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Risk Overview Q4, 2025
Risk Distribution
28% Legal & Regulatory
23% Tech & Innovation
15% Ability to Sell
13% Finance & Corporate
13% Production
10% Macro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Incyte Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2025
Main Risk Category
Legal & Regulatory
With 11 Risks
Legal & Regulatory
With 11 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
40
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
40
+1
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
1Risks added
0Risks removed
5Risks changed
Since Dec 2025
1Risks added
0Risks removed
5Risks changed
Since Dec 2025
Number of Risk Changed
5
+4
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 0
5
+4
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 0
See the risk highlights of Incyte in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 40
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 11/40 (28%)Above Sector Average
Regulation8 | 20.0%
Regulation - Risk 1
Even if a drug candidate that we develop receives regulatory approval, we may decide not to commercialize it if we determine that commercialization of that product would require more money and time than we are willing to invest.Regulation - Risk 2
If we fail to comply with the extensive legal and regulatory requirements affecting the healthcare industry, we could face increased costs, penalties and a loss of business.Our activities, and the activities of our collaborators, partners and third-party providers, are subject to extensive government regulation and oversight both in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions. The FDA and comparable agencies in other jurisdictions directly regulate many of our most critical business activities, including the conduct of preclinical and clinical studies, product manufacturing, advertising and promotion, product distribution, adverse event reporting and product risk management. States increasingly have been placing greater restrictions on the marketing practices of healthcare companies and have instituted pricing disclosure and other requirements for companies selling pharmaceuticals. In addition, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have been the target of lawsuits and investigations alleging violations of government regulations, including claims asserting submission of incorrect pricing information, improper promotion of pharmaceutical products, payments intended to influence the referral of federal or state healthcare business, submission of false claims for government reimbursement, antitrust violations, violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act and similar anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, or violations related to environmental matters. There is also enhanced scrutiny of company-sponsored patient assistance programs, including insurance premium and co-pay assistance programs and donations to third-party charities that provide such assistance, and we have previously been subject to an inquiry relating to our speaker programs and patient assistance programs. Violations of governmental regulation by us, our vendors or donation recipients may be punishable by criminal and civil sanctions, including damages, fines and penalties and exclusion from participation in government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. In addition to damages, fines and penalties for violation of laws and regulations, we could be required to repay amounts we received from government payors, or pay additional rebates and interest if we are found to have miscalculated the pricing information we have submitted to the government. Actions taken by federal or local governments, legislative bodies and enforcement agencies with respect to these legal and regulatory compliance matters could also result in reduced demand for our products, reduced coverage of our products by healthcare payors, or both. We cannot ensure that our compliance controls, policies, and procedures will in every instance protect us from acts committed by our employees, collaborators, partners or third-party providers that would violate the laws or regulations of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Whether or not we have complied with the law, an investigation into alleged unlawful conduct could increase our expenses, damage our reputation, divert management time and attention and adversely affect our business, and any settlement of these proceedings could result in significant payments by us. Risks relating to compliance with laws and regulations may be heightened as we continue to expand our global operations and enter new therapeutic areas with different patient populations, which due to different product distribution methods, marketing programs or patient assistance programs may result in additional regulatory burdens and obligations.
Regulation - Risk 3
Changes in government pricing policies, including the enactment of "most favored nation" pricing legislation, could adversely affect our business.Added
Our revenue, results of operations, and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected by changes in government pricing policies, including recently proposed or enacted "most favored nation" (MFN) pricing legislation or executive actions. For example, an executive order issued on May 12, 2025, directed the Department of Health and Human Services to establish MFN price targets, and, if progress toward these targets is insufficient, to pursue rulemaking that could require sale of certain products in the U.S. at prices no higher than those in comparable developed nations. The extent, timing, and ultimate effect of this policy are uncertain, and we cannot predict the potential impact on our pricing, reimbursement, or profitability.
Regulation - Risk 4
If we or our collaborators are unable to obtain regulatory approval for our drug candidates in the United States or foreign jurisdictions, we or our collaborators will not be permitted to commercialize products resulting from our research.Changed
In order to commercialize drug products in the United States, drug candidates will have to obtain regulatory approval from the FDA. Satisfaction of regulatory requirements typically takes many years. To obtain regulatory approval, we or our collaborators, as the case may be, must first show that our or our collaborators' drug candidates are safe and effective for target indications through preclinical testing (animal testing) and clinical trials (human testing). Preclinical testing and clinical development are long, expensive and uncertain processes, and we do not know whether the FDA will allow us or our collaborators to undertake clinical trials of any drug candidates in addition to our or our collaborators' compounds currently in clinical trials. If regulatory approval of a product is granted, this approval will be limited to those disease states and conditions for which the product is demonstrated through clinical trials to be safe and effective.
Completion of clinical trials may take several years and failure may occur at any stage of testing. The length of time required varies substantially according to the type, complexity, novelty and intended use of the drug candidate. Interim results of a preclinical test or clinical trial do not necessarily predict final results, and acceptable results in early clinical trials may not be repeated in later clinical trials. For example, a drug candidate that is successful at the preclinical level may cause harmful or dangerous side effects when tested at the clinical level. Our rate of commencement and completion of clinical trials may be delayed, and existing clinical trials with our or our collaborators' drug candidates may be stopped, due to many potential factors, including:
- the high degree of risk and uncertainty associated with drug development;- our inability to formulate or manufacture sufficient quantities of materials for use in clinical trials;- variability in the number and types of patients available for each study;- difficulty in maintaining contact with patients after treatment, resulting in incomplete data;- unforeseen safety issues or side effects;- poor or unanticipated effectiveness of drug candidates during the clinical trials; or - government or regulatory delays.
Data obtained from clinical trials are susceptible to varying interpretation, which may delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. Many companies in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, including our company, have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials, even after achieving promising results in earlier clinical trials. In addition, regulatory authorities may refuse or delay approval as a result of other factors, such as changes in regulatory policy during the period of product development and regulatory agency review. Delays in FDA approval of drug candidates may also result from other factors such as funding limitations, staffing reductions or other resource restrictions, any of which could have an adverse effect on the regulatory approval process. Further, the FDA has in the past required, and could in the future require, that we or our collaborators conduct additional trials of any of our drug candidates, which would result in delays and could result in our termination of a drug development program. From time to time we and our collaborators have experienced events that have resulted in delays, setbacks and terminations of drug development programs. In April 2017, we and our collaborator Lilly announced that the FDA had issued a complete response letter for the NDA of OLUMIANT as a once-daily oral medication for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis. The letter indicated that additional clinical data were needed to determine the most appropriate doses and to further characterize safety concerns across treatment arms. In June 2018, after a resubmission of the NDA, the FDA approved the 2mg dose of OLUMIANT for the treatment of adults with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapies. The FDA did not at that time approve any higher dose of OLUMIANT and required a warning label in connection with its approval. In addition, in January 2022, we announced that we withdrew the NDA seeking approval of parsaclisib for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. The decision to withdraw the NDA followed discussions with FDA regarding confirmatory clinical trials that we determined cannot be completed within the time period to support the investment. Also, in March 2023, we received a complete response letter for ruxolitinib extended release tablets, which identified additional requirements for approval.
