UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K


ýANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 2020


OR   

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period ____________ to ____________   

Commission file number: 000-28508



AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Ireland98-1341933
State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Block 10-1, Blanchardstown Corporate Park
Ballycoolin10 Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 15,2, Ireland
D02 T380
Not Applicable
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: +011-1-485-1200
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
American Depositary Shares*
Ordinary Shares**
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
(NASDAQ Global Market)
Title of each classTrading Symbol (s)Name of exchange on which registered
American Depositary Shares*AVDLThe Nasdaq Global Market
Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.01 per share**AVDLThe Nasdaq Global Market
*American Depositary Shares may be evidenced by American Depository Receipts. Each American Depositary Share represents one (1) Ordinary Share.
**Nominal value $0.01 per share. Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing of American Depositary Shares. on The Nasdaq Global Market.
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None


Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes   ¨     No   ý


Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.   Yes   ¨     No   ý


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes   days.Yes   ý     No   ¨


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes   ý     No   ¨
 
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer ¨     Accelerated filer ý
Non-accelerated filer ¨     Smaller reporting company ¨
Emerging growth company ¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ¨


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes   ¨     No   ý
 
The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $221,263,931$466,741,289 based on the closing sale price of the registrant’s American Depositary Shares as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market on June 29, 2018.30, 2020. Such market value excludes 650,118364,026 ordinary shares, $0.01 per share nominal value, held by each officer and director and by shareholders that the registrant concluded were affiliates of the registrant on that date. Exclusion of such shares should not be construed to indicate that any such person possesses the power, direct or indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the registrant or that such person is controlled by or under common control with the registrant.


The number of the registrant’s ordinary shares, $0.01 per share nominal value, outstanding as of March 13, 20194, 2021 was 37,355,511.58,465,151.





DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of either (a) a definitive proxy statement involving the election of directors or (b) an amendment to this Form 10-K, either of which will be filed within 120 days after December 31, 2018,2020, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.





TABLE OF CONTENTS


Page #
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 1B.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.
Item 5.
Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 7A.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9A.
Item 9B.
Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.
Item 13.
Item 14.
Item 15.
 






-3-


SUMMARY OF THE MATERIAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BUSINESS

Our business is subject to numerous material and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part II, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The principal risks and uncertainties affecting our business include the following:

Our lead product candidate and future product candidates will generally be subject to regulatory approval. If we or our pharmaceutical and biotechnology company partners do not obtain such approvals, or if such approvals are delayed, our ability to generate future revenues may be adversely affected.
Our lead product candidate and future product candidates may be subject to continuing regulation, and we on our own, and in conjunction with our pharmaceutical partners, may be subject to adverse consequences if we or they fail to comply with applicable regulations.
Disruptions at the United States (“U.S.”) Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), the Drug Enforcement Administration and other government agencies caused by funding shortages or global health concerns, including coronavirus disease (COVID-19), could hinder their ability to hire and retain key leadership and other personnel, prevent new products and services from being developed or commercialized in a timely manner or otherwise prevent those agencies from performing normal business functions on which the operation of our business may rely, which could negatively impact our business.
We are subject to U.S. federal and state and international laws and regulations prohibiting “kickbacks” and false claims that, if violated, could subject us to substantial penalties, and any challenges to or investigation into our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to, and thus could harm our business.
We may rely on collaborations with third parties to commercialize certain of our product candidates in development and such strategy involves risks that could impair our prospects for realizing profits from such products.
We depend on a single provider of certain services related to the development of our product candidate, and any interruption of operations of such provider could significantly delay or have a material adverse effect on our business.
We depend on a limited number of suppliers for the manufacturing of our product candidate and certain raw materials and any failure of such suppliers to manufacture or supply sufficient quantities of product or these raw materials could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Clinical development of drugs is costly and time-consuming, and the outcomes are uncertain. A failure to prove that our product candidate and future product candidates are safe and effective in clinical trials could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
We rely on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, and if they do not properly and successfully perform their contractual, legal and regulatory duties, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approvals for or commercialize our product candidate or future product candidates.
Changes in U.S. or ex-U.S. patent laws could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product candidate or future product candidates.
Third parties may claim that our product candidate or future product candidates infringe their rights, and we may incur significant costs resolving these claims. Additionally, legal proceedings related to such claims could materially delay or otherwise adversely affect commercialization plans related to our product candidate, if approved.
Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other requirements imposed by governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.
Our future products may not gain market acceptance.
COVID-19 may materially and adversely affect our business and our financial results.
We and companies to which we have licensed or will license our future products or drug delivery technologies and subcontractors we engage for services related to the development and manufacturing of our product candidate and future product candidates are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory authorities. Our and their failure to meet strict regulatory requirements could adversely affect our business.
-4-


Cautionary Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Any statements relate toabout our future expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, results, conditions, financialassumptions or future events or performance prospects, or other events. In some cases, forward-lookingare not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements can be identified byare often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “may,“could,“believe,“should,“expect,“expects,“anticipate,“intends,“estimate,“plans,“project”“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions, andor the negatives thereof.

Our forward-lookingnegative of these terms, or similar expressions. Accordingly, these statements are based oninvolve estimates, and assumptions, that are made within the bounds of our knowledge of our business and operations and that we consider reasonable. However, our business and operations are subject to significant risks and as a result there can be no assurance that actual results of our research, development and commercialization activities and the results of our business and operations will not differ materially from the results contemplated in such forward-looking statements.  Factors thatuncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from expectationsthose expressed in ourthem. Any forward-looking statements include, among others,are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed throughout this prospectus, and in particular those specifiedfactors referenced in the section “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K including: 

(a) risks relatingcontains forward-looking statements that are based on our management’s belief and assumptions and on information currently available to our 2018 net lossmanagement. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance, and recent restructuring plan, includinginvolve known and unknown risks, relatinguncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to the following:be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:


Our reliance on a single lead product candidate, FT218, and our ability to fully pursueobtain regulatory approval of and successfully commercialize FT218, including any delays in approval related to COVID-19;
The ability of FT218, if approved, to gain market acceptance;
Our ability to enter into strategic partnerships for the commercialization, manufacturing and distribution of FT218, if approved;
Our dependence on a limited number of suppliers for the manufacturing of our business strategy is limited due to a decreaselead product candidate and certain raw materials in our available liquid assets;lead product candidate and any failure of such suppliers to deliver sufficient quantities of these raw materials, which could have a material adverse effect on our business;
Our ability to finance our recent restructuring plan may not be as effective as we anticipatedoperations on acceptable terms, either through the raising of capital, the incurrence of convertible or other indebtedness or through strategic financing or commercialization partnerships;
Our expectations about the potential market size and may have unintended negative impacts;market participation for our product candidate;
Any further restructuring actions if needed, may require third-party consents that may not be granted;
the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing byrequired and our subsidiary Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals LLC (“Specialty Pharma”) may have unexpected adverse results; and
a management-directed audit of the development program for our FT218 sodium oxybate product could result in changes that increase the cost of the program and further delay its completion; and

(b) risks relatingability to obtain any required consents (including any consents required pursuant to the following:

Indenture governing our three products Bloxiverz®,Vazculep® and Akovaz®, which are not patent protected, and have a small number of customers for such products, produce a majority of our revenues, and such products could face further competition resulting in a loss of market share and/or forcing us to further reduce our prices for those products;
we could fail to develop our current “unapproved marketed drug” (UMD) product candidate or future potential UMD product candidates, or competitors could develop such products and apply for FDA approval of such products before us;
we could experience failure or delay in completing the Phase 3 clinical trial for our FT218 product, and if the FDA ultimately approves such product, the approval may not include any period of market exclusivity;
Servicing our $143.75 million Exchangeable Senior Notesexchange notes due 2023, may require a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash or the 2023 Notes);
Our ability to raisecontinue to service the funds necessary to settle2023 Notes, including making the ongoing interest payments on the 2023 Notes, settling exchanges of the 2023 Notes in cash repay the Notes at maturity, or repurchasecompleting any required repurchases of the 2023 Notes as required followingNotes;
The potential impact of COVID-19 on our business and future operating results;
Our ability to retain members of our management team and our employees; and
Competition existing today or that will likely arise in the future.
These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees of future performance due to a “fundamental change” eventvariety of risks and uncertainties and other factors more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the risk factors and cautionary statements described in other documents that we file from time to time with the indenture governing the 2023 Notes;
SEC. Given these uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on our products may not reach the commercial market or gain market acceptance;
we must invest substantial sums in research and development in order to remain competitive;
we depend on one or a limited number of providers to develop certain of our products and drug delivery technologies, to manufacture certain of our products and to provide certain raw materials used in our products;
our competitors may develop and market technologies or products that are more effective or safer than ours, or obtain regulatory approval and market such technologies or products before we do;
we face challenges in protecting intellectual property underlying our products and drug delivery technologies; and
we depend on key personnel to execute our business plan.

Forward-lookingforward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they areon which the statements were made and are not guarantees of future performance. Accordingly, youExcept as may be required by applicable law, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this Annual Report or the respective dates of documents incorporated by reference herein or therein that include forward-looking statements.
Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or developments occurring after the date of this Annual Report, even if new information becomes available in the future.


NOTE REGARDING TRADEMARKS

We own various trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including Avadel®, Micropump®, LiquiTime®and Medusa®. All other trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies appearing in this Annual Report are the property of their respective holders. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this Annual Report may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights thereto. We do not undertakeintend to use or
-5-


display other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any obligationother companies.

From time to publicly updatetime, we may use our website, LinkedIn or reviseour Twitter account (@AvadelPharma) to distribute material information. Our financial and other material information is routinely posted to and accessible on the forward-looking statementsInvestors section of our website, available at www.avadelpharmaceuticals.com. Investors are encouraged to review the Investors section of our website because we may post material information on that site that is not otherwise disseminated by us. Information that is contained in and can be accessed through our website or our Twitter posts are not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this Annual Report.




-6-


PART I
Item 1.        Business. 
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per-share amounts and as otherwise noted)
General Overview
Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: AVDL) (“Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a branded specialty pharmaceuticalbiopharmaceutical company. Our lead product candidate, FT218, is an investigational once-nightly, extended-release formulation of sodium oxybate for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (“EDS”) and cataplexy in adults with narcolepsy. We are primarily focus isfocused on the development and potential United States (“U.S.”) Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval of FT218. In December 2020, the Company submitted a New Drug Application (“NDA”) to the FDA approval for FT218 whichto treat excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in adults with narcolepsy.The NDA for FT218 was accepted by the FDA in February 2021 and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) target action date of October 15, 2021.

Outside of our lead product candidate, we continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our product portfolio. As of December 31, 2020, we do not have any approved and commercialized products in our portfolio.
FT218

FT218 is in a Phase 3 clinical trialonce-nightly formulation of sodium oxybate that uses our Micropump controlled release drug-delivery technology for the treatment of narcolepsy patientsEDS and cataplexy in adults suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)narcolepsy. Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of gamma hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous compound and cataplexy.  metabolite of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Sodium oxybate is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy and is approved in Europe for the treatment of cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. Since 2002, sodium oxybate has only been available as a formulation that must be taken twice nightly, first at bedtime, and then again 2.5 to 4 hours later.

On December 16, 2020, we announced the submission of our NDA to the FDA for FT218. On February 26, 2021, the FDA notified us of formal acceptance of the NDA with an assigned PDUFA target action date of October 15, 2021.

The REST-ON trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 212 patients and was conducted in clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australia. The last patient, last visit was completed at the end of the first quarter of 2020 and positive top line data from the REST-ON trial was announced on April 27, 2020. Patients who received 9 g of once-nightly FT218, the highest dose administered in the trial, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement compared to placebo across the three co-primary endpoints of the trial: maintenance of wakefulness test, or MWT, clinical global impression-improvement, or CGI-I, and mean weekly cataplexy attacks. The lower doses assessed, 6 g and 7.5 g also demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement on all three co-primary endpoints compared to placebo. We observed the 9 g dose of once-nightly FT218 to be generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions commonly associated with sodium oxybate were observed in a small number of patients (nausea 1.3%, vomiting 5.2%, decreased appetite 2.6%, dizziness 5.2%, somnolence 3.9%, tremor 1.3% and enuresis 9%), and 3.9% of the patients who received 9 g of FT218 discontinued the trial due to adverse reactions.

In addition,January 2018, the FDA granted FT218 Orphan Drug Designation, which makes the drug eligible for certain development and commercial incentives, including potential U.S. market exclusivity for up to seven years. Additionally, several FT218-related U.S. patents have been issued, and there are additional patent applications currently in development and/or pending at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), as well as foreign patent offices.

In July 2020, we announced that the first patient was dosed initiating an open-label extension (“OLE”)/switch study of FT218 as a potential treatment for EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. The OLE/switch study is examining the long-term safety and maintenance of efficacy of FT218 in patients with narcolepsy who participated in the REST-ON study, as well as dosing and preference data for patients switching from twice-nightly sodium oxybate to once-nightly FT218 regardless if they participated in REST-ON or not. We anticipate that the study will enroll up to 250 patients, many of which will be enrolled in North American clinical trial sites that participated in the REST-ON study.

We believe FT218 has the potential to demonstrate improved dosing compliance, safety and patient satisfaction over the current standard of care for EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, which is a twice-nightly sodium oxybate formulation. If approved, we believe FT218 has the potential to take a significant share of the sodium oxybate market. The current market threesize for the twice-nightly administration of sodium oxybate is estimated at an annualized revenue run rate of $1.8 billion.

-7-


Micropump Drug-Delivery Technology

Our Micropump drug-delivery technology allows for the controlled delivery of small molecule drugs taken orally, which has the potential to reduce safety issues and improve a number of things like efficacy, dosing compliance and patient satisfaction. Beyond FT218, we believe there could be other product development opportunities for our Micropump drug-delivery technology, representing either i) life cycle opportunities, whereby additional intellectual property-protected drug delivery technology can be added to a pharmaceutical product to extend the commercial viability of that product, or ii) innovative formulation opportunities for known active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as new chemical entities.

Previously Approved FDA Products

On June 30, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC (the “Avadel Seller”) announced the sale of the portfolio of sterile injectable drugs used in the hospital setting (the “Hospital Products”), which were developed underincluded our “unapproved marketed drug” (UMD) program.   The Companythree commercial products, Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep, as well as Nouress, which was approved by the U.S. FDA to Exela Sterile Medicines LLC (“Exela Buyer”) pursuant to an asset purchase agreement by and among the Avadel Seller, Avadel US Holdings, Inc., the Exela Buyer and Exela Holdings, Inc. This sale included the following FDA approved products:

Bloxiverz (neostigmine methylsulfate injection) - Bloxiverz is headquartereda drug used intravenously in Dublin, Ireland with operations in St. Louis, Missouri and Lyon, France. For more information, please visit www.avadel.com..the operating room to reverse the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents after surgery.
Avadel
Vazculep (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection) - Vazculep is developing FT218, an investigational once-nightly formulation of sodium oxybate based on its propriety Micropump® drug delivery technology,indicated for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexyclinically important hypotension occurring in patients suffering from narcolepsy. FT218 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial called REST-ON. In addition, Avadel is developing a fourth UMD product, an as-yet undisclosed sterile injectable product intended for the hospital market. setting of anesthesia.

Our current marketed products consist of:
Akovaz®Akovaz (ephedrine sulfate injection, USP),injection) - Akovaz was the first FDA approved formulation of ephedrine sulfate, an alpha- and beta-adrenergicbeta- adrenergic agonist and a norepinephrine-releasing agent that is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia.
anesthesia.


Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection), a cholinesterase inhibitor, is indicated for the reversal of the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) after surgery.

Vazculep® (phenylephrineNouress (cysteine hydrochloride injection), an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonist indicated- Nouress is a sterile injectable product for the treatment of clinically important hypotension resulting primarily from vasodilation in the setting of anesthesia.

Each of our Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep products is used primarilyuse in the hospital setting and was developed under our UMD program.to provide parenteral nutrition to neonates.
Noctiva™, a vasopressin analog indicated for the treatment of nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria in adults who awaken at least two times per night to void. Due to disappointing results after a substantial investment of resources after Noctiva’s commercial launch in March 2018, Specialty Pharma, the Avadel subsidiary responsible for the marketing and sale of Noctiva, made a voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 6, 2019. Although Specialty Pharma currently continues its marketing and sales efforts for this product, Avadel anticipates that Specialty Pharma will discontinue all activities with respect to Noctiva during 2019 as a result of the bankruptcy.


Corporate Information
The Company was incorporated on December 1, 2015 as an Irish private limited company, and re-registeredWe are registered as an Irish public limited company, or plc, on November 21, 2016.company. Our principal place of business is located at Block 10-1, Blanchardstown Corporate Park, Ballycoolin,10 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 15, Ireland. Avadel’s2, Ireland and our phone number is 011-353-1-485-1200.00 353 1 920 1000. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Our website is www.avadel.com, where we make available free of charge our reports (and any amendments thereto) on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).SEC. These filings are also available to the public at www.sec.gov.
The Company is We do not incorporate the successor to Flamel Technologies S.A., a French société anonyme (“Flamel”), as the result of the France-to-Ireland redomestication merger of Flamel with andinformation on or accessible through our website into the Company completed on December 31, 2016 (the “Merger”). In the Merger, we changed our company name to Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc and our jurisdiction of organization to Ireland; we assumed all the assets and liabilities of Flamel; and we issued one Avadel ordinary share (either directly or in the form of an American Depositary Share (ADS)) in exchange for each formerly outstanding share of Flamel, all of which were canceled. Thus, an Avadel ordinary share held (either directly or represented by an ADS) immediately after the Merger continued to represent the same proportional interest in our equity owned by the holder of a share of Flamel immediately prior to the Merger. References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” and similar terms shall be deemed to be references to Flamel prior to the completion of the Merger, unless the context otherwise requires. Additional details about the Merger are set forth below in this Item 1 under the caption “ - The Reincorporation Merger.”10-K.



The CompanyWe currently hashave five direct wholly-owned subsidiaries: (a) Avadel US Holdings, Inc., (b) Flamel Ireland Limited is an Irish limited company, which conducts business under the name Avadel Ireland, (c) Avadel Investment Company Limited, (d) Avadel Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company and (e) Avadel France Holding SAS. Avadel US Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is the holding entity of (i) Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC, (currently the subject of a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding as noted above), (ii) Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC, (iii) Avadel Management Corporation, and (iv) FSC Holding Company and (v) Avadel Operations Company, Inc.CNS Pharmaceuticals LLC. Avadel Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company is the holding entity of Avadel Finance Cayman Limited. Flamel Ireland Limited (operating under the trade name Avadel Ireland) is an Irish corporation which, Since December 16, 2014, has been the owner of substantially all of Avadel’s intellectual property. Avadel France Holding SAS a French société par actions simplifiée, is the holding entity of Avadel Research SAS through which Avadel conducts substantially all of its R&D activities.SAS. A complete list of the Company’sour subsidiaries can be found in Exhibit 21.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.


Recent Developments

Management Changes. In December 2018 and in January 2019, Avadel announced changes to its Board of Directors (“Board”) and Management team. In December 2018, (a) Avadel appointed Kevin Kotler, founder and portfolio manager of Broadfin Capital, LLC, and Eric Ende, President of Ende BioMedical Consulting Group to the Company’s Board, (b) Michael S. Anderson resigned as chief executive officer and member of the Board of Avadel, (c) the Board named Gregory J. Divis, formerly the Company’s chief operating officer, as interim chief executive officer, (d) the Honorable Craig Stapleton stepped down as chairman of the Board but continues as a member of the Board, and (e) Geoffrey M. Glass, President of Clear Sciences, LLC, a current member of the Avadel Board, was named chairman of the Board.

Corporate Restructuring. In February 2019, Avadel announced a corporate restructuring in order to focus efforts and resources on the clinical development of FT218. In conjunction with the restructuring, Avadel will reduce its workforce by more than 50%, and Specialty Pharma made a voluntary filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on February 6, 2019. As noted above, Specialty Pharma is a special-purpose entity and wholly-owned subsidiary responsible solely for the sales, marketing and distribution of Noctiva. These restructuring actions were taken to exit Noctiva™ quickly and efficiently, and are not expected to materially impact any other aspect of the Company’s business, including the ability to operate its sterile injectables hospital business, complete the FT218 Phase 3 clinical trial, and complete development of the Company’s fourth UMD product. The Company estimates that it will incur approximately $10 to $15 million of one-time pre-tax charges for severance and other costs related to the restructuring. See Note 23: Subsequent Events in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.

Business Strategies

Our primary business strategy is to focus on the development and potential FDA approval for FT218 which is in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of narcolepsy patients suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy. In addition, we will continue to maximize our current approved hospital products portfolio, including obtaining FDA approval for and the commercialization of our fourth UMD product. Additionally, we will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our product portfolio. These strategies are described below in greater detail.

FT218 (Micropump® sodium oxybate): FT218 (Micropump® sodium oxybate): Avadel is developing a product that uses our Micropump® drug-delivery technology for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy in patients suffering from narcolepsy. Avadel currently refers to this product as FT218. FT218 is a Micropump®-based formulation of sodium oxybate. Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of gamma hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous compound and metabolite of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Sodium oxybate has been described as a therapeutic agent with high medical value. Sodium oxybate is approved in Europe and the United States as a twice nightly formulation indicated for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy.

In preparation for a clinical trial of FT218, Avadel reached an agreement with the FDA for the design and planned analysis of our pivotal Phase 3 study, Rest-On through a Special Protocol Assessment (“SPA”). A SPA is an acknowledgment by the FDA that the design and planned analysis of a pivotal clinical trial adequately addresses the objectives necessary to support a regulatory submission. Pursuant to the SPA, in December 2016, Avadel initiated patient enrollment and dosing for the Rest-On clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a once-nightly formulation of FT218 for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients suffering from narcolepsy. The study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 264 patients being conducted in 45 to 55 clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australia. Avadel believes that, if successful, this study could demonstrate improved efficacy, safety and patient satisfaction over the current primary product serving this market, which is a twice nightly sodium oxybate formulation, which the marketer estimates will generate revenues of approximately $1.4 billion in 2018.



To date, due in part to narcolepsy being a rare disease with a small patient population with no significant geographic concentration, we have not completed patient enrollment for the FT218 clinical trial, nor have we announced a projected completion date for this clinical trial. Recently, we have engaged a third-party pharmaceutical consulting firm to assist us in evaluating our clinical development program for FT218 with the goal of ensuring a approvable and commercially viable FDA submission. This evaluation is currently under way, and while the results are not known at this time, they could cause us to modify our development plan with respect to FT218 in ways that materially increase the ultimate cost of development, further delay its completion or identify presently unknown risks with the product.

In January 2018, the FDA granted FT218 Orphan Drug Designation, which makes the drug eligible for certain development and commercial incentives, including a potential U.S. market exclusivity for up to seven years as the only once-nightly formulation. However, please see the information set forth under the caption “- Risks Related to Regulatory and Legal Matters - If FT218 is approved by the FDA, we may not obtain orphan drug marketing exclusivity” in the “Risk Factors” included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Development of Micropump®-Based Products

Avadel’s versatile Micropump® drug delivery technology presents product development opportunities, representing either “life cycle” opportunities, whereby additional intellectual property can be added to a pharmaceutical product to extend the commercial viability of a currently marketed product, or innovative formulation opportunities for new chemical entities (“NCEs”). FT218 is formulated using this technology. If approved by the FDA, this product will be commercialized either by Avadel and/or by partners via licensing/distribution agreements.

Unapproved Marketed Drug (“UMD”) Products
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its Marketed Unapproved Drugs - Compliance Policy Guide with the intention to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to pursue approvals for pharmaceutical products, many of which pre-date the establishment of the FDA. Although these products are not protected by patents or similar intellectual property, the FDA’s Compliance Policy Guide dictates that should FDA approve a new drug application (NDA) for any such products via a 505(b)(2) process, the FDA will remove competing unapproved manufacturers until a generic application is approved. Avadel believes that over a thousand unapproved drugs are marketed in the United States today and, while many of these products are outdated therapies, we strategically evaluate those UMD products that are more commonly used as candidates for possible future FDA approval and marketing under our UMD program.
To date, Avadel has received FDA approvals for three UMD products which we currently market under the brand names Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection), Vazculep® (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection) and Akovaz® (ephedrine sulfate injection), each as more particularly described below.

Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection), Bloxiverz’s NDA was filed on July 31, 2012. Bloxiverz was approved by the FDA on May 31, 2013 and was launched in July 2013. Bloxiverz is a drug used intravenously in the operating room for the reversal of the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents after surgery. Bloxiverz was the first FDA-approved version of neostigmine methylsulfate. Today, neostigmine is one of the two the most frequently used products for the reversal of the effects of other agents used for neuromuscular blocks. There are approximately 2.5 million vials sold annually in the U.S. In the future, sales of Bloxiverz are dependent upon the competitive market dynamics between Avadel and four other competitors in addition to any additional competitors who may obtain FDA approval of an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for a generic form of Bloxiverz.
Vazculep® (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection) On June 28, 2013, Avadel filed an NDA for Vazculep (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection). The product was approved by the FDA on June 27, 2014 and is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia. Avadel started shipping Vazculep (in 1mL single use vials, and 5mL and 10mL pharmacy bulk package vials) to wholesalers in October 2014. There are approximately 7 million vials sold annually in the U.S. Vazculep is the only FDA-approved version of phenylephrine hydrochloride to be available in all three vial sizes. Avadel competes against one other manufacturer who commercializes the 1mL single-dose vial. The volume of sales of Vazculep is dependent upon the competitive landscape in the marketplace, and potential for new competitors that may receive generic approvals in the future.
Akovaz® (ephedrine sulfate injection). On June 30, 2015, Avadel announced that our third NDA was accepted by the FDA; the FDA subsequently approved Akovaz on April 29, 2016. On August 12, 2016, Avadel launched Akovaz, into a market of approximately 7.5 million vials annually in the U.S. Avadel was the first approved formulation of ephedrine sulfate, an alpha- and beta- adrenergic agonist and a norepinephrine-releasing agent that is indicated for the treatment of


clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia. Avadel began shipping the product to wholesalers in August 2016 in cartons of twenty-five 50 mg/mL 1mL single use vials. During 2016 Akovaz was the only FDA approved version of ephedrine sulfate being commercially sold in the U.S. To date, there are three other approved manufacturers of ephedrine sulfate with whom Avadel competes. The volume of sales of Akovaz is dependent upon the competitive landscape in the marketplace, and potential for new competitors that may receive generic approvals in the future.

Additional UMD Products. Avadel is developing and intends to seek FDA approval of a NDA for UMD #4, a sterile injectable product used in the hospital setting. The Company anticipates submitting an NDA during the first quarter of 2019 on UMD #4, which, if approved, could contribute revenues to Avadel starting in 2020. In addition, Avadel continues to monitor and evaluate other UMDs with large existing markets and limited competition for feasibility of possible future NDAs. Avadel believes its strategy to create opportunities to commercialize UMD products in markets with a limited number of competitors may have a limited number of opportunities given the lack of patent protection from competition. Avadel believes this shorter-term strategy may provide us with near term revenue growth and provide cash flows that can be used to fund R&D and inorganic initiatives for other products.

Proprietary Product Pipeline
The status of Avadel’s proprietary product pipelines is detailed in the followings table:
Proprietary Product Pipeline
Platform / StrategyDrug/ProductIndicationStage
Micropump®Sodium oxybateEDS / CataplexyPhase 3 trial ongoing
UMD #4Sterile Injectable - Drug UndisclosedUndisclosedDevelopment ongoing

Competition and Market Opportunities


Competition


Competition in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is intense and is expected to increase. Avadel competesWe compete with academic laboratories, research institutions, universities, joint ventures, and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including other companies developing brand or generic specialty pharmaceutical products or drug delivery platforms. Some of these competitors may also be Avadel’sour business partners. There can be no assurance that Avadel’sour competitors will not obtain patent protection or other intellectual property rights that would make it difficult or impossible for us to compete with their products. Furthermore, major technological changes can happen quickly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology
-8-


industries. Such rapid technological change, or the development by Avadel’sour competitors of technologically improved or differentiated products, could render our products, including our drug delivery technologies, obsolete or noncompetitive.
 
The pharmaceutical industry has dramatically changed in recent years, largely as a function of the growing importance of generic drugs. The growth of generics (typically small molecules) and of large molecules (biosimilars) has been accelerated by the demand for less expensive pharmaceutical products. As a result, the pricing power of pharmaceutical companies will be more tightly controlled in the future.


In addition, the overall landscape of the Pharma/Biotech industry has changed, as consolidation has reduced Avadel’sour pool of potential partners and acquisition opportunities within the specialty pharmaceuticalbiopharmaceutical space.
Avadel’s business model competes with a number of companies based upon our current marketed products and those in development. Examples of companies with whom Avadel or future partners would compete, given our current products and pipeline, include Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Fresenius Kabi, Par Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Ferring, and others.
 
Potential competition for FT218


If FT218 receives FDA approval, it will compete with the currentcurrently approved twice-nightly sodium oxybate formulation,formulations, as well as a number of daytime stimulantswake promoting agents including lisdexamfetamine, detroamphetamine, methylphenidate, amphetamine, modafinil, armodafinil, solriamfetol and pitolisant, which are widely prescribed, or prescribed concomitantly with sodium oxybate. Sodium oxybate is currently the only productIf approved, for both EDS and cataplexy. In addition, Avadel anticipates that ourwe anticipate FT218 product may face competition from manufacturers of generic twice-nightly sodium oxybate formulations, who have reached settlement agreements with the current marketer, which allows for entry byof an authorized generic in 2023. In addition, there


are other products in development that may be approved in the future that could have an impact on the sodium oxybate market prior to FT218’s potential FDA approval.approval, including, for example, reboxetine, orexin 2 receptor agonists, flecainide / modafinil combination, histamine H3 antagonists/inverse agonists, or GABAB agonists.


Market Opportunities
Because the pharmaceutical industry is highly competitive, participants seek ways to increase profitability by reducing competition through patent protection. Avadel, combining its existing proprietary drug delivery technologies with the established commercial capability of our unapproved to approved product strategy has evolved into a Specialty Pharma company focusing on re-formulations and requiring shorter product development cycles by using an abbreviated NDA mechanism (505(b)(2)).
In particular, in today’s environment,pharmaceutical market, a drug has to demonstrate significant therapeutic improvements over the current standard of care in order to obtain third party payer coverage. Alternatively, changes in the delivery of a drug must create a demonstrable reduction in costs. Dosing convenience, by itself, is no longernot sufficient to gain reimbursement acceptance. Specialty pharmaceuticalBiopharmaceutical companies must now demonstrate, through costly Phase 3extensive clinical trials, the therapeutic efficacy of their new formulations. The FDA has encouraged drug companies developing enhanced formulations to use an abbreviateda condensed regulatory pathway: the 505(b)(2) NDA. Many specialty pharmaceuticalbiopharmaceutical companies today are using this approach or the supplemental NDA pathway (“sNDA”). An NDA or sNDA is necessary to market an already approved drug for a new indication, or in a different dosage form or formulation. However, the sNDA approach requires cross-referencing the originator’s drug dossier, and eventually an alliance with the originator for commercialization.

FT218
Narcolepsy is an orphan disease affecting approximately 200,000 people in the U.S. With low prevalence and an even lower diagnosis rate, an estimated 50,000 patients diagnosed and on treatment, many patients’ needs are not being met and there are limited proven treatment options, particularly for those suffering from cataplexy. Currently, the only approved treatment option to treat both EDS and cataplexy is a liquid formulation of sodium oxybate dosed twice per night. This treatment requires patients to wake up in the middle of the night to take a second dose of medication, interrupting sleep and potentially causing a number of other issues related to their quality of life.
Avadel believes that our once nightly formulation of sodium oxybate in FT218 may have the potential to provide an uninterrupted night’s sleep to patients, may have an improved safety profile, fewer potential side effects due to a lower Cmax (i.e., the maximum concentration a drug achieves in the body) compared to the current approved product, and may provide other additional benefits related to quality of life. The marketer of the twice-nightly sodium oxybate product reported revenue of $1.4 billion in calendar year 2018 for the product; the number of patients reported as actively on treatment was approximately 14,000. Following the completion of Avadel’s REST-ON clinical trial, if FT218 is able to adequately demonstrate an improved safety profile over the current approved product, the potential to receive Orphan Drug Designation may provide development and commercial incentives for FT218, including eligibility for a seven-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. as the only once-nightly formulation.


Avadel’s Drug Delivery Technologies 


Avadel ownsWe own drug delivery technologies that address key formulation challenges, potentially allowing the development of differentiated drug products for administration in various forms (e.g.(e.g., capsules, tablets, sachets or liquid suspensions for oral use; or injectables for subcutaneous administration) that could be applied to a broad range of drugs (novel, already-marketed, or off-patent).

Avadel believes that its Micropump® technology permits the development of differentiated product profiles (modified/controlled release formulations) under various dosage forms including capsules, tablets, sachets and liquid suspensions (LiquiTime®) for oral use. In addition, with Trigger Lock™ potentially addressing the issue of narcotic/opioid analgesics abuse. A brief discussion of each of Avadel’sour drug delivery technologies is set forth below.
 
Micropump® TechnologyMicropump. Micropump® is a microparticulate system thatOurMicropump technology allows for the development and marketing of modified and/or controlled release solid, oral dosage formulations of drugs. Micropump®-carvedilolMicropump-carvedilol and Micropump®-aspirinMicropump-aspirin formulations have been approved in the U.S. Avadel’sFurther, Micropump® technology permits either extended or delayed delivery of small molecule drugs via the oral route. Micropump® consists of a multiple-particulate system containing 5,000 to 10,000 microparticles/nanoparticles per capsule or tablet. The 200-500 microns diameter-sized microparticles are releasedis being employed in the stomach and pass into the small intestine, where each microparticle, operating as a miniature delivery system, releases the drug at an adjustable rate and over an extended period of time. The design of the Micropump® microparticlesour investigational FT218 product.

LiquiTime. OurLiquiTime technology allows an extended release in the Gastro-Intestinal (“GI”) tract allowing mean plasma residence times to be extended for up to 24 hours. The microparticles’ design can be adapted to each drug’s specific characteristics by modifying the coating composition and thickness as well as the composition of the


excipients encapsulated with the drug. The resultant formulations can potentially offer improved efficacy (by extending therapeutic coverage), reduced toxicity and/or side effects (by reducing Cmax or peak drug concentration in the plasma, or by reducing intra- and inter-patient variability), and improved patient compliance (by reducing frequency of administration). The platform is applicable to poorly soluble (< 0.01mg/L) as well as highly soluble (> 500g/L) and to low dose (e.g., 4 mg) or high dose (e.g., 1,000 mg) drugs, while providing excellent mouth feel and taste masking properties. Micropump® allows the achievement of extremely precise pharmacokinetic profiles extended (and/or delayed) release of single or combination of drugs, in a variety of formats (such as tablets, capsules, sachet, or liquids (LiquiTime®), while preserving the targeted release rate over the shelf-life of the product.

LiquiTime®. LiquiTime® allows development of modified/controlledmodified release oral products in a liquid suspension formulation, which may make such formulations particularly well suited tofor children and/or for patients having issues swallowing tablets or capsules. Avadel’s LiquiTime® technology uses Micropump’s competitive advantages to allow the development of products with modified/controlled release (e.g., zero-order kinetics) in liquid suspension formulations. The LiquiTime® products are particularly suitable for dosing to children and for use by patients having issues swallowing tablets or capsules. LiquiTime® does not have the limitation of having to work solely with ionic drugs and therefore has applicability to a much broader range of drug molecules. As with Micropump®, LiquiTime® can be applied to the development of combination products. Avadel believes that LiquiTime®, designed to provide a controlled, extended release of oral liquids principally for pediatric and geriatric patients, will enable Avadel to develop improved, patent protected prescription products to serve an unmet medical need in these patient populations. Avadel believes that the increasing number of geriatric patients and the demand for convenient drug delivery options for children offer opportunities for the development of LiquiTime®-based formulations. Although Avadel ownswe own this technology, the Company iswe are currently not pursuing any commercial pharmaceutical drug development opportunities using thisit.

Medusa. Our Medusa technology

Trigger Lock™. Trigger Lock™ allows for the development of abuse-resistant modified/controlled releasemodified-release injectable dosage formulations of narcotic/opioid analgesicsdrugs (e.g., peptides, polypeptides, proteins, and other drugs susceptible to abuse.small molecules). Although Avadel ownswe own this technology, the Company iswe are currently not pursuing any commercial pharmaceutical drug development opportunities using this technologyit.


MedusaMedusa™ allows the development of extended/modified release of injectable dosage formulations of drugs (e.g., peptides, polypeptides, proteins, and small molecules). Although Avadel owns this technology, the Company is currently not pursuing any commercial pharmaceutical drug development opportunities using this technology
-9-



Proprietary Intellectual Property

Parts of Avadel’sour product pipeline and strategic alliances utilize our drug delivery platforms and related products of which certain features are the subject of patents or patent applications. As a matter of policy, Avadel seekswe seek patent protection of our inventions and also reliesrely upon trade secrets, know-how, continuing technological innovations and licensing opportunities to maintain and develop competitive positions.
 
FT218 Patents. We have been awarded several FT218-related U.S. patents having expiry dates from mid-2037 to early-2040. We have a number of additional FT218-related patent applications pending at the USPTO as well as at non-U.S. patent offices.

Drug Delivery Technology Patents. Avadel’sOur drug delivery technologies are the subject of certain patents, including: (i) for Micropump®,Micropump, patents relating to an efficacious coating formulationtechnologies that provide for providing delayed and sustainedcontrolled release of an active ingredient with absorption limited to the upper part of intestinal tract (expiring in 2025 in the U.S. and 2022 in foreignnon-U.S. jurisdictions); (ii) for LiquiTime®,LiquiTime, patents relating to film-coated microcapsules and a method comprising orally administering such microcapsules to a patient (expiring in 2023); and (iii) for Trigger Lock™, patents relating to a solid oral drug form with at least part of the active ingredient contained in microparticles with anticrushing characteristics to prevent misuse (expiring in 2027); and (iv) for Medusa™,Medusa, patents relating to an aqueous colloidal suspension of low viscosity based on submicronic particles of water-soluble biodegradable polymer PO (polyolefin) carrying hydrophobic groups (expiring in 2023).
 
The patent positions of biopharmaceutical companies like Avadelus are generally uncertain and involve complex legal, scientific and factual questions. In addition, the coverage claimed in a patent application can be significantly reduced before the patent is issued, and patent scope can be reinterpreted by the courts after issuance. Moreover, many jurisdictions permit third parties to challenge issued patents in administrative proceedings, which may result in further narrowing or even cancellation of patent claims. AvadelWe cannot predict whether the patent applications we are currently pursuing will issue as patents in any particular jurisdiction or whether the claims of any of Avadel’sour licensed or owned patents will provide sufficient protection from competitors. Any of Avadel’sour licensed or owned patents may be challenged, circumvented, or invalidated by third parties. For more information, please see the information set forth under the caption “– Risks“Risks Related to Avadel’s Business and IndustryOur Intellectual Property – If Avadelwe cannot adequately protect our intellectual property and proprietary information, Avadelwe may be unable to sustain a competitive advantage”effectively compete” in the “Risk Factors” included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.




Supplies and Manufacturing
Avadel attempts
We attempt to maintain multiple suppliers in order to mitigate the risk of shortfall and inability to supply market demand. Nevertheless, for most of our products Avadel reliesFT218, we will rely on a limited number of suppliers and in certain cases only one supplier, for sourcing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)(“APIs”).
 
The manufactureWe will outsource the production of our sterile hospital injectable products marketed by Avadel in the U.S. is outsourcedFT218 to cGMP-compliantcurrent good manufacturing practices (“cGMP”) -compliant and FDA-audited contract manufacturing organizationorganizations (“CMOs”) pursuant to supply agreements. Avadel will continue to outsource to third-party CMOs,agreements and hashave no present plans to acquire manufacturing facilities. Avadel believes this outsourcing policy is beneficial to us for products to be marketed in the United States.

In 2014, Avadel sold a manufacturing facility located in Pessac, France (near Bordeaux). Under the contract of sale, Avadel continues to use this facility to manufacture clinical supplies of FT218. To date, this facility has not been used to manufacture products commercialized directly by Avadel.

Government Regulation
The design, testing, manufacturing and marketing of certain new or substantially modified drugs, biological products or medical devices must be approved, cleared or certified by regulatory agencies, regulatory authorities and notified bodies under applicable laws and regulations, the requirements of which may vary from country to country. This regulatory process is lengthy, expensive and uncertain. In the United States,U.S., the FDA regulates such products under various federal statutes, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”) and the Public Health Service Act.
 
New Drug Product Development and Approval Process
 
Regulation by governmental authorities in the United StatesU.S. and other countries has a significant impact on the development, manufacture, and marketing of drug products and on ongoing research and product development activities. The products of all of Avadel’s pharmaceutical partners as well as its own products will require regulatory approval by governmental agencies and regulatory authorities prior to commercialization. In particular, these products are subject to stringent manufacturing according to stringent requirements known as current good manufacturing practices (“cGMP”)cGMP which are promulgated by the FDA in the United StatesU.S. and by other authorities in other jurisdictions, and rigorous, pre-clinical and clinical testing and other pre-market approval requirements by the FDA, the European Commission and regulatory authorities in other countries. In the United StatesU.S. and the European Union, various statutes and regulations also govern or influence the manufacturing, safety, labeling, storage, record keeping and marketing of pharmaceutical products. The lengthy process of seeking these approvals, and the subsequent compliance with applicable statutes and regulations, require the expenditure of substantial resources.
 
-10-


Regulatory approval, when and if obtained, may be limited in scope. In particular, regulatory approvals willmay restrict the marketing of a product to specific uses. Approved drugs, as well as their manufacturers, are subject to ongoing review (including requirements and restrictions related to record keeping and reporting, FDA, European Commission and EU Member States competent authorities’ approval of certain changes in manufacturing processes or product labeling, product promotion and advertising, and pharmacovigilance, which includes monitoring and reporting adverse reactions, maintaining safety measures, and conducting dossier reviews for marketing authorization renewal). Discovery of previously unknown problems with these products may result in restrictions on their manufacture, sale or use, or in their withdrawal from the market. Failure to comply with regulatory requirements may result in criminal prosecution, civil penalties, recall or seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production or injunction, as well as other actions affecting Avadel’s potential products and commercial prospects or the potential products and commercial prospects of Avadel or Avadel’s pharmaceutical partners who may utilize Avadel’s technologies. Any failure by Avadel or our pharmaceutical partners to comply with current or new and changing regulatory obligations, and any failure to obtain and maintain, or any delay in obtaining, regulatory approvals, could materially adversely affect our business.


The process for new drug product development and approval has many steps, including:
 
Chemical and Formulation Development. Pharmaceutical formulation taking into account the chemistry and physical characteristics of the drug or biological substance, is the beginning of a new product. If initial laboratory experiments reveal that the concept for a new drug product looks promising, then a variety of further development steps and tests complying with internationally recognized guidance documents will have to be continued, in order to provide for a product ready for testing in animals and, after sufficient animal test results, also in humans.
 
Concurrent with pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, companies must continue to develop information about the properties of the drug product and finalize a process for manufacturing the product in accordance with cGMP. The manufacturing process must


be capable of consistently producing quality batches of the product, and the manufacturer must develop and validate methods for testing the quality, purity and potency of the final products. Additionally, appropriate packaging must be selected and tested, and stability studies must be conducted to demonstrate that the product does not undergo unacceptable deterioration over its shelf-life.
 
Pre-Clinical Testing. Once a drug candidate is identified for development, the candidate enters the pre-clinical testing stage. This includes laboratory evaluation of product chemistry and formulation, as well as animal studies of pharmacology (mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics) and toxicology which may have to be conducted over lengthy periods of time, to assess the potential safety and efficacy of the product as formulated. Pre-clinical tests must be conducted in compliance with good laboratory practice regulations, the Animal Welfare Act and its regulations in the U.S. and the Clinical Trials Directive and related national laws and guidelines in the EU Member States. Violations of these laws and regulations can, in some cases, lead to invalidation of the studies, then requiring such studies to be replicated. In some cases, long-term pre-clinical studies are conducted while clinical studies are ongoing.
 
Investigational New Drug Application.
 
U.S. The entire body of chemical or biochemical, pharmaceutical and pre-clinical development work necessary to administer investigational drugs to human volunteers or patients is summarized in an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application to the FDA. The IND becomes effective, if not rejected by the FDA within thirty (30) days after filing. There is no assurance that the submission of an IND will eventually allow a company to commence clinical trials. All clinical trials must be conducted under the supervision of a qualified investigator in accordance with good clinical practice regulations to ensure the quality and integrity of clinical trial results and data. These regulations include the requirement that, with limited exceptions, all subjects provide informed consent. In addition, an institutional review board (“IRB”), composed primarily of physicians and other qualified experts at the hospital or clinic where the proposed studies will be conducted, must review and approve each human study. The IRB also continues to monitor the study and must be kept aware of the study’s progress, particularly as to adverse events and changes in the research. Progress reports detailing the results of the clinical trials must be submitted at least annually to the FDA and more frequently if adverse events occur. Failure to adhere to good clinical practices and the protocols, and failure to obtain IRB approval and informed consent, may result in FDA rejection of clinical trial results and data, and may delay or prevent the FDA from approving the drug for commercial use.


European Union. The European equivalent to the IND is the Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier (“IMPD”) which likewise must contain pharmaceutical, pre-clinical and, if existing, previous clinical information on the drug substance and product. An overall risk-benefit assessment critically analyzing the non-clinical and clinical data in relation to the potential risks and benefits of the proposed trial must also be included. The intended clinical trial must be submitted for authorization by the regulatory authority(ies) of each EU Member States in which the trial is intended to be conducted prior to its commencement. The trial must be conducted on the basis ofin accordance with the protocol as approved by an Ethics Committee(s) in each EU Member State (EU
-11-


(EU equivalent to IRBs) before the trial commences.. Before submitting an application to the competent authority, the sponsor must register the trial in the EudraCT database where in the U.S. it will be provided with a unique EudraCT number.


Clinical Trials. Typically, clinical testing involves the administration of the drug product first to healthy human volunteers and then to patients with conditions needing treatment under the supervision of a qualified principal investigator, usually a physician, pursuant to a ‘protocol’ or clinical plan reviewed by the FDA and the competent authorities of the EU Member States along with the IRB or Ethics Committee (via the IND or IMPD submission). The protocol details matter such as a description of the condition to be treated, the objectives of the study, a description of the patient population eligible for the study, and the parameters to be used to monitor safety and efficacy.
 
Clinical trials are time-consuming and costly, and typically are conducted in three sequential phases, which sometimes may overlap. Phase I trials consist of testing the product in a small number of patients or normal volunteers, primarily for safety, in one or more dosages, as well as characterization of a drug’s pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic profile. In Phase 2, in addition to safety, the product is studied in a patient population to evaluate the product’s efficacy for the specific, targeted indications and to determine dosage tolerance and optimal dosage. Phase 3 trials typically involve additional testing for safety and clinical efficacy in an expanded patient population at geographically dispersed sites. With limited exceptions, all patients involved in a clinical trial must provide informed consent prior to their participation. Meeting clinical endpoints in early stage clinical trials does not assure success in later stage clinical trials. Phase 1, 2, and 3 testing may not be completed successfully within any specified time period, if at all.
 
The FDA and the competent authorities of EU Member States monitor the progress of each clinical trial phase conducted under an IND or IMPD and may, at their discretion, reevaluate, alter, suspend or terminate clinical trials at any point in this process for various reasons, including a finding that patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or a determination that it is unethical to continue the study. The FDA, the European Commission and the competent authorities of EU Member States can also request that additional clinical trials be conducted as a condition to product approval. The IRB, the Ethics Committee, and sponsor


also may order the temporary or permanent discontinuance of a clinical trial at any time for a variety of reasons, particularly if safety concerns arise. Such holds can cause substantial delay and, in some cases, may require abandonment of product development. These clinical studies must be conducted in conformance with the FDA’s bioresearch monitoring regulations, the EU Clinical Trials Directive and/or internationally recognized guidance such as the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (“ICH”).
 
New Drug Application. After the completion of the clinical trial phases of development, if the sponsor concludes that there is substantial evidence exists that the drug candidate is effective and that the drug is safe for its intended use, an NDAa new Drug Application (“NDA”) may be submitted to the FDA. The application must contain all of the information on the drug candidate gathered to that date, including data from the pre-clinical and clinical trials, information pertaining to the preparation of the drug, analytical methods, product formulation, details on the manufacture of finished products, proposed product packaging, labeling and stability (shelf-life). NDAs are often over 100,000 pages in length. If FDA determines that a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (“REMS”) is necessary to ensure that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks, a sponsor may be required to include as part of the application a proposed REMS, including a package insert directed to patients, a plan for communication with healthcare providers, restrictions on a drug’s distribution, or a medication guide to provide better information to consumers about the drug’s risks and benefits. Submission of an NDA does not assure FDA approval for marketing.
 
The FDA reviews all submitted NDAs before it accepts them for filing (the U.S. prerequisite for dossier review). ItThe FDA may refuse to file the application and request additional information rather than accepting an application for filing. In this event, the application must be resubmitted with the additional information. The resubmitted application is also subject to review before the FDA accepts it for filing. Once the submission is accepted for filing, the FDA begins an in-depth review of the NDA to determine, among other things, whether a product is safe and effective for its intended use. As part of this review, the FDA may refer the application to an appropriate advisory committee, typically a panel of clinicians, for review, evaluation and a recommendation. There is a strong presumption for advisory committee review for any drug containing an active ingredient not previously approved. The FDA is not bound by the recommendation of an advisory committee. Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”), submission of an NDA with clinical data requires payment of a fee. In return, the FDA assigns an action date of 10 months from acceptance of the application to return of a first ‘complete response,’ in which the FDA may approve the product or request additional information. (Although PDUFAinformation (PDUFA also provides for aan expedited, six-month, “priority review” process, Avadel does not anticipate it applying to any of its products or its partners’ products.)process. There can be no assurance that an application will be approved within the performance goal timeframe established under PDUFA, if at all. If the FDA’s evaluation of the NDA is not favorable, the FDA usually will outline the deficiencies in the submission and request additional testing or information. Notwithstanding the submission of any requested additional information, or even in lieu of asking for additional information, the FDA may decide that the marketing application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval and issue a complete response letter, communicating the agency’sAgency’s decision not to approve the application.

-12-


FDA approval of an NDA will be based, among other factors, on the agency’sAgency’s review of the pre-clinical and clinical data submitted, a risk/benefit analysis of the product, and an evaluation of the manufacturing processes and facilities. Data obtained from clinical activities are not always conclusive and may be susceptible to varying interpretations, which could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval. The FDA has substantial discretion in the approval process and may disagree with an applicant’s interpretation of the data submitted in its NDA. For instance, FDA may require Avadel to provide data from additional preclinical studies or clinical trials to support approval of certain development.development steps or the NDA itself. Among the conditions for NDA approval is the requirement that each prospective manufacturer’s quality control and manufacturing procedures conform to cGMP standards and requirements. Manufacturing establishments often are subject to Pre-Approval Inspections prior to NDA approval to assure compliance with cGMP manufacturing commitments made in the relevant marketing application.
 
Patent Restoration and Exclusivity. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, or the Hatch-Waxman Act, establishes two abbreviated approval pathways for drug products that are in some way follow-on versions of already approved products.
 
Generic Drugs. A generic version of an approved drug is approved by means of an Abbreviated New Drug Application or ANDA,(“ANDA”), by which the sponsor demonstrates that the proposed product is the same as the approved, brand-name drug, which is referred to as the “Reference Listed Drug,” or “RLD”Drug” (“RLD”). Generally, an ANDA must contain data and information showing that the proposed generic product and RLD (1) have the same active ingredient, in the same strength and dosage form, to be delivered via the same route of administration, (2) are intended for the same uses, and (3) are bioequivalent. This is instead of independently demonstrating the proposed product’s safety and effectiveness, which are inferred from the fact that the product isbeing the same as the RLD, which the FDA previously found to be safe and effective.
 
505(b)(2) NDAs. If a product is similar, but not identical, to an already approved product, it may be submitted for approval via an NDA under Section 505(b)(2) of the Act. Unlike an ANDA, this does not excuse the sponsor from demonstrating the proposed


product’s safety and effectiveness. Rather, the sponsor is permitted to rely to some degree on published scientific literature and the FDA’s finding that the RLD is safe and effective, and must submit its own data of safety and effectiveness to an extent necessary because of the differences between the products. With regard to certain UMD products, Avadel intends to submit 505(b)(2) NDAs, relying solely on published scientific literature. Avadel does not plan to conduct additional preclinical studies or clinical trials for these 505(b)(2) NDAs; and, if it were required to do so, would review the continued value of the product.
 
RLD Patents. An NDA sponsor must advise the FDA about patents that claim the drug substance or drug product or a method of using the drug. When the drug is approved, those patents are among the information about the product that is listed in the FDA publication, Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, which is referred to as the Orange Book.“Orange Book”. The sponsor of an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application seeking to rely on an approved product as the RLD must make one of several certifications regarding each listed patent. A “Paragraph III” certification is the sponsor’s statement that it will wait for the patent to expire before obtaining approval for its product. A “Paragraph IV” certification is a challenge to the patent; it is an assertion that the patent does not block approval of the later product, either because the patent is invalid, or unenforceable, and/or because the patent, even if valid, is not infringed by the new product.


Once the FDA accepts for filing an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application containing a Paragraph IV certification, the applicant must within 20 days provide notice to the RLD NDA holder and patent owner that the application with patent challenge has been submitted, and provide the factual and legal basis for the applicant’s assertion that the patent is invalid, unenforceable, or not infringed. If the NDA holder or patent owner file suit against the ANDA or 505(b)(2) applicant for patent infringement within 45 days of receiving the Paragraph IV notice, the FDA is prohibited from approving the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application for a period of 30 months from the date of receipt of the notice. If the RLD has NCEnew chemical entity (“NCE”) exclusivity and the notice is given and suit filed during the fifth year of exclusivity, the 30-month stay does not begin until five years after the RLD approval. The FDA may approve the proposed product before the expiration of the 30-month stay i) if a court finds the patent invalid, unenforceable, or not infringed, orii) if the court shortens the period because the parties have failed to cooperate in expediting the litigation.litigation, or iii) if the parties reach a settlement agreement and notify the FDA of same.

As an alternative to Paragraph IV certification, and only with respect to method of use patents, an applicant can ‘carve around’ a “Patent Use Code” associated with a particular patent in the FDA’s Orange Book. A Patent Use Code is supposed to describe an indication/use of the RLD that is i) set forth in the RLD label and ii) covered by the corresponding method of use patent. As such, in lieu of a Paragraph IV certification, an applicant can demonstrate to the FDA that its proposed label does not include the method of use described by the RLD’s Patent Use Code for the corresponding method of use patent and, thus, ‘carve around’ that Patent Use Code. If a ‘carve around’ is successful, the notice requirement and 30-month stay on FDA approval of the application described above with respect to a Paragraph IV certification for that particular method of use patent does not apply.
 
-13-


Regulatory Exclusivities. The Hatch-Waxman Act may provide periods of regulatory exclusivity for products that would serve as RLDs. If a product is a “new chemical entity,” or NCE, - generally meaning that the active moiety has never before been approved in any drug - there may be a period of five years from the product’s approval during which the FDA may not accept for filing any ANDA or 505(b)(2) application for a drug with the same active moiety. An ANDA or 505(b)(2) application may be submitted after four years, however, if the sponsor makes a Paragraph IV certification challenging a listed patent.
 
