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FY2019 Annual Report · ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.
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ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT
Annual Report 2019

Acrux Annual Report 2019

Contents

02  Financial Outcomes

03  Business Achievements

04   Market and Business 

Opportunities

06   Generic Product Portfolio and 

Pipeline

08  Chairman’s Address

09   CEO and Managing Director’s 

Report

11   Corporate Governance Statement

20  Directors’ Report

29   Remuneration Report (Audited)

38   Auditor’s Independence 

Declaration

39   Consolidated Statement  
of Comprehensive Income

40   Consolidated Statement  
of Financial Position

41   Consolidated Statement  
of Changes in Equity

42   Consolidated Statement  

of Cash Flows

43    Notes to the Financial Statements

69  Directors’ Declaration

70  Independent Auditor’s Report

76   Shareholder Information

79   Glossary

81  Corporate Directory

Risk and uncertainty
Forward-looking statements are 
subject to risks and uncertainties 
and have been made throughout this 
report. Such statements involve known 
and unknown risk and important 
factors that may cause the actual 
results, performance or achievements 
of Acrux to be materially different from 
statements made in this report.

Acrux Annual Report 2019

ACRUX IS A PHARMACEUTICAL 
COMPANY DEDICATED TO 
DEVELOPING AND COMMERCIALISING 
GENERIC TOPICAL PRESCRIPTION 
PHARMACEUTICALS.

Who we are

Acrux (ASX: ACR) is a pharmaceutical 
company dedicated to developing and 
commercialising topical pharmaceuticals. 
Incorporated in 1998 and using in house 
facilities and capabilities, Acrux has 
successfully developed and commercialised 
through licensees a number of topically 
applied pharmaceutical products in the US 
and Europe. Acrux is developing a range of 

generic products for the US market  
by leveraging its on-site laboratories,  
GMP manufacturing suite, clinical  
and commercial experience to bring 
affordable products to market. Acrux 
encourages collaboration and is well 
positioned to discuss partnering and 
product development. 

 01

Acrux Annual Report 2019Cash reserves remain healthy at $18.2 million and 
will provide the platform to support our growth and 
diversification strategy. 2019 financial performance 
was impacted by the termination of the Axiron® 
licensing agreement in the prior year resulting 
in nil royalty revenue from Axiron®. 

Financial  
Outcomes

Cash Reserves

$18.2m 

down $10.3 million p.c.p

Revenue

$5.3m 

$2,231

Revenue 2019

Axiron (‘000s)

Other Royalty (‘000s)

$631

$505

Interest (‘000s)

$579

$671

up $1.9 million p.c.p, including  
R&D Tax Incentive rebate accrual  
of $2.0 million  

R&D Rebate Tax Incentive (‘000s)

$4,072

R&D Investment 

$10.9m 

up $0.3 million p.c.p

Operating Loss Before Tax 

$8.3m 

down $7.8 million p.c.p

2019

2018

Other Financial 
Outcomes

R&D Investment (‘000s)

Other Operating Costs (‘000s)

$2,073

$2,711

Non-Cash Impairment Loss (‘000s)

$5,647

2019

2018

$10,917

$10,579

Royalty revenue from Lenzetto® was 
$0.581 million (2018: $0.327 million) 
which is an increase of 77.6% on  
prior year and interest on cash 
deposits were $0.579 million  
(2018: $0.671 million).

Royalty revenue from Axiron®  
decreased to nil in the current year 
(2018: $2.231 million) reflecting  
the termination of the Axiron  
licensing agreement during the  
2017 calendar year.

The Group received $2.057 million 
(2018:nil) in relation to an R&D Tax 
Incentive Rebate from the Australian 
Taxation office for the 2017/2018 
financial year. A further $2.015 million 
was accrued in the 2019 financial year 
and is expected to be received in the 
2019 calendar year. 

R&D investment increased to  
$10.9 million up 3% on prior  
financial year due to the progression 
and increase in research and 
development projects and higher 
utilisation of external suppliers for 
contract manufacture engagement,  
API procurement and clinical  
research activities.

Increases in external R&D costs 
of $1.096 million for contract 
manufacture engagement, API 
procurement for the manufacture of 
exhibit batches and clinical research 
organisation engagement was offset 
by a significant reduction in non-
recurring legal fees associated with the 
Axiron patent appeal litigation in the 
prior year and lower depreciation and 
amortisation expense of $0.426 million 
(2018: $0.618 million).

02

 03

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Business 
Achievements

Acrux is advancing its strategy 
with continued execution of the 
development and progression  
of our pipeline. 

R&D Investment

$10.9m 

up $0.3 million from  
the prior year

2019 milestones

Future milestones

• An additional 4 ANDA dossiers  
to be accepted for review by the  
FDA during calendar year 2020.

• Execute licensing deals for products  

in our pipeline.

• Initial revenue from generic pipeline 
expected during calendar year 2019.

• Add further products to our  

topical generic pipeline.

• Acrux received confirmation that  
the submitted ANDA to the FDA  
for a generic version of Jublia® 
(efinaconazole) had been accepted  
for review.

• Acrux submitted its second ANDA 

application to the FDA for its generic 
version of a testosterone topical 
solution, which was subsequently 
accepted for review.

• Acrux submitted its third ANDA 

application to the FDA for its generic 
version of EMLA® (lidocaine 2.5% and 
prilocaine 2.5% cream) in June 2019.

• Lenzetto® continues to be launched 
in additional countries within the 
European Union, Latin America  
and CIS countries by our licensee 
Gedeon Richter.

• Acrux successfully engaged additional 
CMOs that manufacture and supply 
FDA approved products, providing the 
infrastructure to begin scale up of  
6 projects from the Acrux laboratory  
to exhibit batch manufacturing.

•  Acrux received an R&D Tax Incentive 
Rebate from the Australian Taxation 
Office of $2.057 million. 

• Acrux settled the Hatch Waxman 

patent litigation relating to Acrux’s  
first to file of ANDA for the generic 
equivalent Jublia.

02

 03

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Market and Business 
Opportunities

Generic portfolio
Created a diversified portfolio of 
marketed products to generate its  
future income streams.

Avoid commoditised market segments 
with significant pricing pressure.

Generic product pipeline has attractive 
projected internal rates of return, with  
a collectively lower risk profile and  
faster pathway to approval than  
specialty products:

I.  $3–4 million to develop each generic

II.  Efficacy of drug has already  

been demonstrated

III. Attractive market and licensee terms

Total market

Oral drugs

Definition  
of market

Total US 
prescription  
pharma market

Drugs that are 
ingested orally

Acrux focus 
Topical drugs

Drugs that are 
applied topically 
(including directly  
to the skin, eyes, 
ears and nose)

Market size1

>US$460bn

~US$200bn

~US$20bn2

~90%3

~91%3

47%4

Generic  
market share

Typical generic 
development 
complexity

Low

Greater complexity 
than oral generic 
drug development

High levels of 
generic competition 
from a significant 
number of drug 
manufacturers

Limited generic 
competition given 
niche market size 
and development 
complexity

IV. Future revenue derived from 
milestones and royalties

Generic  
competition

Variable

Source: 

1.  US market by dosage form, IQVIA Q1, 2019 MAT,  

US market sales (US$)

2.  Market size for topically applied drugs IQVIA Q1, 

2019 MAT (US$)

3.  IQVIA Global Generic and Biosimilars Trends  

and Insights – 2018

4.  IQVIA, National Sales Perspectives, January 2019 – 
Unbranded generic share of dermatology, MAT

0404

 05

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux generic pipeline 
addressable market value1,2
• Focus on the topical sector of  

the pharmaceutical market in the  
United States.

Acrux is targeting a large 
addressable market
• Addressable market of US$1.5 billion 
based on 14 products currently in the 
Acrux topical generic pipeline. 

Fewer generic competitors in 
our targeted market segments 
creates favourable economics  
for Acrux
• For markets with lower levels of 

competition, Acrux expects to capture 
relatively higher market share. 

• Currently, over half of the portfolio’s 
addressable market does not have  
any generic competitors. 

• FDA Priority Review is given to ANDA 

applications with three or fewer 
approved generics.

1,156

34

135

987

325

235

90

Drugs accepted for  
review by FDA

Drugs in development

(formulation development, 
process development or 
technical transfer)

1.  August 2019 pipeline addressable market based on 

twelve months sales to end March 2019 derived from 
IQVIA (Quintiles and IMS Health) sales data.

2.  As at August 2019. Note that there are currently 10+ 
dossiers submitted to the FDA and neither approved 
nor commercialised for a generic version of Jublia® 
and 4 commercialised generics of EMLA® cream.

# of 
commercialised 
generic (ANDA) 
competitors 
approved and on 
the market2

5+ Generics

4 Generics

3 Generics

2 Generics

1 Generics

No Generics

0404

 05

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Generic Product  
Portfolio and Pipeline

Acrux Annual Report 2019

Formulation 
Development

Process 
Development

Bioequiv1/ 
Clinical

Regulatory 
Submission

Approved/
Launched

Development Phase

Branded 
Equivalent

Target Area

Jublia®

Fungal infection 
of the nail

Testosterone  
Topical Solution

EMLA Cream 
(lidocaine 2.5% and 
prilocaine 2.5%)

Deficiency or  
absence of  
endogenous 
testosterone

Topical  
anaesthetic 

d
e
s
o
l
c
s
i
D
t
e
Y
t
o
N

d
e
s
o
l
c
s
i
D
t
e
Y
t
o
N

• 14 products in generic topical portfolio

• 2 products accepted for review by the FDA during FY19

Progress as at FY18

Progress during FY19

1. Based on FDA Guidance, a number of products in the Acrux generic pipeline do not require a clinical study for product approval.

06

 07

Acrux Annual Report 2019 
 
 
 
Acrux Annual Report 2019

06

 07

Acrux Annual Report 2019Chairman’s  
Address

Commercial discussions with prospective 
licensees have commenced for some 
of the products the Company has been 
developing. Our product pipeline will be 
covered in more detail in Michael’s CEO 
and Managing Director report and we 
are confident that we have the capacity 
to maintain a consistent number of 
products in development in our pipeline 
as earlier projects are completed and 
licensed out. To optimise shareholder 
value, our pipeline will be expanded 
gradually after initial licensing activity 
validates our business model.

I would like to extend my personal 
thanks to the Board for their input  
over the last year, which has been  
a productive one. I would also like to 
extend the Board’s appreciation to 
Michael and his team for their work over 
the last year. The Acrux team has faced 
one of the heaviest workloads since the 
Company’s inception, but there is a great 
esprit de corps within the Company and 
genuine enthusiasm and excitement  
for the coming year’s activity.

Ross Dobinson 
Chairman

At last year’s Annual General Meeting  
I referenced the macro factors assessed 
in determining our corporate strategy 
and material developments since 
initiating that strategy in 2015. Over 
the past year there have been several 
developments that will influence our 
strategy moving forward and Michael 
will address these in more detail in  
his CEO and Managing Director report, 
so I will only reference the broader 
issues in my introduction. 

The Company’s routine activity includes 
maintaining consistent monitoring of 
topical drug markets, the competitive 
landscape and FDA guidance documents 
which could impact Acrux’s position. 
This includes changes to the FDA 
Product Specific Guidances (PSG),  
which presents both opportunities  
and risks. Acrux has a very clear focus 
on Competitive Generic Therapies 
(CGT) products, which have no generic 
competition and receive priority review 
from the FDA. As noted in previous 
guidance to shareholders, a key 
objective in generics development  
is introducing the product early 
to market to market in order to 
gain commercial advantages over 
competitors. For some generic products  
which are first to market, exclusivity  
is received for the first six months  
of that product’s commercial life.

The knowhow developed by the Company 
over the last twenty years of operations 
does provide competitive advantages. 
Acrux has unique capabilities in product 
development and for in-vitro drug 
development including IVRT (in-vitro 
release testing) and IVPT (in-vitro 
permeation testing). For some products, 
the FDA has recently included in vitro 
testing as an alternative development 
approach to expensive clinical endpoint 
studies to demonstrate bioequivalence 
for topical generics. This enables Acrux 
to utilise its capabilities to develop 
eligible drugs more efficiently than  
our competitors.

08

 09

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019CEO & Managing 
Director’s Report

Our key focus is  
on the continuing 
transformation of Acrux 
into a company with a 
diversified on-market 
portfolio and a broad 
pipeline of commercially  
valued products.

Acrux strategic focus
Acrux is creating a diversified portfolio  
of products to generate its future 
income streams. In August 2015,  
the company began development  
of its pipeline of topical generic 
products. The first three of these 
products have now been submitted  
as Abbreviated New Drug Applications 
(ANDAs) to the FDA.

