REPLIGEN CORP (RGEN) Risk Factors
This page reproduces the company's own Item 1A Risk Factors text from the linked SEC filing. It is filer text, not grepcent analysis, scoring, or investment advice.
Informational only - not investment advice. See Disclaimer.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Investors should carefully consider the risk factors described below before making an investment decision.
If any of the events described in the following risk factors occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially harmed. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline and investors may lose all or part of their investment. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of or that we currently deem immaterial may also become important factors that affect Repligen.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”) contains forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks faced by us described below and elsewhere in this Form 10-K.
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Risks Related to Our Business
We compete with life sciences, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that are capable of developing new approaches that could make our products and technology obsolete.
The bioprocessing market is intensely competitive, subject to rapid change and significantly affected by new product introductions and other market activities of industry participants.
We compete with several medium and small companies in each of our product categories as well as several large companies, including Danaher Corporation (Cytiva), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., MilliporeSigma and Sartorius. Many of our competitors are large, well-capitalized companies that may have greater financial, manufacturing, marketing, research and development (“R&D”) resources than we have, as well as stronger name recognition, longer operating histories and benefits derived from greater economies of scale. As a consequence, they are able to spend more aggressively on product development, marketing, sales and other product initiatives than we can, and may have additional lines of products and the ability to bundle products.
These factors, among others, may enable our competitors to market their products at lower prices or on terms more advantageous to customers than what we can offer. Competition may result in price reduction, reduced gross margins and loss of market share, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our current and future competitors, including certain of our customers, may at any time develop additional products that compete with our products. If any company develops products that compete with or are superior to our products, our revenue may decline. Additionally, new approaches by these competitors may make our products and technologies obsolete or noncompetitive.
If we are unable to continue to hire and retain skilled personnel, then we will have trouble developing and marketing our products.
Our success depends largely upon the continued service of our management and scientific staff and our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly skilled technical, scientific, management and marketing personnel. We also face significant competition in the hiring and retention of such personnel from other companies, research and academic institutions, government and other organizations that have superior funding and resources. The loss of key personnel or our inability to hire and retain skilled personnel could materially and adversely affect our product development efforts and our business.
Despite our increasingly diversified client base, we have historically depended on a limited number of customers for a high percentage of our revenues.
Although we do not currently have any customers that represent more than 10% of our consolidated revenues, the loss of, or a significant reduction in orders from, any of our large customers, including following any termination or failure to renew a long-term supply contract, would significantly reduce our revenues and harm our results of operations. If a large customer purchases fewer of our products, defers orders or fails to place additional orders with us for any reason, including for business continuity purposes, our revenue could decline, and our operating results may not meet market expectations.
In addition, if our customers order our products, but fail to pay on time or at all, our liquidity and operating results could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, if any of our current or future products compete with those of any of our largest customers, these customers may place fewer orders with us or cease placing orders with us, which would negatively affect our revenues and operating results.
Certain of our products are used by customers in the production of gene therapies, which represent a relatively new and still-developing mode of treatment. Unforeseen adverse events, negative clinical outcomes, or increased regulatory scrutiny of cell and gene therapy (“C”) and its financial cost may damage public perception of the safety, utility, or efficacy of gene therapies and may harm our customers’ ability to conduct their business. Such events may negatively impact our revenues and have an adverse effect on our performance.
C remains a relatively new and developing treatment method, with only a limited number of gene therapies approved to date by regulatory authorities. Public perception may be influenced by claims that C is unsafe or ineffective, and C may not gain the acceptance of the public or the medical community. In addition, ethical, social, legal, and financial concerns about C and genetic testing could result in additional regulations, limitations or even prohibitions on certain Cs or C-related products. More restrictive regulations or negative public perception could reduce certain of our customers’ use of our products, which could negatively affect our revenue and performance.
Risks Related to Product Development, Strategic Investments, Collaborations and Acquisitions
If we are unable to expand our product portfolio, our ability to generate revenue could be adversely affected.
We are increasingly seeking to develop and commercialize our portfolio of products. Our future financial performance will depend, in part, on our ability to successfully develop and acquire additional bioprocessing products. There is no guarantee that we will be able to successfully acquire or develop additional bioprocessing products, and our financial performance will likely suffer if we are unable to do so.
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Our acquisitions expose us to risks that could adversely affect our business, and we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of acquisitions of businesses or technologies.
As a part of our growth strategy, we may make selected acquisitions of complementary products and/or businesses, such as our most recent acquisitions of the 908 Devices Inc. PAT Portfolio,Tantti Laboratory Inc., Metenova Holding AB and FlexBiosys, Inc. Any acquisition involves numerous risks and operational, financial, and managerial challenges, including the following, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations:
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difficulties in integrating new operations, technologies, products, and personnel;
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problems maintaining uniform procedures, controls and policies with respect to our financial accounting systems;
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lack of synergies or the inability to realize expected synergies and cost-savings;
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difficulties in managing geographically dispersed operations, including risks associated with entering foreign markets in which we have no or limited prior experience;
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underperformance of any acquired technology, product, or business relative to our expectations and the price we paid;
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negative near-term impacts on financial results after an acquisition, including acquisition-related earnings charges;
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the potential loss of key employees, customers, and strategic partners of acquired companies;
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claims by terminated employees and shareholders of acquired companies or other third parties related to the transaction;
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the assumption or incurrence of additional debt obligations or expenses, or use of substantial portions of our cash;
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the issuance of equity securities to finance or to use as consideration for any acquisitions that dilute the ownership of our stockholders;
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the issuance of equity securities to finance or to use as consideration for any acquisitions may not be an option if the price of our common stock is low or volatile which could preclude us from completing any such acquisitions;
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any collaboration, strategic alliance and licensing arrangement may require us to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies or product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us;
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diversion of management’s attention and company resources from existing operations of the business;
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inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures, and policies;
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assumption of, or exposure to, historical liabilities of the acquired business, including unknown contingent or similar liabilities that are difficult to identify or accurately quantify; and
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risks associated with acquiring intellectual property, including potential disputes regarding acquired companies’ intellectual property.
In addition, the successful integration of acquired businesses requires significant efforts and expense across all operational areas, including sales and marketing, R&D, manufacturing, finance, legal, and information technologies. There can be no assurance that any of the acquisitions we may make will be successful or will be, or will remain, profitable. Our failure to successfully address the foregoing risks may prevent us from achieving the anticipated benefits from any acquisition in a reasonable time frame, or at all.
If intangible assets and goodwill that we recorded in connection with our acquisitions become impaired, we may have to take significant charges against earnings.