Compounds or biologics developed by us or with or by our collaborators and licensees may not prove to be safe and effective in clinical trials and may not meet all of the applicable regulatory requirements needed to receive marketing approval. For example, in January 2020 we stopped our Phase 3 trial of itacitinib for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host-disease. If clinical trials of any of our or our collaborators' compounds or biologics are stopped for safety, efficacy or other reasons or fail to meet their respective endpoints, our overall development plans, business, prospects, expected operating results and financial condition could be materially harmed and the value of our company could be negatively affected.
Even if any of our applications receives an FDA Fast Track or priority review designation (including based on a priority review voucher, one of which we recently acquired and used in connection with our submission seeking FDA approval of ruxolitinib cream for atopic dermatitis), these designations may not result in faster review or approval for our product candidate compared to product candidates considered for approval under conventional FDA procedures and, in any event, do not assure ultimate approval of our product candidate by the FDA. For example, in June 2021 we were informed by the FDA that the FDA had extended by three months the review period for the NDA for ruxolitinib cream for atopic dermatitis. Also, in July 2021, we announced that the FDA issued a complete response letter for the BLA of retifanlimab for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal, in which the FDA stated it cannot approve the BLA and that additional data are needed. In addition, while the FDA had granted orphan drug designation and Fast Track designation to parsaclisib as a treatment for patients with follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma, as discussed above we withdrew our NDA seeking approval for treatment of patients with those lymphomas. The FDA has recently increased its attention on mandated confirmatory trials for oncology drug candidates with accelerated approvals, and the logistics, cost and timing required for confirmatory trials may conflict with our investment thesis for drug candidates, resulting in withdrawal of approval applications.
Outside the United States, our and our collaborators' ability to market a product is contingent upon receiving a marketing authorization from the appropriate regulatory authorities. This foreign regulatory approval process typically includes all of the risks associated with the FDA approval process described above and may also include additional risks. The requirements governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing, pricing and reimbursement vary greatly from country to country and may require us to perform additional testing and expend additional resources. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries, and approval by one foreign regulatory authority does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in other countries or by the FDA.
Regulation - Risk 5
If we fail to enter into additional licensing agreements or if these arrangements are unsuccessful, our business and operations might be adversely affected.In addition to establishing collaborative or license arrangements under which other parties license our drug candidates for development and commercialization or under which we study our drug candidates in combination with such parties' compounds or biologics, we may explore opportunities to develop our clinical pipeline by in-licensing drug candidates or therapeutic targets that fit within our focus, such as our collaborations with MacroGenics, Inc. ("MacroGenics"), Merus N.V. ("Merus") and Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc., or explore additional opportunities to further develop and commercialize existing drug candidates in specific jurisdictions, such as our June 2016 acquisition of the development and commercialization rights to ICLUSIG in certain countries. We may be unable to enter into any additional in-licensing agreements because suitable drug candidates that are within our expertise may not be available to us on terms that are acceptable to us or because competitors with greater resources seek to in-license the same drug candidates. Drug candidates that we would like to develop or commercialize may not be available to us because they are controlled by competitors who are unwilling to license the rights to the drug candidate to us. In addition, we may enter into license agreements that are unsuccessful and our business and operations might be adversely affected if we are unable to realize the expected economic benefits of a collaboration or other licensing arrangement, by the termination of a drug candidate and termination and winding down of the related license agreement, or due to other business or regulatory issues, including financial difficulties, that may adversely affect a licensor's ability to continue to perform its obligations under an in-license agreement. For example, in January 2022, we decided to opt-out of the continued development with Merus of MCLA-145, which was the most advanced compound under our collaboration with Merus, and in 2022 and 2023, we decided to terminate our collaborations with Calithera Biosciences, Inc. and Syros Pharmaceuticals, Inc. If we make or incur contractual obligations to make significant upfront payments in connection with licenses for late-stage drug candidates, and if any of those drug candidates do not receive marketing approval or commercial sales as anticipated or we have to fund additional clinical trials before marketing approval can be obtained, we will have expended significant funds that might have been applied for other uses or we may have to expend funds that were not otherwise budgeted or anticipated in connection with the collaboration, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on our stock price and our ability to pursue other transactions. As discussed above under "Other Risks Relating to Our Business-We depend on our collaborators and licensees for the future development and commercialization of some of our drug candidates. Conflicts may arise between our collaborators and licensees and us, or our collaborators and licensees may choose to terminate their agreements with us, which may adversely affect our business," conflicts or other issues may arise with our licensors. Those conflicts could result in delays in our plans to develop drug candidates or result in the expenditure of additional funds to resolve those conflicts that could have an adverse effect on our results of operations. We have also licensed, and may in the future need to license, drug delivery or other technology in order to continue to develop our drug candidates. If we are unable to enter into additional agreements to license drug candidates, drug delivery technology or other technology or if these arrangements are unsuccessful, our research and development efforts could be adversely affected, and we may be unable to increase our number of successfully marketed products and our revenues.
Regulation - Risk 6
If we fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we could lose our approval to market our products or be subject to other governmental enforcement activity.We cannot guarantee that we will be able to maintain regulatory approval to market our products in the jurisdictions in which they are currently marketed. If we do not maintain our regulatory approval to market our products, our results of operations will be materially harmed. We and our collaborators, third-party manufacturers and suppliers are subject to rigorous and extensive regulation by the FDA and other federal and state agencies as well as foreign governmental agencies. These regulations continue to apply after product marketing approval, and cover, among other things, testing, manufacturing, quality control and assurance, labeling, advertising, promotion, risk mitigation, and adverse event reporting requirements.