Throughout FY19, we focussed our 
activity on the progression of our 
pipeline of topical generic products, 
which now includes fourteen separate 
generic products. The number of active 
development projects is consistent 
with our goal to expand the number of 
generic products in our portfolio which 
we believe will lead to commercially 
relevant and valued products for the 
company in the future. 

The focus within Acrux has, since 2015, 
been on the execution of a strategy to 
capitalise on the existing skill sets with 
the Acrux development team and to 
apply those skills to the development 
of a broad range of topical generic 
products for the United States market. 
This focus is a transformational change 
to the depth and breadth of our pipeline. 

Each of these projects has been selected 
based on a range of criteria that include 
the size of the addressable market,  
the patent landscape of the reference 
listed drug (RLD), the formulation of 
the RLD and the cost and degree of 
complexity involved in the development 
of a generic product. 

All the products in the development 
pipeline are applied topically, which is 
consistent with our strategy to leverage 
our existing capabilities. 

The Acrux generic pipeline 
Acrux has now submitted three  
ANDAs to the FDA for review and has 
an additional eleven products in various 
stages of formulation development 
or technical transfer to a contract 
manufacturer. The development of the 
Acrux generic pipeline is based upon  
the selection of generic product 
candidates from within the topical  
sector of the pharmaceutical market  
in the US. The generic product pipeline 
of the Company can be characterised  
by its collectively lower risk profile  
and faster pathway to approval than 
could be achieved with product 
development of specialty products  
or new chemical entities. 

The topical generic market is generally 
less competitive than the much larger 
oral generic market and it features 
many products that are considered 
by regulators to be more complex 
to develop than products in the oral 
generic market. 

Each of the topical generic products in 
the Acrux pipeline has been assessed for 
its commercial prospects specifically in 
the US market. The addressable annual 
market in the US for the fourteen generic 
products in our pipeline is approximately 
US$1.5 billion based on IQVIA data for 
twelve months to the end of March 2019.

Acrux filed a Paragraph IV Abbreviated 
New Drug Application (ANDA) with the 
U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA) for a generic version of Jublia® 
(efinaconazole) topical solution, 10%. 
Subsequent patent litigation on this 
product was settled in April 2019.

08

 09

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019CEO & Managing  
Director’s Report continued

Estradiol spray
Estradiol spray was the first product  
to be developed by Acrux. 

Lenzetto® is the trade name given to 
the estradiol product by our licensee 
Gedeon Richter. Lenzetto® was launched 
during the second half of the 2016 
financial year in Europe. Gedeon Richter 
launched the product in 21 European 
countries and during 2018 the product 
was also launched in a number of 
smaller Latin American, European  
and CIS markets. As of June 2019,  
the product has been launched  
in 33 countries in total. 

Axiron® 
Since 2014, a number of product liability 
lawsuits have been filed against Acrux 
and Eli Lilly in the United States District 
Court for the Northern District of  
Illinois, including claims that assert 
injury caused by testosterone 
replacement therapy. 

The conduct of the lawsuits will not have 
a material impact on Acrux’s operating 
expenditure.

Financial performance
Cash reserves decreased over the prior 
financial year by 36.1% to $18.2 million. 
This reflects the ongoing expenditure on 
our development pipeline. Cash reserves 
are in line with our expectations. 

Acrux also submitted an ANDA of 
testosterone solution in August 2018 
which was accepted for review in 
October 2018. Acrux submitted its third 
ANDA of a generic of lidocaine 2.5% and 
prilocaine 2.5% cream for review by the 
FDA in June 2019 which was accepted 
for review in August 2019.

A major focus for the Company 
during the 2019 financial year was 
and continues to be the technical 
transfer of products to our Contract 
Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs). 
During the financial year 6 additional 
technical transfers were initiated. The 
process is underway for each product 
to transfer our product formulation 
and subsequently manufacture the 
exhibit batches required for review 
and subsequent approval by the 
FDA. This is a vital step. This involves 
the technical transfer of the Acrux 
developed formulations of generic 
products and the associated methods 
of manufacture to a CMO that will scale 
up manufacturing to commercial batch 
sizes for both regulatory submission  
and commercial purposes. That requires 
a significant internal focus with a range 
of CMOs. 

During the 2020 financial year we 
intend to add additional products to 
our pipeline. This is important for our 
momentum and to sustain a diversified 
and commercially viable portfolio 
of products. We continue to actively 
review and identify additional product 
candidates, all of which are applied 
topically, for development and will add 
additional products to our pipeline over 
course of the year.

Looking forward
The Acrux team has continued to invest 
tremendous energy into the progression 
of our pipeline. The company has now 
submitted three ANDAs that have 
been accepted for review by the FDA. 
Our pipeline continues to grow, and 
the progress of our projects is a direct 
reflection of the collective efforts of the 
team throughout the 2019 financial year. 

The team responsible for our growth 
should be proud of their achievements 
during the year and I thank them 
for their efforts. I firmly believe we 
are positioning the Company to 
take advantage of the commercial 
opportunities that we have identified in 
the topical generic market in the United 
States with our goal to create a growth-
oriented company with a diversified 
on-market portfolio and a broad pipeline 
of financially attractive products.

Michael Kotsanis 
CEO and Managing Director

10

 11

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Governance 
Statement

The Board of Directors is responsible 
for the overall corporate governance 
of Acrux Limited (“Company”). The 
Board monitors the operational and 
financial position and performance of 
the Company and oversees its business 
strategy, including approving strategic 
objectives, plans and budgets of the 
Company. The Board is committed to 
optimising performance and building 
sustainable value for shareholders. 
In conducting business with these 
objectives, the Board seeks to ensure 
that the Company is appropriately 
managed to protect and enhance 
shareholder interests and that the 
Company, its Directors, officers and 
personnel operate in an appropriate 
environment of corporate governance. 
Accordingly, the Board has created a 
framework for managing the Company, 
including adopting relevant internal 
controls, risk management processes 
and corporate governance policies and 
practices that it believes are appropriate 
for the Company’s business and that 
are designed to promote responsible 
management and conduct of the 
Company.

The Australian Securities Exchange 
(“ASX”) Corporate Governance 
Council has developed and released 
its Corporate Governance Principles 
and Recommendations 3rd edition 
(“ASX Principles”) for entities listed on 
the ASX in order to promote investor 
confidence and to assist companies 
to meet stakeholder expectations. 
This Corporate Governance Statement 
outlines the key aspects of the 
Company’s governance framework 
and governance practices which are 
consistent with the ASX Principles 
unless stated otherwise.

The Company’s corporate governance 
principles, details of which can be  
found on the Company’s website  
acrux.com.au comprise:

• Statement of Corporate Governance 

Principles

• Code of Conduct

• Board Charter

• Audit and Risk Committee Charter

• Human Capital and Nomination 

Committee Charter

• Continuous Disclosure and 

Shareholder Reporting Policy

• Share Trading Policy

• Whistle-blower Policy

• Diversity Policy

This statement has been approved  
by the Board of Acrux Limited and  
is current at 22 August 2019.

1. The Board of Directors
1.1 Board role and charter
The Board Charter sets out details 
of the Board’s composition, its role 
and responsibilities, the expected 
relationship and interaction between 
the Board and management, details 
of the responsibilities and functions 
expressly reserved to the Board and 
those authorities which are delegated 
by the Board to management and Board 
Committees. A copy of the charter can 
be viewed on the Company’s website.

The Board is responsible for 
the management, oversight and 
performance of the Company, including 
but not limited to the following matters:

Strategic and financial objectives
a)   evaluating, approving and monitoring 
the strategic and financial plans  
and performance objectives for  
the Company;

b)   evaluating, approving and monitoring 
the annual budgets and business 
plans;

c)   evaluating, approving and monitoring 
major capital expenditure, capital 
management and all major corporate 
transactions including the issue of 
any securities of the Company;

d)   evaluating and approving the annual 
and half year financial reports and 
associated announcements and 
disclosures;

e)   monitoring other material reporting 
and external communications by 
the Company including financial 
projections and or statements as to 
future financial performance; and

f)   appointing external auditors.

Board and senior management
g)   nomination and remuneration  

of Directors;

h)   appointment of the Chair;

i)   evaluation of Board and individual 

Director performance;

j)   appointing, removing and managing 

the performance of, and the 
succession planning for, the  
Chief Executive Officer;

k)   overseeing and ratifying the terms of 
appointment and, where appropriate, 
removal, of Senior Management 
(being those persons reporting 
directly to the Chief Executive Officer), 
including their remuneration;

l)   monitoring Senior Management 

performance and their 
implementation of strategy and 
ensuring appropriate resources  
are available;

m)  control of membership and Charters 

of Board Committees; and

n)   corporate governance matters 

relating to the Board and Senior 
Management and matters of principle 
regarding corporate governance.

10

 11

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Governance 
Statement continued

Risk and compliance 
management
o)   monitoring the Company’s 

performance in relation to best 
practice principles of corporate 
governance;

p)   approving and monitoring the 
Company’s risk management 
strategy and internal controls  
and accountability systems  
and their effectiveness;

q)   approving and monitoring 

compliance with the Company’s 
Code of Conduct and other policies; 
and

r)   monitoring and reviewing the 

Company’s operations in relation 
to, and compliance with, legal and 
regulatory requirements.

Secretarial and other
s)   convening of shareholder meetings;

t) 

issuing shares, equity instruments 
or other securities;

u)   disclosure of Directors’ interests;

v)   major litigation;

w)  continuous disclosure and 

shareholder communications;

x)   related party transactions;

y)   insider trading; and

z)   design of any short or long-term 

incentive plans to employees of the 
Company including, but not limited 
to employee share and option plans;

The Board has delegated the day to  
day management of the Company to  
the Chief Executive Officer who, in turn, 
may delegate to Senior Management. 
The delegations to the Executive 
Director include:

a)   developing business plans,  

budgets and company strategies  
for consideration by the Board and, 
to the extent approved by the Board, 
implementing those plans, budgets 
and strategies;

b)   operating the business of the 

Company within the parameters 
determined by the Board and 
keeping the Board promptly 
informed of all developments 
material to the Company and  
its business;

c)   where proposed transactions, 

commitments or arrangements  
to be undertaken by Senior 
Management exceed limits 
authorised by the Board, referring 
the matter to the Board for 
consideration and approval;

d)   identifying and managing operational 
risks and formulating strategies 
for managing those risks for 
consideration by the Board;

e)   managing the Company’s financial 

and other reporting mechanisms and 
control and monitoring systems to 
ensure that they capture all relevant 
material information on a timely 
basis and are functioning effectively;

f)   ensuring that the Board is provided 
with sufficient information on 
a timely basis in relation to 
the Company’s business and, 
in particular, in relation to the 
Company’s performance, financial 
condition, operating results, risks 
and prospects to enable the Board  
to discharge its duties; and

g)   implementing the policies, processes 
and codes of conduct approved  
by the Board.

1.2 Board composition
The Board seeks to achieve a mix of 
skills and diversity that enables it to 
most effectively carry out the functions 
and responsibilities set out in the Board 
Charter. The Board uses a skills matrix 
that it has established when considering 
the appointment of Directors.  
This includes:

Skills or experience required by  
all Directors:

a)   Knowledge of corporate governance 
requirements and practices and risk 
management is important because 
we are a publicly listed company and 
must ensure our integrity, values 
and the way in which we assess and 
manage risk are set from the top.

b)   Significant leadership and strategy 
experience over extended periods  
is important because it helps identify 
these qualities in the management 
team and brings a practical 
understanding of organisations and 
how to drive change and growth.

c)   Fit and balance within board is 

important to ensure that the board 
can build effective team work.

d)   Demonstrates Company values is 

important because the values drive 
standards, behaviour and how we 
should interact. The Company values 
are “Round the clock”,”Innovation”, 
”Openness”, ”Standout.”

Skills or experience required to be 
represented on the board in light of 
Acrux’s current and expected future 
business needs:

a)   Financial management is important 
because it assists understanding 
and oversight of financial reporting 
and controls, because our corporate 
structures are complex.

b)   Investor/investment management 
and capital markets experience 
is important to ensure strong 
alignment with our investors  
and to review distribution of,  
or raising of capital.

12

 13

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019The current Board is made up of a 
Chairman (Ross Dobinson), three non-
executive Directors (Timothy Oldham, 
Simon Green and Geoffrey Brooke) and 
an Executive Director (Michael Kotsanis). 
The names of the Directors, the dates of 
their appointments, their non-executive, 
executive or independent status and 
whether they will seek election at the 
2019 Annual General Meeting are set  
out in the table below.