In connection with the accounting for our completed acquisitions, we recorded a significant amount of intangible assets, including developed technology and customer relationships relating to the acquired product lines, and goodwill. Under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we must assess, at least annually and potentially more frequently, whether the value of intangible assets and goodwill has been impaired. Intangible assets and goodwill will be assessed for impairment in the event of an impairment indicator. Any reduction or impairment of the value of intangible assets and goodwill will result in a charge against earnings, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations and shareholders’ equity in future periods.
Our strategic investments, collaborations and joint ventures with and into business expose us to risks that could adversely affect our business, and we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of such investments, collaborations and/or joint ventures with or into such businesses or technologies
As part of our growth strategy, we may enter into strategic investments, collaborations, joint ventures, and similar arrangements to expand our capabilities, access new technologies and enter new markets. These transactions involve significant risks and uncertainties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations, including:
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Limited Control and Alignment Challenges: In joint ventures or minority investments, we may have limited ability to influence strategic decisions or operational practices. Differences in objectives, governance structures, or priorities with partners can lead to conflicts and inefficiencies.
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Financial Exposure: Investments and collaborations may underperform or fail, resulting in impairment charges or loss of invested capital. Returns may be delayed, uncertain, or significantly below expectations.
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Dependence on Third Parties: Our success often depends on the performance and cooperation of partners for development, commercialization, or distribution activities. Delays, quality issues, or regulatory non-compliance by partners could negatively impact our operations.
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Intellectual Property Risks: Disputes over ownership or use of intellectual property, limitations on our ability to protect or enforce rights, and potential loss of proprietary technology through licensing arrangements.
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Operational and Compliance Risks: Challenges in monitoring and managing joint venture activities, exposure to unfamiliar legal, tax, and regulatory frameworks—particularly in foreign jurisdictions—and potential liability for actions taken by partners or affiliates.
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Liquidity and Exit Risks: Minority investments may be illiquid, and we may be unable to sell or exit these investments on favorable terms or within desired timeframes.
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Reputational Risks: Actions or failures by partners or investee companies could negatively impact our reputation or business relationships.
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Termination or Non-Performance: Collaborations or joint ventures may be terminated early or fail to deliver anticipated benefits, leaving us without expected products, technologies, or revenue streams.
There can be no assurance that any strategic investment, collaboration, or joint venture will achieve its intended objectives or generate anticipated benefits within a reasonable timeframe, or at all. Failure to successfully manage these risks could materially and adversely affect our business and growth prospects.
Risks Related to Manufacturing and Supply
If we are unable to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities and in a timely manner, our operating results will be harmed, our ability to generate revenue could be diminished and our gross margin may be negatively impacted.
Our revenues and other operating results will depend in large part on our ability to manufacture and assemble our products in sufficient quantities and in a timely manner. Any interruptions we experience in the manufacturing or shipping of our products could delay our ability to recognize revenues in a particular quarter. Manufacturing problems can and do arise, and as demand for our products increases, any such problems could have an increasingly significant impact on our operating results. While we have not generally experienced problems with, or delays in, our production capabilities that resulted in delays in our ability to ship finished products, there can be no assurance that we will not encounter such problems in the future. We may not be able to quickly ship products and recognize anticipated revenues for a given period if we experience significant delays in the manufacturing process. In addition, we must maintain sufficient production capacity in order to meet anticipated customer demand, which carries fixed costs that we may not be able to offset if orders were to slow, which would adversely affect our operating margins. If we are unable to manufacture our products consistently, in sufficient quantities, and on a timely basis, our bioprocessing revenue, gross margins and our other operating results will be materially and adversely affected.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers or, for certain of our products, one supplier, and we may not be able to find replacements or immediately transition to alternative suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and reputation.
There are only a limited number of suppliers of materials for certain of our products. An interruption in operations of the business related to these products could occur if we encounter delays or difficulties in securing the required materials, or if we cannot then obtain an acceptable substitute. Any such interruption could significantly affect the business related to these products and our financial condition, results of operations and reputation. For example, we believe that only a small number of suppliers are currently qualified to supply materials for the XCell ATF® systems. The use of materials furnished by these replacement suppliers would require us to alter our operations related to the XCell ATF systems. Transitioning to a new supplier for our products would be time-consuming and expensive, may result in interruptions in our operations, could affect the performance specifications of our product lines or could require that we revalidate the materials.
There can be no assurance that we will be able to secure alternative materials and bring such materials online and revalidate them without experiencing interruptions in our workflow. If we should encounter delays or difficulties in securing, reconfiguring or revalidating the materials required for our products, our business related to these products and our financial condition, results of operations and reputation could be adversely affected.
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Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Additional Capital
Servicing our debt will require a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to make payments on our debt and we may not have the ability to raise the funds necessary to settle for cash conversions of our Notes or to repurchase the Notes for cash upon a fundamental change, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
In December 2023, we incurred significant indebtedness with the issuance of $600.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 1.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “2023 Notes”) where $309.9 million principal amount of the 2023 Notes were issued in exchange for $217.7 million principal amount of our 0.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 (the “2019 Notes”, and together with the 2023 Notes, the “Notes”) and $290.1 million principal amount of the 2023 Notes were issued for $290.1 million in cash. As of December 31, 2025, $600.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes remain outstanding. Our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on, or to refinance our indebtedness, including the Notes, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors that may be beyond our control. Our business may not continue to generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations, including the Notes.
In addition, holders of the Notes have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to repurchase all or any portion of their Notes upon the occurrence of a “fundamental change” (as defined in the indentures governing the Notes) at a fundamental change repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, but excluding the fundamental change repurchase date. Upon any conversion of Notes, we will also be required to make cash payments for each $1,000 principal amount of 2023 Notes converted of at least the lesser of $1,000 and the sum of the “daily conversion values” (as defined in the indenture governing the 2023 Notes). However, we may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time we are required to make repurchases of Notes surrendered therefor or pay cash with respect to Notes being converted. In addition, our ability to repurchase the Notes or to pay cash upon conversions of the Notes may be limited by law, by regulatory authority or by agreements governing our future indebtedness. Our failure to repurchase Notes at a time when the repurchase is required by the applicable indenture or to pay any cash payable on future conversions of the Notes as required by the applicable indenture would constitute a default under such indenture. A default under either indenture governing the Notes or the fundamental change itself could also lead to a default under agreements governing our future indebtedness. If the repayment of the related indebtedness were to be accelerated after any applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient funds to repay the indebtedness and repurchase the Notes or make cash payments upon conversions thereof.
