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Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation

(1)    Nature of Business and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Business

Amarin Corporation plc (“Amarin” or the “Company”) is a biopharmaceutical company with expertise in lipid science focused on the commercialization and development of therapeutics to improve cardiovascular health.

The Company’s lead product, Vascepa® (icosapent ethyl) capsules, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for use as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe (TG >500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. Vascepa is available in the United States by prescription only. The Company began selling and marketing Vascepa in the United States in January 2013. The Company sells Vascepa principally to a limited number of major wholesalers, as well as selected regional wholesalers and specialty pharmacy providers, or collectively, its Distributors, that in turn resell Vascepa to retail pharmacies for subsequent resale to patients and health care providers. The Company markets Vascepa through its sales force of approximately 150 sales professionals, including sales representatives and their managers. In March 2014, the Company entered into a co-promotion agreement with Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. under which approximately 250 Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. sales representatives began to devote a substantial portion of their time to promoting Vascepa starting in May 2014 in conjunction with the promotion of Kowa Pharmaceutical America, Inc.’s primary product, a branded statin for patients with high cholesterol. The Company operates in one business segment.

The Company is also developing Vascepa for potential additional indications for use. In particular, the Company is conducting a cardiovascular outcomes study of Vascepa, titled REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA—Intervention Trial). The REDUCE-IT study, the results of which are currently blinded to the Company, is designed to evaluate the efficacy of Vascepa in reducing major cardiovascular events in a high risk patient population on statin therapy.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company and subsidiaries have been prepared on a basis which assumes that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The Company’s business operations are focused on the commercialization and development of Vascepa, which received approval from the FDA in 2012 and for which the Company commenced marketing and sales in 2013. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

At December 31, 2014, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $119.5 million. The Company’s consolidated balance sheets also include derivative liabilities as well as long term debt and exchangeable senior notes. The outstanding January 2012 exchangeable senior notes, or the 2012 Notes, and May 2014 exchangeable senior notes, or the 2014 Notes, may be redeemed on or after January 19, 2017 and January 19, 2019, respectively, at the option of the holders and it is not puttable by the holders prior to these dates except upon the occurrence of certain contingent events. The 2012 Notes are exchangeable under certain circumstances into cash, American Depository Shares, or ADSs, or a combination of cash and ADSs, at the Company’s election. The 2014 Notes are exchangeable under certain circumstances into ADSs. Accordingly, the warrant derivative liability, long term debt and exchangeable senior notes do not present a short term claim on the liquid assets of the Company.

The Company believes its cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund its projected operations for at least the next twelve months.