The details of their background, skills 
and experience are set out on pages  
25-27 of the financial report. 

c)   Technology or project selection 

experience is important because 
we are choosing to invest in new 
projects which require allocation 
of capital, assessment of risk and 
financial returns.

h)   International experience is important 
because the products Acrux develops 
will have a greater market potential 
outside the local Australian market 
and potential partners will most 
likely be based outside Australia.

d)   Pharmaceutical industry experience 

is important in understanding 
and reviewing our strategy and 
investment decisions and managing 
our risks.

e)   Legal or contract or IP experience 
relevant to industry is important in 
understanding strategy related to 
intellectual property and reviewing 
and managing alliances governed 
through contractual relationships.

f)   Sectoral experience relevant to 
corporate strategy is important 
because our competitive advantage  
is based on know-how and our 
pipeline is dependent on making 
good product selections.

g)   Clinical development experience  

is important as our projects will 
usually involve the coordination  
of clinical and non clinical trials 
which are pivotal to regulatory 
assessment and approval of 
products that Acrux develops.

i)   Alliance management or partner 
management experience is 
important because all of our 
development projects and 
commercialised products are 
intended for marketing through 
partnerships making alliance 
management a critical success 
factor for Acrux.

j)   Talent management or 

organisational development  
or change management experience 
is important because we are a 
highly skilled organisation making 
talent acquisition, development and 
retention a critical success factor.

The Board adopts and regularly reviews 
a skills matrix that defines a set of skills 
appropriate for the Board to discharge 
its duties having regard to the current 
and future strategies and operational 
priorities of the Company.

Name

Appointed/resigned

Non-Executive

Executive

Independent

Ross Dobinson

Appointed 1998

Timothy Oldham

Appointed 1 October 2013

Michael Kotsanis

Appointed 1 November 2014

Simon Green

Geoff Brooke

Appointed 1 June 2016

Appointed 1 June 2016

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

1. Mr Dobinson was re-elected on 26 October 2017.

2. Timothy Oldham was re-elected on 1 November 2018.

3. Michael Kotsanis is the Managing Director.

No

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Seeking election 
at 2019 AGM

No1

No2

No3

Yes

Yes

12

 13

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Governance 
Statement continued

Non-executive Directors should be 
willing to serve for not less than that 
period of time determined by the 
Board at the time of the non-executive 
Director’s appointment before retiring 
from the Board. Each non-executive 
Director will resign pursuant to ASX 
guidelines unless the other Directors 
unanimously request that Director to 
continue in office. In that case the non-
executive Director will continue as a 
Director until he or she resigns or does 
not stand for re-election or another 
Director does not approve of him  
or her standing for re-election.

1.5 Access to information and 
independent advice
All Directors have unrestricted access to 
employees of the Company and, subject 
to the law, access to all Company 
records and information held by the 
Company, its employees and advisors. 
The Board receives an agenda, detailed 
financial and operational reports and, 
where relevant, reports of the Board 
Committees for each Board meeting.

Each Director is entitled to obtain 
independent professional advice at  
the Company’s expense for the purpose 
of assisting them in performing their 
duties. A Director who wishes to obtain 
such advice must first obtain the 
approval of the Chair (which approval 
must not be unreasonably withheld) and 
must provide the Chair with the reason 
for seeking such advice, the identity 
of the person from whom the advice 
will be sought and the likely cost of 
obtaining such advice. Except in certain 
circumstances detailed in the Board 
Charter, advice obtained in this manner 
is made available to the Board as  
a whole.

1.6 Human capital and 
nomination committee
The current members of the Human 
Capital and Nomination Committee of 
the Board are Timothy Oldham (Chair), 
Geoff Brooke and Simon Green. During 
the financial year, the Committee met 
on 6 December 2018 and 20 June 2019 
with only one absence at one meeting  
by members.

Members of the Committee are  
chosen having regard to their skills  
and experience in relation to the matters  
for which the Committee is responsible. 
Members of the Committee have 
unrestricted access to company records, 
Senior Management, advisers and  
the external auditors.

The objective and purpose of the 
Committee is to support and advise the 
Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to 
shareholders in ensuring that the Board 
is comprised of individuals who are best 
able to discharge the responsibilities 
of Directors and ensuring that the 
Company obtains and retains Senior 
Management and employees of high 
quality and motivation to drive the long 
term growth of the Company.

The Committee’s duties and 
responsibilities, which are set out in  
its Charter, in general terms is to:

a)   establish a formal and transparent 
procedure for the selection and 
appointment of new Directors  
to the Board;

b)   identify suitable candidates to fill 

Board vacancies as and when they 
arise and nominating candidates  
for the approval of the Board;

1.3 Director independence
Pursuant to the recommendations  
of ASX Principle 2, the Board Charter 
ideally requires the Board to include a 
majority of non-executive independent 
Directors, have a non-executive 
independent Chairman and to have 
different persons filling the roles of 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

The Board comprises a majority of 
independent Directors. A Director is 
considered to be independent where 
he/she is independent of management 
and is free of any business or other 
relationship with could materially 
interfere with, or could reasonably be 
perceived to interfere with, the exercise 
of their unfettered and independent 
judgement. The Board Charter sets out 
guidelines to assist in considering the 
independence of Director. The Board 
considers that each of Ross Dobinson, 
Tim Oldham, Simon Green and Geoff 
Brooke are independent for the 
purposes of the ASX Principles.

In accordance with the recommendation 
of ASX Principle 2.5 the roles of Chair 
and Chief Executive Officer are not 
exercised by the same individual. The 
Chair is responsible for the leadership 
of the Board, for ensuring that the 
Board functions effectively and, where 
appropriate, communicating the views 
of the Board to the public. The Chair 
sets the agendas for Board meetings 
and manages the conduct of meetings 
by facilitating open discussion between 
Board members, between the Board and 
Senior Management and with the public.

1.4 Terms of director appointment
The Chairman, Non-executive Directors 
and Managing Director have formal 
letters of appointment. Remuneration of 
the non-executive Directors, Managing 
Director and the terms of appointment 
of the Chairman are disclosed in the 
Remuneration Report.

14

 15

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 20191.7 Audit and risk committee
The current members of the Audit 
and Risk Committee are Geoff Brooke 
(Chair), Timothy Oldham and Ross 
Dobinson. During the financial year,  
the Committee met on 16 August 2018 
and 21 February 2019.

Members are chosen having regard to 
their skills and experience in relation to 
the matters for which the Committee is 
responsible. Members of the Committee 
have unrestricted access to company 
records, Senior Management, advisers 
and the external auditors.

The objective and purpose of the 
committee is to assist the Board in 
fulfilling its corporate governance and 
oversight responsibilities relating to 
the Company’s financial accounting 
practices, internal control systems, 
risk management procedures, external 
reporting and the external audit function.

The Committee’s duties and 
responsibilities, which are set out  
in its Charter, in general terms is:

c)   consider processes for the 

orientation and education of new 
Directors and developing ongoing 
policies to facilitate continuing 
education and development  
of Directors;

d)   periodically assess the skills 
required for each Director to 
discharge competently the  
Director’s duties;

e)   regularly review the structure,  

size and composition of the Board 
and the effectiveness of the Board  
as a whole;

f)   establish and conduct an appropriate 
evaluation of the Board’s process 
and of existing Directors, including 
an evaluation of whether each 
Director is contributing the time 
required of him or her for Board 
duties;

g)   recommend to the Board a 

policy and framework for Senior 
Management’s remuneration;

h)   review and monitor the 

implementation of the human 
resources plan of the Company  
and succession planning for  
Senior Management; and

i)   review and recommend to the Board 
the total individual remuneration 
package of each member of Senior 
Management, including any bonuses, 
incentive payments, and participation 
in any share or share option plans 
in accordance with the policy and 
framework for Senior Management’s 
remuneration.

In accordance with the recommendations 
of ASX Principle 2.4, the Committee’s 
Charter further provides that, where 
practical, a majority of the Committee 
must be independent non-executive 
Directors and the Chair must be a non-
executive Director who is not the Chair 
of the Company. Executive Directors 
may not be members of the Committee. 
A further recommendation of ASX 
Principle 2.1 is that the Committee  
have at least 3 members.

The Company’s Code of Conduct, which 
has been in place since 2005, contains 
a principle of equal opportunity to be 
applied in all human resource decisions 
and in the workplace environment. 
The Committee has supplemented the 
Code of Conduct principle by adopting 
a formal diversity policy. However, the 
Committee has not yet set measurable 
objectives for gender diversity.

The workforce at Acrux is small  
and the majority of positions require 
specialist qualifications and experience. 
The Committee believes specific 
diversity objectives are impractical at 
this time. At the date of this report,  
61% of Acrux’s workforce were female. 
The Senior Management team consists 
of two female members and one male 
member, while the five current Board 
members are male. The Committee and 
the Board will review the potential need 
for formal diversity objectives in the 
future as the Company evolves.

14

 15

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Governance 
Statement continued

1.   overseeing the Company’s system of 
financial reporting for the purpose of 
safeguarding its integrity, including 
viewing all regular financial reports 
and other formal announcements 
relating to the Company’s financial 
performance prepared for release 
to the ASX, regulators and the 
public before making appropriate 
recommendations to the Board;

•   receiving, reviewing, developing 
and implementing policy on the 
engaging of the external auditors 
to supply non-audit services.

4.   overseeing and reviewing the 
Company’s financial and risk 
management compliance and 
internal control framework 
including:

2.   determining the extent of internal 

•   overseeing the creation, 

audit activities required and monitor 
the effectiveness of those activities 
(note that the Committee has 
determined that the Company, 
due to its size, does not presently 
warrant establishing a separate 
internal audit function);

3.   monitoring the performance and 
activities of the external auditor 
including:

•   overseeing the process for the 

appointment, reappointment and 
removal of the external auditors 
(including audit engagement 
letters), overseeing the rotation 
of the principal audit partner and 
reviewing the level of the external 
auditors’ fees;

•   assessing the performance and 
independence of the external 
auditors and the quality of the 
audit work performed;

• 

 requiring, reviewing and 
monitoring compliance with 
the audit plan of the external 
auditors, including the scope 
of the plan and the levels of 
financial statement materiality;

•   reviewing reports from the 

external auditors and meeting 
with the external auditors at least 
once annually in the absence 
of Senior Management and 
also meeting with the external 
auditors as requested by the 
Board, the Committee or the 
external auditors; and

implementation and maintenance 
of the risk management system 
of the Company and its controlled 
entities and their internal control 
framework, including information 
systems;

•   reviewing the effectiveness of the 
Company’s implementation of its 
risk management systems and 
internal controls on an ongoing 
basis and reviewing the outcome 
of any non-financial audits;

•   requiring Senior Management 
to report to the Board at 
least annually on whether the 
Company’s material business 
risks are being managed 
effectively;

•   developing an understanding 
of the overall business 
environment, relevant laws 
and codes of importance to the 
Company and the programs that 
the Company has in place to 
provide reasonable assurance  
of compliance;

•   reviewing the Company’s 

occupational health and safety 
policies and ensuring regular 
reporting to the Committee on 
issues related to occupational 
health and safety;

•   reviewing insurance coverage  

and claims trends;

•   ensuring that the Chief Executive 
Officer and the Chief Financial 
Officer state in writing to the 
Board annually that:

i.   the Company’s financial 

reports present a true and 
fair view, in all material 
respects, of the Company’s 
financial condition and 
operational results and are in 
accordance with the relevant 
accounting standards;

ii.   the statement in (i) above is 
founded on a sound system 
of risk management and 
control which implements 
the policies adopted by the 
Board; and

iii.  the Company’s risk 

management and internal 
compliance and control 
systems are operating 
efficiently and effectively in all 
material respects. The Board 
has received the report from 
Senior Management referred 
to above, advising whether 
the Company’s material 
business risks are being 
managed effectively.

The Board received the statement in 
writing referred to above from the Chief 
Executive Officer and the Chief Financial 
Officer on 22 August 2019.

16

 17

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019The review of the Chief Executive 
Officer’s performance is carried out 
by the Human Capital and Nomination 
Committee and the Committee’s 
remuneration recommendations  
are then approved by the Board.  
A performance evaluation in  
accordance with this process was 
undertaken in respect of the year  
ended 30 June 2019.

A review of the performance of  
the Board and its Committees was 
undertaken and discussed at the Human 
Capital and Nomination Committee 
on 22 June 2019. No areas of under-
performance requiring immediate 
remedial action were identified.

The Board remains focussed on 
continuous improvement and monitors 
the following areas:

a)   Board skills, experience and 

diversity;

b)   Role of the board vis-a-vis 

management; and

c)   Board process and dynamics.

In accordance with the recommendations 
of ASX Principle 4.1, the Committee’s 
Charter provides that the Committee 
have at least three members, Executive 
Directors may not be members of the 
Committee, a majority of the Committee 
must be independent Directors and  
the Chair must not be the Chair of  
the Company.