In addition, our significant indebtedness, combined with our other financial obligations and contractual commitments, could have other important consequences. For example, it could:
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make us more vulnerable to adverse changes in general U.S. and worldwide economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation;
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and our industry;
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place us at a disadvantage compared to our competitors who have less debt; and
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limit our ability to borrow additional amounts for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including to fund possible acquisitions of, or investments in, complementary businesses, products, services and technologies.
Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if we incur additional indebtedness, the risks related to our business and our ability to service or repay our indebtedness would increase.
The conditional conversion feature of the Notes, if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition and liquidity.
In the event the conditional conversion feature of the Notes is triggered, holders of Notes will be entitled to convert the Notes at any time during specified periods at their option, as described in the indentures governing the Notes. If one or more holders elect to convert their Notes, we would be required to settle any converted principal through the payment of cash, which could adversely affect our liquidity. In addition, even if holders do not elect to convert their Notes, we could be required under applicable accounting rules to reclassify all or a portion of the outstanding principal of the notes as a current rather than long-term liability, which would result in a material reduction of our net working capital.
Future strategic transactions or acquisitions may require us to seek additional financing, which we may not be able to secure on favorable terms, if at all.
We plan to continue a strategy of growth and development for our bioprocessing business, and we actively evaluate various strategic transactions on an ongoing basis, including licensing or acquiring complementary products, technologies or businesses that would complement our existing portfolio of development programs. In order to complete such strategic transactions, we may need to seek
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additional financing to fund these investments and acquisitions. Should we need to do so, we may not be able to secure such financing, or obtain such financing on favorable terms because of the volatile nature of the biotechnology marketplace. In addition, future acquisitions may require the issuance or sale of additional equity or debt securities, which may result in additional dilution to our stockholders.
Any future corporate restructuring and the associated headcount reduction may not result in anticipated savings, could result in total costs and expenses that are greater than expected and could disrupt our business.
In July 2023, we undertook restructuring activities to simplify and streamline our organization and strengthen the overall effectiveness of operations. We may need to undertake another organizational restructuring in the future. We may not realize, in full or in part, the anticipated benefits, savings and improvements in our cost structure from any future restructuring efforts due to unforeseen difficulties, delays or unexpected costs. If we are unable to realize the expected operational efficiencies and cost savings from a restructuring, our operating results and financial condition would be adversely affected. Furthermore, our restructuring plan may be disruptive to our operations. For example, any future headcount reductions could yield unanticipated consequences, such as increased difficulties in implementing our business strategy, including retention of our remaining employees. A future restructuring may lead to employee litigation related to the headcount reduction, which could be costly and prevent management from fully concentrating on the business.
Our exposure to political, economic and other risks that arise from operating a multinational business has and may continue to increase.
We operate on a global basis with offices or activities in Japan, South Korea, China, India, Taiwan, Europe and North America. Our operations and sales outside of the United States have increased as a result of our strategic acquisitions and the continued expansion of our commercial organization. Risks related to these increased foreign operations include:
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fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which may affect the costs incurred in international operations and foreign acquisitions and could harm our results of operations and financial condition;
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changes in general economic and political conditions in countries where we operate, particularly as a result of ongoing economic instability within foreign jurisdictions;
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the occurrence of a trade war, or other governmental action related to tariffs or trade agreements;
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differing protection of intellectual property, technology and data in foreign jurisdictions;
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difficulty in staffing and managing widespread operations;
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being subject to complex and restrictive employment and labor laws and regulations, as well as union and works council restrictions;
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changes in tax laws or rulings in the United States or other foreign jurisdictions that may have an adverse impact on our effective tax rate;
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being subject to burdensome foreign laws and regulations, including regulations that may place an increased tax burden on our operations;
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being subject to longer payment cycles from customers and experiencing greater difficulties in timely accounts receivable collections; and
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required compliance with a variety of foreign laws and regulations, such as data privacy requirements, real estate and property laws, anti-competition regulations, import and trade restrictions, export requirements, U.S. laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations, and other U.S. federal laws and regulations established by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, local laws such as the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010 or other local laws that prohibit corrupt payments to governmental officials or certain payments or remunerations to customers.
Our business success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other related factors. We cannot assure you that these and other related factors will not materially adversely affect our international operations or business as a whole.
In addition, a deterioration in diplomatic relations between the United States and any country where we conduct business could adversely affect our future operations and lead to a decline in profitability.
We may be unable to efficiently manage our growth as a larger and more geographically expansive organization.
Our strategic acquisitions, the continued expansion of our commercial sales operations, and our organic growth have increased the scope and complexity of our business. As a result, we will face challenges inherent in efficiently managing a more complex business with an increased number of employees over large geographic distances, including the need to implement appropriate systems,
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policies, benefits and compliance programs. Our inability to manage successfully the geographically and culturally expansive, and substantially larger combined organization could materially adversely affect our operating results and, as a result, the market price of our common stock.
Our results of operations could be negatively affected by potential fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
Our international sales are often denominated in foreign currencies. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, 39.5% of our revenues were denominated in foreign currencies with the primary foreign currency exposures being the Euro, South Korean Won and Japanese Yen. We are exposed to the risk of an increase or decrease in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, which could decrease the value of our revenue and increase the value of our expenses and costs when measured in U.S. dollars. These fluctuations could also adversely affect the demand for products and services provided by us. As a result, our results of operations may be influenced by the effects of future exchange rate fluctuations and such effects may have an adverse impact on our common stock price.
Natural disasters, geopolitical unrest, war, terrorism, public health issues or other catastrophic events could disrupt the supply, delivery or demand of products, which could negatively affect our operations and performance.
We are subject to the risk of disruption by earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, fire, power shortages, geopolitical unrest, war, terrorist attacks and other hostile acts, public health issues, epidemics or pandemics and other events beyond our control and the control of the third parties on which we depend. Any of these catastrophic events may have a strong negative impact on our employees, facilities, partners, suppliers, distributors or customers, and could decrease demand for our products, create delays and inefficiencies in our supply chain and make it difficult or impossible for us to deliver products to our customers.
In addition, a catastrophic event that results in the destruction or disruption of our data centers or our critical business or information technology systems would severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations and, as a result, our operating results would be adversely affected.
Our business, financial condition and results from operations could be adversely affected by disruptions in the global economy caused by geopolitical events, such as the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Palestine.
