from which such improper payments can be made. We also are subject to similar anticorruption legislation implemented in certain
foreign jurisdictions.
Coverage
and Reimbursement
Xtant’s
currently approved products are commonly treated as general supplies utilized in spinal and orthopedic surgery and if covered by third-party
payors, are paid for as part of the surgical procedure. Accordingly, healthcare providers in the United States generally rely on third-party
payors, principally private insurers and governmental payors such as Medicare and Medicaid, to cover and reimburse all or part of the
cost of a spine surgery in which Xtant products are used. Sales volumes and fees for Xtant products will continue to depend in large
part on the availability of coverage and reimbursement from such third-party payors. Third-party payors perform analyses on new technologies
to determine if they are medically necessary before providing coverage for them. These third-party payors may still deny reimbursement
on covered technologies if they determine that a device used in a procedure was not used in accordance with the payor’s coverage
policy. Particularly in the United States, third-party payors continue to carefully review, and increasingly challenge, the prices charged
for procedures and medical products.
In
the United States, a large percentage of insured individuals receive their medical care through managed care programs, which monitor
and often require pre-approval of the services that a member will receive. Some managed care programs pay their providers on a per capita
basis, which puts the providers at financial risk for the services provided to their patients by paying these providers a predetermined
payment per member per month and, consequently, may limit the willingness of these providers to use Xtant products.
The
overall escalating cost of medical products and services has led to, and will likely continue to lead to, increased pressures on the
healthcare industry to reduce the costs of products and services. Government or private third-party payors cannot be guaranteed to cover
and reimburse the procedures using Xtant products in whole or in part in the future or that payment rates will be adequate. In addition,
it is possible that future legislation, regulation or coverage and reimbursement policies of third-party payors will adversely affect
the demand for Xtant products or the ability to sell them on a profitable basis.
Internationally,
reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary substantially from country to country and include single-payor, government-managed
systems as well as systems in which private payors and government managed systems exist side-by-side. Xtant’s ability to achieve
market acceptance or significant sales volume in international markets will be dependent in large part on the availability of reimbursement
for procedures performed using company products under the healthcare payment systems in such markets. A number of countries may require
Xtant to gather additional clinical data before recognizing coverage and reimbursement for its products.
ISO
Certification
Xtant
is an International Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) certified organization. To obtain ISO 13485:2016 certification,
an organization must demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices that consistently meet applicable customer and regulatory requirements.
The primary objective of ISO 13485:2016 is to facilitate harmonized medical device regulatory requirements for quality management systems.
All requirements of ISO 13485:2016 are specific to organizations providing medical devices, regardless of the type or size of the organization.
The certification assures our customers and partners of our commitment to quality, and in the quality of our innovative products and
processes. Additionally, we believe that our ISO 13485:2016 certification may offer new markets and business opportunities for our products
in the global marketplace.
Human
Capital
Mission,
Quality Policy and Core Values
Our
Mission is to “honor the gift of donation, by allowing our patients to live as full, and complete a life as possible.” Through
an effective quality system, we prioritize our commitment to our patients and donor families. We aim to improve the quality of life for
our patients by designing, manufacturing and distributing medical devices and human tissues for transplant that are safe, effective and
meet the needs of our customers. We honor the gift of donation by enhancing our core competencies and maximizing utilization of the gift.
Our
Mission and quality policy reflect our core values of:
● Respect for the individual,
● Responsiveness to our customers, and
● Responsibility to our stakeholders.
Headcount
and Employee Demographics
As
of December 31, 2023, Xtant had 215 employees, 207 of whom were full time employees, and of whom 70 were in operations, 50 were in sales
and marketing, 13 in research and development and engineering, 26 in regulatory and quality affairs, and 23 were in administrative functions.
Of these 215 employees, 33 are located outside the United States, primarily in Germany. In addition, we utilize various outsourced services
to manage normal business cycles.
As
of December 31, 2023, of our total workforce, 49% are female and 21% are racially or ethnically diverse. Of our management team, 36%
are female and 15% are racially or ethnically diverse. Of our U.S. workforce, 3% are veterans.
Turnover
Xtant
continually monitors employee turnover rates as its success depends upon retaining highly trained personnel. The average tenure of our
employees is 3.9 years. The average tenure of the members of our management team is 6 years.
Employee
Unions, Collective Bargaining Agreements and Work Councils
There
are no unions representing our employees, and we believe that our relations with our employees are good.
Code
of Conduct
Each
employee agrees to follow our Code of Conduct, which is on our corporate website, and covers a wide range of business practices and procedures.
Recognizing that our Code of Conduct may not address every situation our employees may encounter, other resources exist to assist our
employees in their decision-making, including our management team, training and a hotline pursuant to which employees can ask questions
or report issues on an anonymous basis.
Employee
Safety, Health and Wellness
We
are committed to maintaining a safe workplace and promoting the health and wellness of our employees. We have an employee Health &
Safety Committee that is comprised of employees and recommends improvements in furtherance of employee health and safety. We also have
implemented multiple safety programs and regularly perform safety hazard evaluations within our manufacturing facility. We publish a
quarterly Safety Standard newsletter that reiterates our commitment to safety, highlights actions we have taken and intend to take to
improve employee safety, and provides practical advice to employees to keep them and their families safe. We monitor conditions that
could lead to safety incidents and keep track of injuries through reporting systems in accordance with the laws in the jurisdictions
in which we operate.
With
respect to health and wellness, we provide our employees a variety of flexible and convenient health and wellness programs designed to
support their physical and mental health. These include, among others, medical, dental and vision coverage, health savings and flexible
spending accounts, flexible work schedules, family leave and care resources, and an employee assistance program.
Compensation
and Benefits
We
provide competitive compensation and benefits to attract and retain superior talent and to give our employees the tools to succeed both
on and off the job. In addition to salaries, our compensation and benefits, typically include annual bonuses; commission programs; a
401(k) plan with employer matching opportunities; tuition assistance; and company-sponsored short-term and long-term disability, life
and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, among others.
Our
benefit plans are available to full-time employees who work 30 or more hours per week. Eligible employees may select between four medical
plan options: two preferred provider organization plans and two health savings account compatible high deductible plans. We provide contributions
to those participating in a health savings account compatible plans. Additionally, we offer employees traditional and limited purpose
flex savings account options. Pharmacy benefits as well as dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability, long and short-term
disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance plans are available to our employees. We also offer employees
wellbeing benefits through LifeBalance, Noom, and our Employee Assistance Program.
Xtant
prides itself on offering employment arrangements that include competitive time off policies and flexibility. Our employees are eligible
for paid holidays effective immediately upon hire. Paid time off is available to all corporate employees and accrue based on length of
service, and sick time is available for all commercial-sales employees.
Employee
Engagement
We
provide all employees with the opportunity to anonymously share their opinions and feedback directly with senior management and human
resources. Submissions are analyzed to enhance the employee experience, promote retention, drive change, and leverage the overall success
of our organization.
Employee
Development and Training
We
recognize that successful execution of our strategy is dependent on attracting, developing and retaining top talent in all areas of the
business. We have a robust learning management system platform that includes several modules for employee development and training. In
addition, we have a professional development policy intended to promote professional development opportunities and provide support to
employees who want to increase the effectiveness of their performance in their current position. We encourage employees to obtain skills,
knowledge and abilities which may improve their opportunities for career advancement within our Company and the purpose of our professional
development policy is to provide our employees with the requirements for approval, time off, and reimbursement for employee training