The commercialization of our products is subject to post-regulatory approval product surveillance, and our products may have to be withdrawn from the market or subject to restrictions if previously unknown problems occur. Regulatory agencies may also require additional clinical trials or testing for our products, and our products may be recalled or may be subject to reformulation, additional studies, changes in labeling, warnings to the public and negative publicity. For example, from late 2013 through 2014, ICLUSIG was subject to review by the European Medicines Agency ("EMA"), of the benefits and risks of ICLUSIG to better understand the nature, frequency and severity of events obstructing the arteries or veins, the potential mechanism that leads to these side effects and whether there needed to be a revision in the dosing recommendation, patient monitoring and a risk management plan for ICLUSIG. This review was completed in January 2015, with additional warnings in the product information but without any change in the approved indications. The EMA could take additional actions in the future that reduce the commercial potential of ICLUSIG. In addition, in September 2021, the FDA updated labeling for JAKAFI and other JAK inhibitor drugs to include warnings of increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, thrombosis, and secondary malignancies related to another JAK-inhibitor treating rheumatoid arthritis, a condition for which JAKAFI is not indicated. As part of the FDA labeling update for oral JAK inhibitors in treating inflammatory conditions, class "boxed" warnings were also included in the OPZELURA label. It is possible that future sales of JAKAFI and OPZELURA could be negatively affected as a result of the "boxed" warnings, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations and prospects.
Failure to comply with the laws and regulations administered by the FDA or other agencies could result in:
- administrative and judicial sanctions, including warning letters;- fines and other civil penalties;- suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval to market or manufacture our products;- interruption of production;- operating restrictions;- product recall or seizure;- injunctions; and - criminal prosecution.
The occurrence of any such event may have a material adverse effect on our business.
Furthermore, disruptions at the FDA and other regulatory agencies could prevent those agencies from performing normal business functions on which the operation of our business relies, which could negatively impact our business.
Regulation - Risk 7
If the use of our products harms patients, or is perceived to harm patients even when such harm is unrelated to our products, our regulatory approvals could be revoked or otherwise negatively impacted or we could be subject to costly and damaging product liability claims.The testing, manufacturing, marketing and sale of our products could expose us to product liability and other risks. Side effects and other problems experienced by patients from the use of our products could:
- lessen the frequency with which physicians decide to prescribe our products;- encourage physicians to stop prescribing our products to their patients who previously had been prescribed our products;- cause serious harm to patients that may give rise to product liability claims against us; and - result in our need to withdraw or recall our products from the marketplace.
If our products are used by a wide patient population, new risks and side effects may be discovered, the rate of known risks or side effects may increase, and risks previously viewed as less significant could be determined to be significant.
Previously unknown risks and adverse effects of our products may also be discovered in connection with unapproved, or off-label, uses of our products. We are prohibited by law from promoting or in any way supporting or encouraging the promotion of our products for off-label uses, but physicians are permitted to use products for off-label purposes. In addition, we are studying and expect to continue to study our approved products in diseases for potential additional indications in controlled clinical settings, and independent investigators are doing so as well. In the event of any new risks or adverse effects discovered as new patients are treated and as our products are studied in or used by patients for off-label indications, regulatory authorities may delay or revoke their approvals, we may be required to conduct additional clinical trials, make changes in labeling of our products, reformulate our products or make changes and obtain new approvals. We may also experience a significant drop in the sales of our products, experience harm to our reputation and the reputation of our products in the marketplace or become subject to lawsuits, including class actions. Any of these results could decrease or prevent sales of our products or substantially increase the costs and expenses of commercializing our products.
Patients who have been enrolled in our clinical trials or who may use our products in the future often have severe and advanced stages of disease and known as well as unknown significant pre-existing and potentially life-threatening health risks. During the course of treatment, patients may suffer adverse events, including death, for reasons that may or may not be related to our products. Such events could subject us to costly litigation, require us to pay substantial amounts of money to injured patients, delay, negatively impact or end our opportunity to receive or maintain regulatory approval to market our products, or require us to suspend or abandon our commercialization efforts. Even in a circumstance in which we do not believe that an adverse event is related to our products, the investigation into the circumstance may be time consuming or inconclusive. These investigations may interrupt our sales efforts, impact and limit the type of regulatory approvals our products receive or maintain, or delay the regulatory approval process in other countries.
Factors similar to those listed above also apply to our collaborators in the jurisdictions in which they have development and commercialization rights.
Regulation - Risk 8
If we market our products in a manner that violates various laws and regulations, we may be subject to civil or criminal penalties.In addition to FDA and related regulatory requirements, we are subject to healthcare "fraud and abuse" laws, such as the federal False Claims Act, the anti-kickback provisions of the federal Social Security Act, and other state and federal laws and regulations. Federal and state anti-kickback laws prohibit, among other things, knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce, or in return for purchasing, leasing, ordering or arranging for the purchase, lease or order of any healthcare item or service reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or other federally- or state-financed healthcare programs. Federal false claims laws prohibit any person from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, a false claim for payment to the federal government, or knowingly making, or causing to be made, a false statement to get a false claim paid. Pharmaceutical companies have been prosecuted under these laws for a variety of alleged promotional and marketing activities.
Although physicians are permitted, based on their medical judgment, to prescribe products for indications other than those approved by the FDA, manufacturers are prohibited from promoting their products for such off-label uses. Although we believe that our promotional materials for physicians do not constitute improper promotion, the FDA or other agencies may disagree. If the FDA or another agency determines that our promotional materials or other activities constitute improper promotion, it could request that we modify our promotional materials or other activities or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions, including the issuance of a warning letter, injunction, seizure, civil fine and criminal penalties. It is also possible that other federal, state or foreign enforcement authorities might take action if they believe that the alleged improper promotion led to the submission and payment of claims for an unapproved use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. Even if it is later determined we are not in violation of these laws, we may be faced with negative publicity, incur significant expenses defending our position and have to divert significant management resources from other matters.
The EU and member countries, as well as governmental authorities in other countries, impose similar strict restrictions on the promotion and marketing of drug products. The off-label promotion of medicinal products is prohibited in the EU and in other territories, and the EU also maintains strict controls on advertising and promotional materials. The promotion of medicinal products that are not subject to a marketing authorization is also prohibited in the EU. Violations of the rules governing the promotion of medicinal products in the EU and in other territories could be penalized by administrative measures, fines and imprisonment.