Global conflicts could increase costs and limit availability of fuel, energy, and other resources we depend upon for our business operations. For example, while we do not operate in Russia or Ukraine, the increasing tensions between the United States and Russia and the other effects of the ongoing conflict of Ukraine, have resulted in many broader economic impacts such as the United States and European Union imposing sanctions and bans against Russia and Russian products imported into the United States and Europe, respectively. Such sanctions and bans have impacted and may continue to impact commodity pricing such as fuel and energy costs, making it more expensive for us and our partners to deliver products to our customers. Further sanctions, bans or other economic actions in response to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine or in response to any other global conflict such as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, could result in, among other things, cyber-attacks, supply disruptions, lower consumer demand, and changes to foreign exchange rates and financial markets, any of which may adversely affect our business and supply chain. In addition, the effects of the ongoing conflict could heighten many of our known risks described in this section.
Adverse developments affecting the financial services industry, such as actual events or concerns involving liquidity, defaults, or non-performance by financial institutions or transactional counterparties, could adversely affect our current and projected business operations and our financial condition and results of operations.
Actual events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, transactional counterparties or other companies in the financial services industry or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems. If any of our customers, suppliers or other parties with whom we conduct business are unable to access funds pursuant to instruments or lending arrangements with such a financial institution, such parties’ ability to pay their obligations to us or to enter into new commercial arrangements requiring additional payments to us could be adversely affected.
Although we assess our banking and customer relationships as we believe necessary or appropriate, our access to funding sources and other credit arrangements in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our current and projected future business operations could be significantly impaired by factors that affect the Company, the financial institutions with which the Company has credit agreements or arrangements directly, or the financial services industry or economy in general. These factors could include, among others, events such as liquidity constraints or failures, the ability to perform obligations under various types of financial, credit or liquidity agreements or arrangements, disruptions or instability in the financial services industry or financial markets, or concerns or negative expectations about the prospects for companies in the financial services industry. These factors could involve financial institutions or financial services industry companies with which the Company has financial or business relationships, but could also include factors involving financial markets or the financial services industry generally. The results of events or concerns that involve one or more of these factors could include a variety of material and adverse impacts on our current and projected business operations and our financial condition and results of operations.
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In addition, investor concerns regarding the U.S. or international financial systems could result in less favorable commercial financing terms, including higher interest rates or costs and tighter financial and operating covenants, or systemic limitations on access to credit and liquidity sources, thereby making it more difficult for us to acquire financing on acceptable terms or at all. Any decline in available funding or access to our cash and liquidity resources could, among other risks, adversely impact our ability to meet our operating expenses, financial obligations or fulfill our other obligations, result in breaches of our financial and/or contractual obligations or result in violations of federal or state wage and hour laws. Any of these impacts, or any other impacts resulting from the factors described above or other related or similar factors not described above, could have material adverse impacts on our liquidity and our current and/or projected business operations and financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, any further deterioration in the global economy or financial services industry, including any changes in U.S. presidential administration policies, or increased U.S. trade tariffs and trade disputes with other countries could lead to losses or defaults by our suppliers, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our current and projected business operations and financial condition. For example, increased tariffs on essential materials could raise production costs and reduce profitability if we are unable to pass these costs on to customers. Additionally, retaliatory trade measures by other countries could limit our access to key international markets, restricting revenue growth. Any delays or disruptions in our supply chain due to geopolitical tensions, regulatory changes, or trade disputes could adversely affect our ability to manufacture and deliver products, potentially impacting our financial performance and customer relationships.
To mitigate these risks, we have implemented strategies to reduce tariff exposure and closely monitor trade policy developments. However, recent litigation challenging the legality of certain tariffs before the U.S. Supreme Court introduces additional uncertainty. If such tariffs are deemed unlawful, resulting policy reversals or retaliatory measures could create new risks and volatility in global trade, which may adversely affect our operations and financial results.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
Risks Related to Investment in Our Securities
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, our customers’ future purchases are difficult to predict and any failure to meet financial expectations may result in a decline in our stock price.
Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate in the future due to many factors, such as the impact of seasonal spending patterns, changes in overall spending levels in the life sciences industry, the inability of some of our customers to consummate anticipated purchases of our products due to changes in end-user demand, and other unpredictable factors that may affect ordering patterns. Because our revenue and operating results are difficult to predict, we believe that our past results of operations are not necessarily a good indicator of our future performance. Additionally, if revenue declines in a quarter, whether due to a delay in recognizing expected revenue, adverse economic conditions or otherwise, our results of operations will be harmed because many of our expenses are relatively fixed. In particular, a large portion of our manufacturing costs, our R&D, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses are not significantly affected by variations in revenue. Further, our gross margins are dependent on product mix. A shift in sales away from our higher-margin products to lower margin products will adversely affect our gross margins. If our quarterly operating results fail to meet investor expectations, the price of our common stock may decline.
Securities or industry analysts may not publish favorable research or reports about our business or may publish no information, which could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us and our business. We do not have any control over these analysts, and we cannot provide any assurance that analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If any of the analysts who cover us issue an adverse opinion regarding our stock price, our business or stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports covering us, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
Our stock price could be volatile, which could cause shareholders to lose part or all of their investment.
The market price of our common stock, like that of the common stock of many other companies with similar market capitalizations, is highly volatile. The stock market in general, and the market for life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of specific companies, the conflict in Ukraine and Israel, and rising inflation and changing interest rates in the United States, which have resulted in decreased stock prices for many companies notwithstanding the lack of a fundamental change in their underlying business models or prospects. Broad market and industry factors, including potentially worsening economic conditions, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and may identify additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, which may result in a material misstatement of our consolidated financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our periodic reporting obligations.
Effective internal controls are necessary to provide reliable financial reports and to assist in the effective prevention of fraud. Any
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inability to provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud could harm our business. We regularly review and update our internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies. In addition, we are required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to report annually on our internal control over financial reporting. Any system of internal controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met, including objectives that may involve our reliance on third-party advisors and professionals.
As previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company identified the following material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting:
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Management identified deficiencies related to the design and operating effectiveness of controls related to revenue recognition specific to the evaluation of accounting for contract terms (as originally reported in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023).
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Management did not maintain effective information technology (“IT”) general controls for information systems that are relevant to the preparation of our financial statements. Specifically, we did not maintain logical access controls and program change management controls to ensure that access to programs and data are appropriately restricted and program and data changes are identified, tested, authorized and implemented appropriately. As a result, automated and business process controls that rely on information from the systems were also deemed ineffective because they could have been adversely affected.
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Irrespective of the effects of the IT general controls deficiencies, management did not perform certain business process-level controls related to inventory valuation and the financial statement close process either in a timely manner or with an appropriate precision threshold.
