United States

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2017

or

☐  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                              to                              

Commission File Number: 000-23661

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(248) 960-9009

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year,

if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  ☒  Yes  ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  ☒  Yes  ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  ☐  Yes  ☒  No

APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

Rockwell Medical, Inc.

Index to Form 10-Q

Triferic® is a registered trademark of Rockwell Medical, Inc.

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.  Financial Statements

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016 

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017

(Unaudited)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016

(Unaudited)

Supplemental Cash Flow disclosure

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

Rockwell Medical, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

1.  Description of Business

Rockwell Medical, Inc. and Subsidiaries (collectively, “we”, “our”, “us”, or the “Company”) is a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company targeting end-stage renal disease and chronic kidney disease with innovative products for the treatment of iron deficiency, secondary hyperparathyroidism and hemodialysis. 

We are currently marketing and developing unique, proprietary renal drug therapies. These novel renal drug therapies support disease management initiatives to improve the quality of life and care of dialysis patients and are designed to deliver safe and effective therapy, while decreasing drug administration costs and improving patient convenience and outcome.  We have also obtained licenses for certain dialysis related drugs which we are developing and planning to market globally. 

We are also an established manufacturer and leader in delivering high-quality hemodialysis concentrates/dialysates to dialysis providers and distributors in the United States and abroad. We manufacture, sell and distribute hemodialysis concentrates and other ancillary medical products and supplies used in the treatment of patients with End Stage Renal Disease, or “ESRD”.  We supply our products to dialysis providers and distributors who treat patients with kidney disease.  Our concentrate products are used to remove waste and replace essential nutrients in the blood of dialysis patients during their hemodialysis treatment.  The majority of our sales occur in the United States.

We are regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the Federal Drug and Cosmetics Act, as well as by other federal, state and local agencies.  We hold several FDA product approvals including both drugs and medical devices.    

2.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

Our consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts for our wholly owned subsidiaries, Rockwell Transportation, Inc. and Rockwell Medical India Private Limited. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared using accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or “GAAP,” and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X as they apply to interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The balance sheet at December 31, 2016 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

In the opinion of our management, all adjustments have been included that are necessary to make the financial statements not misleading. All of these adjustments that are material are of a normal and recurring nature. Our operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. You should read our unaudited interim financial statements together with the financial statements and related footnotes for the year ended December 31, 2016 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 includes a description of our significant accounting policies.

Revenue Recognition

Our policy is to recognize revenue consistent with authoritative guidance for revenue recognition including the provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification.   We recognize revenue when all of the following criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) delivery (or passage of title) has occurred or services have been rendered, (iii) the seller's price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured.

Consistent with these guidelines we recognize revenue at the time we transfer title to our products to our customers which generally occurs when our products are delivered to our customer’s location consistent with our terms of sale.  We recognize revenue for international shipments when title has transferred consistent with standard terms of sale.

We apply judgment as we analyze each element of our contractual agreements to determine appropriate revenue recognition.  The terms of our contractual agreements may include milestone payments if specified research and development objectives are achieved, non-refundable licensing fees, milestone payments on sales or royalties from product sales.

When entering into an arrangement, we first determine whether the arrangement includes multiple deliverables and is subject to the accounting guidance in ASC subtopic 605-25, Multiple-Element Arrangements. If we determine that an arrangement includes multiple elements, we determine whether the arrangement should be divided into separate units of accounting and how the arrangement consideration should be measured and allocated among the separate units of accounting. An element qualifies as a separate unit of accounting when the delivered element has standalone value to the customer. Our arrangements do not include a general right of return relative to delivered elements. Any delivered elements that do not qualify as separate units of accounting are combined with other undelivered elements within the arrangement as a single unit of accounting. If the arrangement constitutes a single combined unit of accounting, we determine the revenue recognition method for the combined unit of accounting and recognize the revenue either on a straight-line basis or on a modified proportional performance method over the period from inception through the date the last deliverable within the single unit of accounting is delivered.