1.8 Director and senior 
management remuneration  
and performance
The remuneration structure for Senior 
Management and Directors and the 
amounts paid to each during the year 
are set out in the Remuneration Report 
section of the Directors’ Report on 
pages 32–36. Non-executive Directors 
are remunerated by way of fees. They 
are also eligible to participate in the 
Company’s Omnibus Equity Plan.

At the end of each financial year, the 
performance of Senior Executives 
against the company and their personal 
goals is assessed. At the same time 
personal goals and development plans 
for the next financial year are set, to be 
aligned with the Company’s objectives. 

The review of Senior Management team 
members is carried out by the Chief 
Executive Officer and the results are 
subject to further review and approval 
by the Chair of the Human Capital and 
Nomination Committee.

2. Disclosure and 
communication
2.1 Continuous disclosure
The Board has adopted a Continuous 
Disclosure Policy to ensure compliance 
with the ASX Listing Rules continuous 
disclosure requirements. The Policy 
sets out procedures aimed at ensuring 
the Company fulfils its obligations in 
relation to the timely disclosure of 
material price-sensitive information.  
The Company has an obligation to 
keep the market fully informed of 
any information it becomes aware of 
concerning the Company which may 
have a material effect on the price or 
value of the Company’s securities, 
subject to certain exceptions.

A copy of the Continuous Disclosure 
Policy is available on the Company’s 
website.

This policy:

a)   gives guidance as to the information 

that may need to be disclosed;

b)   gives guidance for dealing with 
market analysts and the media;

c)   establishes regular reminders to 

Directors and Senior Management 
to actively consider whether there is 
any price sensitive information which 
needs disclosure;

d)   allocates responsibility for approving 
public disclosures and shareholder 
communications.

16

 17

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Governance 
Statement continued

3. Share trading
Under the Company’s share trading 
policy, the Directors, Senior Executives 
and all other employees of the Company 
(and their collective designated 
persons) are prohibited from trading 
in the Company’s shares if they are in 
possession of inside information.

In addition, the Directors, Senior 
Executives and all other employees  
(and their collective designated persons) 
are prohibited from trading in the 
Company’s shares during the periods 
starting at the end of either the financial 
year or the half year and ending when 
the financial results related to these 
periods are released to the market.

The Directors, Senior Executives and all 
other employees of the Company (and 
their collective designated persons) 
may not trade in the Company’s shares 
without the approval of the Company 
Secretary (who must obtain approval 
from the Chair) and only if they have 
provided a statement that they are not 
in possession of material non-public 
information. Such approval expires after 
five business days. If the Chair wishes to 
trade in the Company’s shares, proper 
approval must be obtained from the 
Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee 
or the Company Secretary.

2.2 Communications  
with shareholders
The Board has approved, as part of 
the continuous disclosure policy, the 
Company’s policy to promote effective 
communication with its shareholders. 
In addition to its disclosure obligations 
under the ASX Listing Rules, the 
Company communicates with its 
shareholders through a number  
of channels including:

a)   annual and half-yearly reports;

b)   media releases, public 

announcements and investor 
briefings; and

c)   annual general meetings.

All the above communications are 
posted on the Company’s website 
(www.acrux.com.au). Shareholders 
are encouraged to receive shareholder 
materials electronically and can do so  
by visiting our investor centre, located on 
the Company’s website. In addition, the 
Company is committed to using general 
meetings of the Company to effectively 
communicate with shareholders and 
to allow reasonable opportunities for 
informed shareholder participation  
at these meetings.

Where possible the Company will  
comply with the ASX Best Practice 
Guidelines for the content of notices  
of meeting. Further, the external auditor 
is requested to attend the annual 
general meeting and be available to 
answer shareholder questions about  
the conduct of the audit of the Company

and the preparation and content  
of the auditor’s report. The Company  
is committed to further developing its 
communications strategies to optimise 
shareholder communication.

4. Conduct and ethics
The Directors and Senior Management 
of the Company and its controlled 
entities are committed to observing  
high standards of ethics and behaviour 
in all of the Company’s activities, 
including the Company’s interaction  
with its shareholders, employees, 
business partners, customers, 
suppliers, the community and the 
environment in which the Company 
operates.

The Company has adopted a Code of 
Conduct which provides the ethical and 
legal framework for how the Company 
will conduct its business and how the 
Company will relate to shareholders, 
employees, business partners, 
customers, suppliers, the community 
and the environment in which the 
Company operates.

The Board have set the following general 
principles which are covered by the Code 
of Conduct:

a)   values

b)   compliance with laws

c)   fair dealing

d)   confidentiality and protection  

of Company assets

e)   conflicts of interest

f)   shareholders and the financial 

community

g)   trading in Company securities

h)   equal opportunity

i)   health, safety and environment

j)   reporting non-compliance and 

grievances

k)   compliance with taxation laws

l)   bribes and financial inducements

m)  political donations

18

 19

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019e)   gross mismanagement;

f)   a serious or substantial waste  

of resources;

g)   an unsafe work practice;

h)   failure to comply with the Company’s 

Code of Conduct;

i)   failure to comply with agreements 
with the Company’s commercial 
partners;

j)   a breach of proper environmental 

practice;

k)   discriminatory, bullying or harassing;

l)   other serious improper conduct; and

m)  any other conduct that may cause 
financial or non-financial loss  
to the Company or otherwise  
be detrimental to the interests  
of the Company.

As part of the Company’s commitment 
to observing high standards of ethics 
and behaviour in all of its activities, 
the Company has adopted a Whistle-
blower Policy. The Company is also 
committed to maintaining a culture 
where all staff are encouraged to raise 
concerns about poor or unacceptable 
practice and misconduct and can do so 
safely. A whistleblowing program is an 
important aspect of detecting poor or 
unacceptable practice and misconduct 
in an organisation.

The purpose of this policy is to encourage 
the reporting of conduct by employees 
of the Company and other persons with 
whom the Company deals closely where 
the interests of others, including the 
public, or of the Company itself are  
at risk.

The conduct covered by the policy  
is conduct that is:

a)   illegal, dishonest, fraudulent or 

corrupt;

b)   in breach of Commonwealth or state 
legislation or local authority by-laws;

c)   in breach of applicable industry 

practices, such as Good Laboratory 
Practice, Good Clinical Practice or 
Good Manufacturing Practice;

d)   unethical (being either a breach  

of the Company’s Code of Conduct  
or generally);

18

 19

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report

The Directors present their report, together with the Financial Report of the consolidated entity consisting of Acrux Limited 
(the Company) and its controlled entities (the Group), for the financial year ended 30 June 2019 and independent review report 
thereon. This Financial Report has been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards.

Directors
The names of directors in office at any time during or since the end of the year are:

Name

Ross Dobinson

Timothy Oldham

Michael Kotsanis

Simon Green

Geoffrey Brooke

Chairman

Non-Executive Director

Appointed/resigned

Appointed 19 March 1998

Appointed 1 October 2013

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer

Appointed 3 November 2014

Non-Executive Director

Non-Executive Director

Appointed 1 June 2016

Appointed 1 June 2016

The Directors have been in office since the start of the financial year to the date of this report unless otherwise stated.

Directors’ meetings
The number of Directors’ meetings (including meetings of committees of Directors) and the number of meetings attended 
by each of the Directors of the Company during the financial year were:

Committee Meetings

Board

Audit and Risk

Human Capital 
and Nominations

Held1

Attended

Held1

Attended

Held1

Attended

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

Ross Dobinson

Timothy Oldham

Michael Kotsanis

Simon Green

Geoffrey Brooke

1.  The number of meetings held during the period the Director was a member of the Board or Committee.

All Directors who are not members of Committees are invited to attend Committee meetings.

Principal activities
The principal activities of the consolidated entity during the financial year were the development and commercialisation 
of pharmaceutical products. There has been no significant change in the nature of these activities during the financial year.

Operating results

Revenue 

Net loss after tax

Loss per share

Cash on hand

2019  
$’000

5,286

(8,325)

2018  
$’000

3,432 

(14,182)

(5.00) cents  

(8.52) cents

18,152

28,470 

The consolidated loss after income tax attributable to the members of Acrux Limited was $8.325 million (2018 loss: $14.182 million). 
Loss per share was 5.00 cents (2018: loss per share 8.52 cents). 

20

 21

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019 
Review of operations
A review of the operations of the Group during the financial year and the results of these operations are as follows:

Mission
Acrux is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercialising generic and specialty topical pharmaceuticals.

Business Strategy
Acrux is developing a range of topically applied products with an expanding pipeline of products under active development. 
Acrux uses its internal development capabilities and know-how to develop generics which target a substantial portion of the 
US topical market. The development time required for generic products is substantially shorter and less costly than the length 
of time required for a new drug development.

Topical generic portfolio

At the date of this report, Acrux has 14 generic topical products in various stages of development, including 3 that have been 
submitted for review to the FDA. The addressable market value for the pipeline of 14 products is approximately US$1.5 billion 
based on IQVIA reported annual sales data at March 2019. Over half the value of the pipeline and over half the number of products 
in development currently have no marketed generic alternatives in the United States. 

Acrux believes that a number of its products in development will qualify for the recently introduced Competitive Generic Therapies 
(CGT) incentives provided by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the development of products with inadequate generic 
competition, meaning there is not more than one approved drug in the active section of the FDA Orange Book, protecting the 
reference product from potential generic competition. FDA incentives for CGT products include a potentially faster FDA review 
process than other Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) submissions and a granting of 180 day market exclusivity for  
the first approved generic alternative.

Acrux has now engaged with 6 contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) to manufacture different products from its portfolio of 
generic topical products. All CMOs are FDA approved. During the 2019 financial year, Acrux also engaged with contract manufacturing 
organisations for an additional 6 products for the technical transfer, upscaling and subsequent exhibit batch manufacturing 
formulations of topical generic products that have been developed by Acrux in its GMP laboratories in Melbourne, Australia. 
These products will form the next wave of ANDA submissions to the FDA.

Acrux Regulatory Submissions 
Acrux submitted its first generic product to the FDA during the 2018 financial year. In August 2018, the FDA informed Acrux that  
its dossier had been accepted for review. This filing was a Paragraph IV ANDA for a generic version of Jublia® (efinaconazole) 
topical solution, 10%. The subsequent patent litigation was settled in April 2019.

Acrux submitted its second generic product to the FDA in August 2018 and this was accepted for review by the FDA in October 
2018. The product filed was an ANDA for testosterone solution 30mg/1.5mL.

During the 2019 financial year, Acrux submitted its third generic product to the FDA. The Company filed an ANDA for lidocaine 2.5% 
and prilocaine 2.5% cream in June 2019 and the FDA accepted this product for review in August 2019. All three ANDAs are under 
review by the FDA.

Marketed topical portfolio 

The Group’s commercialised products include Estradiol spray branded as Evamist® and Lenzetto®. Evamist® is marketed by Perrigo 
in the US and Lenzetto® is marketed by Gedeon Richter in Europe.

The marketing of Lenzetto® commenced in Q1 2016 and has since been launched in countries across the European Union and 
other markets. Sales of Lenzetto® grew 77.6% year on year and are expected to continue to grow as the product captures market 
share in existing countries and is progressively launched into new countries.

Evamist® sales declined compared to the prior year as a result of sales returns and adjustments incurred by the Group’s 
commercial licensee.

20

 21

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report continued

Key Events During Year
The following were key events for the Group during the year:

• Acrux received confirmation that the submitted ANDA to the FDA for a generic version of Jublia® had been accepted for review.

• Acrux submitted its second ANDA application to the FDA for its generic version of a testosterone topical solution, which was 

subsequently accepted for review.

• Acrux submitted its third ANDA application to the FDA for its generic version of lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5% cream 

in June 2019, which was subsequently accepted for review.

• Lenzetto® continues to be launched progressively in additional countries within the European Union by our licensee (Gedeon Richter).

• Acrux successfully engaged additional CMOs that manufacture and supply FDA approved products, providing the infrastructure 

to begin scale up of 6 projects from the Acrux laboratory to exhibit batch manufacturing.

• Acrux received an R&D Tax Incentive Rebate from the Australian Taxation Office of $2.057 million.

• Acrux settled the Paragraph IV patent litigation relating to Acrux’s first to file ANDA for the generic equivalent of Jublia. As at 

August 2019, there are currently 10+ dossiers submitted to the FDA that are neither approved nor commercialised for  
a generic version of Jublia.

Operating Results
The consolidated loss before tax was $8.335 million (2018: loss $16.125 million). The reduced loss is primarily attributable  
to the prior period write down of intangible assets associated with Axiron. The consolidated loss after tax was $8.325 million  
(2018 loss: $14.182 million).