As discussed below in Part II, Item 9A, “Controls and Procedures,” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the material weakness related to revenue recognition has been remediated and no longer exists as of December 31, 2025. However, the material weaknesses associated with IT general controls and business process controls related to inventory valuation and the financial statement close process were not remediated as of December 31, 2025. Based on these unremediated material weaknesses, the Company’s management concluded that at December 31, 2025, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective.
We continue to implement measures designed to remediate the identified material weaknesses. The measures include (i) incorporating the use of automated workflows to manage the granting and monitoring of access within IT systems relevant to the preparation of our financial statements, (ii) redesigning existing controls with additional attribute the presume IT risk relevant to the control, (iii) reassessing the operating effectiveness of our business process-level controls related to inventory valuation and financial statement close process and (iv) assessing the frequency of our control monitoring activities to ensure that they are conducted in a timely manner.
We will continue to monitor the design and operating effectiveness of these and other processes, procedures and controls and make any further changes management determines appropriate. While we are undertaking efforts to remediate these material weaknesses, the material weaknesses will not be considered remediated until our remediation plan has been fully implemented, the applicable controls operate for a sufficient period of time, and management concludes, through testing, that these controls are operating effectively. We may also conclude that additional measures are required to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting.
At this time, we cannot predict the success of such efforts or the outcome of our assessment of the remediation efforts. We can give no assurance that our efforts will remediate these material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, or that additional material weaknesses will not be identified in the future. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including cost limitations, judgments used in decision making, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the possibility of human error and the risk of fraud. If we are unable to remediate the material weaknesses, our ability to record, process and report financial information accurately, and to prepare the consolidated financial statements within the time periods specified by the rules and regulations of the SEC, could be adversely affected which, in turn, may adversely affect our reputation and business and the trading price of our common stock.
Any failure to implement new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could result in errors in our consolidated financial statements that could result in a restatement of our financial statements and could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations, any of which could diminish investor confidence in us and cause a decline in the price of our common stock. In addition, any such failures could result in litigation or regulatory actions by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, loss of investor confidence, delisting of our securities and harm to our reputation and financial condition, or diversion of financial and management resources from the operation of our business.
The restatement of our previously issued financial statements may affect stockholder and investor confidence in us or harm our reputation, and may subject us to additional risks and uncertainties, including increased costs and the increased possibility of legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries, sanctions or investigations
Upon identifying the revenue recognition material weakness described above, we amended and restated certain items in our Quarterly
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Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2023 through June 30, 2024, as well as certain items in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. As a result of this restatement, we have incurred, and may continue to incur, unanticipated costs for accounting and legal fees in connection with, or related to, such restatement. In addition, such restatements could subject us to a number of additional risks and uncertainties, including the increased possibility of legal proceedings and inquiries, sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Any of the foregoing may adversely affect our reputation, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting, or our business, results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, or cause stockholders, investors, members and customers to lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports or cause the market price of our common stock to decline. As of the date of this Form 10-K, we have no knowledge of any such legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries, sanctions or investigation. However, we can provide no assurance that such legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries, sanctions or investigation will not arise in the future. Any such legal proceedings and regulatory inquiries, sanctions or investigation, whether successful or not, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Charter and Bylaws
Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents, certain of our contracts with third parties, and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us, even one that may be beneficial to our stockholders, more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.
Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and by-laws may delay or prevent an acquisition of us or a change in our management. These provisions include the ability of our Board to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval. In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which limits the ability of stockholders owning in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock to merge or combine with us. Although we believe these provisions collectively provide for an opportunity to obtain greater value for stockholders by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with the Board, they would apply even if an offer rejected by our board was considered beneficial by some stockholders. Additionally, certain of our contracts with third parties allow for termination upon specified change of control transactions. Anti-takeover provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of the Board, which is responsible for appointing the members of our management, and anti-takeover or change of control contract termination rights may frustrate or prevent any attempts by a third-party to acquire or attempt to acquire us.
Risks Related to Tax Matters
The enactment of legislation implementing changes in taxation of international business activities, the adoption of other corporate tax reform policies, or changes in tax legislation or policies, or interpretations thereof, could materially impact our financial position and results of operations.
The enactment of legislation implementing changes in taxation of international business activities, the adoption of other corporate tax reform policies, or changes in tax legislation or policies, or interpretations thereof, could materially impact our financial position and results of operations. For example, the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “OBBBA”) in the United States introduced significant changes to corporate and international tax rules, including adjustments to deductions, expensing provisions, and foreign income calculations. These changes may affect our effective tax rate and require modifications to our tax planning strategies.
Corporate tax reform, base-erosion efforts and tax transparency continue to be high priorities in many tax jurisdictions where we have business operations. As a result, policies regarding corporate income and other taxes in numerous jurisdictions are under heightened scrutiny, and tax reform legislation is being proposed or enacted in a number of jurisdictions. There is no assurance that our actual income tax liability will not be materially different than what is reflected in our income tax provision or benefit and accruals as a result of changes in tax laws.
In addition, many countries are beginning to implement legislation and other guidance to align their international tax rules with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting recommendations and action plan that aim to standardize and modernize global corporate tax policy, including changes to cross-border tax, transfer pricing documentation rules, and nexus-based tax incentive practices. Because of the heightened scrutiny of corporate taxation policies, prior decisions by tax authorities regarding treatments and positions of corporate income taxes could be subject to enforcement activities, and legislative investigation and inquiry, which could also result in changes in tax policies or prior tax rulings. Any such changes in policies or rulings may also result in the taxes we previously paid being subject to change.
Due to the large scale of our international business activities, any substantial changes in international corporate tax policies, enforcement activities or legislative initiatives—such as those introduced under the OBBBA—may materially adversely affect our business, the amount of taxes we are required to pay and our financial condition and results of operations generally.
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Our ability to use net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and certain built-in losses to reduce future tax payments is limited by provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, and it is possible that certain transactions or a combination of certain transactions may result in material additional limitations on our ability to use our net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.
Section 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, contain rules that limit the ability of a company that undergoes an ownership change, which is generally any change in ownership of more than 50 percentage points of its stock over a three-year period, to utilize its net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and certain built-in losses recognized in years after the ownership change. These rules generally operate by focusing on ownership changes involving stockholders owning directly or indirectly 5% or more of the stock of a company and any change in ownership arising from a new issuance of stock by the company. Generally, if an ownership change occurs, the yearly taxable income limitation on the use of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and certain built-in losses is equal to the product of the applicable long-term, tax-exempt rate and the value of the company’s stock immediately before the ownership change. We may be unable to offset our taxable income with losses, or our tax liability with credits, before such losses and credits expire and therefore would incur larger federal income tax liability. Federal net operating losses generated after December 31, 2017, are not subject to expiration and generally may not be carried back to prior taxable years except that, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, net operating losses generated in 2018, 2019 and 2020 may be carried back five taxable years. Additionally, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, the deductibility of such deferred net operating losses is limited to 80% of our taxable income in any future taxable year.