The majority of states also have statutes or regulations similar to the federal anti-kickback law and false claims laws, which apply to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and other state programs, or, in several states, apply regardless of the payor. Numerous states and localities have enacted or are considering enacting legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to establish marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports or make periodic public disclosures on sales, marketing, pricing, clinical trials, and other activities. Additionally, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the U.S. federal government has enacted the Physician Payment Sunshine provisions. These provisions and similar laws and regulations in other jurisdictions where we do business require manufacturers to publicly report certain payments or other transfers of value made to physicians and teaching hospitals. Many of these requirements are new and uncertain, and the penalties for failure to comply with these requirements are unclear. Nonetheless, if we are found not to be in full compliance with these laws, we could face enforcement action and fines and other penalties, which could be significant in amount or result in exclusion from federal healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Any action initiated against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could require the expenditure of significant resources and generate negative publicity, which could harm our business and operating results, and any settlement of such action initiated against us, regardless of the merits, could result in the payment of significant amounts, which could harm our financial condition and operating results. See also "-Other Risks Relating to our Business-If we fail to comply with the extensive legal and regulatory requirements affecting the healthcare industry, we could face increased costs, penalties and a loss of business" below.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities1 | 2.5%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
If product liability lawsuits are brought against us, we could face substantial liabilities and may be required to limit commercialization of our products and our results of operations could be harmed.Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 2.5%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
Changes in tax laws or regulations could adversely affect our results of operations, business and financial condition.Environmental / Social1 | 2.5%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Because our activities involve the use of hazardous materials, we may be subject to claims relating to improper handling, storage or disposal of these materials that could be time consuming and costly.Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 9/40 (23%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D4 | 10.0%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
We may incur losses in the future, and we expect to continue to incur significant expenses to discover and develop drugs, which may make it difficult for us to achieve sustained profitability on a quarterly or annual basis in the future.Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
As most of our drug discovery and development operations are conducted at our headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, the loss of access to this facility would negatively impact our business.Our facility in Wilmington, Delaware is our headquarters and is also where we conduct most of our drug discovery, research, development and marketing activities. In addition, natural disasters, the effects of or measures taken to limit the effects of health epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, or actions of activists opposed to aspects of pharmaceutical research may disrupt our experiments or our ability to access or use our facility. The loss of access to or use of our Wilmington, Delaware facility, either on a temporary or permanent basis, would result in an interruption of our business and, consequently, would adversely affect our overall business.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 3
We may be unsuccessful in our efforts to discover and develop drug candidates and commercialize drug products.Our long-term success, revenue growth and diversification of revenues depends on our ability to obtain regulatory approval for new drug products and additional indications for our existing drug products. Our ability to discover and develop drug candidates and to commercialize additional drug products and indications will depend on our ability to:
- hire and retain key employees;- identify high quality therapeutic targets;- identify potential drug candidates;- develop products internally or license or acquire drug candidates from others;- identify and enroll suitable human subjects, either in the United States or abroad, for our clinical trials;- complete laboratory testing;- commence, conduct and complete safe and effective clinical trials on humans;- obtain and maintain necessary intellectual property rights to our products;- obtain and maintain necessary regulatory approvals for our products, both in the United States and abroad;- enter into arrangements with third parties to provide services or to manufacture our products on our behalf;- deploy sales, marketing, distribution and manufacturing resources effectively or enter into arrangements with third parties to provide these functions in compliance with all applicable laws;- obtain appropriate coverage and reimbursement levels for the cost of our products from governmental authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors;- lease facilities at reasonable rates to support our growth; and - enter into arrangements with third parties to license and commercialize our products.
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are intensely competitive and subject to rapid and significant technological change. Despite investing significant resources, we may not be successful in discovering, developing, or commercializing additional drug products or our existing drug products in new indications. Discovery and development of drug candidates are expensive, uncertain and time-consuming, and we do not know if our efforts will lead to discovery of any drug candidates that can be successfully developed and marketed. We, or our collaborators or licensees, may decide to discontinue development of any or all of our drug candidates at any time for commercial, scientific or other reasons. Even if a drug candidate receives marketing approval, it may not be able to achieve market acceptance or compete successfully with our competitors' products and we may never realize a return on the significant amount of time and money invested in the drug candidate, which could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition as well as our business plans. Of the compounds or biologics that we identify as potential drug products or that we in-license from other companies, including potential products for which we are conducting clinical trials, only a few, if any, are likely to lead to successful drug development programs and commercialized drug products.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 4
The success of our drug discovery and development efforts may depend on our ability to find suitable collaborators to fully exploit our capabilities. If we are unable to establish collaborations or if these future collaborations are unsuccessful in the development and commercialization of our drug candidates, our research, development and commercialization efforts may be unsuccessful, which could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and future revenue prospects.An element of our business strategy is to enter into collaborative or license arrangements with other parties, under which we license our drug candidates to those parties for development and commercialization or under which we study our drug candidates in combination with other parties' compounds or biologics. For example, in addition to Novartis, Lilly, and our other existing collaborations, we are evaluating strategic relationships with respect to several of our other programs. However, because collaboration and license arrangements are complex to negotiate, we may not be successful in our attempts to establish these arrangements. Also, we may not have drug candidates that are desirable to other parties, or we may be unwilling to license a drug candidate to a particular party because such party is a competitor or for other reasons. The terms of any such arrangements that we establish may not be favorable to us. Alternatively, potential collaborators may decide against entering into an agreement with us because of our financial, regulatory or intellectual property position or for scientific, commercial or other reasons. If we are not able to establish collaboration or license arrangements, we may not be able to develop and commercialize a drug product, which could adversely affect our business, our revenues and our future revenue prospects.
We will likely not be able to control the amount and timing of resources that our collaborators or licensees devote to our programs or drug candidates. If our collaborators or licensees prove difficult to work with, are less skilled than we originally expected, do not devote adequate resources to the program, are unable to obtain regulatory approval of our drug candidates, pursue alternative technologies or develop alternative products, or do not agree with our approach to development or manufacturing of the drug candidate, the relationship could be unsuccessful. We cannot be sure that potential conflicts will not arise or be alleged among our existing or future collaborations. If a business combination involving a collaborator or licensee and a third-party were to occur, the effect could be to terminate or cause delays in the development of our drug candidate.
Trade Secrets4 | 10.0%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
If the effective term of our patents is decreased due to changes in U.S. patent laws or if we need to refile some of our patent applications, the value of our patent portfolio and the revenues we derive from it may be decreased.Changed
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
If we are subject to arbitration, litigation and infringement claims, they could be costly and disrupt our drug discovery and development efforts.The success of our drug discovery and development efforts will depend on our ability to develop new compounds, drugs and technologies without infringing or misappropriating the proprietary rights of others. The technology that we use to make and develop our drug products, the technology that we incorporate in our products, and the products we are developing may be subject to claims that they infringe the patents or proprietary rights of others. We are aware of patents and patent applications filed in certain countries claiming intellectual property relating to some of our drug discovery targets and drug candidates. While the validity of issued patents, patentability of pending patent applications and applicability of any of them to our programs are uncertain, if any of these patents are asserted against us or if we choose to license any of these patents, our ability to commercialize our products could be harmed or the potential return to us from any product that may be successfully commercialized could be diminished.
From time to time we have received, and we may in the future receive, notices from third parties offering licenses to technology or alleging patent, trademark, or copyright infringement, claims regarding trade secrets or other contract claims. Receipt of these notices could result in significant costs as a result of the diversion of the attention of management from our drug discovery and development efforts. Parties sending these notices may have brought and in the future may bring litigation against us or seek arbitration relating to contract claims.