A productAn RLD that is not an NCE may qualify for a three-year period of exclusivity, if the NDA contains clinical data that were necessary for approval. In that instance, the exclusivity period does not preclude filing or review of the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application; rather, the FDA is precluded from granting final approval to the ANDA or 505(b)(2) application until three years after approval of the RLD. Additionally, the exclusivity applies only to the conditions of approval that required submission of the clinical data. For example, if an NDA is submitted for a productan RLD that is not an NCE, but that seeks approval for a new indication, and clinical data were required to demonstrate the safety or effectiveness of the productRLD for that use, the FDA could not approve an ANDA or 505(b)(2) application for another product with that active moiety for that use. For example, Coreg CRTM received three-year exclusivity for the clinical trials that demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the new, controlled-release dosage form; that exclusivity, which has expired, blocked other controlled-release products.
 
For a brief discussion of potential marketing exclusivity that could be available under certain conditions with respect to Avadel’s lead product candidate FT218, please see the information set forth under the caption Risks“Risks Related to Regulatory and Legal Matters – If FT218 is approved by the FDA, we may not obtain orphan drug marketing exclusivityexclusivity” in the “Risk Factors” included in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Patent Term Restoration. Under the Hatch-Waxman Act, a portion of the patent term lost during product development and FDA review of an NDA or 505(b)(2) application is restored if approval of the application is the first permitted commercial marketing of a drug containing the active ingredient. The patent term restoration period is generally one-half the time between the effective date of the IND and the date of submission of the NDA, plus the time between the date of submission of the NDA and the date of FDA approval of the product. The maximum period of restoration is five years, and the patent cannot be extended to more than 14 years from the date of FDA approval of the product. Only one patent claiming each approved product is eligible for restoration and the patent holder must apply for restoration within 60 days of approval. The United States Patent and Trademark Office, or PTO,USPTO, in consultation with the FDA, reviews and approves the application for patent term restoration. In the event that Avadel applies for patent term extensions on patents covering Avadel’s products, the FDA and the USPTO may not agree with Avadel’s assessment of whether such extensions are available, and may refuse to grant extensions to Avadel’s patents, or may grant more limited extensions than Avadel requests. Moreover, Avadel may not receive an extension because of, for example, failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise failing to satisfy applicable requirements.


 
Regulation of Combination Drugs. Medical products containing a combination of drugs, biologic, or device products may be regulated as ‘combination products’ in the United States.U.S. A combination product generally is defined as a product comprising components from two or more regulatory categories (e.g., drug/device, device/biologic, drug/biologic). Each component of a combination product is subject to the requirements established by the FDA for that type of component, whether a drug, biologic or device.


To determine which FDA center or centers will review a combination product submission, companies may submit a request for assignment to the FDA. Those requests may be handled formally or informally. In some cases, jurisdiction may be determined informally based on FDA experience with similar products. However, informal jurisdictional determinations are not binding on the FDA. Companies also may submit a formal Request for Designation to the FDA Office of Combination Products. The Office of Combination Products will review the request and make its jurisdictional determination within 60 days of receiving a Request for Designation.
 
In order to facilitate pre-market review of combination products, the FDA designates one of its centers to have primary jurisdiction for the pre-market review and regulation of both components. The determination whether a product is a combination product or two separate products is made by the FDA on a case-by-case basis. It is possible that Avadel’s delivery platforms, when coupled with a drug or medical device component, could be considered and regulated by the FDA as a combination product.
 
If the primary mode of action is determined to be a drug, the product will be reviewed by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (“CDER”) either in consultation with another center or independently. If the primary mode of action is determined to be a medical device, the product would be reviewed by Center for Devices and Radiological Health (“CDRH”) either in consultation with another center, such as CDER, or independently. In addition, FDA could determine that the product is a
-14-


biologic and subject to the jurisdiction of the Center for Biologic Evaluation and Research (“CBER”), although it is also possible that a biological product will be regulated by CDER.
 
Marketing Approval and Reporting Requirements. If the FDA approves an NDA, the product becomes available for physicians to prescribe. The FDA may require post-marketing studies, also known as Phase IV studies, as a condition of approval to develop additional information regarding the safety of a product. These studies may involve continued testing of a product and development of data, including clinical data, about the product’s effects in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use. After approval, the FDA may require post-marketing studies or clinical trials, as well as periodic status reports, if new safety information develops. These post-marketing studies may include clinical trials to investigate known serious risks or signals of serious risks or identify unexpected serious risks. Failure to conduct these studies in a timely manner may result in substantial civil fines and can result in withdrawal of approval. Avadel has several Phase IV obligations with its current approvals.
 
In addition, the FDA may require distribution to patients of a medication guide such as a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (“REMS”) for prescription products that the agency determines pose a serious and significant health concern in order to provide information necessary to patients’ safe and effective use of such products. We expect our FT218 product, if approved by the FDA will be subject to a REMS program.
 
In the European Union, the marketing authorization of a medicinal product may be made conditional on the conduct of Phase IV post-marketing studies. Failure to conduct these studies in relation to centrally authorized products can lead to the imposition of substantial fines. Moreover, Phase IV studies are often conducted by companies in order to obtain further information on product efficacy and positioning on the market in view of competitors and to assist in application for pricing and reimbursement.
 
Other Post-Marketing Obligations. Any products manufactured and/or distributed pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to continuing regulation by the FDA, including recordkeeping requirements, reporting of adverse experiences with the product, submitting other periodic reports, drug sampling and distribution requirements, notifying the FDA and gaining its approval of certain manufacturing or labeling changes, complying with certain electronic records and signature requirements, submitting periodic reports to the FDA, maintaining and providing updated safety and efficacy information to the FDA, and complying with FDA promotion and advertising requirements. For example, the FDA has required Avadel to conduct post-marketing clinical and non-clinical studies for several of its products to be completed between 2016 and 2019.
 
Drug manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies, and to list their products with the FDA. The FDA periodically inspects manufacturing facilities in the United StatesU.S. and abroadelsewhere in order to assure compliance with the applicable cGMP regulations and other requirements. Facilities also are subject to inspections by other U.S. federal, foreign, state or local agencies. In complying with the cGMP regulations, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in recordkeeping and quality control to assure that the product meets applicable specifications and other


post-marketing requirements. Failure of Avadel or its licensees to comply with FDA’s cGMP regulations or other requirements could have a significant adverse effect on Avadel’s business, financial condition and results of operations.


Also, newly discovered or developed safety or efficacy data may require changes to a product’s approved labeling, including the addition of new warnings and contraindications, additional pre-clinical or clinical studies, or even in some instances, revocation or withdrawal of the approval. Violations of regulatory requirements at any stage, including after approval, may result in various adverse consequences, including the FDA’s delay in approving or refusal to approve a product, withdrawal or recall of an approved product from the market, other voluntary or FDA-initiated action that could delay or restrict further marketing, and the imposition of civil fines and criminal penalties against the manufacturer and NDA holder. In addition, later discovery of previously unknown problems may result in restrictions on the product, manufacturer or NDA holder, including withdrawal of the product from the market. Furthermore, new government requirements may be established that could delay or prevent regulatory approval of Avadel’s products under development, or affect the conditions under which approved products are marketed.
 
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (“FDAAA”) provides the FDA with expanded authority over drug products after approval. This legislation enhances the FDA’s authority with respect to post-marketing safety surveillance, including, among other things, the authority to require additional post-marketing studies or clinical trials, labeling changes as a result of safety findings, registering clinical trials, and making clinical trial results publicly available.
 
In the European Union, stringent pharmacovigilance regulations oblige companies to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced Qualified Person resident in the European Economic Area, to prepare and submit to the competent authorities
-15-


adverse event reports within specific time lines, prepare Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSURs)(“PSURs”) and provide other supplementary information, report to authorities at regular intervals and take adequate safety measures agreed with regulatory agencies as necessary. Failure to undertake these obligations can lead to the imposition of substantial fines.
 
Other Regulation

Controlled Substances Act. Narcotics and other APIs, such as sodium oxybate and ephedrine sulfate are “controlled substances” under the Controlled Substances Act. The U.S. federal “Controlled Substances Act” (“CSA”), Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, regulates the manufacture and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances, including stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens.hallucinogens in the U.S. The CSA is administered by the “Drug Enforcement Administration” (“DEA”), a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and is intended to prevent the abuse or diversion of controlled substances into illicit channels of commerce. Avadel hashad several products marketed under this Act and hashave at least one product under development.
 
Any person or firm that manufactures, distributes, dispenses, imports, or exports any controlled substance (or proposes to do so) must register with the DEA. The applicant must register for a specific business activity related to controlled substances, including manufacturing or distributing, and may engage in only the activity or activities for which it is registered. The DEA conducts periodic inspections of registered establishments that handle controlled substances and allots quotas of controlled drugs to manufacturers and marketers’ failure to comply with relevant DEA regulations, particularly as manifested in the loss or diversion of controlled substances, can result in regulatory action including civil penalties, refusal to renew necessary registrations, or proceedings to revoke those registrations. In certain circumstances, violations can lead to criminal prosecution. In addition to these federal statutory and regulatory obligations, there may be state and local laws and regulations relevant to the handling of controlled substances or listed chemicals.
 
cGMP. Current Good Manufacturing Practices rules apply to the manufacturing of drugs and medical devices. In addition to regulations enforced by the FDA, Avadel is also subject to French, U.S. and other countries’ rules and regulations governing permissible laboratory activities, waste disposal, handling of toxic, dangerous or radioactive materials and other matters. Avadel’s R&D involves the controlled use of hazardous materials, chemicals, viruses and various radioactive compounds. Although Avadel believes that its safety procedures for handling and disposing of such materials comply with the standards prescribed by French, EU, U.S. and other foreign rules and regulations, the risk of accidental contamination or injury from these materials cannot be completely eliminated.


Health Care Fraud and Abuse. Avadel is subject to a number of federal and state laws pertaining to health care “fraud and abuse,” such as anti-kickback and false claims laws. Under anti-kickback laws, it is illegal for a prescription drug manufacturer to solicit, offer, receive, or pay any remuneration in exchange for, or to induce, the referral of business, including the purchase or prescription of a particular drug. Due to the breadth of the statutory provisions and the absence of guidance via regulations and that there are few court decisions addressing industry practices, it is possible that Avadel’s practices might be challenged under anti-kickback or similar laws. False claims laws prohibit anyone from knowingly and willingly presenting, or causing to be presented for payment to third-party payors (such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs) claims for reimbursed drugs or services that are false or fraudulent, claims for items or services not provided as claimed, or claims for medically unnecessary items or services. Avadel’s


sales and marketing activities relating to its products could be subject to scrutiny under these laws. Violations of fraud and abuse laws may be punishable by criminal and/or civil sanctions, including fines and civil monetary penalties, the possibility of exclusion from federal health care programs (including Medicare and Medicaid) and corporate integrity agreements, which impose, among other things, rigorous operational and monitoring requirements on companies. In addition, similar sanctions and penalties can be imposed upon executive officers and employees, including criminal sanctions against executive officers. As a result of the potential penalties that can be imposed on companies and individuals if convicted, allegations of such violations often result in settlements even if the company or individual being investigated admits no wrongdoing. Settlements often include significant civil sanctions, including fines and civil monetary penalties, and corporate integrity agreements. If the U.S. government were to allege or convict Avadel or its executive officers of violating these laws, Avadel’s business could be harmed. In addition, private individuals have the ability to bring similar actions. In addition to the reasons noted above, Avadel’s activities could be subject to challenge due to the broad scope of these laws and the increasing attention being given to them by law enforcement authorities. There also are an increasing number of U.S. federal and state laws that require manufacturers to make reports to states on pricing, marketing information, and payments and other transfers of value to healthcare providers. Many of these laws contain ambiguities as to what is required to comply with the laws. Given the lack of clarity in laws and their implementation, Avadel’s reporting actions could be subject to the penalty provisions of the pertinent authorities.
 
Healthcare Privacy and Security Laws. Avadel may be subject to, or its marketing activities may be limited by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), as amended by the Health Information Technology and
-16-


Clinical Health Act and their respective implementing regulations, which established uniform standards for certain “covered entities” (healthcare providers, health plans and healthcare clearinghouses) governing the conduct of certain electronic healthcare transactions and protecting the security and privacy of protected health information. Among other things, HIPAA’s privacy and security standards are directly applicable to “business associates” – independent contractors or agents of covered entities that create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information in connection with providing a service for or on behalf of a covered entity. In addition to possible civil and criminal penalties for violations, state attorney generals are authorized to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in U.S. federal courts to enforce HIPAA and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions. In addition, state laws govern the privacy and security of health information in certain circumstances, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and may not have the same effect, thus complicating compliance efforts. In the EU/EEA, Directive 95/46/EEC (as amended) or its successor applies to identified or identifiable personal data processed by automated means (e.g., a computer database of customers) and data contained in, or intended to be part of, non-automated filing systems (traditional paper files) as well as transfer of such data to a country outside of the EU/EEA.
 
“Sunshine” and Marketing Disclosure Laws. There are an increasing number of U.S. federal and state “sunshine” laws that require pharmaceutical manufacturers to make reports to states on pricing and marketing information. Several U.S. states have enacted legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to, among other things, establish marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports with the state, and make periodic public disclosures on sales and marketing activities, and prohibiting certain other sales and marketing practices. In addition, a similar recently implemented federal requirement requires manufacturers, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, to track and report to the federal government certain payments and other transfers of value made to physicians and other healthcare professionals and teaching hospitals and ownership or investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. The U.S. federal government began disclosing the reported information on a publicly available website in 2014. These laws may adversely affect Avadel’s sales, marketing, and other activities with respect to its medicines in the United StatesU.S. by imposing administrative and compliance burdens on us. If Avadel fails to track and report as required by these laws or otherwise comply with these laws, it could be subject to the penalty provisions of the pertinent U.S. state and federal authorities.


Government Price Reporting. For those marketed medicines which are covered in the United StatesU.S. by the Medicaid programs, Avadel has various obligations, including government price reporting and rebate requirements, which generally require medicines be offered at substantial rebates/discounts to Medicaid and certain purchasers (including “covered entities” purchasing under the 340B Drug Discount Program). Avadel is also required to discount such medicines to authorized users of the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration, under which additional laws and requirements apply. These programs require submission of pricing data and calculation of discounts and rebates pursuant to complex statutory formulas, as well as the entry into government procurement contracts governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulations, and the guidance governing such calculations is not always clear. Compliance with such requirements can require significant investment in personnel, systems and resources, but failure to properly calculate Avadel’s prices, or offer required discounts or rebates could subject it to substantial penalties. One component of the rebate and discount calculations under the Medicaid and 340B programs, respectively, is the “additional rebate”, a complex calculation which is based, in part, on the rate at which a branded drug price increases over time more than the rate of inflation (based on the CPI-U). This comparison is based on the baseline pricing data for the first full quarter of sales associated with a branded drug’s NDA, and baseline data cannot generally be reset, even on transfer of the NDA to another manufacturer. This “additional rebate” calculation can, in some cases where price increases have been relatively high versus the first quarter of sales of the NDA, result in Medicaid rebates up to 100 percent of a drug’s “average manufacturer price” and 340B prices of one penny.



Healthcare Reimbursement
 
In both U.S. and foreignnon-U.S. markets, sales of Avadel’s potential products as well as products of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that incorporate Avadel’s technology into their products, if any, will depend in part on the availability of reimbursement by third-party payers, such as government health administration authorities, private health insurers and other organizations. The U.S. market for pharmaceutical products is increasingly being shaped by managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, cooperative buying organizations and large drugstore chains. Third-party payers are challenging the price and cost effectiveness of medical products and services. Uncertainty particularly exists as to the reimbursement status of newly approved healthcare products. There can be no assurance reimbursement will be available to enable Avadel to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our product development investment. Legislation and regulations affecting the pricing of pharmaceuticals may change before Avadel’s proposed products are approved for marketing and any such changes could further limit reimbursement for medical products and services.

The Reincorporation Merger

The Company is the successor to Flamel Technologies S.A., a French société anonyme (“Flamel”), as the result of the Merger described above, in which Flamel merged with and into the Company at 11:59:59 p.m., Central Europe Time, on December 31, 2016 (the “Merger”) pursuant to the agreement between Flamel and Avadel entitled Common Draft Terms of Cross-Border Merger dated as of June 29, 2016 (the “Merger Agreement”). Immediately prior to the Merger, the Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Flamel. In accordance with the Merger Agreement, as a result of the Merger:
Flamel ceased to exist as a separate entity and the Company continued as the surviving entity and assumed all of the assets and liabilities of Flamel.-17-



Human Capital Resources
our authorized share capital is $5,500 divided into 500,000,000 ordinary shares with a nominal value of $0.01 each and 50,000,000 preferred shares with a nominal value of $0.01 each

all outstanding ordinary shares of Flamel, €0.122 nominal value per share, were canceled and exchanged on a one-for-one basis for newly issued ordinary shares of the Company, $0.01 nominal value per share. This change in nominal value of our outstanding shares resulted in our reclassifying $5,937 on our balance sheet from ordinary shares to additional paid-in capital

our Board of Directors is authorized to issue preferred shares on a non-pre-emptive basis, for a maximum period of five years, at which point such an authorization may be renewed by shareholders. The Board of Directors has discretion to dictate terms attached to the preferred shares, including voting, dividend, conversion rights, and priority relative to other classes of shares with respect to dividends and upon a liquidation.

all outstanding American Depositary Shares (ADSs) representing ordinary shares of Flamel were canceled and exchanged on a one-for-one basis for ADSs representing ordinary shares of the Company.

Thus, the Merger changed the jurisdiction of our incorporation from France to Ireland, and an ordinary share of the Company held (either directly or represented by an ADS) immediately after the Merger continued to represent the same proportional interest in our equity owned by the holder of a share of Flamel immediately prior to the Merger.
References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” and similar terms shall be deemed to be references to Flamel prior to the completion of the Merger, unless the context otherwise requires.
Prior to completion of the Merger, the Flamel ADSs were listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) under the trading symbol “FLML”; and immediately after the Merger the Company’s ADSs were listed for and began trading on Nasdaq on January 3, 2017 under the trading symbol “AVDL.”
Further details about the reincorporation, the Merger and the Merger Agreement are contained in our definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on July 5, 2016.



Employees


As of December 31, 2018,2020, we had approximately 14432 employees, all of which were full-time. Following implementation of our restructuring plan which we announced on February 7, 2019, we expect the numberNone of our employees will be reduced to approximately 50. Except for employees at our French subsidiaries, none of the Company’s other employees isare subject to a union or other collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, employees at our French subsidiaries (approximately 50 employees) are represented by a works’ council in which employee representatives have the right to be consulted as to certain matters affecting our French subsidiaries.  The Company believesWe believe that our relations with our employees are satisfactory.




At Avadel, the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. Avadel is patient-focused, results-oriented, resilient, and ethical (the “Avadel Values”). In everything we do, we live the Avadel Values. We provide reimbursement to our employees for seminars, conferences and educational and professional training. In alignment with our business strategy, it is our goal to empower all employees to take full advantage of their professional growth opportunities, to lead them to long-term job satisfaction and organizational success. Through professional development, our employees can broaden their skills for their current and future roles.

Our commitment to our employees includes benefit and compensation programs that value the contributions our employees make. We strive to provide pay, benefits, and services that are competitive and create incentives to attract and retain employees. In addition to competitive pay, we offer bonus and stock-based compensation packages for all levels of employees within the organization as well as a company match for employee retirement programs. We also offer competitive health, dental and life insurance and vacation pay, for all employees.

We expect to add employees in 2021 in anticipation of the potential launch of FT218, pending FT218’s approval by the FDA.

-18-


Item 1A.    Risk Factors.
An investment in Avadel involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, before making an investment decision. Avadel’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The market or trading price of Avadel’s securities could decline due to any of these risks. In addition, please read “Cautionary Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, where we describe additional uncertainties associated with Avadel’s business and with the forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Please note that additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair Avadel’s business and operations.
Risks RelatingRelated to Our 2018 Net LossProduct Candidate and Recent Restructuring PlanFuture Product Candidates and Clinical Development


Our net loss and use of cash from operating activities in 2018 may limit our ability to fully pursue our business strategy.

We reported a net loss of $95.3 million in 2018 and a net use of cash from operating activities of $82.7 million. As a result, our cash and marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 totaled $99.9 million. Our business strategy is to primarily focus on the development and potential FDA approval for FT218 which is in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of narcolepsy patients suffering from EDS and cataplexy. In addition, we will continue to maximize the value of our current approved hospital products portfolio, including obtaining FDA approval for and the commercialization of our fourth UMD product. Additionally, we will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our product portfolio. The successful pursuit of all components of our strategy will require substantial financial resources, and there can be no assurance that our existing cash and marketable securities assets and the cash generated by our operations will be adequate for these purposes. Failure to implement any component of our strategy may prevent us from achieving profitability in the future or may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation. See also the discussions elsewhere in these Risk Factors under the captions “We may fail to effectively execute our business strategy” and We may require additional financing, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all, and which may result in dilution of the equity interest of the holders of our American Depositary Shares (ADSs).

Our recent restructuring plan may not be as effective as we anticipated and we may fail to fully realize the expected cost savings or may experience unintended negative impacts from the restructuring.

In February 2019 we announced a restructuring plan intended to achieve future cost savings through, among other actions, a reduction of our overall workforce by approximately 50%. In conjunction with the restructuring plan, we also announced the voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by our subsidiary, Specialty Pharma, which is responsible solely for the sales, marketing and distribution of the Company’s Noctiva™ product for the treatment of nocturia (i.e., waking up two or more times during the night to urinate due to a condition called nocturnal polyuria). We implemented the restructuring plan in light of disappointing results from the commercial launch of Noctiva, and in order to focus the Company’s resources on other product development activities, in particular the ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial of its FT218 product for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy in patients suffering from Narcolepsy. The restructuring plan requires the devotion of management attention as well as significant Company resources, including one-time pre-tax cash charges which we estimated at $10.0 million to $15.0 million, and may pose significant risks. The restructuring plan may not be as effective as we anticipated and may not fully produce the expected cost savings or the effective re-focusing of our efforts toward completing the development of FT218. In addition, the restructuring plan may result in greater implementation costs than we have estimated or may result in unintended negative consequences. For example, because of the speed and magnitude of the workforce reduction in the February 2019 restructuring, it may be difficult in the near future to retain certain remaining employees who are critical to our ability to successfully pursue our business plan. See also the discussion elsewhere in these Risk Factors under the caption “We depend on key personnel to execute our business plan. If we cannot attract and retain key personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business plan.”

If we need to take further restructuring actions, necessary third-party consents may not be granted.

Our management may determine that we need to take further restructuring actions to achieve additional cost savings, to generate additional capital needed for our business strategy, or for other purposes. Certain possible future restructuring actions, including sales of assets, that management may consider in this regard could require consents of third parties, such as (but not necessarily limited to) holders of our Exchangeable Senior Notes (the “2023 Notes”). For example, the voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Specialty Pharma required the consent of holders of a majority in principal amount of our 2023 Notes in order to avoid a default under the Indenture governing such 2023 Notes. While we were successful in obtaining that consent, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining additional consents in the future from such holders or from other third parties whose consents may be necessary for further restructuring actions. Failure to obtain these third-party consents would prevent us


from taking the additional restructuring actions, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial resources and ability to successfully pursue our business strategy.

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Specialty Pharma may have unexpected adverse results.

Our subsidiary Specialty Pharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2019. Avadel US Holdings Inc., which is Specialty Pharma’s immediate parent and is our wholly owned subsidiary, agreed to provide debtor-in-possession financing to Specialty Pharma of up to $2.7 million. In its bankruptcy proceeding, Specialty Pharma may pursue a possible sale of its Noctiva business to an unrelated third-party purchaser, although there is currently no term sheet or definitive contract signed with any prospective purchaser for such a sale. Any such sale may involve the transfer of certain of Specialty Pharma’s rights related to the exclusive license agreement with Serenity Pharmaceuticals. Other parties interested in the bankruptcy case, including Serenity Pharmaceuticals, could dispute Specialty Pharma’s right to make such a sale and there can be no assurance that the bankruptcy court would order any such sale to be completed. In addition, there could be other unexpected results from the bankruptcy proceeding, including but not limited to greater than expected costs in the case that may exceed the amount of financing that Avadel US Holdings Inc. has committed to provide. Adverse or unexpected results from the bankruptcy proceeding could impair our success in achieving the goals of the restructuring plan we announced in February 2019.

The clinical trial for our FT218 product has no estimated completion date and a management-directed third-party evaluation of our FT218 development program could result in changes that increase the cost of the program and further delay its completion.

At present, we have not completed patient enrollment in the clinical trial for our FT218 product and we have not announced an estimated completion date for the clinical trial. Moreover, the FT218 product development program has become substantially more important to our success in the aftermath of the disappointing sales results for Noctiva and the Specialty Pharma bankruptcy filing. Accordingly, management has determined to re-focus on all aspects of the FT218 program with an evaluation assisted by pharmaceutical industry consulting firms. While the final results of this evaluation are not known, such results could cause us to modify our development plan with respect to FT218 in ways that materially increase the ultimate cost of such development or further delay its completion, or could identify unknown risks or problems with the product. Any such cost increases, added delays, risks or problems could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.

Risks Relating to Our Business and Industry

We derive a substantial majority of our revenues from a small number of products facing competitive pressures, and from a small number of customers, and the loss of any one of these products or customers could reduce Avadel’s revenues significantly.

In 2018, we derived $97.5 million, or 96.2%, of our $101.4 million in revenues from sales of our three hospital products, Bloxiverz®, Vazculep® and Akovaz®. Sales of these three products declined in the aggregate from 2017 to 2018 by $66.9 million, or 40.7%, from $164.4 million to $97.5 million, although Vazculep® sales increased by $4.7 million, or 12.4%, in 2018 compared to the prior year. Our Noctiva™ product failed to achieve anticipated revenue levels despite a substantial investment of resources toward its commercialization, and these disappointing results led to the voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Specialty Pharma in February 2019. In addition, we depend on a small number of customers for the majority of our revenues from our three hospital products. Four customers accounted for approximately 86.8% of total revenues from sales of these products in 2018. These four customers comprise a significant portion of the distribution network for pharmaceutical products in the U.S.

Competition for our hospital products in 2018 caused significant downward pricing pressure and, with the exception of Vazculep, loss of market share by the Company resulting in lower aggregate revenues for these products; and further competition in the future could cause further reductions in prices and market share. The distribution network for pharmaceutical products is continuing to undergo consolidation marked by mergers and acquisitions among wholesale distributors and retail drug store chains. As a result, a small number of large wholesale distributors and large chain drug stores control a significant share of the market. We expect that continuing consolidation may cause competitive pressures on pharmaceutical companies. The loss of any one of our three hospital products, the termination of our relationship with any of these customers or our failure to broaden our customer base could cause our revenues to further decrease significantly and result in further losses from our operations. Further, we may be unable to negotiate favorable business terms with customers that represent a significant portion of our revenues, and any such inability could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

We must invest substantial sums in R&D in order to remain competitive, and we may not fully recover these investments.

To be successful in the highly competitive pharmaceutical industry, we must commit substantial resources each year to R&D in order to develop new products and enhance our technologies. In 2018, we spent $39.3 million on R&D, including expenditures related to our FT218 and UMD#4 product candidates. Our ongoing investments in R&D for these two products as well as possible


future products could result in higher costs without a proportionate increase, or any increase, in revenues. The R&D process is lengthy and carries a substantial risk of failure. For example, we currently have not completed patient enrollment for the clinical trial of FT218, nor have we announced a projected completion date for this clinical trial. If our R&D does not yield sufficient products that achieve commercial success, our future operating results will be adversely affected.

Our products may not reach the commercial market for a number of reasons.
Drug development is an inherently uncertain process with a high risk of failure at every stage of development. Successful R&D of pharmaceutical products is difficult, expensive and time consuming. Many product candidates fail to reach the market. Our success will depend on the development and the successful commercialization of new drugs, including additional previously Unapproved Marketed Drug (“UMD”) products and products that utilize our drug delivery technologies. If any of our additional UMD products or products incorporating our drug delivery technologies fails to reach the commercial market, our future revenues would be adversely affected.
Even if our products and current drug delivery technologies appear promising during development, there may not be successful commercial applications developed for them for a number of reasons, including:
the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”), the competent authority of an EU Member State or an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”), or an Ethics Committee (EU equivalent to IRB), or our partners may delay or halt applicable clinical trials;
we or our partners may face slower than expected rate of patient recruitment and enrollment in clinical trials, or may devote insufficient funding to the clinical trials;
our drug delivery technologies and drug products may be found to be ineffective or to cause harmful side effects, or may fail during any stage of pre-clinical testing or clinical trials;
we or our partners may find that certain products cannot be manufactured on a commercial scale and, therefore, may not be economical or feasible to produce; or
our products could fail to obtain regulatory approval or, if approved, could fail to achieve market acceptance, could fail to be included within the pricing and reimbursement schemes of the U.S. or EU Member States, or could be precluded from commercialization by proprietary rights of third parties.

We may rely on collaborations with third parties to commercialize certain of our products in development, in particular products using our drug delivery technologies, and such strategy involves risks that could impair our prospects for realizing profits from such products.

The Company expects that the commercialization of some of our products in development which utilize our drug delivery technologies may require collaboration with third-party partners involving strategic alliances, licenses, product divestitures or other arrangements. We may not be successful in entering into such collaborations on favorable terms, if at all, or our collaboration partners may not adequately perform under such arrangements, and as a result our ability to commercialize these products will be negatively affected and our prospects will be impaired.

Our products may not gain market acceptance.
Our products and technologies may not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients, healthcare payor and medical communities. The degree of market acceptance of any product or technology will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to:
the scope of regulatory approvals, including limitations or warnings in a product’s regulatory-approved labeling;
in the case of any new “unapproved-marketed-drug” product we may successfully pursue, whether and the extent to which the FDA removes competing products from the market;
demonstration of the clinical safety and efficacy of the product or technology;
the absence of evidence of undesirable side effects of the product or technology that delay or extend trials;
the lack of regulatory delays or other regulatory actions;
its cost-effectiveness and related access to payor coverage;
its potential advantage over alternative treatment methods;
the availability of third-party reimbursement; and
the marketing and distribution support it receives.

If any of our products or technologies fails to achieve market acceptance, our ability to generate additional revenue will be limited, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.



The development of several of our drug delivery technologies and products depend on the services of a single provider and any interruption of operations of such provider could significantly delay or have a material adverse effect on our product pipeline.

Currently, Avadel uses a single source provider for the development, supply of clinical materials and potentially the supply of commercial batches for several of our products incorporating our drug delivery technologies. For details see the discussion in the “Business - Information on the Company” in this Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any disruption in the operations of this provider or if this provider fails to supply acceptable quantity and quality materials or services to us for any reason, such disruption or failure could delay our product development and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In case of a disruption, we may need to establish alternative manufacturing sources for our drug delivery products, and this would likely lead to substantial production delays as we build or locate replacement facilities and seek to satisfy necessary regulatory requirements.

We depend on a limited number of suppliers for the manufacturing of our products and certain raw materials used in our products and any failure of such suppliers to deliver sufficient quantities of supplies of product or these raw materials could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Currently, we depend on a limited number of CMOs for three products, Bloxiverz®, Vazculep® and Akovaz®, from which we derive a majority of our revenues and a single contract manufacturer for Noctiva. Additionally, we purchase certain raw materials used in our products from a limited number of suppliers, including a single supplier for certain key ingredients. If the supplies of these products or materials were interrupted for any reason, our manufacturing and marketing of certain products could be delayed. These delays could be extensive and expensive, especially in situations where a substitution was not readily available or required variations of existing regulatory approvals and certifications or additional regulatory approval. For example, an alternative supplier may be required to pass an inspection by the FDA, EMA or the competent authorities of EU Member States for compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMP”) requirements before supplying us with product or before we may incorporate that supplier’s ingredients into the manufacturing of our products by our contract, development, and manufacturing organizations (“CDMOs”). Failure to obtain adequate supplies in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If our competitors develop and market technologies or products that are safer or more effective than ours, or obtain regulatory approval and market such technologies or products before we do, our commercial opportunity will be diminished or eliminated.

Competition in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is intense and is expected to increase. We compete with academic laboratories, research institutions, universities, joint ventures and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including other companies developing drug delivery technologies or niche brand or generic specialty pharmaceutical products. Some of these competitors may also be our business partners.

Our drug delivery technologies compete with technologies provided by several other companies (for details, see the discussion in the “Business of Avadel” under “Competition and Market Opportunities - Competition and Market Opportunities” in Part I, Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K). In particular, New Biological Entities (“NBEs”) could be developed that, if successful, could compete against our drug delivery technologies or products. Among the many experimental therapies being tested in the U.S. and in the EU, there may be some that we do not now know of that may compete with our drug delivery technologies or products in the future. These new biological or chemical products may be safer or may work better than our products.

With respect to our UMD drug products, the FDA has approved generic versions or previously filed NDAs of our marketed products and may approve additional generic versions in the future.

Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technological, manufacturing, marketing, managerial and R&D resources and experience than we do. Furthermore, acquisitions of competing drug delivery companies by large pharmaceutical companies could enhance our competitors’ resources. Accordingly, our competitors may succeed in developing competing technologies and products, obtaining regulatory approval and gaining market share for their products more rapidly than we do.

Our revenues may be negatively affected by healthcare reforms and increasing pricing pressures.

Future prices for our pharmaceutical products and medical devices will be substantially affected by reimbursement policies of third-party payors such as government healthcare programs, private insurance plans and managed care organizations; by our contracts with the drug wholesalers who distribute our products; and by competitive market forces generally. In recent years, third-party payors have been exerting downward pressure on prices at which products will be reimbursed, and the drug wholesale industry has been undergoing consolidation which gives greater market power to the remaining, larger drug wholesalers. In the U.S., the new administration has made public and social media statements causing uncertainty as to future federal U.S. government


policies regulating drug prices. And the trend toward increased availability of generic products has contributed to overall pricing pressures in the pharmaceutical industry. Any future changes in laws, regulations, practices or policies, in the drug wholesale industry, or in the prevalence of generic products, may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

If we cannot keep pace with the rapid technological change in our industry, we may lose business, and our products and technologies could become obsolete or noncompetitive.

Our success also depends, in part, on maintaining a competitive position in the development of products and technologies in a rapidly evolving field. Major technological changes can happen quickly in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. If we cannot maintain competitive products and technologies, our competitors may succeed in developing competing technologies or obtaining regulatory approval for products before us, and the products of our competitors may gain market acceptance more rapidly than our products. Such rapid technological change, or the development by our competitors of technologically improved or different products, could render our products or technologies obsolete or noncompetitive.

We may fail to effectively execute our business strategy.

Our business strategy is to continue our UMD program by obtaining FDA approval for and commercializing our fourth UMD product candidate as well as potentially additionaland future UMD product candidates continue to seek FDA approval for FT218 which is in Phase 3 clinical trial. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in any of these objectives; and a failure in any of these objectives could negatively impact our business and operating results. See also the discussions elsewhere in these Risk Factors under the caption “Our net loss in 2018 and the resulting decrease in our available liquid assets may limit our ability to fully pursue our business strategy.”

If we cannot adequately protect our intellectual property and proprietary information, we may be unable to effectively compete.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights for our products and technology, including our drug delivery technologies, and to preserve our trade secrets and other proprietary information. If we cannot do so, our competitors may exploit our technologies and deprive us of the ability to realize revenues and profits from our products and technologies.

To the extent any of Avadel’s products may benefit from protections afforded by patents, Avadel faces the risk that patent law relating to the scope of claims in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields is continually evolving and can be the subject of uncertainty and may change in a way that would limit protection. Our patents may not be exclusive, valid or enforceable. For example, our patents may not protect us against challenges by companies that submit drug marketing applications to the FDA, or the competent authorities of EU Member States or other jurisdictions in which we may attempt to compete, in particular where such applications rely, at least in part, on safety and efficacy data from our products or our business partners’ products. In addition, competitors may obtain patents that may have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business, or they may discover ways to circumvent our patents. The scope of any patent protection may not be sufficiently broad to cover our products or to exclude competing products. Any patent applications that we have made or may make relating to our potential products or technologies may not result in patents being issued. Further, patent protection once obtained is limited in time, after which competitors may use the covered product or technology without obtaining a license from us. Because of the time required to obtain regulatory marketing approval, the period of effective patent protection for a marketed product is frequently substantially shorter than the duration of the patent.

Our partnerships with third parties expose us to risks that they will claim intellectual property rights on our inventions or fail to keep our unpatented products or technology confidential. We also rely on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and know-how to develop, maintain and strengthen our competitive position.

To protect our products, trade secrets and proprietary technologies, we rely, in part, on confidentiality agreements with our employees, suppliers, consultants, advisors and partners. These agreements may not provide adequate protection for our trade secrets and other proprietary information in the event of any unauthorized use or disclosure, or if others lawfully develop the information. If these agreements are breached, we cannot be certain that we will have adequate remedies. Further, we cannot guaranty that third parties will not know, discover or independently develop equivalent proprietary information or technologies, or that they will not gain access to our trade secrets or disclose our trade secrets to the public. Therefore, we cannot guaranty that we can maintain and protect unpatented proprietary information and trade secrets. Misappropriation or other loss of our intellectual property would adversely affect our competitive position and may cause us to incur substantial litigation or other costs.


The implementation of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011 may adversely affect our business.

The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011 (“AIA”) changes the current U.S. “first-to-invent” system to a system that awards a patent to the “first-inventor-to-file” for an application for a patentable invention. This change alters the pool of available materials that can be used to challenge patents in the U.S. and eliminates the ability to rely on prior research to lay claim to patent rights. Disputes will be resolved through new derivation proceedings and the AIA creates mechanisms to allow challenges to issued patents in reexamination, inter partes review and post grant proceedings. New bases and procedures may make it easier for competitors to challenge our patents, which could result in increased competition and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. The AIA may also make it harder to challenge third-party patents and place greater importance on being the first inventor to file a patent application on an invention. The AIA amendments to patent filing and litigation procedures in the U.S. may result in litigation being more complex and expensive and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel.

Third parties may claim that our products infringe their rights, and we may incur significant costs resolving these claims.

Third parties may claim infringement of their patents and other intellectual property rights by the manufacture, use, import, offer for sale or sale of our drug delivery technologies or our other products. For example, in connection with us seeking regulatory approval for FT218, companies that produce any branded pharmaceutical versions of such products may allege that FT218 infringes their patents or other intellectual property rights and file suit to prevent us from commercializing FT218. In response to any claim of infringement, we may have to seek licenses, defend infringement actions or challenge the validity or enforceability of those patent rights in court. If we cannot obtain required licenses, are found liable for infringement or are not able to have such patent rights declared invalid or unenforceable. We may be liable for significant monetary damages, encounter significant delays in bringing products to market or be precluded from the manufacture, use, import, offer for sale or sale of products or methods of drug delivery covered by the patents of others. We may not have identified, or be able to identify in the future, U.S. or foreign patents that pose a risk of potential infringement claims.

Any claims, with or without merit, that our products or drug delivery technologies infringe proprietary rights of third parties could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation or divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, any of which could disrupt our relationships with our partners and could significantly harm our financial positions and operating results.

If we or our partners are required to obtain licenses from third parties, our revenues and royalties on any commercialized products could be reduced.

The development of certain products based on our drug delivery technologies may require the use of raw materials (e.g., proprietary
excipient), active ingredients, drugs (e.g., proprietary proteins) or technologies developed by third parties. The extent to which efforts by other researchers have resulted or will result in patents and the extent to which we or our partners are forced to obtain licenses from others, if available, on commercially reasonable terms is currently unknown. If we or our partners must obtain licenses from third parties, fees must be paid for such licenses, which could reduce the net revenues and royalties we may receive on commercialized products that incorporate our drug delivery technologies.

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise confidential information and expose us to liability and cause our business and reputation to suffer.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store on our networks various intellectual property including our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers and business partners. The secure maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite our security measures, our information systems and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, investigations by regulatory authorities in the U.S. and EU Member States, disruption to our operations and damage to our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our business.

Failure to comply with domestic and international privacy and security laws could result in the imposition of significant civil and criminal penalties.

The costs of compliance with privacy and security laws, including protecting electronically stored information from cyber-attacks, and potential liability associated with any compliance failures could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We are subject to various domestic and international privacy and security regulations, including but not limited to HIPAA. Additionally, we will be required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (Regulation EU 2016/679) by May 25, 2018. HIPAA mandates, among other things, the adoption of uniform standards for the electronic exchange


of information in common healthcare transactions, as well as standards relating to the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information, which require the adoption of administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect such information. In addition, many states have enacted comparable laws addressing the privacy and security of health information, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA. GDPR will require Avadel to ensure that personal data Avadel collects is gathered legally and under strict conditions and protect such personal data from misuse and exploitation. If Avadel fails to comply with GDPR, we will face significant fines and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our effective tax rate could be highly volatile and could adversely affect our operating results.

Our future effective tax rate may be adversely affected by a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control, including:

the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed;
increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes, including increases in the fair value of related party payables, write-offs of acquired in-process R&D and impairment of goodwill in connection with acquisitions;
changes in domestic or international tax laws or the interpretation of such tax laws;
adjustments to estimated taxes upon finalization of various tax returns;
changes in available tax credits;
changes in share-based compensation expense;
changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities;
the resolution of issues arising from tax audits with various tax authorities; and
the tax effects of purchase accounting for acquisitions that may cause fluctuations between reporting periods.

Any significant increase in our future effective tax rates could impact our results of operations for future periods adversely.

We outsource important activities to consultants, advisors and outside contractors.

We outsource many key functions of our business and therefore rely on a substantial number of consultants, advisors and outside contractors. If we are unable to effectively manage our outsourced activities or if the quality or accuracy of the services provided by such third parties is compromised for any reason, our development activities may be extended, delayed or terminated which would have an adverse effect on our development program and our business.

We depend on key personnel to execute our business plan. If we cannot attract and retain key personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business plan.

Our success depends in large part upon our ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. During our operating history, we have assigned many key responsibilities within our Company to a relatively small number of individuals, each of whom has played key roles in executing various important components of our business. We do not maintain material key person life insurance for any of our key personnel. If we lose the services of Greg Divis, our interim Chief Executive Officer, or other members of our senior executive team, we may have difficulty executing our business plan in the manner we currently anticipate. Further, because each of our key personnel is involved in numerous roles in various components of our business, the loss of any one or more of such individuals could have an adverse effect on our business.

Risks Related to Regulatory and Legal Matters

Our products will generally be subject to regulatory approval. If we or our pharmaceutical and biotechnology company partners do not obtain such approvals, or if such approvals are delayed, our ability to generate future revenues may be adversely affected.


Our fourth UMDlead product and ourcandidate, FT218, product, as well as products thatproduct candidates we may wish to market in the future, may not gain regulatory approval and reach the commercial market for a variety of reasons. We submitted a NDA, for FT218 in December 2020. In February 2021, the FDA assigned FT218 a PDUFA target action date of October 15, 2021.


In the U.S., federal, state and local government agencies, primarily the FDA, regulate all pharmaceutical products, including existing products and those under development. Neither we nor our pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners can control whether we obtain regulatory approval for any of these products or, if obtained, the timing thereof. There may be significant delays in expected product releases while attempting to obtain regulatory approval for products incorporating our technologies. If we or our partners are not successful in timely obtaining such approvals, our revenues and profitability may decline.


Applicants for FDA approval often must submit to the FDA extensive clinical and pre-clinical data, as well as information about product manufacturing processes and facilities and other supporting information. Varying interpretations of the data obtained from


pre-clinical and clinical testing could delay, limit or prevent regulatory approval of a drug product. The FDA also may require us, or our partners to conduct additional pre-clinical studies or clinical trials.

Similarly, although we anticipate submitting applications for approval for our development products that rely on existing data to demonstrate safety and effectiveness, the FDA may determine that additional studies particular to our productsproduct candidate and future product candidates are necessary. If the FDA requires such additional data,studies, it would impact development plans for those products.


Changes in FDA approval policy during the development period, or changes in regulatory review for each submitted new product application, also may delay an approval or result in rejection of an application. For instance, under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (“FDAAA”),FDAAA, we or our partners may be required to develop Risk Evaluations and Mitigation Strategies (“REMS”),REMS to ensure the safe use of our lead product candidates.candidate. If the FDA disagrees with such REMS proposals, it may be more difficult and costly to obtain regulatory approval for our lead product candidates.candidate. Similarly, FDAAA provisions may make it more likely that the FDA will refer a marketing application for a new product to an advisory committee for review, evaluation and recommendation as to whether the application should be approved. This review may add to the time for approval, and, although the FDA is not bound by the recommendation of an advisory committee, objections or concerns expressed by an advisory committee may cause the FDA to delay or deny approval.


The FDA has substantial discretion in the approval process and may disagree with our or our partners’ interpretations of data and information submitted in an application, which also could cause delays of an approval or rejection of an application. Even if the FDA approves a product, the approval may limit the uses or indications for which the product may be marketed, restrict distribution of the product or require further studies.


The FDA may also withdraw product clearances and approvals for failure to comply with regulatory requirements or if problems follow initial marketing. In the same way, medicinal products for supply on the EU market are subject to marketing authorization by either the European Commission, following an opinion by the EMA,European Medicines Agency (“EMA”), or by the competent authorities of EU Member States. Applicants for marketing authorization must submit extensive technical and clinical data essentially in the form of the ICH Common Technical Document. The data is subject to extensive review by the competent authorities, and after such review the data may be considered inappropriate or insufficient. If applications for marketing authorization by pharmaceutical and biotechnology company partners are delayed or rejected, if the therapeutic indications for which the product is approved are limited, or if conditional marketing authorization imposing post-marketing clinical trials or surveillance is
-19-


imposed, our revenues, operating results and liquidity may decline and earnings may be negatively impacted.


We must invest substantial sums in research and development (“R&D”) in order to remain competitive, and we may not fully recover these investments.

To be successful in the highly-competitive pharmaceutical industry, we must commit substantial resources each year to R&D in order to develop new products and enhance our technologies. In 2020, we spent $20,442 on R&D, the majority of which was on our lead product candidate, FT218. Our ongoing investments in R&D for FT218 as well as possible future products could result in higher costs without a proportionate increase, or any increase, in revenues. The R&D process is lengthy and carries a substantial risk of failure. If our R&D does not yield sufficient products that achieve commercial success, our future operating results will be adversely affected.

Risks Related to Regulation

Our product candidate and future product candidates may not reach the commercial market for a number of reasons.

Drug development is an inherently uncertain process with a high risk of failure at every stage of development. Successful R&D of pharmaceutical products is difficult, expensive and time consuming. Many product candidates fail to reach the market. Our success will depend on the development and the successful commercialization of new drugs and products that utilize our drug delivery technologies.

Even if our product candidates and current drug delivery technologies appear promising during development, there may not be successful commercial applications developed for them for a number of reasons, including:

the FDA, the EMA, the competent authority of an EU Member State or an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”), or an Ethics Committee (EU equivalent to IRB), or our partners may delay or halt applicable clinical trials;
we or our partners may face slower than expected rate of patient recruitment and enrollment in clinical trials, or may devote insufficient funding to the clinical trials;
our drug delivery technologies and drug products may be found to be ineffective or to cause harmful side effects, or may fail during any stage of pre-clinical testing or clinical trials;
we or our partners may find that certain products cannot be manufactured on a commercial scale and, therefore, may not be economical or feasible to produce;
we or our partners may face delays in completing our clinical trials due to circumstances outside of our control, including natural disasters, labor or civil unrest, global health concerns or pandemics or acts of war or terrorism; or
our product candidate and future product candidates could fail to obtain regulatory approval or, if approved, could fail to achieve market acceptance, could fail to be included within the pricing and reimbursement schemes of the U.S. or EU Member States, or could be precluded from commercialization by proprietary rights of third parties.

Disruptions at the FDA, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other government agencies caused by funding shortages or global health concerns could hinder their ability to hire and retain key leadership and other personnel, prevent new products and services from being developed or commercialized in a timely manner or otherwise prevent those agencies from performing normal business functions on which the operation of our business may rely, which could negatively impact our business.

As of June 23, 2020, the FDA noted it was continuing to ensure timely reviews of applications for medical products during the COVID-19 pandemic in line with its user fee performance goals and conducting mission critical U.S. and non-U.S. inspections to ensure compliance of manufacturing facilities with FDA quality standards. However, the FDA may not be able to maintain this pace and delays or setbacks are possible in the future. On July 10, 2020, the FDA announced its goal of restarting domestic on-site inspections during the week of July 20, but such activities will depend on data about the virus’ trajectory in a given state and locality and the rules and guidelines that are put in place by state and local governments. The FDA has developed a rating system to assist in determining when and where it is safest to conduct prioritized domestic inspections. Should the FDA determine that an inspection is necessary for approval and an inspection cannot be completed during the review cycle due to restrictions on travel, the FDA has stated that it generally intends to issue a complete response letter. Further, if there is inadequate information to make a determination on the acceptability of a facility, the FDA may defer action on the application until an inspection can be completed. In 2020, several companies announced receipt of complete response letters due to the FDA’s inability to complete required inspections for their applications. Regulatory authorities outside the U.S. may adopt similar restrictions or other policy measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and may experience delays in their regulatory activities. We cannot guarantee that the FDA will be able to complete any required inspections or take other necessary actions in respect to our product candidate or future product candidates.
-20-


Our product candidate and future product candidates, if approved by the FDA, may not obtain desired regulatory exclusivities, including orphan drug exclusivity.

Orphan drug status may be granted by the FDA to certain products intended to treat diseases and conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals in the U.S. or, if they affect more than 200,000 individuals in the U.S., there is no reasonable expectation of recovering the cost of developing and making the product available in the U.S. for the applicable disease or condition.

Our lead product candidate, FT218, obtained orphan drug designation for the treatment of narcolepsy from the FDA in January 2018. Generally, a product with orphan drug designation that subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease or condition for which it has such designation will be entitled to certain U.S. marketing exclusivity for a period of seven years. FT218 would not be the first sodium oxybate product with such FDA approval. However, if the FDA concludes that FT218 is clinically superior in that it is shown to be safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care, the FDA could award FT218 with such marketing exclusivity. A designated orphan drug may not however receive orphan drug exclusivity. Among other factors, the FDA will consider the results of our FT218 Phase 3 clinical trial with respect to the efficacy and safety of the previously approved sodium oxybate product. Thus, there can be no assurance that FT218 will receive orphan drug status exclusivity, if approved. In addition, even if such orphan drug marketing exclusivity rights were granted by the FDA, such exclusivity rights may be lost if the FDA later determines that our request for such designation was materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantity of the drug to meet the needs of patients with the rare disease or condition to be treated with the product. Further, even with respect to the indications for which we have received orphan designation, we may not be the first to obtain marketing approval for any particular orphan indication due to the uncertainties associated with developing pharmaceutical products, and thus, for example, approval of our lead product candidate could be blocked for seven years if another company previously obtained approval and orphan drug exclusivity in the U.S. for the same drug and same condition.

We are subject to continuing regulation,U.S. federal and state and international laws and regulations prohibiting “kickbacks” and false claims that, if violated, could subject us to substantial penalties, and any challenges to or investigation into our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to, and thus could harm our business.

We are subject to extensive and complex U.S. federal and state and international laws and regulations, including but not limited to, healthcare “fraud and abuse” laws, such as anti-kickback and false claims laws and regulations pertaining to government benefit program reimbursement, price reporting and regulations, and sales and marketing practices. These laws and regulations are broad in scope and subject to evolving interpretations, which could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or to alter one or more of our sales or marketing practices. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our revenues, profitability, and financial condition. In the current environment, there appears to be a greater risk of investigations of possible violations of these laws and regulations. This increased risk is reflected by recent enforcement activity and pronouncements by the US Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services that it intends to continue to vigorously pursue fraud and abuse violations by pharmaceutical companies, including through the potential to impose criminal penalties on pharmaceutical company executives. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our own,business, including the imposition of significant fines or other sanctions.

Healthcare reform and restrictions on reimbursements may limit our financial returns.

Our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidate and future product candidates and technologies, if approved, may depend on the extent to which the government health administration authorities, the health insurance funds in conjunction withthe EU Member States, private health insurers and other third-party payor in the U.S. will reimburse consumers for the cost of these products, which would affect the volume of drug products sold by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that incorporate our technology into their products. Third party payor are increasingly challenging both the need for, and the price of, novel therapeutic drugs and uncertainty exists as to the reimbursement status of newly approved therapeutics. The commercial success of our product candidate and future product candidates, if approved, depends in part on the conditions under which products incorporating our technology are reimbursed. Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be available for such drug products to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investments in research and product development, which could materially and adversely affect our business. We cannot predict the effect that changes in the healthcare system, especially cost containment efforts, may have on our business. Any changes or changes due to future legislation governing the pricing and reimbursement of healthcare products in the EU Member States may adversely affect our business.

-21-


Regulatory reforms may adversely affect our ability to sell our future products profitably.

From time to time, the U.S. Congress, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, as well as the legislators of the EU Member States, adopt changes to the statutes that the FDA, the European Commission and the competent authorities of the EU Member States enforce in ways that could significantly affect our business. In addition, the FDA, the European Commission and the competent authorities of the EU Member States often issue new regulations or guidance, or revise or reinterpret their current regulations and guidance in ways that may significantly affect our business and our product candidate and future product candidates. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted or FDA, EU or EU Member State’s regulations, guidance or interpretations changed, and what the impact of any such changes may be. Any such changes could have a significant impact on the path to approval of our proposed products or of competing products, and on our obligations and those of our pharmaceutical partners,industry partners.

Even if we receive marketing approval for our product candidates in the U.S., we may never seek or receive regulatory approval to market our product candidates outside of the U.S., or receive pricing and reimbursement outside the U.S. at acceptable levels. We cannot be certain that we will be able, or willing, to support the submission of a marketing authorization application, or MAA, to the EMA for FT218, or that we will decide to file an MAA with the EMA, or that any such MAA will ever be approved.

Even if we receive marketing approval for FT218 or any of our other product candidates in the U.S., we may not seek, or may seek but never receive, regulatory approval to market our product candidates outside of the U.S. or in any particular country or region, including in the EU. In order to market any product outside of the U.S., we must establish and comply with the numerous and varying safety, efficacy and other regulatory requirements of other countries. Approval procedures vary among countries and can involve additional non-clinical studies or clinical trials, additional work related to manufacturing and analytical testing on controls, and additional administrative review periods. The time required to obtain approvals in other countries might differ from that required to obtain FDA approval. Marketing approval in one country does not ensure marketing approval in another, but a failure or delay in obtaining marketing approval in one country may have a negative effect on the regulatory process in other countries. The marketing approval processes in other countries may implicate all of the risks detailed above regarding FDA approval in the U.S. as well as other risks. In particular, in many countries outside of the U.S., products must receive pricing and reimbursement approval before the product can be commercialized. Obtaining this approval may require additional studies and data, and can result in substantial delays in bringing products to market in such countries and such investment may not be justified from a business standpoint given the market opportunity or level of required investment. For example, we anticipate having additional discussions with the EMA to further clarify and evaluate what additional data and information would be required and what other requirements would need to be met for a possible MAA submission for FT218 in the EU, and potential post-marketing clinical development obligations if we file an MAA and our application is approved. We may not find an acceptable regulatory path forward for FT218 in the EU. Even if after additional feedback from the EMA, we decide to generate any required additional data and information and meet any other requirements to be able to file an MAA and the MAA is approved, we may have significant post-approval obligations.