Risks Related to Government Regulation
Risks Related to Regulations and Compliance
We are subject to export and import control laws and regulations that could impair our ability to compete in international markets or subject us to liability if we violate such laws and regulations.
We are subject to U.S. export controls and sanctions regulations that restrict the shipment or provision of certain products and services to certain countries, governments, and persons, including those administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”). While we take precautions to prevent our products and services from being exported in violation of these laws, we cannot guarantee that the precautions we take will prevent violations of export control and sanctions laws. We believe that, in the past, we and our subsidiaries may have exported certain products without a required export license in apparent violation of U.S. export control laws. As a result, we have submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security various notices of voluntary self-disclosure concerning potential violations. If we are found to be in violation of U.S. sanctions or export control laws, it could result in substantial fines and penalties for us and for the individuals working for us. We may also be adversely affected through other penalties, reputational harm, loss of access to certain markets, or otherwise.
Complying with export control and sanction regulations may be time-consuming and may result in the delay or loss of sales opportunities or impose other costs. Any change in export or import regulations, economic sanctions or related legislation, or change in the countries, governments, persons or technologies targeted by such regulations, could result in our decreased ability to export or sell certain products to existing or potential customers in affected jurisdictions. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and heightened regulatory scrutiny could lead to delays in obtaining BIS licenses, which may postpone exports and disrupt our ability to meet customer demand.
Our business is subject to a number of environmental risks.
Our manufacturing business involves the controlled use of hazardous materials and chemicals and is therefore subject to numerous environmental and safety laws and regulations and periodic inspections for possible violations of these laws and regulations. In addition to these hazardous materials and chemicals, our facility in Sweden also uses Staphylococcus aureus and toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus in some of its manufacturing processes. Staphylococcus aureus and the toxins it produces, particularly enterotoxins, can cause severe illness in humans. The costs of compliance with environmental and safety laws and regulations are significant. Any violations, even if inadvertent or accidental, of current or future environmental and safety laws or regulations and the cost of compliance with any resulting order or fine could adversely affect our operations.
Climate change, climate change-related regulation and sustainability concerns could adversely affect our businesses and the operations of our subsidiaries, and any actions we take or fail to take in response to such matters could damage our reputation.
Investor advocacy groups, institutional investors, investment funds, market participants, and other stakeholders have increasingly focused on sustainability or Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) practices, including those related to climate change. The European Union has emerged as a key driver of ESG regulation through initiatives such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020, which imposed detailed disclosure and compliance requirements on companies operating in or doing business with the European Union (“EU”). These frameworks aim to standardize sustainability reporting and align corporate activities with climate and social objectives, increasing scrutiny on companies’ ESG performance.
If our ESG practices do not meet evolving investor, regulatory, or industry expectations, our reputation, investor confidence, and
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employee retention may be negatively impacted. Any sustainability disclosures we make may include policies and practices on corporate governance, environmental compliance, employee health and safety, human capital management, product quality, supply chain management, and workforce inclusion. Stakeholders may not be satisfied with our ESG practices or the pace of adoption, or we may fail to communicate them effectively. Compliance with emerging ESG regulations, including the EU requirements, could result in additional costs and resource commitments for monitoring, reporting, and assurance. Investors may also refrain from investing in us based on their assessment of our ESG approach.
In addition, we face physical risks associated with climate change, including flooding, severe storms, wildfires, droughts, and extreme temperatures, which could disrupt manufacturing and supply chains, increase costs, and impair our ability to meet customer demand. To date, we have not experienced material losses or operational disruptions related to climate change and we do not anticipate that these risks will have a material impact to our Company in the near term. However, future events could materially impact our business.
Health care reform measures could adversely affect our business.
Health care reform measures could adversely affect our business. Efforts by governmental and third-party payors to contain or reduce health care costs may negatively impact pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including ours. Legislative and regulatory proposals in the United States and abroad continue to seek changes to health care systems that could affect our ability to sell products profitably.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”), as amended, substantially changed how health care is financed by governmental and private insurers. More recently, the OBBBA enacted in July 2025 includes provisions that significantly reduce federal health care spending, impose new Medicaid eligibility restrictions, and introduce work requirements. These measures are expected to reduce coverage for millions of individuals and may alter reimbursement dynamics for drugs and biologics. Such changes could limit pricing flexibility and reduce demand for certain therapies.
The Trump administration has prioritized cost containment and deregulation, including proposals to expand price transparency, encourage importation of lower-cost drugs, and promote competitive bidding for Medicare and Medicaid programs. In addition, litigation and legislative efforts to repeal or modify provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”), including Medicare drug price negotiation authority, remain ongoing. Future actions could accelerate these changes or introduce new pricing controls.
Federal and state governments continue to pursue measures such as price caps, rebate requirements, and restrictions on marketing practices. Regional health authorities and hospitals increasingly use competitive bidding to select suppliers, which may further pressure pricing and reduce demand for our products. Additional reforms at the federal or state level are likely and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
We may be exposed to liabilities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and any determination that we violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to the FCPA and other laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by U.S. persons and issuers as defined by the statute for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We have operations and agreements with third parties and make sales in jurisdictions outside of the United States, which may experience corruption. Our activities in jurisdictions outside of the United States create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by one of our employees, consultants, sales agents or distributors, because these parties are not always subject to our control. These risks have increased following our recent acquisitions of overseas operations and facilities. It is our policy to implement safeguards to discourage these practices by our employees. However, our existing safeguards and any future improvements may prove to be less than effective, and the employees, consultants, sales agents or distributors of Repligen may engage in conduct for which we might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could negatively affect our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, the government may seek to hold us liable for successor liability FCPA violations committed by any companies in which we invest or that we acquire.
Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates, and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our financial results or financial condition.
Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines, and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters that are relevant to our business, such as revenue recognition, asset impairment and fair value determinations, inventories, business combinations and intangible asset valuations, leases, and litigation, are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates, and judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, or judgments could significantly change our reported or expected financial performance or financial condition.