We may be involved in future lawsuits or other legal proceedings alleging patent infringement or other intellectual property rights or contract violations. In addition, litigation or other legal proceedings may be necessary to:
- assert claims of infringement;- enforce our patents or trademarks;- protect our trade secrets or know-how; or - determine the enforceability, scope and validity of the proprietary rights of others.
We may be unsuccessful in defending or pursuing these lawsuits, claims or other legal proceedings. Regardless of the outcome, litigation or other legal proceedings can be very costly and can divert management's efforts. An adverse determination may subject us to significant liabilities or require us or our collaborators or licensees to seek licenses to other parties' patents or proprietary rights. We or our collaborators or licensees may also be restricted or prevented from manufacturing or selling a drug or other product that we or they develop. Further, we or our future collaborators or licensees may not be able to obtain any necessary licenses on acceptable terms, if at all. If we are unable to develop non-infringing technology or license technology on a timely basis or on reasonable terms, our business could be harmed.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
We may be unable to adequately protect or enforce our proprietary information, which may result in its unauthorized use, a loss of revenue under a collaboration agreement or loss of sales to generic versions of our products or otherwise reduce our ability to compete in developing and commercializing products.Our business and competitive position depends in significant part upon our ability to protect our proprietary technology, including any drug products that we create. Despite our efforts to protect this information, unauthorized parties may attempt to obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. For example, one of our collaborators may disclose proprietary information pertaining to our drug discovery efforts. In addition, while we have filed numerous patent applications with respect to our approved products and drug candidates in the United States and in foreign countries, our patent applications may fail to result in issued patents. In addition, because patent applications can take several years to issue as patents, there may be pending patent applications of others that may later issue as patents that cover some aspect of our approved products or drug candidates. Our existing patents and any future patents we may obtain may not be broad enough to protect our products or all of the potential uses of our products, or otherwise prevent others from developing competing products or technologies. In addition, our patents may be challenged and invalidated or may fail to provide us with any competitive advantages if, for example, others were first to invent or first to file a patent application for the technologies and products covered by our patents. As noted above under "Risks Relating to Commercialization of Our Products-Competition for our products could harm our business and result in a decrease in our revenue," potential generic drug company competitors have challenged certain patents relating to JAKAFI and OPZELURA.
Additionally, when we do not control the prosecution, maintenance and enforcement of certain important intellectual property rights, such as a drug candidate in-licensed to us or subject to a collaboration with a third-party, the protection of such intellectual property rights may not be in our hands. If we do not control the intellectual property rights in-licensed to us with respect to a drug candidate and the entity that controls such intellectual property rights does not adequately protect those rights, our rights may be impaired, which may impact our ability to develop, market and commercialize the in-licensed drug candidate.
Our means of protecting our proprietary rights may not be adequate, and our competitors may:
- independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information, products and techniques;- otherwise gain access to our proprietary information; or - design around patents issued to us or our other intellectual property.
We pursue a policy of having our employees, consultants and advisors execute proprietary information and invention agreements when they begin working for us. However, these agreements may not provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets or other proprietary information in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure. If we fail to maintain trade secret and patent protection, our potential future revenues may be decreased.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
International patent protection is particularly uncertain and costly, and our involvement in opposition proceedings in foreign countries may result in the expenditure of substantial sums and management resources.Biotechnology and pharmaceutical patent law outside the United States is even more uncertain and costly than in the United States and is currently undergoing review and revision in many countries. Further, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our intellectual property rights to the same extent as U.S. laws. For example, certain countries do not grant patent claims that are directed to the treatment of humans. We have participated, and may in the future participate, in opposition proceedings to determine the validity of our foreign patents or our competitors' foreign patents, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of our efforts. Successful challenges to our patent or other intellectual property rights through these proceedings could result in a loss of rights in the relevant jurisdiction and allow third parties to use our proprietary technologies without a license from us or our collaborators, which may also result in loss of future royalty payments. In addition, successful challenges may jeopardize or delay our ability to enter into new collaborations or commercialize potential products, which could harm our business and results of operations.
Cyber Security1 | 2.5%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
Significant disruptions of information technology systems, breaches of data security, or unauthorized disclosures of personal information (including sensitive personal information) could adversely affect our business, and could subject us to liability or reputational damage.Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 6/40 (15%)Above Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.5%
Competition - Risk 1
Competition for our products could harm our business and result in a decrease in our revenue.Sales & Marketing4 | 10.0%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We depend upon a limited number of specialty pharmacies and wholesalers for a significant portion of any revenues from JAKAFI and most of our other drug products, and the loss of, or significant reduction in sales to, any one of these specialty pharmacies or wholesalers could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
If we are unable to establish and maintain effective sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, or to enter into agreements with third parties to do so, we will not be able to successfully commercialize our products.We have established commercial capabilities in the United States and outside of the United States, but cannot guarantee that we will be able to enter into and maintain any marketing, distribution or third-party logistics agreements with third-party providers on acceptable terms, if at all. We may not be able to correctly judge the size and experience of the sales and marketing force and the scale of distribution capabilities necessary to successfully market and sell any new products. Establishing and maintaining sales, marketing and distribution capabilities are expensive and time-consuming. Competition for personnel with experience in sales and marketing can be high. Our expenses associated with building and maintaining the sales force and distribution capabilities may be disproportional compared to the revenues we may be able to generate on sales of our products.
We are continuing to establish and maintain sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our products. Successful commercialization of our drug candidates requires us to establish new physician and payor relationships, PBM and pharmacy network relationships, reimbursement strategies and governmental interactions, separate from our existing capabilities. Our inability to successfully commercialize our products could harm our business and operating results.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
The illegal distribution and sale by third parties of counterfeit or unfit versions of our or our collaborators' products or stolen products could harm our business and reputation.We are aware that counterfeit versions of our products have been distributed or sold by entities not authorized by us using product packaging suggesting that the product was provided by us. If unauthorized third parties illegally distribute and sell counterfeit versions of our or our collaborators' products, those products may not meet our or our collaborators' rigorous manufacturing, distribution and handling standards. In addition, inventory that is stolen from warehouses, plants or while in-transit, and that is subsequently improperly stored and sold through unauthorized channels, may not meet our or our collaborators' distribution and handling standards. A patient who receives a counterfeit or unfit drug may suffer dangerous health consequences. Our reputation and business could suffer harm as a result of counterfeit or unfit drugs sold under our brand name and could result in lost sales for us and decreased revenues. If counterfeit or unfit drugs are sold under our or our collaborators' brand names, our reputation and business could suffer harm and we could experience decreased royalty revenues.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
We depend heavily on our lead product, JAKAFI (ruxolitinib), which is marketed as JAKAVI outside the United States. If we are unable to maintain revenues from JAKAFI or those revenues decrease, our business may be materially harmed.JAKAFI is the first product marketed by us to be approved for sale in the United States. While we also sell our and our licensors' other approved products ICLUSIG, PEMAZYRE, MONJUVI/MINJUVI, OPZELURA, ZYNYZ and NIKTIMVO and our exclusive licensees sell OLUMIANT and TABRECTA, we anticipate that JAKAFI product sales will continue to contribute a significant percentage of our total revenues over the next several years. However, we expect that JAKAFI product sales will begin to decline upon the expiration of our patent exclusivity in 2028.