Non-refundable upfront license fees are recorded as deferred revenue and recognized into revenue over the estimated period of our substantive performance obligations. If we do not have substantive performance obligations, we recognize non-refundable upfront fees into revenue through the date the deliverable is satisfied. Analyzing the arrangement to identify deliverables requires the use of judgment and each deliverable may be an obligation to deliver services, a right or license to use an asset, or another performance obligation. In arrangements that include license rights and other non-contingent deliverables, such as participation in a steering committee, these deliverables do not have standalone value because the non-contingent deliverables are dependent on the license rights. That is, the non-contingent deliverables would not have value without the license rights, and only we can perform the related services. Upfront license rights and non-contingent deliverables, such as participation in a steering committee, do not have standalone value as they are not sold separately and they cannot be resold. In addition, when non-contingent deliverables are sold with upfront license rights, the license rights do not represent the culmination of a separate earnings process. As such, we account for the license and the non-contingent deliverables as a single combined unit of accounting. In such instances, the license revenue in the form of non-refundable upfront payments is deferred and recognized over the applicable relationship period.

For milestone payments based on sales and for royalties based on sales, we recognize revenue in the quarter that the information related to the sales becomes available and collectability is reasonably assured.

For international license agreements that we have entered into, deferred license revenue is being recognized over the term of the license agreement.

The initial payment of $20 million received pursuant to our long-term Exclusive Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Baxter Healthcare Corporation (“Baxter”) in October 2014 has been accounted for as deferred license revenue.   Deferred license revenue is being recognized based on the proportion of product shipments to Baxter in each period to total expected sales volume for the term of the agreement. See Note 4 to condensed consolidated financial statements for information related to the settlement of arbitration proceedings with Baxter. 

We recognize other revenues at the time the related fees and or payments are earned.

We require certain customers, mostly international customers, to pay for product prior to the transfer of title to the customer.  Deposits received from customers and payments in advance for orders are recorded as liabilities under Customer Deposits until such time as orders are filled and title transfers to the customer consistent with our terms of sale.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which will supersede the current revenue recognition requirements

in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.  The new guidance is effective for the year beginning January 1, 2018.  The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The Company is in the process of evaluating how the new revenue recognition standard could impact the financial statements and disclosures.  For the majority of our sales transactions, the new standard is not expected to significantly change the timing of revenue recognition.    The new standard could impact the timing of revenue recognition related to up-front and milestone payments for licensing agreements.  The new standard will also require expanded disclosures surrounding revenue in the notes to the financial statements. 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider cash on hand, money market funds, unrestricted certificates of deposit and short term marketable securities with an original maturity of 90 days or less as cash and cash equivalents.

Investments Available for Sale

Investments Available for Sale are short-term investments, consisting of investments in short term bond funds and in short term bonds and are stated at fair value based upon observed market prices (Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy).  The portfolio generally consists of high credit quality short term debt instruments.  These instruments are subject to changes in fair market value due primarily to changes in interest rates.  The fair value of these investments was $35,028,841 as of September 30, 2017.  Unrealized holding gains or losses on these securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Realized gains and losses, including declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included as a component of other income or expense. Gross unrealized losses were $76,399 and gross unrealized gains were $35,274 as of September 30, 2017.  There were realized gains of $57 and realized losses of $199,758 in the third quarter.  For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, there were realized gains of $57 and realized losses of $704,752. 

The Company has evaluated the near term interest rate environment and the expected holding period of the investments along with the duration of the fund portfolios in assessing the severity and duration of potential impairments. Based on that evaluation the Company does not consider those investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired at September 30, 2017.

Research and Product Development

We recognize research and product development expenses as incurred.  We incurred product development and research costs related to the commercial development, patent approval and regulatory approval of new products aggregating approximately $4.2 million and $4.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Share Based Compensation

We measure the cost of employee and non-employee services received in exchange for equity awards, including stock options, based on the grant date fair value of the awards in accordance with ASC 718-10, Compensation — Stock Compensation. The cost of equity based compensation is recognized as compensation expense over the vesting period of the awards.

We estimate the fair value of compensation involving stock options utilizing the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  This model requires the input of several factors such as the expected option term, expected volatility of our stock price over the expected option term, and an expected forfeiture rate, and is subject to various assumptions.  We believe the valuation methodology is appropriate for estimating the fair value of stock options we grant to employees and directors which are subject to ASC 718-10 requirements.  These amounts are estimates and thus may not be reflective of actual future results or amounts ultimately realized by recipients of these grants. 