Even if we are able to successfully develop our product candidates and obtain marketing approval in a country, we may not be able to obtain pricing and reimbursement approvals in such country at acceptable levels or at all, and any pricing and reimbursement approval we may obtain may be subject to onerous restrictions such as caps or other hurdles or restrictions on reimbursement. Failure to obtain marketing and pricing approval in countries outside the U.S. without onerous restrictions or limitations related to pricing or any delay or other setback in obtaining such approval, would impair our ability to market our product candidates successfully or at all in such foreign markets. Any such impairment would reduce the size of our potential market or revenue potential, which could have a material adverse consequencesimpact on our business, results of operations and prospects.
Any setback or delay in obtaining regulatory approval for our product candidates or in our ability to commence marketing of our products, if we or they failapproved, may have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.

Risks Related to comply with applicable regulations.our Reliance on Third-Parties


We may rely on collaborations with third parties to commercialize certain of our product candidates in development and such strategy involves risks that could impair our prospects for realizing profits from such products.

We expect that the commercialization of some of our products in development, which utilize our drug delivery technologies, may require collaboration with third-party partners involving strategic alliances, licenses, product divestitures or other arrangements. We may not be successful in entering into such collaborations on favorable terms, if at all, or our collaboration partners may not adequately perform under such arrangements, and as a result our ability to commercialize these products will be negatively affected and our prospects will be impaired.
-22-


We depend on a single provider of certain services related to the development of our product candidate and any interruption of operations of such provider could significantly delay or have a material adverse effect on our ownbusiness.

Currently, we use a single source provider for the development, supply of clinical materials and in conjunction with our pharmaceutical partners will be subject to extensive regulatory requirementspotentially the supply of commercial batches for our lead product candidate, FT218. If the supplies of these products or materials were interrupted for any reason, including but not limited to, natural disasters, labor or civil unrest, global health concerns or pandemics or acts of war or terrorism, the manufacturing and supply of certain products could be delayed. If the co-developedsupplies of these products or materials were interrupted for any reason, our manufacturing of our lead product candidate could be delayed. These delays could be extensive and expensive, especially in situations where a substitution was not readily available or required variations of existing regulatory approvals and certifications or additional regulatory approval. For example, an alternative supplier may be required to pass an inspection by the FDA, EMA or the competent authorities of EU Member States for compliance with current cGMP, requirements before supplying us with product candidates, evenor before we may incorporate that supplier’s ingredients into the manufacturing of our product candidate by our contract, development, and manufacturing organizations (“CDMOs”). Failure to obtain adequate supplies in a timely manner could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We outsource important activities to consultants, advisors and outside contractors.

We outsource many key functions of our business and therefore rely on a substantial number of consultants, advisors and outside contractors. If we are unable to effectively manage our outsourced activities or if the products receive regulatory approval. These regulations are wide-rangingquality or accuracy of the services provided by such third parties is compromised for any reason, our development activities may be extended, delayed or terminated which would have an adverse effect on our development program and govern, amongour business.

We depend on key personnel to execute our business plan. If we cannot attract and retain key personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business plan.

Our success depends in large part upon our ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. During our operating history, we have assigned many key responsibilities within our Company to a relatively small number of individuals, each of whom has played key roles in executing various important components of our business. We do not maintain material key person life insurance for any of our key personnel. If we lose the services of Greg Divis, our Chief Executive Officer, or other things:members of our senior executive team, we may have difficulty executing our business plan in the manner we currently anticipate. Further, because each of our key personnel is involved in numerous roles in various components of our business, the loss of any one or more of such individuals could have an adverse effect on our business.

adverse drug experiences and other reporting requirements;
product promotion and marketing;
APIs and/or product manufacturing, including cGMP compliance;
record keeping;
distribution of drug samples;
required clinical trials and/or post-marketing studies;
authorization renewal procedures;
authorization variation procedures;
compliance with any required REMS;
updating safety and efficacy information;
processing of personal data;
use of electronic records and signatures; and
changes to product manufacturing or labeling.


Clinical development of drugs is costly and time-consuming, and the outcomes are uncertain. A failure to prove that our product candidate and future product candidates are safe and effective in clinical trials or to generate data in clinical trials to support expansion of the therapeutic uses for our existing products, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.


We have made significant investments in our REST-ON Phase 3 clinical trial. Clinical trials are expensive and can take many years to complete, and the outcome is uncertain. Failure can occur at any time during the clinical trial process. The results of


preclinical studies and early clinical trials of potential medicine candidates may not be predictive of the results of later-stage clinical trials. Drug candidates in later stages of clinical trials may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy traits despite having progressed through preclinical studies and initial clinical testing. Any failure or delayFor example, we are currently conducting an open-label extension (“OLE”)/switch study of FT218 to examine the long-term safety and maintenance of efficacy of FT218 in completingpatients with narcolepsy who participated in our REST-ON Phase 3 clinical trial, would prevent or delay the commercialization of ouras well as dosing and preference data for patients switching from twice-nightly sodium oxybate product, which could materially and adversely affectto once-nightly FT218 regardless if they participated in REST-ON or not. If any participants in the OLE/switch study report any serious adverse events that are deemed to be related to FT218 or if FT218 is not observed to have long-term efficacy, our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.prospects could be material and adversely affected.


In addition to issues relating to the results generated in clinical trials, clinical trials can be delayed or halted for a variety of reasons, including:

failure in obtaining regulatory approval to commence a trial;
failure in reaching agreement on acceptable terms with prospective contract research organizations (“CROs”) and clinical trial sites, the terms of which can be subject to extensive negotiation and may vary significantly among different CROs and trial sites;
failure in obtaining institutional review board or ethics committee approval at each site;
-23-


failure in recruiting suitable patients to participate in a trial;
failure in having patients complete a trial or return for post-treatment follow-up;
failure in clinical sites dropping out of a trial;
failure in adding new sites; or
failure in manufacturing sufficient quantities of medicine candidates for use in clinical trials.


Patient enrollment, a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials, is affected by many factors including the size and nature of the patient population, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the eligibility criteria for the trial, the design of the clinical trial, competing clinical trials and clinicians’ and patients’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the medicine candidate being studied in relation to other available therapies, including any new drugs or biologics that may be approved for the indications we are investigating. Furthermore, weWe rely and expect to rely on CROs and clinical trial sites to ensure the proper and timely conduct of our future clinical trials and while we have and intend to have agreements governing their committed activities, we will have limited influence over their actual performance.


We rely on third parties to conduct our clinical trials, and if they do not properly and successfully perform their contractual, legal and regulatory duties, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approvals for or commercialize our drugproduct candidate and future product candidates.


We rely on CROs and other third parties to assist us in designing, managing, monitoring and otherwise carrying out our clinical trials, including with respect to site selection, contract negotiation and data management. We do not control these third parties and, as a result, they may not treat our clinical studies as a high priority, which could result in delays. We are responsible for confirming that each of our clinical trials is conducted in accordance with its general investigational plan and protocol, as well as the FDA’s and non-U.S. regulatory agencies’ requirements, commonly referred to as good clinical practices, for conducting, recording and reporting the results of clinical trials to ensure that the data and results are credible and accurate and that the trial participants are adequately protected. The FDA and non-U.S. regulatory agencies enforce good clinical practices through periodic inspections of trial sponsors, principal investigators and trial sites. If we, CROs or other third parties assisting us or our study sites fail to comply with applicable good clinical practices, the clinical data generated in our clinical trials may be deemed unreliable and the FDA or its non-U.S. counterparts may require us to perform additional clinical trials before approving our marketing applications. We cannot assure you that, upon inspection, the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory agencies will determine that any of our clinical trials comply with good clinical practices. In addition, our clinical trials must be conducted with product produced under the FDA’s cGMP regulations and similar regulations outside of the U.S. Our failure, or the failure of our product suppliers, to comply with these regulations may require us to repeat or redesign clinical trials, which would delay the regulatory approval process.


If third parties do not successfully carry out their duties under their agreements with us, if the quality or accuracy of the data they obtain is compromised due to failure to adhere to our clinical protocols, including dosing requirements, or regulatory requirements, or if they otherwise fail to comply with clinical trial protocols or meet expected deadlines, our clinical trials may not meet regulatory requirements. If our clinical trials do not meet regulatory requirements or if these third parties need to be replaced, our clinical trials may be extended, delayed, suspended or terminated. If any of these events occur, we may not be able to obtain regulatory approval of our product candidate and future product candidates or succeed in our efforts to create approved line extensions for certain of our existing products or generate additional useful clinical data in support of these products.




If we or our partners, including any CDMOs that we use, fail to comply with these laws and regulations, the FDA, the European Commission, competent authorities of EU Member States, or other regulatory organizations, may take actions that could significantly restrict or prohibit commercial distribution of our productsproduct candidate, future product candidates and products that incorporate our technologies. If the FDA, the European Commission or competent authorities of EU Member States determine that we are not in compliance with these laws and regulations, they could, among other things:


issue warning letters;
impose fines;
seize products or request or order recalls;
issue injunctions to stop future sales of products;
refuse to permit products to be imported into, or exported out of, the U.S. or the E.U.;
suspend or limit our production;
withdraw or vary approval of marketing applications;
order the competent authorities of EU Member States to withdraw or vary national authorization; and
initiate criminal prosecutions.



-24-


Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property

If we cannot adequately protect our intellectual property and proprietary information, we may be unable to effectively compete.

Our success depends, in part, on our ability to obtain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights for our product candidate and future product candidates and technology, including our drug delivery technologies, and to preserve our trade secrets and other proprietary information. If we cannot do so, our competitors may exploit our technologies and deprive us of the ability to realize revenues and profits from our product candidate and future product candidates and technologies.

To the extent any of our product candidate and future product candidates may benefit from protections afforded by patents, we face the risk that patent law relating to the scope of claims in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields is continually evolving and can be the subject of uncertainty and may change in a way that would limit protection. Our patents may not be exclusive, valid or enforceable. For example, our patents may not protect us against challenges by companies that submit drug marketing applications to the FDA, or the competent authorities of EU Member States or other jurisdictions in which we may attempt to compete, in particular where such applications rely, at least in part, on safety and efficacy data from our product candidate and future product candidates. In addition, competitors may obtain patents that may have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business, or they may discover ways to circumvent our patents. The scope of any patent protection may not be sufficiently broad to cover our product candidate and future product candidates or to exclude competing products. Any patent applications we have made or may make relating to our potential products or technologies may not result in patents being issued. Even after issuance, our patents may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the U.S. and elsewhere. Such challenges may result in loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit our ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar or identical product candidates, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our product candidate and future product candidates. Further, patent protection once obtained is limited in time, after which competitors may use the covered product or technology without obtaining a license from us. Because of the time required to obtain regulatory marketing approval, the remaining period of effective patent protection for a marketed product is frequently substantially shorter than the full duration of the patent. While a patent term extension can be requested under certain circumstances, the grant of such a request is not guaranteed.

Our partnerships with third parties expose us to risks that they will claim intellectual property rights on our inventions or fail to keep our unpatented products or technology confidential.

If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, the value of our technology could be materially adversely affected and our business would be harmed.

We also rely on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and know-how to develop, maintain and strengthen our competitive position.

To protect our product candidate, trade secrets and proprietary technologies, we rely, in part, on confidentiality agreements with our employees, suppliers, consultants, advisors and partners. These agreements may not provide adequate protection for our trade secrets and other proprietary information in the event of any unauthorized use or disclosure, or if others lawfully develop the information. If these agreements are breached, we cannot be certain we will have adequate remedies. Further, we cannot guarantee that third parties will not know, discover or independently develop equivalent proprietary information or technologies, or that they will not gain access to our trade secrets or disclose our trade secrets to the public. Therefore, we cannot guarantee we can maintain and protect unpatented proprietary information and trade secrets. Misappropriation or other loss of our intellectual property would adversely affect our competitive position and may cause us to incur substantial litigation or other costs.

Changes in U.S. or ex-U.S. patent laws could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our ability to protect our product candidate and future product candidates.

Changes in either the patent laws or interpretation thereof in the U.S. or in ex-U.S. jurisdictions could increase uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of patent applications and the enforcement or defense of issued patents. For example, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011 (“AIA”), changed the previous U.S. “first-to-invent” system to the current system that awards a patent to the “first-inventor-to-file” for an application for a patentable invention. This change alters the pool of available materials that can be used to challenge patents in the U.S. and limits the ability to rely on prior research to lay claim to patent rights. Under the current system, disputes are resolved through new derivation proceedings, and the AIA includes mechanisms to allow challenges to issued patents in reexamination, inter partes review and post grant proceedings. The AIA also includes bases and procedures that may make it easier for competitors to challenge our patents, which could result in
-25-


increased competition and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. The AIA may also make it harder to challenge third-party patents and place greater importance on being the first inventor to file a patent application on an invention. The AIA amendments to patent filing and litigation procedures in the U.S. may result in litigation being more complex and expensive and divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel.

In addition, the patent positions of companies in the development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals may be particularly uncertain. Depending on future actions by the U.S. Congress, the U.S. federal courts, and the USPTO, or by similarly legislative, judicial, and regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in unpredictable ways that could have a material adverse effect on our existing patent portfolio and our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property in the future.

Third parties may claim that our product candidate or future product candidates infringe their rights, and we may incur significant costs resolving these claims. Additionally, legal proceedings related to such claims could materially delay or otherwise adversely affect commercialization plans related to our product candidate, if approved.

Third parties may claim infringement of their patents and other intellectual property rights by the manufacture, use, import, offer for sale or sale of our drug delivery technologies or our other products. For example, in connection with us seeking regulatory approval for a product candidate, a third party may allege that our product candidate infringes its patents or other intellectual property rights and file suit to delay/prevent regulatory approval and/or commercialization of such product. In response to any claim of infringement, we may choose or be forced to seek licenses, defend infringement actions or challenge the validity or enforceability of those patent rights in court or administrative proceedings. If we cannot obtain required licenses on commercially reasonably terms, or at all, are found liable for infringement or are not able to have such patent rights declared invalid or unenforceable, our business could be materially harmed. We may be subject to claims (and even held liable) for significant monetary damages (including enhanced damages and/or attorneys’ fees), encounter significant delays in bringing products to market or be precluded from the manufacture, use, import, offer for sale or sale of products or methods of drug delivery covered by the patents of others. Even if a license is available, it may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or may be non-exclusive, which could result in our competitors gaining access to the same intellectual property. We may not have identified, or be able to identify in the future, U.S. or non-U.S. patents that pose a risk of potential infringement claims.

In addition to the possibility of intellectual property infringement claims, a third party could submit a citizen’s petition to the FDA requesting relief that, if granted, could materially adversely affect the NDA and/or underlying product candidate. For example, such a third-party petition could, if granted, materially adversely affect the likelihood and/or timing of NDA approval, content of final product labeling, and/or resulting regulatory exclusivity (if any) for such product.

Parties making claims against us may be able to sustain the costs of patent litigation more effectively than we can because they have substantially greater resources. In addition, any claims, with or without merit, that our product candidate, future product candidates or drug delivery technologies infringe proprietary rights of third parties could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation or divert the efforts of our technical and management personnel, any of which could disrupt our relationships with our partners and could significantly harm our financial positions and operating results.

If we or our partners are required to obtain licenses from third parties, our revenues and royalties on any future commercialized products could be reduced.

The development of certain products based on our drug delivery technologies may require the use of raw materials (e.g., proprietary excipient), active ingredients, drugs (e.g., proprietary proteins) or technologies developed by third parties. The extent to which efforts by other researchers have resulted or will result in patents and the extent to which we or our partners are forced to obtain licenses from others, if available, on commercially reasonable terms is currently unknown. If we or our partners must obtain licenses from third parties, fees may be required for such licenses, which could reduce the net revenues and royalties we receive on any future commercialized products that incorporate our drug delivery technologies.

Patent terms may be inadequate to protect our competitive position on our product candidate or future product candidates for an adequate amount of time.

Patents have a limited lifespan. In the U.S., if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest U.S. non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents covering our product candidate and future product candidates are obtained, once the patent life has expired, we may be open to competition from competitive products, including generics or biosimilars. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting
-26-


such candidates might expire before or shortly after such candidates are commercialized. As a result, our owned and licensed patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or identical to ours.

Obtaining and maintaining our patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other requirements imposed by governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these requirements.

Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other governmental fees on patents and/or applications will be due to be paid to the USPTO and various governmental patent agencies outside of the U.S. in several stages over the lifetime of the patents and/or applications. We rely on our outside counsel to coordinate payment of these fees due to patent agencies. The USPTO and various non-U.S. governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. We employ reputable law firms and other professionals to help us comply, and in many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules. However, there are situations in which non-compliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. In such an event, our competitors might be able to enter the market and this circumstance would have a material adverse effect on our business.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights throughout the world.

Filing, prosecuting and defending patents on our product candidate and future product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and intellectual property rights in some countries outside the U.S. can be less extensive than those in the U.S. Consequently, we may not be able to prevent third parties from practicing our inventions in all countries outside the U.S., or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in and into the U.S. or other jurisdictions. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and may also export infringing products to territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as that in the U.S. These products may compete with our product candidate and future product candidates and our patents or other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing.

Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in non-U.S. jurisdictions. The legal systems of certain countries, particularly certain developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of patents, trade secrets, and other intellectual property protection, which could make it difficult for us to stop the infringement of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in non-U.S. jurisdictions, whether or not successful, could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing and could provoke third parties to assert claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property we develop or license.

Risks Related to Acceptance, Sales, Marketing and Competition

Our future products may not gain market acceptance.

Our future products and technologies may not gain market acceptance among physicians, patients, healthcare payor and medical communities. The degree of market acceptance of any product or technology will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to:

the scope of regulatory approvals, including limitations or warnings in a product’s regulatory-approved labeling; or other restrictions under a FDA Risk Evaluations and Mitigations Strategies (“REMS”), program;
in the case of our product candidates that are controlled substances regulated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”), scheduling classification;
demonstration of the clinical safety and efficacy of the product or technology;
the absence of evidence of undesirable side effects of the product or technology that delay or extend trials;
the lack of regulatory delays or other regulatory actions;
its cost-effectiveness and related access to payor coverage;
its potential advantage over alternative treatment methods;
the availability of third-party reimbursement; and
-27-


the marketing and distribution support it receives.

If any of our future products or technologies fail to achieve market acceptance, our ability to generate revenue will be limited, which would have a material adverse effect on our business.

If our competitors develop and market technologies or products that are safer or more effective than ours, or obtain regulatory approval and market such technologies or products before we do, our commercial opportunity will be diminished or eliminated.

Competition in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is intense and is expected to increase. We compete with academic laboratories, research institutions, universities, joint ventures and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including companies developing drug delivery technologies or niche brand or generic specialty pharmaceutical products. Some of these competitors may also be our business partners.

Our drug delivery technologies compete with technologies provided by several other companies. In particular, delivery technologies and products, could be developed that, if successful, could compete against our drug delivery technologies or future products.
Many of our competitors have substantially greater financial, technological, manufacturing, marketing, managerial and R&D resources and experience than we do. Furthermore, acquisitions of competing drug delivery companies by large pharmaceutical companies could enhance our competitors’ resources. Accordingly, our competitors may succeed in developing competing technologies and products, obtaining regulatory approval and gaining market share for their products more rapidly than we do.

Our future revenues may be negatively affected by healthcare reforms and increasing pricing pressures.

Future prices for our pharmaceutical products, if approved, will be substantially affected by reimbursement policies of third-party payors such as government healthcare programs, private insurance plans and managed care organizations; by our contracts with the drug wholesalers who will distribute our products; and by competitive market forces generally. In recent years, third-party payors have been exerting downward pressure on prices at which products will be reimbursed, and the drug wholesale industry has been undergoing consolidation which gives greater market power to the remaining, larger drug wholesalers. Further, the trend toward increased availability of generic products has contributed to overall pricing pressures in the pharmaceutical industry. In the United States, the Medicare Modernization Act (“MMA”), contains provisions that call for the promulgation of regulations that expand pharmacists’ and wholesalers’ ability to import cheaper versions of an approved drug and competing products from Canada, where there are government price controls. Further, the MMA provides that these changes to U.S. importation laws will not take effect, unless and until the Secretary of the HHS certifies that the changes will pose no additional risk to the public’s health and safety and will result in a significant reduction in the cost of products to consumers. On September 23, 2020, the Secretary of the HHS made such certification to Congress, and on October 1, 2020, FDA published a final rule that allows for the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada. Under the final rule, States and Indian Tribes, and in certain future circumstances pharmacists and wholesalers, may submit importation program proposals to the FDA for review and authorization. Since the issuance of the final rule, several industry groups have filed federal lawsuits challenging multiple aspects of the final rule, and authorities in Canada have passed rules designed to safeguard the Canadian drug supply from shortages. On September 25, 2020, CMS stated drugs imported by States under this rule will not be eligible for federal rebates under Section 1927 of the Social Security Act and manufacturers would not report these drugs for “best price” or Average Manufacturer Price purposes. Since these drugs are not considered covered outpatient drugs, CMS further stated it will not publish a National Average Drug Acquisition Cost for these drugs. Separately, the FDA also issued a final guidance document outlining a pathway for manufacturers to obtain an additional National Drug Code (“NDC”), for an FDA-approved drug that was originally intended to be marketed in a non-U.S. country and that was authorized for sale in that country. The market implications of the final rule and guidance are unknown at this time. Proponents of drug reimportation may attempt to pass legislation that would directly allow reimportation under certain circumstances. Legislation or regulations allowing the reimportation of drugs, if enacted, could decrease the price we receive for any products that we may develop and adversely affect our future revenues and prospects for profitability. Similarly, any future changes in laws, regulations, practices or policies, in the drug wholesale industry, or in the prevalence of generic products, may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

If we cannot keep pace with the rapid technological change in our industry, we may lose business, and our product candidates, if approved, and technologies could become obsolete or noncompetitive.

Our success also depends, in part, on maintaining a competitive position in the development of products and technologies in a rapidly evolving field. Major technological changes can happen quickly in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. If we cannot maintain competitive products and technologies, our competitors may succeed in developing competing technologies
-28-


or obtaining regulatory approval for products before us, and the products of our competitors may gain market acceptance more rapidly than our product candidate and future product candidates. Such rapid technological change, or the development by our competitors of technologically improved or different products, could render our product candidate and future product candidates or technologies obsolete or noncompetitive.

If we are unable to establish effective sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our product candidate, if approved, or enter into agreements with third parties to market, sell and distribute our product candidate, if approved, or if we are unable to achieve market acceptance for such product candidate, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects will be materially adversely affected.

We are continuing to build the systems, processes, policies, relationships and materials necessary for launch of FT218 in the U.S. for the treatment of cataplexy or EDS in adults with narcolepsy. If we receive regulatory approval to market or sell FT218, but are unable to establish adequate sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, whether independently or with third parties, or if we are unable to do so on commercially reasonable terms, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects will be materially adversely affected. We may encounter issues, delays or other challenges in launching or commercializing FT218. For example, our results may be negatively impacted if we have not adequately sized our field teams or if our targeting strategy is inadequate or if we encounter deficiencies or inefficiencies in our infrastructure or processes. We may encounter unexpected limitations in the scope, breadth or amount of reimbursement covering FT218 or other limitations or issues related to the price. Any of these issues could impair our ability to successfully commercialize the product or to generate substantial revenues or profits or to meet our expectations with respect to the amount or timing of revenues or profits. There is no guarantee that we will be successful in our launch or commercialization efforts with respect to FT218, if approved, or with respect to any other product candidate that may be approved in the future.

Even if we receive marketing approval for our product candidate, we may still face significant post-marketing obligations and future development and regulatory difficulties.

Even if we receive marketing approval for our product candidates, regulatory authorities may impose significant and potentially costly post-marketing obligations, including post-marketing studies and additional CMC work. For example, we expect to have post-marketing commitments if FT218 is approved by the FDA. Regulatory authorities may also impose significant restrictions on our products, including restrictions on indicated uses or marketing.

Our products, if approved, will also be subject to ongoing FDA requirements governing the labeling, packaging, storage and promotion of the product and record keeping and submission of safety and other post-market information. The FDA has significant post-marketing authority, including, for example, the authority to require labeling changes based on new safety information and to require post-marketing studies or clinical trials to evaluate serious safety risks, safety and efficacy in pediatric populations or alternate doses or dose regimens. The FDA also has the authority to require, as part of an NDA or post-approval, the submission of a REMS. For example, FT218 will require such a REMS, if approved. Any REMS required by the FDA may lead to increased costs to assure compliance with additional post-approval regulatory requirements and potential requirements or restrictions on the sale of approved products, all of which could lead to lower sales volume and revenue.

Manufacturers of drug products and their facilities are subject to continual review and periodic inspections by the FDA and other regulatory authorities for compliance with cGMPs and other regulations. If we or a regulatory agency discover problems with our products, if approved, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or problems with the facility where our products are manufactured or in the manufacturing process, a regulatory agency may impose restrictions on our products, the manufacturer or us, including requiring withdrawal of such products from the market or suspension of manufacturing. If we, our product candidates or approved products, or the manufacturer for our product candidates or products, fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, a regulatory agency may, among other things:

issue warning letters or untitled letters;
seek an injunction or impose civil or criminal penalties or monetary fines;
suspend or withdraw marketing approval;
suspend any ongoing clinical trials;
refuse to approve pending applications or supplements to applications submitted by us;
suspend or impose restrictions on operations, including costly new manufacturing requirements; or
seize or detain products, refuse to permit the import or export of products, or require that we initiate a product recall.

We will need to develop and expand our company to support the commercial launch of our product candidate, if approved, and we may encounter difficulties in managing this development and expansion, which could disrupt our operations.

We expect that we will continue to increase our workforce and the scope of our operations, including as we build our commercial sales capabilities. To manage our anticipated development and expansion, we must continue to implement and
-29-


improve our managerial, operational and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Also, our management may need to divert a disproportionate amount of its attention away from its day-to-day activities and devote a substantial amount of time to managing these development activities. Due to our limited resources, we may not obtain orphan drug marketing exclusivity.be able to effectively manage the expansion of our operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. This may result in weaknesses in our infrastructure; or give rise to operational mistakes, loss of business opportunities, loss of employees and reduced productivity among remaining employees. If our management is unable to effectively manage our expected development and expansion, our expenses may increase more than anticipated, our ability to generate or increase our revenue could be reduced and we may not be able to implement our business strategy. Our future financial performance and our ability to commercialize FT218, if approved, and compete effectively will depend, in part, on our ability to effectively manage the future development and expansion of our company.


Orphan drug statusRisks Related to Our 2020 Net Income and 2019 Restructuring Plan

Our net income and use of cash in operating activities may be grantedlimit our ability to fully pursue our business strategy.

We reported net income of $7,028 in 2020, which includes a $45,760 gain from the sale of the Hospital Products. We reported cash used in operating activities of $48,734. Cash and marketable securities as of December 31, 2020 totaled $221,402 driven by the February 2020 Private Placement, the May 2020 Public Offering, and proceeds from the June 30, 2020 sale of the Hospital Products. Our business strategy is to primarily focus on the development and potential FDA to certain products intended to treat diseases and conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States or, if they affect more than 200,000 individuals in the United States, there is no reasonable expectationapproval of recovering the cost of developing and making the product available in the United StatesFT218 for the applicable diseasetreatment of cataplexy or condition.

Our proposed product FT218 obtained orphan drug designation from the FDAexcessive daytime sleepiness (“EDS”) in January 2018. A productadults with orphan drug designation that subsequently receives the first FDA approval for the disease or condition for which it has such designation will be entitled to certain U.S. marketing exclusivity for a periodnarcolepsy. The successful pursuit of seven years. FT218 would not be the first product with such FDA approval. However, in limited circumstances, including if the FDA concludes that FT218 is safer, more effective or makes a major contribution to patient care, the FDA could award FT218 with such marketing exclusivity. The orphan drug designation for FT218 does not guaranty that the FDA would ultimately award this product with orphan drug status for purposes of marketing exclusivity. Among other factors, the FDA will consider the resultsall components of our FT218 Phase 3 clinical trial with respect to the efficacystrategy will require substantial financial resources, and safety of the product. Thus, there can be no assurance that our existing cash and marketable securities assets and the cash generated by our operations will be adequate for these purposes. We will likely incur a net loss in 2021 and, if we use existing cash and marketable securities, there is no guarantee that we would be able to generate additional cash through our operations or through financing. Failure to implement any component of our strategy may prevent us from achieving profitability in the future or may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.

If we need to take further restructuring actions, necessary third-party consents may not be granted.

In February 2019, we announced a restructuring plan intended to achieve future cost savings through, among other actions, a reduction of our overall workforce by approximately 50 percent. Our management may determine we need to take further restructuring actions to achieve additional cost savings, to generate additional capital needed for our business strategy, or for other purposes. Certain restructuring scenarios that management consider could require obtaining the consent of third parties, such as holders of our Exchangeable Senior Notes (the “2023 Notes”). For example, the voluntary bankruptcy filing by Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals LLC (“Specialty Pharma”) required the consent of holders of a majority in principal amount of our 2023 Notes in order to avoid a default under the Indenture governing such 2023 Notes. While we were successful in obtaining that consent, there can be no assurance we will be successful in obtaining additional consents in the future from such holders or from other third parties whose consents may be required. Failure to obtain these third-party consents would prevent us from taking additional restructuring actions, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial resources and ability to successfully pursue our business strategy.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

COVID-19 may materially and adversely affect our business and our financial results.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread globally. The continued spread of COVID-19 could adversely impact our operations, including our ability to fully enroll and complete our OLE/switch study of FT218, initiate and complete any future clinical trials, manufacture sufficient supply of our lead product candidate or to manufacture FT218 at sufficient scale for commercialization, if approved. We submitted our New Drug Application (“NDA”) for FT218 in December 2020, and although the FDA will ultimately grant orphan drug status, or marketing exclusivity,noted it is continuing to ensure timely reviews of applications for FT218. medical products during the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA may not be able to continue its current pace and review timelines could be extended, which could adversely affect our ability to obtain regulatory approval for and to commercialize FT218, particularly on our current projected timelines, increase our operating expenses and have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

In addition, even if such orphan drug marketing exclusivity rightsCOVID-19 has resulted in significant governmental measures being implemented to control the spread of the virus, including quarantines, travel restrictions, social distancing and business shutdowns. We have taken temporary precautionary measures intended to help minimize the risk of the virus to our employees, including temporarily allowing employees to work remotely. We have suspended non-essential travel worldwide for our employees and are discouraging employee attendance at large gatherings. These measures could negatively affect our business. For instance, temporarily allowing employees to work
-30-


remotely may induce absenteeism, disrupt our operations or increase the risk of a cybersecurity incident. COVID-19 has also caused volatility in the global financial markets and threatened a slowdown in the global economy, which may negatively affect our ability to raise additional capital on attractive terms or at all.

Two vaccines for COVID-19 were granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA in late 2020, and more are likely to be authorized in the coming months. The resultant demand for vaccines and potential for manufacturing facilities and materials to be commandeered under the Defense Production Act of 1950, or equivalent foreign legislation, may make it more difficult to obtain materials or manufacturing slots for the products needed for our OLE/switch clinical trial, which could lead to delays in this trial.

The extent to which COVID-19 may impact our business will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such rights may be lost ifas the FDA later determines that our request for such designation was materially defective or if the manufacturer is unable to assure sufficient quantityduration of the drugpandemic, the severity of COVID-19 or the effectiveness of actions to meetcontain and treat COVID-19, particularly in the needsgeographies where we or our third party suppliers and contract manufacturers, or contract research organizations operate. We cannot presently predict the scope and severity of patientsany potential business shutdowns or disruptions. If we or any of the third parties with whom we engage, however, were to experience shutdowns or other business disruptions, our ability to conduct our business in the rare disease ormanner and on the timelines presently planned could be materially and negatively affected, which could have a material adverse impact on our business and our results of operations and financial condition.

We may fail to effectively execute our business strategy.

Our business strategy is to continue to seek FDA approval for FT218. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in this objective; and failure in could negatively impact our business and operating results.

Risks Related to Data Security

Failure to comply with domestic and international privacy and security laws could result in the imposition of significant civil and criminal penalties.

The costs of compliance with privacy and security laws, including protecting electronically stored information from cyber-attacks, and potential liability associated with any compliance failures could adversely affect our business, financial condition to be treated with the product.

and results of operations. We are subject to U.S. federal and statevarious domestic and international lawsprivacy and regulations prohibiting “kickbacks” and false claims that, if violated, could subject us to substantial penalties, and any challenges to or investigation into our practices under these laws could cause adverse publicity and be costly to respond to, and thus could harm our business.
We are subject to extensive and complex U.S. federal and state and international laws andsecurity regulations, including but not limited to health-care “fraudHIPAA and abuse”the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), (Regulation EU 2016/679). HIPAA mandates, among other things, the adoption of uniform standards for the electronic exchange of information in common healthcare transactions, as well as standards relating to the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information, which require the adoption of administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect such information. In addition, many U.S. states have enacted comparable laws addressing the privacy and security of health information, some of which are more stringent than HIPAA. GDPR requires Avadel to ensure personal data collected by Avadel is gathered legally and under strict conditions and to protect such personal data from misuse and exploitation. If Avadel fails to comply with GDPR, we will face significant fines and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise confidential information and expose us to liability and cause our business and reputation to suffer.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store on our networks various intellectual property including our proprietary business information and that of former customers, suppliers and business partners. The secure maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite our security measures, our information systems and infrastructure may be vulnerable to disruptions such as anti-kickbackcomputer hacking, phishing attacks, ransomware, dissemination of computer viruses, worms and falseother destructive or disruptive software, attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims lawsor proceedings, investigations by regulatory authorities in the U.S. and regulations pertainingEU Member States, disruption to government benefit program reimbursement, price reportingour operations and regulations,damage to our reputation, any of which could adversely affect our business.
We could suffer financial loss or the loss of valuable confidential information. Although we develop and salesmaintain systems and marketing practices. These lawscontrols designed to prevent these events from occurring and regulationswe have a process to identify and mitigate threats, the development and maintenance of these systems, controls and processes is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become increasingly sophisticated. Moreover, despite our
-31-


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 security breaches that could adversely affect our business.
Risks Related to Litigation and Legal Matters
We may become involved in lawsuits to protect or enforce our patents or other intellectual property, which could be expensive, time consuming and unsuccessful.
Competitors may infringe our patents or other intellectual property. If we were to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce a patent covering our product candidate or future product candidates, the defendant could counterclaim that the patent is invalid and/or unenforceable. In patent litigation in the U.S., defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity and/or unenforceability are broadcommonplace. Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, written description or non-enablement. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent withheld relevant information from the USPTO, or made a misleading statement, during prosecution. There is risk that a court could rule in scope and subjectfavor of the defendant with respect to evolving interpretations, whichsuch a counterclaim of patent invalidity and/or unenforceability.

Interference or derivation proceedings provoked by third parties or brought by us or declared by the USPTO may be necessary to determine the priority of inventions with respect to our patents or patent applications. An unfavorable outcome could require us to incurcease using the related technology or to attempt to license rights to it from the prevailing party. Our business could be harmed if the prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or if a non-exclusive license is offered and our competitors gain access to the same technology. Our defense of litigation or interference or derivation proceedings may fail and, even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our management and other employees. In addition, the uncertainties associated with compliance or to alter one or more of our sales or marketing practices. In addition, violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations,litigation could disrupt our business and result inhave a material adverse effect on our revenues, profitability,ability to raise the funds necessary to continue our clinical trials, continue our research programs, license necessary technology from third parties, or enter into development partnerships that would help us bring our product candidate and financial condition. Infuture product candidates to market.

Because of the current environment,substantial amount of discovery that can occur in connection with intellectual property-related litigation and/or administrative proceedings, there appearsis a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation/proceeding. There could also be public announcements of the results of hearings, motions, or other interim proceedings or developments. If securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a greater riskmaterial adverse effect on the price of investigationsour common stock.

We may be subject to claims that our employees, consultants or independent contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information of possible violationsthird parties or that our employees have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of these laws and regulations. This increased risk is reflected by recent enforcement activity and pronouncements by the US Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services that it intends to continue to vigorously pursue fraud and abuse violations bytheir former employers.

We employ or may employ individuals who were previously employed at universities or other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies, including throughour competitors or potential competitors. Although we endeavor to ensure that our employees, consultants and independent contractors do not use the potentialproprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to impose criminal penalties on pharmaceutical company executives.claims that we or our employees, consultants or independent contractors have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or other proprietary information, of any of our employee’s former employer or other third parties. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such actions are instituted against us, andclaims, in addition to paying any awarded monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel, which could adversely impact our business. Even if we are not successful in defending ourselves against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs and/or asserting our rights, those actions could havebe a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant fines or other sanctions.
Healthcare reform and restrictions on reimbursements may limit our financial returns.
Our abilitydistraction to successfully commercialize our products and technologies may depend on the extent to which the government health administration authorities, the health insurance funds in the EU Member States, private health insurersmanagement and other third-party payor in the U.S. will reimburse consumers for the cost of these products, which would affect the volume of drug products sold by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that incorporate our technology into their products. Third party payor are increasingly challenging both the need for, and the price of, novel therapeutic drugs and uncertainty exists as to the reimbursement status ofemployees.

-32-



newly approved therapeutics. The commercial success of our products depends in part on the conditions under which products incorporating our technology are reimbursed. Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be available for such drug products to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to realize an appropriate return on our investments in research and product development, which could materially and adversely affect our business. We cannot predict the effect that changes in the healthcare system, especially cost containment efforts, may have on our business. In particular, it is difficult to predict the effect of health care reform legislation enacted in the U.S. in 2010, certain provisions of which are still subject to regulatory implementation, further legislative change and ongoing judicial review. Any such changes or changes due to future legislation governing the pricing and reimbursement of healthcare products in the EU Member States may adversely affect our business.

Regulatory reforms may adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

From time to time, the U.S. Congress, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, as well as the legislators of the EU Member States, adopt changes to the statutes that the FDA, the European Commission and the competent authorities of the EU Member States enforce in ways that could significantly affect our business. In addition, the FDA, the European Commission and the competent authorities of the EU Member States often issue new regulations or guidance, or revise or reinterpret their current regulations and guidance in ways that may significantly affect our business and our products. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted or FDA, EU or EU Member State’s regulations, guidance or interpretations changed, and what the impact of any such changes may be. Any such changes could have a significant impact on the path to approval of our proposed products or of competing products, and on our obligations and those of our pharmaceutical industry partners.

We and companies to which we have licensed, or will license our future products or drug delivery technologies and subcontractors we engage or may engage for services related to the development and manufacturing of our productslead product candidate or future product candidates are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA and other regulatory authorities. Our and their failure to meet strict regulatory requirements could adversely affect our business.


We, and companies to which we will license our future products or drug delivery technologies, as well as companies acting as subcontractors for our product developments, including but not limited to non-clinical, pre-clinical and clinical studies, and manufacturing, are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA, other domestic regulatoryU.S. authorities and equivalent foreignnon-U.S. regulatory authorities, particularly the European Commission and the competent authorities of EU Member States. Those regulatory authorities may conduct periodic audits or inspections of the applicable facilities to monitor compliance with regulatory standards and we remain responsible for the compliance of our subcontractors. If the FDA or another regulatory authority finds failure to comply with applicable regulations, the authority may institute a wide variety of enforcement actions, including:


warning letters or untitled letters;
fines and civil penalties;
delays in clearing or approving, or refusal to clear or approve, products;
withdrawal, suspension or variation of approval of products; product recall or seizure;
orders to the competent authorities of EU Member States to withdraw or vary national authorization;
orders for physician notification or device repair, replacement or refund;
interruption of production;
operating restrictions;
injunctions; and
criminal prosecution.


Any adverse action by a competent regulatory agency could lead to unanticipated expenditures to address or defend such action and may impair our ability to produce and market applicable products, which could significantly impact our revenues and royalties that we would be eligible to receive from our potential customers.


We may face product liability claims related to clinical trials for our productsproduct candidate or future product candidates or their misuse.


The testing, including through clinical trials, manufacturing and marketing, and the use of our productsproduct candidate and future product candidates may expose us to potential product liability and other claims. If any such claims against us are successful, we may be required to make significant compensation payments. Any indemnification that we have obtained, or may obtain, from CROs or pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies or hospitals conducting human clinical trials on our behalf may not protect us from product liability claims or from the costs of related litigation. Insurance coverage is expensive and difficult to obtain, and we may be unable to obtain coverage in the future on acceptable terms, if at all. We currently maintain general liability insurance and product liability and recall insurance. We cannot be certain that the coverage limits of our insurance policies or those of our strategic partners will be adequate. If we are unable to obtain sufficient insurance at an acceptable cost, a product liability claim or recall could adversely affect our financial condition.



Similarly, any indemnification we have obtained, or may obtain, from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with whom we are developing, or will develop, our future products may not protect us from product liability claims from the consumers of those products or from the costs of related litigation.



If we use hazardous biological and/or chemical materials in a manner that causes injury, we may be liable for significant damages.


Our R&D activities involve the controlled use of potentially harmful biological and/or chemical materials, and are subject to U.S., state, EU, national and local laws and regulations governing the use, storage, handling and disposal of those materials and specified waste products. We cannot completely eliminate the risk of accidental contamination or injury from the use, storage, handling or disposal of these materials, including fires and/or explosions, storage tank leaks and ruptures and discharges or releases of toxic or hazardous substances. These operating risks can cause personal injury, property damage and environmental contamination, and may result in the shutdown of affected facilities and the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. The occurrence of any of these events may significantly reduce the productivity and profitability of a particular manufacturing facility and adversely affect our operating results.


We currently maintain property, business interruption and casualty insurance with limits that we believe to be commercially reasonable but may be inadequate to cover any actual liability or damages.

-33-


Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities

The price of ADSs representing our American Depositary Shares (ADSs)ordinary shares has been volatile and may continue to be volatile.


The trading price of our American Depositary Shares (ADSs)representing our ordinary shares (“ADSs”) has been, and is likely to continue to be, highly volatile. The market value of an investment in our ADSs may fall sharply at any time due to this volatility. During the year ended December 31, 2018,2020, the closing sale price of our ADSs as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market ranged from $1.74$4.06 to $11.70.$11.75. During the year ended December 31, 2017,2019, the closing sale price of our ADSs as reported on the NASDAQ NationalNasdaq Global Market ranged from $8.03$1.09 to $11.57.$7.70. The market prices for securities of drug delivery, specialty pharma, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies historically have been highly volatile. Factors that could adversely affect our share price include, among others:


fluctuations in our operating results;
announcements of technological partnerships, innovations or new products by us or our competitors;
actions with respect to the acquisition of new or complementary businesses;
governmental regulations;
developments in patent or other proprietary rights owned by us or others;
public concern as to the safety of drug delivery technologies developed by us or drugs developed by others using our platform;
the results of pre-clinical testing and clinical studies or trials by us or our competitors;
adverse events related to our productsproduct candidate or products developed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology company partners that use our drug delivery technologies;future product candidates;
lack of efficacy of our products;product candidate or future product candidates;
litigation;
decisions by our pharmaceutical and biotechnology company partners relating to the products incorporatingthat may incorporate our technologies;
the perception by the market of specialty pharma, biotechnology, and high technology companies generally;
general market conditions, including the impact of the current financial environment; and
the dilutive impact of any new equity or convertible debt securities we may issue or have issued.



Our largest shareholders own a significant percentage of the share capital and voting rights of the Company.


As of December 31, 2020, RTW Investments LP. owned approximately 9.3% of Avadel’s outstanding shares (in the form of ADSs), Avoro Capital Advisors LLC owned approximately 7.5% of our outstanding shares (in the form of ADSs) and Vivo Opportunity, LLC and certain of its affiliates owned approximately 6.1% of our outstanding shares (in the form of ADSs). To the extent these shareholders continue to hold a large percentage of our share capital and voting rights, they will remain in a position to exert heightened influence in the election of the directors of the Company and in other corporate actions that require shareholder approval, as well as change of control transactions.

Risks Related to Our Financial Condition

We incurred arealized net lossincome in 2018 and2020 due to the gain on the sale of the Hospital Products, but we will likely incur a net loss in 2019,2021, and if we are not able to regain profitability in the future, the value of our shares may fall.

We reported net income of $7,028 and a net loss of $95.3 million$33,226 for the yearyears ended December 31, 20182020 and net income of $68.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.2019, respectively. In addition, in part because we expect sales of our hospital products to suffer further substantial declines during 2019 and we will incur substantial expenses to develop our products,product candidate and we will likely incur a net loss in 20192021 as well, the amount of which is not known to us at this time. We cannot predict if we will be able to regain profitability. If we are unable to earn a profit in future periods, the market price of our shares may fall. Our ability to operate profitably depends upon a number of factors, many of which are beyond our direct control. These factors include:
the demand for our drug delivery technologies and products;
the level of product and price competition;
our ability to develop new partnerships and additional commercial applications for our future products;
our ability to control our costs; and
our ability to broaden our customer base;
the effectiveness of our marketing strategy;
our effective tax rate;
the effectiveness of our partners’ marketing strategy for products that use our technology; and
general economic conditions.


We may not be successful in our transition to a commercial company.

We do not know when, or if, we will generate any revenue from FT218. There can be no guarantee that the FDA will approve our NDA for FT218 by the target action PDUFA date of October 15, 2021, or if at all, and, if approved, there can be no guarantee that we will be able to launch and successfully commercialize FT218.

-34-


We do not expect to generate significant revenue, or any revenue at all, unless or until we obtain marketing approval of, and begin to sell, FT218. Our ability to generate revenue depends on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, our ability to:

obtain marketing approval for FT218;
set an acceptable price for FT218;
obtain commercial quantities of FT218 at acceptable cost levels;
commercialize FT218 in the United States or in other key territories by entering into partnership or co-promotion arrangements with third parties;
obtain third-party coverage or adequate reimbursement for FT218;
achieve market acceptance of FT218 in the medical community and with third-party payers, including placement in accepted clinical guidelines for the conditions for which FT218 is intended to target; and
lawfully prevent/delay the introduction by third parties of competitive once-nightly (e.g., generic) products to FT218.

If FT218 is approved by the FDA and becomes available for commercial sale, we expect to incur significant sales and marketing costs to both prepare for and support its commercialization. Even if we receive marketing approval and expend these costs, FT218 may not be commercially successful. We may not generate revenue from FT218 if approved. If we are unable to generate product revenue, we may be unable to continue operations without continued funding.

We may require additional financing, which may not be available on favorable terms or at all, and which may result in dilution of the equity interest of the holders of our American Depositary Shares (ADSs).ADSs.


We may require additional financing to fund the development and possible acquisition of new products and businesses. We may consume available resources more rapidly than currently anticipated, resulting in the need for additional funding. If we cannot obtain financing when needed, or obtain it on favorable terms, we may be required to curtail our plans to continue to develop drug delivery technologies, develop new products, or acquire additional products and businesses. Other factors that will affect future capital requirements and may require us to seek additional financing include:


the development and acquisition of new products and drug delivery technologies;
the progress of our research and product development programs; and
the timing of, and amounts received from, future product sales, product development fees and licensing revenue and royalties.


If adequate funds are not available, we may be required to significantly reduce or refocus our product development efforts, resulting in loss of sales, increased costs and reduced revenues. Alternatively, to obtain needed funds for acquisitions or operations, we may chooseseek to issue additional ADSs representing our ordinary shares, or issue equity-linked debt, or we may choose to issue preferred shares, in either case through public or private financings. Additional funds may not be available on terms that are favorable to us and, in the case of such equity financings, may result in dilution to the holders of our ADSs. See also the discussion elsewhere in these Risk Factors under the caption “Our net lossincome and use of cash in 2018 and the resulting decrease in our available liquid assetsoperating activities may limit our ability to fully pursue our business strategy.”
We have broad discretion in the use of our cash and may not use it effectively.
Our management has broad discretion in the use of our cash, and may not apply our cash in ways that ultimately increases the value of any investment in our securities. We currently intend to use our cash to fund marketing activities for ourany future commercialized products, to fund certain clinical trials for product candidates, to fund R&D activities for potential new product candidates, and for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. As in the past we expect to invest our excess cash in available-for-sale marketable securities, including corporate bonds, U.S. government securities, other fixed income securities and equities; and these investments may not yield a favorable return. If we do not invest or apply our cash effectively, our financial position and the price of our ADSs may decline.


We currently do not intend to pay dividends and cannot assure the holders of our ADSs that we will make dividend payments in the future.


We have never declared or paid a cash dividend on any of our ordinary shares or ADSs and do not anticipate declaring cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Declaration of dividends will depend upon, among other things, future earnings, if any, the operating and financial condition of our business, our capital requirements, general business conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant.



-35-



Our effective tax rate could be highly volatile and could adversely affect our operating results.
Provisions
Our future effective tax rate may be adversely affected by a number of factors, many of which are outside of our articlescontrol, including:

the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed;
changes in the valuation of associationour deferred tax assets and liabilities;
changes in share-based compensation expense;
changes in domestic or international tax laws or the interpretation of such tax laws;
changes in available tax credits;
adjustments to estimated taxes upon finalization of various tax returns; and
the resolution of issues arising from tax audits with various tax authorities.

Any significant increase in our future effective tax rates could delay or prevent a third-party’s effortimpact our results of operations for future periods adversely.

Our ability to acquire us.use our net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
Our articles
As of association could delay, defer or prevent a third-party from acquiring us, even where such a transaction would be beneficialDecember 31, 2020, we had $46,003 of net operating losses in the U.S. Of the $46,003 of net operating losses in the U.S., $10,365 were acquired due to the holdersacquisition of FSC and $35,638 are due to the losses at US Holdings. The portion due to the acquisition of FSC will expire in 2034 through 2035. The U.S. net operating losses acquired as part of the acquisition of FSC are subject to an annual limitation under Internal Revenue Code Section 382 and $1,473 of the $10,365 will not be fully utilized before they expire. The remaining $35,638 of net operating losses do not have an expiration date.

Under U.S. federal tax legislation enacted in 2017, informally titled the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”), U.S. federal net operating losses incurred in 2018 and in future years may be carried forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such U.S. federal net operating losses is limited. Under Sections 382 and 383 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change” (generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage-point cumulative change (by value) in the equity ownership of certain shareholders over a rolling three-year period), the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change net operating losses and other pre-change tax attributes to offset its post-change taxable income or taxes may be limited. We may also experience ownership changes as a result of this offering or future issuances of our ADSs,stock or could otherwise adversely affectas a result of subsequent shifts in our stock ownership, some of which are outside our control. We have completed an analysis to determine that no events have been triggered in the price of our ADSs. For example, certain provisions of our articles of association:
permit our board of directors to issue preferred shares with such rights and preferences as they may designate, subject to applicable law;
impose advance notice requirements for shareholder proposals and director nominationspast. If any ownership changes are determined to be considered at annual shareholder meetings; and
require the approval of a supermajority of the voting power of the shares of our share capital entitled to vote generally at a meeting of shareholders to amend or repeal certain provisions of our articles of association.

We believe these provisions may provide some protection to holders of our ADSs from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. These provisions are not intended to make us immune from takeovers. However, these provisions will apply even if some holders of our ADSs consider an offer to be beneficial and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board of Directors determines istriggered in the best interest of the holders offuture, our ADSs. These provisions may also preventability to use our current net operating losses to offset post-change taxable income or discourage attempts to remove and replace incumbent directors.
In addition, several mandatory provisions of Irish law could prevent or delay our acquisition by a third party. For example, Irish law does not permit shareholders of an Irish public limited company to take action by written consent with less than unanimous consent. In addition, an effort to acquire us maytaxes would be subject to various provisions of Irish law relatinglimitation. We will be unable to mandatory bids, voluntary bids, requirements to make a cash offer and minimum price requirements, as well as substantial acquisition rules and rules requiring the disclosure of interests inuse our ADSs in certain circumstances.
These provisions may discourage potential takeover attempts, discourage bids for our ordinary shares at a premium over the market price or adversely affect the market price of, and the voting and other rights of the holders of, our ADSs. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for holders of our ADSs to elect directors other than the candidates nominated by our board of directors, and could depress the market price of our ADSs.
Irish law differs from the laws in effect in the United States and might afford less protection to the holders of our ADSs.
Holders of our ADSs could have more difficulty protecting their interests than would the shareholders of a U.S. corporation. As an Irish company,net operating losses if we are governed by the Irish Companies Act 2014, which differs in some significant, and possibly material, respects from provisions set forth in various U.S. state laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders, including provisions relating to interested directors, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, shareholder lawsuits and indemnification of directors.
The duties of directors and officers of an Irish company are generally owed to the company only. Therefore, under Irish law shareholders of Irish companies do not generally have a rightattain profitability sufficient to commence a legal action against directors or officers, and may only do sooffset our available net operating losses prior to their expiration.

As of December 31, 2020, we had approximately $118,070 of net operating losses in limited circumstances. Directors of an Irish company must act with due care and skill, honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company. Directors must not put themselves in a position in which their duties to the company and their personal interests conflict and must disclose any personal interest in any contract or arrangement with the company or any of our subsidiaries. A director or officer can be held personally liable to the company in respect of a breach of duty to the company.
Judgments of United States courts, including those predicated on the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States, may not be enforceable in Irish courts.
An investor in the U.S. may find it difficult to:
effect service of process within the U.S. against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers;
enforce United States court judgments based upon the civil liability provisions of the United States federal securities laws against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers in Ireland; or
bring an original action in an Irish court to enforce liabilities based upon the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers.



Judgments of United States courts, including those predicated on the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States, may not be enforceable in Cayman Islands courts.

We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, Maples and Calder,Ireland that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us or Avadel judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us or Avadel predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

Holders of ADSs have fewer rights than shareholders and have to act through the Depositary to exercise those rights.
Holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as shareholders and, accordingly, cannot exercise rights of shareholders against us. The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, or the “Depositary”, is the registered shareholder of the deposited shares underlying the ADSs. Therefore, holders of ADSs will generallyan expiration date. While these losses do not have to exercise the rights attached to those shares through the Depositary. We will use reasonable efforts to request that the Depositary notify the holders of ADSs of upcoming votes and ask for voting instructions from them. If a holder fails to return a voting instruction card to the Depositary by thean expiration date, established by the Depositary for receipt of such voting instructions, or if the Depositary receives an improperly completed or blank voting instruction card, or if the voting instructions includedsubstantial changes in the voting instruction card are illegible or unclear, then such holder will be deemedactivities performed in these jurisdictions could have an impact on our ability to have instructed the Depositary to vote its shares, and the Depositary shall vote such shares in favor of any resolution proposed or approved by our Board of Directors and against any resolution not so proposed or approved.
Our largest shareholders own a significant percentage of the share capital and voting rights of the Company.
As of January 25, 2019, Brandes Investment Partners L.P. owned approximately 19.1% of Avadel’s outstanding shares (in the form of ADRs), Broadfin Capital and certain of its affiliates beneficially owned approximately 8.3% of our outstanding shares (in the form of ADRs) and Deerfield Capital and certain of its affiliates beneficially owned approximately 7.3% of Avadel’s outstanding shares (in the form of ADRs). To the extentutilize these shareholders continue to hold a large percentage of our share capital and voting rights, they will remain in a position to exert heightened influencetax attributes in the election of the directors of the Company and in other corporate actions that require shareholder approval, including change of control transactions.future.


-36-


Risks Related to the 2023 Notes

Servicing our 2023 Notes may require a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash or the ability to raise the funds necessary to settle exchanges of the 2023 Notes in cash, repay the Notes at maturity, or repurchase the 2023 Notes as required following a fundamental change.