The continued commercial success of JAKAFI and our ability to maintain and continue to increase revenues from the sale of JAKAFI will depend on a number of factors, including:
- the number of patients diagnosed with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, uncontrolled polycythemia vera or steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease and the number of such patients that may be treated with JAKAFI;- the acceptance of JAKAFI by patients and the healthcare community;- whether physicians, patients and healthcare payors view JAKAFI as therapeutically effective and safe relative to cost and any alternative therapies, as well as whether patients will continue to use JAKAFI;- the ability to obtain and maintain sufficient coverage or reimbursement by third-party payors and pricing;- the ability of our third-party manufacturers to manufacture JAKAFI in sufficient quantities that meet all applicable quality standards;- the ability of our company and our third-party providers to provide marketing and distribution support for JAKAFI;- the label and promotional claims allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA);- the maintenance of regulatory approval for the approved indications in the United States;- our ability to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize JAKAFI in the United States for additional indications or in combination with other therapeutic modalities; and - the effects of a public health pandemic or epidemic such as the COVID-19 pandemic or of adverse geopolitical events, regulatory, legislative or administrative developments.
If we are not able to maintain revenues from JAKAFI in the United States, or our revenues from JAKAFI decrease, our business may be materially harmed and we may need to delay other drug discovery, development and commercialization initiatives or even significantly curtail operations, and our ability to license or acquire new products to diversify our revenue base could be limited.
In addition, revenues from our other products and our receipt of royalties under our collaboration agreements, including our agreements with Novartis Pharmaceutical International Ltd. for sales of JAKAVI outside the United States and TABRECTA globally and with Eli Lilly and Company for worldwide sales of OLUMIANT, will depend on factors similar to those listed above, with similar regulatory, pricing and reimbursement issues driven by applicable regulatory authorities and governmental and third-party payors affecting jurisdictions outside the United States.
Brand / Reputation1 | 2.5%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
Increasing use of social media and new technology, including artificial intelligence, could give rise to liability, breaches of data security, or reputational damage.Changed
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 5/40 (13%)Below Sector Average
Debt & Financing2 | 5.0%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may need additional capital in the future. If we are unable to generate sufficient funds from operations, the capital markets may not permit us to raise additional capital at the time that we require it, which could result in limitations on our research and development or commercialization efforts or the loss of certain of our rights in our technologies or drug candidates.Debt & Financing - Risk 2
Our marketable securities and equity investments are subject to risks that could adversely affect our overall financial position.We invest our cash in accordance with an established internal policy and customarily in money market funds, U.S. government backed-funds and Treasury securities, which are investment grade and historically have been highly liquid and carried relatively low risk.
Should a portion of our cash or marketable securities lose value or have their liquidity impaired, it could adversely affect our overall financial position by imperiling our ability to fund our operations and forcing us to seek additional financing sooner than we would otherwise. Such financing, if available, may not be available on commercially attractive terms.
As discussed under "Other Risks Relating to Our Business-We may acquire businesses or assets, form joint ventures or make investments in other companies that may be unsuccessful, divert our management's attention and harm our operating results and prospects," any investments that we may make in companies with which we have strategic alliances could result in our recognition of losses on those investments. In addition, to the extent we may seek to sell or otherwise monetize those investments, we may not be able to do so at our desired price or valuation levels, or at all, due to the limited liquidity of some or all of those investments.
Any loss in value of our equity investments could adversely affect our financial position on the consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth3 | 7.5%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
If we fail to manage our growth effectively, our ability to develop and commercialize products could suffer.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We may acquire businesses or assets, form joint ventures or make investments in other companies that may be unsuccessful, divert our management's attention and harm our operating results and prospects.As part of our business strategy, we may pursue acquisitions of what we believe to be complementary businesses or assets or seek to enter into joint ventures. We also may pursue strategic alliances in an effort to leverage our existing infrastructure and industry experience to expand our product offerings or distribution or make investments in other companies. For example, in February 2024 we entered into a purchase agreement with MorphoSys AG and MorphoSys US Inc. under which we acquired rights to tafasitamab (MONJUVI/MINJUVI) that resulted in our holding exclusive global development and commercialization rights to tafasitamab. The success of our acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances and investments will depend on our ability to identify, negotiate, complete and, in the case of acquisitions, integrate those transactions and, if necessary, obtain satisfactory debt or equity financing to fund those transactions. These strategic transactions are complex, time consuming and expensive and entail numerous risks, including:
- unanticipated costs, delays or other operational or financial problems related to integrating the products, product candidates, technologies, business operations, systems, controls and personnel of an acquired company or asset with our company;- failure to successfully develop and commercialize acquired products, product candidates or technologies or to achieve other strategic objectives;- delays or inability to progress preclinical programs into clinical development or unfavorable data from clinical trials evaluating acquired or licensed products or product candidates;- disruption of our ongoing business and diversion of our management's and employees' attention from ongoing development of our existing business and other opportunities and challenges;- inability to achieve planned synergies or cost savings;- the potential loss of key employees of an acquired company;- entry into markets in which we have no or limited direct prior experience or where competitors in such markets have stronger market positions;- uncertainties in our ability to maintain the key business relationships of any business we acquire;- exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities or the incurrence of unanticipated expenses, including those with respect to intellectual property, pre-clinical or clinical data, safety, compliance or internal controls, and including as a result of the failure of the due diligence processes to identify significant problems, liabilities or challenges of an acquired company or asset;- the risk that acquired businesses may have differing or inadequate cybersecurity and data protection controls; and - exposure to litigation or other claims in connection with, or inheritance of claims or litigation risk as a result of, the strategic transaction, including claims from terminated employees, customers, former equity holders or other third parties.