Net Earnings Per Share

We computed our basic earnings (loss) per share using weighted average shares outstanding for each respective period.  Diluted earnings per share also reflect the weighted average impact from the date of issuance of all potentially dilutive securities, consisting of stock options and common share purchase warrants, unless inclusion would have had an anti-dilutive effect.  The calculation of basic weighted average shares outstanding excludes unvested restricted stock. Actual weighted average shares outstanding used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share were:

3.  Inventory

Components of inventory as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 are as follows:

As of September 30, 2017, we classified $1,494,175 of inventory as non-current all of which related to the active pharmaceutical ingredient for Triferic.

4.  Baxter Distribution Agreement

As of October 2, 2014, we entered into the Distribution Agreement with Baxter, pursuant to which Baxter became the Company’s exclusive agent for sales, marketing and distribution activities for the Company’s hemodialysis concentrate and ancillary products in the United States and various foreign countries for an initial term of 10 years.  The Distribution Agreement does not include any of the Company’s drug products.  The Company retains sales, marketing and distribution rights for its hemodialysis concentrate products in specified foreign countries in which the Company has an established commercial presence. 

On September 12, 2016, Baxter initiated an arbitration proceeding against Rockwell in accordance with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Inc.’s Rules for Non-Administered Arbitration under the Distribution Agreement alleging various breaches of the Distribution Agreement, and Rockwell counterclaimed alleging various breaches by Baxter.  On June 23, 2017, the Company and Baxter settled the arbitration (the “Settlement”). The Settlement included a mutual release with respect to all known claims existing on the date of the Settlement and the arbitration was dismissed with prejudice.  No payments were made by either party in connection with the Settlement.

In connection with the Settlement, on June 23, 2017, the Company and Baxter entered into a First Amendment to Exclusive Distribution Agreement and a First Amendment to Investment Agreement. The terms of the Settlement included, among other things, modified pricing that provides incentive to Baxter to pursue new customers and increase future sales.  Our Settlement with Baxter is not expected to have a material impact on our liquidity or results of operations.

Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto included elsewhere in this report. References in this report to the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” are references to Rockwell Medical, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Forward-Looking Statements

We make forward-looking statements in this report and may make such statements in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC.  We may also make forward-looking statements in our press releases or other public or shareholder communications.  Our forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and include information about our expectations and possible or assumed future results of our operations.  When we use words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “predict,” “forecast,” “projected,” “intend,” or similar expressions, or make statements regarding our intent, belief, or current expectations, we are making forward-looking statements.  Our forward looking statements also include, without limitation, statements about our competitors, statements regarding Triferic and Calcitriol, statements relating to our Settlement with Baxter and statements regarding our anticipated future financial condition, operating results, cash flows and business plans.

We claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for all of our forward-looking statements.  While we believe that our forward-looking statements are reasonable, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this report or, if made elsewhere, as of the date made.  Because these forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control or are subject to change, actual results could be materially different.  Factors that might cause such a difference include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties discussed in our quarterly report for the period ended June 30, 2017 under “Part II - Item 1A — Risk Factors” as modified in “Part II - Item 1A — Risk Factors” of this report, as well as the risks listed below:

Risks Related To Our Drug Business

Risks Related To Our Concentrate Business

Risks Related To Our Business As A Whole

Risks Related To Our Common Stock

    Other factors not currently anticipated may also materially and adversely affect our results of operations, cash flow and financial position.  There can be no assurance that future results will meet expectations.  We do not undertake and expressly disclaim any obligation to update or alter any statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Overview

Rockwell is a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company targeting end-stage renal disease and chronic kidney disease with innovative products and services for the treatment of iron deficiency, secondary hyperparathyroidism and hemodialysis. We are also an established manufacturer and leader in delivering high-quality hemodialysis concentrates/dialysates to dialysis providers and distributors in the United States and abroad. We supply approximately 25% of the United States domestic market with dialysis concentrates and we also supply dialysis concentrates to distributors serving a number of foreign countries, primarily in the Americas and the Pacific Rim.  Substantially all of our sales were concentrate products and related ancillary items.

