UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 27, 2020

 

ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 000-23661 38-3317208
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

411 Hackensack Avenue, Suite 501, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(248) 960-9009

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class   Trading Symbol   Name of Each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.0001   RMTI   Nasdaq Global Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company  ¨

 

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. ¨

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 8.01 Other Events.

 

On March 27, 2020, Rockwell Medical, Inc. issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Triferic® AVNU (ferric pyrophosphate citrate), its intravenous formulation of Triferic for replacement of iron and maintenance of hemoglobin in hemodialysis patients. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference. 

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits. The following exhibit is being furnished herewith:

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Description  
99.1   Press Release, dated March 27, 2020

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

  ROCKWELL MEDICAL, INC.
     
Date: March 27, 2020 By:  /s/ Stuart Paul
    Stuart Paul
    Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

OGO

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Rockwell Medical, Inc. Receives FDA Approval for Triferic® AVNU (Ferric Pyrophosphate Citrate), Intravenous Formulation of Triferic for Replacement of Iron and Maintenance of Hemoglobin in Hemodialysis Patients

 

– Enhances Triferic platform by providing patients with greater access to Rockwell Medical’s
innovative therapeutic by expanding administration options for clinicians –

 

– Major milestone supports the potential for expanding global adoption of Triferic and
transforming the standard of care for anemia management in hemodialysis patients –

 

WIXOM, Mich., March 27, 2020 – Rockwell Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:RMTI) (“Rockwell Medical” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming anemia management and improving outcomes for patients around the world, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has approved its New Drug Application (“NDA”) for its intravenous formulation of Triferic, Triferic AVNU. With this approval, Triferic AVNU joins Triferic Dialysate as the only FDA-approved products indicated to replace iron and maintain hemoglobin in adult patients with hemodialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease.

 

Triferic is a novel, physiologic iron maintenance therapy that provides bioavailable iron to replace iron lost during every dialysis treatment and maintain hemoglobin. While Triferic Dialysate is designed to be administered via liquid bicarbonate, Triferic AVNU is designed for direct intravenous infusion, which provides hemodialysis patients with greater access to the Triferic platform and expands administration options for clinicians. Triferic AVNU can be administered regardless of a dialysis center’s mode of bicarbonate delivery. Many dialysis centers in international markets and an increasing number of dialysis centers in the U.S. have converted to the use of dry bicarbonate cartridges or bags and on-line dialysate generation, which is not compatible with Triferic Dialysate.

 

“The approval of Triferic AVNU is a major milestone as we further progress toward our goal of transforming anemia management across the globe. With Triferic AVNU, more adult hemodialysis patients in the U.S will have access to the benefits of this unique therapeutic, regardless of the way their clinic generates bicarbonate. Clinicians will now have the added flexibility to administer Triferic intravenously to a broader group of patients who can benefit from physiologic iron maintenance therapy to manage their anemia,” stated Stuart Paul, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rockwell Medical.

 

“Clinical trials have demonstrated that patients treated with Triferic receive steady and consistent bioavailable iron to replace the iron that is lost at every dialysis treatment and hemoglobin is maintained. Now, even in clinics where delivering Triferic through the dialysate is not operationally possible, Triferic AVNU is an option. This may be especially important for patients who are difficult to manage, or for other special patient populations,” added Dr. Steven Fishbane, Chief of Nephrology of Northwell Health and Professor of Medicine at the Zucker School of Medicine.

 

Over the next several months, the Company plans to initiate a commercial strategy that leverages the experience gained from the 2019 launch of Triferic Dialysate and lays the groundwork for the commercial introduction of Triferic AVNU. The Company expects to launch Evaluation Programs during the third quarter of 2020 to allow clinics to gain direct experience with Triferic AVNU, and the Company expects Triferic AVNU to be available commercially following the completion of the initial Evaluation Programs.