Acquisition transactions may be subject to regulatory approvals or other requirements that are not within our control. We may be unable to obtain these regulatory or other approvals, and closing conditions required in connection with our acquisition transactions may be unable to be satisfied or waived, which could result in our inability to complete the planned acquisition transactions. In addition, antitrust scrutiny by regulatory agencies and changes to regulatory approval processes in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions may cause approvals to take longer than anticipated to obtain, or may not be obtained at all, or contain burdensome conditions such as required divestitures, which may jeopardize, delay or reduce the anticipated benefits of acquisitions to us and could impede the execution of our business strategy.
As a result of these or other problems and risks, the businesses, products or technologies we acquire or invest in or obtain licenses to may not produce the revenues, earnings, business synergies or other benefits that we anticipated within the expected timeframe or at all. As a result, we may incur higher costs and realize lower revenues than we had anticipated. For example, in 2024 we acquired Escient Pharmaceuticals, Inc., but later in that year we stopped development of the two lead compounds acquired from Escient. We cannot be sure that any acquisitions or investments we may make in the future will be completed or that, if completed, the acquired business, licenses, investments, products, or technologies will generate sufficient revenue to offset the costs or other negative effects on our business. Other pharmaceutical companies, many of which may have substantially greater resources, compete with us for these opportunities and we may be unable to effectively advance our business strategy through strategic transactions, which could impair our ability to grow or obtain access to products or technology that could be important to the development of our business. Any acquisitions or investments made by us also could result in significant write-offs or the incurrence of debt and contingent liabilities, any of which could harm our operating results. For example, in several quarters of the last three fiscal years we recorded unrealized losses related to our investments in our collaboration partners, and we may experience additional losses related to our investments in future periods. In addition, if we choose to issue equity securities as consideration for any acquisition, dilution to our stockholders could result.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
We derive a substantial portion of our revenues from royalties, milestone payments and other payments under our collaboration agreements. If we are unable to achieve milestones, develop product candidates to license or renew or enter into new collaborations, our revenues may decrease, and future milestone and royalty payments may not contribute significantly to revenues for several years, and may never result in revenues.We derive a substantial portion of our total revenues from product royalties and milestone payments under our collaboration agreements, with royalties on JAKAVI and OLUMIANT representing most of our product royalty, milestone and contract revenues in each of the three most recently completed fiscal years. Future revenues from research and development collaborations depend upon the continuation of the collaborations, the achievement of milestones, and any royalties we earn from any future products developed from our research. If we are unable to successfully achieve milestones or our collaborators fail to develop successful products, we will not earn the future revenues contemplated under our collaborative agreements. For example, delays in or other limitations with respect to the approval of baricitinib in the United States for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, or the failure to obtain such approval as a first line therapy, as discussed under "Other Risks Relating to Our Business-We depend on our collaborators and licensees for the future development and commercialization of some of our drug candidates. Conflicts may arise between our collaborators and licensees and us, or our collaborators and licensees may choose to terminate their agreements with us, which may adversely affect our business," could affect potential future royalty and milestone and contract revenue.
Production
Total Risks: 5/40 (13%)Above Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 2.5%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We depend on key employees in a competitive market for skilled personnel, and the loss of the services of any of our key employees or our inability to attract and retain additional personnel would affect our ability to expand our drug discovery and development programs and achieve our objectives.Supply Chain3 | 7.5%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We have limited capacity to conduct preclinical testing and clinical trials, and our resulting dependence on other parties could result in delays in and additional costs for our drug development efforts.Supply Chain - Risk 2
Our reliance on other parties to manufacture our drug products and drug candidates could result in a short supply of the drugs, delays in clinical trials or drug development, increased costs, and withdrawal or denial of a regulatory authority's approval.We do not currently operate manufacturing facilities for most of our clinical or commercial products, including JAKAFI, PEMAZYRE, ICLUSIG, OPZELURA, ZYNYZ and NIKTIMVO, and our drug candidates. Our current manufacturing strategy for these products and drug candidates is to contract with third parties to manufacture the related raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredient ("API"), and finished drug product. We do have a biologics production facility located in Yverdon, Switzerland, currently registered for MONJUVI/MINJUVI drug substance manufacturing. We are responsible for the sourcing and manufacturing of ZYNYZ together with our collaborator MacroGenics. While working to increase our own manufacturing capacity through our Swiss bioplant site, we expect to continue to rely on third parties for the manufacture of clinical and commercial supplies of raw materials, API and finished drug product for any drugs that we successfully develop. We also contract with third parties to package and label our products. The FDA requires that the raw materials, API and finished product for drug products such as JAKAFI, PEMAZYRE and OPZELURA and our drug candidates be manufactured according to its current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations, and regulatory authorities in other countries have similar requirements. Failure to comply with Good Manufacturing Practices and the applicable regulatory requirements of other countries in the manufacture of our drug candidates and products could result in the FDA or a foreign regulatory authority halting our clinical trials, withdrawing or denying regulatory approval of our drug product, initiating product recalls or taking other enforcement actions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We may not be able to obtain sufficient quantities of our drug candidates or any drug products we may develop if our designated manufacturers do not have the capacity or capability to manufacture them according to our schedule and specifications. Manufacturers of pharmaceutical products often encounter difficulties in production, especially in scaling up initial production to commercial quantities from clinical quantities. These problems include difficulties with production costs and yields, quality control and assurance and shortages of qualified personnel. To the extent problems such as these are experienced, we could encounter difficulties in supplying sufficient product to meet demand or incur additional costs to remedy the problems or to recall defective products. Any such recall could also harm our sales efforts and our reputation. Our suppliers, which operate in multiple countries around the world, could also experience disruptions in their operations resulting from various factors, including equipment malfunction or failure, regulatory requirements or actions, raw material shortages, labor disputes or shortages, including from the effects of public health pandemics, cyberattacks, natural and other disasters, and wars or other geopolitical events. In addition, one or more of our third party contract manufacturers could be acquired and its contract manufacturing operations could be ceased or curtailed. While our strategy is to maintain at a minimum 24 months stock of ruxolitinib phosphate API, inclusive of finished product, ruxolitinib phosphate might be used by us either to make JAKAFI or OPZELURA or for ruxolitinib drug candidates in clinical trials. In addition, we may not be able to arrange for our drug candidates or any drug products that we may develop to be manufactured by one of these parties on reasonable terms, if at all. We generally have a single source or a limited number of suppliers that are qualified to supply each of the raw materials, API and finished product of our drug products and our other drug candidates. If any of these suppliers were to become unable or unwilling to supply us with raw materials, API or finished product that complies with applicable regulatory requirements, we could incur significant delays in our clinical trials or interruption of commercial supply that could have a material adverse effect on our business. If we have promised delivery of a drug candidate or drug product and are unable to meet the delivery requirement due to manufacturing difficulties, our development programs could be delayed, we may have to expend additional sums in order to ensure that manufacturing capacity is available when we need it even if we do not use all of the manufacturing capacity, and our business and operating results could be harmed. Any increases in the cost of our drug candidates or drug products, whether through conditions affecting the cost and availability of raw materials, such as inflation, decreases in available manufacturing capacity, or otherwise, would adversely affect our results of operations.