In February 2018, we issued $143.75 million$143,750 aggregate principal amount of our Senior Exchangeable Notes. Prior to February 2023, the 2023 Notes are convertible at the option of the holders only under certain conditions or upon the occurrence of certain events. If holders of the 2023 Notes elect to exchange their 2023 Notes, unless we elect to deliver solely our ADSs to settle such exchanges, we will be required to make cash payments in respect of the 2023 Notes being exchanged. Holders of the 2023 Notes also have the right to require us to repurchase all or a portion of their 2023 Notes upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as defined in the applicable indenture governing the 2023 Notes) at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2023 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest. If the 2023 Notes have not previously been exchanged or repurchased, we will be required to repay the 2023 Notes in cash at maturity. Our ability to make cash payments in connection with exchanges of the 2023 Notes, repurchase the 2023 Notes in the event of a fundamental change, or to repay or refinance the 2023 Notes at maturity will depend on market conditions and our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive, and other factors many of which are beyond our control. We incurred significanthad limited net lossesincome in 20182020 and we may continue towill likely incur significant losses.a net loss in 2021. As a result, we may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time we are required to repurchase or repay the 2023 Notes or in the event we elect to pay cash with respect to 2023 Notes being exchanged.



The conditional exchange feature of the 2023 Notes, if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.
In the event the conditional exchange feature of the 2023 Notes is triggered, holders of 2023 Notes will be entitled to exchange the 2023 Notes at any time during specified periods at their option (see the discussion under the caption “Recent Developments -- Issuance of Exchangeable Notes” in Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K).option. If one or more holders elect to exchange their 2023 Notes, unless we elect to satisfy our exchange obligation by causing to be delivered solely ADSs (other than paying cash in lieu of any fractional ADS)ADSs), we would be required to settle a portion or all of our exchange obligation through the payment of cash, which could adversely affect our liquidity. In addition, even if holders do not elect to exchange their 2023 Notes, we could be required under applicable accounting rules to reclassify all or a portion of the outstanding principal of the 2023 Notes as a current rather than long-term liability, which would result in a material reduction of our net working capital.
The accounting method for convertible and exchangeable debt securities that may be settled in cash, such as the 2023 Notes, could have a material effect on Avadel’sour reported financial results.
Under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options, which we refer to as ASC 470-20, an entity must separately account for the liability and equity components of the convertible or exchangeable debt instruments (such as the 2023 Notes) that may be settled entirely or partially in cash upon conversion or exchange in a manner that reflects the issuer’s economic interest cost. However, entities must first consider the guidance in ASC 815-15, Embedded Derivatives (“ASC 815-15”), to determine if an instrument contains an embedded feature that should be separately accounted for as a derivative. ASC 815 provides for an exception to this rule when convertible notes, as host instruments, are deemed to be conventional, as defined by ASC 815-40. Should this exception apply, the effect of ASC 470-20 on the accounting for the 2023 Notes is that the equity component would be required to be included in the additional paid-in capital section of stockholders’shareholders’ equity on Avadel’s consolidated balance sheet, and the value of the equity component would be treated as original issue discount for purposes of accounting for the debt component of the 2023 Notes. As a result, Avadel would be required to record a greater amount of non-cash interest expense in current periods presented as a result of the amortization of the discounted carrying value of the 2023 Notes to their face amount over the term of the 2023 Notes. Avadel would report lower net income in its financial results because ASC 470-20 would require interest to include both the current period’s amortization of the debt discount and the instrument’s coupon interest, which could adversely affect Avadel’s reported or future financial results, the trading price of the ADSs and the trading price of the 2023 Notes.
In addition, under certain circumstances, convertible or exchangeable debt instruments (such as the 2023 Notes) that may be settled entirely or partly in cash are currently accounted for utilizing the treasury stock method, the effect of which is that the ADSs deliverable upon exchange of the 2023 Notes are not included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share except to the extent that the exchange value of the 2023 Notes exceeds their principal amount. Under the treasury stock method, for diluted earnings per share purposes, the transaction is accounted for as if the number of ADSs that would be necessary to settle such excess, if we elected to settle such excess in ADSs, are issued. Neither we nor Avadel canWe cannot be sure that the accounting standards in the future will continue to permit the use of the treasury stock method. If Avadel is unable to use the treasury stock method in
-37-


accounting for the ADSs deliverable upon exchange of the 2023 Notes, then Avadel’s diluted earnings per share would be adversely affected.
Exchanges of the 2023 Notes will dilute the ownership interest of Avadel’s existing shareholders and holders of the ADSs, including holders who had previously exchanged their 2023 Notes and received ADSs upon exchange, to the extent our exchange obligation includes ADSs.
The exchange of some or all of the 2023 Notes will dilute the ownership interests of Avadel’s existing shareholders and holders of the ADSs to the extent our exchange obligation includes ADSs. Any sales in the public market of the ADSs issuable upon such exchange of the 2023 Notes could adversely affect prevailing market prices of the ADSs and, in turn, the price of the 2023 Notes. In addition, the existence of the 2023 Notes may encourage short selling by market participants because the exchange of the 2023 Notes could depress the price of the ADS.ADSs.
The fundamental change repurchase feature of the 2023 Notes may delay or prevent an otherwise beneficial takeover attempt of Avadel.
The indenture governing the 2023 Notes will require us to repurchase the 2023 Notes for cash upon the occurrence of a fundamental change and, in certain circumstances, to increase the exchange rate for a holder that exchanges its 2023 Notes in connection with a make-whole fundamental change. A takeover of Avadel may trigger the requirement that we repurchase the 2023 Notes and/or increase the exchange rate, which could make it more costly for a potential acquirer to engage in a combinatory transaction with


us or Avadel. Such additional costs may have the effect of delaying or preventing a takeover of Avadel that would otherwise be beneficial to investors.
Dividends paid byIf we pay dividends, the Parentdividends may be subject to Irish dividend withholding tax
In certain circumstances, as an Irish tax resident company, Avadel willwe may be required to deduct Irish dividend withholding tax (currently at the rate of 20%) from dividends paid to its shareholders. Shareholders that are resident in the U.S., EU countries (other than Ireland) or other countries with which Ireland has signed a tax treaty (whether the treaty has been ratified or not) generally should not be subject to Irish withholding tax so long as the shareholder has provided its broker, for onward transmission to Avadel’sour qualifying intermediary or other designated agent (in the case of shares held beneficially), or Avadelus or itsour transfer agent (in the case of shares held directly), with all the necessary documentation by the appropriate due date prior to payment of the dividend. However, some shareholders may be subject to withholding tax, which could adversely affect the price of ordinary shares and the value of their 2023 Notes.
Risks Related
General Risk Factors

Provisions of our articles of association could delay or prevent a third-party’s effort to Recent Tax Legislationacquire us.

Our articles of association could delay, defer or prevent a third-party from acquiring us, even where such a transaction would be beneficial to the holders of ADSs, or could otherwise adversely affect the price of ADSs. For example, certain provisions of our articles of association:
permit our board of directors to issue preferred shares with such rights and preferences as they may designate, subject to applicable law;
impose advance notice requirements for shareholder proposals and director nominations to be considered at annual shareholder meetings; and
require the approval of a supermajority of the voting power of our shares entitled to vote at a general meeting of shareholders to amend or repeal any provisions of our articles of association.

We believe these provisions, if implemented in compliance with applicable law, may provide some protection to holders of ADSs from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. These provisions are not intended to make us immune from takeovers. They will, however, apply even if some holders of ADSs consider an offer to be beneficial and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board of Directors determines is in the best interest of the holders of ADSs. Certain of these provisions may also prevent or discourage attempts to remove and replace incumbent directors.
In addition, mandatory provisions of Irish law could prevent or delay an acquisition of the Company by a third party. For example, Irish law does not permit shareholders of an Irish public limited company to take action by written consent with less than unanimous consent. In addition, an effort to acquire us may be subject to various provisions of Irish law relating to
-38-


mandatory bids, voluntary bids, requirements to make a cash offer and minimum price requirements, as well as substantial acquisition rules and rules requiring the disclosure of interests in ADSs in certain circumstances.
These provisions may discourage potential takeover attempts or bids for our ordinary shares at a premium over the market price or they may adversely affect the market price of, and the voting and other rights of the holders of, ADSs. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for holders of ADSs to elect directors other than the candidates nominated by our board of directors and could depress affect the market price of ADSs.
Irish law differs from the laws in effect in the U.S. and might afford less protection to the holders of ADSs.
Holders of ADSs could have more difficulty protecting their interests than would the shareholders of a U.S. corporation. As an Irish company, we are governed by Irish law, including the Irish Companies Act 2014 and the Irish Takeover Rules, which differs in some significant, and possibly material, respects from provisions set forth in various U.S. state laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders, including provisions relating to interested directors, mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, shareholder lawsuits and indemnification of directors.
The duties of directors and officers of an Irish company are generally owed to the company only. Therefore, under Irish law shareholders of Irish companies do not generally have a right to commence a legal action against directors or officers and may only do so in limited circumstances. Directors of an Irish company must act with due care and skill, honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the company. Directors must not put themselves in a position in which their duties to the company and their personal interests conflict and must disclose any personal interest in any contract or arrangement with the company or any of our subsidiaries. A director or officer can be held personally liable to the company in respect of a breach of duty to the company.
Judgments of U.S. courts, including those predicated on the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the U.S., may not be enforceable in Irish courts.
An investor in the U.S. may find it difficult to:
effect service of comprehensiveprocess within the U.S. against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers;
enforce U.S. court judgments based upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers in Ireland; or
bring an original action in an Irish court to enforce liabilities based upon the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our non-U.S. resident directors and officers.

Judgments of U.S. courts, including those predicated on the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States, may not be enforceable in Cayman Islands courts.

We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, Maples and Calder, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us or Avadel judgments of courts of the U.S. predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any State; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us or Avadel predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any State, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the U.S., the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

Holders of ADSs have fewer rights than shareholders and have to act through the Depositary to exercise those rights.
Holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as shareholders and, accordingly, cannot exercise rights of shareholders against us. The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary (the “Depositary”), is the registered shareholder of the deposited shares underlying the ADSs. Therefore, holders of ADSs will generally have to exercise the rights attached to those shares through the Depositary. We will use reasonable efforts to request that the Depositary notify the holders of ADSs of upcoming votes and ask for voting instructions from them. If a holder fails to return a voting instruction card to the Depositary by the date established
-39-


by the Depositary for receipt of such voting instructions, or if the Depositary receives an improperly completed or blank voting instruction card, or if the voting instructions included in the voting instruction card are illegible or unclear, then such holder will be deemed to have instructed the Depositary to vote its shares, and the Depositary shall vote such shares in favor of any resolution proposed or approved by our Board of Directors and against any resolution not so proposed or approved.
U.S. Holders of ordinary shares or ADSs may suffer adverse U.S. tax reform legislation on us, whether adverseconsequences if we are classified as a passive foreign investment company.
Generally, if, for any taxable year, at least 75% of our gross income is passive income, or favorable,at least 50% of the value of our assets is uncertain.

On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into lawattributable to assets that produce passive income or are held for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) (the “Tax Act”). Amongproduction of passive income, including cash, we would be characterized as a number of significant changes to thepassive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax rules,purposes. For purposes of these tests, passive income includes dividends, interest, and gains from the Tax Act reducessale or exchange of investment property and rents and royalties other than rents and royalties that are received from unrelated parties in connection with the marginal U.S. corporateactive conduct of a trade or business. Our status as a PFIC depends on the composition of our income tax rate from 35% to 21%, limitsand the deduction for net interest expense, shiftscomposition and value of our assets (for which purpose the United States toward a more territorial tax system, and imposes new rules to combat erosiontotal value of our assets may be determined in part by the market value of the ordinary shares or ADSs, which are subject to change) from time to time. If we are characterized as a PFIC, U.S. Holders (as defined below under “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Holders”) of ordinary shares or ADSs may suffer materially adverse tax consequences, including having gains realized on the sale of ordinary shares or ADSs treated as ordinary income, rather than capital gain, the loss of the preferential rate applicable to dividends received on ordinary shares or ADSs by individuals who are U.S. Holders, and having interest charges apply to distributions by us and the proceeds of sales of ordinary shares or ADSs. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for U.S. Holders—PFIC rules.”

We believe that we were not a PFIC for the taxable year ending December 31, 2020 and, based on the expected value of our assets, including any goodwill, and the expected nature and composition of our income and assets, we do not anticipate that we will be a PFIC for our current taxable year. However, our status as a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination subject to various uncertainties, and we cannot provide any assurances regarding our PFIC status for the current, prior or future taxable years.

Certain U.S. Holders that own 10 percent or more of the vote or value of ordinary shares or ADSs may suffer adverse U.S. tax consequences because our non-U.S. subsidiaries are expected to be classified as controlled foreign corporations.
Each ‘‘Ten Percent Shareholder’’ (as defined below) in a non-U.S. corporation that is classified as a ‘‘controlled foreign corporation,’’ or a CFC, for U.S. federal income tax base.purposes generally is required to include in income for U.S. federal tax purposes such Ten Percent Shareholder’s pro rata share of the CFC’s ‘‘Subpart F income’’ and investment of earnings in U.S. property, even if the CFC has made no distributions to its shareholders. Subpart F income generally includes dividends, interest, rents, royalties, ‘‘global intangible low-taxed income,’’ gains from the sale of securities and income from certain transactions with related parties. In addition, a Ten Percent Shareholder that realizes gain from the sale or exchange of shares in a CFC may be required to classify a portion of such gain as dividend income rather than capital gain. A non-U.S. corporation generally will be classified as a CFC for U.S. federal income tax purposes if Ten Percent Shareholders own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of either the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote or of the total value of the stock of such corporation. A ‘‘Ten Percent Shareholder’’ is a U.S. person (as defined by the Code) who owns or is considered to own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 10% or more of the total value of all classes of stock of such corporation.

We believe that we were not a CFC in the 2020 taxable year, but that our non-U.S. subsidiaries were CFCs in the 2020 taxable year. We anticipate that our non-U.S. subsidiaries will remain CFCs in the 2021 taxable year, and it is possible that we may become a CFC in the 2021 taxable year or in a subsequent taxable year. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has issued limited regulationsdetermination of CFC status is complex and guidance underincludes attribution rules, the Tax Act, and is expected to issue additional guidance the impactapplication of which is uncertain but could differ from the interpretations and assumptions that we have made, which could have a material adverse effect on our cash tax liabilities, results of operations and financial condition. Investorsnot entirely certain. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisers regardingadvisors with respect to the impactpotential adverse U.S. tax consequences of becoming a Ten Percent Shareholder in a CFC, including the possibility and consequences of becoming a Ten Percent Shareholder in one or more of our non-U.S. subsidiaries that are anticipated to be treated as CFCs. If we are classified as both a CFC and a PFIC, we generally will not be treated as a PFIC with respect to those U.S. Holders that meet the definition of a Ten Percent Shareholder during the period in which we are a CFC, subject to certain exceptions.

A transfer of ordinary shares may be subject to Irish stamp duty.
Transfers of ordinary shares (as opposed to ADSs) could be subject to Irish stamp duty (currently at the rate of 1% of the Tax Acthigher of the price paid or the market value of the shares acquired). Payment of Irish stamp duty is generally a legal obligation of the transferee. Although transfers of ADSs are not subject to Irish stamp duty, the potential for stamp duty to arise on their investments in Avadel securities.transfers of ordinary shares could adversely affect the price of our ordinary shares or ADSs.

-40-



Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.


Item 2.        Properties.
(Amounts in thousands, except square foot amounts)
Avadel Research SAS, our research center, is located in Venissieux, France (a suburb of Lyon) in three adjacent leased facilities totaling approximately 51,600 square feet.  One building of approximately 12,800 square feet houses administrative offices and analytical research laboratories.  The lease on this facility expires in March 2022.  A second facility comprising approximately 12,800 square feet houses equipment dedicated to our Micropump, LiquiTime and Trigger Lock platforms has a lease which expires in March 2022.  The lease for the third facility of approximately 26,000 square feet houses research and biochemistry (Medusa) laboratories and quality/regulatory affairs was terminated on December 31, 2018.

We have commercial and administrative activities located in Chesterfield, Missouri. Our current office space consists of 24,236 square feet, and the lease expires in 2025. Additionally, we still maintainmaintained the lease on the former headquarters of FSC Laboratories, Inc. located in Charlotte, North Carolina. This office space consistsconsisted of 6,300 square feet and the lease expires inexpired on December 31, 2020.

We have intellectual property, clinical, quality, regulatory, and supply chain activities located in Dublin, Ireland. The office space consists of 5,059 square feet and the lease expires in 2025. 


See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more information regarding our investment activities and principal capital expenditures over the last threetwo years.


Item 3.        Legal Proceedings.
Voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing by Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC
On February 6, 2019, our indirect wholly owned subsidiary Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Specialty Pharma”) filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy CodeWhile we may be engaged in various claims and legal proceedings in the United States District Bankruptcy Court for the Districtordinary course of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”), Case No. 19-10248 (CSS).  The case has been assigned to Judge Christopher


Sontchi.  Specialty Pharma is responsible solely for the sales, marketing and distribution of the Company’s Noctiva™ product for the treatment of nocturia.  Specialty Pharma is the licensee under a license agreement with Serenity Pharmaceuticals LLC (“Serenity”) for the patents and other intellectual property relating to Noctiva™.  Our direct wholly owned subsidiary Avadel US Holdings, Inc. (“US Holdings”) is the parent of Specialty Pharma.  On February 8, 2019, the Bankruptcy Court approved, on an interim basis, a binding term sheet (the “Binding Term Sheet”) between US Holdings and Specialty Pharma pursuant to which US Holdings will provide debtor-in-possession financing to Specialty Pharma of up to a maximum amount of $2.7 million.  The Binding Term Sheet received final approval by the Bankruptcy Court on March 11, 2019.  The financing under the Binding Term Sheet is a non-amortizing revolving credit facility bearing interest at a rate of 5.0% per annum; advances will be used for purposes consistent with the budget approved by the Bankruptcy Court; the amounts loaned under the facility have the status of pre-petition unsecured claims and a ranking parri passu with other pre-petition unsecured claims that may be allowed by the Bankruptcy Court; and all such advances will be due on February 6, 2020 or earlier upon certain events specified in the Binding Term Sheet.

Specialty Pharma has also filed motions with the Bankruptcy Court for approval to sell its assets with bids due by April 1, 2019 and, if qualified bidsbusiness, we are received, an auction on April 3, 2019.  If a bid is accepted at the auction, there will be a hearing in the Bankruptcy Court on April 10, 2019 to consider approval of the proposed sale.  Specialty Pharma also moved to reject its supply contract with Renaissance Lakewood, LLC relating to the manufacture of certain specified quantities of NoctivaTM.   The rejection of the agreement with Renaissance was approved by the Bankruptcy Court over Serenity’s objection at a hearing on March 13, 2019.  In addition, Ferring International Center S.A. has moved for relief from the automatic stay in bankruptcy so that it may proceed in its litigation against Specialty Pharma which is described below under the caption “Noctiva Patent Litigation.”

Noctiva Patent Litigation
Specialty Pharma is a party to Case No. 17-cv-9922 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York brought in April 2017 by Ferring B.V., Ferring International Center S.A., and Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. (collectively referred to hereafter as “Ferring”) against Serenity and Reprise Biopharmaceutics, LLC (“Reprise”). In this proceeding, Ferring is seeking a court judgment to declare as invalid and unenforceable three patents relating to Noctiva, which have been licensed to Specialty Pharma by Serenity, and a further court judgment that Ferring’s Nocdurna product does not infringe those patents. In June 2018, Serenity and Reprise filed an answer, which Specialty Pharma joinedinvolved (whether as a party defendant asserting defenses and counterclaims for, among other things, infringement by Nocdurna of certain of Serenity’s patents and seeking a declaratory judgment that the name “Noctiva” does not infringe any Ferring trademark for “Nocdurna”; subsequently, Ferring asserted a claim for alleged trademark infringement by NoctivaTM with respect Nocdurna. No date is set for a hearing or trial on the various pending motions or on the underlying claims. As noted above, Specialty Pharma is the debtorotherwise) in, a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. If Ferring is successful on any of the claims it is asserting in its case in the U.S. District Court, the amount that Specialty Pharma may obtain for a sale of its assets would be limited.
By way of background, Noctiva™ is our brand name for the drug desmopressin acetate which is FDA-approved for treatment of nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria (overproduction of urine during the night) in adults. Noctiva™ is an emulsified low-dose vasopressin analog administered through a preservative-free nasal spray 30 minutes before bedtime. Ferring’s product Nocdurna is desmopressin acetate in the form of a sublingual tablet (i.e., to be dissolved under the tongue) which on June 21, 2018 received FDA approval for marketing in the U.S. for the treatment of nocturia.
A separate litigation (Case No. C.A. No. 12-cv 2650 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York) is pending between Ferring, on the one hand, and Serenity, Reprise and certain related parties, on the other hand. In this case, Ferring has alleged that certain Ferring employees should be the sole named inventors of the three patents relating to Noctiva, and has also alleged related claims that the defendants breached certain contractual and common law duties. The court in this case has dismissed Ferring’s claims, but Ferring may appeal the dismissals. Neither Specialty Pharma nor any other Avadel company is a party to this litigation. However, if the defendants are ultimately unsuccessful in defending Ferring’s allegations in this case, Specialty Pharma (or any person who might purchase its assets) would be required to seek a license for the patents from Ferring in order to continue to market NoctivaTM, and, we would not have the right to enforceno knowledge of any threat of, the patents against competitorsany litigation, arbitration or administrative or other third parties.
Some of the patents covering our NoctivaTM product (the “Noctiva Patents”) are the subject of litigation initiated by Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. and two of its foreign affiliates, who manufactureproceeding that management believes will have a competing product known as Nocdurna.  Nocdurna was approved by the FDA in June 2018 and commercially launched in the U.S. in November 2018.  In this litigation (the “Ferring Litigation”), Ferring seeks to invalidate and disputes the inventorship of the Noctiva Patents, seeks damages for various alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, and seeks damages for alleged infringement by NoctivaTM of Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark.  Avadel’s indirectly wholly owned subsidiary, Specialty Pharma and certain other parties including Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Serentiy”) (the licensor of the Noctiva Patents) have been actively defending this litigation, and have made certain counterclaims against Ferring, including for infringement of the Noctiva Patents and a declaratory judgment of noninfringement with respect to Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark. The court has dismissed Ferring’s inventorship claim and its


claims for alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, although these dismissals may be appealed by Ferring.  On February 15, 2019, Specialty Pharma and its co-defendants moved to stay the litigation pending completion of the bankruptcy proceeding of Specialty Pharma. Adverse outcomes from this litigation could have material adverse effectseffect on the valueour consolidated financial position or results of the Specialty Pharma’s license to NoctivaTM.operations.


Item 4.        Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.

-41-



PART II


Item 5.Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Item 5.Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
 
Common Stock Data (per share):
 
The principal trading market for the Company’sour securities in ADSs is the NASDAQNasdaq Global Market.Market under the symbol “AVDL”. There is no foreign trading market for the Company’sour ordinary shares, ADSs or any other equity security issued by the Company.us. Each ADS represents one ordinary share, nominal value $0.01. Each ADS is evidenced by an ADR. The Bank of New York Mellon is the Depositary for the ADRs.
 
As of March 13, 2019,4, 2021, there were 37,355,51158,465,151 ordinary shares outstanding, and theour closing stock price of the Company was $1.98$7.56 per share.
 
The following table reports the high and low trading prices of the ADSs on the NASDAQNasdaq Global Market for the periods indicated: 
2018 Price Range 2017 Price Range 2020 Price Range2019 Price Range
High Low High Low HighLowHighLow
       
First quarter $11.70
 $6.76
 $12.30
 $8.87
First quarter $10.64 $4.06 $3.29 $1.44 
Second quarter7.78
 5.89
 11.72
 8.75
Second quarter11.75 7.25 3.19 1.09 
Third quarter 7.14
 4.08
 11.18
 8.14
Third quarter 8.98 5.02 4.47 1.92 
Fourth quarter4.66
 1.74
 11.53
 7.52
Fourth quarter7.95 5.03 7.70 3.34 

Holders


As of March 13, 2019,4, 2021, there were 7578 holders of record of our ordinary shares and 3265 accounts registered with The Bank of New York Mellon, the depositaryDepositary of our ADS program, as holders of ADSs, one of which ADS accounts is registered to the Depositary Trust Corporation (DTC). Because our ADSs are generally held of record by brokers, nominees and other institutions as participants in DTC on behalf of the beneficial owners of such ADSs, we are unable to estimate the total number of beneficial owners of the ADSs held by these record holders.


Dividends
The Company hasWe have never declared or paid a cash dividend on any of our capital stockshares and doesdo not anticipate declaring cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Equity Compensation Plan
The information required by Item 5 of Form 10-K regarding equity compensation plans is incorporated herein by reference to Item 12 of Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities


In March 2017,We did not repurchase any of our equity securities during the Boardyear ended December 31, 2020.

Recent Sales of Directors approved an authorizationUnregistered Securities

Securities Purchase Agreement

On February 21, 2020, we announced that we entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of our ADSs and Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Shares (“Series A Preferred”) in a private placement to repurchase upa group of institutional accredited investors. The private placement resulted in gross proceeds of approximately $65,000 before deducting placement agent and other offering expenses which resulted in net proceeds of $60,570.

Pursuant to $25,000the terms of the private placement, we issued 8,680,225 ADSs and 487,614 shares of Series A Preferred at a price of $7.09 per share, priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. Each share of non-voting Series A Preferred is convertible into one ADS, provided that conversion will be prohibited if, as a result, the holder and its affiliates would own more than 9.99% of the
-42-


total number of Avadel ordinary shares represented by ADSs. Under this authorization, which has an indefinite duration, share repurchases mayADSs outstanding. The closing of the private placement occurred on February 25, 2020. Proceeds from the private placement will be made in the open market, in block transactions on or off the exchange, in privately negotiated transactions, or through other meansused to fund continued clinical and program development of FT218, including our open-label extension study for REST-ON, a switch study to evaluate patients switching from twice-nightly sodium oxybate to once-nightly FT218, as determined by the Board of Directors and in accordance with the regulationswell as for general corporate purposes.

The private placement was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The timing and amount of repurchases, if any, will depend onAct as a variety of factors, including the price of our shares, cash resources, alternative investment opportunities, corporate and regulatory requirements and market conditions. This share repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. We may also from time to time establishtransaction by an issuer not involving a trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 to facilitate purchases of our shares under this program. Additionally, on February 12, 2018, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $18,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by American Depository Shares in connection with our Convertible Notes Offering completed on February 16, 2018. See Note 10: Long-Term Debt. In March 2018, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $7,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by American Depository Shares, bring the total authorization to $50,000. public offering.


The Company fully completed its authorized share buyback program. There were no shares repurchased during the three months ended December 31, 2018.



StockShare Performance Graph
 
The following graph compares the cumulative 5-year return provided to shareholders of Avadel’s ADSs relative to the cumulative total returns of the NASDAQNasdaq Composite Index and the NASDAQNasdaq Biotechnology Index. We believe these indices are the most appropriate indices against which the total shareholder return of Avadel should be measured. The NASDAQNasdaq Biotechnology Index has been selected because it is an index of U.S. quoted biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. An investment of $100 (with reinvestment of all dividends) is assumed to have been made in our ADSs and in each of the indexes on January 1, 20132016 and our relative performance is tracked through December 31, 2018.2020. The comparisons shown in the graph are based upon historical data and we caution that the stock price performance shown in the graph is not indicative of, or intended to forecast, the potential future performance of our stock.


a2018stockperf.gif

avdl-20201231_g1.gif
This performance graph shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary set forth in any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act that might incorporate future filings, including this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in whole or in part, this performance graph shall not be incorporated by reference into any such filings except as may be expressly set forth by specific reference in any such filing.






-43-


Item 6.        Selected Financial Data (in thousands, except per share amounts).
Annual Financial Data:

The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” and Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company’s historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in any future period.
Statement of (Loss) Income Data: 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
   
  
  
  
  
Total revenues $103,269
 $173,245
 $150,246
 $173,009
 $14,975
Gross profit (a)
 85,753
 156,944
 136,998
 161,599
 11,592
Operating (loss) income (104,926) 89,505
 (4,965) 70,758
 (93,657)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations (95,304) 68,271
 (41,276) 41,798
 (89,487)
Net income from discontinued operations 
 
 
 
 4,018
Net (loss) income (95,304) 68,271
 (41,276) 41,798
 (85,469)
Net (loss) income per share - basic:  
  
  
  
  
Continuing operations (2.55) 1.69
 (1.00) 1.03
 (2.47)
Discontinued operations 
 
 
 
 0.11
Net (loss) income per share - basic (2.55) 1.69
 (1.00) 1.03
 (2.36)
Net (loss) income per share - diluted:  
  
  
  
  
Continuing operations (2.55) 1.63
 (1.00) 0.96
 (2.47)
Discontinued operations 
 
 
 
 0.11
Net (loss) income per share - diluted (2.55) 1.63
 (1.00) 0.96
 (2.36)
Balance Sheet Data: 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
   
  
  
  
  
Cash and cash equivalents $9,325
 $16,564
 $39,215
 $65,064
 $39,760
Marketable securities 90,590
 77,511
 114,980
 79,738
 53,074
Goodwill 18,491
 18,491
 18,491
 18,491
 18,491
Intangible assets, net 1,629
 92,289
 22,837
 15,825
 28,389
Total assets 190,300
 253,277
 245,482
 215,081
 174,382
Long-term debt (incl. current portion) 115,840
 267
 815
 1,118
 3,717
Long-term related party payable (incl. current portion) 28,840
 98,925
 169,347
 122,693
 114,750

(a) Gross profit is computed by subtracting cost of products from total revenues.



Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited):
 
The following tables present certain unaudited consolidated quarterly financial information for each quarter of 20182020 and 2017.2019. Year-to-date net income (loss) per share amounts may be different than the sum of the applicable quarters due to differences in weighted average shares outstanding for the respective periods. 
2020:March 31June 30September 30December 31
    
Revenues$12,243 $10,091 $— $— 
Gross profit (a)
9,786 6,806 — — 
Operating (loss) income (b)
(6,497)40,269 (13,697)(14,260)
Net (loss) income(865)30,874 (11,703)(11,278)
Net (loss) income per share - basic(0.02)0.57 (0.20)(0.19)
Net (loss) income per share - diluted(0.02)0.49 (0.20)(0.19)
2018:March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31
  
  
  
  
Revenues$33,293
 $29,230
 $19,826
 $20,920
Gross profit (a)
26,701
 25,718
 16,706
 16,628
Operating loss (b)
(12,625) (2,785) (14,095) (75,421)
Net loss(12,236) (3,438) (15,771) (63,859)
Net loss per share - basic(0.32) (0.09) (0.43) (1.72)
Net loss per share - diluted(0.32) (0.09) (0.43) (1.72)
2017:March 31 June 30 September 30 December 31
  
  
  
  
Revenues$52,507
 $46,311
 $39,675
 $34,752
Gross profit (a)
48,605
 41,750
 35,885
 30,704
Operating income (loss)33,341
 34,126
 26,118
 (4,080)
Net income (loss)25,910
 28,927
 21,679
 (8,245)
Net income (loss) per share - basic0.63
 0.70
 0.54
 (0.21)
Net income (loss) per share - diluted0.61
 0.68
 0.52
 (0.21)
2019:March 31June 30September 30December 31
    
Revenues$16,437 $17,554 $14,229 $10,995 
Gross profit (a)
13,171 13,932 11,406 8,581 
Operating loss(8,167)(4,451)(4,147)(7,347)
Net loss(13,018)(8,605)(8,864)(2,739)
Net loss per share - basic(0.35)(0.23)(0.24)(0.07)
Net loss per share - diluted(0.35)(0.23)(0.24)(0.07)
  
(a) Gross profit is computed by subtracting cost of products from total revenues.
(b) The Company recorded an impairment charge Operating income for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 includes a gain on the sale of $66,087 during the three months ended December 31, 2018.hospital business of $45,760.





 




-44-




Item 7.        Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.


MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
(In thousands, except per share data) 
You should read the discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations set forth in this Item 7 together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and reference is made to the “Cautionary Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” set forth immediately following the Table of Content of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information on the forward looking statements herein. In addition, you should read the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

OverviewInformation pertaining to fiscal year 2018 was included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2019, on pages 42 through 56, under Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which was filed with the SEC on March 16, 2020.

-45-


Overview
Nature of Operations
Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: AVDL) (“Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a branded specialty pharmaceuticalbiopharmaceutical company. Our primarily focuslead product candidate, FT218, is on the development and potential FDA approval for FT218 which is in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of narcolepsy patients suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy.  In addition, we market three sterile injectable drugs used in the hospital setting which were developed under our “unapproved marketed drug” (UMD) program.   The Company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with operations in St. Louis, Missouri and Lyon, France. For more information, please visit www.avadel.com..
Avadel is developing FT218, an investigational once-nightly, extended-release formulation of sodium oxybate based on its propriety Micropump® drug delivery technology, for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)(“EDS”) and cataplexy in patients suffering fromadults with narcolepsy. FT218 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial called REST-ON. In addition, Avadel is developing a fourth UMD product, an as-yet undisclosed sterile injectable product intended for the hospital market.

Our current marketed products include:

Akovaz® (ephedrine sulfate injection, USP), an alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonist and a norepinephrine-releasing agent that is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia.
Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection), a cholinesterase inhibitor, is indicated for the reversal of the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) after surgery.

Vazculep® (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection), an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonist indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension resultingWe are primarily from vasodilation in the setting of anesthesia.

Each of our Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep products is used primarily in the hospital setting and was developed under our UMD program.
Noctiva™, a vasopressin analog indicated for the treatment of nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria in adults who awaken at least two times per night to void. Due to disappointing results after a substantial investment of resources after Noctiva’s commercial launch in March 2018, Specialty Pharma, the Avadel subsidiary responsible for the marketing and sale of Noctiva, made a voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 6, 2019. Although Specialty Pharma currently continues its marketing and sales efforts for this product, Avadel anticipates that Specialty Pharma will discontinue all activities with respect to Noctiva during 2019 as a result of the bankruptcy.

Corporate Information

The Company was incorporated on December 1, 2015 as an Irish private limited company, and re-registered as an Irish public limited company, or plc, on November 21, 2016. Our principal place of business is located at Block 10-1, Blanchardstown Corporate Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15, Ireland. Avadel’s phone number is 011-353-1-485-1200. Our website is www.avadel.com, where


we make available free of charge our reports (and any amendments thereto) on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). These filings are also available to the public at www.sec.gov.
The Company is the successor to Flamel Technologies S.A., a French société anonyme (“Flamel”), as the result of the France-to-Ireland redomestication merger of Flamel with and into the Company completed on December 31, 2016 (the “Merger”). In the Merger, we changed our company name to Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc and our jurisdiction of organization to Ireland; we assumed all the assets and liabilities of Flamel; and we issued one Avadel ordinary share (either directly or in the form of an American Depositary Share (ADS)) in exchange for each formerly outstanding share of Flamel, all of which were canceled. Thus, an Avadel ordinary share held (either directly or represented by an ADS) immediately after the Merger continued to represent the same proportional interest in our equity owned by the holder of a share of Flamel immediately prior to the Merger. References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” and similar terms shall be deemed to be references to Flamel prior to the completion of the Merger, unless the context otherwise requires. Additional details about the Merger are set forth in Item 1 under the caption “ - The Reincorporation Merger.”
The Company currently has five direct wholly-owned subsidiaries: (a) Avadel US Holdings, Inc., (b) Flamel Ireland Limited, which conducts business under the name Avadel Ireland, (c) Avadel Investment Company Limited, (d) Avadel Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company and (e) Avadel France Holding SAS. Avadel US Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is the holding entity of (i) Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC (currently the subject of a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding as noted above), (ii) Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC, (iii) Avadel Management Corporation, (iv) FSC Holding Company and (v) Avadel Operations Company, Inc. Avadel Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company is the holding entity of Avadel Finance Cayman Limited. Flamel Ireland Limited (operating under the trade name Avadel Ireland) is an Irish corporation which, Since December 16, 2014, has been the owner of substantially all of Avadel’s intellectual property. Avadel France Holding SAS, a French société par actions simplifiée, is the holding entity of Avadel Research SAS through which Avadel conducts substantially all of its R&D activities. A complete list of the Company’s subsidiaries can be found in Exhibit 21.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
References in these consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto to “Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” and similar terms shall be deemed to be references to Flamel prior to the completion of the Merger, unless the context otherwise requires.
Business Strategies
Our primary business strategy is to focusfocused on the development and potential United States (“U.S.”) Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval of FT218. In December 2020, the Company submitted a New Drug Application (“NDA”) to the FDA approval for FT218 which is in a Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of narcolepsy patients suffering fromto treat excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy. In addition, we will continue to maximize our current approved hospital products portfolio, including obtainingcataplexy in adults with narcolepsy.The NDA for FT218 was accepted by the FDA approval forin February 2021 and the commercializationassigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) target action date of October 15, 2021.

Outside of our fourth UMD product. Additionally,lead product candidate, we will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our product portfolio. These strategies are described belowAs of December 31, 2020, we do not have any approved and commercialized products in greater detail.our portfolio.

FT218

FT218 (Micropump®is a once-nightly formulation of sodium oxybate): FT218 (Micropump® sodium oxybate): Avadel is developing a productoxybate that uses our Micropump®Micropump controlled release drug-delivery technology for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)EDS and cataplexy in patientsadults suffering from narcolepsy. Avadel currently refers to this product as FT218. FT218 is a Micropump®-based formulation of sodium oxybate. Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of gamma hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous compound and metabolite of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Sodium oxybate has been described as a therapeutic agent with high medical value. Sodium oxybate is approved in Europe and the United States as a twice nightly formulation indicatedU.S. for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy.

In preparation for a clinical trial of FT218, Avadel reached an agreement with the FDA for the designnarcolepsy and planned analysis of our pivotal Phase 3 study, Rest-On through a Special Protocol Assessment (“SPA”). A SPA is an acknowledgment by the FDA that the design and planned analysis of a pivotal clinical trial adequately addresses the objectives necessary to support a regulatory submission. Pursuant to the SPA,approved in December 2016, Avadel initiated patient enrollment and dosing for the Rest-On clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a once-nightly formulation of FT218Europe for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients suffering fromwith narcolepsy. Since 2002, sodium oxybate has only been available as a formulation that must be taken twice nightly, first at bedtime, and then again 2.5 to 4 hours later.

On December 16, 2020, we announced the submission of our NDA to the FDA for FT218. On February 26, 2021, the FDA notified us of formal acceptance of the NDA with an assigned PDUFA target action date of October 15, 2021.

The study isREST-ON trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 264that enrolled 212 patients beingand was conducted in 45 to 55 clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australia. Avadel believes that, if successful, this study could demonstrate improved efficacy, safetyThe last patient, last visit was completed at the end of the first quarter of 2020 and patient satisfaction overpositive top line data from the current primary product serving this market, which isREST-ON trial was announced on April 27, 2020. Patients who received 9 g of once-nightly FT218, the highest dose administered in the trial, demonstrated a twice nightlystatistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement compared to placebo across the three co-primary endpoints of the trial: maintenance of wakefulness test, or MWT, clinical global impression-improvement, or CGI-I, and mean weekly cataplexy attacks. The lower doses assessed, 6 g and 7.5 g also demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement on all three co-primary endpoints compared to placebo. We observed the 9 g dose of once-nightly FT218 to be generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions commonly associated with sodium oxybate formulation, which the marketer estimates will generate revenues of approximately $1.4 billionwere observed in 2018.

To date, due in part to narcolepsy being a rare disease with a small patient population with no significant geographic concentration, we have not completed patient enrollment fornumber of patients (nausea 1.3%, vomiting 5.2%, decreased appetite 2.6%, dizziness 5.2%, somnolence 3.9%, tremor 1.3% and enuresis 9%), and 3.9% of the patients who received 9 g of FT218 clinicaldiscontinued the trial nor have we announced a projected completion date for this clinical trial. Recently, we have engaged a third-party pharmaceutical consulting firmdue to assist us in evaluating our clinicaladverse reactions.



development program for FT218 with the goal of ensuring a approvable and commercially viable FDA submission. This evaluation is currently under way, and while the results are not known at this time, they could cause us to modify our development plan with respect to FT218 in ways that materially increase the ultimate cost of development, further delay its completion or identify presently unknown risks with the product.

In January 2018, the FDA granted FT218 Orphan Drug Designation, which makes the drug eligible for certain development and commercial incentives, including a potential U.S. market exclusivity for up to seven yearsyears. Additionally, several FT218-related U.S. patents have been issued, and there are additional patent applications currently in development and/or pending at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), as well as foreign patent offices.

In July 2020, we announced that the only once-nightly formulation. However, please seefirst patient was dosed initiating an open-label extension (“OLE”)/switch study of FT218 as a potential treatment for EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. The OLE/switch study is examining the information set forth under the caption “- Risks Related to Regulatorylong-term safety and Legal Matters - Ifmaintenance of efficacy of FT218 is approved by the FDA, we may not obtain orphan drug marketing exclusivity”in patients with narcolepsy who participated in the “Risk Factors” includedREST-ON study, as well as dosing and preference data for patients switching from twice-nightly sodium oxybate to once-nightly FT218 regardless if they participated in Part I, Item 1AREST-ON or not. We anticipate that the study will enroll up to 250 patients, many of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.which will be enrolled in North American clinical trial sites that participated in the REST-ON study.


DevelopmentWe believe FT218 has the potential to demonstrate improved dosing compliance, safety and patient satisfaction over the current standard of Micropump®-Based Productscare for EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, which is a twice-nightly sodium oxybate formulation. If approved, we believe FT218 has the potential to take a significant share of the sodium oxybate market. The current market size for the twice-nightly administration of sodium oxybate is estimated at an annualized revenue run rate of $1.8 billion.
Avadel’s versatile Micropump® drug

-46-


Micropump Drug-Delivery Technology

Our Micropump drug-delivery technology allows for the controlled delivery technology presentsof small molecule drugs taken orally, which has the potential to reduce safety issues and improve a number of things like efficacy, dosing compliance and patient satisfaction. Beyond FT218, we believe there could be other product development opportunities for our Micropump drug-delivery technology, representing either “life cycle”i) life cycle opportunities, whereby additional intellectual propertyproperty-protected drug delivery technology can be added to a pharmaceutical product to extend the commercial viability of a currently marketedthat product, or ii) innovative formulation opportunities for known active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as new chemical entities (“NCEs”entities.

Previously Approved FDA Products

On June 30, 2020 (the “Closing Date”). FT218 is formulated using this technology. If, Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC (the “Avadel Seller”) announced the sale of the portfolio of sterile injectable drugs used in the hospital setting (the “Hospital Products”), which included our three commercial products, Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep, as well as Nouress, which was approved by the U.S. FDA this product will be commercialized eitherto Exela Sterile Medicines LLC (“Exela Buyer”) pursuant to an asset purchase agreement by and among the Avadel and/or by partners via licensing/distribution agreements.Seller, Avadel US Holdings, Inc., the Exela Buyer and Exela Holdings, Inc. This sale included the following FDA approved products:
Unapproved Marketed Drug (“UMD”) Products
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its Marketed Unapproved DrugsBloxiverz (neostigmine methylsulfate injection) - Compliance Policy Guide with the intention to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to pursue approvals for pharmaceutical products, many of which pre-date the establishment of the FDA. Although these products are not protected by patents or similar intellectual property, the FDA’s Compliance Policy Guide dictates that should FDA approveBloxiverz is a new drug application (NDA) for any such products via a 505(b)(2) process, the FDA will remove competing unapproved manufacturers until a generic application is approved. Avadel believes that over a thousand unapproved drugs are marketedused intravenously in the United States today and, while manyoperating room to reverse the effects of these products are outdated therapies, we strategically evaluate those UMD products that are more commonly used as candidates for possible future FDA approval and marketing under our UMD program.non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents after surgery.
To date, Avadel has received FDA approvals for three UMD products which we currently market under the brand names Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection),
Vazculep® (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection) and - Vazculep is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia.

Akovaz® (ephedrine sulfate injection). - Akovaz was the first FDA approved formulation of ephedrine sulfate, an alpha- and beta- adrenergic agonist and a norepinephrine-releasing agent that is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia.


Additional UMD Products. AvadelNouress (cysteine hydrochloride injection)- Nouress is developing and intends to seek FDA approval of a NDA for UMD #4, a sterile injectable product usedfor use in the hospital setting. The Company anticipates submitting an NDA during the first quarter of 2019 on UMD #4, which, if approved, could contribute revenuessetting to Avadel starting in 2020. In addition, Avadel continuesprovide parenteral nutrition to monitor and evaluate other UMDs with large existing markets and limited competition for feasibility of possible future NDAs. Avadel believes its strategy to create opportunities to commercialize UMD products in markets with a limited number of competitors may have a limited number of opportunities given the lack of patent protection from competition. Avadel believes this shorter-term strategy may provide us with near term revenue growth and provide cash flows that can be used to fund R&D and inorganic initiatives for other products.neonates.


Key Business Trends and Highlights

In operating our business and monitoring our performance, we consider a number of performance measures, as well as trends affecting our industry as a whole, which include the following: 

Healthcare and Regulatory Reform: Various health care reform laws in the U.S. may impact our ability to successfully commercialize our products and technologies. The success of our commercialization efforts may depend on the extent to which the government health administration authorities, the health insurance funds in the E.U. Member States, private health insurers and other third-party payers in the U.S. will reimburse consumers for the cost of healthcare products and services.



Competition and Technological Change: Change:Competition in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry continues to be intense and is expected to increase. We compete with academic laboratories, research institutions, universities, joint ventures, and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including other companies developing niche branded or generic specialty pharmaceutical products or drug delivery platforms. Furthermore, major technological changes can happen quickly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Such rapid technological change, or the development by our competitors of technologically improved or differentiated products, could render our drug delivery platforms obsolete or noncompetitive.

Pricing Environment for Pharmaceuticals: The pricing environment continues to be in the political spotlight in the U.S. As a result, the need to obtain and maintain appropriate pricing for our products may become more challenging due to, among other things, the attention being paid to healthcare cost containment and other austerity measures in the U.S. and worldwide.

Generics Playing a Larger Role in Healthcare: Generic pharmaceutical products will continue to play a large role in the U.S. healthcare system. Specifically, we have seen, or likely will see, additional generic competition to our current and future products and we continue to expect generic competition in the future.

-47-


Access to and Cost of Capital: The process of raising capital and associated cost of such capital for a company of our financial profile can be difficult and potentially expensive. If the need were to arise to raise additional capital, access to that capital may be difficult and/or expensive and, as a result, could create liquidity challenges for the Company.
us.

Possible Net Loss from Operations in 2019: In part because we expect2021:We sold our Hospital Products at June 30, 2020 and will no longer generate revenue from sales of our hospital products to significantly decline from 2018’s levels and wethese products. We will incur substantial expenses to further the clinical development and prepare for the launch of FT218, we likely willif approved, and expect to incur a net loss in 2019, the amount of2021, which is not knownwe are unable to usestimate at this time.


Recent DevelopmentsImpact of COVID-19


Management Changes. In December 2018Since early 2020, we have seen the profound impact that the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) is having on human health, the global economy and society at large. We have been actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation and have taken measures to mitigate the potential impacts to our employees and business, such as implementing a work from home policy. We believe the impact of COVID-19 and measures to prevent its spread could impact our business in January 2019, Avadel announced changesa number of ways, including: i) possibly delaying any remaining development activities for FT218, the FDA review timeline of FT218, and/or our ongoing RESTORE open-label extension/switch study, ii) disruptions to its Boardour supply chain and third parties; and iii) requiring our employees to work from home for an extended period of Directors (“Board”)time. An extended period of global supply chain and Management team. In December 2018, (a) Avadel appointed Kevin Kotler, foundereconomic disruption could materially affect our business, results of operations, access to sources of liquidity and portfolio manager of Broadfin Capital, LLC, and Eric Ende, President of Ende BioMedical Consulting Group to the Company’s Board, (b) Michael S. Anderson resigned as chief executive officer and member of the Board of Avadel, (c) the Board named Gregory J. Divis, formerly the Company’s chief operating officer, as interim chief executive officer, (d) the Honorable Craig Stapleton stepped down as chairman of the Board but continues as a member of the Board, and (e) Geoffrey M. Glass, President of Clear Sciences, LLC, a current member of the Avadel Board, was named chairman of the Board.financial condition.

Corporate Restructuring. In February 2019, Avadel announced a corporate restructuring in order to focus efforts and resources on the clinical development of FT218. In conjunction with the restructuring, Avadel will reduce its workforce by more than 50%, and Specialty Pharma made a voluntary filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on February 6, 2019. As noted above, Specialty Pharma is a special-purpose entity and wholly-owned subsidiary responsible solely for the sales, marketing and distribution of Noctiva. These restructuring actions were taken to exit Noctiva™ quickly and efficiently, and are not expected to materially impact any other aspect of the Company’s business, including the ability to operate its sterile injectables hospital business, complete the FT218 Phase 3 clinical trial, and complete development of the Company’s fourth UMD product. The Company estimates that it will incur approximately $10 to $15 million of one-time pre-tax charges for severance and other costs related to the restructuring. See Note 23: Subsequent Events in the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.


Financial Highlights


Highlights of our consolidated results for the year ended December 31, 20182020 are as follows: 


Revenue was $103,269$22,334 for the year ended December 31, 20182020 compared to $173,245$59,215 in the same period last year. This year over year decrease was primarily the result of the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 and increased competition driving lower prices in our hospital injectables products as noted above in our discussion of Key Business Trends and Highlights. We experienced price declines across all of our hospital products and a unit volume decline with our Akovaz product due to additional competition.


Operating lossincome was $104,926$5,815 for the year ended December 31, 20182020 compared to an operating incomeloss of $89,505$24,112 for the year ended December 31, 2017.2019. The primary reasons for the decrease inchange from operating loss to operating income was due to the gain on the sale of the Hospital Products of $45,760. R&D expenses decreased in the current year by $12,475 and restructuring expenses decreased by $6,484, which also contributed to the change. Further, there was a decreasedecline in gross margin in the current year (i.e., total revenues minus cost of $71,191 driven by lower revenue as described above, impairmentproducts) of $30,498 due to the June 30, 2020 sale of the Noctiva intangible asset of $66,087 and higher SG&A of $41,499 primarily driven by sales and marketing costs related to Noctiva.Hospital Products.




Net lossincome was $95,304$7,028 for the year ended December 31, 20182020 compared to net incomeloss of $68,271$33,226 in the same period last year.


Diluted net lossincome per share was $2.55$0.13 for the year ended December 31, 20182020 compared to diluted net incomeloss per share of $1.63$0.89 in the same period last year.


Cash and marketable securities increased $5,840by $157,244 to $99,915$221,402 at December 31, 20182020 from $94,075$64,158 at December 31, 2017. The2019. This increase primarily results fromwas largely driven by the February 2020 private placement which resulted in proceeds, net of placement agent and other expenses of approximately $61,000, the May 2020 public offering, which resulted in proceeds, net of expenses and underwriting fees of approximately $117,000, cash proceeds from our February 2018 debt issuancethe disposition of $137,560,the Hospital Products of $25,500, partially offset by our$48,734 use of cash in operating activities of $82,716, a milestone payment of $20,000 for Noctiva and $27,637 in cash used as a return to shareholders through our share buyback program.operations during the year ended December 31, 2020.


-48-


Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to use judgment in making estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions. 

The following accounting policies are based on, among other things, judgments and assumptions made by management that include inherent risks and uncertainties. Management’s estimates are based on the relevant information available at the end of each period.

Revenue. Revenue includesPrior to June 30, 2020, revenue included sales of pharmaceutical products, licensing fees, and, if any, milestone payments for research and development (“R&D”) achievements.

Product Sales  
The Company sells
Prior to June 30, 2020, we sold products primarily through wholesalers and considersconsidered these wholesalers to be itsour customers. RevenueUnder ASC 606, revenue from product sales is recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’sour product, which occurs typically upon receipt by the customer. As is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, the Company’sOur gross product sales are subject to a variety of price adjustments in arriving at reported net product sales. These adjustments include estimates of product returns, chargebacks, payment discounts, rebates, and other sales allowances and are estimated based on analysis of historical data for the product or comparable products, future expectations for such products and other judgments and analysis.  
For generic products and branded products where the ultimate net selling price to customer is estimable, the Company recognizes revenues upon delivery to the wholesaler. For new product launches the Company recognizes revenue if sufficient data is available to determine product acceptance in the marketplace such that product returns may be estimated based on historical or analog product data and there is probable evidence of reorders and consideration is made of wholesaler inventory levels. As part of the third quarter 2016 launch of Akovaz, the Company determined that sufficient data was available to determine the ultimate net selling price to the customer and therefore recognized revenue upon delivery to our wholesaler customers.  
Prior to the second quarter 2016, the Company did not have sufficient historical or analog product data to estimate certain revenue deductions. As such, we could not accurately estimate the ultimate net selling price of our hospital portfolio of products and as a result delayed revenue recognition until the wholesaler sold the product through to end customers.  
During the second quarter of 2016, it was determined that we now had sufficient evidence, history, data and internal controls to estimate the ultimate selling price of our products upon shipment from our warehouse to our customers, the wholesalers.  Accordingly, we discontinued the sell-through revenue approach and now recognize revenue once the product is delivered to the wholesaler. As a result of this change in accounting estimate, we recognized $5,981 in additional revenue, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 that previously would have been deferred until sold by the wholesalers to the hospitals.   
License and Milestone Revenue  
The Company from
From time to time we may enter into out-licensing agreements which are within the scope of ASC 606 under which it licenses to third parties certain rights to its products or intellectual property. The terms of these arrangements typically include payment to the Companyus of one or more of the following: non-refundable, upfront license fees; development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments; and sales-based royalty payments. Each of these payments results in license revenue. During the yearyears ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized $1,846 of2020 and 2019, we did not recognize any revenue from license agreements.
Research and Development (“R&D”). R&D expenses consist primarily of costs related to clinical studies and outside services, personnel expenses, and other R&D expenses. Clinical studies and outside services costs relate primarily to services performed


by clinical research organizations and related clinical or development manufacturing costs, materials and supplies, filing fees, regulatory support, and other third-party fees. Personnel expenses relate primarily to salaries, benefits and stock-basedshare-based compensation. Other R&D expenses primarily include overhead allocations consisting of various support and facilities-related costs. R&D expenditures are charged to operations as incurred. Raw materials used in the production of pre-clinical and clinical products are expensed as R&D costs.
The Company recognizes
We recognize R&D tax credits received from the French and Irish government for spending on innovative R&D as an offset of R&D expenses.
Stock-based
Share-based Compensation. The Company accountsWe account for stock-basedshare-based compensation based on the estimated grant-date fair value. The fair value of stock options and warrants is estimated using Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation models (“Black-Scholes model”). As required by the Black-Sholes model, estimates are made of the underlying volatility of AVDL stock, a risk-free rate and an expected term of the option or warrant. We estimated the expected term using a simplified method, as we do not have enough historical exercise data for a majority of such options and warrants upon which to estimate an expected term. The Company recognizesWe recognize compensation cost, net of an estimated forfeiture rate, using the accelerated method over the requisite service period of the award.

Income Taxes. Our income tax expense (benefit),benefit, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits reflect management’s best estimate of current and future taxes to be paid. We are subject to income taxes in Ireland, France and the United States.U.S. Significant judgments and estimates are required in the determination of the consolidated income tax expense (benefit).benefit.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements, which will result in taxable or deductible amounts in the future. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets in the jurisdiction from which they arise, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income or loss, tax-planning
-49-


strategies, and results of recent operations. The assumptions about future taxable income or loss require the use of significant judgment and are consistent with the plans and estimates we are using to manage the underlying businesses.

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in a multitude of jurisdictions across our global operations. A tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes, on the basis of the technical merits.

We record unrecognized tax benefits as liabilities and adjust these liabilities when our judgment changes as a result of the evaluation of new information not previously available. Because of the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from our current estimate of the unrecognized tax benefit liabilities. These differences will be reflected as increases or decreases to income tax expense in the period in which new information is available.