Our business strategy is developing unique, proprietary renal drug therapies that we can commercialize or out-license, while also expanding our dialysis products business. These novel renal drug therapies support disease management initiatives to improve the quality of life and care of dialysis patients and are designed to deliver safe and effective therapy, while decreasing drug administration costs and improving patient convenience and outcome.

Triferic is our lead branded drug. We believe it has the potential to capture significant market share due to its improved clinical and cost-saving benefits. Triferic received FDA approval in 2015, and is the only FDA-approved therapy indicated to replace iron and maintain hemoglobin in adult hemodialysis patients. Triferic received a reimbursement J-code, effective January 1, 2016.  At about that time, we received clarification from CMS that Triferic would be included in the ESRD bundled payment which initiated our pursuit of separate reimbursement, which is available for new, innovative therapies. Although we cannot be certain, we believe that Triferic will receive separate reimbursement, which offers greater incentive for dialysis providers to adopt new, innovative therapies. 

We believe that Triferic will receive separate reimbursement as a result of our extensive efforts in working with policy makers. We have had in-depth discussions with high level officials within the current administration, key members of Congress, patient advocacy groups and other stakeholders regarding the merits of Triferic and why this innovative therapy should receive separate reimbursement, all of whom have been supportive of our efforts.  We have had meetings with the leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Upon their guidance, we have submitted a proposal to the Innovation Center at CMS.  Among other advantages, the proposal highlights the improved clinical benefits that Triferic provides to patients, as well as the significant cost savings Triferic delivers to both Medicare and dialysis providers.  Additionally, our key supporters in Congress and other influential agencies are encouraging CMS to immediately approve separate reimbursement for Triferic. We cannot predict the outcome or timing of the CMS review.

Until the separate reimbursement issue is resolved for Triferic, we do not anticipate realizing significant revenues from Triferic sales. In the meantime, we continue to make progress in marketing to and educating our customers about Triferic and the valuable benefit it delivers by improving patient outcomes and lowering costs. We also continue to provide Triferic to dialysis providers via a drug sample program, receiving favorable response to the positive clinical and cost saving benefits. Our marketing and selling efforts to nephrologists and nurses, as well as to patients, are effective and being received favorably. 

We have built significant inventory of Triferic in anticipation of receiving separate reimbursement.  If we are unable to successfully commercialize Triferic and achieve sufficient sales volumes over the next one to two years, we may have to write off a significant portion of our inventory investment in Triferic, which would have an adverse effect on our results of operations. As of September 30, 2017, we had $4.0 million of Triferic finished goods inventory that could expire within the next twelve months.  We reserved $0.6 million in the third quarter for specific Triferic API batches that were determined to be in excess of our expected requirements over the next year and for which there was no plan to convert the API into finished goods.    

Our global strategy is to license Triferic to key partners to commercialize internationally.  We are actively pursuing international licensing opportunities in a number of countries and regions.  Additionally, we are continuing development work on other clinical indications related to iron deficiency that address unmet patient needs and we are evaluating opportunities to in-license other products that will complement our product portfolio.        

We are also working to begin marketing Calcitriol, generic injectable vitamin-D, which is manufactured through contract manufacturing organizations (“CMOs”).  We received written notice from the FDA in October 2017 that the FDA needed additional time to review the data submitted by us supporting Calcitriol. The notice contained no indication by FDA of any deficiency with the data submitted.  We expect to begin marketing Calcitriol in the first quarter of 2018 assuming FDA approval of the submission.

Rockwell sells its dialysis concentrates in the United States and certain foreign markets under the Distribution Agreement with Baxter.  Rockwell receives a pre-defined gross profit margin on its concentrate products sold pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, subject to an annual true-up of costs. As discussed in more detail in Note 4 to the condensed consolidated financial statements, Baxter and Rockwell settled their contractual dispute and, as part of their settlement, modified pricing that provides incentive to Baxter to pursue new customers and increase future sales.  The Settlement with Baxter is not expected to have a material impact on our liquidity or results of operations.

Results of Operations for the Three Months and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 and September 30, 2016

Sales

Our sales in the third quarter of 2017 were $14.6 million, $1.8 million or 14.1%  higher than the third quarter of 2016. The increase was primarily due to higher domestic concentrate sales of $1.6 million which was primarily due to volume growth with our domestic customers.  Invoicing for pass through delivery costs to Baxter increased approximately $0.6 million due to volume growth and increased expenses compared to the third quarter of 2016.  Our international sales were $0.2 million higher than the third quarter of 2016.  Revenue recognized from licensing fees was the same as the third quarter of 2016.