Revenue
Revenue for the financial year increased by $1.854 million (54.0%) to $5.286 million (2018: $3.432 million). Royalty revenue from 
Axiron® decreased to nil (2018: $2.231 million) reflecting the termination of the Axiron licensing agreement during the 2017 calendar 
year. Royalty revenue from Lenzetto® was $0.581 million (2018: $0.327 million) which is an increase of 77.6% on prior year and 
interest on cash deposits were $0.579 million (2018: $0.671 million).

The Group received $2.057 million (2018: nil) in relation to an R&D Tax Incentive Rebate from the Australian Taxation Office  
for the 2017/2018 financial year. A further $2.015 million was accrued for the 2019 financial year and is expected to be received  
in the 2019 calendar year.

Expenses
Total expenses for the financial year were $13.621 million (2018: $19.557 million). The reduction from the prior year is due to  
non-recurrence of: a) non-cash (pre-tax) loss of $5.647 million in relation to the impairment of Axiron® capitalised development 
costs, which were fully written down as at 31 December 2017 and b) legal fees of $0.729 million associated with the Axiron® 
patent appeal litigation.

Total operating expenditure for the financial year decreased by 2.1% to $13.621 million (2018: $13.910 million).

Employee benefits expense totalled $5.044 million (2018: $4.720 million) increasing $0.324 million or 6.9% year on year, reflecting 
the increased resources required while developing the pipeline.

Increases in external R&D costs of $1.096 million for contract manufacture engagement, API procurement for the manufacture 
of exhibit batches and clinical research organisation engagement was offset by a significant reduction in non-recurring legal fees 
for the Axiron patent appeal litigation and lower depreciation and amortisation expense of $0.426 million (2018: $0.618 million). 

Income Tax
Income tax benefit of $0.010 million (2018: benefit $1.943 million) was recorded for the financial year. The change from the prior 
financial year is mainly attributable to the higher operating loss and the reversal of the deferred tax liability associated with the 
amortisation and impairment of Axiron® capitalised development costs. Further details of the income tax expense are provided 
at Note 1(k) of the financial report.

22

 23

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Cash flow
Cash received from licensing agreements for the financial year was $0.576 million (2018: $7.872 million). Royalties received from 
Axiron® were nil (2018: $7.307 million) reflecting the termination of the of the Axiron licensing agreement during the prior year. 
The Group paid $13.233 million to suppliers and employees (2018: $12.731 million) as a consequence of increased investment in 
the R&D pipeline. Income tax payments decreased to $0.051 million from $1.033 million in the prior financial year driven by lower 
operating results across the Group. The Group received $2.057 million (2018: nil) in relation to an R&D Tax Incentive Rebate from 
the Australian Taxation Office for the 2017/2018 financial year.

Capital expenditure was $0.380 million, up 28.4% on the prior financial year reflecting the timing of expenditure as the Group carries 
out upgrades of existing equipment to improve our internal analytical and testing capabilities.

Cash reserves at the end of the period were $18.152 million (2018: $28.470 million).

Contributed Equity
During the year ended 30 June 2019 there were 56,000 (2018: nil) ordinary shares issued on the exercise of employee 
performance rights.

The number of outstanding employee share options on issue at the date of this report was nil (30 June 2018: 2,000,000). The 
number of outstanding employee performance rights on issue at the date of this report was 6,235,000 (30 June 2018: 4,836,000), 
representing 3.7% of the Company’s issued share capital. 

Further details of share based payments are provided in Note 17 of the Financial Report which follows the Directors’ Report.

Significant changes in the state of affairs
There have been no significant changes in the Group’s state of affairs during and since the end of the financial year that have not 
been disclosed elsewhere in this report.

Dividends
The Directors have not declared a dividend for the 2019 financial year.

After balance date events
Other than disclosed at Note 30 there have been no matters or circumstances that have arisen since the end of the financial year 
that have significantly affected or may significantly affect the operations of the Group, the results of those operations, or the state 
of affairs of the Group in future financial years.

Likely developments
For the foreseeable future, the Group will continue to pursue and execute its strategy of developing a diversified, on-market, 
financially attractive portfolio of topical generic products.

The Group’s financial results will be materially influenced by its ability to commercialise the initial product suite of its development 
pipeline, and the efficient evaluation and selection of additional generic products.

Environmental regulation
The Group’s operations are subject to certain environmental regulations under the laws of the Commonwealth and of the State 
of Victoria. Details of the Group’s performance in relation to such environmental regulations are as follows:

Laboratory Waste 
To ensure compliance with the Environment Protection Act 1970, the Group engages an external waste management consultant. 
This consultant has ISO 14001:2004 Certification for Environmental Management to comply with the legislative requirements, 
and issues an EPA Transport Certificate at every collection of waste to ensure safe collection, transport, delivery and disposal/
recycling procedures.

22

 23

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report continued

Trade Water Waste
An agreement exists with City West Water to ensure compliance under the Water Industry Act 1994 and Water Industry Regulations 
1995. This agreement ensures that the acceptance of trade waste into the sewage network is managed effectively and that City 
West Water is aware of the type and quantities of waste disposed of by the Group.

The Directors are not aware of any breaches during the period covered by this report.

Share options
The number of outstanding employee share options on issue at the date of this report was nil (30 June 2018: 2,000,000). 

Shares issued on exercise of options
There were no shares issued during the financial year as a result of the exercise of share options.

Performance rights
Unissued ordinary shares of Acrux Limited under performance rights at the date of this report are as follows:

Date performance rights granted

14 November 2017

25 January 2018

23 November 2018

4 February 2019

Number of 
unissued 
ordinary 
shares under 
performance 
rights

4,000,000 

668,000 

800,000 

767,000 

6,235,000 

Value at grant 
date

Exercise price

Expiry 
date of the 
performance 
rights

$0.09

$0.11

$0.19

$0.08

$0.00 November 2024

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

January 2025

January 2023

February 2026

No performance right holder has the right to participate in any other share issue of the Company.

Shares issued on exercise of performance rights
There were 56,000 (2018: Nil) shares issued during the financial year as a result of the exercise of performance rights.

24

 25

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Information on Directors and Company Secretary
The qualifications, experience and special responsibilities of each person who has been a Director of Acrux Limited at any time 
during or since 1 July 2018 is provided below, together with details of the company secretary as at the year end. The Directors 
have been in office since the start of the financial year to the date of this report unless otherwise stated.

Ross Dobinson 

Responsibilities

Director since 
March 1998)

From November 2014, Non-Executive Chairman; 1 July 2012 to November 2014, Executive Chairman; 
prior to 1 July 2012, Non-Executive Chairman. Member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Qualifications

BBus Acc

Experience

Ross has been a Director since 1998 and was appointed Chairman in January 2006 and then Executive 
Chairman from 1 July 2012 to October 2014. He is a founder and former CEO of Acrux. Ross has a 
background in investment banking and stockbroking. He is currently Managing Director of TSL Group 
Ltd, a corporate advisory company specialising in establishing and advising life sciences companies. 
He is a Director of Reliance Worldwide Corporation (ASX: RWC). He was previously a founding Director 
of Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL), Executive Chairman of Hexima Limited (ASX: HXL), Chairman 
of TPI Enterprises Limited (Now Palla Pharma Ltd. ASX: TPE), Director of Roc Oil Company Limited 
(ASX: ROC) and a Director of Racing Victoria Limited.

Tim Oldham 

Director since 
October 2013

Responsibilities

Non-Executive Director, member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Chair of the Human Capital 
and Nomination Committee.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), LLB (Hons), PhD

Experience

Tim joined the Board in October 2013. He has more than 15 years of life sciences business development, 
alliance management and sales and marketing experience in Europe, Asia and Australia. Tim is the 
Executive Leader of Tijan Ventures, an advisory business focussed on growing life sciences companies 
through strategic advisory and interim CEO, executive and non-executive leadership services, with 
a particular focus on cell and gene therapies. He was CEO and Managing Director of Cell Therapies 
Pty Ltd, a leading contract manufacturer and distributor cellular therapies in Asia Pacific. Tim was 
President of Asia Pacific for Hospira, Inc., having held a variety of senior management roles with 
Mayne Pharma Ltd prior to its acquisition by Hospira. These roles encompassed the development 
and commercialisation of pharmaceuticals, devices, biologics and cellular therapies. Prior to this, 
Tim was an engagement manager with McKinsey & Co. Tim has been chairman of the European 
Generic Medicines Association Biosimilars and Biotechnology Committee, a Director of the Alliance 
for Regenerative Medicine, a Director of the Generic Medicines Industry Association and a member 
of the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy Group. He has also been a Director of Respiri Ltd (ASX: RSH) 
and is a current member of AusBiotech’s Regenerative Medicine Advisory Group.

24

 25

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report continued

Geoff Brooke 

Director since 
June 2016

Responsibilities

Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and member of the Human Capital 
and Nomination Committee

Simon Green

Director since 
June 2016

Qualifications

MBBS, MBA

Experience

Geoff joined the Board in June 2016. He founded GBS Venture Partners Pty Ltd in 1996 and has more 
than 20 years’ venture capital experience. In January 2014, he reduced his involvement in GBS and is 
now special adviser to the firm and its funds. Geoff was formally President of Medvest Inc., a US-based 
early-stage venture capital group he founded with Johnson & Johnson. Geoff’s experience includes 
company formation and acquisitions, as well as public listings on the NYSE, NASDAQ and ASX exchanges. 
He commenced in March 2017 as Chairman of Actinogen Medical Limited (ASX: ACW) and has been 
a founder, executive and director of private and public companies. From 2009 until 2015, he was an 
independent director of the Victoria WorkCover Authority. Geoff is licensed in clinical medicine by the 
Medical Board of Victoria, Australia and his post-graduate work was in anaesthetics and intensive care. 
He earned his Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery from the University of Melbourne, Australia and a Master 
of Business Administration from IMEDE (now IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Responsibilities

Non-Executive Director and member of the Human Capital and Nomination Committee

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), PhD

Experience

Simon joined the Board in June 2016. He is an experienced biotechnology professional with expertise 
in drug development, having worked at Genentech and Novartis in San Francisco before joining CSL 
Limited in 1998. At CSL, Simon held several roles in project and portfolio management before being 
promoted to Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development for CSL Behring. He also held 
roles as General Manager of CSL Behring’s plasma products manufacturing operations in Germany and 
Australia. Simon left CSL in November 2015 to start up a biotech company, Immunosis Pty Ltd, focused 
on improved diagnostic outcomes for patients with immune deficiencies. He also founded a consultancy 
service providing advice to companies in the plasma products field. Simon graduated from Monash 
University and completed his PhD in the field of immunology at Melbourne University in 1992. He is a 
graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and previously held Board governance roles 
for several CSL subsidiary companies in Australia and Germany and for the European Plasma Protein 
Therapeutics Association. Simon has provided strategic advice to Government through his membership 
of the Victorian Biotechnology Advisory Council and Northern Innovation and Investment Fund.

26

 27

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Michael Kotsanis

Responsibilities

Managing Director 
since November 2014

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications

BSc, MBus

Experience

Michael has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and has significant senior 
leadership experience across the global pharmaceutical markets. Michael was formally the Chief 
Commercial Officer for Synthon Holding BV, an international pharmaceutical company and a leader in 
the field of generic medicines, with revenue over EUR250 million, and was based in the Netherlands, 
a position he held for four years. Prior to Synthon, he served as President, Europe, Middle East and 
Africa, for Hospira, the global leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals prior to its acquisition by 
Pfizer. Michael joined Hospira following its acquisition of Mayne Pharma in 2007, where he served as 
President Asia Pacific from 2002. He joined Mayne following their acquisition of Faulding Pharmaceuticals 
in 2001, where he held responsibility for commercial activities in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to 
Faulding, Michael held a variety of sales and marketing positions with Boehringer Ingelheim, a German 
multinational pharmaceutical company over an 11 year period. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science 
from Monash University, and a Master of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Deborah Ambrosini

Responsibilities

Company Secretary 
since June 2019

Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

Qualifications

BCom (Acc & Business Law), CA, GIA (Cert)

Experience

Deborah commenced at Acrux as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary in June 2019. She 
is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand with over 20 years experience in 
leading financial strategies to facilitate growth plans. Her experience spans the biotechnology, mining, 
IT communications and financial services sectors. Deborah possesses extensive experience in debt 
and equity capital raising activities, regulatory compliance, process improvement, investor relations, 
large contract management and leading all aspects of accounting, budgeting, forecasting and financial 
analysis. She also has significant experience both nationally and internationally in financial and business 
planning, compliance and taxation. Deborah has held Director roles in both listed and unlisted entities. 
Deborah has been a state finalist in the Telstra Business Woman Awards. She was also named as one of 
the Top 40 pre-eminent business leaders in the highly prestigious WA Business News 40 under 40 awards. 

