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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies  
Commitments and Contingencies

 

Note 11. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Since October 1, 2015, three purported securities class action lawsuits have been commenced in the United States District Court for New Jersey, naming as defendants the Company, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and in one of the actions, its Chief Medical Officer. The lawsuits allege violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with allegedly false and misleading statements made by the Company related to the regulatory approval path for migalastat.  The plaintiffs seek, among other things, damages for purchasers of the Company’s Common Stock during different periods, all of which fall between March 19, 2015 and October 1, 2015. It is possible that additional suits will be filed, or allegations received from stockholders, with respect to similar matters and also naming the Company and/or its officers and directors as defendants. On May 26, 2016, the Court consolidated these lawsuits into a single action and appointed a lead plaintiff.  The lead plaintiff filed a Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint on July 11, 2016. On August 25, 2016, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss in response to the Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint.  This motion to dismiss was fully briefed on October 28, 2016 but has not been decided.  Lead plaintiff and defendants have reached an agreement in principal to fully and finally settle all claims asserted in the Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint.   On June 29, 2017, the Court granted preliminary approval to the settlement. In connection with the Court’s preliminary approval, the settlement amount was paid into the plaintiff’s fund. The settlement is immaterial to the Company’s consolidated financial statements and is subject to final court approval. A fairness hearing to determine whether the settlement will be approved is now scheduled to occur on November 9, 2017. The settlement amount was covered under insurance.

 

On or about March 3, 2016, a derivative lawsuit was filed by an Amicus shareholder purportedly on Amicus’ behalf in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, Chancery Division, against various officers and directors of the Company.  Amicus itself is named as a nominal defendant.  The derivative lawsuit alleges similar facts and circumstances as the three purported securities class action lawsuits described above and further alleges claims for breach of state law fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, and gross mismanagement based on allegedly false and misleading statements made by Amicus related to the regulatory approval path for migalastat HCl. The plaintiff seeks, among other things, to require the Amicus Board to take certain actions to reform its corporate governance procedures, including greater shareholder input and a provision to permit shareholders to nominate candidates for election to the Board, along with restitution, costs of suit and attorney’s fees. On February 7, 2017, the complaint was dismissed by the Court without prejudice.

 

These lawsuits and any other related lawsuits are subject to inherent uncertainties and the actual cost will depend upon many unknown factors. The outcome of the litigation is necessarily uncertain and we could be forced to expend significant resources in the defense of these suits, and we may not prevail.