Risks Related to Data and Privacy
Our internal computer systems, or those of our customers, collaborators or other contractors, may be subject to cyber-attacks or security incidents or compromises, which could result in a material disruption of our product development programs.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems and those of our customers, collaborators cloud-based
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platform service providers, and other contractors are vulnerable to damage from unauthorized access and from cyber-attacks, such as computer viruses, malware, ransomware, phishing, denial-of-service attacks, wrongful conduct by employees or other insiders, attacks facilitated by use of artificial intelligence, social engineering and other means to affect service reliability and threaten the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. We have in the past experienced threats and security incidents related to our data and systems, and we may in the future experience other threats, compromises, breaches, or incidents. A cyber-attack or other security incident or compromise could cause interruptions in our operations and could result in a material disruption of our business operations, damage to our reputation or a loss of revenues.
In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including, among other things, personally identifiable information about our employees, intellectual property, and proprietary business information. In addition, we could be subject to risks caused by misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification or intentional or accidental release or loss of information maintained in the information systems and networks of our company and our vendors, including personal information of our employees, and company and vendor confidential data. Like other companies, we have on occasion experienced, and believe we will continue to experience, data security incidents involving access to company data or other threats to our data and systems. As previously disclosed, recent cybersecurity incidents and compromises affecting similarly situated companies, including an incident that affected us in 2024, suggest that the risk of such events is significant, even if data protection and security measures are implemented and enforced. Moreover, the risks posed by widespread adoption of artificial intelligence have impacted the attack surfaces targeted by threat actors. If a material breach of our information technology systems or those of our vendors occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and our reputation and credibility could be damaged.
We could be required to expend significant amounts of money and other resources to respond to these threats or breaches, and to repair or replace information systems or networks and could suffer financial loss or the loss of valuable confidential information. In addition, we could be subject to regulatory actions and/or claims made by individuals and groups in private litigation involving privacy issues related to data collection and use practices and other data privacy laws and regulations, including claims for misuse or inappropriate disclosure of data, as well as unfair or deceptive practices. Moreover, despite our efforts, the possibility of these events occurring cannot be eliminated entirely and there can be no assurance that any measures we take will prevent cyber-attacks or cybersecurity incidents or compromises that could adversely affect our business. Our contracts may not contain limitations of liability, and even where they do, there can be no assurance that limitations of liability in our contracts are sufficient to protect us from liabilities, damages, or claims related to our privacy and data security obligations. Further, although we maintain cyber liability insurance, this insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities related to any experienced cybersecurity incident or breach.
Changes in laws and regulations governing the privacy and protection of data and personal information could adversely affect our business.
We are subject to data privacy and security laws and regulations in various jurisdictions that apply to the collection, transmission, storage, security and use of personal data, which among other things, impose significant compliance obligations. Numerous federal and state laws, including state security breach notification laws, state health information privacy laws and federal and state consumer protection laws, govern the collection, use, disclosure and security of personal information. These laws and regulations continue to change and evolve and are increasing in breadth and impact.
For example, with respect to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the EU, European Economic Area (“EEA”) and United Kingdom (“UK”), we are subject to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (the “EU GDPR”), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”), as well as applicable data protection laws in effect in the Member States of the EEA and in the UK (including the UK Data Protection Act 2018) which govern the processing of personal data in connection with (a) the offering of goods or services to/the monitoring of the behavior of individuals in the UK and EEA; or (b) the activities of our establishments in the UK and any EEA Member State. The UK’s data protection regime is independent from but aligned to the EU’s data protection regime. In this Form 10-K, “GDPR” refers to both the EU GDPR and the UK GDPR, unless specified otherwise. The GDPR is wide-ranging in scope and imposes numerous requirements on companies that process personal data, including imposing special requirements in respect of the processing of health and other sensitive data, requiring that consent of individuals to whom the personal data relates is obtained in certain circumstances, requiring additional disclosures to individuals regarding data processing activities, requiring that safeguards are implemented to protect the security and confidentiality of personal data, limiting retention periods for personal data, creating mandatory data breach notification requirements in certain circumstances, and requiring that certain measures (including contractual requirements) are put in place when engaging third-party service providers. The GDPR also imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data to countries outside of the UK and EEA that do not ensure an adequate level of protection, including the United States in certain circumstances, unless derogation exists or a valid GDPR transfer mechanism. For example, the European Commission approved Standard Contractual Clauses and the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum have been put in place, and transfer impact assessments conducted. Any inability to transfer personal data from the UK or EEA to the United States in compliance with data protection laws may impede our operations and may adversely affect our business and financial position. In 2025, the Data (Use and Access) Bill (“DUA Act”) passed both Houses of UK Parliament and received Royal Assent. The DUA Act alters requirements for international data transfers and marks a shift in the UK’s approach to data protection. Future UK laws and
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regulations and their interaction with those of the EEA could add legal risk, uncertainty, complexity, and cost to our handling of European personal data and our privacy and security compliance programs, and could require us to implement different compliance measures for the UK and EEA. Failure to comply with the requirements of the GDPR and the related national data protection laws of the EEA Member States and the UK may result in fines up to €20 million (17.5 million for the UK GDPR) or 4% of a company’s global annual revenues for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher. The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with Member States’ supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR. Complying with these European data protection laws may impose significant costs or otherwise require us to divert resources or implement changes to our business processes, and any actual or perceived non-compliance could result in significant penalties, claims and reputational damage.
Additionally, we face risks from evolving and uncertain privacy standards in our industry. Numerous states have now passed comprehensive privacy laws and regulations. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) is a comprehensive privacy law that creates individual privacy rights and increased privacy and security obligations on businesses handling the personal data of California residents. The CCPA requires covered businesses to provide certain disclosures to consumers about data collection, use and sharing practices, to allow California residents to opt out of certain sales and disclosures of personal information, and to opt out of certain uses of sensitive personal information, including health information. The law also created a new regulatory agency in California, called CalPrivacy, and that agency’s finalized and proposed regulations are continuing to change the standard of privacy protection we are required to meet. Numerous other states have passed similar consumer privacy laws that are or will be implemented and enforced by various state regulators, creating a complicated national patchwork. Like the CCPA, these laws grant consumers rights in relation to their personal information and impose new obligations on regulated businesses, including, in some instances, broader data security requirements.