Felicia Colagrande

Responsibilities

Product Development 
and Technical Affairs 
Director since 
February 2015

Product Development and Technical Affairs Director

Qualifications

BSc (Hons), MBA

Experience

Felicia was appointed Product Development and Technical Affairs Director in February 2015. Felicia has 
a broad background in pharmaceutical operations, dermal drug development, analytical development 
and production. Felicia leads and facilitates all technical aspects of pharmaceutical product development 
including R&D, analytical development, project management and CMC development, with a focus on 
exploiting and optimising the company’s drug delivery technology. Felicia has 25 years’ experience in 
the pharmaceutical/biotech industry and joined Acrux in 2001. Felicia has previously held positions at 
Faulding Pharmaceuticals, the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the Austin 
Hospital, Silliker-Microtech Laboratories and was an Adjunct Appointee Lecturer with the Faculty 
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University. Felicia has a Bachelor of Science 
degree (with Honours) from La Trobe University and an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business.

26

 27

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report continued

Charles O’Sullivan

Responsibilities

Portfolio Director 
since July 2015

Portfolio Director

Qualifications

BPharm

Experience

Charles commenced at Acrux as Portfolio Director in July 2015. He is an experienced healthcare executive 
with senior and international leadership roles in scientific affairs, medical affairs, health economics 
and government affairs. Prior to Acrux, Charles was Asia Pacific Director of Medical and Government 
Affairs for Hospira (now Pfizer). Other pharmaceutical industry roles were at Mayne Pharma (Pricing 
and Reimbursement Manager), GSK and Zeneca Pharmaceuticals. Additional external roles included 
being a Director of the Generic Medicines Industry Association of Australia (now the Generic and 
Biosimilar Association) and membership of a number of industry and government working parties. 
As a qualified pharmacist, Charles has senior experience in the public hospital sector including 
pharmacy management and key committee membership including Bio-Ethics Committees, and Drug 
and Therapeutics Committees. Charles has a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Monash University 
and a Graduate Diploma of Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Melbourne University. 

Directors’ and Executives’ interests in equity instruments
Directors’ and Executives’ relevant interests in equity instruments of the Company as at the date of this report are detailed below:

Directors

Ross Dobinson

Tim Oldham1

Geoff Brooke

Simon Green

Michael Kotsanis

Executives

Deborah Ambrosini

Charles O’Sullivan

Felicia Colagrande

Total

Total No.  
of shares

Total No.  
of options

Total No. of 
performance 
rights

1,372,593 

96,150 

75,750 

130,435 

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,500 

1,676,428 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

320,000 

160,000 

160,000 

160,000 

4,000,000 

–

265,000 

265,000 

5,330,000 

1.  Related party interests of Tim Oldham hold 400 shares of Acrux Limited.

Directors’ interests in contracts
Directors’ interests in contracts are disclosed in Note 24 to the financial statements.

Indemnification and insurance of Directors, officers and auditors
During the financial year, the consolidated entity has paid premiums in respect of an insurance contract to indemnify officers 
against liabilities that may arise from their positions as officers of the Group. Officers indemnified include the company secretary,  
all Directors and all executive officers participating in the management of the Group.

Consistent with section 300(9) of the Corporations Act 2001 further policy details are not disclosed.

Court proceedings
Since 2014, a number of product liability lawsuits have been filed against Acrux and Eli Lilly in the United States District Court 
for the Northern District of Illinois, including claims that assert injury caused by testosterone replacement therapy. The conduct 
of the lawsuits will not have a material impact on Acrux’s operating expenditure.

28

 29

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Remuneration report (audited)

The Directors present the Group’s 2019 remuneration report which details the remuneration information for Acrux Limited’s 
Non-Executive Chairman, Non-Executive Directors and other key management personnel.

Human Capital and Nomination Committee
The Human Capital and Nomination Committee carries out the following functions in relation to the remuneration of senior 
management:

(a)  recommending to the Board a policy and framework for senior employees’ remuneration which aims to set remuneration which:

(i)  is competitive, fair and designed to attract employees of high quality, skill and experience;

(ii)  motivates senior employees to achieve challenging goals that are linked to the creation of sustainable shareholder returns 

within the appropriate control framework; and 

(iii) establishes a clear relationship between the performance of senior management and their remuneration;

(b)  reviewing and recommending to the Board the total individual remuneration package of each member of senior management, 
including any bonuses, incentive payments, and participation (including the level of participation) in any share or share option 
plans in accordance with the policy and framework for senior employees’ remuneration;

(c)  reviewing benchmarks against which salary reviews are made;

(d)  reviewing and recommending the establishment and terms of any employee share or share option plan or other incentive 

plan and recommending any changes to the Board;

(e)  reviewing and making recommendations on the superannuation arrangements of the Group; and

(f)  ensuring that equity-based senior management remuneration is made in accordance with thresholds set in plans approved 

by shareholders.

Remuneration policy
The main principles of the Group’s remuneration policy are:

• remuneration is set at levels intended to attract, retain, motivate and reward good performers;

• remuneration is structured to reward employees for both superior operational performance and increasing long term shareholder 

value; and

• rewards are linked to the achievement of business objectives as determined by the Board.

Remuneration structure
The remuneration of employees is structured in two parts:

• FIXED REMUNERATION, which comprises salary, superannuation and other benefits in lieu of salary; and 

• VARIABLE REMUNERATION, which may comprise a short term incentive in the form of cash and a long term incentive in the form 
of equity instrument under the omnibus equity plan (OEP), the Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) share option plan (CSOP) or the 
employee share option plan (ESOP). All permanent staff (including the CEO) are eligible to participate in the short term incentive 
plan and the OEP. Only the CEO participates in the CSOP and the employees participate in the ESOP. The level of participation varies 
according to both the level of seniority of the employee and the employee’s ability to influence the performance of the business.

The Group aims to set the level of fixed remuneration based on market rates for comparable jobs in the Group’s industry sector. 
The Group aims to set the short and long term incentives to provide for superior achievement to merit higher levels of 
remuneration, subject to achievement of goals set by the Board. 

The aim of both the short term and long term incentive plans is to drive performance to successfully implement annual business 
plans and to increase shareholder value.

28

 29

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Remuneration report (audited) continued

Short term incentive plan
The purpose of the short term incentive plan is to reward achievement of business objectives on a year by year basis. Each financial 
year the Board, in conjunction with senior management, sets the business objectives to implement the Group’s business plan.

The business objectives are clearly defined outcomes for product development and commercialisation. The achievement  
or non-achievement of the business objectives are objectively measured at the end of the financial year.

Each objective is expected to either create value for shareholders or represent material progress towards enhancing 
shareholder value.

Under the short term incentive plan senior executives (other than the Chief Executive Officer) are able to achieve annual  
cash incentives of up to 24% of their fixed remuneration. The Chief Executive Officer is able to achieve annual cash incentives  
of 25% of his fixed remuneration, which can be varied by Board discretion.

The key principles of the plan are:

• Payments under the short term incentive plan are at the discretion of the Board. 

• The amount of at-risk remuneration payable under the short term incentive plan is dependent upon the overall level of achievement 

of the year’s business objectives.

• The Board assesses the level of achievement of the business objectives at the end of the year.

• For staff other than Chief Executive Officer, achievement of personal objectives set for the financial year may also form part 

of their assessment for entitlement to short term incentive plan payments.

Long term incentive plans
The purpose of the long term incentive plan is to align the interests of senior executives and other employees more closely with 
those of the shareholders in terms of sustainable, long term superior performance. Long term incentive plans are designed to 
comply with both the requirements of ASX Listing Rules and the Pooled Development Funds Act 1992. At the time of signing there 
are two long term incentive plans, providing incentives through options and rights to acquire ordinary shares.

The first plan, the Omnibus Equity Plan, is for all employees including the Chief Executive Officer and it was approved by shareholders 
at the 2017 Annual General Meeting. Grants made to date under the OEP are subject to the following terms:

A. Chief Executive Officer (‘CEO’)
• Shareholders approved the issue of 4 million performance rights for nil cash consideration and each performance right carries 

the right to acquire one ordinary share in the Company;

• The 4 million performance rights will vest in 4 equal tranches, with each successive tranche vesting at the end of each of the 4 years 
after grant, provided that the CEO is still employed and that the total return to shareholders (TSR) over the year preceding the 
vesting of each tranche is equal to or greater than 12%.

• Tranches that do not vest in any year of the cycle may be “rolled over” into the next year of the cycle and will be subject 

to an additional 12% TSR hurdle. There will be no “roll-over” after the fourth year; and

• The rights will expire 7 years after grant.

B. Employees
• The Board has chosen to issue performance rights to employees that are granted on the basis of a four-year cycle at nil cost;

• Each performance right carries the right to acquire one ordinary share in the Company;

• Each grant of performance rights will vest after one year, provided that the total return to shareholders (TSR) over that period 

is equal to or greater than 12% and the employee remains employed.

• Tranches that do not vest in any year of the cycle may be “rolled over” into the next year of the cycle and will be subject 

to an additional 12% TSR hurdle. There will be no “roll-over” after the fourth year; and

• The rights will expire 7 years after grant.

30

 31

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019C. Directors
• Shareholders approved the issue of performance rights to Directors that are granted on the basis of a four-year cycle at nil cost;

• Each performance right carries the right to acquire one ordinary share in the Company; 

• Each grant of performance rights will vest annually, provided that the Director has been continuously engaged by a Company 

in the Group from the grant date to vesting date.

• The rights will expire 4.08 years after grant.

For further details refer to Note 17 to the accounts.

The second plan is the Chief Executive Officer Share Option Plan and grants made under this plan are subject to the following terms:

• The options vest on grant and expire three years after grant;

• The options lapse on termination of employment, other than through death or redundancy; and

• The exercise price is set at a 25% premium to the volume weighted average market price of the Company’s shares 5 days prior 

to grant and comprise 3 tranches. 

 − Tranche 1 was granted on 3 February 2015 and expired on 3 February 2018 with options not being exercised;

 − Tranche 2 was granted on 22 July 2015 and expired on 22 July 2018 with options not being exercised; and

 − Tranche 3 was granted on 22 July 2016 and expired on 22 July 2019 with options not being exercised.

In prior years, equity based long term incentives were awarded to employees under an Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP). 
The plan was approved by shareholders at 2015 Annual General Meeting. In the ordinary course of reviewing the appropriateness 
of employee remuneration, the Board and Human Capital and Nomination Committee (HCNC) has determined that the grant of 
options under the ESOP no longer provides incentives and since 2017 have been replaced with performance right awards under 
the OEP. 

The Board continues to re-evaluate the effectiveness of long term incentive plans as the business environment changes.

Group performance
The following table summarises the Group’s performance and key performance indicators:

Revenue ($’000)

% increase in revenue

(Loss)/profit before tax ($’000)

% increase in loss before tax

Change in share price (%)

Dividend paid to shareholders ($’000)

2019

5,286 

54%

(8,335)

-48%

28%

 – 

Total remuneration of Key Management

1,829,372 

Total performance based remuneration

83,415 

2018

3,432 

-86%

(16,125)

17054%

-34%

 – 

2,021,723 

269,328 

2017

23,934 

-16%

(94)

-101%

-69%

–

2,032,539 

198,179 

2016

28,557 

13%

18,092 

8%

-15%

2015

25,368 

-53%

16,806 

-62%

-16%

9,991,303 

1,909,941 

209,110 

13,321,737 

2,114,293 

176,603 

30

 31

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Remuneration report (audited) continued

Remuneration and termination entitlements of Senior Management
Senior executives have no fixed term of employment and either party to management employment contracts may terminate 
the contract on periods of written notice ranging between one and six months. The employment contracts contain no other 
entitlement to termination benefits beyond statutory entitlements.

Names and positions held by executives of the Group in office at any time during the financial year are:

Executive

Michael Kotsanis

Chief Executive Officer

Commenced 3 November 2014

Deborah Ambrosini

Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary

Commenced 3 June 2019

Felicia Colagrande

Product Development and Technical Affairs Director

Commenced 15 February 2015

Charles O’Sullivan

Portfolio Director

Tim Bateman

Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary

Nina Webster

Commercial Director

Commenced 1 July 2015

Commenced 3 October 2016, last day 
of employment 14 June 2019

Commenced 1 July 2013, last day 
of employment 22 November 2018

Share options
(a) Compensation Options: Granted and vested during the year
No options over ordinary shares were granted during or since the end of the financial year.

(b) Shares issued on exercise of options
No ordinary shares were issued to Directors or Executives on the exercise of options held by those parties during or since the end 
of the financial year.

Performance rights
(a) Compensation Performance Rights: Granted and vested during the year 
A total of 4,000,000 performance rights were issued by Acrux Limited to the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kotsanis, on 14 November 2017 
under the Omnibus Equity Plan, approved by shareholders at the 2017 Annual General Meeting. Performance rights issued to 
Mr. Kotsanis vest upon the Group achieving performance metrics approved by the Board and his continued employment.

