Egalet Corporation

October 30, 2018

Pennsylvania-based publicly-traded specialty pharma company, Egalet Corporation ($EGLT), filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware — the latest in a mini-trend of specialty pharma companies to work their way into bankruptcy court (i.e., Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., Bind Therapeutics, Concordia).

The company intends to use the bankruptcy process to effectuate an acquisition of the assets of Iroko Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately-held specialty pharma company focused on pain management therapies. The company and Iroko will enter into an asset purchase agreement in connection with and as part of a plan of reorganization, and Iroko will obtain 49% of the outstanding stock of the reorganized Egalet and $45mm of new senior secured notes. The acquisition will fortify the reorganized Egalet’s product-candidate lineup which already includes one anti-inflammatory nasal spray and one oral oxycodone formulation. This proposal is also supported by various holders of the company’s debt in the form of a restructuring support agreement.

But why is this company bankrupt in the first place? First, $128.6mm of debt taken on to fund (i) the development of commercial operations relating to the company’s approved products and (ii) R&D costs relating to product candidates. Also:

For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Debtors reported net losses of approximately $69.4 million, $90.6 million and $57.9 million, respectively. These losses were a result of the Debtors’ continued investments in their commercialization capabilities, the Debtors’ research and development activities, the Debtors’ increasing debt service obligations and general difficulties in increasing the revenue generated from the Debtors’ marketed products, including challenges specific to the abuse-deterrent market such as shifting legislative and social responses to the opioid epidemic.

On account of all of this, the company got a Nasdaq delisting which triggered a “fundamental change” under the company’s converts which required the company to buy back its converts. Of course, the company didn’t have the ability to do so under its credit docs. Ruh roh. Enter restructuring professionals here.

The reorganized debtors will continue to operate under the Egalet name and will be positioned, post-acquisition, to market six commercial products. The company intends to use cash collateral to finance the cases and be out of bankruptcy within 95 days.

Among the companies largest shareholders are Highbridge Capital Management LLC, Broadfin Capital LLC, Deerfield Management Company LP, and Franklin Advisors Inc.

• Jurisdiction: D. of Delaware

• Capital Structure: $128.6mm debt (see below)

• Company Professionals:

  • Legal: Dechert LLP (Michael Sage, Brian Greer, Stephen Wolpert, Alaina Heine) & (local) Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP (Robert Brady, Sean Greecher)

  • Financial Advisor: Berkeley Research Group LLC

  • Investment Banker: Piper Jaffray & Co.

  • Claims Agent: KCC (*click on company name above for free docket access)

• Other Parties in Interest:

  • Ad Hoc Secured Noteholder Committee

    • Legal: Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP (Andrew Rosenberg, Jacob Adlerstein, Adam Denhoff, Michael Turkel, Miriam Levi) & (local) Cozen O’Connor (Mark Felger, Simon Fraser)

  • Ad hoc committee of holders of the 5.50% Convertible Notes due 2020 and 6.50% Convertible Notes due 2024

    • Legal: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (Michael Byun, Erik Preis, Stephen Kuhn, Erica McGrady) & (local) Ashby & Geddes PA (Karen Skomorucha Owens)

  • Iroko Pharmaceuticals LLC

    • Legal: Baker & McKenzie LLP (Debra Dandeneau, Frank Grese III) & (local) Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLC (L. Katherine Good, Aaron Stulman)