Our sales in the first nine months of 2017 were $42.5 million, an increase of $2.6 million or 6.4% over the first nine months of 2016.  Our domestic concentrate sales increased $2.4 million or 6.9% over the first nine months of 2016 primarily due to increased sales volumes and additional pass through billings for delivery services to Baxter.  Our international sales were $0.2 million higher than the first nine months of 2016.     Our drug business revenue was not significant in the first nine months of 2017 or 2016. 

Gross Profit

Gross profit in the  third quarter of 2017 was $1.1million compared to $1.6 million in the third quarter of 2016.

Gross profit margins were 7.3 % in the third quarter of 2017 compared to 12.3% in the third quarter of 2016.   Our concentrate gross profit decreased $0.2 million due to lower pricing resulting from modifications to our contractual terms with Baxter.  Our net drug business costs were approximately $0.3 million higher than the third quarter of 2016. Our drug business costs in the third quarter included inventory reserves of $0.7 million for inventory that was expected to be surplus to our requirements.

 Gross profit in the first nine months of 2017 was $4.9 million, an increase of $0.1 million or 3.4% over the first nine months of 2016.  Gross profit margins were 11.6 % compared to 11.9% in the first nine months of 2016.  The gross profit increase was primarily due to lower costs of $0.5 million related to our drug business operations for regulatory fees and value add taxes paid in connection with our execution of the Wanbang license agreement and partially offset by inventory reserves for surplus product.  The increase in gross profit was partially offset by lower gross profit on the concentrate business of $0.4 million.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administrative expense during the third quarter of 2017 was $4.8 million compared to $5.1 million in the third quarter of 2016.  The $0.3 million expense decrease was primarily due to lower equity compensation expenses of $0.9 million which was partially offset by higher legal costs, expenses related to shareholder activist activities and the contested 2017 annual meeting of $0.5 million.

Selling, general and administrative expense during the first nine months of 2017 was $17.4 million compared to $15.1 million in the first nine months of 2016.   The $2.3 million increase was primarily due to higher legal and professional costs relating to pending litigation,  the Settlement with Baxter and the contested 2017 annual meeting.  Equity compensation costs decreased by $1.8 million compared to the first nine months of 2016, partially offset by higher compensation and benefit costs of $0.5 million.  Marketing costs for Triferic increased $0.4 million compared to the first nine months of 2016.

Research and Product Development Expense

We incurred product development and research costs related to the commercial development, patent approval and regulatory approval of new products, primarily Triferic, aggregating approximately $1.3 million and $1.3 million in the third quarter of 2017 and 2016, respectively. Research and product development costs incurred in the first nine months of 2017 and 2016 were $4.2 million and $4.6 million, respectively, and were largely related to Triferic testing and development costs for use in other clinical indications and delivery presentations.

Interest and Investment Income, Net

Our net interest and investment income in the third quarter of 2017 was $0.2 million less than the third quarter of 2016 due to the repositioning of holdings in our short term bond portfolio in response to market changes.  For the first nine months of 2017, we incurred a loss of $0.2 million compared to interest income of $0.6 million in the first nine months of 2016.  

Income Tax Expense

We recognized no income tax expense in the third quarter of 2017 or 2016.  We recognized no income tax expense in the first nine months of 2017 compared to approximately $0.4 million in income tax expense in the first nine months of 2016, which pertained to foreign income taxes paid related to license payments received under the Wanbang license agreement.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We believe we have adequate capital resources and liquidity to pursue our business strategy. In addition to operating our concentrate business, our strategy is centered on developing, marketing and licensing high potential drug products including Triferic.