A total of 836,000 performance rights were issued by Acrux Limited to eligible employees on 25 January 2018 under the Omnibus 
Equity Plan. Performance rights issued to eligible employees vest upon the Group achieving performance metrics approved by the 
Board and their continued employment.

A total of 804,000 performance rights were issued by Acrux Limited to eligible employees on 4 February 2019 under the Omnibus 
Equity Plan. Performance rights issued to eligible employees vest upon the Group achieving performance metrics approved by the 
Board and their continued employment.

32

 33

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(b) Shares issued on exercise of performance rights
No ordinary shares were issued to Executives on the exercise of performance rights held by those parties during or since the end 
of the financial year.

Details of the remuneration of the Group’s Executives are set out in the following table:

Primary

Share Based Payments

2019

Salary 
$

Bonus* 
$

Post-
employ-
ment 
super 
$

Termi-
nation 
Benefits 
$

Options 
$

Perfor-
mance 
Rights

Equity 
as a  
% of total 
%

Bonus 
as a  
% of total 
%

Total  
$

Michael Kotsanis1

451,046 

49,476 

20,531 

Deborah Ambrosini2

Felicia Colagrande3

Charles O’Sullivan4

Tim Bateman5

Nina Webster6

22,624 

211,888 

196,197 

218,456 

27,828 

–

17,033 

16,906 

–

–

1,979 

19,574 

18,770 

20,531 

6,636 

1,128,039 

83,415 

88,021 

–

–

–

–

–

7,637 

7,637 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

521,053 

24,603 

11,155 

259,650 

11,155 

243,028 

–

–

238,987 

42,101 

22,310  1,329,422 

0%

0%

4%

5%

0%

0%

2%

2018

Michael Kotsanis1

406,332 

129,877 

Felicia Colagrande3

Charles O’Sullivan4

Tim Bateman5

Nina Webster6

185,821 

185,821 

234,702 

122,036 

34,667 

34,667 

49,593 

20,524 

20,048 

18,252 

18,252 

20,048 

13,248 

1,134,712 

269,328 

89,848 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

133,618 

689,875 

19%

6,620 

6,620 

6,987 

4,045 

5,669 

5,669 

7,029 

3,628 

251,029 

251,029 

318,359 

163,481 

5%

5%

4%

5%

24,272 

155,613  1,673,773 

11%

*  Bonus relates to achievement of objectives for the financial year ended 30 June 2019. 

1.  Appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director 3 November 2014. 

2.  Appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary 3 June 2019. 

3.  Appointed Product Development and Technical Affairs Director 15 February 2015. 

4.  Appointed Portfolio Director 1 July 2015. 

5.  Appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary 10 October 2016 and last day of employment was 14 June 2019. 

6.  Appointed Commercial Director 1 July 2013 and last day of employment was 22 November 2018 

9%

0%

7%

7%

0%

0%

6%

19%

14%

14%

16%

13%

16%

 33

32

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Remuneration report (audited) continued

Remuneration of Directors
The Human Capital and Nomination Committee determines the level of remuneration necessary to attract and retain Directors 
with the skills and experience required by the Group at its stage of development. The Committee makes recommendations to the 
Board, which subsequently puts those recommendations for approval by the shareholders at the next Annual General Meeting.

The director services of the Non-Executive Chairman Ross Dobinson are provided by Espasia Pty Ltd. The contract for services 
can be terminated by either party giving three months’ notice in writing. For the 2018/19 financial year the contract provided for 
fees of $118,000 per annum in respect of director services. For the 2018/19 financial year Non-Executive Directors’ fees were 
$70,000 per annum, plus superannuation, for each Non-Executive Director. At the 2004 Annual General Meeting shareholders 
set the maximum cash aggregate amount of Non-Executive Directors’ fees at $450,000. In addition, Non-Executive Directors are 
entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred by them on Group business.

No retirement allowances are paid to Non-Executive Directors. Non-Executive Directors do not receive any additional remuneration 
for being members of Board Committees.

The remuneration of each person who held the position of Director at any time during the financial year is set out in the following table:

Primary

Fees  
$

118,000 

70,000 

70,000 

70,000 

328,000 

Bonus  
$

–

–

–

–

–

Post-
employ-
ment 
super  
$

–

6,650 

6,650 

6,650 

19,950 

2019

Ross Dobinson1

Timothy Oldham2

Geoff Brooke3

Simon Green3

Termi-
nation 
Benefits  
$

Share 
Based 
Payments  
$

60,800 

30,400 

30,400 

30,400 

–

–

–

–

–

Total  
$

178,800 

107,050 

107,050 

107,050 

Equity as a 
% of total  
%

Bonus as a 
% of total  
%

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

152,000 

499,950 

A review of Non-executive Directors’ remuneration was conducted by Egan Associates in the prior year. The Non-executive Directors’ 
remuneration has not been adjusted since 2014. The Company believes that issuing rights to Non-executive Directors in lieu of 
increasing cash remuneration is a prudent approach and aligns with the Company’s continual approach to implementing cash-
saving measures. The granting of the rights was approved by shareholders at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. Performance 
rights issued to Directors will vest equally over a 4 year period with the final tranche vesting on 1 January 2022. Each tranche 
is expensed uniformly between the grant date and the vesting date over the 4 year period. Any additional persons (who require 
approval under ASX Listing Rule 10.14) who become entitled to participate in the OEP will not participate until approval is obtained 
under ASX Listing Rule 10.14. The issue will align the interests of the Non-executive Directors with those of shareholders towards 
long term sustained superior growth. No ordinary shares were issued to Directors on the exercise of performance rights held  
by those parties during or since year end.

Primary

Fees  
$

118,000 

70,000 

70,000 

70,000 

328,000 

Bonus  
$

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

Post-
employ-
ment 
super  
$

 – 

6,650 

6,650 

6,650 

19,950 

Termi-
nation 
Benefits  
$

Share 
Based 
Payments  
$

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

Total  
$

118,000 

76,650 

76,650 

76,650 

347,950 

Equity as a 
% of total  
%

Bonus as a 
% of total  
%

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

2018

Ross Dobinson1

Timothy Oldham2

Geoff Brook3

Simon Green3

1.  Appointed Non-Executive Chairman post appointment of the Chief Executive Officer, November 2014.

2.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 October 2013.

3.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 June 2016. 

Mr. Kotsanis was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, November 2014. The remuneration details of Mr. Kotsanis have been disclosed in the executive 
remuneration table.

34

 35

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Equity instruments held by Key Management Personnel
Ordinary shares
The number of ordinary shares held by key management personnel at financial year end is set out in the following table:

Directors and Executives

Balance 
1/07/18

Granted as 
remuneration

Options 
exercised

Net change 
other

Balance 
30/06/19

Directors

Ross Dobinson1

Timothy Oldham2

Geoff Brooke3

Simon Green3

Executives

Felicia Colagrande4

Total

1,372,593 

16,150 

75,750 

60,600 

1,500 

1,526,593 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,372,593 

80,000 

 – 

69,835 

96,150 

75,750 

130,435 

 – 

1,500 

149,835 

1,676,428 

1.  Appointed Non-Executive Chairman post appointment of the Chief Executive Officer, November 2014.

2.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 October 2013.

3.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 June 2016.

4.  Appointed Product Development and Technical Affairs Director 15 February 2015.

Share options
The number of employee share options held by key management personnel at financial year end is set out in the following table:

Executives

Executives

Balance 
1/07/18

Granted as 
remuneration

Options 
exercised

Net change 
other

Balance 
30/06/19

Value of 
options 
granted 
during the 
year at grant 
date

Value of 
options 
expensed in 
30/06/2019

Michael Kotsanis1

2,000,000 

Deborah Ambrosini2

Felicia Colagrande3

Charles O’Sullivan4

 – 

 – 

 – 

Total

2,000,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

(1,000,000)

1,000,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

(1,000,000)

1,000,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

1.  Appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director 3 November 2014.

2.  Appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary 3 June 2019.

3.  Appointed Product Development and Technical Affairs Director 15 February 2015.

4.  Appointed Portfolio Director 1 July 2015.

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 35

34

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Remuneration report (audited) continued

Performance rights
The number of employee performance rights held by key management personnel at financial year end is set out in the following table:

Directors and 
Executives

Directors

Ross Dobinson1

Timothy Oldham2

Geoff Brooke3

Simon Green3

Executives

Deborah Ambrosini5

Felicia Colagrande6

Charles O’Sullivan7

Tim Bateman8

Nina Webster9

Total

Balance 
1/07/18

Granted as 
remuneration

Rights 
exercised

Lapsed

Balance 
30/06/19

Value of 
performance 
rights at 
grant date

Value of 
performance 
rights 
expensed at 
30/06/2019

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

125,000 

125,000 

155,000 

80,000 

320,000 

160,000 

160,000 

160,000 

 – 

 – 

140,000 

140,000 

 –

 – 

4,485,000 

1,080,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

80,000 

80,000 

320,000 

160,000 

160,000 

160,000 

60,800 

30,400 

30,400 

30,400 

30,696 

15,348 

15,348 

15,348 

4,000,000 

370,296 

134,465 

 – 

265,000 

265,000 

155,000 

 – 

 – 

24,418 

24,418 

24,418 

 – 

 – 

12,057 

12,057 

12,723 

 – 

5,485,000 

595,550 

248,042 

Michael Kotsanis4

4,000,000 

1.  Appointed Non-Executive Chairman post appointment of the Chief Executive Officer, November 2014. 

2.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 October 2013.

3.  Appointed Non-Executive Director 1 June 2016.

4.  Appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director 3 November 2014.

5.  Appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary 3 June 2019.

6.  Appointed Product Development and Technical Affairs Director 15 February 2015.

7.  Appointed Portfolio Director 1 July 2015.

8.  Appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary 10 October 2016 and last day of employment was 14 June 2019.

9.  Appointed Commercial Director 1 July 2013 and last day of employment was 22 November 2018.

A total of 804,000 additional performance rights were issued by Acrux Limited to eligible employees on 4 February 2019 under 
the Omnibus Equity Plan, approved by shareholders at the 2017 Annual General Meeting. Performance rights issued to eligible 
employees vest upon the Group achieving performance metrics approved by the Board and their continued employment.

A total of 800,000 performance rights were issued by Acrux Limited to the Directors on 23 November 2018 under the Omnibus Equity 
Plan, approved by shareholders at the 2017 Annual General Meeting. The granting of the rights was approved by shareholders 
at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. Performance rights issued to Directors will vest equally over a 4 year period with the final 
tranche vesting on 1 January 2022. Each tranche is expensed uniformly between the grant date and the vesting date with the 
largest expense being incurred in the first year of amortisation.

Voting and comments made at the company’s 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
At the Company’s 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM), a resolution to adopt the prior year’s Remuneration Report was put to the 
vote and less than 25% of the votes cast on the resolution to adopt the 2018 Remuneration Report were cast against the resolution. 
No comments were made at the AGM by shareholders in relation to the Remuneration Report.

This is the end of the audited remuneration report.

36

 37

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Report continued

Non-audit services
Non-audit services are approved by resolution of the Audit and Risk Committee and approval is provided in writing to the Board 
of Directors. Non-audit services were provided by the auditor, namely Pitcher Partners (Melbourne) and their network firms and 
other non-related audit firms, as detailed below. The Directors are satisfied that the provision of the non-audit services during the 
year by the auditors is compatible with the general standard of independence for auditors imposed by the Corporations Act 2001 
for the following reasons:

• all non-audit services were subject to the corporate governance procedures adopted by the Group and have been reviewed 

and approved by the Audit Committee to ensure they do not impact on the integrity and objectivity of the auditor; and

• the non-audit services provided do not undermine the general principles relating to auditor independence as set out in APES 
110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, as they did not involve reviewing or auditing the auditors’ own work, acting 
in a management or decision making capacity for the Group or any of its related entities, acting as an advocate for the Group 
or any of its related entities, or jointly sharing risks and rewards in relation to the operations or activities of the Group or any 
of its related entities.

Amounts paid or payable to Pitcher Partners (Melbourne) for non-audit services

Amounts paid or payable to network firms of Pitcher Partners for non-audit services

Total auditors’ remuneration for non-audit services

2019  
$

58 

 – 

58 

2018  
$

32,255 

27,297 

59,552 

Auditor’s Independence Declaration
A copy of the Auditor’s Independence Declaration as required under section 307C of the Corporation Act 2001 in relation to the 
audit for the financial year is provided with this Financial Report.

