Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Except as noted below, there were no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities EC on February 29, 2024.

We or the third parties upon whom we depend may be adversely affected by earthquakes or other natural disasters and our business continuity and Exchandisaster recovery plans may not adequately protect us from a serious disaster.

The facilities we use for our headquarters, laboratory and research and development activities are located in earthquake-prone areas of California. A significant percentage of the facilities we use for our manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, distribution and administration offices are also located in these areas. Earthquakes or other natural disasters could severely disrupt our operations, and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. Additionally, we currently rely on third parties whose operations may be disrupted by natural disasters. For example, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene caused us to experience delays in shipments of certain products.

If a natural disaster, power outage Commission on February 29, 2024.or other event occurred that prevented us or the third parties upon whom we depend from using all or a significant portion of our facilities, that damaged critical infrastructure, such as our or third parties manufacturing facilities, or that otherwise disrupted operations of ours or those of third parties, it may be difficult or, in certain cases, impossible for us to continue our business for a substantial period of time. The disaster recovery and business continuity plans we have in place currently are limited and are unlikely to prove adequate in the event of a serious disaster or similar event. We may incur substantial expenses as a result of the limited nature of our disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Jack Y. Zhang and Mary Z. Luo have each pledged shares of our common stock to secure funds borrowed under existing credit lines from three financial institutions. Each of the lenders has varying rights as a lender, including one which has the right to conduct a forced sale at its sole discretion. An action by one of the lenders could include a sale of certain shares of our common stock pledged as collateral, the sale of which could cause the price of our common stock to decline. An action to cure and cover indebtedness by any one of the lenders could also have other negative impacts on our business.

Since September 2015, UBS Bank USA, or UBS, has made extensions of credit up to the amount of $8.0 million to Applied Physics Chemistry Laboratories, Inc., or APCL, which is controlled by Jack Y. Zhang and Mary Z. Luo. In May 2019, the credit amount was increased to $11.0 million. Since February 2017, UBS Group AG, or UBS AG, has also provided an extension of credit up to the amount of $8.0 million to APCL. In 2021, the outstanding UBS AG credit line was transferred to UBSs Utah location due to an organizational change and in June 2024, the credit line with UBS was increased to $11.9 million. As of JuneSeptember 30, 2024, the total outstanding UBS combined credit lines were $11.9 million. The UBS credit lines are secured by a pledge of 400,000 shares of our common stock currently held by APCL. Interest on the loans accrues at market rates. UBS has an unlimited and unilateral right to call each of the credit lines for any reason whatsoever.

In October 2017, East West Bank, or East West, entered into an agreement with Drs. Zhang and Luo whereby East West would loan them up to $5.0 million. In March 2023, East West amended the loan to increase the loan amount to $8.0 million. As of JuneSeptember 30, 2024, the loan is secured by a pledge of 500,000 shares of our common stock held by Dr. Zhang. Interest on the loan accrues at market rates. East West has acceleration rights to protect itself in the event of a default.

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In June 2024, Cathay Bank entered into an agreement with APCL and Dr. Luo, whereby Cathay Bank would loan them up to $20.0 million. As of JuneSeptember 30, 2024, the loan is secured by a pledge of 1,000,000 shares of our common stock held by APCL and Dr. Luo. Interest on the loan accrues at market rates. Cathay Bank has acceleration rights to protect itself in the event of a default.

We are not a party to these loans, which are full recourse against APCL and each of Drs. Zhang and Luo, respectively, and are secured by pledges of a portion of the shares of our common stock currently held by APCL and each of Drs. Zhang and Luo.

In 2021, we created a pledging policy to restrict the pledging of shares by our executive officers and directors. The policy prohibits our executive officers and directors from entering into any transaction whereby the executive officer or director, directly or indirectly, pledges, hypothecates, or otherwise encumbers more than twenty (20) percent of shares of common stock held by the individual or more than five (5) percent of our total outstanding shares of common stock as of the date of the transaction, whichever is lower, as collateral for indebtedness. This restriction extends to any hedging or similar transaction designed to decrease the risks associated with holding our securities. For already existing pledges made by executive officers and directors, those existing pledges must be reduced to no more than twenty (20) percent of the shares of our common stock held by such individual as collateral for indebtedness within three (3) years of December 31, 2021. As a result of this policy, Drs. Zhang and Luo reduced their total number of pledged shares to 1,900,000 in June 2024 from 2,350,000 in May 2022, 3,182,898 in February 2022, and 8,582,898 in February 2021.

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If the price of our common stock declines, Drs. Zhang and Luo may be forced by these financial institutions to provide additional collateral for the loans or to sell shares of our common stock held by them in order to remain within the margin limitations imposed under the terms of their loans. Furthermore, the pledged shares of our common stock may be acquired and sold by the lenders. These factors may limit Drs. Zhang and Luos ability to either pledge additional shares of our common stock or sell shares of our common stock held by them as a means to avoid or satisfy a margin call with respect to their pledged shares of our common stock in the event of a decline in our stock price that is large enough to trigger a margin call. Any significant sales of shares of our common stock by one or more of these three lenders could cause the price of our common stock to decline further.