As of September 30, 2017, we had current assets of $61.2 million and net working capital of $53.6 million. We have approximately $38.9 million in cash and investments as of September 30, 2017. Our uses of cash have primarily been for research and product development, investments in inventory to support our drug product launches and for operating expenses.  Cash used in operating activities was $16.3 million in the first nine months of 2017, which included research and development expenses of $4.2 million and an increase of $2.4 million in inventory levels. We increased our Triferic  inventory over the last year in preparation for commercializing Triferic and believe we have adequate inventory to meet anticipated requirements.  We have classified $1.5 million of Triferic’s active pharmaceutical ingredient as non-current inventory as of September 30, 2017 based on expected Triferic demand and production plans during 2018.   The amount of non-current API  inventory declined from the second quarter of 2017 primarily as a result of the conversion of API into finished goods during the third quarter. 

We anticipate that we will increase our accounts receivable as we increase our drug product sales and we may also increase inventories to a more modest degree as we commercialize Triferic and Calcitriol. We also expect to continue investing in research and product development, such as clinical testing in connection with peritoneal dialysis, an orphan drug indication, pediatric indications and certain other indications, as we work to expand potential uses for Triferic.  Future spending on such indications is expected to be minor in relation to the Company’s cash resources. We believe that we have adequate capital resources to make these investments in accounts receivable, inventory and research and product development. We expect to generate positive cash flow from operations when our drug products generate substantial sales. 

We have no long term debt as of September 30, 2017 and do not expect to incur interest expense in 2017.  Capital expenditures on our current facilities are not expected to materially exceed depreciation expense.  Our capital expenditures were $0.7 million in the first nine months of 2017 compared to $0.3 million in the first nine months of 2016.    We paid $2.3 million in withholding taxes in connection with restricted stock that vested in 2017 and for which we received common shares to be retired from the holders in accordance with the terms of the grants.

 The Company is in discussions with multiple potential business development partners to out‑license rights to Rockwell’s drug products outside the United States. Such licensing arrangements often include upfront fees, developmental milestone payments and royalties. If such licensing arrangements are negotiated for certain markets, we may receive such consideration in the future in addition to that which we are already entitled to receive under existing agreements.  We are also considering other business development arrangements including joint ventures, partnerships and other transactions related to our products or other future products that we may develop or license.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Interest Rate Risk

We have invested $35.0 million in available for sale securities that are invested in short term bonds and short term bond funds which typically yield higher returns than the interest realized in money market funds. While these bonds and bond funds hold bonds of short duration, their market value is affected by changes in interest rates. Increases in interest rates will reduce the market value of bonds held and we may incur unrealized losses from the reduction in market value of the bonds. If we sell some or all of our positions, those unrealized losses may result in realized losses which may or may not exceed the interest and dividends earned from those funds. However, due to the short duration of our portfolio of holdings, we do not believe that a hypothetical 100 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates will have a material impact on the value of our investments.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk

Our international business is conducted in U.S. dollars. It has not been our practice to hedge the risk of appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the predominant currencies of our trading partners. We have no significant foreign currency exposure to foreign supplied materials, and an immediate 10% strengthening or weakening of the U.S. dollar would not have a material impact on our shareholders’ equity or net income.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Rule 13a-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed in our reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required financial disclosure.  In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, we recognized that a control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.  Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within a company have been detected.  Management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures.  Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective, at the reasonable assurance level, as of the end of the period covered by this report.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) during the most recently completed fiscal quarter that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION 

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

Richmond/Ravich Litigation

On March 8, 2017, Rockwell filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Richmond Brothers, Inc. and certain related entities, David S. Richmond, Mark H. Ravich and certain related trusts, and Matthew J. Curfman (“Richmond/Ravich Defendants”), and three individual Rockwell shareholders: Jay F. Joliat, Chris

Paxos, and David Hagelstein (together with the “Richmond/Ravich Defendants,” the “Rockwell Shareholders”).  Since then, Rockwell voluntarily dismissed its claims against two of the individual shareholders, Chris Paxos and David Hagelstein.  Rockwell’s complaint alleges that the Rockwell Shareholders failed to timely file a Schedule 13D and that a Schedule 13G and Schedules 13D filed by the Richmond/Ravich Defendants contained various material misstatements and omissions, in violation of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The complaint seeks declaratory and injunctive relief relating to these alleged violations, including requiring the Rockwell Shareholders to file new or amended Schedules 13D disclosing the proper date of their shareholder group’s formation and providing accurate information about the group’s membership and activities, and issuing a declaratory judgment finding that the Rockwell Shareholders violated Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.  