We may not be able to adequately manage and oversee the manufacturers we choose, they may not perform as agreed or they may terminate their agreements with us. Foreign manufacturing approval processes typically include all of the risks associated with the FDA approval process for manufacturing and may also include additional risks.
A number of our collaborations involve the manufacture of antibodies. Either we or our collaborators have primary responsibility for manufacturing activities, and we intend to continue to use third-party contract manufacturing organizations for the manufacture of antibodies in conjunction with our manufacturing facility in Switzerland. Manufacturing antibodies and products containing antibodies is a more complex process than manufacturing small molecule drugs and subject to additional risks. The process of manufacturing antibodies and products containing antibodies is highly susceptible to product loss due to contamination, equipment failure or improper installation or operation of equipment, vendor or operator error, inconsistency in yields, variability in product characteristics, and difficulties in scaling up the production process. Even minor deviations from normal manufacturing processes could result in reduced production yields, product defects and other supply disruptions. If microbial, viral or other contaminations are discovered in our product candidates or in the manufacturing facilities in which our product candidates are made, such manufacturing facilities may need to be closed for an extended period of time to investigate and remedy the contamination. We may encounter delays and difficulties in scaling up production at our Swiss facility or in obtaining necessary regulatory approvals and registrations to do so.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
We depend on our collaborators and licensees for the future development and commercialization of some of our drug candidates. Conflicts may arise between our collaborators and licensees and us, or our collaborators and licensees may choose to terminate their agreements with us, which may adversely affect our business.We have licensed to Novartis rights to ruxolitinib outside of the United States and worldwide rights to our MET inhibitor compounds, including TABRECTA, and licensed to Lilly worldwide rights to baricitinib. In addition, we have licensed certain Asian rights to some of our drug products and clinical stage compounds to other collaborators. Under the terms of our agreements with these collaborators, we have no or limited control over the further clinical development of these drug candidates in the relevant territories and any revenues we may receive if these drug candidates receive regulatory approval and are commercialized in the relevant territories will depend primarily on the development and commercialization efforts of others. While OLUMIANT was approved by the European Commission in February 2017 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients and by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in July 2017 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with inadequate response to standard-of-care therapies, the NDA for OLUMIANT for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis was approved in June 2018, and only in the lower dosage tablet and with a warning label. Delays in any marketing approval by the FDA, European or other regulatory authorities, or any label modifications or restrictions in connection with any such approval, or the existence of other risks relating to approved drug products, including those described under "Risks Relating to Commercialization of Our Products," could delay the receipt of and reduce resulting potential royalty and milestone revenue from our out-licensed drug candidates.
Conflicts may arise with our collaborators and licensees if they pursue alternative technologies or develop alternative products either on their own or in collaboration with others as a means for developing treatments for the diseases that we have targeted. Competing products and product opportunities may lead our collaborators and licensees to withdraw their support for our drug candidates. Any failure of our collaborators and licensees to perform their obligations under our agreements with them or otherwise to support our drug candidates could negatively impact the development of our drug candidates and lead to our loss of potential revenues from product sales and milestones. Additionally, conflicts have from time to time occurred, and may in the future arise, relating to, among other things, disputes about the achievement and payment of milestone amounts and royalties owed, the ownership of intellectual property that is developed during the course of a collaborative relationship or the operation or interpretation of other provisions in our collaboration and license agreements. These disputes have led and could in the future lead to litigation or arbitration, which could be costly and divert the efforts of our management and scientific staff and could diminish the expected effectiveness of the collaboration.
Our existing collaborative and license agreements can be terminated by our collaborators and licensees for convenience, in addition to other circumstances. If any of our collaborators or licensees terminates its agreement with us, or terminates its rights with respect to certain indications or drug candidates, we may not be able to find a replacement collaborator and our business could be adversely affected. Should an agreement be terminated before we have realized the benefits of the collaboration or license, our reputation could be harmed, we may not obtain revenues that we anticipated receiving, and our business could be adversely affected.
Costs1 | 2.5%
Costs - Risk 1
If we are unable to obtain, or maintain at anticipated levels, coverage and reimbursement for our products from government health administration authorities, private health insurers and other organizations, our pricing may be affected and our product sales, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 4/40 (10%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment1 | 2.5%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Healthcare reform measures could impact the pricing and profitability of pharmaceuticals, and adversely affect the commercial viability of our or our collaborators' products and drug candidates. If recent proposals for changes to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement of drug prices are adopted into law, our results of operations and financial condition could be harmed.Changed
International Operations1 | 2.5%
International Operations - Risk 1
Risks associated with our operations outside of the United States could adversely affect our business.Natural and Human Disruptions2 | 5.0%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Business disruptions and uncertainties could seriously harm our operations, future revenues and financial condition and increase our costs and expenses.Changed
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2
Public health epidemics and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have adversely affected and could in the future adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.Our global operations expose us to risks associated with public health epidemics and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which a public health pandemic and the measures taken to limit the disease's spread can impact our operations and those of our suppliers, collaborators, service providers and healthcare organizations serving patients, as well as demand for our drug products, will depend on developments that are highly uncertain, including the duration of the outbreak and any related government actions.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic we experienced, and as a result of future pandemics we may in the future experience, disruptions with the potential to severely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition. These disruptions can include the following:
- the imposition of shelter-in-place orders and work-from-home policies that could affect our research and development activities and access to our laboratory space;- disruptions in our sales and marketing activities;- negative impacts on the demand for our products as a result of a decrease in patient visits to healthcare professionals and the prioritization of hospital resources for a future pandemic;- negative impacts on our clinical trials as a result of delays in site initiation, patient screening, patient enrollment, and monitoring and data collection;- slower response times by the FDA and comparable foreign regulatory agencies for the review and potential approvals of our drug candidate applications; and - negative impacts on the global supply chain which may affect our ability to obtain sufficient materials for our drug products and product candidates.
Our collaborators could be affected by similar factors as those that have or could affect our business. The ultimate impact of a public health epidemic or pandemic is highly uncertain, but the potential impacts or delays on our or our collaborators' businesses, our revenues, including milestone and royalty revenues from our collaborators, our and our collaborators' clinical trials, healthcare systems or the global economy as a whole could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
- Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
- Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
- Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
- Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
- Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
- Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
- Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
- Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
- Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
- Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
- Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
- Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
- Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
- Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
- Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
- Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
- Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
- Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
- Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
- Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
- Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
- International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
- Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.