We have not recorded a deferred tax liability for any income or withholding taxes that may arise as the result of the distribution of unremitted earnings within our Company. At December 31, 2018, the Company has2020, we had unremitted earnings of $2,798$3,725 outside of Ireland as measured on a U.S. GAAP basis. Based on our estimates that future domestic cash generation will be sufficient to meet future domestic cash needs along with our specific plans for reinvestment, we have not recorded a deferred tax liability for any income or withholding taxes that may arise from a distribution that would qualify as a dividend for tax purposes. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability on such remittances, if any.

Goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess of the acquisition consideration over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The Company hasWe have determined that we operate in a single segment and hashave a single reporting unit associated with the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. The annualWe test for goodwill impairment is a two-step process. The first step is a comparison of the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If this step indicates impairment, then, in the second step, the loss is measured as the excess of recorded goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill. Implied fair value of goodwill is the excess of the fair value of the reporting unit as a whole over the fair value of all separately identified assets and liabilities within the reporting unit. The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. During the fourth quarter of 2018, weWe performed our required annual impairment test of goodwill and have determined that no impairment of goodwill existed at December 31, 2018 or 2017. 2020 and 2019.

Long-Lived Assets. Long-lived assets include fixed assets and intangible assets. IntangiblePrior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, intangible assets consistconsisted primarily of purchased licenses and intangible assets recognized as part of the Éclat Pharmaceuticals acquisition. Acquired in-process research and development (“IPR&D has&D”) had an indefinite life and iswas not amortized until completion and development of the project, at which time the IPR&D becomesbecame an amortizable asset, for which amortization of such intangible assets iswas computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the assets.  



Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever conditions indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be fully recoverable. Such impairment tests are based on a comparison of the pretax undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset to the recorded value of the asset or other market basedmarket-based value approaches. If impairment is indicated, the asset value is written down to its market value if readily determinable or its estimated fair value based on discounted cash flows. Any significant changes in business or market conditions that vary from current expectations could have an impact on the fair value of these assets and any potential associated impairment. During the fourth quarter of 2018, we recorded a $66,087 impairment charge to the entire acquired developed technology related to Noctiva (see Note 9: Goodwill and Intangible Assets). The Company hadNoctiva. We determined that no impairment existed at December 31, 2017.2019. On June 30, 2020, we transferred our remaining intangible asset to the Exela Buyer as part of the disposition of the Hospital Products. We determined that no impairment existed at December 31, 2020 on our remaining long-lived assets.

Acquisition-related Contingent Consideration. The Prior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the acquisition-related contingent consideration payables arising from the acquisition of Éclat Pharmaceuticals (i.e., our hospital products) and FSC (our pediatrics products), which was assumed by the buyer as part of the disposition of the pediatrics products on February 16, 2018, arewere accounted for at fair-valuefair value (see Note 11: Long-Term Related Party13: Contingent Consideration Payable and Note 16:18: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets). The fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Éclat acquisition were estimated using a Black-Scholes model. A portion of these warrants were exercised on February 23, 2018 and the remaining warrants expired on March 12, 2018. See Note 11: Long-Term Related Party13: Contingent Consideration Payable. The fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration payable is estimated using a discounted cash flow model based on the long-term sales or gross profit forecasts of the specified hospital or pediatric products using an appropriate discount rate. There are a number of estimates used when determining the fair value of these earn-out payments. These estimates include, but are not limited to, the long-term pricing environment, market size, market share the related products are forecast to achieve, the cost of goods related to such products and an appropriate discount rate to use when present valuing the related cash flows. These estimates can and often do change based on changes in current market conditions, competition, management judgment and other factors. Changes to these estimates can have and have had a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheets. Changes in fair value
-50-


of these liabilities are recorded in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income within operating expenses as changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration.

Financing-related Royalty Agreements. We also entered intowere previously a party to two royalty agreements with related parties in connection with certain financing arrangements. We elected the fair value option for the measurement of the financing-related contingent consideration payable associated with the royalty agreements with certain Deerfield and Broadfin entities both(the “Deerfield and Broadfin Royalty Agreements”) (see Note 13: Contingent Consideration Payable). Prior to the sale of whom are related parties (see Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable). Thethe Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the fair value of financing-related royalty agreements iswas estimated using the same components used to determine the fair value of the acquisition-related contingent consideration noted above, with the exception of cost of products sold. Changes to these components can also have a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheets. Changes in the fair value of this liability are recorded in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income as other (expense) income (expense) - changes in fair value of related partycontingent consideration payable. In connection with the disposition of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as discussed in Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products, the Deerfield and Broadfin Royalty Agreements were assigned to the Exela Buyer and the Exela Buyer assumed and shall pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of the Company under the Deerfield and Broadfin Royalty Agreements.




Results of Operations
The following is a summary of our financial results (in thousands, except per share amounts): 
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Comparative Statements of Income (Loss):20202019$%
Product sales$22,334 $59,215 $(36,881)(62.3)%
Operating expenses:
Cost of products5,742 12,125 (6,383)(52.6)%
Research and development expenses20,442 32,917 (12,475)(37.9)%
Selling, general and administrative expenses32,405 30,183 2,222 7.4 %
Intangible asset amortization406 816 (410)(50.2)%
Changes in fair value of contingent consideration3,327 845 2,482 293.7 %
Gain on sale of Hospital Products(45,760)— (45,760)(100.0)%
Restructuring (income) costs(43)6,441 (6,484)(100.7)%
Total operating expenses16,519 83,327 (66,808)(80.2)%
Operating income (loss)5,815 (24,112)29,927 124.1 %
Investment and other (expense) income, net(832)1,069 (1,901)(177.8)%
Interest expense(12,994)(12,483)(511)(4.1)%
Gain from release of certain liabilities3,364 — 3,364 100.0 %
Loss on deconsolidation of subsidiary— (2,678)2,678 100.0 %
Other expense - changes in fair value of contingent consideration payable(435)(378)(57)(15.1)%
Loss before income taxes(5,082)(38,582)33,500 86.8 %
Income tax benefit(12,110)(5,356)(6,754)(126.1)%
Net income (loss)$7,028 $(33,226)$40,254 121.2 %
Net income (loss) per share - diluted$0.13 $(0.89)$1.02 114.6 %
-51-

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Comparative Statements of (Loss) Income: 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Product sales $101,423
 $172,841
 $147,222
 $(71,418) (41.3)% $25,619
 17.4 %
License revenue 1,846
 404
 3,024
 1,442
 356.9 % (2,620) (86.6)%
Total revenues 103,269
 173,245
 150,246
 (69,976) (40.4)% 22,999
 15.3 %
Operating expenses:              
Cost of products 17,516
 16,301
 13,248
 1,215
 7.5 % 3,053
 23.0 %
Research and development expenses 39,329
 33,418
 34,611
 5,911
 17.7 % (1,193) (3.4)%
Selling, general and administrative expenses 100,359
 58,860
 44,179
 41,499
 70.5 % 14,681
 33.2 %
Intangible asset amortization 6,619
 3,659
 13,888
 2,960
 80.9 % (10,229) (73.7)%
(Gain) loss - changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration (22,731) (31,040) 49,285
 8,309
 26.8 % (80,325) (163.0)%
Impairment of intangible asset 66,087
 
 
 66,087
 100.0 % 
  %
Restructuring costs 1,016
 2,542
 
 (1,526) (60.0)% 2,542
 100.0 %
Total operating expenses 208,195
 83,740
 155,211
 124,455
 148.6 % (71,471) (46.0)%
Operating (loss) income (104,926)
89,505

(4,965) (194,431) (217.2)% 94,470
 1,902.7 %
Investment and other income, net 452
 2,136
 2,758
 (1,684) (78.8)% (622) (22.6)%
Interest expense (10,622) (1,052) (963) 9,570
 909.7 % 89
 9.2 %
Other income (expense) - changes in fair value of related party payable 1,899
 2,071
 (6,548) 172
 8.3 % (8,619) (131.6)%
(Loss) income before income taxes (113,197) 92,660
 (9,718) (205,857) (222.2)% 102,378
 1,053.5 %
Income tax (benefit) provision (17,893) 24,389
 31,558
 (42,282) (173.4)% (7,169) (22.7)%
Net (loss) income $(95,304) $68,271
 $(41,276) $(163,575) (239.6)% $109,547
 265.4 %
Net (loss) income per share - diluted $(2.55) $1.63
 $(1.00) $(4.18) (256.4)% $2.63
 263.0 %

The revenuesproduct sales for each of the Company’sour significant products were as follows:
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Revenues 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Bloxiverz $20,850
 $45,596
 $82,896
 $(24,746) (54.3)% $(37,300) (45.0)%
Vazculep 42,916
 38,187
 39,796
 4,729
 12.4 % (1,609) (4.0)%
Akovaz 33,759
 80,617
 16,831
 (46,858) (58.1)% 63,786
 379.0 %
Noctiva 1,204
 
 
 1,204
 100.0 % 
 n/a
Other 2,694
 8,441
 7,699
 (5,747) (68.1)% 742
 9.6 %
Total product sales 101,423
 172,841
 147,222
 (71,418) (41.3)% 25,619
 17.4 %
License revenue 1,846
 404
 3,024
 1,442
 356.9 % (2,620) (86.6)%
Total revenues $103,269
 $173,245
 $150,246
 $(69,976) (40.4)% $22,999
 15.3 %
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Product Sales20202019$%
Bloxiverz$2,201 $7,479 $(5,278)(70.6)%
Vazculep10,429 33,152 (22,723)(68.5)%
Akovaz9,545 18,642 (9,097)(48.8)%
Other159 (58)217 374.1 %
Product sales22,334 59,215 (36,881)(62.3)%
2018 Compared to 2017
Total product sales were $101,423$22,334 for the year ended December 31, 2018,2020, compared to $172,841$59,215 for the same prior year period. Bloxiverz’s revenue declined $24,746 when compared to the same period last year, primarily due to lower net selling prices driven largely by new competitors that entered the marketThe decline in 2017 and 2018 and continued market penetration from an alternative molecule to neostigmine. Vazculep’s revenue increased by $4,729 due primarily an increase in unit volumes partially offset by lower net realized net selling prices when compared to the prior year. Akovaz’s revenue decreased $46,858 driven by lower unit volumes and net selling prices due largely to new competitors that entered the market in 2017. Total product sales during the year ended


December 31, 2018 also include $1,204 of revenues attributable to Noctiva, which launched in March 2018. Other revenues, which includes the pediatric products which were divested in February 2018, declined when compared to the prior year due to the divestiture of those products.
License and research revenue was $1,846 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $404 in the same period last year. In December 2018, the Company reached an agreement to exit a contract and our remaining performance obligations and recognized the remaining $1,600 of deferred revenue, which represented the unsatisfied performance obligations associated with a license agreement.
2017 Compared to 2016
Product sales were $172,841 for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $147,222 for the year ended December 31, 2016. Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016 include $5,981 in additional revenue as a result of our change in accounting estimate previously described in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Bloxiverz’s revenue declined $37,300 when compared to the same period last year, primarily due to a loss of market share and decrease in net selling price driven largely by two factors: a) lost business as a result of three new competitors in the neostigmine market who entered the market in the first quarter of 2016, the second and fourth quarters of 2017 and b) a new molecule approved by the FDA in late 2015 and launched in 2016 with a similar indicated use as Bloxiverz. Additionally, the decline in Bloxiverz’s revenue was partially offset by an increase of $4,597 related to the change in the revenue estimate noted above. Vazculep’s revenue declined slightly by $1,609is driven by the effectsale of the non-recurring revenue estimate change of $1,384 which did not repeat in 2017. Revenue from Akovaz, which was launched in August 2016, contributed $80,617 to product sales for the year ended December 31, 2017. Other revenues, which includes our pediatric products, were up $742 in the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the same prior year period. Revenues from our pediatric products, which were acquired in February 2016 and disposed of in February 2018, were $8,044 for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to $5,985 in the same prior year period.Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as well as increased competition.
License revenue was $404 for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $3,024 in the same period in the prior year. During 2017, the Company made a determination that the performance period associated with a specific license will be longer than previously estimated and, accordingly, reduced license revenue by approximately $2,155 to reflect the Company’s current expected performance period. The longer than expected performance period is the result of a reassessment of the time it will take for the Company to complete certain contractual requirements mandated by the license.

 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Cost of Products20202019$%
Cost of products$5,742 $12,125 $(6,383)(52.6)%
Percentage of sales25.7 %20.5 %  
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Cost of Products 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Cost of products $17,516
 $16,301
 $13,248
 $1,215
 7.5% $3,053
 23.0%
Percentage of sales 17.0% 9.4% 8.8%  
  
  
  
 
Cost of products increased $1,215,decreased by $6,383, or 7.5%52.6% during the year ended December 31, 20182020 compared to the prior year. As a percentage of sales, cost of products sold was higher than the prior year driven by an increasethe June 30, 2020 sale of $3,718 primarily in inventory obsolescence reserves, of which $2,583 relates to the Noctiva productHospital Products.
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Research and Development Expenses20202019$%
Research and development expenses$20,442 $32,917 $(12,475)(37.9)%
Research and lower product revenues due to lower net selling prices.
Cost of products increased $3,053,development (“R&D”) expenses decreased by $12,475 or 23.0%37.9% during the year ended December 31, 20172020 as compared to the same period in 2016. As a percentage of sales, cost of products sold2019. The decline was up slightly to 9.4% compared to 8.8% as a result of product mix changes anddriven by lower selling prices.
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Research and Development Expenses 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Research and development expenses $39,329
 $33,418
 $34,611
 $5,911
 17.7% $(1,193) (3.4)%
Percentage of sales 38.1% 19.3% 23.0%  
  
  
  

R&D expenses related to the development of FT218 of approximately $8,700 due to the completion of the Phase 3 clinical study during the first quarter of 2020, as well as lower payroll, benefits and share-based compensation of approximately $3,800 related to the 2019 Corporate and French restructuring plans. See Note 19: Restructuring Costs. The Company continues to invest a substantial portion of R&D in its FT218 development program.
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses20202019$%
Selling, general and administrative expenses$32,405 $30,183 $2,222 7.4 %
Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased $5,911by $2,222 or 17.7%7.4% during the year ended December 31, 2018 as compared to the same period in 2017. This increase is largely due to higher spending on the Company’s FT218 Phase 3 sodium oxybate clinical study. The Company continues to spend a substantial portion of its R&D spending on this study. Additionally, a portion of this increase was due to increased R&D costs of approximately $1,100 associated with Noctiva.


R&D expenses were slightly lower in 2017 than in 2016. During 2017, the Company continued to spend a substantial portion of its R&D spending on the FT218 Phase 3 sodium oxybate clinical study.
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Selling, general and administrative expenses $100,359
 $58,860
 $44,179
 $41,499
 70.5% $14,681
 33.2%
Percentage of sales 97.2% 34.0% 29.4%  
  
  
  
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased $41,499 or 70.5% during the year ended December 31, 20182020 as compared to the prior year. This increase was primarily due to an increase in consulting and professional fees, marketing research costs, insurance costs and legal fees totaling approximately $48,500$8,800, partially offset by a decrease in payroll and benefits of approximately $2,200 due to the 2019 restructuring plans and a decrease in travel and entertainment costs of approximately $900 due to COVID. In addition, there was a decrease of approximately $2,200 of sales and marketing costs associated with the March 2018 launch of Noctiva, partially offset by approximately $8,700 of lower SG&A spend related to the February 2018 divestitureexit of the Company’s pediatric assets.
SG&A expenses increased $14,681 or 33.2% and increased as a percentage to sales to 34.0%Noctiva during the year ended December 31, 2017 as comparedfirst quarter 2019 and a decrease of approximately $1,000 related to non-recurring adjustments to certain liabilities related to the prior year. This increase was primarily due to approximately $14,000 of costs associated with the anticipated 2018 launch of Noctiva.Hospital Products.

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Intangibles Asset Amortization 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Intangible asset amortization $6,619
 $3,659
 $13,888
 $2,960
 80.9% $(10,229) (73.7)%
Percentage of sales 6.4% 2.1% 9.2%  
  
  
  
-52-


 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Intangibles Asset Amortization20202019$%
Intangible asset amortization$406 $816 $(410)(50.2)%
Intangible asset amortization expense increased $2,960 or 80.9% duringfor the yearyears ended December 31, 2018 as compared2020 and 2019 relates to the prior year driven by the amortization of theour acquired developed technology - Vazculep. This intangible asset related to Noctiva, which began in September 2017, partially offset by lower amortizationwas written off as a result of the pediatrics products’ intangible assets duesale of the Hospital Products to the February 2018 dispositionExela Buyer on June 30, 2020. See Note 4: Disposition of these products.the Hospital Products.
Intangible asset amortization expense decreased $10,229 or 73.7% during the year ended December 31, 2017 as compared
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Changes in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration20202019$%
Changes in fair value of contingent consideration$3,327 $845 $2,482 293.7 %
Prior to the same prior year period primarily driven bysale of the Bloxiverz in process R&D asset being fully amortized as of December 31, 2016.
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Changes in Fair Value of Related Party Contingent Consideration 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
(Gain) loss - changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration $(22,731) $(31,040) $49,285
 $8,309
 26.8% $(80,325) (163.0)%
Percentage of sales (22.0)% (17.9)% 32.8%  
  
  
  
We computeHospital Products on June 30, 2020, we computed the fair value of the related party contingent consideration using several significant assumptions and when these assumptions change, due to underlying market conditions, the fair value of these liabilities change as well. Each of the underlying assumptions used to determine the fair values of these contingent liabilities can, and often do, change based on adjustments in current market conditions, competition and other factors. These changes can havehad a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheet. sheets. As part of the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the Exela Buyer assumed and will pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Avadel Legacy and the Company under the Deerfield Royalty Agreement.


As a result of changes in the underlying assumptions used to determine the estimated fair values of a) our acquisition-related contingent consideration earn-out payments - Éclat, b) acquisition-related warrants, of which 2,200 warrants were exercised and 1,100 warrants expired worthless during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and c) acquisition-related FSC royalty liabilities which were disposed of during the sale of our pediatric products in February 2018, we recorded gainsexpense of $22,731$3,327 and $31,040$845 and loweredincreased the fair value of the acquisition-related contingent consideration earn-out payments - Éclat for the years ended December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively. Subsequent to June 30, 2020, we had no remaining liability.


For the year ended December 31, 2018, as a result of changes
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Gain on the Sale of the Hospital Products20202019$%
Gain on the sale of the Hospital Products$(45,760)$— $(45,760)(100.0)%

On June 30, 2020, we sold our assets, rights and interests related to these estimates when comparedBloxiverz, Vazculep, Akovaz and Nouress to the same estimates at December 31, 2017, we recordedExela Buyer pursuant to an asset purchase agreement by and among us and the Exela Buyer. We recognized a decrease in the fair valuenet gain of our contingent consideration liabilities, primarily as a result of a


weaker long-term sales and gross profit outlook for Bloxiverz, Vazculep and Akovaz due to more competition and other changes in certain underlying market conditions$45,760 on this transaction. See Note 4: Disposition of the acquisition-related contingent consideration earn-out payments - Éclat.Hospital Products.

 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Restructuring (Income) Costs20202019$%
Restructuring (income) costs$(43)$6,441 $(6,484)(100.7)%
For the year ended December 31, 2017, as a result
Restructuring income of changes to these estimates when compared to the same estimates at December 31, 2016, we$43 and costs of $6,441 were recognized a gain of $21,997 to lower the fair value of acquisition related liabilities for the Éclat products primarily as a result of a weaker long-term sales and gross profit outlook for Bloxiverz and Akovaz due to more competition. Additionally, we decreased the fair value of the acquisition related warrants which resulted in a gain of $8,738, primarily due to changes in the AVDL stock price at December 31, 2017 compared to December 31, 2016, changes in the volatility of AVDL stock and a shorter remaining term of the warrants.

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Impairment of Intangible Asset 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Impairment of intangible asset $66,087
 $
 $
 $66,087
 100.0% $
 n/a
Percentage of sales 64.0% % %  
  
  
  

During the fourth quarter of 2018, an impairment charge of $66,087 was recorded to write-off the remaining carrying value of the acquired developed technology intangible asset related to Noctiva. During the fourth quarter 2018, certain conditions came to light, largely the lack of a meaningful increase in Noctiva prescriptions despite the substantial investment of resources, which indicated that the carrying value of the asset, may not be fully recoverable. As such, the Company performed an impairment test based on a comparison of the pretax discounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset, which is a Level 3 fair value estimate, to the recorded value of the asset and concluded that the associated cash flows did not support any of the carrying value of the intangible asset and the Company recorded a full impairment charge. The February 6, 2019 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Specialty Pharma, the subsidiary which markets, sells and distributes Noctiva, confirmed management’s conclusion on the impairment. There were no such impairment costs during the years ended December 31, 20172020 and 2016.

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Restructuring Costs 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Restructuring costs $1,016
 $2,542
 $
 $(1,526) (60.0)% $2,542
 100.0%
Percentage of sales 1.0% 1.5% %  
  
  
  
2019, respectively. Restructuring costs of $1,016, which were primarily comprised of a provision related to a dispute with certain severed employees associated with our Lyon, France site of $776, were recognizedincome during the year ended December 31, 2018. During2020, was driven by share-based compensation forfeitures as a result of the first quarter of 2017, we announced a plan to reduce our workforce at our Lyon, France site by approximately 50%.  This reduction is an effort to align the Company’s cost structure with our ongoing and future planned projects. The reduction was substantially complete at December 31, 2018. See Note 17:2019 Corporate restructuring actions. Restructuring Costs - France.
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Investment and Other Income, net 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Investment and other income, net $452
 $2,136
 $2,758
 $(1,684) (78.8)% $(622) (22.6)%
Percentage of sales 0.4% 1.2% 1.8%  
  
  
  

Investment and other income, net decreased $1,684 duringcosts for the year ended December 31, 20182019 were primarily related to the 2019 French and Corporate restructuring plans and mainly included severance, legal costs. See Note 19: Restructuring Costs for further details.

 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Investment and Other (Expense) Income, net20202019$%
Investment and other (expense) income, net$(832)$1,069 $(1,901)(177.8)%

Investment and other expense was $832 for the year ended December 31, 2020 as compared to investment and other income of $1,069 for the same prior year periodended December 31, 2019. Expense in the current year was driven by loweran $800 legal settlement related to a bankruptcy claim, an increase in net unrealized losses and net realized and unrealized gainslosses on our marketable securities during the current period when compared to the prior year period. Investmentperiod of approximately $2,100, and other income, net forhigher currency remeasurement losses of
-53-


approximately $400 due to the weakening of the U.S. dollar during the year ended December 31, 2018 included $956 of net unrealized losses related to available-for-sale equity investments. See Note5Marketable Securities for discussion of the Company’s adoption of ASU 2016-01 on January 1, 2018. The decrease in investment income was2020, partially offset by a decrease in foreign exchange loss.legal settlement of $1,750 which was incurred during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.



 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Interest Expense20202019$%
Interest expense$(12,994)$(12,483)$(511)(4.1)%

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Interest Expense 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Interest expense $10,622
 $1,052
 $963
 $9,570
 909.7% $89
 9.2%
Percentage of sales (10.3)% (0.6)% (0.6)%  
  
  
  

Interest expense increased $9,570of $12,994 and $12,483 for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, is related to interest on the 2023 Notes that were issued in February 2018.

 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Gain from release of certain liabilities20202019$%
Gain from release of certain liabilities$3,364 $— $3,364 100.0 %

Subsequent to the finalization of the bankruptcy, we recognized a non-cash gain of $3,364 from the release of certain liabilities that had been retained following the deconsolidation of Specialty Pharma in February 2019.

 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Loss on Deconsolidation of Subsidiary20202019$%
Loss on deconsolidation of subsidiary$— $(2,678)$2,678 100.0 %

As a result of Specialty Pharma’s bankruptcy filing on February 6, 2019, we concluded that we no longer controlled its operations and accordingly deconsolidated this subsidiary. We recorded a loss during the year ended December 31, 2018 when compared to2019 on the year ended December 31, 2017deconsolidation as a result of as a resultremoving the net assets and certain liabilities of imputed interest recorded on the 2023 Notes issued in February 2018.this subsidiary from our consolidated financial statements. See Note 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation for more discussion.

        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Other Income (Expense) - Changes in Fair Value of Related Party Payable: 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Other income (expense) - changes in fair value of related party payable $1,899
 $2,071
 $(6,548) $172
 8.3% $(8,619) (131.6)%
Percentage of sales 1.8% 1.2% (4.4)%  
  
  
  
 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Other Expense - Changes in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration Payable20202019$%
Other expense - changes in fair value of contingent consideration payable$(435)$(378)$(57)(15.1)%

We recorded incomeexpense of $1,899$435 and $2,071$378 to reduceincrease the fair value of these liabilities during the years ended December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively, due to the same reasons associated with the Éclat product sales forecastschanges in certain underlying market conditions as described in the section “Changes in Fair Value of Related Party Contingent Consideration” for these periods. As noted in our critical accounting estimates section, there are a number of assumptions and estimates we use when determining the fair value of the related party payable payments. These estimates include pricing, market size, the market share the related products are forecast to achieve and an appropriate discount rate to use when present valuing the related cash flows. These estimates often do change based on changes in current market conditions, competition and other factors.
        Increase / (Decrease)
  Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Income Taxes: 2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
               
Income tax (benefit) provision $(17,893) $24,389
 $31,558
 $(42,282) (173.4)% $(7,169) (22.7)%
Percentage of income (loss) before income taxes 15.8% 26.3% (324.7)%  
  
  
  


 Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Income Taxes20202019$%
Income tax benefit$(12,110)$(5,356)$(6,754)(126.1)%
Percentage of income (loss) before income taxes238.3 %13.9 %  

The items accounting for the difference betweenIn 2020, the income tax (benefit) provision computed at statutory tax rates and the Company’s effective tax rate are as follows for the years ended December 31:
 Reconciliation to Effective Income Tax Rate: 2018 2017 2016
       
Statutory tax rate 12.5 % 12.5 % 12.5 %
Differences in international tax rates 8.0 % 22.2 % (31.9)%
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration 4.0 % (11.6)% (165.0)%
Income tax deferred charge  %  % (9.7)%
Change in valuation allowances (5.3)% (0.7)% 11.8 %
Nondeductible stock-based compensation (1.3)% (0.4)% (14.8)%
Cross border merger  % 0.3 % (100.6)%
Unrealized tax benefits (1.3)% 1.4 % (15.2)%
State and local taxes (net of federal) (0.3)% 0.3 % (9.6)%
Change in U.S. tax law (0.2)% 3.8 %  %
Nondeductible interest expense (1.1)%  %  %
Other 0.7 % (1.5)% (2.3)%
Effective income tax rate 15.7 % 26.3 % (324.8)%
       
Income tax (benefit) provision - at statutory tax rate $(14,149) $11,582
 $(1,215)
Differences in international tax rates (9,039) 20,557
 3,097
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration (4,559) (10,779) 16,036
Income tax deferred charge 
 
 938
Change in valuation allowances 5,998
 (610) (1,143)
Nondeductible stock-based compensation 1,499
 (375) 1,436
Cross-border merger 
 265
 9,773
Unrecognized tax benefits 1,440
 1,296
 1,475
State and local taxes (net of federal) 299
 252
 934
Change in U.S. tax law 274
 3,513
 
Nondeductible interest expense 1,269
 
 
Other (925) (1,312) 227
Income tax (benefit) provision - at effective income tax rate $(17,893) $24,389
 $31,558
In 2018, the income tax provision decreasedbenefit increased by $42,282$6,754 when compared to the same period in 2017.2019. The decreaseincrease in the income tax provisionbenefit in 2020 was primarily driven by a significant reduction in the amounttax benefits from the sale of taxable income recordedour hospital products and passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) in the U.S. The Company recorded additional tax benefit in 2020 from the Orphan Drug and Ireland in 2018, when compared to 2017. There was also a significant increase in valuation allowance in 2018, when compared to the same period in 2017 as a result of the decrease in taxable income in Ireland. In 2018, there was a significant decrease in amounts related to change in U.S.R&D tax law due to the 2017 U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In 2017, the income tax provision decreased by $7,169 when compared to the same period in 2016. The decrease in the income tax provision was primarily driven by a significant reduction in the amount of taxable income recordedcredit in the U.S. Tax benefit from the intercompany asset transfer recorded in 2017, when compared to 2016. In 2017, the Company2019 did not incur any significant additional income tax provision associated with the Cross-Border Merger asrecur, resulting in a majority of the transaction was completed in 2016. In 2017, the Company recorded $3,513partial offset of tax provision associated with the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in the U.S. in December of 2017.benefits described above. See Note 14: Income Taxes for more discussion.





-54-


Liquidity and Capital Resources 
The Company’sOur cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities, as reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows, are summarized in the following table:
      Increase / (Decrease) Years Ended December 31,Increase / (Decrease)
Years Ended December 31, 2018 vs. 2017 2017 vs. 2016
Net Cash Provided By (Used In):2018 2017 2016 $ % $ %
Net Cash (Used In) Provided ByNet Cash (Used In) Provided By20202019$%
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
Operating activities$(82,716) $16,662
 $18,901
 $(99,378) (596.4)% $(2,239) (11.8)%Operating activities$(48,734)$(38,325)$(10,409)(27.2)%
Investing activities(36,981) (15,698) (36,630) (21,283) (135.6)% 20,932
 57.1 %Investing activities(69,721)38,723 (108,444)(280.1)%
Financing activities112,659
 (23,318) (7,954) 135,977
 583.1 % (15,364) (193.2)%Financing activities179,683 (27)179,710 665,592.6 %
Operating Activities
Net cash used in operating activities was $82,716of $48,734 for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to2020 increased from net cash provided byused in operating activities of $16,662$38,325 in the prior year. This decreaseincrease in cash used in operating cash flowactivities is primarily due to lower cash earnings (net income or loss adjusted for non-cash credits and charges) of $100,134 when compared to the same period last year. This decrease is principally due to lower gross margins, higher SG&A expenses driven from the launch of Noctiva and higher R&D due to increased spending on the Company’s FT218 Phase 3 sodium oxybate clinical study. The decrease in operating cash flow was also due to the decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $26,454,$21,012, partially offset by lower earn-out and royalty payments forof $6,547 related partyto our contingent payableconsideration liabilities due to the sale of $13,759the Hospital Products and increased cash provided by accounts receivable of $5,810 due to the collection of all outstanding accounts receivable balances during the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to the prior year.2020.
Net cash provided by operating
Investing Activities

Cash used in investing activities of $16,662was $69,721 for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased $2,2392020 compared to cash provided by investing activities of $38,723 in the same prior year period. This slight decline in operating cash flow is due to higher earn-out payments for related party contingent consideration in excessIn 2020, we had net purchases of acquisition-date fair value and an increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets due to a cash deposit that was prepaid related to the Noctiva launch,marketable securities of $95,123, partially offset by higher cash earnings (net income adjustedproceeds of $25,500 received from the sale of the Hospital Products. In 2019, we had net proceeds of $38,598 for non-cash credits and charges) when compared to the same period last year, largely driven by higher revenues, partially offset by higher selling, general and administrative expenses.sale of marketable securities
Investing
Financing Activities

Cash used in investingprovided by financing activities of $36,981was $179,683 for the year ended December 31, 2018 decreased $21,283 compared to the same prior year period. In 2018, the Company used cash of $16,803 for the purchase of marketable securities compared to generating cash of $38,004 from the sale of marketable securities during the year ended December 31, 2017. Additionally, the Company also had a $20,000 Noctiva related milestone payment as part of the Exclusive License and Assignment Agreement (ELAA) with Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC during the year ended December 31, 2018.
Cash used in investing activities of $15,698 for the year ended December 31, 2017 increased $20,932 compared to the same prior year period. In 2017 the Company generated cash of $38,004 from the sale of marketable securities compared to cash used for the purchase of marketable securities in 2016 of $36,057. Additionally, the Company used $53,111 of cash in 2017 to license Noctiva.
Financing Activities
Cash provided by financing activities of $112,659 for the year ended December 31, 2018 increased $135,9772020 compared to cash used in financing activities of $23,318$27 for the same prior year period. During the year ended December 31, 2018, $143,750 of cash wasCash provided by financing activities through the issuance of the 2023 Notes. A portion of the proceeds from the offering of the 2023 Notes was used for share repurchases totaling $27,637 and to pay direct expenses associated with the issuance of the 2023 Notes of $6,190 during the first half of 2018.
Cash used in financing activities of $23,318 for the year ended December 31, 2017 decreased $15,364 compared to2020 was driven by the same prior year period.  The increase was primarily attributable to our useMay public offering that resulted in net proceeds of $22,361$116,924, the February private placement that resulted in cash for share repurchases during 2017, that did not occur in 2016.
Share Repurchase Program
In March 2017,net proceeds of $60,570, and proceeds from the Boardissuance of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $25,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by ADSs in the open market with an indefinite duration. Additionally, on February 12, 2018, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $18,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by American Depository Shares in connection with our 2023 Notes offering completed on February 16, 2018. On March 27, 2018, the Board of Directors authorized a share$2,189.


repurchase program of up to $7,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by ADSs. Each of these programs has been completed through the date of this report.
Liquidity and Risk Management 
The adequacy of our cash resources depends on the outcome of certain business conditions including the funding required and timing to completecost of our FT218 clinical development program, the ultimate resolution associated with the exit of Noctivaplan, our cost structure, and other factors set forth in “Risk Factors”. The within Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To complete the FT218 clinical development programplan we will require usneed to commit substantial resources. Our cash and marketable securities is anticipatedresources, which could result in future losses or otherwise limit our opportunities or affect our ability to be sufficient to fund operations into 2021. This is based on the current level of cash and marketable securities, the full year run rate of anticipated cost reductions resulting fromoperate our recent restructuring actions of $80 to $90 million and long-range revenue projections for our sterile hospital injectable products.business. Our assumptions concerning our long range revenue forecast, the ultimate successoutcome of our restructuring actions, the timing, outcome and ultimate cost to complete the FT218 development programcertain business conditions may prove to be wrong or other factors may adversely affect our business. The outcome of thesebusiness, and other other business conditions,as a result we could exhaust or significantly decrease our available cash and marketable securities balances which could, among other things, force us to raise additional funds and/or force us to further reduce our cost structure,expenses, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Additionally, we are unable to estimate the near or long term impact that COVID-19, which may have a material adverse impact on our business.

In February 2020, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of our ADSs and Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Shares (“Series A Preferred”) in a private placement to a group of institutional accredited investors. The private placement resulted in gross proceeds of approximately $65,000 before deducting placement agent and other offering expenses, which resulted in net proceeds of $60,570.

Also, in February 2020, we filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “2020 Shelf Registration Statement”) that allows issuance and sale by us, from time to time, of :

up to $250,000 in aggregate of ordinary shares, nominal value US$0.01 per share, each of which may be represented by ADSs, preferred shares, nominal value US$0.01 per share, debt securities, warrants to purchase ordinary shares, ADSs, preferred shares and/or debt securities, and/or units consisting of ordinary shares, ADSs, preferred shares, one or more debt securities or warrants in one or more series, in any combination, pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Shelf
-55-


Registration Statement, the base prospectus contained in the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), and any amendments or supplements thereto (together, the “Securities”); including

up to $50,000 of ADSs that may be issued and sold from time to time pursuant to the terms of an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, entered into with Jefferies LLC on February 4, 2020, the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus and the terms of the sales agreement prospectus contained in the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement.

On April 28, 2020, we announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 11,630 ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs at a price to the public of $10.75 per ADS. Each ADS represents the right to receive one ordinary share. All of the ADSs were being offered by Avadel. The gross proceeds to us from the offering were approximately $125,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, which resulted in net proceeds of $116,924.

If available to us, raising additional capital may be accomplished through one or more public or private debt or equity financings, collaborations or partnering arrangements. Any equity financing would be dilutive to our shareholders.


Cash, cash equivalent and marketable security balances as of December 31, 2020 and unused financing sources are expected to provide the Company with the flexibility to meet its liquidity needs in 2021, including its operating requirements related to the development of FT218.

Other Matters
Litigation
The Company isWe are subject to potential liabilities generally incidental to our business arising out of present and future lawsuits and claims related to product liability, personal injury, contract, commercial, intellectual property, tax, employment, compliance and other matters that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company accruesWe accrue for potential liabilities when it is probable that future costs (including legal fees and expenses) will be incurred and such costs can be reasonably estimated. At December 31, 20182020 and December 31, 2017,2019, there were no contingent liabilities with respect to any litigation, arbitration or administrative or other proceeding that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’sour consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity.
Some of the patents covering our NoctivaTM product (the “Noctiva Patents”) are the subject of litigation initiated by Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. and two of its foreign affiliates, who manufacture a competing product known as Nocdurna.  Nocdurna was approved by the FDA in June 2018 and commercially launched in the U.S. in November 2018.  In this litigation (the “Ferring Litigation”), Ferring seeks to invalidate and disputes the inventorship of the Noctiva Patents, seeks damages for various alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, and seeks damages for alleged infringement by NoctivaTM of Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark.  Avadel’s indirectly wholly owned subsidiary, Specialty Pharma and certain other parties including Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Serentiy”) (the licensor of the Noctiva Patents) have been actively defending this litigation, and have made certain counterclaims against Ferring, including for infringement of the Noctiva Patents and a declaratory judgment of noninfringement with respect to Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark. The court has dismissed Ferring’s inventorship claim and its claims for alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, although these dismissals may be appealed by Ferring.  On February 15, 2019, Specialty Pharma and its co-defendants moved to stay the litigation pending completion of the bankruptcy proceeding of Specialty Pharma. Adverse outcomes from this litigation could have material adverse effects on the value of the Specialty Pharma’s license to NoctivaTM.
On January 21, 2019, Serenity provided notice to Specialty Pharma of an alleged breach of the parties’ Noctiva license agreement. Serenity alleges principally that Specialty Pharma breached its contractual obligation to devote commercially reasonable efforts to the commercialization of Noctiva and seeks unspecified damages. On January 27, 2019, Specialty Pharma notified Serenity of a claim for $1.7 million in damages as a result of Serenity’s breach of its contractual obligation to pay the costs of the Ferring Litigation. Serenity’s notice to Specialty Pharma invoked the dispute resolution provisions of the Noctiva license agreement, which culminate in arbitration, but neither party has yet initiated an arbitration proceeding or filed suit. Adverse outcomes from this potential litigation could have material adverse effects on the financial position of Specialty Pharma.

On February 6, 2019, Specialty Pharma commenced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to fulfill its strategic objective of divesting from the business of marketing and distributing Noctiva™. As a result of the commencement of the bankruptcy case, all pending litigation against Specialty Pharma is automatically stayed and will remain stayed during the pendency of the Chapter 11 case unless and until the bankruptcy court enters an order modifying or lifting the stay. The automatic stay of the bankruptcy code also precludes the commencement of any new litigation against Specialty Pharma unless the bankruptcy court orders otherwise. See Part I, Item 3 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more discussion.


Material Commitments

At December 31, 2018,2020, we have one commitment with a contract manufacturer related to facility upgrades and the Company has various commitmentspurchase and validation of equipment to purchase finished product from customers. Commitments for these arrangements, at maximum quantitiesbe used in the manufacture of FT218. The total cost of this commitment is estimated to be approximately $4,000 and at contractual prices overis expected to be started and completed during the remaining life of the contract, and excluding any waived commitments, are as follows for the years endedyear ending December 31:
Purchase Commitments: Balance
   
2019 $10,754
2020 5,948
2021 4,880
2022 4,880
2023 220
Thereafter 
Total $26,682
31, 2021.
The Company also has a commitment with a contract manufacturer related to the construction and preparation of a production suite at the contract manufacturer’s facility, which is substantially complete at December 31, 2018.2020. Subsequent to the initial build and preparation of the production suite, this commitment also includes annual production suite fees of approximately $3,000 to $4,000 which would commence at the timestart of FDA approvalproduction of the productvalidation batches and continue thereafter for five years. These amounts are not included in the table above, as the start date has not been determined.
Included in the purchase commitments above, is approximately $15,308 of an obligation of Specialty Pharma, which on February 6, 2019, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The CompanyWe and our subsidiaries lease office facilities under noncancelablenon-cancellable operating leases expiring at various dates. Rent expense, net of rental income, was $1,213, $1,146 and $970 in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Minimum rental commitments for non-cancelable leases in effect at December 31, 2018 are as follows:  See Note 11: Leases.


Lease Commitment: Balance
   
2019 $1,191
2020 1,208
2021 1,008
2022 767
2023 695
Thereafter 967
Total $5,836
-56-

Other than the above commitments, there were no other material commitments outside of the normal course of business. Material commitments in the normal course of business include long-term debt, long-term related party payable, and post-retirement benefit plan obligations which are disclosed in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 10: Long-Term Debt, Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable, and Note 13: Post-Retirement Benefit Plans, respectively.



Aggregate Contractual Obligations

The following table presents our contractual obligations of the Company at December 31, 2018:2020:
 Payments Due by Period Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations: Total Less than
1 Year
 1 to 3
Years
 3 to 5
Years
 More than
5 Years
Contractual Obligations:TotalLess than
1 Year
1 to 3
Years
3 to 5
Years
More than
5 Years
  
  
  
  
  
     
Long-term debt and interest $173,009
 $6,575
 $12,981
 $153,453
 $
Long-term debt and interest$159,922 $6,469 $153,453 $— $— 
Long-term related party payable
(undiscounted)
 51,284
 9,439
 8,713
 7,250
 25,882
Purchase commitments 26,682
 10,754
 10,828
 5,100
 
Purchase commitments4,000 4,000 — — — 
Operating leases 5,836
 1,191
 2,217
 1,461
 967
Operating leases2,590 578 1,192 820 — 
Total contractual cash obligations $256,811
 $27,959
 $34,739
 $167,264
 $26,849
Total contractual cash obligations$166,512 $11,047 $154,645 $820 $— 
Included in the purchase commitments total above, is approximately $15,308 of an obligation of Specialty Pharma, which on February 6, 2019, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

See Note 10:12: Long-Term Debtand Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable to the Company’sour consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8 – Financial Statements for obligations with respect to the respective items within the above table.
See Note 13: Post-Retirement Benefit Plans to
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have during the Company’s consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8 – Financial Statements for obligations with respect to the Company’s post-retirement benefit plans. Obligations of $1,024 related to the post-retirement benefit plans areperiods presented, and we do not included within the above table.currently have, any off‑balance sheet arrangements, as defined under SEC rules.



Item 7A.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Interest Rate Risk
The Company is
We are subject to interest rate risk as a result of our portfolio of marketable securities. The primary objectives of our investment policy are as follows: safety and preservation of principal and diversification of risk; liquidity of investments sufficient to meet cash flow requirements; and competitive yield. Although our investments are subject to market risk, our investment policy specifies credit quality standards for our investments and limits the amount of credit exposure from any single issue, issuer or certain types of investment. Our investment policy allows us to maintain a portfolio of cash equivalents and marketable securities in a variety of instruments, including U.S. federal government and federal agency securities, European Government bonds, corporate bonds or commercial paper issued by U.S. or European corporations, money market instruments, certain qualifying money market mutual funds, certain repurchase agreements, tax-exempt obligations of states, agencies, and municipalities in the U.S and Europe, and equities. 

Foreign Exchange Risk

We are exposed to foreign currency exchange risk as the functional currency financial statements of a foreignnon-U.S. subsidiary is translated to U.S. dollars. The assets and liabilities of this foreignnon-U.S. subsidiary having a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar is translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date, and at the average exchange rate for the reporting period for revenue and expense accounts. The cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in shareholders’ equity. The reported results of this foreignnon-U.S. subsidiary will be influenced by their translation into U.S. dollars by currency movements against the U.S. dollar. Our primary currency translation exposure is related to one subsidiary that has functional currencies denominated in Euro.euro. A 10% strengthening/weakening in the rates used to translate the results of our foreignnon-U.S. subsidiaries that have functional currencies denominated in the euro as of December 31, 20182020 would have had an immaterial impact on net lossincome for the year ended December 31, 2018.2020.


Transactional exposure arises where transactions occur in currencies other than the functional currency. Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the exchange rate prevailing at the date of the transaction. The resulting monetary assets and liabilities are translated into the appropriate functional currency at exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet date and the resulting gains and losses are reported in foreign exchange gain (loss)investment and other (expense) income, net in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income..  As of December 31, 2018,2020, our primary exposure is to transaction risk related to Euroeuro net monetary assets and liabilities held by subsidiaries with a U.S. dollar functional currency. Realized and unrealized foreign exchange gains resulting from transactional exposure were immaterial for the year ended December 31, 2018.2020.




-57-


Item 8.         Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
 
AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) INCOME
(In thousands, except per share data)
 Years ended December 31, Years ended December 31,
 2018 2017 2016 202020192018
Revenues:  
  
  
Revenues:   
Product sales $101,423
 $172,841
 $147,222
Product sales$22,334 $59,215 $101,423 
License revenue 1,846
 404
 3,024
License revenue1,846 
Total revenues 103,269

173,245

150,246
Total revenues22,334 59,215 103,269 
Operating expenses:  
  
  
Operating expenses:   
Cost of products 17,516
 16,301
 13,248
Cost of products5,742 12,125 17,516 
Research and development expenses 39,329
 33,418
 34,611
Research and development expenses20,442 32,917 39,329 
Selling, general and administrative expenses 100,359
 58,860
 44,179
Selling, general and administrative expenses32,405 30,183 100,359 
Intangible asset amortization 6,619
 3,659
 13,888
Intangible asset amortization406 816 6,619 
(Gain) loss - changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration (22,731) (31,040) 49,285
Changes in fair value of contingent considerationChanges in fair value of contingent consideration3,327 845 (22,731)
Gain on sale of Hospital ProductsGain on sale of Hospital Products(45,760)
Impairment of intangible asset 66,087
 
 
Impairment of intangible asset66,087 
Restructuring costs 1,016
 2,542
 
Restructuring (income) costsRestructuring (income) costs(43)6,441 1,016 
Total operating expenses 208,195

83,740

155,211
Total operating expenses16,519 83,327 208,195 
Operating (loss) income (104,926)
89,505

(4,965)
Investment and other income, net 452
 2,136
 2,758
Operating income (loss)Operating income (loss)5,815 (24,112)(104,926)
Investment and other (expense) income, netInvestment and other (expense) income, net(832)1,069 452 
Interest expense (10,622) (1,052) (963)Interest expense(12,994)(12,483)(10,622)
Other income (expense) - changes in fair value of related party payable 1,899
 2,071
 (6,548)
(Loss) income before income taxes (113,197)
92,660

(9,718)
Income tax (benefit) provision (17,893) 24,389
 31,558
Net (loss) income $(95,304)
$68,271

$(41,276)
Gain from release of certain liabilitiesGain from release of certain liabilities3,364 
Loss on deconsolidation of subsidiaryLoss on deconsolidation of subsidiary(2,678)
Other (expense) income - changes in fair value of contingent consideration payableOther (expense) income - changes in fair value of contingent consideration payable(435)(378)1,899 
Loss before income taxesLoss before income taxes(5,082)(38,582)(113,197)
Income tax benefitIncome tax benefit(12,110)(5,356)(17,893)
      
Net (loss) income per share - basic $(2.55)
$1.69

$(1.00)
Net (loss) income per share - diluted $(2.55)
$1.63

$(1.00)
Net income (loss)Net income (loss)$7,028 $(33,226)$(95,304)
Net income (loss) per share - basicNet income (loss) per share - basic$0.13 $(0.89)$(2.55)
Net income (loss) per share - dilutedNet income (loss) per share - diluted$0.13 $(0.89)$(2.55)
      
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic 37,325
 40,465
 41,248
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic52,996 37,403 37,325 
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted 37,325
 41,765
 41,248
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted54,941 37,403 37,325 
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.




-58-


AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) INCOME
(In thousands)
  Years ended December 31,
  2018 2017 2016
Net (loss) income $(95,304) $68,271
 $(41,276)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:  
  
  
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain (419) 134
 (1,024)
Net other comprehensive income, net of ($18), $28, $16 tax, respectively 269
 165
 116
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax (150)
299

(908)
Total comprehensive (loss) income $(95,454)
$68,570

$(42,184)
 Years ended December 31,
 202020192018
Net income (loss)$7,028 $(33,226)$(95,304)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:   
Foreign currency translation gain (loss)1,111 (117)(419)
Net other comprehensive income, net of $(202), $(43), $(18) tax, respectively644 727 269 
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax1,755 610 (150)
Total comprehensive income (loss)$8,783 $(32,616)$(95,454)
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.




-59-


AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except per share data)
 December 31, December 31,
 2018 2017 20202019
ASSETS  
  
ASSETS  
Current assets:  
  
Current assets:  
Cash and cash equivalents $9,325
 $16,564
Cash and cash equivalents$71,722 $9,774 
Marketable securities 90,590
 77,511
Marketable securities149,680 54,384 
Accounts receivable 11,330
 14,785
Accounts receivable8,281 
Inventories, net 4,770
 6,157
Inventories, net3,570 
Research and development tax credit receivableResearch and development tax credit receivable3,326 2,107 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 8,836
 8,958
Prepaid expenses and other current assets38,726 4,264 
Total current assets 124,851

123,975
Total current assets263,454 82,380 
Property and equipment, net 1,911
 3,001
Property and equipment, net359 544 
Operating lease right-of-use assetsOperating lease right-of-use assets2,604 3,612 
Goodwill 18,491
 18,491
Goodwill16,836 18,491 
Intangible assets, net 1,629
 92,289
Intangible assets, net813 
Research and development tax credit receivable 7,272
 5,272
Research and development tax credit receivable3,445 6,322 
Other non-current assets 36,146
 10,249
Other non-current assets24,939 39,274 
Total assets $190,300

$253,277
Total assets$311,637 $151,436 
    
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  
  
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)  
Current liabilities:  
  
Current liabilities:  
Current portion of long-term debt $106
 $111
Current portion of long-term related party payable 9,439
 25,007
Current portion of long-term contingent consideration payableCurrent portion of long-term contingent consideration payable$$5,554 
Current portion of operating lease liabilityCurrent portion of operating lease liability474 645 
Accounts payable 3,503
 7,477
Accounts payable2,934 6,100 
Deferred revenue 114
 2,007
Accrued expenses 21,695
 50,926
Accrued expenses6,501 19,810 
Income taxes 73
 414
Other current liabilities 3,453
 597
Other current liabilities5,200 3,875 
Total current liabilities 38,383

86,539
Total current liabilities15,109 35,984 
Long-term debt, less current portion 115,734
 156
Long-term related party payable, less current portion 19,401
 73,918
Long-term debtLong-term debt128,210 121,686 
Long-term contingent consideration payable, less current portionLong-term contingent consideration payable, less current portion11,773 
Long-term operating lease liabilityLong-term operating lease liability1,840 2,319 
Other non-current liabilities 14,002
 7,084
Other non-current liabilities4,212 8,873 
Total liabilities 187,520

167,697
Total liabilities149,371 180,635 
    
Shareholders’ equity:  
  
Preferred shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 50,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively 
 
Ordinary shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 500,000 shares authorized; 42,720 issued and 37,313 outstanding at December 31, 2018, and 41,463 issued and 39,346 outstanding at December 31, 2017 427
 414
Treasury shares, at cost, 5,407 and 2,117 shares held at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively (49,998) (22,361)
Shareholders’ equity (deficit):Shareholders’ equity (deficit):  
Preferred shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 50,000 shares authorized; 488 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 0 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019Preferred shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 50,000 shares authorized; 488 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020 and 0 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019
Ordinary shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 500,000 shares authorized; 58,396 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020, and 42,927 issued and 37,520 outstanding at December 31, 2019Ordinary shares, nominal value of $0.01 per share; 500,000 shares authorized; 58,396 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2020, and 42,927 issued and 37,520 outstanding at December 31, 2019583 429 
Treasury shares, at cost, 0 and 5,407 shares held at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectivelyTreasury shares, at cost, 0 and 5,407 shares held at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively(49,998)
Additional paid-in capital 433,756
 393,478
Additional paid-in capital566,916 434,391 
Accumulated deficit (357,989) (262,685)Accumulated deficit(384,187)(391,215)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (23,416) (23,266)Accumulated other comprehensive loss(21,051)(22,806)
Total shareholders’ equity 2,780

85,580
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $190,300

$253,277
Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)162,266 (29,199)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity (deficit)Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity (deficit)$311,637 $151,436 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

-60-



AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
(In thousands)
Ordinary sharesPreferred sharesAdditionalAccumulatedAccumulated
other
comprehensive
Treasury SharesTotal
shareholders’
 Ordinary shares Additional Accumulated 
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
 Treasury Shares 
Total
shareholders’
SharesAmountSharesAmountpaid-in capitaldeficitlossSharesAmountequity (deficit)
 Shares Amount paid-in capital deficit (loss) income Shares Amount equity
Balance, December 31, 2015 41,241

$6,331

$363,984

$(278,524)
$(22,657)

 $
 $69,134
Net loss 
 
 
 (41,276) 
 
 
 (41,276)
Other comprehensive loss 
 
 
 
 (908) 
 
 (908)
Subscription of warrants 
 
 326
 
 
 
 
 326
Exercise of stock options or warrants 15
 2
 112
 
 
 
 
 114
Vesting of restricted shares 115
 18
 (18) 
 
 
 
 
Stock-based compensation expense 
 
 14,679
 
 
 
 
 14,679
Cross-border merger nominal value adjustment 
 (5,937) 5,937
 
 
 
 
 
Balance, December 31, 2016 41,371

414

385,020

(319,800)
(23,565)

 
 42,069
Net income 
 
 
 68,271
 
 
 
 68,271
Other comprehensive income 
 
 
 
 299
 
 
 299
Exercise of stock options 69
 
 396
 
 
 
 
 396
Vesting of restricted shares 23
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stock-based compensation expense 
 
 8,062
 
 
 
 
 8,062
Share repurchases 
 
 
 
 
 2,117
 (22,361) (22,361)
Adjustment to accumulated deficit (see
Note 12: Income Taxes)
 
 
 
 (11,156) 
 
 
 (11,156)
Balance, December 31, 2017 41,463

414

393,478

(262,685)
(23,266)
2,117
 (22,361) 85,580
Balance, December 31, 201741,463 $414 $$393,478 $(262,685)$(23,266)2,117 $(22,361)$85,580 
Net loss 
 
 
 (95,304) 
 
 
 (95,304)Net loss— — — — — (95,304)— — — (95,304)
Other comprehensive loss 
 
 
 
 (150) 
 
 (150)Other comprehensive loss— — — — — — (150)— — (150)
Exercise of stock options 82
 1
 534
 
 
 
 
 535
Exercise of stock options82 — — 534 — — — — 535 
Exercise of warrants 603
 6
 2,905
 
 
 
 
 2,911
Exercise of warrants603 — — 2,905 — — — — 2,911 
Expiration of warrants 
 
 2,167
 
 
 
 
 2,167
Expiration of warrants— — — — 2,167 — — — — 2,167 
Vesting of restricted shares 547
 6
 (6) 
 
 
 
 
Vesting of restricted shares547 — — (6)— — — — 
Employee share purchase plan share issuance 25
 
 127
 
 
 
 
 127
Employee share purchase plan share issuance25 — — — 127 — — — — 127 
Stock-based compensation expense 
 
 7,852
 
 
 
 
 7,852
Share-based compensation expenseShare-based compensation expense— — — — 7,852 — — — — 7,852 
Equity component of 2023 Notes 
 
 26,699
 
 
 
 
 26,699
Equity component of 2023 Notes— — — — 26,699 — — — — 26,699 
Share repurchases 
 
 
 
 
 3,290
 (27,637) (27,637)Share repurchases— — — — — — — 3,290 (27,637)(27,637)
Balance, December 31, 2018 42,720
 $427
 $433,756
 $(357,989) $(23,416) 5,407
 $(49,998) $2,780
Balance, December 31, 201842,720 427 433,756 (357,989)(23,416)5,407 (49,998)2,780 
Net lossNet loss— — — — — (33,226)— — — (33,226)
Other comprehensive incomeOther comprehensive income— — — — — — 610 — — 610 
Vesting of restricted sharesVesting of restricted shares153 — — (2)— — — — 
Employee share purchase plan share issuanceEmployee share purchase plan share issuance54 — — — 118 — — — — 118 
Share-based compensation expenseShare-based compensation expense— — — — 519 — — — — 519 
Balance, December 31, 2019Balance, December 31, 201942,927 $429 $$$434,391 $(391,215)$(22,806)5,407 $(49,998)$(29,199)
Net incomeNet income— — — — — 7,028 — — — 7,028 
Other comprehensive incomeOther comprehensive income— — — — — — 1,755 — — 1,755 
Exercise of stock optionsExercise of stock options403 — — 2,041 — — — — 2,045 
February 2020 private placementFebruary 2020 private placement8,680 87 488 60,478 — — — — 60,570 
May 2020 public offeringMay 2020 public offering11,630 116 — — 116,808 — — — — 116,924 
Vesting of restricted sharesVesting of restricted shares114 — — (1)— — — — 
Employee share purchase plan share issuanceEmployee share purchase plan share issuance49 — — — 144 — — — — 144 
Share-based compensation expenseShare-based compensation expense— — — — 2,999 — — — — 2,999 
Retirement of treasury sharesRetirement of treasury shares(5,407)(54)— — (49,944)— — (5,407)49,998 
Balance, December 31, 2020Balance, December 31, 202058,396 $583 488 $$566,916 $(384,187)$(21,051)$$162,266 
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

-61-




AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
 Years ended December 31, Years ended December 31,
 2018 2017 2016 202020192018
Cash flows from operating activities:  
  
  
Cash flows from operating activities:   
Net (loss) income $(95,304) $68,271
 $(41,276)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:  
  
  
Net income (loss)Net income (loss)$7,028 $(33,226)$(95,304)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:   
Depreciation and amortization 7,430
 4,883
 14,489
Depreciation and amortization1,690 2,486 7,430 
Impairment of intangible asset 66,087
 
 
Impairment of intangible asset66,087 
Amortization of premiums on marketable securities 2,823
 732
 918
Remeasurement of related party acquisition-related contingent consideration (22,731) (31,040) 49,285
Remeasurement of related party financing-related contingent consideration (1,899) (2,071) 6,548
Remeasurement of acquisition-related contingent considerationRemeasurement of acquisition-related contingent consideration3,327 845 (22,731)
Remeasurement of financing-related contingent considerationRemeasurement of financing-related contingent consideration435 378 (1,899)
Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs 4,830
 
 
Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs6,524 5,995 4,830 
Change in deferred tax and income tax deferred charge (19,152)��3,556
 (4,000)
Stock-based compensation expense 7,852
 8,072
 14,679
Changes in deferred taxChanges in deferred tax(7,431)(6,334)(19,152)
Share-based compensation expenseShare-based compensation expense2,999 519 7,852 
Gain on the disposition of the Hospital ProductsGain on the disposition of the Hospital Products(45,760)
Loss on deconsolidation of subsidiaryLoss on deconsolidation of subsidiary1,750 
Gain from the release of certain liabilitiesGain from the release of certain liabilities(3,364)
Other adjustments 1,365
 (968) (331)Other adjustments142 (254)4,188 
Net changes in assets and liabilities  
  
  
Net changes in assets and liabilities   
Accounts receivable 3,452
 3,054
 (10,050)Accounts receivable8,281 2,471 3,452 
Inventories, net 711
 (2,899) 1,831
Inventories, net(1,352)1,155 711 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 3,577
 (3,741) 3,412
Prepaid expenses and other current assets1,863 (1,187)3,577 
Research and development tax credit receivable (2,545) (3,141) 397
Research and development tax credit receivable2,213 (1,014)(2,545)
Accounts payable & other current liabilities (2,032) 595
 (434)Accounts payable & other current liabilities(2,788)4,641 (2,032)
Deferred revenue (1,892) (216) (2,923)Deferred revenue(114)(1,892)
Accrued expenses (10,640) 13,187
 6,764
Accrued expenses(13,226)357 (10,640)
Accrued income taxes (341) (786) 1,778
Earn-out payments for related party contingent consideration in excess of acquisition-date fair value (19,468) (31,636) (20,252)
Royalty payments for related party payable in excess of original fair value (2,838) (4,429) (2,469)
Earn-out payments for contingent consideration in excess of acquisition-date fair valueEarn-out payments for contingent consideration in excess of acquisition-date fair value(5,323)(10,988)(19,468)
Royalty payments for contingent consideration payable in excess of original fair valueRoyalty payments for contingent consideration payable in excess of original fair value(866)(1,748)(2,838)
Other assets and liabilities (2,001) (4,761) 535
Other assets and liabilities(3,126)(4,057)(2,342)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (82,716) 16,662
 18,901
Net cash used in operating activitiesNet cash used in operating activities(48,734)(38,325)(82,716)
      
Cash flows from investing activities:  
  
  
Cash flows from investing activities:   
Purchases of property and equipment (178) (591) (1,201)Purchases of property and equipment(98)(29)(178)
Acquisitions of businesses, including cash acquired and other adjustments 
 
 628
Proceeds from disposal of property and equipmentProceeds from disposal of property and equipment154 
Proceeds from the disposition of the Hospital ProductsProceeds from the disposition of the Hospital Products25,500 
Purchase of intangible assets (20,000) (53,111) 
Purchase of intangible assets(20,000)
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities 359,507
 189,009
 71,546
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities36,284 63,246 359,507 
Purchases of marketable securities (376,310) (151,005) (107,603)Purchases of marketable securities(131,407)(24,648)(376,310)
Net cash used in investing activities (36,981) (15,698) (36,630)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activitiesNet cash (used in) provided by investing activities(69,721)38,723 (36,981)
      
Cash flows from financing activities:  
  
  
Cash flows from financing activities:   
Proceeds from debt issuance 143,750
 
 
Proceeds from debt issuance143,750 
Payments for debt issuance costs (6,190) 
 
Payments for debt issuance costs(6,190)
Earn-out payments for related party contingent consideration (645) (1,246) (6,892)
Royalty payments for related party payable 
 
 (1,225)
Exercise of warrants 2,911
 
 
Exercise of warrants2,911 
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares and warrants 577
 404
 440
Proceeds from the February 2020 private placementProceeds from the February 2020 private placement60,570 
Proceeds from the May 2020 public offeringProceeds from the May 2020 public offering116,924 
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary sharesProceeds from issuance of ordinary shares2,189 118 577 
Share repurchases (27,637) (22,361) 
Share repurchases(27,637)
Other financing activities, net (107) (115) (277)Other financing activities, net(145)(752)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 112,659
 (23,318) (7,954)Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities179,683 (27)112,659 
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (201) (297) (166)Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents720 78 (201)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents (7,239) (22,651) (25,849)Net change in cash and cash equivalents61,948 449 (7,239)
Cash and cash equivalents at January 1 16,564
 39,215
 65,064
Cash and cash equivalents at January 19,774 9,325 16,564 
Cash and cash equivalents at December 31 $9,325
 $16,564
 $39,215
Cash and cash equivalents at December 31$71,722 $9,774 $9,325 
      
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:  
  
  
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:   
Income tax paid $776
 $19,143
 $27,180
Income taxes (refund) paid, netIncome taxes (refund) paid, net$(1,701)$140 $776 
Interest paid 3,359
 1,050
 788
Interest paid6,469 6,469 3,359 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

-62-



AVADEL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In thousands, except per share data)


NOTE 1:Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations. Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: AVDL) (“Avadel,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a branded specialty pharmaceuticalbiopharmaceutical company. Our lead product candidate, FT218, is an investigational once-nightly, extended-release formulation of sodium oxybate for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (“EDS”) and cataplexy in adults with narcolepsy. We are primarily focus isfocused on the development and potential United States (“U.S.”) Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval of FT218. In December 2020, the Company submitted a New Drug Application (“NDA”) to the FDA approval for FT218 whichto treat excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in adults with narcolepsy.The NDA for FT218 was accepted by the FDA in February 2021 and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) target action date of October 15, 2021.

Outside of our lead product candidate, we continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our product portfolio. As of December 31, 2020, we do not have any approved and commercialized products in our portfolio.

We are registered as an Irish public limited company. Our headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland and we have operations in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

FT218

FT218 is in a Phase 3 clinical trialonce-nightly formulation of sodium oxybate that uses our Micropump controlled release drug-delivery technology for the treatment of narcolepsy patientsEDS and cataplexy in adults suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)narcolepsy. Sodium oxybate is the sodium salt of gamma hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous compound and cataplexy.  metabolite of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Sodium oxybate is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy and is approved in Europe for the treatment of cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. Since 2002, sodium oxybate has only been available as a formulation that must be taken twice nightly, first at bedtime, and then again 2.5 to 4 hours later.

On December 16, 2020, we announced the submission of our NDA to the FDA for FT218. On February 26, 2021, the FDA notified us of formal acceptance of the NDA with an assigned PDUFA target action date of October 15, 2021.

The REST-ON trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 212 patients and was conducted in clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australia. The last patient, last visit was completed at the end of the first quarter of 2020 and positive top line data from the REST-ON trial was announced on April 27, 2020. Patients who received 9 g of once-nightly FT218, the highest dose administered in the trial, demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement compared to placebo across the three co-primary endpoints of the trial: maintenance of wakefulness test, or MWT, clinical global impression-improvement, or CGI-I, and mean weekly cataplexy attacks. The lower doses assessed, 6 g and 7.5 g also demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement on all three co-primary endpoints compared to placebo. We observed the 9 g dose of once-nightly FT218 to be generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions commonly associated with sodium oxybate were observed in a small number of patients (nausea 1.3%, vomiting 5.2%, decreased appetite 2.6%, dizziness 5.2%, somnolence 3.9%, tremor 1.3% and enuresis 9%), and 3.9% of the patients who received 9 g of FT218 discontinued the trial due to adverse reactions.

In addition,January 2018, the FDA granted FT218 Orphan Drug Designation, which makes the drug eligible for certain development and commercial incentives, including potential U.S. market exclusivity for up to seven years. Additionally, several FT218-related U.S. patents have been issued, and there are additional patent applications currently in development and/or pending at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), as well as foreign patent offices.

In July 2020, we market threeannounced that the first patient was dosed initiating an open-label extension (“OLE”)/switch study of FT218 as a potential treatment for EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. The OLE/switch study is examining the long-term safety and maintenance of efficacy of FT218 in patients with narcolepsy who participated in the REST-ON study, as well as dosing and preference data for patients switching from twice-nightly sodium oxybate to once-nightly FT218 regardless if they participated in REST-ON or not. We anticipate that the study will enroll up to 250 patients, many of which will be enrolled in North American clinical trial sites that participated in the REST-ON study.



-63-


Previously Approved FDA Products

On June 30, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC (the “Avadel Seller”) announced the sale of the portfolio of sterile injectable drugs used in the hospital setting (the “Hospital Products”), which were developed underincluded our “unapproved marketed drug” (UMD) program.   The Companythree commercial products, Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep, as well as Nouress, which was approved by the U.S. FDA to Exela Sterile Medicines LLC (“Exela Buyer”) pursuant to an asset purchase agreement by and among the Avadel Seller, Avadel US Holdings, Inc., the Exela Buyer and Exela Holdings, Inc. This sale included the following FDA approved products:

Bloxiverz (neostigmine methylsulfate injection) - Bloxiverz is headquartereda drug used intravenously in Dublin, Ireland with operationsthe operating room to reverse the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents after surgery.

Vazculep (phenylephrine hydrochloride injection) - Vazculep is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in St. Louis, Missouri and Lyon, France. For more information, please visit www.avadel.com..the setting of anesthesia.
Our current marketed products include:
Akovaz®Akovaz (ephedrine sulfate injection, USP),injection) - Akovaz was the first FDA approved formulation of ephedrine sulfate, an alpha- and beta-adrenergicbeta- adrenergic agonist and a norepinephrine-releasing agent that is indicated for the treatment of clinically important hypotension occurring in the setting of anesthesia
anesthesia.
Bloxiverz® (neostigmine methylsulfate injection), a cholinesterase inhibitor, is indicated for the reversal of the effects of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) after surgery.

Vazculep® (phenylephrineNouress (cysteine hydrochloride injection), an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonist indicated- Nouress is a sterile injectable product for the treatment of clinically important hypotension resulting primarily from vasodilation in the setting of anesthesia.

Each of our Akovaz, Bloxiverz and Vazculep products is used primarilyuse in the hospital setting and was developed under our UMD program.to provide parenteral nutrition to neonates.


Noctiva™, a vasopressin analog indicated for the treatment of nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria in adults who awaken at least two times per night to void. Due to disappointing results after a substantial investment of resources after Noctiva’s commercial launch in March 2018, Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals LLC, (“Specialty Pharma”), the Avadel subsidiary responsible for the marketing and sale of Noctiva, made a voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 6, 2019. Although Specialty Pharma currently continues its marketing and sales efforts for this product, Avadel anticipates that Specialty Pharma will discontinue all activities with respect to Noctiva during 2019 as a resultSee Note 4: Disposition of the bankruptcy.
Hospital Products.


The Company was incorporated in Ireland on December 1, 2015 as a private limited company, and re-registered as an Irish public limited company on November 21, 2016. Our headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland and we have operations in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Lyon, France.
The Company is the successor to Flamel Technologies S.A., a French société anonyme (“Flamel”), as the result of the Merger described above, in which Flamel merged with and into the Company at 11:59:59 p.m., Central Europe Time, on December 31, 2016 (the “Merger”) pursuant to the agreement between Flamel and Avadel entitled Common Draft Terms of Cross-Border Merger dated as of June 29, 2016 (the “Merger Agreement”). Immediately prior to the Merger, the Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Flamel. In accordance with the Merger Agreement, as a result of the Merger:
Flamel ceased to exist as a separate entity and the Company continued as the surviving entity and assumed all of the assets and liabilities of Flamel.
our authorized share capital is $5,500 divided into 500,000 ordinary shares with a nominal value of $0.01 each and 50,000 preferred shares with a nominal value of $0.01 each
all outstanding ordinary shares of Flamel, €0.122 nominal value per share, were canceled and exchanged on a one-for-one basis for newly issued ordinary shares of the Company, $0.01 nominal value per share. This change in nominal value of our outstanding shares resulted in our reclassifying $5,937 on our balance sheet from ordinary shares to additional paid-in capital
our Board of Directors is authorized to issue preferred shares on a non-pre-emptive basis, for a maximum period of five years, at which point such an authorization may be renewed by shareholders. The Board of Directors has discretion to dictate terms attached to the preferred shares, including voting, dividend, conversion rights, and priority relative to other classes of shares with respect to dividends and upon a liquidation. 


all outstanding American Depositary Shares (ADSs) representing ordinary shares of Flamel were canceled and exchanged on a one-for-one basis for ADSs representing ordinary shares of the Company.
Thus, the Merger changed the jurisdiction of our incorporation from France to Ireland, and an ordinary share of the Company held (either directly or represented by an ADS) immediately after the Merger continued to represent the same proportional interest in our equity owned by the holder of a share of Flamel immediately prior to the Merger.
Prior to completion of the Merger, the Flamel ADSs were listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) under the trading symbol “FLML”; and immediately after the Merger the Company’s ADSs were listed for and began trading on Nasdaq on January 3, 2017 under the trading symbol “AVDL.”
Further details about the reincorporation, the Merger and the Merger Agreement are contained in our definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on July 5, 2016.
Under Irish law, the Company can only pay dividends and repurchase shares out of distributable reserves, as discussed further in the Company’s proxy statement filed with the SEC as of July 5, 2016. Upon completion of the Merger, the Company did not have any distributable reserves. On February 15, 2017, the Company filed a petition with the High Court of Ireland seeking the court’s confirmation of a reduction of the Company’s share premium so that it can be treated as distributable reserves for the purposes of Irish law. On March 6, 2017, the High Court issued its order approving the reduction of the Company’s share premium by $317,254 which can be treated as distributable reserves.
Basis of Presentation. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United StatesU.S. (U.S. GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Our results of operations for the period January 1, 2019 through February 6, 2019 and for year ended December 31, 2018 include the results of Avadel Specialty Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Specialty Pharma”) prior to its February 6, 2019 voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. See Note 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation.

Our results of operations for the period January 1, 2018 through February 16, 2018 and for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 include the results of FSC Therapeutics and FSC Laboratories, Inc., (collectively “FSC”), prior to its February 16, 2018 disposition date. See Note 16:18: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets, for additional information. All intercompany accounts and transactions

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications are made to prior year amounts whenever necessary to conform with the current year presentation. Certain adjustments have been eliminated.made to the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and balances within Note 16: Other Assets and Liabilities for the year ended December 31, 2019 to condense line items of the same nature into a single line. This change does not affect previously reported net cash flows used in operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. We made certain reclassifications within Note 10: Goodwill and Intangible Assets, to the gross value and total accumulated amortization balances of the Vazculep intangible asset as of December 31, 2019. We made certain adjustments to Note 24: Company Operations by Product, Customer, and Geographic Area to include comparable information for customers that became significant for the year ended December 31, 2020.


Revenue. Revenue includesPrior to June 30, 2020, revenue included sales of pharmaceutical products, licensing fees, and, if any, milestone payments for research and development (“R&D”) achievements.
Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASC 606”) using the modified retrospective transition method applied to all open contracts as at December 31, 2017. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material effect on the overall timing or amount of revenue recognized when compared to prior accounting standards. See Note 3:5: Revenue Recognition for expanded disclosures related to this new pronouncement.Recognition.


ASC 606 applies to all contracts with customers, except for contracts that are within the scope of other standards, such as leases, insurance, collaboration arrangements and financial instruments. Under ASC 606, an entity recognizes revenue when the performance obligations to the customer have been satisfied through the transfer of control of the goods or services. To determine the appropriate revenue recognition for arrangements that the Company believes are within the scope of ASC 606,
-64-


we perform the following five steps: (i) Identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) Identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) Determine the transaction price; (iv) Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The Company applies the five-step model to contracts only when the Company and its customer’s rights and obligations under the contract can be determined, the contract has commercial substance, and it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. For contracts that are determined to be within the scope of ASC 606, the Company identifies the promised goods or services in the contract to determine if they are separate performance obligations or if they should be bundled with other goods and services into a single performance obligation. The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied.


Product Sales  
The Company sellsPrior to June 30, 2020, we sold products primarily through wholesalers and considersconsidered these wholesalers to be itsour customers. RevenueUnder ASC 606, revenue from product sales is recognized when the customer obtains control of the Company’sour product, which occurs typically upon receipt by the customer. As is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, the Company’sOur gross product sales are subject to a variety of price adjustments in arriving at reported net product sales. These adjustments include estimates of product returns, chargebacks, payment discounts, rebates, and other sales allowances and are estimated based on analysis of historical data for the product or comparable products, future expectations for such products and other judgments and analysis.  


For generic products and branded products where the ultimate net selling price to customer is estimable, the Company recognizes revenues upon delivery to the wholesaler. For new product launches the Company recognizes revenue if sufficient data is available to determine product acceptance in the marketplace such that product returns may be estimated based on historical or analog product data and there is probable evidence of reorders and consideration is made of wholesaler inventory levels. As part of the third quarter 2016 launch of Akovaz, the Company determined that sufficient data was available to determine the ultimate net selling price to the customer and therefore recognized revenue upon delivery to our wholesaler customers.  
Prior to the second quarter 2016, the Company did not have sufficient historical or analog product data to estimate certain revenue deductions. As such, we could not accurately estimate the ultimate net selling price of our hospital portfolio of products and as a result delayed revenue recognition until the wholesaler sold the product through to end customers.  
During the second quarter of 2016, it was determined that we now had sufficient evidence, history, data and internal controls to estimate the ultimate selling price of our products upon shipment from our warehouse to our customers, the wholesalers.  Accordingly, we discontinued the sell-through revenue approach and now recognize revenue once the product is delivered to the wholesaler. As a result of this change in accounting estimate, we recognized $5,981 in additional revenue, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 that previously would have been deferred until sold by the wholesalers to the hospitals.   
License and Milestone Revenue  
The Company from
From time to time we may enter into out-licensing agreements which are within the scope of ASC 606 under which it licenses to third parties certain rights to its products or intellectual property. The terms of these arrangements typically include payment to the Companyus of one or more of the following: non-refundable, upfront license fees; development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments; and sales-based royalty payments. Each of these payments results in license revenue.

For a complete discussion of the accounting for net product revenue and license revenues, see Note 3:5: Revenue Recognition.


Government Grants.The Company receives financial support for various research or investment projects from governmental agencies.  
From time to time we receive funds, primarily from the French government, to finance certain R&D projects. These funds are repayable on commercial success of the project. In the absence of commercial success, the Company is released of our obligation to repay the funds and as such the funds are recognized in the consolidated statements of (loss) income as an offset to R&D expense. The absence of commercial success must be formally confirmed by the granting authority. Should the Company wish to discontinue the R&D to which the funding is associated, the granting authority must be informed and a determination made as to how much, if any, of the grant must be repaid.
Research and Development (“R&D”).R&D expenses consist primarily of costs related to clinical studies and outside services, personnel expenses, and other R&D expenses. Clinical studies and outside services costs relate primarily to services performed by clinical research organizations and related clinical or development manufacturing costs, materials and supplies, filing fees, regulatory support, and other third-party fees. Personnel expenses relate primarily to salaries, benefits and stock-basedshare-based compensation. Other R&D expenses primarily include overhead allocations consisting of various support and facilities-related costs. R&D expenditures are charged to operations as incurred. Raw materials used in the production of pre-clinical and clinical products are expensed as R&D costs.  
The Company recognizes
We recognize R&D tax credits received from the French and Irish government for spending on innovative R&D as an offset of R&D expenses.


Advertising Expenses. We expense the costs of advertising as incurred. Advertising expenses were $17,562, $2,214$312, $372 and $1,294$17,562 for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, 2017respectively. The decrease in advertising for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2016, respectively.2019 is due to Specialty Pharma’s bankruptcy and deconsolidation. See Note 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation.


Stock-basedShare-based Compensation. The Company accountsWe account for stock-basedshare-based compensation based on the estimated grant-date fair value. The fair value of stock options and warrants is estimated using Black-Scholes option-pricing valuation models (“Black-Scholes model”). As required by the Black-Sholes model, estimates are made of the underlying volatility of AVDL stock, a risk-free rate and an expected term of the option or warrant. We estimated the expected term using a simplified method, as we do not have enough historical exercise data for a majority of such options and warrants upon which to estimate an expected term. The Company recognizesWe recognize compensation cost, net of an estimated forfeiture rate, using the accelerated method over the requisite service period of the award.


Income Taxes. We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, we determine deferred tax assets and liabilities on the basis of the differences between the financial statement and


tax bases of assets and liabilities by using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
-65-


We recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that we believe that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If we determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, we would make an adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
We record uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process in which (1) we determine whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we recognize the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.
We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in the income tax expense line in the accompanying consolidated statements of income (loss) income.. Accrued interest and penalties are included on the related tax liability line in the consolidated balance sheets.

Cash and Cash Equivalents.Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, cash on deposit and fixed term deposits which are highly liquid investments with original maturities of less than three months.

Marketable Securities. The Company’s marketable securities are considered to be available for sale and are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of taxes, reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income (“AOCI”) in shareholders’ equity, with the exception of unrealized gains and losses on equity instruments and unrealized losses believed to be other-than-temporary, if any, which are reported in earnings in the current period. The cost of securities sold is based upon the specific identification method.

Accounts Receivable. AccountsPrior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, accounts receivable arewere stated at amounts invoiced net of allowances for doubtful accountscredit losses and certain other gross to net variable consideration deductions. The Company makes judgments as to our ability to collect outstanding receivablesAn allowance for credit losses is established based on expected losses. Expected losses are estimated by reviewing individual accounts, considering aging, financial condition of the debtor, payment history, current and provides allowances for the portion of receivables deemed uncollectible. Provision is made based upon a specific review of all significant outstanding invoices.forecast economic conditions and other relevant factors. A majority of our accounts receivable iswere due from four significant customers.  

Inventories.Inventories consist Prior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, inventories consisted of raw materials and finished products, which arewere stated at lower of cost or net realizable value, using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. Raw materials used in the production of pre-clinical and clinical products are expensed as R&D costs when consumed. The Company establishesestablished reserves for inventory estimated to be obsolete, unmarketable or slow-moving on a case by case basis.

Property and Equipment.Property and equipment is stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:
Laboratory equipment4-8 years
Software, office and computer equipment3 years
Leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures and fittings5-10 years
 
Goodwill.Goodwill represents the excess of the acquisition consideration over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The Company hasWe have determined that we operate in a single segment and hashave a single reporting unit associated with the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. The annualWe test for goodwill impairment is a two-step process. The first step is a comparison of the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If this step indicates impairment, then, in the second step, the loss is measured as the excess of recorded goodwill over the implied fair value of the goodwill. Implied fair value of goodwill is the excess of the fair value of the reporting unit as a whole over the fair value of all separately identified assets and liabilities within the reporting unit. The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. During the fourth quarter of 2018, weWe performed our required annual impairment test of goodwill and have determined that no impairment of goodwill existed at December 31, 2018 or 2017. 2020 and 2019.

Long-Lived Assets. Long-lived assets include fixed assets and intangible assets. IntangiblePrior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, intangible assets consistconsisted primarily of purchased licenses and intangible assets recognized as part of the Éclat Pharmaceuticals acquisition. Acquired in-process research and development (“IPR&D has&D”) had an indefinite life and iswas not amortized until completion and development of the project, at which time the IPR&D becomesbecame an amortizable asset, for which amortization of such intangible assets iswas computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the assets.  



Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever conditions indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be fully recoverable. Such impairment tests are based on a comparison of the pretax undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset to the recorded value of the asset or other market basedmarket-based value approaches. If impairment is indicated, the asset value is written down to its market value if readily determinable or its estimated fair value based on discounted cash flows. Any significant changes in business or market conditions that vary from current expectations could have an impact on the fair value of these assets and any potential associated impairment. During the fourth quarter of 2018, we recorded a $66,087 impairment charge to the entire acquired developed technology related to Noctiva (see Note 9: Goodwill and Intangible Assets). The Company hadNoctiva. We determined that no0 impairment existed
-66-


at December 31, 2019. On June 30, 2020, we transferred our remaining intangible asset to the Exela Buyer as part of the disposition of the Hospital Products. We determined that 0 impairment existed at December 31, 2017.2020 on our remaining long-lived assets.

Lease Obligations. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02, “Leases” which supersedes ASC 840 “Leases” and creates a new topic, ASC 842 “Leases”. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 using the modified retrospective transition approach and elected the transition option to recognize the adjustment in the period of adoption rather than in the earliest period presented. Results and disclosure requirements for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are presented under Topic 842, while prior period amounts have not been adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historical accounting under Topic 840. Upon adoption, we recognized total ROU assets of $5,046, with corresponding lease liabilities of $5,131 on the consolidated balance sheets. The adoption did not impact our beginning retained earnings, or our prior year consolidated statements of income (loss) and statements of cash flows.

The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, which allowed us to carryforward our historical lease classification, our assessment on whether a contract was or contains a lease, and our initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to January 1, 2019. The Company also elected to combine our lease and non-lease components and to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off the balance sheet and recognize the associated lease payments in the consolidated statements of income (loss) on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Under ASU 2016-02, the Company determines if a contract is a lease at the inception of the arrangement. Right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of remaining lease payments over the lease term. For this purpose, the Company considers only payments that are fixed and determinable at the time of commencement. The Company reviews all options to extend, terminate, or purchase its right-of-use assets at the inception of the lease and will include these options in the lease term when they are reasonably certain of being exercised. The Company’s lease contracts do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate. The Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate is based on information available at the inception of the lease. Our lease agreements may contain variable costs such as common area maintenance, insurance, real estate taxes or other costs. Variable lease costs are expensed as incurred on the consolidated statements of income (loss).

Acquisition-related Contingent Consideration. The Prior to the sale of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the acquisition-related contingent consideration payables arising from the acquisition of Éclat Pharmaceuticals (i.e., our hospital products) and FSC (our pediatrics products), which was assumed by the buyer as part of the disposition of the pediatrics products on February 16, 2018, arewere accounted for at fair-valuefair value (see Note 11: Long-Term Related Party13: Contingent Consideration Payable and Note 16:18: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets). The fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Éclat acquisition were estimated using a Black-Scholes model. A portion of these warrants were exercised on February 23, 2018 and the remaining warrants expired on March 12, 2018. See Note 11: Long-Term Related Party13: Contingent Consideration Payable. The fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration payable is estimated using a discounted cash flow model based on the long-term sales or gross profit forecasts of the specified hospital or pediatric products using an appropriate discount rate. There are a number of estimates used when determining the fair value of these earn-out payments. These estimates include, but are not limited to, the long-term pricing environment, market size, market share the related products are forecast to achieve, the cost of goods related to such products and an appropriate discount rate to use when present valuing the related cash flows. These estimates can and often do change based on changes in current market conditions, competition, management judgment and other factors. Changes to these estimates can have and have had a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheets. Changes in fair value of these liabilities are recorded in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income within operating expenses as changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration.

Financing-related Royalty Agreements. We also entered intowere previously a party to two royalty agreements with related parties in connection with certain financing arrangements. We elected the fair value option for the measurement of the financing-related contingent consideration payable associated with the royalty agreements with certain Deerfield and Broadfin entities both(the “Deerfield and Broadfin Royalty Agreements”) (see Note 13: Contingent Consideration Payable). Prior to the sale of whom are related parties (see Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable). Thethe Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the fair value of financing-related royalty agreements iswas estimated using the same components used to determine the fair value of the acquisition-related contingent consideration noted above, with the exception of cost of products sold. Changes to these components can also have a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheets. Changes in the fair value of this liability are recorded in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income as other (expense) income (expense) - changes in fair value of related partycontingent consideration payable.
Foreign Currency Translation. At December 31, 2018,In connection with the reporting currencydisposition of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as discussed in Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products, the Deerfield and Broadfin Royalty Agreements were assigned to the Exela Buyer and the Exela Buyer assumed and shall pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of the Company under the Deerfield and our wholly-owned subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar. Prior to December 31, 2016, each of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries and the parent entity, Flamel, used the Euro as their functional currency. At December 31, 2016, in conjunction with the Merger described above, Avadel determined the U.S. dollar is our functional currency. Subsidiaries and entities that do not use the U.S. dollar as their functional currency translate 1) profit and loss accounts at the average exchange rates during the reporting period, 2) assets and liabilities at period end exchange rates and 3) shareholders’ equity accounts at historical rates. Resulting translation gains and losses are included as a separate component of shareholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Assets and liabilities, excluding available-for-sale marketable securities, denominated in a currency other than the subsidiary’s functional currency are translated to the subsidiary’s functional currency at period end exchange rates with resulting gains and losses recognized in the consolidated statements of (loss) income.  Broadfin Royalty Agreements.

-67-


Use of Estimates. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, including marketable securities and contingent liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the periods presented. These estimates and assumptions are based on the best information available to management at the balance sheet dates and depending on the nature of the estimate can require significant judgments. Changes to these estimates and judgments can have and have had a material impact on our consolidated statements of income (loss) income and balance sheets. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions.


NOTE 2: Effect of NewNewly Issued Accounting Standards
Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance


In March 2017,August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting StandardStandards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Costs.” The standard requires the service component of pension and other postretirement benefit expense to be presented in the same statement


of income lines as other employee compensation costs, however, the other components will be presented outside of operating income. In addition, only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization in assets. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2018 and it had an immaterial impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” ASU 2016-15 identifies how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the Statement of Cash Flows under Topic 230. ASU 2016-15 is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. ASU 2016-15 should be applied retrospectively and early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2018 and it had an immaterial impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” which supersedes the most current revenue recognition requirements. This ASU requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Through May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08 “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net),” ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing,” and ASU 2016-12, “Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients,” which provide supplemental adoption guidance and clarification to ASU 2014-09, respectively. The Company adopted this pronouncement under the modified retrospective method of transition in the first quarter of 2018. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material effect on the overall timing or amount of revenue recognized when compared to current accounting standards. The impact to the Company of adopting the new revenue standard primarily relates to additional and expanded disclosures. See Note 3: Revenue Recognition.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” The amendments in this update address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. The new guidance required the change in fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values to be recognized through the statement of income. Upon adoption, the change in the fair value of our available-for-sale equity investments is recognized in our consolidated statement of income (loss) rather than as a component of our consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss). The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2018 and it had an immaterial impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820):Disclosure Framework— Changes to the Disclosure Requirement for Fair Value Measurement” which amends certain disclosure requirements over Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adoptingWe adopted ASU 2018-13.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” This update eliminates step 2 from the goodwill impairment test, and requires the goodwill impairment test to be performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge should be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This guidance is effective for the Company2018-13 in the first quarter of 2020. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company will assess the timing of adoption and impact of this guidance to future impairment considerations.


In FebruaryJune 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases” which supersedes ASC 840 “Leases” and creates a new topic, ASC 842 “Leases.No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”).” This updatestandard requires lesseesentities to recognizemeasure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on their balance sheet a lease liabilityhistorical experience, current conditions and a lease assetreasonable and supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 will be effective for all leases,the Company for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, including operating leases, with a term greater than 12 months.interim periods within those annual reporting periods and early adoption is permitted. We adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-13 in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of the new standard did not have any impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, as part of its overall simplification initiative to reduce costs and complexity of applying accounting standards while maintaining or improving the usefulness of the information provided to users of financial statements. The update also expands the required quantitativeFASB’s amendments primarily impact ASC 740, Income Taxes, and qualitative disclosures surrounding leases. This update ismay impact both interim and annual reporting periods. ASU 2019-12 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 20182020, and interim periods within those fiscal years with earlier applicationand early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2019-12; however, the impact is expected to be immaterial to our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2018,August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11 “Targeted Improvements”2020-06, Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging- Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40), amendingto reduce the complexity associated with applying U.S. GAAP principles for certain aspectsfinancial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. The amendments in this ASU reduce the number of accounting models for convertible instruments and expand the existing disclosure requirements over earnings per share as it relates to convertible instruments. This ASU will be effective for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2022 and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments may be adopted through either a modified retrospective method, or a fully retrospective method. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2020-06.

NOTE 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation
Bankruptcy Filing and Deconsolidation

As a result of Specialty Pharma’s bankruptcy filing on February 6, 2019, Avadel ceded authority for managing the business to the Bankruptcy Court, and Avadel management could not carry on Specialty Pharma’s activities in the ordinary course of business without Bankruptcy Court approval. Prior to Bankruptcy Court approval, Avadel managed the day-to-day operations of Specialty Pharma but did not have discretion to make significant capital or operating budgetary changes or decisions and purchase or sell significant assets, as Specialty Pharma’s material decisions were subject to review by the Bankruptcy Court. For these reasons, we concluded that Avadel had lost control of Specialty Pharma, and no longer had significant influence over Specialty Pharma during the pendency of the new leasing standard.bankruptcy. Therefore, we deconsolidated Specialty Pharma effective with the filing of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2019.

-68-


In order to deconsolidate Specialty Pharma, the carrying values of the assets and certain liabilities of Specialty Pharma were removed from our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of February 5, 2019, and we recorded our investment in Specialty Pharma at its estimated fair value of $0. As the estimated fair value of our investment in Specialty Pharma was lower than its net book value immediately prior to the deconsolidation, we recorded a non-cash charge of approximately $2,678 for the year ended December 31, 2019 associated with the deconsolidation of Specialty Pharma. Subsequent to the deconsolidation of Specialty Pharma, we are accounting for our investment in Specialty Pharma using the cost method of accounting because Avadel does not exercise significant influence over the operations of Specialty Pharma due to the Chapter 11 filing.

On April 26, 2019, Specialty Pharma sold its intangible assets and remaining inventory to an unaffiliated third party in exchange for aggregate cash proceeds of approximately $250, pursuant to an order approving such sale which was issued by the Bankruptcy Court on April 15, 2019. As a result of such sale, Specialty Pharma has completed its divestment of the assets of the Noctiva business.

On July 2, 2019, Specialty Pharma was made aware of a $50,695 claim made by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) as part of the bankruptcy claims process against Specialty Pharma. On October 2, 2019 the IRS amended the original claim filed in July, reducing the claim to $9,302. Specialty Pharma filed its U.S. federal tax return as a member of the Company’s consolidated U.S. tax group. As such, the IRS claim was filed against Specialty Pharma in the bankruptcy proceedings due to IRS tax law requirements for joint and several liability of all members in a consolidated U.S. tax group. On November 19, 2019, Specialty Pharma and the IRS resolved their dispute, subject to the Bankruptcy Court’s approval of Specialty Pharma's Chapter 11 plan, and without prejudice to the claims, rights and defenses of the IRS and other Avadel entities outside of the bankruptcy case. The amendment allowsresolution provided for allowance of the IRS claim as a priority claim but for the IRS to receive a distribution of 50% of the proceeds, but in no event less than $125 from Specialty Pharma following confirmation of its disclosure statement and Chapter 11 plan of liquidation.

On July 24, 2020, Specialty Pharma sought bankruptcy court approval of a settlement agreement by and between it, Avadel US Holdings, Inc. and Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Serenity”) (the “Serenity Settlement Agreement”). Before the commencement of Specialty Pharma's bankruptcy case, Serenity asserted claims against Specialty Pharma and Avadel US Holdings collectively in an amount no less than $50,000, and after the commencement of the bankruptcy case, Serenity asserted a $3,096 claim against Specialty Pharma and voted to reject its Chapter 11 plan of liquidation. The Serenity Settlement Agreement provides for a global resolution of these disputes by way of an $800 payment from Avadel US Holdings to Serenity, a mutual exchange of general releases, and the withdrawal of Serenity's claim and vote in Specialty Pharma's bankruptcy case. The Serenity Settlement Agreement was approved by order of the Bankruptcy Court on August 12, 2020.

At a hearing conducted on October 6, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court granted final approval of Specialty Pharma’s disclosure statement and confirmed its Chapter 11 plan of liquidation. Pursuant to the plan, the appointment of a Plan Administrator was also approved. The Plan Administrator will be responsible for making distributions to creditors, managing the final windup and dissolution of Specialty Pharma, and taking other steps in accordance with the plan of liquidation. The plan of liquidation became effective on October 21, 2020. Subsequent to the finalization of the bankruptcy, we recognized a non-cash gain of $3,364 from the release of certain liabilities that had been retained following the deconsolidation of Specialty Pharma. This gain is including in "Gain from release of certain liabilities" within non-operating income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Debtor in Possession (“DIP”) Financing – Related Party Relationship

In connection with the bankruptcy filing, Specialty Pharma entered into a Debtor in Possession Credit and Security Agreement with Avadel US Holdings (“DIP Credit Agreement”) dated as of February 8, 2019, in an aggregate amount of up to $2,700, of which the funds are to be used by Specialty Pharma solely to fund operations through February 6, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company funded $407 under the DIP Credit Agreement. As the Company assessed that it is unlikely that Specialty Pharma will pay back the loan to Avadel, the $407 was recorded as part of the loss on deconsolidation of subsidiary within the consolidated statements of income (loss) during the year ended December 31, 2019. NaN amounts were funded under the DIP Credit Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2020. We do not expect any additional further liabilities from the DIP Credit Agreement.


-69-


NOTE 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products

On June 30, 2020 (the “Closing date”), we announced the sale of our Hospital Products to the Exela Buyer pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (the “Transaction”).

Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Exela Buyer agreed to pay a total aggregate consideration amount of $42,000, of which $14,500 was paid on the Closing Date and an additional optional transition method whereby$27,500 is to be paid in ten equal monthly installments. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we collected four installment payments, totaling $11,000. Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2020 but prior to the filing of this Annual Report, we collected an entity records a cumulative effect adjustmentadditional $5,500 in installment payments. In connection with the sale of the Hospital Products, the parties also agreed to opening retained earningscause the dismissal of the pending civil litigation related to Nouress in the District Court for the District of Delaware.
We were party to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated March 13, 2012, by and among us, Avadel Legacy, Breaking Stick Holdings, LLC, Deerfield Private Design International II, L.P. (“Deerfield International”), Deerfield Private Design Fund II, L.P. (“Deerfield Fund”) and Horizon Santé FLML, Sarl (“Horizon”) (the “Deerfield MIPA”) and a Royalty Agreement, dated February 4, 2013, by and among us, Avadel Legacy, the Deerfield Fund and Horizon (the “Deerfield Royalty Agreement”). In connection with the closing of the sale of the Hospital Products, the Deerfield MIPA (with respect to certain sections thereof) and the Royalty Agreement were assigned to the Exela Buyer. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Exela Buyer assumed and will pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Avadel Legacy under the Deerfield Royalty Agreement for obligations that arise after the Closing date.
We were also party to a Royalty Agreement, dated December 3, 2013, by and between us, Avadel Legacy and Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd. (the “Broadfin Royalty Agreement”). In connection with the closing of the sale of the Hospital Products, the Broadfin Royalty Agreement was assigned to the Exela Buyer and the Exela Buyer assumed and shall pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Avadel Legacy under the Broadfin Royalty Agreement for obligations that arise after the Closing Date.

We recorded a net gain on the sale of the Hospital Products of $45,760 during the year ended December 31, 2020 which has been recorded on the consolidated statement of adoption without restating prior periods,income (loss). The $45,760 gain represents the aggregate consideration of $42,000, less transaction fees of $2,928, plus the assets and liabilities either transferred to the Exela Buyer or eliminated by us due to the sale of the Hospital Products, which are listed below.

December 31, 2020
Prepaid expenses and other current assets$(134)
Inventories(4,922)
Goodwill(1,654)
Intangible assets, net(407)
Other non-current assets(1,095)
Total long-term contingent consideration payable14,900 
Net liabilities disposed of6,688 
Aggregate consideration42,000 
Less transaction fees(2,928)
Net gain on the sale of the Hospital Products$45,760 

Subsequent to the disposition of the Hospital Products, the Company has elected.entered into a separate and distinct agreement with the Exela Buyer, whereby the Exela Buyer assumed all future returns of the Hospital Products in exchange for cash consideration paid by the Company. The Company recorded a $518 gain from this transaction, which is recorded in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” for the year ended December 31, 2020.


On adoption,We evaluated various qualitative and quantitative factors related to the disposition of the Hospital Products and determined that it did not meet the criteria for presentation as a discontinued operation.


-70-


The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements included below are being provided for information purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations or financial position that would have resulted if the Transaction had actually occurred on the date indicated. The pro forma adjustments are based on available information and assumptions that the Company currently expectsbelieves are attributable to recognize additional operating liabilitiesthe sale.


Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2019
 As ReportedPro Forma AdjustmentsNotesPro Forma
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents$9,774 $12,935 (a)$22,709 
Inventories3,570 (3,570)(b)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets4,264 27,500 (c)31,764 
Goodwill18,491 (1,654)(d)16,837 
Intangible assets, net813 (813)(e)
Other non-current assets39,274 (9,702)(f)29,572 
Total assets$151,436 $24,696 $176,132 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Current portion of long-term contingent consideration payable$5,554 $(5,054)(g)$500 
Accrued expenses19,810 2,800 (h)22,610 
Long-term contingent consideration payable, less current portion11,773 (11,773)(g)
Total liabilities180,635 (14,027)166,608 
Shareholders’ equity (deficit):
Accumulated deficit(391,215)38,723 (i)(352,492)
Total shareholders’ (deficit) equity(29,199)38,723 9,524 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity (deficit)$151,436 $24,696 $176,132 

Adjustments to the pro forma unaudited condensed combined balance sheet

(a) This adjustment represents the receipt of approximately $5,100, with corresponding Right$14,500 cash consideration from the Exela Buyer at the closing of Use (ROU) assetsthe Transaction less $1,565 placed into escrow for the estimated earn outs and royalties payable to Breaking Stick Holdings L.L.C., Horizon Santé FLML, Sarl, Deerfield Private Design Fund II, L.P., all affiliates of approximatelyDeerfield Capital L.P. ("Deerfield") and Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund ("Broadfin") for the same amountcurrent year ended.

(b) This adjustment reflects the elimination of Inventories that were purchased as part of the Transaction.

(c) This adjustment reflects the Transaction consideration in the form of ten monthly installment payments of $2,750 (totaling $27,500) beginning 90 days from the Closing date.

(d) This adjustment reflects the elimination of $1,654 of Goodwill based on the presentrelative fair value of the remaining minimum rentalHospital Products as a portion of the overall value of the Company.

(e) This adjustment reflects the elimination of the unamortized balance of the Intangible asset on acquired developed technology for Vazculep.

(f) This adjustment reflects the elimination of $1,228 of other long-term assets and $8,474 of deferred tax assets at December 31, 2019. The eliminated deferred tax assets are tax attributes of the Hospital Products.

(g) This adjustment reflects the elimination of short and long term related party payables, less the expected amounts due to Deerfield and Broadfin after taking into consideration the escrow discussed in Note (a). As part of the Transaction, the buyer
-71-


agreed to assume the quarterly earn-out and royalty payments for periods after the close of the Transaction. The Company will no longer be responsible for these payments.

(h) This adjustment reflects the estimated transaction fees payable related to the Transaction.

(i) This adjustment reflects the estimated gain of $38,723 arising from the Transaction for the year ended December 31, 2019. This estimated gain has not been reflected in the pro forma unaudited condensed combined statements of loss as it is considered to be nonrecurring in nature. No adjustment has been made to the sale proceeds to give effect to any potential post-closing adjustments under the terms of the Purchase Agreement.

Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Income (Loss)
Year Ended December 31, 2020
 As ReportedPro Forma AdjustmentsNotesPro Forma
Product sales$22,334 $(22,175)(j)$159 
Total operating expense16,519 (8,392)(k)8,127 
Operating income (loss)5,815 (13,783)(7,968)
Loss before income taxes$(5,082)$(13,348)(l)$(18,430)

Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Statement of Income (Loss)
Year Ended December 31, 2019
 As ReportedPro Forma AdjustmentsNotesPro Forma
Product sales$59,215 $(59,273)(j)$(58)
Total operating expense83,327 (16,092)(m)67,235 
Operating income (loss)(24,112)(43,181)(67,293)
Loss before income taxes$(38,582)$(42,803)(n)$(81,385)

Adjustments to the pro forma unaudited condensed combined statements of income (loss)

(j) This adjustment reflects Product sales attributable to the Hospital Products.

(k) This adjustment reflects the following estimated expenses attributable to the Hospital Products:

Cost of products of $3,540.
R&D expenses of $322.
Selling, general and administrative expenses of $797.
Intangible asset amortization on acquired development technology for Vazculep of $406.
Changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration of $3,327. The new standard also provides practical expedientsCompany will no longer be responsible for a company’s ongoing accounting. We currently expectthese payments.

(l) This amount reflects the adjustments noted in (j) and (k) above, as well as estimated Changes in fair value of related party payable of $435 attributable to elect the short-term lease recognition exemptionHospital Products. The Company will no longer be responsible for all leases that qualify.these payments.

(m) This means,adjustment reflects the following estimated expenses attributable to the Hospital Products:

Cost of products of $11,368.
R&D expenses of $1,960.
Selling, general and administrative expenses of $1,102.
Intangible asset amortization on acquired development technology for those leases that qualify, weVazculep of $816.
Changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration of $845. The Company will not recognize ROU assets or lease liabilities,no longer be responsible for these payments.

(n) This amount reflects the adjustments noted in (j) and this includes not recognizing ROU assets or lease liabilities(m) above, as well as the reversal of estimated Changes in fair value of related party payable of $378 attributable to the Hospital Products. The Company will no longer be responsible for existing short-termthese payments.

-72-


leases of those assets in transition. We also currently expect to elect the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all of our leases.


NOTE 3:5: Revenue Recognition
ThePrior to June 30, 2020, the Company generatesgenerated revenue primarily from the sale of pharmaceutical products to customers. From time to timeOn June 30, 2020, the Company also generates revenue from licensing arrangements wherebysold the Company provides access to certainHospital Products. See Note 4: Disposition of its intellectual property.the Hospital Products.

Periods prior to January 1, 2018


Product Sales and Services


Revenue is generally realized or realizable and earned when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the seller’s pricePrior to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company recorded revenue from product sales when title and risk of ownership transferred to the customer, which was typically upon delivery to the customer and when the selling price was determinable.

Licensing Revenues

From time to time, the Company enters into licensing agreements for the license of technology used for developing modified controlled release of oral pharmaceutical products. Non-refundable fees where the Company had continuing performance obligations were deferred and recognized ratably over the projected performance period. Milestone payments, which were typically related to regulatory, commercial or other achievements by the Company or their licensees and distributors, were recognized as revenues when the milestone was accomplished and collection was reasonably assured.

Periods commencing January 1, 2018

Product Sales and Services

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company implemented ASC 606, Revenue From Contracts With Customers. The Company sellsJune 30, 2020, we sold products primarily through wholesalers and considersconsidered these wholesalers to be itsour customers. Under ASC 606, revenueRevenue from product sales iswas recognized when the customer obtainsobtained control of the Company’sour product and the Company’sour performance obligations arewere met, which occursoccurred typically upon receipt of delivery to the customer. As is customary in the pharmaceutical industry, the Company’sour gross product sales arewere subject to a variety of price deductionsadjustments in arriving at reported net product sales. These adjustments includeincluded estimates for product returns, chargebacks, payment discounts, rebates, and other sales allowances and arewere estimated when the product is delivered based on analysis of historical data for the product or comparable products, as well as future expectations for such products.


Reserves to reduce Gross Revenues to Net Revenues


Revenues from product sales arewere recorded at the net selling price, which includesincluded estimated reserves to reduce gross product sales to net product sales resulting from product returns, chargebacks, payment discounts, rebates, and other sales allowances that are offered within contracts between the Company and its customers and end users. These reserves arewere based on the amounts earned or to be claimed on the related sales and arewere classified as reductions of accounts receivable if the amount is payable to the customer, except in the case of the estimated reserve for future expired product returns, which are classified as a liability. The reserves are classified as a liability if the amount is payable to a party other than a customer. Where appropriate, these estimated reserves take into consideration relevant factors such as the Company’s historical experience, current contractual and statutory requirements, specific known market events and trends, industry data and forecasted customer buying and payment patterns. Overall, these reserves reflect the Company’s best estimates to reduce gross selling price to net selling price to which it expects to be entitled based on the terms of its contracts. The actual selling price ultimately received may differ from the Company’s estimates. If actual results in the future vary from the Company’s estimates, the Company adjusts these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known.


Product Returns


Consistent with industry practice, the Company maintains a returns policy that generally offers customers a right of return for product that has been purchased from the Company. The Company estimatesestimated the amount of product returns and records this estimate as a reduction of revenue in the period the related product revenue is recognized. The Company currently estimatesestimated product return


liabilities based on analysis of historical data for the product or comparable products, as well as future expectations for such products.products and other judgments and analysis.


Chargebacks, Discounts and Rebates


Chargebacks, discounts and rebates represent the estimated obligations resulting from contractual commitments to sell products to its customers or end users at prices lower than the list prices charged to our wholesale customers. Customers charge the Company for the difference between the gross selling price they pay for the product and the ultimate contractual price agreed to between the Company and these end users. These reserves are established in the same period that the related revenue is recognized, resulting in a reduction of product revenue and accounts receivable. Chargebacks, discounts and rebates are estimated at the time of sale to the customer.


Revenue from licensing arrangements


The terms of the Company’s licensing agreements may contain multiple performance obligations, including certain R&D activities. The terms of these arrangements typically include payment to the Company of one or more of the following: non-refundable, up-front license fees; development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Each of these payments results inare recorded as license revenues. The Company did not have any license revenue during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. License revenue during the year ended December 31, 2018 was $1,846.


License of Intellectual Property


If the license to the Company’s intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other performance obligations identified in the arrangement, the Company recognizeswe recognize revenues from non-refundable, up-front fees allocated to the license when the
-73-


license is transferred to the customer and the customer is able to use and benefit from the license. For licenses that are bundled with other promises, the Company utilizes judgment to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue from non-refundable, up-front fees. The Company evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition.


Disaggregation of revenue


The Company’s primary source of revenue iswas from the sale of pharmaceutical products, which are equally affected by the same economic factors as it relates to the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows. For further detail about the Company’s revenues by product, see Note 21:24: Company Operations by Product, Customer and Geography.


Contract Balances


The Company does not recognize revenue in advance of invoicing its customers and therefore has no related contract assets.


A receivable is recognized in the period the Company sells its products and when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional. See the consolidated balance sheets for the balance of accounts receivable at December 31, 2018.

See below for contract liability discussion and balance related to a license agreement.


There were no0 material deferred contract costs at December 31, 2018.2020 and 2019.


Transaction Price Allocated to the Remaining Performance Obligation


For product sales, the Company generally satisfies its performance obligations within the same period the product is delivered. Product sales recognized in 20182020 from performance obligations satisfied (or partially satisfied) in previous periods were immaterial.


For certain licenses of intellectual property, specifically those with performance obligations satisfied over time, the Company allocates a portion of the transaction price to that performance obligation and recognizes revenue using an appropriate measure of progress towards development of the product. In December 2018, the Companywe reached an agreement to exit a contract and our remaining performance obligations and recognized the remaining $1,600 of deferred revenue, which represented the unsatisfied performance obligations associated with a license agreement. At December 31, 2018,2020 and 2019, the deferred revenue balance related to this obligation is $0.


The Company has elected certain of the practical expedients from the disclosure requirement for remaining performance obligations for specific situations in which an entity need not estimate variable consideration to recognize revenue. Accordingly, the Company


applies the practical expedient in ASC 606 to its stand-alone contracts and does not disclose information about variable consideration from remaining performance obligations for which the Company recognizeswe recognize revenue.


NOTE 4:6: Fair Value Measurements
The Company is required to measure certain assets and liabilities at fair value, either upon initial recognition or for subsequent accounting or reporting. For example, we use fair value extensively when accounting for and reporting certain financial instruments, when measuring certain contingent consideration liabilities and in the initial recognition of net assets acquired in a business combination. Fair value is estimated by applying the hierarchy described below, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:measurement.


ASC 820, Fair“Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, defines fair value as a market-based measurement that should be determined based on the assumptions that marketplace participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. When estimating fair value, depending on the nature and complexity of the asset or liability, we may generally use one or each of the following techniques: 

Income approach, which is based on the present value of a future stream of net cash flows.
Market approach, which is based on market prices and other information from market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities.
-74-


As a basis for considering the assumptions used in these techniques, the standard establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:  
Level 1 - Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
Level 2 - Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or inputs other than quoted prices that are directly or indirectly observable, or inputs that are derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data by correlation or other means.
Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that reflect estimates and assumptions.
The following table summarizes the financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis classified in the fair value hierarchy (Level 1, 2 or 3) based on the inputs used for valuation in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets:
 As of December 31, 2018 As of December 31, 2017As of December 31, 2020As of December 31, 2019
Fair Value Measurements: Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3Fair Value Measurements:Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 1Level 2Level 3
            
Marketable securities (see Note 5)
            
Marketable securities (see Note 7)
Marketable securities (see Note 7)
Equity securities $9,145
 $
 $
 $468
 $
 $
Equity securities$— $— $— $4,404 $— $— 
Money market funds 52,996
 
 
 44,481
 
 
Money market and mutual fundsMoney market and mutual funds104,672 — — 38,799 — — 
Corporate bonds 
 6,339
 
 
 9,262
 
Corporate bonds— 22,155 — — 4,098 — 
Government securities - U.S. 
 12,701
 
 
 19,050
 
Government securities - U.S.— 18,999 — — 5,446 — 
Other fixed-income securities 
 9,409
 
 
 4,250
 
Other fixed-income securities— 3,854 — — 1,637 — 
Total assets $62,141

$28,449

$

$44,949

$32,562

$
Total assets$104,672 $45,008 $— $43,203 $11,181 $— 
            
Related party payable (see Note 11)
 
 
 28,840
 
 
 98,925
Contingent consideration payable (see Note 13)
Contingent consideration payable (see Note 13)
— — — — — 17,327 
Total liabilities $

$

$28,840

$

$

$98,925
Total liabilities$— $— $— $— $— $17,327 
A review of fair value hierarchy classifications is conducted on a quarterly basis.  Changes in the observability of valuation inputs may result in a reclassification for certain financial assets or liabilities. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018,2020, there were no transfers in and out of Level 1, 2, or 3. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016,2018, we did not recognize any other-than-temporary impairment loss.
Some of the Company’s financial instruments, such as cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, are reflected in the balance sheet at carrying value, which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature.


Debt




We estimate the fair value of our $143,750 aggregate principal amount of 4.50% exchangeable senior notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”), a Level 2 input, based on interest rates that would be currently available to the Company for issuance of similar types of debt instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities or recent trading prices obtained from brokers. The estimated fair value of the 2023 Notes at December 31, 2018 based on recent trading activity was $81,490 compared to a2020 is $128,210, which is the same as book value of $115,691.value.


Additionally, the Company’s other debt is reflected in the balance sheet at carrying value, which approximates fair value, as these represent non-interest bearing grants from the French government and are repayable only if the research project is technically or commercially successful.

See Note 10:12: Long-Term Debt for additional information regarding our debt obligations.


NOTE 5:7:Marketable Securities 
The Company has investments in equity and available-for-sale marketabledebt securities which are recorded at fair market value. Prior to January 1, 2018, unrealized gainsThe change in the fair value of equity investments is recognized in our consolidated statements of income (loss) and losses on all securities arethe change in the fair value of available-for-sale debt investments is recorded as other comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders’ equity (deficit), net of income tax effects.
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2016-01, which requires the change As of December 31, 2020, we considered any decreases in the fair value of available-for-sale equity investmentson our marketable securities to be recognized in our consolidated statements of (loss) income ratherdriven by factors other than as a component of our consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss). For the year ended December 31, 2018, the net unrealized loss on our available-for-sale equity investments, recorded as a component of investment income in the accompanying consolidated statements of (loss) income, was $956. The net unrealized gain on our available-for-sale equity investments was immaterial for the year ended December 31, 2017 and $344 for the year ended December 31, 2016. These amounts were recorded as other comprehensive income in shareholders’ equity, net of income tax effects for the year ended December 31, 2017.credit risk, including market risk.



-75-


The following tables show the Company’s available-for-sale securities’ adjusted cost, gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses and fair value by significant investment category as of December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively:
2020
Marketable Securities:Adjusted CostUnrealized GainsUnrealized LossesFair Value
Money market and mutual funds$103,404 $1,288 $(20)$104,672 
Corporate bonds21,811 350 (6)22,155 
Government securities - U.S.18,849 155 (5)18,999 
Other fixed-income securities3,839 22 (7)3,854 
Total$147,903 $1,815 $(38)$149,680 
  2018
Marketable Securities: Adjusted Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Fair Value
         
Equity securities $10,101
 $
 $(956) $9,145
Money market funds 52,733
 316
 (53) 52,996
Corporate bonds 6,411
 7
 (79) 6,339
Government securities - U.S. 12,714
 66
 (79) 12,701
Other fixed-income securities 9,400
 22
 (13) 9,409
Total $91,359

$411

$(1,180)
$90,590
 20172019
Marketable Securities: Adjusted Cost Unrealized Gains Unrealized Losses Fair ValueMarketable Securities:Adjusted CostUnrealized GainsUnrealized LossesFair Value
        
Equity securities $443
 $31
 $(6) $468
Equity securities$4,234 $170 $$4,404 
Money market funds 44,525
 
 (44) 44,481
Money market and mutual fundsMoney market and mutual funds38,028 771 38,799 
Corporate bonds 9,285
 1
 (24) 9,262
Corporate bonds4,021 77 4,098 
Government securities - U.S. 19,080
 
 (30) 19,050
Government securities - U.S.5,341 110 (5)5,446 
Other fixed-income securities 4,259
 
 (9) 4,250
Other fixed-income securities1,614 23 1,637 
Total $77,592

$32

$(113)
$77,511
Total$53,238 $1,151 $(5)$54,384 
We determine realized gains or losses on the sale of marketable securities on a specific identification method. We reflect these gains and losses as a component of investment and other income in the accompanying consolidated statements of income (loss).
We recognized gross realized gains of $317, $1,677,$474, $483, and $1,265$317 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019, and 2016,2018, respectively. These realized gains were offset by realized losses of $565, $1,390,$912, $151, and $586$565 for the twelve-months ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. We reflect these gains and losses as a component of investment income in the accompanying consolidated statements of (loss) income.
The following table summarizes the estimated fair value of our investments in marketable debt securities, accounted for as available-for-sale securities and classified by the contractual maturity date of the securities as of December 31, 2018:2020:

Maturities
Marketable Debt Securities:Less than 1 Year1-5 Years5-10 YearsGreater than 10 YearsTotal
Corporate bonds$6,054 $14,468 $1,633 $$22,155 
Government securities - U.S.13,827 2,038 3,134 18,999 
Other fixed-income securities1,017 2,837 3,854 
Total$7,071 $31,132 $3,671 $3,134 $45,008 

  Maturities
Marketable Debt Securities: Less than 1 Year 1-5 Years 5-10 Years Greater than 10 Years Total
           
Corporate bonds $1,511
 $4,828
 $
 $
 $6,339
Government securities - U.S. 771
 11,145
 281
 504
 12,701
Other fixed-income securities 
 9,409
 
 
 9,409
Total $2,282

$25,382

$281

$504

$28,449
The Company hasWe have classified our investment in available-for-sale marketable securities as current assets in the consolidated balance sheets as the securities need to be available for use, if required, to fund current operations. There are no restrictions on the sale of any securities in our investment portfolio.
Total gross unrealized losses of our available-for-sale debt securities at December 31, 2020 were immaterial. The unrealized losses are driven by factors other than credit risk and have been in a unrealized loss position for less than one year. We do not intend to sell the investments and it is not more likely than not that we will be required to sell the investments before recovery of their amortized cost bases.
-76-


NOTE 6:8:Inventories
The principal categories of inventories, net of reserves of $4,757$0 and $1,039$914 at December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively, are comprised of the following:
Inventory: 2018 2017Inventory:20202019
    
Finished goods $4,270
 $4,774
Finished goods$$3,020 
Raw materials 500
 1,383
Raw materials0��550 
Total $4,770
 $6,157
Total$$3,570 
Total net reserves increased by $3,718 during the year endedThe decrease in inventory at December 31, 2018 driven largely by approximately $2,5832020 is a result of reserves related to Noctiva inventory.the June 30, 2020 disposition of the Hospital Products. See Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products.


NOTE 7:9:Property and Equipment, net
The principal categories of property and equipment, net at December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively, are as follows:
Property and Equipment, net: 2018 2017Property and Equipment, net:20202019
    
Laboratory equipment $8,864
 $10,135
Software, office and computer equipment 2,487
 3,115
Software, office and computer equipment$1,443 $1,258 
Furniture, fixtures and fittings 3,715
 4,779
Furniture, fixtures and fittings300 300 
Less - accumulated depreciation (13,155) (15,028)Less - accumulated depreciation(1,384)(1,014)
Total $1,911
 $3,001
Total$359 $544 
Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 2017was $287, $459 and 2016 was $811, $1,224 and $601, respectively. 


NOTE 8:Acquisitions 
On February 5, 2016, the Company acquired FSC, a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to providing innovative solutions to unmet medical needs for pediatric patients, from Deerfield CSF, LLC, a Deerfield Management company (“Deerfield CSF”), a related party. The Company disposed of these pediatric assets on February 16, 2018. See Note 16: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.
This acquisition was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting and, accordingly, its results were included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition until the date of divestiture. Total consideration to acquire FSC was $21,659, and was funded with a combination of the following, partially offset by $467 as a result of a net working capital settlement from the seller: 
$15,000 long-term liability to Deerfield CSF. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, the Company will pay $1,050 annually for five years with a final payment in January 2021 of $15,000.
an estimate of $6,659 in contingent consideration to Deerfield CSF. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, the Company shall pay quarterly a 15% royalty on the net sales of certain FSC products, up to $12,500 for a period not exceeding ten years.


These items were reported in related party payable within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2017, and is further disclosed in Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable. These related party payables were disposed of as a part of the February 2018 sale. See Note 16:Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.
The fair values assigned to the acquired assets and liabilities were recognized as follows: 
   
Assigned Fair Value: Amount
   
Accounts receivable     $142
Inventories     1,135
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     1,712
Intangible assets:      
Acquired product marketing rights     16,600
Acquired developed technology     4,300
Deferred tax assets 853
Other assets     277
Accounts payable and other liabilities     (3,827)
Total      
 $21,192
A portion of the transaction attributable to certain intangible assets was taxable for income tax purposes which resulted in recording some of the assets at fair value for both book and tax purposes. Transaction expenses were not material. The useful lives on FSC acquired intangible assets ranged from nine to fifteen years. 
After its acquisition on February 5, 2016, FSC contributed $5,985 to the Company’s net sales for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016. FSC incurred a loss of $5,839 for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2016. 
Had the FSC acquisition been completed as of the beginning of 2016, the Company’s unaudited pro forma net revenue and net loss for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 would have been as follows: 
Pro Forma Net Revenue and Income (Loss): 2016
   
Net revenue $150,721
Net loss (42,290)
On February 12, 2018, the Company, together with its subsidiaries Avadel Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc., Avadel Pediatrics, Inc., FSC Therapeutics, LLC (“FSC Therapeutics”), and Avadel US Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), as the “Sellers,” entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Cerecor, Inc. (“Cerecor”). The transaction closed on February 16, 2018 wherein Cerecor purchased from the Sellers four pediatric commercial stage assets – Karbinal™ ER, Cefaclor, Flexichamber™ and AcipHex® Sprinkle™, together with certain associated business assets – which were held by FSC. See Note 16: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.



NOTE 9:10:Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The Company’s amortizable and unamortizable intangible assets at December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively, are as follows: 
  2018 2017
Goodwill and Intangible Assets: 
Gross
Value
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Impairment Net Carrying Amount 
Gross
Value
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Net Carrying Amount
               
Amortizable intangible assets:  
  
    
  
  
  
Acquired developed technology - Noctiva $73,111
 $(7,024) $(66,087) $
 $73,111
 $(1,401) $71,710
Acquired developed technology - Vazculep 12,061
 (10,432) 
 1,629
 12,061
 (9,616) 2,445
Acquired product marketing rights (1)
 
 
 
 
 16,600
 (2,132) 14,468
Acquired developed technology (1)
 
 
 
 
 4,300
 (634) 3,666
Total amortizable intangible assets $85,172

$(17,456) $(66,087)
$1,629

$106,072

$(13,783)
$92,289
               
Unamortizable intangible assets:  
  
    
  
  
  
Goodwill $18,491
 $
 $
 $18,491
 $18,491
 $
 $18,491
Total unamortizable intangible assets $18,491
 $
 $
 $18,491
 $18,491
 $
 $18,491
 20202019
Goodwill and Intangible Assets:Gross
Value
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Carrying AmountGross
Value
Accumulated
Amortization
Net Carrying Amount
      
Acquired developed technology - Vazculep (1)
$$$$12,061 $(11,248)$813 
Unamortizable intangible assets - Goodwill (2)
$16,836 $$16,836 $18,491 $$18,491 
(1) These This intangible assets were purchasedasset was assumed by the buyerExela Buyer as part of the disposition of the pediatrics productsHospital Products on February 16, 2018.June 30, 2020. See Note16: Divestiture 4: Disposition of the Pediatric AssetsHospital Products.

(2) In connection with the disposition of the Hospital Products (see Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products), the Company allocated goodwill of $1,655 on a relative fair value basis to the Hospital Products and included this amount in the net gain on the disposition of the Hospital Products on the consolidated statement of income (loss) during the year ended December 31, 2020.

The Company recorded amortization expense related to amortizable intangible assets of $6,619, $3,659$406, $816 and $13,888$6,619 for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016,2018, respectively.  

NaN impairment loss related to goodwill or intangible assets was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2020 or 2019.

-77-


NOTE 11: Leases

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02, “Leases”, using the modified retrospective transition approach and elected the transition option to recognize the adjustment in the period of adoption rather than in the earliest period presented. At December 31, 2020, the balances of the operating lease right-of-use asset and total operating lease liability were $2,604 and $2,314, respectively, of which $474 of the operating lease liability is classified as a current liability.

All of the Company’s office spaces are leased. The Company also leases a production suite. All leased facilities are classified as operating leases with remaining lease terms between one and five years. The Company determines if a contract is a lease at the inception of the arrangement. The Company reviews all options to extend, terminate, or purchase its right-of-use assets at the inception of the lease and will include these options in the lease term when they are reasonably certain of being exercised. For all of the Company’s leases, lease and non-lease components are accounted for as a single lease component, as all non-lease components are immaterial.

The components of lease costs, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income (loss) of years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

Lease cost:20202019
Operating lease costs (1)
$1,133 $1,515 
Sublease income (2)
(336)(276)
Total lease cost$797 $1,239 

(1) Variable lease costs were immaterial for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.
(2) Represents sublease income received for various office leases.

During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company reduced its operating lease liabilities by $769 and $1,480 for cash paid. During the year ended December 31, 2017,2020, there were no new operating or finance leases entered into. As of December 31, 2020, the Company acquired $73,111 in developed technology as partis aware of one additional potential embedded lease that has not yet commenced and will not commence until certain conditions are met. If these conditions are met and the start date is determined, annual fees would commence and at that time an operating lease right-of-use asset and corresponding operating lease liability will be recorded.

As of December 31, 2020, our operating leases have a weighted-average remaining lease term of 4.3 years and a weighted-average discount rate of 5.3%. Avadel’s lease contracts do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate. Avadel’s estimated incremental borrowing rate is based on information available at the inception of the Exclusive License and Assignment Agreement (ELAA) with Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC. The aggregate cost was composed of an upfront payment of $50,000, an accrued payment of $20,000 which was paid for Noctiva during the year ended December 31, 2018, and $3,111 of transaction costs. The Company amortizes the developed technology over a 13 year period, which began October 1, 2017. During the fourth quarter 2018, certain conditions came to light, largely the lack of a meaningful increase in Noctiva prescriptions despite the substantial investment of resources, which indicated that the carrying valuelease.

Maturities of the asset, may not be fully recoverable. As such, the Company performed an impairment test based on a comparison of the pretax discounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset, which is a Level 3 fair value estimate, to the recorded value of the asset and concluded that the associated cash flows did not support any of the carrying value of the intangible asset and the Company recorded a full impairment charge of $66,087 at December 31, 2018 related to the acquired developed technology associated with Noctiva. The February 6, 2019 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Specialty Pharma, the subsidiary which markets, sells and distributes Noctiva, confirmed management’s conclusion on the impairment. This impairment charge is included in the line “Impairment of intangible asset” in the consolidated statements of (loss) income.
Amortizable intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which range from three to fifteen years, using the straight-line method. At December 31, 2018, total future amortization of intangible assets for the next five years isCompany’s operating lease liabilities were as follows:

Maturities:Operating Leases
2021$578 
2022590 
2023602 
2024614 
2025206 
Thereafter
Total lease payments2,590 
Less: interest276 
Present value of lease liabilities$2,314 


-78-
Estimated Amortization Expense: Amount
   
2019 $815
2020 814
2021 
2022 
2023 





NOTE 10:12:Long-Term Debt
Long-TermLong-term debt is summarized as follows:
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
Principal amount of 4.50% exchangeable senior notes due 2023$143,750 $143,750 
Less: unamortized debt discount and issuance costs, net(15,540)(22,064)
Net carrying amount of liability component128,210 121,686 
Less: current maturities
     Long-term debt$128,210 $121,686 
Equity component:
Equity component of exchangeable notes, net of issuance costs$(26,699)$(26,699)
  December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017
Principal amount of 4.50% exchangeable senior notes due 2023 $143,750
 $
Less: unamortized debt discount and issuance costs, net (28,059) 
Net carrying amount of liability component 115,691
 
Other debt 149
 267
     Subtotal 115,840
 267
Less: current maturities (106) (111)
     Long-term debt $115,734
 $156
     
Equity component:    
Equity component of exchangeable notes, net of issuance costs $(26,699) $
2023 Notes
Issuance of Debt Securities


On February 16, 2018, Avadel Finance Cayman Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Issuer”) and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, issued $125,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.50% exchangeable senior notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) in a private placement (the “Offering”) to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. In connection with the Offering, the Issuer granted the initial purchasers of the 2023 Notes a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $18,750 aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes, which was fully exercised on February 16, 2018. Net proceeds received by the Company, after issuance costs and discounts, were approximately $137,560.

The Company pays 4.50% cash interest per year on the principal amount of the 2023 Notes, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on August 1, 2018, to holders of record at the close of business on the preceding January 15 or July 15, respectively. Interest accrues on the principal amount of the 2023 Notes from and including the date the 2023 Notes were issued or from, and including, the last date in respect of which interest has been paid or provided for, as the case may be, to, but excluding, the next interest payment date. The 2023 Notes are general, unsecured obligations of the Issuer, and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company on a senior unsecured basis. There are no financial debt covenants associated with the 2023 Notes. 

The 2023 Notes are the Company’s senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and effectively junior to any of the Company’s existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness.


The 2023 Notes will be exchangeable at the option of the holders at an initial exchange rate of 92.6956 ADSs per $1 principal amount of 2023 Notes, which is equivalent to an initial exchange price of approximately $10.79 per ADS. Such initial exchange price represents a premium of approximately 20% to the $8.99 per ADS closing price on The Nasdaq Global Market on February 13, 2018. Upon the exchange of any 2023 Notes, the Issuer will pay or cause to be delivered, as the case may be, cash, ADSs or a combination of cash and ADSs, at the Issuer’s election. Holders of the 2023 Notes may convert their 2023 Notes, at their option, only under the following circumstances prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, under the circumstances and during the periods set forth below and regardless of the conditions described below, on or after August 1, 2022 and prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the maturity date:


Prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, a holder of the 2023 Notes may surrender all or any portion of its 2023 Notes for exchange at any time during the five business day period immediately after any five consecutive trading day period (the “Measurement Period”) in which the trading price per $1 principal amount of 2023 Notes, as determined following a request by a holder of the 2023 Notes, for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of the ADSs and the exchange rate on each such trading day.


If a transaction or event that constitutes a fundamental change or a make-whole fundamental change occurs prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, regardless of whether a holder of the 2023 Notes has the right to require the Company to repurchase the 2023 Notes, or if Avadel is a party to a merger event that


occurs prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, all or any portion of a the holder’s 2023 Notes may be surrendered for exchange at any time from or after the date that is 95 scheduled trading days prior to the anticipated effective date of the transaction (or, if later, the earlier of (x) the business day after the Company gives notice of such transaction and (y) the actual effective date of such transaction) until 35 trading days after the actual effective date of such transaction or, if such transaction also constitutes a fundamental change, until the related fundamental change repurchase date.


Prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, a holder of the 2023 Notes may surrender all or any portion of its 2023 Notes for exchange at any time during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on June 30, 2018 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale
-79-


price of the ADSs for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter is greater than or equal to 130% of the exchange price on each applicable trading day.


If the Company calls the 2023 Notes for redemption pursuant to Article 16 to the Indenture prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding August 1, 2022, then a holder of the 2023 Notes may surrender all or any portion of its 2023 Notes for exchange at any time prior to the close of business on the second business day prior to the redemption date, even if the 2023 Notes are not otherwise exchangeable at such time. After that time, the right to exchange shall expire, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price, in which case a holder of the 2023 Notes may exchange its 2023 Notes until the redemption price has been paid or duly provided for.


The CompanyWe considered the guidance in ASC 815-15, Embedded Derivatives,, to determine if this instrument contains an embedded feature that should be separately accounted for as a derivative. ASC 815 provides for an exception to this rule when convertible notes, as host instruments, are deemed to be conventional, as defined by ASC 815-40. The CompanyWe determined that this exception applies due, in part, to our ability to settle the 2023 Notes in cash, ADSs or a combination of cash and ADSs, at our option. The Company hasWe have therefore applied the guidance provided by ASC 470-20, Debt with Conversion and Other Options which requires that the 2023 Notes be separated into debt and equity components at issuance and a value be assigned to each. The carrying amount of the liability component was calculated by measuring the fair value of a similar liability that does not have an associated convertible feature. The allocation was performed in a manner that reflected our non-convertible debt borrowing rate for similar debt. The equity component of the 2023 Notes was recognized as a debt discount and represents the difference between the proceeds from the issuance of the 2023 Notes and the fair value of the liability of the 2023 Notes on its issuance date. The excess of the principal amount of the liability component over its carrying amount (the “Debt Discount”) is amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the 2023 Notes. The equity component is not remeasured as long as it continues to meet the conditions for equity classification.


In connection with the issuance of the 2023 Notes, we incurred approximately $6,190 of debt issuance costs, which primarily consisted of underwriting, legal and other professional fees, and allocated these costs to the liability and equity components based on the allocation of the proceeds. Of the total $6,190 of debt issuance costs, $1,201 were allocated to the equity component and recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital and $4,989 were allocated to the liability component and recorded as a reduction to debt on our consolidated balance sheets. The portion allocated to the liability component is amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the same five-year term as the related 2023 Notes.

NOTE 13:Contingent Consideration Payable
Other Debt

French government agencies provide financing to French companies for R&D. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had outstanding loans of $149 and $267, respectively for various programs. These loans do not bear interest and are repayable only in the event the research project is technically or commercially successful. Potential repayment is scheduled to occur through 2019. 
During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, the Company repaid $193, $115 and $277, of loans associated with specific research projects, respectively. In addition, during 2017, the Company received a waiver of repayment for the remaining portion of certain loans of $539, on the basis of limited commercial and technical success. Amounts waived are reported as reductions to R&D expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of (loss) income. No such waivers were received during 2018 or 2016.




NOTE 11:Long-Term Related Party Payable
Long-term related partyContingent consideration payable and related activity are reported at fair value and consist of the following at December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, respectively:
    Activity during the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2018  
      
Changes in Fair Value of
Related Party Payable
      
  
Balance,
December 31, 2017
 
Payments to
Related Parties
 
Operating (Gain)
Expense
 
Other
Income
 Expiration of Warrants Disposal Balance,
December 31, 2018
               
Acquisition-related contingent consideration:  
  
  
  
      
Warrants - Éclat Pharmaceuticals (a)
 $2,479
 $
 $(312) $
 $(2,167) $
 $
Earn-out payments - Éclat Pharmaceuticals (b)
 67,744
 (19,468) (22,661) 
 
 
 25,615
Royalty agreement - FSC (c)
 5,740
 (645) 242
 
 
 (5,337) 
Financing-related:  
  
    
     

Royalty agreement - Deerfield (d)
 5,392
 (1,922) 
 (1,286) 
 
 2,184
Royalty agreement - Broadfin (e)
 2,570
 (916) 
 (613) 
 
 1,041
Long-term liability - FSC (f)
 15,000
 
 
 
 
 (15,000) 
Total related party payable 98,925
 $(22,951) $(22,731) $(1,899) $(2,167) $(20,337) 28,840
Less: Current portion (25,007)  
  
  
     (9,439)
Total long-term related party payable $73,918
  
  
  
     $19,401
  Activity during the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020 
   Changes in Fair Value of
Contingent Consideration Payable
 
Balance,
December 31, 2019
PaymentsOperating ExpenseOther
Expense
Disposition of the Hospital ProductsBalance,
December 31, 2020
Acquisition-related contingent consideration:     
Earn-out payments - Éclat Pharmaceuticals (a) (d)
$15,472 $(5,323)$3,327 $$(13,476)$
Financing-related:   
Royalty agreement - Deerfield (b) (d)
1,251 (587)272 (936)
Royalty agreement - Broadfin (c) (d)
604 (279)163 (488)
Total contingent consideration payable17,327 $(6,189)$3,327 $435 $(14,900)
Less: current portion(5,554)   
Total long-term contingent consideration payable$11,773    $
Each(a)    In March 2012, the Company acquired all of the above itemsmembership interests of Éclat from Breaking Stick Holdings, L.L.C. (“Breaking Stick”, formerly Éclat Holdings), an affiliate of Deerfield. Breaking Stick is associatedmajority owned by Deerfield, with related parties as further described in Note 22: Related Party Transactions.
(a)As part of the consideration for the Company’s acquisition of Éclat Pharmaceuticals, LLC on March 13, 2012, the Company issued two warrants to a related party with a six-year term which allow for the purchase of a combined total of 3,300 ordinary shares of Avadel. One warrant was exercisable for 2,200 ordinary shares at an exercise price of $7.44 per share, and the other warrant was exercisable for 1,100 ordinary shares at an exercise price of $11.00 per share. On February 23, 2018, the related party exercised in full the warrant for 2,200 ordinary shares. On March 12, 2018, the remaining warrant for 1,100 ordinary shares expired worthless.
The fair value of the warrants was estimated on a quarterly basis using a Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions as of December 31: 
 Assumptions for the Warrant Valuation: 2017 
    
Stock price $8.20
 
Weighted average exercise price per share 8.63
 
Expected term (years) 0.25
 
Expected volatility 37.90% 
Risk-free interest rate 1.39% 
Expected dividend yield 
 
These Black-Scholes fair value measurements are based on significant inputs not observable in the market and thus represent a level 3 measurement as defined in ASC 820. The fair value of the warrant consideration is most sensitive to movement in the Company’s share price and expected volatility at the balance sheet date. 
Expected term: The expected term of the options or warrants represents the period of time between the grant date and the time the options or warrants are either exercised or forfeited, including an estimate of future forfeitures for outstanding options or warrants. Given the limited historical data and the grant of stock options and warrants to a limited population, the simplified method has been used to calculate the expected life. 
Expected volatility: The expected volatility is calculated based on an average of the historical volatility of the Company’s stock price. 


Risk-freeminority interest rate: The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant and a maturity that approximates the expected term. 
Expected dividend yield: The Company has not distributed any dividends since our inception and has no plan to distribute dividends in the foreseeable future. 
At the closing date of the 2012 Éclat acquisition and at December 31, 2017, it was uncertain whether the Company would ultimately fulfill its obligation under these warrants using ordinary shares or cash. Accordingly, pursuant to the guidance of ASC 480, the Company determined that these warrants should be classified as a liability. This classification as a liability was further supportedowned by the Company’s determination, pursuantformer CEO, and certain other current and former employees. As part of the consideration, the Company committed to provide quarterly earn-out payments equal to 20% of any gross profit generated by certain Éclat products. These payments will continue in perpetuity, to the guidanceextent gross profit of ASC 815-40-15-7(i)the related products also continue in perpetuity. In connection with the disposition of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as discussed in Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products, that these warrants could also not be considered as being indexedthe Deerfield MIPA (with respect to certain sections thereof) and the Royalty Agreement were assigned to the Company’s own ordinary shares,Exela Buyer. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Exela Buyer assumed and will pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Avadel Legacy and the Company under the Deerfield Royalty Agreement.
-80-


(b)As part of a February 2013 debt financing transaction conducted with Deerfield, the Company received cash of $2,600 in exchange for entering into a royalty agreement whereby the Company shall pay quarterly a 1.75% royalty on the basis thatnet sales of certain Éclat products until December 31, 2024. In connection with such debt financing transaction, the exercise priceCompany granted Deerfield a security interest in the product registration rights of the Éclat Pharmaceuticals products. In connection with the disposition of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as discussed in Note 4: Disposition of the Hospital Products, the Deerfield MIPA (with respect to certain sections thereof) and the Royalty Agreement were assigned to the Exela Buyer. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Exela Buyer assumed and will pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Avadel Legacy and the Company under the Deerfield Royalty Agreement.
(c)As part of a December 2013 debt financing transaction conducted with Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund, a former related party and shareholder, the Company received cash of $2,200 in exchange for entering into a royalty agreement whereby the warrants is determinedCompany shall pay quarterly a 0.834% royalty on the net sales of certain Éclat products until December 31, 2024. In connection with the disposition of the Hospital Products on June 30, 2020 as discussed in U.S. dollars, althoughNote 4: Disposition of the functional currencyHospital Products, the Broadfin Royalty Agreement was assigned to the Exela Buyer and the Exela Buyer assumed and shall pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of the Company atunder the closing dateBroadfin Royalty Agreement.
(d)Deerfield and Broadfin Healthcare Master Trust disposed of their 2023 Notes and ordinary shares in the Company during the year ended December 31, 2020 and are no longer considered related parties.
Prior to the sale of the Éclat acquisition was the Euro.
(b)In March 2012, the Company acquired all of the membership interests of Éclat from Breaking Stick Holdings, L.L.C. (“Breaking Stick”, formerly Éclat Holdings), an affiliate of Deerfield. Breaking Stick is majority owned by Deerfield, with a minority interest owned by certain current and former employees. As part of the consideration, the Company committed to provide quarterly earn-out payments equal to 20% of any gross profit generated by certain Éclat products. These payments will continue in perpetuity, to the extent gross profit of the related products also continue in perpetuity.
(c)
In February 2016, the Company acquired all of the membership interests of FSC from Deerfield. The consideration for this transaction in part included a commitment to pay quarterly a 15% royalty on the net sales of certain FSC products, up to $12,500 for a period not exceeding ten years. This obligation was assumed by the buyer as part of the disposition of the pediatrics products on February 16, 2018. See Note 16: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.
(d)As part of a February 2013 debt financing transaction conducted with Deerfield, the Company received cash of $2,600 in exchange for entering into a royalty agreement whereby the Company shall pay quarterly a 1.75% royalty on the net sales of certain Éclat products until December 31, 2024. In connection with such debt financing transaction, the Company granted Deerfield a security interest in the product registration rights of the Eclat products.
(e)As part of a December 2013 debt financing transaction conducted with Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund, a related party and current shareholder, the Company received cash of $2,200 in exchange for entering into a royalty agreement whereby the Company shall pay quarterly a 0.834% royalty on the net sales of certain Éclat products until December 31, 2024.
(f)
In February 2016, the Company acquired all of the membership interests of FSC from Deerfield. The consideration for this transaction in part consisted of payments totaling $1,050 annually for five years with a final payment in January 2021 of $15,000. Substantially all of FSC’s, and its subsidiaries, assets were pledged as collateral under this agreement. This obligation was assumed by the buyer as part of the disposition of the pediatrics products on February 16, 2018. See Note 16: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.
At December 31, 2018,Hospital Products on June 30, 2020, the fair value of each related partycontingent consideration payable listed in (b)(a), (d)(b) and (e)(c) above was estimated using a discounted cash flow model based on estimated and projected annual net revenues or gross profit, as appropriate, of each of the specified Éclat products using an appropriate risk-adjusted discount rate of 15%14%. These fair value measurements are based on significant inputs not observable in the market and thus represent a level 3 measurement as defined in ASC 820. Subsequent changes in the fair value of the acquisition-related related partycontingent consideration payables, resulting primarily from management’s revision of key assumptions, will be recorded in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income in the line items entitled “Changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration” for items noted in (b) above and in “Other expense(expense) income - changes in fair value of related partycontingent consideration payable” for items (d)(b) and (e)(c) above. See Note 1:1: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies under the caption Acquisition-related Contingent Consideration and Financing-related Royalty Agreements for more information on key assumptions used to determine the fair value of these liabilities. 
ThePrior to June 30, 2020, the Company has chosenchose to make a fair value election pursuant to ASC 825, “Financial Instruments” for its royalty agreements detailed in items (d)(b) and (e)(c) above. These financing-related liabilities arewere recorded at fair market value on the consolidated balance sheets and the periodic change in fair market value is recorded as a component of “Other expense – changeschange in fair value of related partycontingent consideration payable” on the consolidated statements of income (loss) income..





-81-


The following table summarizes changes to the related partycontingent consideration payables, a recurring Level 3 measurement, for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016:2018:
Contingent Consideration Payable:Balance
Balance at December 31, 2017$98,925 
Payments of related party payable(22,951)
Fair value adjustments (1)
(24,630)
Expiration of warrants(2,167)
Disposition of the pediatrics assets(20,337)
Balance at December 31, 201828,840 
Payments of related party payable(12,736)
Fair value adjustments (1)
1,223 
Balance at December 31, 201917,327 
Payments of contingent consideration payable(6,189)
Fair value adjustments (1)
3,762 
Disposition of the Hospital Products(14,900)
Balance at December 31, 2020$
Related Party Payable: Balance
   
Balance at December 31, 2015 $122,693
Additions (2)
 21,659
Payments of related party payable (30,838)
Fair value adjustments (1)
 55,833
Balance at December 31, 2016 169,347
Payments of related party payable (37,311)
Fair value adjustments (1)
 (33,111)
Balance at December 31, 2017 98,925
Payments of related party payable (22,951)
Fair value adjustments (1)
 (24,630)
Expiration of warrants (2,167)
Disposition of the pediatrics assets (20,337)
Balance at December 31, 2018 $28,840
(1) Fair value adjustments are reported as “(Gain) losschanges in fair value of contingent consideration and other expense - changes in fair value of related party contingent consideration” and “Other income (expense) - changes in fair value of related party payable”consideration payable in the consolidated statements of income (loss) income. .
(2) Relates to the acquisition of FSC. See items (c) and (f) above.
NOTE 12:14:Income Taxes
The components of (loss) income before income taxes for the years ended twelve months ended December 31, are as follows: 
(Loss) Income Before Income Taxes: 2018 2017 2016(Loss) Income Before Income Taxes:202020192018
      
Ireland $(42,604) $(3,123) $(22,866)Ireland$(27,205)$(50,134)$(42,604)
United States (70,340) 92,754
 32,786
U.S.U.S.22,335 10,401 (70,340)
France (253) 3,029
 (19,638)France(212)1,151 (253)
Total (loss) income before income taxes $(113,197) $92,660
 $(9,718)
Total loss before income taxesTotal loss before income taxes$(5,082)$(38,582)$(113,197)
The income tax (benefit) provision consists of the following for the years ended December 31:  
 Income Tax (Benefit) Provision: 2018 2017 2016
       
Current:  
  
  
United States - Federal $
 $18,064
 $30,738
United States - State 330
 331
 1,081
France 
 265
 5,267
Total current 330
 18,660
 37,086
       
Deferred:  
  
  
United States - Federal (19,503) 4,686
 (6,443)
United States - State 1,280
 1,043
 (23)
France 
 
 938
Total deferred (18,223) 5,729
 (5,528)
       
Income tax (benefit) provision $(17,893) $24,389
 $31,558
 Income Tax (Benefit) Provision:202020192018
Current:   
U.S. - Federal$(12,810)$$
U.S. - State20 97 330 
Total current(12,790)97 330 
Deferred:   
Ireland(1,256)
U.S. - Federal680 (4,093)(19,503)
U.S. - State(104)1,280 
Total deferred680 (5,453)(18,223)
Income tax benefit$(12,110)$(5,356)$(17,893)


-82-


The reconciliation between Domestic income taxes at the statutory rate and the Company’s (benefit) provisionbenefit for income taxes is as follows for the years ended December 31: 
 Reconciliation to Effective Income Tax Rate:202020192018
Statutory tax rate12.5 %12.5 %12.5 %
Differences in international tax rates(34.5)%3.2 %8.0 %
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration(19.4)%(0.3)%4.0 %
Intercompany asset transfer%21.2 %%
Change in valuation allowances(83.3)%(19.1)%(5.3)%
Nondeductible stock-based compensation(20.9)%(2.7)%(1.3)%
Hospital Products sale183.5 %%%
Unrealized tax benefits5.4 %0.7 %(1.3)%
State and local taxes (net of federal)(0.4)%%(0.3)%
Change in U.S. tax law179.5 %%(0.2)%
Nondeductible interest expense(34.0)%(2.5)%(1.1)%
Orphan drug and R&D tax credit55.0 %%%
Other(5.1)%0.9 %0.7 %
Effective income tax rate238.3 %13.9 %15.7 %
Income tax benefit - at statutory tax rate$(636)$(4,823)$(14,149)
Differences in international tax rates1,755 (1,218)(9,039)
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration988 121 (4,559)
Intercompany asset transfer(8,190)
Change in valuation allowances4,231 7,379 5,998 
Nondeductible stock-based compensation1,060 1,039 1,499 
Hospital Products sale(9,328)
Unrecognized tax benefits(274)(261)1,440 
State and local taxes (net of federal)20 (7)299 
Change in U.S. tax law(9,124)274 
Nondeductible interest expense1,728 982 1,269 
Orphan drug and R&D tax credit(2,793)
Other263 (378)(925)
Income tax benefit - at effective income tax rate$(12,110)$(5,356)$(17,893)
 Reconciliation to Effective Income Tax Rate: 2018 2017 2016
       
Statutory tax rate 12.5 % 12.5 % 12.5 %
Differences in international tax rates 8.0 % 22.2 % (31.9)%
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration 4.0 % (11.6)% (165.0)%
Income tax deferred charge  %  % (9.7)%
Change in valuation allowances (5.3)% (0.7)% 11.8 %
Nondeductible stock-based compensation (1.3)% (0.4)% (14.8)%
Cross border merger  % 0.3 % (100.6)%
Unrealized tax benefits (1.3)% 1.4 % (15.2)%
State and local taxes (net of federal) (0.3)% 0.3 % (9.6)%
Change in U.S. tax law (0.2)% 3.8 %  %
Nondeductible interest expense (1.1)%  %  %
Other 0.7 % (1.5)% (2.3)%
Effective income tax rate 15.7 %
26.3 %
(324.8)%
       
Income tax (benefit) provision - at statutory tax rate $(14,149) $11,582
 $(1,215)
Differences in international tax rates (9,039) 20,557
 3,097
Nondeductible changes in fair value of contingent consideration (4,559) (10,779) 16,036
Income tax deferred charge 
 
 938
Change in valuation allowances 5,998
 (610) (1,143)
Nondeductible stock-based compensation 1,499
 (375) 1,436
Cross-border merger 
 265
 9,773
Unrecognized tax benefits 1,440
 1,296
 1,475
State and local taxes (net of federal) 299
 252
 934
Change in U.S. tax law 274
 3,513
 
Nondeductible interest expense 1,269
 
 
Other (925) (1,312) 227
Income tax (benefit) provision - at effective income tax rate $(17,893) $24,389
 $31,558
In 2018,2020, the income tax provision decreasedbenefit increased by $42,282$6,754 when compared to the same period in 2017.2019. The decreaseincrease in the income tax provisionbenefit in 2020 was primarily driven by a significant reduction in the amounttax benefits from the sale of taxable income recordedour hospital products and passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) in the U.S. The Company recorded additional tax benefit in 2020 from the Orphan Drug and IrelandR&D tax credit in 2018, when compared to 2017. There was alsothe U.S. Tax benefit from the intercompany asset transfer recorded in 2019 did not recur, resulting in a significant increase in valuation allowance in 2018,partial offset of tax benefits described above.

In 2019, the income tax benefit decreased by $12,537 when compared to the same period in 2017 as a result of the2018. The decrease in taxable income in Ireland. In 2018, there was a significant decrease in amounts related to change in U.S. tax law due to the 2017 U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

In 2017, the income tax provision decreasedbenefit in 2019 was primarily driven by $7,169the impairment of the Noctiva intangible asset in 2018, which did not recur in 2019. In addition to the non-recurring impairment, an increase in the valuation allowance in 2019, when compared to the same period in 2016. The2018 also contributed to the decrease in the income tax provision was primarily driven by a significant reduction in the amount of taxable incomebenefit recorded in the U.S. in 2017, when compared to 2016. In 2017,2019. As a part of a corporate reorganization, the Company did not incur any significant additional incomeentered into an internal sale transaction in December 2019. The internal sale transaction included transfer of intangible assets from an Irish entity to a U.S. entity. The internal sale transaction resulted in a decrease of $5,536 to Irish deferred tax provisionasset with corresponding decrease of $5,536 to valuation allowance, an increase of $8,190 to U.S. deferred tax asset associated with the Cross-Border Merger asamortization of intangible assets, and a majority of the transaction was completed in 2016. In 2017, the Company recorded $3,513 of$8,190 deferred tax provision associated with the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in the U.S. in December of 2017.benefit.


-83-


Unrecognized Tax Benefits


The Company or one of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in Ireland, France, U.S. and various states. With few exceptions, theThe Company is no longer subject to Irish, French, U.S. Federal, and state and local examinations for years before 2014. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commenced an examination2016. During 2020, the Company completed the 2015 through 2017 U.S. Federal Tax Audit. Completion of the Company'saudit resulted in an assessment of $1,937 for the 2015 through 2017 U.S. income tax return for 2015 inFederal Tax Returns compared to the 4th quarterIRS Claims of 2016.$50,695 made on July 2, 2019 and the updated IRS Claims of $9,302 on October 2, 2019 made as part of the Specialty Pharma bankruptcy proceedings, which at this time does not include interest and penalties. The Company settled the $1,937 assessment. The French tax authority commencedcompleted an examination of the Company's French tax returnreturns for 2017 in the first quarter of 2019.and 2018 during 2020, noting no change.



The following table summarizes the activity related to the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits for the twelve months ended
December 31:
 Unrecognized Tax Benefit Activity202020192018
Balance at January 1:$6,465 $5,315 $3,954 
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year1,087 
Increases for tax positions of prior years2,416 274 
Statute of limitations expiration(1,266)
Settlements(3,322)
Balance at December 31:$3,143 $6,465 $5,315 
 Unrecognized Tax Benefit Activity 2018 2017 2016
       
Balance at January 1: $3,954
 $1,686
 $448
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year 1,087
 2,268
 1,578
Increases (decreases) for tax positions of prior years 274
 
 (340)
Balance at December 31: $5,315
 $3,954
 $1,686

The Company does not expectexpects that within the next twelve months as a result of activities performed in various jurisdictions, that the unrecognized tax benefits will change. However,could decrease by an immaterial amount and the interest and penalties could changeincrease by up to $500.an immaterial amount.

At December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019 and 2016,2018, there are $4,597, $3,349,$2,483, $3,806 and $1,565$4,597 of unrecognized tax benefits that if recognized would affect the annual effective tax rate.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019 and 2016,2018, the Company recognized approximately $725, $304,$203, $555 and $26$725 in interest and penalties. The Company had approximately $1,057,$1,475 and $331$1,612 for the payment of interest and penalties accrued at December 31, 2018,2020 and 2017,2019, respectively.


-84-


Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities)

Deferred income tax provisions reflect the effect of temporary differences between consolidated financial statement and tax reporting of income and expense items. The net deferred tax assets/liabilitiesassets (liabilities) at December 31, 20182020 and 20172019 resulted from the following temporary differences: 

Net Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities: 2018 2017 Net Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities:20202019
    
Deferred tax assets:  
  
Deferred tax assets:  
Net operating loss carryforwards $19,510
 $9,831
Net operating loss carryforwards$31,302 $30,275 
Amortization 20,642
 7,563
Amortization3,701 11,602 
Stock based compensation 4,587
 4,375
Stock based compensation2,626 3,577 
Fair value royalty agreements 
 635
Accounts receivableAccounts receivable53 
Fair value contingent consideration 384
 870
Fair value contingent consideration264 
Orphan drug and R&D tax creditOrphan drug and R&D tax credit2,793 
Other 479
 406
Other423 901 
Gross deferred tax assets 45,602
 23,680
Gross deferred tax assets40,845 46,672 
    
Deferred tax liabilities:  
  
Deferred tax liabilities:  
Amortization (308) (2,419)Amortization(172)
Accounts receivable (661) (936)
Prepaid expenses (405) (1,094)Prepaid expenses(75)(35)
OtherOther(890)
Gross deferred tax liabilities (1,374)
(4,449)Gross deferred tax liabilities(965)(207)
    
Less: valuation allowances (21,199) (15,354)Less: valuation allowances(21,624)(17,038)
    
Net deferred tax assets $23,029
 $3,877
Net deferred tax assets$18,256 $29,427 


At December 31, 2018,2020, the Company had $72,453$118,070 of net operating losses in Ireland and $3,259 of net operating losses in France that do not have an expiration date and $25,840$46,003 of net operating losses and carryforwards in the U.S. Of the $25,840$46,003 of net operating losses and carryforwards in the U.S., $10,365 were acquired due to the acquisition of FSC in 2016 and $15,475 is$35,638 are due to the losses and carryforwards generated at U.S. Holdings in 2018.US Holdings.  The portion due to the acquisition of FSC will expire in 2034 through 2035. The Company also has $2,793 of U.S. tax credits available to reduce future income tax payable that have no expiration date. A valuation allowance is recorded if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. This assessment is based on an evaluation of the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $4,171 of valuation allowances related to Irish net operating losses and $60 of valuation allowances related French net operating losses. The U.S. net operating losses are subject to an annual limitation as a result of the FSC acquisition under Internal Revenue Code Section 382 and will not be fully utilized before they expire.

We recorded a valuation allowance against all of our net operating losses in Ireland and France as of December 31, 2020, and all of our net operating losses in Ireland as of December 31, 2019. We intend to continue maintaining a full valuation allowance on the Irish net operating losses until there is sufficient evidence to support the reversal of all or some portion of these allowances. In 2019, the Company removed $3,259 of French net operating losses and the corresponding valuation allowance as a result of the 2019 restructuring activities in France. See Note 19: Restructuring Costs.

While the Company believes it is more likely than not that it will be able to realize the deferred tax assets in the U.S., the Company continues to monitor changes in the U.S. hospital products market asany unfavorable changes that could ultimately impact our assessment of the realizability of our U.S. deferred tax assets. The U.S. net operating losses


are subject toIf the Company experiences an annual limitation as a result of the FSC acquisitionownership change under Internal Revenue Code Section 382, and may not be fully utilized before they expire.
We recorded a valuation allowance against all of ourthe U.S. net operating losses could also be limited in Ireland and France as of both December 31, 2018, and December 31, 2017. We intend to continue maintaining a full valuation allowance on the Irish and French net operating losses until there is sufficient evidence to support the reversal of all or some portion of these allowances.their utilization.

At December 31, 2018,2020, the Company has unremitted earnings of $2,798$3,725 outside of Ireland as measured on a U.S. GAAP basis. Whereas the measure of earnings for purposes of taxation of a distribution may be different for tax purposes, these earnings, which are considered to be invested indefinitely, would become subject to income tax if they were remitted as dividends or if the Companywe were to sell our stock in the subsidiaries, net of any prior income taxes paid. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of deferred tax liability on such earnings, if any.
Research and Development
-85-


R&D Tax Credits Receivable

The French and Irish governments provide tax credits to companies for spending on innovative R&D. These credits are recorded as an offset of R&D expenses and are credited against income taxes payable in years after being incurred or, if not so utilized, are recoverable in cash after a specified period of time, which may differ depending on the tax credit regime. As of December 31, 2018, the Company’s2020, our net research tax credit receivable net amounts to $7,555$6,771 and represents a French gross research tax credit of $6,922$6,396 and an Irish gross research tax credit of $633.$375. As of December 31, 2017, the Company’s2019, our net researchResearch tax credit receivable amountedamounts to $5,272$8,429 and representedrepresents a French gross research tax credit of $4,754$7,608 and an Irish gross research tax credit of $518.$821.
Income
In 2020, the Company recorded $2,793 for the U.S. Orphan Drug Tax Deferred ChargeCredit and the U.S. Research & Development Tax Credit. These credits are recorded as an income tax benefit in the year and are currently recorded as deferred tax assets because the credits are not recoverable in cash.
On
2020 CARES Act

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), enacted on March 27, 2020, includes significant business tax provisions. In particular, the CARES Act modified the rules associated with net operating losses (“NOLs”). Under the temporary provisions of the CARES Act, NOL carryforwards and carrybacks may offset 100% of taxable income for taxable years beginning before 2021. In addition, NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 and 2020 taxable years may be carried back to each of the preceding five years to generate a refund. During the twelve months ended December 16, 2014, we transferred all31, 2020, the income tax benefit includes a discrete tax benefit of $9,124 as a result of our intangible intellectual propertyability under the CARES Act to carry back NOLs incurred to periods when the statutory U.S. Federal tax rate was 35% versus our current U.S. Federal tax rate of 21%. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, the Company received $3,351 in cash tax refunds from our French entity to our Irish entity as part of a global reorganization. The intellectual property includes patents on drug delivery platforms, clinical data sets and other intangible assetscarryback claims related to the pipeline of proprietary products in development. This intra-entity transaction resulted in a charge of $14,088 of related taxes to the French government in December 2014. As this represents an intra-entity transaction, no deferred tax asset was originally recognized, but rather was recorded as $986 of prepaid expenses and $13,102 of a long-term income tax deferred charge asset in accordance with ASC 740-10-25-3 (e). This income tax deferred charge asset is amortized over the tax life of the asset at a rate of 7% per year and will result in tax relief in Ireland of $8,500 from 2016 to 2029, subject to the ability to realize tax benefits for additional deductions. At December 31, 2016, the balance of these respective accounts was classified as prepaid expenses of $814 and income tax deferred charge asset of $10,342. In 2017, the Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-16, related to Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. Adoption of ASU 2016-16 eliminated the $11,156 income tax deferred charge recorded within the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2016. In addition to the elimination of the income tax deferred charge, the Company recorded a deferred tax asset of $7,954 related to the remaining unamortized tax basis of the intangible intellectual property. A full valuation allowance was recorded against the deferred tax asset as sufficient evidence does not exist at this time that the Company will be able to utilize these benefits.
Cross-Border Merger
In 2016, we changed our jurisdiction of incorporation from France to Ireland by merging with and into our wholly owned Irish subsidiary. Information about the reincorporation was included in the definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 5, 2016. Prior to the merger, the Company submitted a request to the French tax authorities seeking to benefit from a special regime for mergers and demergers, conditional upon a formal consent of the French tax authority, which would allow for the deferral of a portion of the tax cost of the cross-border merger. In 2017, the Company received a letterCARES Act from the Frenchcarryback of 2018 tax authorities indicating that our request to benefit from the special regime had been declined. Completion of the cross-border merger resulted in the recognition of a net income tax provision of $4,266, after considering tax benefits from the utilization of current and prior year French net operating losses. The Company was able to utilize $4,266filed refund claims for $18,753 associated with the carryback of French research2019 tax losses and developmentestimates it will file refund claims associated with the carryback of 2020 tax credits to offset the remaining cost of the transaction. The Company also removed $111,495 of French net operating losses as the carryforward of these losses was contingent on receiving favorable consent from the French tax authority. The French net operating losses had a full valuation allowance, resulting in no impact to the income tax provision from their removal.losses.

2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act includes significant changes to the U.S. corporate income tax system including: a federal corporate rate reduction from 35% to 21%; limitations on the deductibility of interest expense and executive compensation; creation of the base erosion anti-abuse tax (“BEAT”) and a new minimum tax.  As a result of the Tax Act being signed into law, the Companywe recognized a provisional charge of $274 and $3,513 in 2018 and 2017, respectively, related to the re-measurement of its U.S. net deferred tax assets and certain unrecognized tax benefits at the lower enacted corporate tax rates. A majority of the provisions in the Tax Act arewere effective January 1, 2018. 



NOTE 13:15:Post-Retirement Benefit Plans
Post-Retirement Benefit Contributions to French Government Agencies
The Company is required by French law for our French employees to deduct specific monthly payroll amounts to support post-retirement benefit programs sponsored by the relevant government agencies in France. As the ultimate obligation is maintained by the French government agencies, there is no additional liability recorded by the Company in connection with these plans. (Income) expenses recognized for these plans were $(69) in 2018, $123 in 2017, and $348 in 2016.The 2018 and 2017 pension expense does not include the retirement indemnity curtailment gains of $148 and $717, respectively, which was associated with the reduction of certain defined benefit retirement plan liabilities due to the reduction in force. See Note 17: Restructuring Costs - France for more discussion.
Retirement Indemnity Obligation – France
French law requires the Company to provide for the payment of a lump sum retirement indemnity to French employees based upon years of service and compensation at retirement. The retirement indemnity has been actuarially calculated on the assumption of voluntary retirement at a government-defined retirement age. Benefits do not vest prior to retirement. Any actuarial gains or losses are recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss) income in the periods in which they occur. 
The benefitDuring the second quarter of 2019, the Company initiated a plan to substantially reduce all of its workforce at its Vénissieux, France site (“2019 French Restructuring”). As a result of this decision, the Company reversed the French retirement indemnity obligation is calculated asand recorded a curtailment gain of $1,000 during the present value of estimatedyear ended December 31, 2019. At December 31, 2020, there are no future expected retirement indemnity benefits to be paid, using the following assumptions for the years ended December 31: paid. See Note 19: Restructuring Costs.

Retirement Benefit Obligation Assumptions: 2018 2017 2016
       
Compensation rate increase 2.75% 3.00% 3.00%
Discount rate 1.50% 1.25% 1.31%
Employee turn-over Actuarial standard and average of the last 5 years
Average age of retirement 60 to 65 years actuarial standard based on age and professional status
-86-
Certain actuarial assumptions, such as discount rate, have a significant effect on the amounts reported for net periodic benefit cost and accrued retirement indemnity benefit obligation amounts. The discount rate is determined annually by benchmarking a published long-term bond index using the iBoxx € Corporates AA 10+ index. 
Changes in the funded status of the retirement indemnity benefit plans were as follows for the years ended December 31: 

Retirement Benefit Obligation Activity: 2018 2017
     
Retirement indemnity benefit obligation, beginning of year $1,303
 $2,431
Service cost 93
 132
Interest cost 17
 21
Plan amendment 
 (829)
Benefits paid (12) 
Curtailment gain (148) (717)
Actuarial loss (178) (25)
Exchange rate changes (51) 290
Retirement indemnity benefit obligation, end of year $1,024
 $1,303

The lump sum retirement indemnity is accrued on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets within non-current other liabilities, excluding the current portion. As these are not funded benefit plans, there are no respective assets recorded. 


