On June 25, 2002, the Company announced we were discontinuing the development of peramivir, our investigational oral influenza neuraminidase inhibitor designed to treat and prevent influenza. After terminating the development of peramivir, the Company streamlined its operations, reducing its workforce from 75 employees to 45 employees in order to conserve its resources and provide a longer timeframe in which to advance its other programs. The Company invests its excess cash principally in U.S. marketable securities from a diversified portfolio of institutions with strong credit ratings and in U.S. government and agency bills and notes, and by policy, limits the amount of credit exposure at any one institution. These investments are generally not collateralized and mature within four years. The Company has not realized any losses from such investments. In addition, at June 30, 2002, approximately $10.6 million was invested in the Merrill Lynch Premier Institutional Fund, which invests primarily in commercial paper, U.S. government and agency bills and notes, corporate notes, certificates of deposit and time deposits. The Merrill Lynch Premier Institutional Fund is not insured. At June 30, 2002, our cash, cash equivalents and securities held-to-maturity were $41.8 million, a decrease of $11.2 million from December 31, 2001, principally due to the funding of current operations, which included the Phase III development of peramivir prior to the termination of this program in June 2002. We have financed some of our equipment purchases with lease lines of credit. We currently have a $500,000 general line of credit with our bank, secured by a pledge of $600,000 in marketable securities. There was nothing drawn against this line as of June 30, 2002. In July 2000, we renegotiated our lease for our current facilities, which will expire on June 30, 2010. We have an option to renew the lease for an additional five years at current market rates. The lease, as amended effective July 1, 2001 for an additional 7,200 square feet, requires us to pay monthly rent starting at $33,145 per month in July 2001 and escalating annually to a minimum of $47,437 per month in the final year, plus our pro rata share of operating expenses and real estate taxes in excess of base year amounts. As part of the lease, we have pledged a U.S. Treasury security deposited in escrow for the payment of rent and performance of other obligations specified in the lease. This pledged amount is currently $455,000, which will be decreased by $65,000 annually throughout the term of the lease. During 2000, we renovated our facilities to gain additional laboratory space, update our existing laboratories, and add a small good manufacturing practices (GMP) clean room. In addition, we updated our general office facility to provide for growth and efficiencies. The total cost of these changes, including furniture and laboratory equipment, was approximately $2.7 million. This phase of renovation was completed in December 2000. Another phase of renovation was completed in February 2002 for approximately $2.6 million to add two chemistry laboratories and purchase additional equipment. Currently, there are no plans for additional remodeling. As a result of the reduction in our staff during July 2002, we now have approximately 14,000 square feet of excess space we are currently attempting to sublease. At December 31, 2001, we had long-term operating lease obligations, which provide for aggregate minimum payments of $567,123 in 2002, $580,803 in 2003 and $594,897 in 2004. These obligations include the future rental of our operating facility. We plan to finance our needs principally from the following: |