On June 28, 2017, the Court denied the Richmond/Ravich Defendants’ motion to dismiss this case, in which Defendant Jay F. Joliat had joined.  On August 24, 2017, the Richmond/Ravich Defendants answered the Complaint, and Defendant Mark H. Ravich asserted counterclaims against Rockwell alleging that he was denied access to corporate books, not properly notified of a Board of Directors meeting, and that certain settlement agreements with Baxter Healthcare Corporation (“Baxter”) and former Defendant David Hagelstein violate Michigan law.  Defendant Ravich also asserted claims against Baxter and Mr. Hagelstein as third party “relief” defendants.  On September 19, 2017, Rockwell moved for leave to amend the Complaint to add allegations regarding misstatements in the Richmond/Ravich Defendants’ Schedule 13(d) concerning the voting power of Richmond Brothers, Inc. and Mr. Richmond.  The Richmond/Ravich Defendants have opposed this Motion.  On September 28, 2017, Rockwell moved to dismiss Counts II-IV of Defendant Ravich’s Counterclaims.  The hearing on Rockwell’s Motion to Dismiss is scheduled for December 13, 2017.  The parties are currently engaged in discovery, with the trial in this case set for July 2018.

Other Proceedings

We are involved in certain other legal proceedings from time to time before various courts and governmental agencies. We cannot predict the final disposition of such proceedings. We regularly review legal matters and record provisions for claims that are considered probable of loss. The resolution of these pending proceedings is not expected to have a material effect on our operations or consolidated financial statements in the period in which they are resolved.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The Company has determined that its Triferic patent expiring in 2029 provides sufficient protection of the Company’s interest in Triferic and that it is in the Company’s best interest to no longer pursue an extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act of the earlier Triferic patents as to which it has a license.  As a result, the Company has withdrawn its election under the Hatch-Waxman Act and those patents have now expired.  In light of these actions, the risk factor entitled “If we do not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Act to extend patent protection for Triferic, our drug business may not reach its full potential.” is no longer a material risk.  In addition, as set forth below, the Company has expanded the risk factor entitled “Defending our intellectual property rights could be expensive, we may not always be successful in protecting our exclusive rights and we could be prevented from selling products, forced to pay damages and compelled to defend against litigation if we infringe the rights of a third party.” 

Defending our proprietary rights could be expensive, we may not always be successful in protecting our intellectual property, licenses and other proprietary rights and we could be prevented from selling products, forced to pay royalties and damages and compelled to defend against litigation if we infringe the rights of a third party.

Our success, competitive position and future revenues, particularly with respect to our drug products, will depend in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary protection for our products, methods, processes and other technologies, to preserve our trade secrets, to prevent third parties from infringing on our proprietary rights and to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties.  There can be no assurance that these protections will prove commercially valuable.

We could incur substantial costs in seeking enforcement of our proprietary rights, and we cannot guarantee that we will prevail in any legal action seeking enforcement or that such rights will successfully preclude others from using technology that we rely upon. It is possible that we may infringe on proprietary rights of others, even if we are not aware

of the infringement or believe our rights are otherwise valid. If a third party believes that one of our products infringes on the third party’s rights, it may sue us even if we have received our own patent protection for the technology or otherwise believe we have valid proprietary rights. If we are found by a court to have infringed the rights of a third party, we could be prevented from manufacturing and selling products, forced to pay royalties and damages, compelled to license technology from the party claiming infringement and lose the opportunity to license our technology to others and collect royalty payments, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if Baxter is prevented from selling any of our concentrate or ancillary products due to a patent infringement or if its ability to sell any of our concentrate or ancillary products due to a patent infringement is materially and adversely affected, Baxter may be entitled to terminate our Distribution Agreement and obtain a refund of a portion of the upfront fee and facility fee.

Other than the foregoing, there have been no material changes to the risk factors set forth in our quarterly report for the period ended June 30, 2017 under “Part II - Item 1A — Risk Factors”, which amended and restated the risk factors in “Item 1A Risk Factors” of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Item 6. Exhibits

The following documents are filed as part of this report or were previously filed and incorporated herein by reference to the filing indicated. Exhibits not required for this report have been omitted. Our Commission file number is 000-23661.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.