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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
From time to time, the Company has been and may again become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of its business, including those related to patents, product liability and government investigations. Except as described below, the Company is not presently a party to any legal proceedings that it believes to be material, and is not aware of any pending or threatened litigation against the Company which it believes could have a material adverse effect on its business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows.

MyoScience Milestone Litigation

In August 2020, the Company and its subsidiary, Pacira CryoTech, Inc. (“Pacira CryoTech”), filed a lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Fortis Advisors LLC (“Fortis”), solely in its capacity as representative for the former securityholders of MyoScience, and certain other defendants, seeking declaratory judgment with respect to certain terms of the merger agreement for the MyoScience Acquisition (the “Merger Agreement”), specifically related to the achievement of certain milestone payments under the Merger Agreement. In addition, the Company and Pacira CryoTech sought general, special and compensatory damages against the other defendants related to breach of fiduciary duties in connection with the purported achievement of milestone payments under the Merger Agreement, and breach of the Merger Agreement and certain other agreements with the defendants. In October 2020, Fortis filed an answer and counterclaim against the Company and Pacira CryoTech seeking to recover certain milestone payments under the Merger Agreement. The total remaining value of these milestones is $30.0 million, plus attorneys’ fees. The Company believes that the counterclaim from Fortis is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against all claims. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this action at this time.

Pediatric Trial Commitments

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, as a condition of EXPAREL approval, has required the Company to study EXPAREL in pediatric patients, as well as the administration of EXPAREL as a nerve block in the pediatric setting. The Company was granted a deferral for the required pediatric trials until after the indications were approved in adults. Similarly, in Europe, the Company agreed with the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, on a Pediatric Investigation Plan as a prerequisite
for submitting a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in the E.U. Despite the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the E.U., the agreed pediatric plan will be applicable in the United Kingdom , or UK, as well.

In December 2019, the Company announced positive results for its extended pharmacokinetic and safety study (“PLAY”) for local analgesia in children aged six to 17 undergoing cardiovascular or spine surgeries. Those positive results were the basis for the submission of a supplemental New Drug Application, or sNDA, in the U.S. and Type II variations in the E.U. and UK to expand the EXPAREL label to include use in patients six years of age and older for single-dose infiltration to produce postsurgical local analgesia. In March 2021, the Company announced that the FDA approved the submission of the sNDA in the U.S. The EMA and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) are still reviewing the Type II variations.

The Company is working with the FDA, MAA and MHRA to finalize the regulatory pathway for its remaining pediatric commitments.

One-Time Termination Benefits

The Company has communicated to a select number of employees a commitment to provide one-time termination benefits in the event that a facility closure occurs. The Company is recognizing these expenses ratably over the remaining service period required. The Company currently estimates the total cost of these one-time benefits to be approximately $1.1 million. In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company has recognized $0.4 million in one-time termination charges, which are included in acquisition-related (gains) charges, product discontinuation and other in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.