In addition, federal and state legislators and regulators are imposing new and heightened protections for health and other sensitive information that could impact our business. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has imposed stringent requirements on the collection and disclosure of sensitive categories of personal information, including health information, and has expanded the application of its Health Breach Notification Rule. Through executive and legislative action, the federal government has also taken steps to restrict data transactions involving certain sensitive data categories – including health data, genetic data, and biospecimens – with persons affiliated with China, Russia, and other countries of concern through the Department of Justice’s January 8, 2025 rule on “Preventing Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data and Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern or Covered Persons.” Furthermore, some states have proposed or enacted legislation specifically focused on health privacy, such as Washington’s My Health My Data Act, and similar statutes in Nevada and Connecticut. The My Health My Data Act went into effect in March 2024 and requires regulated entities to obtain consent to collect health information, grants consumers certain rights, including to request deletion, and provides for robust enforcement mechanisms, including enforcement by the state attorney-general and by litigants through a private right of action for consumer claims. Other states have enacted or proposed laws focused on genetic privacy. These current and future data privacy laws and regulations may require us to modify our data collection or processing practices and policies, incur substantial costs and expenses in an effort to comply and increase our potential exposure to regulatory enforcement, reputational damage, and/or litigation. Furthermore, the number of government investigations and enforcement actions related to data security incidents and privacy violations, with a specific focus on online data sharing, continue to increase and government investigations typically require significant resources and generate negative publicity, which could harm our business and our reputation.
Our customers may also be subject to different privacy laws, rules and legislation, which may mean that they require us to be bound by varying contractual requirements applicable to certain other jurisdictions. Adherence to such contractual requirements may impact our collection, use, processing, storage, security, sharing and disclosure of information. As we expand our customer base, these requirements may vary from customer to customer, further increasing the cost of compliance and doing business.
The use of new and evolving technologies, such as artificial intelligence (“AI”), in our offerings may present risks and challenges that can impact our business including by posing security risks to our confidential information, proprietary information, and personal data.
We plan to build and integrate AI into our business practices, and the evolving nature of AI technologies and the surrounding legal and regulatory environment presents risks and uncertainties that could affect our business. The use of AI technology can give rise to intellectual property risks, including the disclosure or compromise of our confidential information or other proprietary intellectual property through the use of generative artificial intelligence tools. AI could also pose cybersecurity, data privacy, IT, regulatory, legal, operational, competitive, reputational, and other risks and challenges that could affect our business. Specifically, risks related to bias, AI hallucinations, discrimination, harmful content, misinformation, fraud, scams, targeted attacks such as model poisoning or data poisoning, surveillance, data leakage, loss of consensus reality, inequality, environmental harms, and other harms may flow from our development, use, or deployment of AI technologies. Additionally, we expect to see increasing government regulation related to artificial intelligence use and ethics, which may also significantly increase the burden and cost of research, development and compliance in this area. For example, in the U.S., a number of states have proposed or passed dozens of laws over the past year regulating various uses and applications of AI and AI governance, including addressing deployment of AI in healthcare settings. At the federal level, the Trump Administration has endorsed a federal moratorium on enforcement of certain state-level AI regulation,
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including through a December 11, 2025 Executive Order on “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence.” So far, these efforts have not been successful at curtailing state action on AI regulation, contributing to a complicated legislative patchwork that may be litigated in state and federal courts. In Europe, the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (“AI Act”) began its implementation August 1, 2024 with a large portion scheduled to come into effect in August 2026. As currently enacted, the AI Act, which may now be amended as part of the EU’s Digital Omnibus imposes significant obligations on providers and deployers of high-risk artificial intelligence systems, and encourages providers and deployers of artificial intelligence systems to account for EU ethical principles in their development and use of these systems. If we develop or deploy AI systems that are governed by these laws and regulations, we may be required to implement higher standards of data quality, transparency, and human oversight, and adhere to specific and potentially burdensome and costly ethical, accountability, and administrative requirements. Even in the absence of dedicated AI laws and regulations, we may be subject to novel legal and business risks relating to our adoption of these new technologies. Our vendors may in turn incorporate AI tools into their own offerings, and the providers of these AI tools may not meet existing or rapidly evolving regulatory or industry standards, including with respect to privacy and data security. Further, bad actors around the world use increasingly sophisticated methods, including the use of AI, to engage in illegal activities involving the unauthorized access, theft and misuse of personal information, confidential information, and intellectual property. Any of these outcomes could damage our reputation, result in the loss of valuable property and information, and adversely impact our business.
Risks Related to Our Products and Technology
Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property
If we are unable to obtain or maintain our intellectual property, we may not be able to succeed commercially.
We strive to identify and maintain trade secrets and pursue strategic global patent protection in order to protect our products and processes from unauthorized use, and to produce a financial return consistent with the significant time and expense required to bring our products to market and continue to be competitive in our technical fields.
We consider trade secrets, know-how and other forms of confidentiality protection to be among the most important elements of our proprietary position as it relates to many of the products that currently account for a majority of our revenue. We also own or have exclusive rights to a global portfolio of patents and pending patent applications. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to:
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preserve the confidentiality of our trade secrets, know-how and confidential information;
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operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties;
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obtain and maintain global patent protection for our products and processes; and
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secure licenses from others on acceptable terms.
Though we continue to pursue patent protection, we cannot guarantee that any patent applications will issue on a timely basis, if ever. Even if patents are issued, the degree of protection afforded by such patents will depend upon the:
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scope of the patent claims; and
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validity and enforceability of the patent claims.
While we own or have exclusive patent rights directed towards Protein A, other patent grants directed towards Protein A have expired or have been invalidated in litigation proceedings, and as a result, we may face increased competition, which could harm our results of operations, financial condition, cash flow and future prospects.
Other companies could begin manufacturing and selling native or some of the commercial forms of recombinant Protein A in the United States and may directly compete with us on certain Protein A products. This may induce us to sell Protein A at lower prices and may erode our market share, which could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, cash flow and future prospects.
Our freedom to develop, manufacture or sell products may be challenged by others, and we may engage in litigation which, if we do not prevail, could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flow and future prospects.
Though we are not currently involved in any ongoing litigation or other proceeding regarding intellectual property, litigation or other proceedings may be necessary to assert claims of infringement or misappropriation, to enforce patents issued to us or our licensors, to protect trade secrets, know-how or other intellectual property rights we own or to determine the scope and validity of the proprietary rights of third parties. Such litigation could result in adverse judgments, substantial costs to us, and diversion of our resources. An adverse outcome in any such litigation or proceeding could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Notably, we or our collaborative or strategic partners may be enjoined from manufacturing or selling our products and services without a license from the other party and be held liable for damages.
Relatedly, certain foreign patent applications may be subject to opposition proceedings brought by third parties, which may be costly
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and result in loss of protection.
We may become involved in patent litigation or other intellectual property-related proceedings, including the following situations: