liquid glucagon formulations. Under the terms of the agreement, Aegis will prepare, file, prosecute and maintain patents and patent applications that are specific to our stable glucagon presentations in jurisdictions that we may designate from time to time.
Our pending patent applications, those we may file in the future, or those we may license from third parties, may not result in patents being issued. If patents do not issue with claims encompassing our products, our competitors may develop and market similar or identical products that compete with ours. Even if patents are issued, they may not provide us with proprietary protection or competitive advantages against competitors with similar technology. Failure to obtain effective patent protection for our technology and products may reduce demand for our products and prevent us from establishing collaborative relationships on favorable terms.
The individual active and inactive ingredients in our ultra-rapid-acting insulin formulations and our stable glucagon presentations have been known and used for many years and, therefore, are no longer subject to patent protection, except in proprietary combinations. Accordingly, our patent and pending applications are directed to the particular formulations of these ingredients in our products, and to their use. Although we believe our formulations and their uses are or will be patented and provide a competitive advantage, our patents may not prevent others from marketing formulations using the same active and inactive ingredients in different combinations.
We also rely on trade secrets, know-how and technology, which are not protected by patents, to maintain our competitive position. We try to protect this information by entering into confidentiality agreements with parties that have access to it, such as potential corporate partners, collaborators, employees and consultants. Any of these parties may breach the agreements and disclose our confidential information or our competitors may learn of the information in some other way. Furthermore, others may independently develop similar technologies or duplicate any technology that we have developed. If any trade secret, know-how or other technology not protected by a patent were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor, our business and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
The laws of many foreign countries do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as do the laws of the United States. Accordingly, the fact that we have obtained certain patent rights in the United States does not guarantee that we will be able to obtain the same or similar rights elsewhere. Even if we are granted patents in foreign countries, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to enforce our rights effectively.
We may become involved in lawsuits and administrative proceedings to protect, defend or enforce our patents that would be expensive and time-consuming.
In order to protect or enforce our patent rights, we may initiate patent litigation against third parties in the United States or in foreign countries. In addition, we may be subject to certain opposition proceedings conducted in patent and trademark offices challenging the validity of our patents and may become involved in future opposition proceedings challenging the patents of others. For example, in late July 2013, a third party initiated administrative proceedings to oppose two of our more recent patents that have been granted by the European Patent Office in connection with our ultra-rapid-acting insulin formulations. While an earlier issued European patent covers technologies fundamental to our ultra-rapid-acting insulin formulations, the more recent patents may offer additional protections against potential competitors. The defense of intellectual property rights, including patent rights, through lawsuits, interference or opposition proceedings, and other legal and administrative proceedings can be costly and can divert our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. Such costs increase our operating losses and reduce our resources available for development activities. An adverse determination of any litigation or defense proceedings could put one or more of our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could put our patent applications at risk of not issuing.
Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation. For example, during the course of this kind of litigation and despite protective orders entered by the court, confidential information may be inadvertently disclosed in the form of documents or testimony in connection with discovery requests, depositions or trial testimony. This disclosure could materially adversely affect our business and financial results.
Claims by other parties that we infringe or have misappropriated their proprietary technology may result in liability for damages, royalties, or other payments, or stop our development and commercialization efforts.
Competitors and other third parties may initiate patent litigation against us in the United States or in foreign countries based on existing patents or patents that may be granted in the future. Many of our competitors may have obtained patents covering products and processes generally related to our products and processes, and they may assert these patents against us. Moreover, there can be no assurance that these competitors have not sought or will not seek