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)
ELITE
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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001-15697
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22-3542636
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(State
or other jurisdiction
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(Commission
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(IRS
Employer
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of
incorporation)
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File
Number)
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Identification
No.)
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165
Ludlow Avenue, Northvale, New Jersey 07647
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(Registrant’s telephone number,
including area code)
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(Former
name or former address, if changed since last
report.)
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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))
Item
1.01 Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement.
On August
27, 2010, Elite Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Elite”) executed an agreement with Mikah
Pharma, LLC (“Mikah”) to undertake and perform development work to facilitate
the preparation of a regulatory filing for a product under development (the
“Product Development Agreement”). The product will be formulated with
a previously approved drug substance and will be designed to be delivered in a
unique delivery profile. Among other responsibilities, Elite will
provide formulation, analytical development, clinical batch manufacture and
validation work for the product. The parties agreed that, in lieu of
cash, the transfer to Elite of the Naltrexone product in accordance with the
terms of the Naltrexone Asset Purchase Agreement (see discussion at Item 2.01
below), which they valued at $200,000, constituted the consideration for the
development services being performed by Elite under the Product Development
Agreement. Mikah will also pay to Elite, on a quarterly basis, a
royalty in the amount of 5% of net sales of the product. The royalty
will be due and payable for the duration of the period beginning on the date
that the product is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration
(the “FDA”) and ending on the date of the introduction into the market of an
equivalent generic product. Upon approval of the new drug application
by the FDA, Elite will manufacture the product and the parties will negotiate in
good faith a manufacturing and supply agreement for the product. The Product
Development Agreement has a term of 10 years. One year prior to the
termination date, the parties will meet to discuss the commercial options
relating to the supply and distribution of the product after the termination
date. There is no guarantee that the product will receive approval
from the FDA.
Item
2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
On August
27, 2010, Elite executed the Naltrexone Asset Purchase Agreement with Mikah
pursuant to which Elite acquired from Mikah the Abbreviated New Drug Application
number 75-274 (Naltrexone Hydrochloride Tablets USP, 50 mg), and all amendments
thereto (the “ANDA”), that have to date been filed with the FDA seeking
authorization and approval to manufacture, package, ship and sell the products
described in the ANDA within the United States and its territories (including
Puerto Rico) for aggregate consideration of $200,000. In lieu of
cash, Mikah agreed to accept from Elite product development services to be
performed by Elite, as described in Item 1.02 above. Elite has
assumed and agreed to discharge certain liabilities related to the purchased
assets, including but not limited to liabilities arising from any infringement
claim, product liability claim or liabilities arising from an action by the FDA
or any other governmental entity, so long as any such liability occurs after the
date of acquisition. Elite granted to Mikah and its affiliates a
fully-paid, perpetual, royalty-free non-exclusive license to use the ANDA in
connection with the manufacture, registration or sale of the products outside of
the United States and its territories.
Item
9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c)
Exhibits
99.1
Press Release dated September 1, 2010.
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.
Dated:
September 1, 2010
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ELITE
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Chris Dick
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Name: Chris
Dick
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Title:
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President
& Chief Operating
Officer
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ELITE
PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF GENERIC NALTREXONE PRODUCT
NORTHVALE,
N.J. – September 1, 2010 – Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Elite" or the
“Company") (OTCBB: ELTP) announced today the acquisition of a currently approved
Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for naltrexone hydrochloride 50 mg
tablets from Mikah Pharma LLC (“Mikah”). The brand product and its generic
equivalents had annual sales of approximately $14 million in 2009 and there are
currently three other approved generic manufacturers plus the innovator.
The transfer of the ANDA will begin immediately and Elite expects to begin
manufacture of the product early next year. Pursuant to the
agreement, Elite will be entitled to sell the drug in the United States and its
territories, including Puerto Rico, and has licensed to Mikah the right to sell
the drug in the remainder of the world.
Elite
also has entered into an agreement with Mikah for a product to be
developed. Elite will be responsible for the formulation, analytical
development, clinical batch manufacture and validation work for the product and
will seek approval of the product from the FDA pursuant to 505(b)2 of the Drug
Price Competition Act. Upon approval, Elite will manufacture the
product and the parties will negotiate in good faith a manufacturing and supply
agreement for the product. Elite will also receive a royalty of five
percent of net sales after product launch and prior to the introduction of the
first generic of the product.
“These
acquisition and development agreements continue our strategy of leveraging the
manufacturing and development expertise of the company into products that we
believe may generate positive cash flow to support our research activities,”
stated
Jerry
Treppel, Chairman and CEO
.
About Elite Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.
Elite
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and
manufactures oral, controlled-release products using proprietary technology.
Elite's strategy includes life cycle management of products to improve
off-patent drug products and developing generic versions of controlled release
drug products with high barriers to entry. Elite developed and
manufactures for its partner, Lodrane 24® and Lodrane 24D®, for allergy
treatment and expects to launch soon three approved generic
products. Elite also has a pipeline of additional generic drug
candidates under active development and the Company is developing ELI-216, an
abuse resistant oxycodone product, and ELI-154, a once-a-day oxycodone
product. Elite conducts research, development and manufacturing
in its facility in Northvale, New Jersey.
This
news release contains forward-looking statements, including the statement that
the acquisition and development of the naltrexone hydrochloride product may
generate positive cash flow to support the Company’s research
activities. These statements involve known and unknown risks,
delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the control of Elite, which
may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the companies to be
materially different from the results, performance or other expectations implied
by these forward-looking statements. In particular, because substantial future
testing will be required prior to approval, the results described above may not
be supported by additional data or by the results of subsequent trials. These
risks and other factors, including the timing or results of pending and future
clinical trials, regulatory reviews and approvals by the Food and Drug
Administration and other regulatory authorities, and intellectual property
protections and defenses, are discussed in Elite's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission such as the 10K, 10Q and 8K reports. Elite undertakes no
obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Contact:
For Elite Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.
Dianne Will, Investor Relations,
518-398-6222
Dianne@elitepharma.com
www.elitepharma.com