 

 

 

 

About Rockwell Medical

 

Rockwell Medical is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming anemia management in a wide variety of therapeutic areas and across the globe, improving the lives of very sick patients. The Company’s initial focus is the treatment of anemia in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Rockwell Medical's exclusive renal drug therapy, Triferic (ferric pyrophosphate citrate), is the only FDA-approved therapeutic indicated for iron replacement and maintenance of hemoglobin in hemodialysis patients. Rockwell Medical is also an established manufacturer, supplier and leader in delivering high-quality hemodialysis concentrates/dialysates to dialysis providers and distributors in the U.S. and abroad.

 

About Triferic

 

Triferic is the only FDA-approved therapy in the U.S. indicated to replace iron and maintain hemoglobin in hemodialysis patients during each dialysis treatment. Triferic has a unique and differentiated mechanism of action which has the potential to benefit patients and health care economics. Triferic represents a potential innovative medical advancement in hemodialysis patient iron management– with the potential to become the future standard of care. The Company has two FDA-approved formulations of Triferic (1) Triferic Dialysate and (2) Triferic AVNU.

 

Triferic delivers between 5-7 mg iron with every hemodialysis treatment to the bone marrow and maintains hemoglobin without increasing iron stores (ferritin). Triferic donates iron immediately and completely to transferrin (carrier of iron in the body) upon entry into the blood and is then transported directly to the bone marrow to be incorporated into hemoglobin, with no increase in ferritin (stored iron and inflammation) and no reports of anaphylaxis in over 1,000,000 patient administrations, addressing a significant medical need in overcoming Functional Iron Deficiency (FID) in ESRD patients.

 

Important Safety Information

 

Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic-type reactions, some of which have been life-threatening and fatal, have been reported in patients receiving parenteral iron products. Patients may present with shock, clinically significant hypotension, loss of consciousness, and/or collapse. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity during and after hemodialysis until clinically stable. Personnel and therapies should be immediately available for the treatment of serious hypersensitivity reactions. Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in 1 (0.3%) of 292 patients receiving Triferic in two randomized clinical trials.

 

Iron status should be determined on pre-dialysis blood samples. Post dialysis serum iron parameters may overestimate serum iron and transferrin saturation.

 

The most common adverse reactions (≥3% and at least 1% greater than placebo) in controlled clinical studies include: procedural hypotension (21.6%), muscle spasms (9.6%), headache (9.2%), pain in extremity (6.8%), peripheral edema (6.8%), dyspnea (5.8%), back pain (4.5%), pyrexia (4.5%), urinary tract infection (4.5%), asthenia (4.1%), fatigue (3.8%), arteriovenous (AV) fistula thrombosis (3.4%), and AV fistula site hemorrhage (3.4%).

 

 

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, Rockwell Medical’s expectations regarding the consummation of the offering, the terms of the offering, and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions with respect to the offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the offering. Words such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “could,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “forecast,” “project,” “intend” or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While Rockwell Medical believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties (including, without limitation, those set forth in Rockwell Medical’s SEC filings), many of which are beyond our control and subject to change. Actual results could be materially different. Risks and uncertainties include: statements about the issuance of a unique J code for our Triferic powder packet; timing and regulatory approval process for Triferic Dialysate in China; the potential market and commercialization opportunity of Triferic Dialysate in China upon regulatory approval; the timing, as well as commercialization opportunity and process for Triferic AVNU; the potential domestic and international market opportunity for Triferic AVNU, as well as other Rockwell Medical products; CMS’ announced final rule relating to the eligibility criteria for TDAPA; liquidity and capital resources; expected duration of Rockwell Medical’s existing working capital; the success of our commercialization of Triferic Dialysate, which commenced in May 2019; and the timing and success of our efforts to maintain, grow and improve the profit margin of the Company’s concentrate business; and the impact of general economic, industrial or political conditions, as well as recent health conditions in the United States or internationally, as well as those risks more fully discussed in Rockwell Medical’s SEC filings. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Rockwell Medical expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

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

 

Contact
Investor Relations:
Lisa M. Wilson, In-Site Communications, Inc.
T: 212-452-2793
E: lwilson@insitecony.com

  

 

Source: Rockwell Medical, Inc.