Summary of Risks Associated with Our Business
An investment in our ordinary shares (including ordinary shares in the form of ADSs) involves numerous risks described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. You should carefully consider these risks before making a decision to invest in our securities. Key risks include, but are not limited to, the following:
⯀Risks Related to Our Business
⯀Our operating history, which has focused primarily on research and development and advancing the clinical trial program for NBTXR3, makes it difficult to assess our future prospects.
⯀We have not generated significant revenues and have incurred significant operating losses since our inception. While the amount of our future net losses will depend, in part, on the amount of our future operating expenses and our ability to obtain funding, we anticipate that we will continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future.
⯀Because each of our ongoing and contemplated clinical trials involves NBTXR3, we are heavily dependent on the successful development and commercialization this lead product candidate.
⯀We face significant competition in our discovery, development and commercialization activities from competitors who may have significantly greater resources than we do.
⯀The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting deterioration of worldwide economic conditions adversely impacts our business, financial condition, and operating results will depend on future developments, which are difficult to predict.
⯀We will require additional funding, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, and certain financing instruments—such as the finance contract for the EIB loan (as defined herein)—may impose certain restrictions on the operation of our business.
⯀Risks Related to the Development of Our Product Candidates
⯀Our product candidates must undergo clinical trials that are time-consuming and expensive, the outcomes of which are unpredictable and for which there is a high risk of failure, and which are susceptible under a variety of circumstances to additional costs, delays, suspensions and terminations.
⯀We rely on third parties to assist in our discovery, development, commercialization and manufacturing of our product candidates and issues relating to such third parties, or their activities, could result in additional costs and delays and hinder our research, development and commercialization prospects.
⯀In connection with collaboration agreements with third parties for the development and commercialization of our product candidates, we may be unable to identify suitable collaboration partners, and once a collaboration partner is secured, we have limited control over the attention that our commercialization partner devotes to our product candidates.
⯀Risks Related to Obtaining Regulatory Approval or Certification for Our Product Candidates
⯀Our business is governed by a rigorous, complex and evolving regulatory framework, including stringent clinical trial regulations, pre-marketing regulatory requirements, pricing, reimbursement and cost-containment regulations, and rigorous ongoing regulation of approved products. This regulatory framework results in significant compliance costs, makes the development and approval of our product candidates time intensive and unpredictable, and may reduce the ultimate economic value and prospects for our product candidates.
⯀A Fast Track or Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA may not lead to a faster development or regulatory review or approval process, and does not increase the likelihood that our product candidates will receive regulatory approval.
⯀Risks Related to the Production and Manufacturing of Our Product Candidates
⯀Because we depend on third parties for the supply of various materials that are necessary to produce our product candidates for clinical trials, the loss of key suppliers, the unavailability of raw materials, or disruptions in manufacturing processes could increase production costs or result in delays in our product development.
⯀Our and our subcontractors’ manufacturing facilities are subject to significant government regulations and approvals and any compliance failures could lead to significant delays in the availability of products for commercial sale or clinical trials, may result in the termination of or a hold on a clinical trial, or may delay or prevent filing or approval of marketing applications or the completion of pre-marketing certification procedures, as applicable, for our products.
⯀Risks Related to the Commercialization of Our Product Candidates
⯀Even if we successfully complete clinical trials for certain of our product candidates, those candidates may not be commercialized or achieve commercial success for a variety of reasons, including a lack of acceptance by the medical community, the imposition of post-marketing regulatory restrictions, the costs and burdens associated with post-marketing regulatory requirements, or unanticipated problems with our products following regulatory approval.
⯀If we are unable to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our product candidates, we may not be successful in commercializing those product candidates if and when they are approved or duly CE marked.
⯀Risks Related to Human Capital Management
⯀We may encounter difficulties in managing our development and expansion, including challenges associated with our ability to attract and retain executive management and supervisory board members as a U.S. public company.