The future expected benefits to be paid over the next five years and for the five years thereafter is as follows for the years ended December 31: 
Future Retirement Indemnity Benefit Obligation: Balance
   
2019 $
2020 
2021 
2022 17
2023 
Next five years 158
Total $175

NOTE 14:16:Other Assets and Liabilities
Various other assets and liabilities are summarized for the years ended December 31, as follows: 
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets:20202019
  
Valued-added tax recoverable$341 $1,051 
Prepaid and other expenses1,018 2,116 
Guarantee from Armistice318 454 
Income tax receivable (see Note 14)
18,615 536 
Receivable from Exela (see Note 4)
16,500 
Short-term deposit1,477 
Other457 107 
Total$38,726 $4,264 

Other Non-Current Assets:20202019
Deferred tax assets$18,256 $29,427 
Long-term deposits1,477 
Guarantee from Armistice1,050 1,367 
Right of use assets at contract manufacturing organizations5,201 6,428 
Other432 575 
Total  
$24,939 $39,274 
Accrued Expenses:20202019
  
Accrued compensation$1,697 $3,944 
Accrued restructuring (see Note 19)
520 2,949 
Customer allowances1,030 6,470 
Accrued outsourced contract costs473 2,833 
Other2,781 3,614 
Total$6,501 $19,810 

Other Current Liabilities:20202019
 
Accrued interest$2,695 $2,695 
Due to Exela2,026 
Guarantee to Deerfield319 455 
Other160 725 
Total$5,200 $3,875 
Other Non-Current Liabilities:20202019
 
Customer allowances$$981 
Unrecognized tax benefits3,143 6,465 
Guarantee to Deerfield1,053 1,372 
Other16 55 
Total$4,212 $8,873 

-87-
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets: 2018 2017
   
  
Valued-added tax recoverable $1,378
 $1,206
Prepaid and other expenses 2,145
 7,106
Guarantee from Armistice (see Note 16)
 534
 
Income tax receivable 921
 518
Research and development tax credit receivable 283
 
Short-term deposit 3,350
 
Other 225
 128
Total $8,836
 $8,958

Other Non-Current Assets: 2018 2017
     
Deferred tax assets $23,029
 $3,877
Long-term deposits 1,477
 3,350
Guarantee from Armistice (see Note 16)
 5,697
 
Right of use assets at contract manufacturing organizations 5,894
 2,909
Other 49
 113
Total  
 $36,146
 $10,249

Accrued Expenses: 2018 2017
   
  
Accrued compensation $3,971
 $3,157
Accrued social charges 1,009
 1,204
Accrued restructuring (see Note 17)
 879
 1,000
Customer allowances 6,541
 10,613
Accrued ELAA payment 
 20,000
Accrued contract research organization charges 1,000
 156
Accrued contract manufacturing organization costs 2,028
 2,327
Accrued contract sales organization and marketing costs 3,469
 7,641
Other 2,798
 4,828
Total $21,695

$50,926


Other Non-Current Liabilities: 2018 2017
     
Provision for retirement indemnity $1,024
 $1,303
Customer allowances 1,352
 1,636
Unrecognized tax benefits 5,315
 3,954
Guarantee to Deerfield (see Note 16)
 5,717
 
Other 594
 191
Total $14,002
 $7,084

NOTE 15:17:Contingent Liabilities and Commitments
Litigation
The Company is subject to potential liabilities generally incidental to our business arising out of present and future lawsuits and claims related to product liability, personal injury, contract, commercial, intellectual property, tax, employment, compliance and other matters that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues for potential liabilities when it is probable that future costs (including legal fees and expenses) will be incurred and such costs can be reasonably estimated. At December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017,2020, there were no contingent liabilities with respect to any litigation, arbitration or administrative or other proceeding that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity.
Some of the patents covering our NoctivaTM product (the “Noctiva Patents”) are the subject of
Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation

There is currently no pending or threatened litigation initiated by Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. and two of its foreign affiliates, who manufacture a competing product known as Nocdurna.  Nocdurna was approved by the FDA in June 2018 and commercially launched in the U.S. in November 2018.  In this litigation (the “Ferring Litigation”), Ferring seeksor disputes to invalidate and disputes the inventorship of the Noctiva Patents, seeks damages for various alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, and seeks damages for alleged infringement by NoctivaTM of Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark.  Avadel’s indirectly wholly owned subsidiary, Specialty Pharma and certain other parties including Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Serentiy”) (the licensor of the Noctiva Patents) have been actively defending this litigation, and have made certain counterclaims against Ferring, including for infringement of the Noctiva Patents and a declaratory judgment of noninfringement with respect to Ferring’s “Nocdurna” trademark. The court has dismissed Ferring’s inventorship claim and its claims for alleged breaches of contractual and common law duties, although these dismissals may be appealed by Ferring.  On February 15, 2019, Specialty Pharma and its co-defendants moved to stay the litigation pending completion of the bankruptcy proceeding of Specialty Pharma. Adverse outcomes from this litigation could have material adverse effects on the value of the Specialty Pharma’s license to NoctivaTM.

On January 21, 2019, Serenity provided notice to Specialty Pharma of an alleged breach of the parties’ Noctiva license agreement. Serenity alleges principally that Specialty Pharma breached its contractual obligation to devote commercially reasonable efforts to the commercialization of Noctiva and seeks unspecified damages. On January 27, 2019, Specialty Pharma notified Serenity of a claim for $1.7 million in damages as a result of Serenity’s breach of its contractual obligation to pay the costs of the Ferring Litigation. Serenity’s notice to Specialty Pharma invoked the dispute resolution provisions of the Noctiva license agreement, which culminate in arbitration, but neither party has yet initiated an arbitration proceeding or filed suit. Adverse outcomes from this potential litigation could have material adverse effects on the financial position of Specialty Pharma.
On February 6, 2019, Specialty Pharma commenced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to fulfill its strategic objective of divesting from the business of marketing and distributing Noctiva™. As a result of the commencement of the bankruptcy case, all pending litigation against Specialty Pharma is automatically stayedor would be a party. All prior litigation and will remain stayed during the pendency of the Chapter 11 case unless and until the bankruptcy court enters an order modifying or lifting the stay. The automatic stay of the bankruptcy code also precludes the commencement of any new litigation againstdisputes involving Specialty Pharma unless the bankruptcy court orders otherwise.have been dismissed or resolved. See Part I, Item 3 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more discussion.Note 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation.



Material Commitments

At December 31, 2018,2020, we have one commitment with a contract manufacturer related to facility upgrades and the Company has various commitmentspurchase and validation of equipment to purchase finished product from customers. Commitments for these arrangements, at maximum quantitiesbe used in the manufacture of FT218. The total cost of this commitment is estimated to be approximately $4,000 and at contractual prices overis expected to be started and completed during the remaining life of the contract, and excluding any waived commitments, are as follows for the years endedyear ending December 31:31, 2021.
Purchase Commitments: Balance
   
2019 $10,754
2020 5,948
2021 4,880
2022 4,880
2023 220
Thereafter 
Total $26,682
The Company also has a commitment with a contract manufacturer related to the construction and preparation of a production suite at the contract manufacturer’s facility, which is substantially complete at December 31, 2018.2020. Subsequent to the initial build and preparation of the production suite, this commitment also includes annual production suite fees of approximately $3,000 to $4,000 which would commence at the timestart of FDA approvalproduction of the productvalidation batches and continue thereafter for five years. These amounts are not included in the table above, as the start date has not been determined.

Included in the purchase commitments above, is approximately $15,308 of an obligation of Specialty Pharma, which on February 6, 2019, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company paid $9,965 related to the above purchase commitments.
The Company and our subsidiaries lease office facilities under noncancelable operating leases expiring at various dates. Rent expense, net of rental income, was $1,213, $1,146 and $970 in 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. Minimum rental commitments for non-cancelable leases in effect at December 31, 2018 are as follows:
Lease Commitment: Balance
   
2019 $1,191
2020 1,208
2021 1,008
2022 767
2023 695
Thereafter 967
Total $5,836

Other than the above commitments, there were no other material commitments outside of the normal course of business. Material commitments in the normal course of business include long-term debt, long-term related party payable, and post-retirement benefit plan obligations which are disclosed in Note 10: Long-Term Debt, Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable, and Note 13: Post-Retirement Benefit Plans, respectively.



Contractual Obligations
The following table presents contractual obligations of the Company at December 31, 2018:
  Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations: Total Less than
1 Year
 1 to 3
Years
 3 to 5
Years
 More than
5 Years
   
  
  
  
  
Long-term debt and interest $173,009
 $6,575
 $12,981
 $153,453
 $
Long-term related party payable
(undiscounted)
 51,284
 9,439
 8,713
 7,250
 25,882
Purchase commitments 26,682
 10,754
 10,828
 5,100
 
Operating leases 5,836
 1,191
 2,217
 1,461
 967
Total contractual cash obligations $256,811
 $27,959
 $34,739
 $167,264
 $26,849
Included in the purchase commitments total above, is approximately $15,308 of an obligation of Specialty Pharma, which on February 6, 2019, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

NOTE 16:18: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets


On February 12, 2018, the Company, together with its subsidiaries Avadel Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc., Avadel Pediatrics, Inc., FSC Therapeutics, LLC (“FSC Therapeutics”), and Avadel US Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), as the “Sellers,” entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Cerecor, Inc. (“Cerecor”). The transaction closed on February 16, 2018 wherein Cerecor purchased from the Sellers four pediatric commercial stage assets – Karbinal™ ER, Cefaclor, Flexichamber™ and AcipHex® Sprinkle™, together with certain associated business assets – which were held by FSC.  The Company acquired FSC in February 2016 from Deerfield and certain of its affiliates. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Cerecor assumed the Company’s remaining payment obligations to Deerfield under the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 5, 2016, between Holdings, Flamel Technologies SA (the predecessor of the Company) and Deerfield and certain of its affiliates, which payment obligations consisted of the following (collectively, the “Assumed Obligations”): (i) a quarterly payment of $263 beginning in July 2018 and ending in October 2020, amounting to an aggregate payment obligation of $2,625; (ii) a payment in January 2021 of $15,263; and (iii) a quarterly royalty payment of 15% on net sales of the FSC products through February 5, 2026 (“FSC Product Royalties”), in an aggregate amount of up to approximately $10,300.  Cerecor also assumed certain contracts and other obligations related to the acquired assets, and in that connection Holdings agreed to pay Cerecor certain make-whole payments associated with obligations Cerecor is assuming related to a certain supply contract related to Karbinal™ ER.


In conjunction with the divestiture, the Company also entered into the following arrangements:


License and Development Agreement


Also, in connection with the closing under the Purchase Agreement, Flamel Ireland Limited, an Irish private limited company operating under the trade name of Avadel Ireland (“Avadel Ireland”) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Cerecor entered into a license and development agreement (the “License and Development Agreement”) pursuant to which, among other things:


Avadel Ireland will provide Cerecor with four product formulations utilizing Avadel Ireland’s LiquiTime™ technology, and will complete pilot bioequivalence studies for such product formulations within 18 months;


-88-


Cerecor will reimburse Avadel Ireland for development costs of the four LiquiTime™ products in excess of $1,000 in the aggregate;


Upon transfer of the four product formulations, Cerecor will assume all remaining development costs and responsibilities for the product development, clinical studies, NDA applications and associated filing fees; and


Upon regulatory approval and commercial launch of any LiquiTime™ products, Cerecor will pay Avadel Ireland quarterly royalties based on a percentage of net sales of any such products in the mid-single digit range.



Effective October 25, 2019, Cerecor and Avadel Ireland agreed to terminate the License and Development Agreement.


Deerfield Guarantee


In connection with the closing under the Purchase Agreement, theThe Company and Holdings provided their guarantee (the “Deerfield Guarantee”) in favor of Deerfield. Under the Deerfield Guarantee, the Company and Holdings guaranteed to Deerfield the payment by Cerecor of the Assumed Obligations under the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement between the Company and Deerfield dated February 5, 2016. The Assumed Obligations include (i) a quarterly payment of $263 beginning in July 2018 and ending in October 2020, amounting to an aggregate payment obligation of $2,625; (ii) a payment in January 2021 of $15,263; and (iii) a quarterly royalty payment of 15% on net sales of the FSC products through February 6, 2026 (“FSC Product Royalties”), in an aggregate amount of up to approximately $10,300. In addition, under the Deerfield Guarantee, the Company and Holdings guaranteed that Deerfield would receive certain minimum annual FSC Product Royalties through February 6, 2026 (the “Minimum Royalties”). Given the Company’s explicit guarantee to Deerfield, the Company recorded the guarantee in accordance with ASC 460. A valuation was performed, which was based largely on an analysis of the potential timing of each possible cash outflow described above and the likelihood of Cerecor’s default on such payments assuming an S&P credit rating of CCC+. The result of this valuation identified a guarantee liability of $6,643. This liability is being amortized proportionately based on undiscounted cash outflows through the remainder of the contract with Deerfield. At

On October 10, 2019, Cerecor entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Aytu BioScience, Inc (“Buyer”) pursuant to which the Buyer will purchase certain assets from Cerecor and assume certain of Cerecor’s liabilities, including all of Cerecor’s liabilities assumed as part of the Purchase Agreement noted above. As part of this transaction, on November 1, 2019, Armistice has agreed to deposit $15,000 in an escrow account governed by an escrow agreement between Armistice and Deerfield having the purpose of securing the $15,000 balloon payment due January 2021 as part of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement. As part of the Cerecor transaction with the buyer, Deerfield contractually acknowledges and agrees that it will seek payment from the escrow funds before requesting payment from the Company pursuant to the Deerfield Guarantee discussed above. Due to the change in circumstances, a new valuation was performed based on an analysis of the possible timing of the updated possible cash flow which excludes the $15,000 that Armistice has deposited in an escrow account. The updated valuation identified an updated guarantee liability of $1,827 at December 31, 2018,2019, which is being amortized proportionately based on undiscounted cash outflows through the carrying valueremainder of the contract with Deerfield. The balance of this guarantee liability was $6,253.$1,372 at December 31, 2020.


Armistice Guarantee


In connection with the closing under the Purchase Agreement, Armistice Capital Master Fund, Ltd., the majority shareholder of Cerecor, guaranteed to Holdings the payment by Cerecor of the Assumed Obligations, including the Minimum Royalties. A valuation of the guarantee asset was performed in accordance with ASC 460 “Guarantees” and a guarantee asset of $6,620 was recorded. This asset is being amortized proportionately based on undiscounted cash outflows through the remainder of the contract with Deerfield noted above. At

As discussed above, based on the purchase and asset sale between Cerecor and the Buyer, an updated valuation was performed and identified an updated guarantee asset of $1,821 at December 31, 2018, the carrying value2019. The balance of this guarantee asset was $6,231.$1,368 at December 31, 2020.


The fair values of the Avadel guarantee to Deerfield and the guarantee received by Avadel from Armistice largely offset and when combined are not material.


-89-


Based on management’s review of ASU 2014-08, “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity”, the disposition of our pediatric assets and related liabilities did not qualify for discontinued operations reporting. Our results of operations for the period January 1, 2018 through February 16, 2018 and for the yearsyear ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 include2018 includes the results of FSC, prior to its February 16, 2018 disposition date.


The net impact of this transaction was not material to the consolidated statements of income (loss) income..


NOTE 17:19: Restructuring Costs- France
2019 French Restructuring

During the firstsecond quarter of 2017,2019, the Company announcedinitiated a plan to substantially reduce ourall of its workforce at our Venniseux,its Vénissieux, France site by approximately 50%(“2019 French Restructuring”). This reduction iswas part of an effort to align the Company’s cost structure with our ongoing and future planned projects. In July 2017, the Company completed negotiations with the works council for our French operations and received approval from the French Labor Commission (DIRECCTE) to implement the plan. The reduction is substantially complete at December 31, 2018. Restructuring charges forin workforce was completed during the year ended December 31, 20182020. Restructuring charges associated with this plan of $1,016, include a provision related to a dispute with severed employees$172 and $4,855 of $776 related towere recognized during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Included in the 2019 French Restructuring charges of $4,855 were charges for employee severance, benefits and is also netother costs of $4,339, charges related to fixed asset impairment of $629, charges related to the early termination penalty related to the office and copier lease terminations of $887, partially offset by a benefit of $1,000 related to the reversal of the curtailment gain of $148.  Restructuring charges of $2,542 for the year ended December 31, 2017, are net of the curtailment gain of $717.French retirement indemnity obligation. The following table sets forth activities for the Company’s cost reduction plan obligations for the yearyears ended December 31, 2018:2020 and 2019:

Restructuring Obligation: 2018 2017
2019 French Restructuring Obligation:2019 French Restructuring Obligation:20202019
    
Balance of restructuring accrual at January 1, $1,000
 $
Balance of restructuring accrual at January 1,$1,922 $
Charges for employee severance, benefits and other 1,164
 3,259
Charges for employee severance, benefits and other costsCharges for employee severance, benefits and other costs172 4,339 
Payments (1,261) (2,600)Payments(1,813)(2,441)
Foreign currency impact (24) 341
Foreign currency impact(33)24 
Balance of restructuring accrual at December 31, $879
 $1,000
Balance of restructuring accrual at December 31,$248 $1,922 


The restructuring accrual at December 31, 20182019 French Restructuring liability of $248 is included in the consolidated balance sheet in accrued expenses.expenses at December 31, 2020.



2019 Corporate Restructuring



During the first quarter of 2019, the Company announced a plan to reduce its Corporate workforce by more than 50% (the “2019 Corporate Restructuring”). The reduction in workforce is primarily a result of the exit of Noctiva during the first quarter of 2019 (see Note 3: Subsidiary Bankruptcy and Deconsolidation), as well as an effort to better align the Company’s remaining cost structure at our U.S. and Ireland locations with our ongoing and future planned projects. The reduction in workforce was completed during the year ended December 31, 2020. Restructuring income associated with this plan for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $215, which included a benefit of $421 related to share based compensation forfeitures. Restructuring charges associated with this plan of $1,755 were recognized during the year ended December 31, 2019. Included in the 2019 Corporate Restructuring charges of $1,755 for the year ended December 31, 2019 were charges for employee severance, benefit and other costs of $3,406, charges related to the early termination penalty related to the office lease termination of $288, the write-off of $125 of property, plant and equipment, net, partially offset by a benefit of $2,064 related to share based compensation forfeitures related to the employees affected by the global reduction in workforce.

The following table sets forth activities for the Company’s cost reduction plan obligations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

2019 Corporate Restructuring Obligation:20202019
Balance of restructuring accrual at January 1,$1,080 $
Charges for employee severance, benefits and other costs206 3,406 
Payments(1,014)(2,326)
Balance of restructuring accrual at December 31,$272 $1,080 

-90-


The 2019 Corporate Restructuring liability of $272 is included in the consolidated balance sheet in accrued expenses at December 31, 2020.

NOTE 18:20: Equity Instruments and Stock-Based CompensationTransactions

Capital StockShares

We have 500,000 shares of authorized ordinary shares with a nominal value of $0.01 per commonordinary share. As of December 31, 2018,2020, we had 42,720 and 37,313 shares of58,396 ordinary shares issued and outstanding, respectively. The Board of Directors is authorized to issue preferred shares in series, and with respect to each series, to fix its designation, relative rights (including voting, dividend, conversion, sinking fund, and redemption rights), preferences (including dividends and liquidation) and limitations. We have 50,000 shares of authorized preferred shares, $0.01 nominal value, none of which is488 are currently outstanding.issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2020.
Share Repurchases

Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3

In March 2017, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $25,000 of Avadel ordinary shares represented by ADSs. Under this authorization, which has an indefinite duration, share repurchases may be made in the open market, in block transactions on or off the exchange, in privately negotiated transactions, or through other means as determined by the Board of Directors and in accordanceFebruary 2020, we filed with the regulations of the SecuritiesSEC a new shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement) (File No. 333-236258) that allows issuance and Exchange Commission. The timing and amount of repurchases, if any, will depend on a variety of factors, including the price of our shares, cash resources, alternative investment opportunities, corporate and regulatory requirements and market conditions. This share repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. We may alsosale by us, from time to time, establish a trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 to facilitate purchases of our shares under this program. Additionally, on February 12, 2018, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase of:

a.up to $18,000$250,000 in aggregate of Avadel ordinary shares, nominal value US$0.01 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), each of which may be represented by American DepositoryDepositary Shares (“ADSs”), preferred shares, nominal value US$0.01 per share (the “Preferred Shares”), debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares, ADSs, Preferred Shares and/or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), and/or units consisting of Ordinary Shares, ADSs, Preferred Shares, one or more Debt Securities or Warrants in one or more series, in any combination, pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement, the base prospectus contained in the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), and any amendments or supplements thereto (together, the “Securities”); including

b.up to $50,000 of ADSs that may be issued and sold from time to time pursuant to the terms of an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, entered into with Jefferies LLC on February 4, 2020 (the “Sales Agreement”), the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus and the terms of the sales agreement prospectus contained in the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement.

The transactions costs associated with the 2020 Shelf Registration Statement totaled $428 of which $214 was charged against additional paid-in capital during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 as a result of the May 2020 Public Offering, discussed below. The remaining costs of $214 are recorded as a prepaid asset at December 31, 2020.

February 2020 Private Placement

On February 21, 2020, we announced that we entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of our ADSs and Series A Non-Voting Convertible Preferred Shares (“Series A Preferred”) in a private placement to a group of institutional accredited investors. The private placement resulted in gross proceeds of approximately $65,000 before deducting placement agent and other offering expenses, which resulted in net proceeds of $60,570.

Pursuant to the terms of the private placement, we issued 8,680 ADSs and 488 shares of Series A Preferred at a price of $7.09 per share, priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. Each share of non-voting Series A Preferred is convertible into one ADS, provided that conversion will be prohibited if, as a result, the holder and its affiliates would own more than 9.99% of the total number of Avadel ADSs outstanding. The closing of the private placement occurred on February 25, 2020.

Issuance costs of $4,430 have been recorded as a reduction of additional paid-in capital.

May 2020 Public Offering

In connection with the shelf registration statement described above, on April 28, 2020, we announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 11,630 Ordinary Shares, in connection withthe form of ADSs at a price to the public of $10.75 per ADS. Each ADS represents the right to receive one Ordinary Share. All of the ADSs were offered by us and the gross proceeds to us from the offering were approximately $125,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, which resulted in net proceeds of $116,924. The offering closed on May 1, 2020.

-91-


Retirement of Treasury Shares

In August 2020, the Company retired all of our Convertible Notes Offering completed on February 16, 2018. See Note 10: Long-Term Debt. In March 2018, the Board of Directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to $7,000 of Avadel5,407 treasury shares, or $49,998 previously repurchased ordinary shares. As a result, we reduced additional paid-in capital by $49,944 and ordinary shares represented by American Depository Shares, bring$54 during the total authorization to $50,000.  As oftwelve months ended December 31, 2018,2020. The portion allocated to additional paid-in capital is determined pro rata by applying a percentage, determined by dividing the Company had repurchased 5,407 ordinarynumber of shares for $49,998.to be retired by the number of shares issued and outstanding as of the retirement date, to the balance of additional paid-in capital as of the retirement date. Based on this calculation, the entirety of the excess of repurchase price over par of $49,944 was allocated to additional paid-in capital.


Stock-Based
NOTE 21: Share-Based Compensation
Compensation expense included in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss) income for all stock-basedshare-based compensation arrangements was as follows for the periods ended December 31: 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively:
Share-based Compensation Expense:Share-based Compensation Expense:202020192018
Stock-based Compensation Expense: 2018 2017 2016
      
Research and development $880
 $672
 $3,523
Research and development$139 $429 $880 
Selling, general and administrative 6,972
 7,400
 11,156
Selling, general and administrative3,281 2,154 6,972 
Total stock-based compensation expense $7,852
 $8,072
 $14,679
Restructuring costsRestructuring costs(421)(2,064)
Total share-based compensation expenseTotal share-based compensation expense$2,999 $519 $7,852 
As of December 31, 2018,2020, the Company expects $6,726$12,322 of unrecognized expense related to granted, but non-vested stock-basedshare-based compensation arrangements to be incurred in future periods. This expense is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.33.4 years. 
The excess tax benefit related to stock-basedshare-based compensation recorded by the Company was $0 for the year ended December 31, 2018 and not material for the years ended December 31, 20172020, 2019 and 2016.2018.

Upon exercise of stock options, or warrants, or upon the issuance of restricted share awards or performance share unit awards, the Company issues new shares. 

At December 31, 2018,2020, there were 1,873,1474,122,315 shares authorized for stock option grants, warrantrestricted share award grants, and restrictedperformance share unit award grants in subsequent periods.

Determining the Fair Value of Stock Options and Warrants

The Company measures the total fair value of stock options and warrants on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and recognizes each grant’s fair value as compensation expense over the period that the option or warrant vests. Options are granted to employees of the Company and become exercisable ratably over four years following the grant date and expire ten years after the grant date. Prior to 2017, warrants were typically issued to the Company’s Board of Directors as compensation for services rendered and generally become exercisable within one year following the grant date, and expire four years after the grant date. Beginning in 2017, theThe Company issues stock options to our Board of Directors as compensation for services rendered and generally become exercisable within one yearratably over three years following the grant date, and expire fourten years after the grant date.

The weighted-average assumptions under the Black-Scholes option-pricing model for stock option and warrant grants as of December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016,2018, are as follows:   
Stock Option and Warrant Assumptions: 2018 2017 2016
Stock Option Assumptions:Stock Option Assumptions:202020192018
      
Stock option grants:  
  
  
Stock option grants:   
Expected term (years) 6.25
 6.25
 6.25
Expected term (years)6.086.256.25
Expected volatility 56.59% 58.82% 58.39%Expected volatility75.76 %56.48 %56.59 %
Risk-free interest rate 2.68% 2.20% 2.04%Risk-free interest rate0.72 %2.52 %2.68 %
Expected dividend yield 
 
 
Expected dividend yield
      
Warrant grants:  
  
  
Expected term (years) 
 0
 2.50
Expected volatility % % 60.57%
Risk-free interest rate % % 0.82%
Expected dividend yield 
 
 
Expected term: The expected term of the options or warrants represents the period of time between the grant date and the time the options or warrants are either exercised or forfeited, including an estimate of future forfeitures for outstanding options or warrants.options. Given the limited historical data, and the grant of stock options and warrants to a limited population, the simplified method has been used to calculate the expected life.
Expected volatility: The expected volatility is calculated based on an average of the historical volatility of the Company’s stock price for a period approximating the expected term.
-92-


Risk-free interest rate: The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant and a maturity that approximates the expected term.
Expected dividend yield: The Company hasWe have not distributed any dividends since our inception and hashave no plan to distribute dividends in the foreseeable future.
Stock Options
A summary of the combined stock option activity and other data for the Company’s stock option plans for the year ended December 31, 20182020 is as follows:   
Stock Option Activity and Other Data: 
Number of Stock
Options
 
Weighted Average
Exercise Price per Share
 
Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
 
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
Stock Option Activity and Other Data:Number of Stock
Options
Weighted Average
Exercise Price per Share
Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Life
Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
      
Stock options outstanding, January 1, 2018 5,041
 $11.34
    
Stock options outstanding, January 1, 2020Stock options outstanding, January 1, 20205,121 $7.51   
Granted 138
 6.67
    
Granted2,551 6.90   
Exercised (82) 6.52
    
Exercised(403)5.08   
Forfeited (428) 10.04
    
Forfeited(566)3.24   
Expired (68) 12.41
  Expired(805)13.37 
Stock options outstanding, December 31, 2018 4,601
 $11.39
 7.25 years $
Stock options exercisable, December 31, 2018 3,005
 $11.99
 6.66 years $
Stock options outstanding, December 31, 2020Stock options outstanding, December 31, 20205,898 $7.02 7.96 years$7,115 
Stock options exercisable, December 31, 2020Stock options exercisable, December 31, 20202,172 $9.48 5.58 years$1,841 
The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercisable at December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 2017was $1,841, $572, and 2016 was $0, $1,161, and $58, respectively.


The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 2017was $4.63, $1.24 and 2016 was $3.60 $5.20 and $6.14 per share, respectively. 



Warrants
A summary of the combined warrant activity and other data for the year ended December 31, 20182020 is as follows:   
Warrant Activity and Other Data: 
Number of
Warrants
 Weighted Average Exercise Price per Share 
Weighted Average Remaining
Contractual Life
 
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value
Warrant Activity and Other Data:Number of
Warrants
Weighted Average Exercise Price per ShareWeighted Average Remaining
Contractual Life
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value
      
Warrants outstanding, January 1, 2018 894
 $16.77
    
Warrants outstanding, January 1, 2020Warrants outstanding, January 1, 2020291 $13.59   
Granted 
 
    
Granted  
Exercised 
 
    
Exercised  
Forfeited 
 
    
Forfeited  
Expired (298) 14.87
  Expired(291)13.59 
Warrants outstanding, December 31, 2018 596
 $17.72
 1.03 years $
Warrants exercisable, December 31, 2018 596
 $17.72
 1.03 years $
Warrants outstanding, December 31, 2020Warrants outstanding, December 31, 2020$0.00 years$
Warrants exercisable, December 31, 2020Warrants exercisable, December 31, 2020$0.00 years$
All outstanding warrants expired in August 2020. Each of the above warrants iswas convertible into one1 ordinary share. There was no0 aggregate intrinsic value of warrants exercised during the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016.2018. 
The weighted average grant date fair value of warrants granted during the year ended December 31, 2016 was $2.99 per share. There were no0 warrants granted during the years ended December 31, 20182020, 2019 and 2017.2018.
At January 1, 2018, an additional 3,300 warrants were outstanding and exercisable relative to consideration paid for the Company’s acquisition of Éclat Pharmaceuticals, LLC on March 13, 2012. These warrants are not considered stock-based compensation and are therefore excluded from the above tables, and instead are addressed within Note 11: Long-Term Related Party Payable. On February 23, 2018, the related party exercised in full the warrant to purchase 2,200 ordinary shares. On March 12, 2018 the remaining warrants to purchase 1,100 ordinary shares expired.
Restricted Share Awards
Restricted share awards represent Company shares issued free of charge to employees of the Company as compensation for services rendered. The Company measures the total fair value of restricted share awards on the grant date using the Company’s stock price at the time of the grant. Restricted share awards granted prior to 2016 generally cliff vest at the end of a four-year vesting period, and are expensed over a two or four-year service period. Restricted share awards granted during 2016 are fully expensed at the date of grant as they contain no service requirement. Employees, however, have a two-year acquisition period from grant date and are then free to trade these awards.  Restricted share awards granted during and after 2017 vest over a three-year period; two-thirds (2/3) vesting on the second anniversary of the grant date and the remaining one-third (1/3) vesting on the third anniversary of the grant date.  Beginning inIn 2018, the Company issuesissued restricted share awards to our Board of Directors vesting over a three-year period; one-third (1/3) vesting on each of the three anniversaries of the grant date. Compensation expense for such awards granted during and after 2017 is recognized over the applicable vesting period. 

-93-


A summary of the Company’s restricted share awards as of December 31, 2018,2020, and changes during the year then ended, is reflected in the table below. 
Restricted Share Activity and Other Data: Number of Restricted Share Awards 
Weighted Average Grant Date
Fair Value
Restricted Share Activity and Other Data:Number of Restricted Share AwardsWeighted Average Grant Date
Fair Value
    
Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, January 1, 2018 819
 $11.51
Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, January 1, 2020Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, January 1, 2020347 $4.73 
Granted 279
 5.87
Granted186 7.69 
Vested (548) 12.78
Vested(115)6.01 
Forfeited (59) 8.95
Forfeited(71)4.83 
Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, December 31, 2018 491
 $7.20
Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, December 31, 2020Non-vested restricted share awards outstanding, December 31, 2020347 $5.87 
The weighted average grant date fair value of restricted share awards granted during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 2017was $7.69, $2.47 and 2016 was $5.87, $8.95 and $12.11, respectively.

Performance Share Units Awards

Performance share units awards (“PSUs”) represent Company shares issued free of charge to employees of the Company as compensation for achieving various results. The Company measures the total fair value of performance share unit awards on the grant date using the Company’s stock price at the time of the grant. In 2020, the Company granted performance share awards, of which 50% vest upon the achievement of certain regulatory milestones related to FT218 and the other 50% vest one year following achievement of those milestones. The Company has not yet recognized any PSU-related stock-based compensation expense as the regulatory milestones have not yet been met; however, in the event the performance conditions are met before a certain date, approximately 150% of the outstanding shares, or $2,734 of compensation expense will be recognized by the Company for the PSUs outstanding as of December 31, 2020.

A summary of the Company’s performance share units awards as of December 31, 2020, and changes during the year then ended, is reflected in the table below.
Performance Unit Share Activity and Other DataNumber of Performance Share AwardsWeighted Average Grant Date
Fair Value
Non-vested performance share awards outstanding, January 1, 2020$
Granted257 7.09 
Vested
Forfeited
Non-vested performance share awards outstanding, December 31, 2020257 $7.09 
The weighted average grant date fair value of performance share awards granted during the year ended December 31, 2020 was $7.09 per share.

Employee Share Purchase Plan

In 2017, the Board of Directors approved of the Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc 2017 Avadel Employee Share Purchase Plan (“ESPP”). The total number of Company ordinary shares, nominal value $0.01 per share, or ADSs representing such ordinary shares (collectively, “Shares”) which may be issued under the ESPP is 1,000. The purchase price at which a Share will be issued or sold for a given offering period will be established by the Compensation Committee of the Board (“Committee”) (and may differ among participants, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion) but will in no event be less than 85% of the lesser of: (a) the fair market value of a Share on the offering date; or (b) the fair market value of a Share on the purchase date. As ofDuring the years ended December 31, 2018,2020 and 2019, the Company has issued 2549 and 54 ordinary shares to employees.employees, respectively. Expense related to the ESPP for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was immaterial.

NOTE 19:22:Net Income (Loss) Income Per Share
Basic net income (loss) income per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. Diluted net income (loss) income per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) income- diluted by the diluted number of shares outstanding during each period. Except where the result would be anti-dilutive to net income (loss) income,, diluted net income (loss) income per share would be calculated assuming the impact of the conversion of the 2023 Notes, the
-94-


conversion of our preferred shares, the exercise of outstanding equity compensation awards, and ordinary shares expected to be issued under our employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”) and the exercise of contingent consideration warrants, all which have been exercised or have expired during the first quarter of 2018.ESPP.


We have a choice to settle the conversion obligation under the 2023 Notes in cash, shares or any combination of the two. We utilize the if-converted method to reflect the impact of the conversion of the 2023 Notes, unless the result is anti-dilutive. This method assumes the conversion of the 2023 Notes into shares of our ordinary shares and reflects the elimination of the interest expense related to the 2023 Notes.


The dilutive effect of the warrants, stock options, RSU’srestricted stock units, preferred shares and ordinary shares expected to be issued under or ESPP has been calculated using the treasury stock method. The dilutive effect of the PSUs will be calculated using the treasury stock method, if and when the contingent vesting condition is achieved.


A reconciliation of basic and diluted net income (loss) income per share, together with the related shares outstanding in thousands for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, is as follows:   
Net (Loss) Income Per Share: 2018 2017 2016
       
Net (loss) income $(95,304) $68,271
 $(41,276)
       
Weighted average shares:  
  
  
Basic shares 37,325
 40,465
 41,248
Effect of dilutive securities—employee and director equity awards outstanding and 2023 Notes 

1,300


Diluted shares 37,325
 41,765
 41,248
       
Net (loss) income per share - basic $(2.55) $1.69
 $(1.00)
Net (loss) income per share - diluted $(2.55) $1.63
 $(1.00)
Net Income (Loss) Per Share:202020192018
Net income (loss)$7,028 $(33,226)$(95,304)
Weighted average shares:   
Basic shares52,996 37,403 37,325 
Effect of dilutive securities—employee and director equity awards outstanding1,945 
Diluted shares54,941 37,403 37,325 
Net income (loss) per share - basic$0.13 $(0.89)$(2.55)
Net income (loss) per share - diluted$0.13 $(0.89)$(2.55)
Potential commonordinary shares of 17,529, 6,368,14,915, 16,740, and 8,56417,529 were excluded from the calculation of weighted average shares for the years ended December 31, 2018, 20172020, 2019 and 2016,2018, respectively, because either their effect was considered to be anti-dilutive.anti-dilutive or they were related to shares from PSUs for which the contingent vesting condition had not been achieved. For the years ended December 31, 20182019 and 2016,2018, the effects of dilutive securities were entirely excluded from the calculation of net income (loss) income per share as a net loss was reported in these periods.




NOTE 20:23:Comprehensive (Loss) IncomeLoss
The following table shows the components of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) incomeloss for the twelve monthsyear ended December 31, net of immaterial tax effects:
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss:202020192018
Foreign currency translation adjustment:  
Beginning balance$(23,738)$(23,621)$(23,202)
Net other comprehensive income (loss)1,111 (117)(419)
Balance at December 31,$(22,627)$(23,738)$(23,621)
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities, net  
Beginning balance$932 $205 $(64)
Net other comprehensive income, net of $(202), $(43), $(18), tax, respectively644 727 269 
Balance at December 31,$1,576 $932 $205 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31,$(21,051)$(22,806)$(23,416)

-95-
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income: 2018 2017 2016
       
Foreign currency translation adjustment:  
  
  
Beginning balance $(23,202) $(23,336) $(22,312)
Net other comprehensive (loss) income (419) 134
 (1,024)
Balance at December 31, (23,621)
(23,202)
(23,336)
       
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities, net  
  
  
Beginning balance (64) (229) (345)
Net other comprehensive income, net of ($18), $28, $16, tax, respectively 269
 165
 116
Balance at December 31, 205

(64)
(229)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss at December 31, $(23,416)
$(23,266)
$(23,565)



NOTE 21:24:Company Operations by Product, Customer and Geographic Area
The Company hasWe have determined that we operate in one1 segment, the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, including controlled-release therapeutic products based on our proprietary polymer based technology. The Company’s Chief Operating Decision Maker is the interim CEO. The interim CEO reviews profit and loss information on a consolidated basis to assess performance and make overall operating decisions as well as resource allocations. All products are included in one1 segment because the Company’s products have similar economic and other characteristics, including the nature of the products and production processes, type of customers, distribution methods and regulatory environment. 
The following table presents a summary of total revenues by these products for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019, and 2016:2018: 

Revenue by Product: 2018 2017 2016 Revenue by Product:202020192018
      
Bloxiverz $20,850
 $45,596
 $82,896
Bloxiverz$2,201 $7,479 $20,850 
Vazculep 42,916
 38,187
 39,796
Vazculep10,429 33,152 42,916 
Akovaz 33,759
 80,617
 16,831
Akovaz9,545 18,642 33,759 
Noctiva 1,204
 
 
Other 2,694
 8,441
 7,699
Other159 (58)3,898 
Total product sales 101,423
 172,841
 147,222
Product salesProduct sales22,334 59,215 101,423 
License revenue 1,846
 404
 3,024
License revenue1,846 
Total revenues $103,269
 $173,245
 $150,246
Total revenues$22,334 $59,215 $103,269 
 
Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited due to the high credit quality comprising a significant portion of the Company’s customers. Management periodically monitors the creditworthiness of our customers and believes that we have adequately provided for any exposure to potential credit loss.



The following table presents a summary of total revenues by significant customer for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019, and 2016:2018: 
Revenue by Significant Customer: 2018 2017 2016
       
Customer A $26,794
 $44,762
 $51,648
Customer B 25,413
 37,965
 39,359
Customer C 18,620
 25,691
 30,916
Customer D 9,653
 53,342
 17,728
Others 20,943
 11,081
 7,571
Total product sales 101,423
 172,841
 147,222
License revenue 1,846
 404
 3,024
Total revenues $103,269
 $173,245
 $150,246
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had four customers, each of which are substantial wholesale distributors, and accounted for 10% or more of the accounts receivable balance. One customer accounted for 32%, or $3,571, a second customer accounted for 24% or $2,755, a third customer accounted for 24% or $2,789, and a fourth customer accounted for 10% or $1,174. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had no significant past due account receivable balances.
Revenue by Significant Customer:202020192018
McKesson Corporation$5,758 $14,900 $26,794 
Cardinal Health5,155 15,088 25,413 
AmerisourceBergen3,155 12,059 18,620 
QuVa Pharma3,117 3,252 2,788 
Others5,149 13,916 27,808 
Product sales22,334 59,215 101,423 
License revenue1,846 
Total revenues$22,334 $59,215 $103,269 
The following table summarizes revenues by geographic region for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019, and 2016:2018:
Revenue by Geographic Region: 2018 2017 2016Revenue by Geographic Region:202020192018
  
  
  
   
United States $101,423
 $172,841
 $147,283
U.S.U.S.$22,334 $59,215 $101,423 
Ireland 1,846
 404
 2,963
Ireland1,846 
Total revenues $103,269
 $173,245
 $150,246
Total revenues$22,334 $59,215 $103,269 
Currently, we depend on a single contract manufacturing organization for the manufacture of Bloxiverz, Vazculep and Noctiva and twoare working with contract manufacturing organizations for the manufacture of Akovaz, from which we derive a majority of our revenues.FT218. Additionally, we purchase certain raw materials used in our productsFT218 from a limited number of suppliers, including a single supplier for certain key ingredients.


-96-


Non-monetary long-lived assets primarily consist of property and equipment, goodwill, intangible assets and intangible assets.operating right-of use-assets. The following table summarizes non-monetary long-lived assets by geographic region as of December 31, 2018, 2017,2020, 2019, and 2016:2018:
Long-lived Assets by Geographic Region: 2018 2017 2016Long-lived Assets by Geographic Region:202020192018
  
  
  
   
United States $27,761
 $116,536
 $42,021
U.S.U.S.$20,424 $22,254 $27,761 
France 1,365
 2,257
 2,524
France11 196 1,365 
Ireland 6,028
 1,360
 202
Ireland6,047 7,244 6,028 
Total $35,154
 $120,153
 $44,747
Total$26,482 $29,694 $35,154 

NOTE 22:25:Related Party Transactions
In March 2012, the Company acquired allAs noted in Note 4: Disposition of the membership interests of Éclat fromHospital Products, we were party to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement by and among us, Avadel Legacy, Breaking Stick Holdings, L.L.C.LLC, Deerfield Private Design International II, L.P. (“Breaking Stick”, formerly Éclat Holdings), an affiliate of Deerfield Capital L.P (“Deerfield”International”), a significant shareholder of the Company. At December 31, 2018, the remaining consideration obligation for this transaction consisted of commitments to make earnout payments to Breaking Stick of 20% of any gross profit generated by certain Éclat products (the “Products”). Breaking Stick is majority owned by Deerfield, with a minority interest owned by certain current and former employees. The Company entered into a Security Agreement dated March 13, 2012 with Breaking Stick, whereby Breaking Stick was granted a security interest in various tangible and intangible assets related to the Products to secure the obligations of Éclat and Avadel US Holdings, Inc., including the full and prompt payment of royalties to Breaking Stick under the Royalty Agreement.
As part of a February 2013 debt financing transaction conducted with Deerfield Management, Éclat entered into a Royalty Agreement with Horizon Santé FLML, Sarl and Deerfield Private Design Fund II, L.P., both affiliates (“Deerfield Fund”) and Horizon Santé FLML, Sarl (“Horizon”) (the “Deerfield MIPA”) and a Royalty Agreement by and among us, Avadel Legacy, the Deerfield Fund and Horizon (the “Deerfield Royalty Agreement”). In connection with the closing of the sale of the Hospital Products, the Deerfield Entities (together, “Deerfield PDF/Horizon”). TheMIPA (with respect to certain sections thereof) and the Royalty Agreement provides for the Company to pay Deerfield PDF/Horizon 1.75% of the net sales of the Products sold by the Company and any of our affiliates until December 31, 2024, with royalty payments


paid in arrears for each calendar quarter during the term of the Royalty Agreement. The Company has also entered into a Security Agreement dated February 4, 2013 with Deerfield PDF/Horizon, whereby Deerfield PDF/Horizon was granted a security interest in the various tangible and intangible assets relatedwere assigned to the ProductsExela Buyer. Pursuant to secure the Purchase Agreement, the Exela Buyer assumed and will pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Éclat and Avadel US Holdings, Inc., including the full and prompt payment of royalties to Deerfield PDF/HorizonLegacy under the Deerfield Royalty Agreement.Agreement for obligations that arise after the Closing date.
As part ofWe were also party to a December 2013 debt financing transaction conducted withRoyalty Agreement by and between us, Avadel Legacy and Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund, (“Broadfin”), the Company also entered into a Royalty Agreement with Broadfin, a significant shareholder of the Company, dated as of December 3, 2013Ltd. (the “Broadfin Royalty Agreement”). Pursuant toIn connection with the closing of the sale of the Hospital Products, the Broadfin Royalty Agreement the Company is required to pay a royalty of 0.834% on the net sales of certain products sold by the Company and any of our affiliates until December 31, 2024 with royalty payments paid in arrears for each calendar quarter during the term of the Royalty Agreement. The Company has also entered into a Security Agreement dated December 3, 2013 with Broadfin, whereby Broadfin was granted a security interest in the various tangible and intangible assets relatedassigned to the Products to secureExela Buyer and the Exela Buyer assumed and shall pay, perform, satisfy and discharge the liabilities and obligations of Éclat and Avadel US Holdings, Inc., including the full and prompt payment of royalties to BroadfinLegacy under the Broadfin Royalty Agreement.Agreement for obligations that arise after the Closing Date.
The Company entered into an agreement dated February 5, 2016 to acquire FSC Holdings, LLC (“FSC”), a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to providing innovative solutions to unmet medical needs for pediatric patients, from Deerfield CSF, LLC, a Deerfield Management company (“Deerfield”), a related party.
Under the terms of the February 5, 2016 acquisition of FSC, which was completed on February 8, 2016, the Company was to pay $1,050 annually for five years with a final payment in January 2021 of $15,000 for a total of $20,250 to Deerfield for all of the equity interests in FSC. The Company willwould also pay Deerfield a 15% royalty per annum on net sales of the current FSC products, up to $12,500 for a period not exceeding ten years. These obligations were assumed by Cerecor in connection with the divestiture of the Company’s pediatric products on February 16, 2018. In connection with the divestiture, the Company provided their guarantee2018, as noted in favor of Deerfield and in return, Armistice Capital Master Fund, Inc., the majority shareholder of Cerecor, guaranteed to the Company the payment by Cerecor of the Assumed Obligations mentioned in Note 16:18: Divestiture of the Pediatric Assets.See Note 16 for further discussion around

Deerfield and Broadfin disposed of their 2023 Notes and ordinary shares in the divestiture.

NOTE 23:Subsequent Events
Corporate Restructuring. In February 2019, Avadel announced a corporate restructuring in order to focus efforts and resources onCompany during the clinical development of FT218. In conjunction with the restructuring, Avadel will reduce its workforce by more than 50%, and Specialty Pharma made a voluntary filing for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on February 6, 2019. As noted above, Specialty Pharma is a special-purpose entity and wholly-owned subsidiary responsible solely for the sales, marketing and distribution of Noctiva. These restructuring actions were taken to exit Noctiva™ quickly and efficiently, and are not expected to materially impact any other aspect of the Company’s business, including the ability to operate its sterile injectables hospital business, complete the FT218 Phase 3 clinical trial, and complete development of the Company’s fourth UMD product. The Company estimates that it will incur approximately $10 to $15 million of one-time pre-tax charges for severance and other costs related to the restructuring.
For the yearsyear ended December 31, 20182020 and 2017, the Company generated sales of $1,204 and $0, respectively, and incurred selling, general and administrative expenses of $62,268 and $13,536, respectively and research and development expenses of $2,782 and $1,688, respectively,are no longer considered related to the Noctiva product.parties.



-97-






REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc
Dublin, Ireland
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, the related consolidated statements of (loss) income (loss), comprehensive (loss) income shareholders'(loss), shareholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows, for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018,2020, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 20182020 and 2017,2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018,2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018,2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 15, 20199, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Presentation of the Gain on Sale of Hospital Products - Refer to Note 4 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

On June 30, 2020, the Company announced the sale of its sterile injectable drugs used in the hospital setting (the “Hospital Products”), including its three commercial products, Akovaz, Bloxiverz, and Vazculep, as well as Nouress, which is approved by the FDA to Exela Sterile Medicines LLC (the “Exela Buyer”) pursuant to an asset purchase agreement between Avadel U.S. Holdings, Inc, Avadel Legacy Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Exela Holdings Inc., and the Exela Buyer.

We identified the presentation and disclosure of the sale of the Hospital Products as a critical audit matter due to the significant amount of judgement by management when evaluating the quantitative and qualitative factors to determine whether the criteria for presentation and disclosure as a discontinued operation had been met. This required a high degree of auditor judgement, an increased extent of effort, and the use of professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in performing audit procedures to evaluate management’s presentation and disclosure of the gain on sale of the Hospital Products.



-98-


How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures related to the gain on sale of the Hospital Products included the following, among others:

We tested the effectiveness of controls over management’s review of the transaction, including their evaluation of whether the sale met the criteria for discontinued operations.

With the assistance of professionals with specialized skill and knowledge, we evaluated management’s assessment of the discontinued operations criteria, including the quantitative and qualitative factors surrounding the qualification for discontinued operations treatment.

We evaluated the accuracy and completeness of management’s disclosure for the disposition of the Hospital Products.

/s/ Deloitte and Touche LLP
St. Louis, Missouri  
March 15, 20199, 2021  


We have served as the Company's auditor since 2016.



-99-



REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc
Dublin, Ireland
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2018,2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018,2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018,2020, of the Company and our report dated March 15, 20199, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.


/s/ Deloitte and Touche LLP
St. Louis, Missouri
March 15, 20199, 2021












-100-


Item 9.         Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Not applicable.

Item 9A.Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As required by Rule 15d -15(b) of the Exchange Act, we have evaluated, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that as of the end of the period covered by this report our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
The Company’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018.2020. In making this assessment, the Company’s management used the criteria set forth in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, management concluded that, as of December 31, 2018,2020, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective based on those criteria.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no other changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined by Rule 13a-15(f)) that occurred during the year ended December 31, 20182020 that have materially affected the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. We continue to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to monitor the impact on the design and operating effectiveness of our internal controls.


Item 9B.     Other Information.
Not applicable.




-101-


PART III
Certain information required by Part III is omitted from this Annual Report on Form 10-K because we intend to file our definitive proxy statement for our 20192021 annual general meeting of shareholders pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (our “Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement”), not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and certain information to be included in our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference. 


Item 10.     Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Information regarding Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance is hereby incorporated by reference to our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2018.2020. 


Item 11.     Executive Compensation.
Information regarding Executive Compensation is hereby incorporated by reference to our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2018.2020. 


Item 12.     Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Information regarding Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters is hereby incorporated by reference to our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2018.2020. 


Item 13.     Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Information regarding Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence is hereby incorporated by reference to our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2018.2020. 


Item 14.     Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Information regarding Principal Accountant Fees and Services is hereby incorporated by reference to our Definitive 20192021 Proxy Statement, which we intend to file with the SEC within 120 days after December 31, 2018.2020. 

-102-



PART IV
 
Item 15.     Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)Documents filed as part of this report:
1.
Financial Statements
(a)Documents filed as part of this report:
1.    Financial Statements
See Item 8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of Part II of this Report.
2.
2.    Financial Statement Schedules
Financial Statement Schedules
See below for Schedule II: Valuation and Qualifying Accounts. All other schedules are omitted as they are not applicable, not required or the information is included in the consolidated financial statements or related notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Schedule II
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
(In thousands) 
Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance:Balance,
Beginning of Period
Additions
(a)
Deductions
(b)
Other Changes
(c)
Balance,
End of Period
2020$17,037 $2,805 $$1,782 $21,624 
2019$21,199 $6,496 $(4,762)$(5,896)$17,037 
2018$15,354 $6,089 $(75)$(169)$21,199 
Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance: 
Balance,
Beginning of Period
 
Additions
(a)
 
Deductions
(b)
 
Other Changes
(c)
 
Balance,
End of Period
           
2018 $15,354
 $6,089
 $(75) $(169) $21,199
2017 $7,599
 $391
 $(664) $8,028
 $15,354
2016 $45,516
 $6,873
 $(42,417) $(2,373) $7,599
a.Additions to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance relate to movements on certain French, Irish and U.S. deferred tax assets where we continue to maintain a valuation allowance until sufficient positive evidence exists to support reversal.
a.Additions to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance relate to movements on certain French, Irish and U.S. deferred tax assets where we continue to maintain a valuation allowance until sufficient positive evidence exists to support reversal.
b.Deductions to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance include movements relating to utilization and removal of net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards, release in valuation allowance and other movements including adjustments following finalization of tax returns.
c.Other changes to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance including currency translation adjustments recorded directly in equity and account method changes.
b.Deductions to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance include movements relating to utilization of net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards, release in valuation allowance and other movements including adjustments following finalization of tax returns.
c.Other changes to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance including currency translation adjustments recorded directly in equity, account method changes and the impact of corporate restructuring.
3. Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K
The information required by this Section (a)(3) of Item 15 is set forth on the exhibit index that follows the Signatures page of this Form 10-K.
Index to Exhibits
Exhibit NumberExhibit Description
Exhibit Number3.1Exhibit Description
3.1
4.1
4.2


3.2
4.3
4.4
4.54.1
10.1
-103-


10.2*4.2
10.34.3
10.4
10.5*
10.6*
10.7
10.8*
10.9
10.10


10.114.4
10.1210.1*
10.13*
10.14*
10.1510.2
10.16
10.17
10.18‡
10.19‡
10.20
10.21‡
10.22‡
10.23‡
10.24‡


10.25‡10.3‡
10.26‡10.4‡
10.2710.5‡
10.28‡
10.29‡10.6‡
10.30‡10.7‡
10.3110.8
10.32
10.9‡
10.33‡
10.34‡10.10‡
10.35‡
10.36‡
10.37‡
10.38*


10.39*10.11
10.40*
10.41
10.42
10.43*10.12*
-104-


10.44*10.13*
10.45*
10.46*10.14*
10.4710.15#
10.48‡10.16
10.17*#
10.4910.18‡
14.110.19‡
14.1
14.2


21.1
23.1
31.1
31.2
32.1
32.2
101.INSXBRL Instant Document
101.SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
-105-


101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document
101.PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
* Confidential treatment has been requested for the redacted portions of this agreement. A complete copy of the agreement, including the redacted portions, has been filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
# The representations and warranties contained in this agreement were made only for purposes of the transactions contemplated by the agreement as of specific dates and may have been qualified by certain disclosures between the parties and a contractual standard of materiality different from those generally applicable under securities laws, among other limitations. The representations and warranties were made for purposes of allocating contractual risk between the parties to the agreement and should not be relied upon as a disclosure of factual information relating to the Company, the Investors or the transaction described in the Current Report on Form 8-K.

Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement filed pursuant to Item 15(b) of Form 10-K.
(1) This certification accompanies the Form 10-K to which it relates, is not deemed filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (whether made before or after the date of the Form 10-K), irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.


  




-106-


SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
Avadel Pharmaceuticals PLCplc
Dated: March 15, 20199, 2021By:/s/ Gregory J. Divis
Name:   Gregory J. Divis
Title:    Interim    Chief Executive Officer
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of each of Geoffrey M. Glass, Eric J. Ende, Kevin Kotler,Mark A. McCamish, MD, Ph.D., Linda S. Palczuk, Craig R. Stapleton and Peter Thornton, by their respective signatures below, irrevocably constitutes and appoints Gregory J. Divis and Phillandas T. Thompson,Thomas S. McHugh, and each of them individually acting alone without the other, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this report, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


SignatureTitleDate
/s/ Gregory J. DivisDirector, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive OfficerMarch 9, 2021
Gregory J. Divis
/s/ Thomas S. McHughChief Financial Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting OfficerMarch 9, 2021
Thomas S. McHugh
/s/ Geoffrey M. GlassNon-Executive Chairman of the Board and DirectorMarch 9, 2021
Geoffrey M. Glass
/s/ Dr. Eric J. EndeDirectorMarch 9, 2021
Dr. Eric J. Ende
/s/ Mark A. McCamish, MD, Ph.D.DirectorMarch 9, 2021
Mark A. McCamish, MD, Ph.D.
SignatureTitleDate
/s/ Gregory J. DivisInterim Chief Executive Office (Principal Executive Officer)March 15, 2019
Gregory J. Divis
/s/ Michael F. KananChief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)March 15, 2019
Michael F. Kanan
/s/ David P. GuskyCorporate Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)March 15, 2019
David P. Gusky
/s/ Geoffrey M. GlassNon-Executive Chairman of the Board and DirectorMarch 15, 2019
Geoffrey M. Glass
/s/ Dr. Eric J. EndeDirectorMarch 15, 2019
Dr. Eric J. Ende
/s/ Kevin KotlerDirectorMarch 15, 2019
Kevin Kotler
/s/ Linda S. PalczukDirectorMarch 15, 20199, 2021
Linda S. Palczuk
/s/ Craig R. StapletonDirectorMarch 15, 2019
Craig R. Stapleton
/s/ Peter ThorntonDirectorMarch 15, 20199, 2021
Peter Thornton

-108--107-