Rounding of amounts
In accordance with ASIC Corporations (Rounding in Financial/Directors’ Reports) Instrument 2016/191 the amounts in the Directors’ 
Report have been rounded to the nearest one million dollars and in the Financial Report have been rounded to the nearest one 
thousand dollars, or in certain cases, to the nearest dollar (where indicated).

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors:

Ross Dobinson 
Non-Executive Chairman 

Geoff Brooke 
Non-Executive Director

Melbourne 
Dated this 23rd day of August 2019 

Melbourne 
Dated this 23rd day of August 2019

36

 37

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Auditor’s independence declaration  
to the Directors of Acrux limited

38

 39

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   Report on the Audit of the Financial Report  Opinion   We have audited the financial report of Acrux Limited “the Company” and its controlled entities “the Group”, which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2019, the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies, and the directors’ declaration.   In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of the Group is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including:  (a) giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2019 and of its financial performance for the year then ended; and  (b) complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001.   Basis for Opinion   We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants “the Code” that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.   We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Corporations Act 2001, which has been given to the directors of the Company, would be in the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report.  We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.   Key Audit Matters   Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial report of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial report as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.  Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss  
and other Comprehensive Income
For the year ended 30 June 2019

Revenue

Employee benefits expense 

Directors’ fees

Share options expense

Depreciation and amortisation expenses

Impairment losses

Occupancy expenses

External research and development expenses

Professional fees

Royalty expense 

Foreign exchange loss

Other expenses

Total expenses

Loss before income tax

Income tax benefit/(expense)

Net loss for the year

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year

Total comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to:

Members of the parent entity

Non-controlling interest

Loss per share for profit attributable to the equity holders of the parent entity:

Basic loss per share

Diluted loss per share

Notes

4 

5 

5 

5 

5 

6 

2019  
$’000

5,286 

(5,044)

(346)

(284)

(426)

–

(536)

(5,123)

(749)

–

–

(1,113)

(13,621)

2018  
$’000

3,432 

(4,720)

(348)

(228)

(618)

(5,647)

(498)

(4,027)

(2,683)

(50)

(192)

(546)

(19,557)

(8,335)

(16,125)

10 

(8,325)

1,943 

(14,182)

(8,325)

(14,182)

18(b)

20 

(8,325)

 – 

(8,325)

(14,182)

 – 

(14,182)

8   

8   

(5.00) cents  

(8.52) cents

(5.00) cents  

(8.52) cents

The statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to these financial statements.

38

 39

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
As at 30 June 2019

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents 

Receivables 

Current tax asset

Other current assets 

Total current assets

Non-current assets

Plant and equipment

Intangible assets

Deferred tax asset

Total non-current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities

Payables 

Provisions 

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Provisions 

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

Equity

Contributed capital

Reserves

Retained earnings

Equity attributable to equity holders of the Parent

Non-controlling interests

Total equity

Notes

9 

10 

6 

11 

12 

13 

6 

14 

15 

15 

2019  
$’000

18,152 

2,301 

 – 

487 

2018  
$’000

28,470 

261 

51 

179 

20,940 

28,961 

906 

696 

1,891 

3,493 

24,433 

1,869 

547 

2,416 

81 

81 

2,497 

845 

803 

1,881 

3,529 

32,490 

1,966 

518 

2,484 

35 

35 

2,519 

21,936 

29,971 

16 

18(a)

18(b)

20 

95,879 

639 

(74,582)

21,936 

 – 

21,936 

95,873 

581 

(66,483)

29,971 

 – 

29,971 

The statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to these financial statements.

40

 41

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
For the year ended 30 June 2019

Notes

Contributed 
equity  
$’000

95,873

Reserves  
$’000

1,215

 – 

 – 

Retained 
earnings  
$’000

(53,163)

(14,182)

(14,182)

Total equity  
$’000

43,925

(14,182)

(14,182)

Balance as at 1 July 2017

Loss for the period

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:

Employee share scheme

Employee share options that lapsed during period

Balance as at 30 June 2018

18(a)

18(a)

Balance as at 1 July 2018

Loss for the period

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:

Employee share scheme

Performance rights exercised

Employee share options that lapsed during period

18(a)

16(v)

18(a)

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

95,873

95,873

 – 

 – 

 – 

6 

 – 

Balance as at 30 June 2019

95,879

The statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to these financial statements.

228 

(862)

581

581

 – 

 – 

284 

 – 

(226)

639

 – 

862 

228 

 – 

(66,483)

29,971

(66,483)

(8,325)

(8,325)

29,971

(8,325)

(8,325)

 – 

 – 

226 

284 

6 

 – 

(74,582)

21,936

40

 41

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Consolidated Statement of Cashflows
For the year ended 30 June 2019

Notes

Cash flow from operating activities

Receipts from product agreements

Payments to suppliers and employees

Interest received

Research and development tax incentive

Income tax received/(paid)

Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities

19(a)

Cash flow from investing activities

Payment for property, plant and equipment

Net cash used in investing activities

2019  
$’000

576 

(13,233)

611 

2,057 

51 

(9,938)

2018  
$’000

7,872 

(12,731)

610 

–

(1,033)

(5,282)

(380)

(380)

(296)

(296)

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents

(10,318)

(5,578)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 

Foreign exchange differences on cash holdings

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year 

28,470 

–

18,152 

33,974 

74 

28,470

19(b)

The statement should be read in conjunction with the notes to these financial statements.

42

 43

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
For the year ended 30 June 2019

1. Statement of significant accounting policies
The following are the significant accounting policies adopted by the Group in the preparation and presentation of the financial 
report. The accounting policies have been consistently applied, unless otherwise stated. 

(a) Basis of preparation
This financial report is a general purpose financial report that has been prepared in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 
and Australian Accounting Standards, Interpretations and other applicable authoritative pronouncements of the Australian 
Accounting Standards Board (AASB).

Australian Accounting Standards set out accounting policies that the AASB has concluded would result in a financial report 
containing relevant and reliable information about transactions, events and conditions to which they apply. Material accounting 
policies adopted in the preparation of this financial report are presented below. They have been consistently applied unless 
otherwise stated.

The financial report covers Acrux Limited and its controlled entities as a Group. Acrux Limited is a company limited by shares, 
incorporated and domiciled in Australia. The address of Acrux Limited’s registered office and principal place of business is 
103-113 Stanley Street, West Melbourne, Vic, 3003, Australia. Acrux Limited is a for-profit entity for the purpose of preparing 
the financial report. The financial report was approved by the Directors as at the date of the Directors’ Report.

Compliance with IFRS

The financial report also complies with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting 
Standards Board (IASB).

Historical cost convention

The financial report has been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by revaluations to fair value for certain 
classes of assets and liabilities as described in the accounting policies.

Significant accounting estimates and judgements

The preparation of the financial report requires the use of certain estimates and judgements in applying the Group’s accounting 
policies. Those estimates and judgements significant to the financial report are disclosed in Note 2 to the consolidated 
financial statements.

(b) Going concern
The financial report has been prepared on a going concern basis. During the year ended 30 June 2019 the Group reported 
an operating loss after tax of $8.325 million (2018: loss $14.182 million) and at the reporting date total assets exceeded total 
liabilities  by $21.936 million (2018: $29.971 million).

(c) Principles of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements are those of the Group, comprising the financial statements of the parent entity and of all 
the entities which the parent entity controls. The Group controls an entity when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns 
from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.

The financial statements of subsidiaries are prepared for the same reporting period as the parent entity, using consistent accounting 
policies. Adjustments are made to bring into line any dissimilar accounting policies, which may exist.

All inter-company balances and transactions, including any unrealised profits or losses, have been eliminated on consolidation. 
Subsidiaries are consolidated from the date on which control is established and are de-recognised from the date that control ceases.

Equity interests in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Group are presented as non-controlling interests. 
Non-controlling interests are initially recognised either at fair value or at the non-controlling interests’ proportionate share of the 
acquired entity’s net identifiable assets. This decision is made on an acquisition-by-acquisition basis. Non-controlling interests 
in the results of subsidiaries are shown separately in the Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive 
Income and Consolidated Statement of Financial Position respectively.

42

 43

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(d) Revenue from Contracts with Customers
The group derives revenue from licensing agreements, in the form of milestone payments and royalty fees. Revenue from milestone 
payments is recognised upon completion of the milestone, which is the trigger point for the right to receive the revenue. Revenue 
relating to product sales such as royalties and distribution fees is recognised in the period in which the sales occur.

(e) Other revenues
Revenue from the R&D Tax Incentive

As a result of a change in processes the Company is now able to obtain a reliable estimate of its R&D tax incentive in the year 
that it is incurred allowing the Company to record an accrual in that year under Australian Accounting Standards. Revenue will 
be accrued at a rate 43.5% of the approved R&D expenditure.

Interest revenue is recognised when it becomes receivable on a proportional basis taking into account the interest rate applicable 
to the financial assets.

Other revenue is recognised as received or over the time period to which it relates.

All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST).

(f) Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and at banks, short term deposits with an original maturity of three months 
or less, which are held at call with financial institutions.

(g) Plant and equipment
Cost and valuation

Each class of plant and equipment is carried at cost less, where applicable, any accumulated depreciation and any accumulated 
impairment losses. At each balance date the carrying amount of each asset is reviewed to ensure that it does not differ materially 
from the asset’s fair value at reporting date. Where necessary, the asset is revalued to reflect its fair value.

Depreciation

The depreciable amounts of all fixed assets are calculated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives to the entity 
commencing from the time the assets are held ready for use.

Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of either the unexpired period of the lease or the estimated useful lives 
of the improvements.

The useful lives for each class of assets are:

Leasehold improvements

Plant and equipment

2019

2018

5 to 20 years

5 to 20 years

1 to 16 years

2.5 to 14 years

(h) Leases
Leases are classified at their inception as either operating or finance leases based on the economic substance of the agreement 
so as to reflect the risks and rewards incidental to ownership.

Operating Leases

Lease payments for operating leases are recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

44

 45

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(i) Intangibles
The intangible assets are recognised at cost at the date of acquisition. The balances are reviewed annually and any balances 
representing probable future benefits that are no longer anticipated are written off.

Intellectual Property

Acquired intellectual property is initially recorded at cost. Intellectual property with a finite life is carried at cost less any accumulated 
amortisation and any impairment losses. The intellectual property is amortised over the useful life of the relevant patents. 
Amortisation expense is included in ‘Depreciation and amortisation expenses’ in the Statement of Comprehensive Income.

Research and Development

Expenditure during the research phase of a project is recognised as an expense when incurred. Product development costs 
are capitalised only when all of the following specific criteria can be demonstrated:

1.  Technical feasibility of completing development of the product and obtaining approval by regulatory authorities. 

2.  Ability to secure a commercial partner for the product.

3.  Availability of adequate technical, financial and other resources to complete development of the product, obtain regulatory 

approval and secure a commercial partner. 

4.  Reliable measurement of expenditure attributable to the product during its development.

5.  High probability of the product entering a major pharmaceutical market. 

Capitalised development costs have a finite life and are amortised on a systematic basis over the period from when the product 
becomes available for use and cease at the earlier of the date that the asset is classified as held for sale (or included in a disposal 
group that is classified as held for sale) in accordance with AASB 5 Non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations 
and the date that the asset is derecognised.

The estimated useful life and total economic benefit for each asset are reviewed at least annually. The useful life of capitalised 
development costs for Estradiol, for which amortisation has commenced, is approximately 7 years. Amortisation expense is included 
in ‘Depreciation and amortisation expenses’ of the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income.

(j) Impairment of non-financial assets
Assets with an indefinite useful life are not amortised but are tested annually for impairment in accordance with AASB 136 Impairment 
of assets. Assets subject to annual depreciation or amortisation are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances 
arise that indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may be impaired.

An impairment loss is recognised where the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount 
of an asset is defined as the higher of its fair value less costs to dispose and its value in use. Impairment loss is disclosed as a 
separate line item on the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income.

(k) Income tax
Current income tax expense or benefit is the tax payable on the current period’s taxable income based on the applicable income 
tax rate adjusted by changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised for temporary differences at the applicable tax rates when the assets are expected 
to be recovered or liabilities to be settled. No deferred tax asset or liability is recognised in relation to temporary differences if 
they arose in a transaction, other than a business combination, that at the time of the transaction did not affect either accounting 
profit or taxable profit or loss. Deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary differences and unused tax losses only 
when it is probable that future taxable amounts will be available to utilise those temporary differences and losses.

Current and deferred tax balances attributable to amounts recognised directly in equity are also recognised directly in equity.

44

 45

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019The parent entity, (Acrux Limited), is a Pooled Development Fund (PDF):

• PDFs are taxed at 15% on income and gains from investments in small to medium enterprises; 

• PDFs are taxed at 25% on other income; and

• PDFs are not permitted to consolidate for tax purposes. 

The subsidiary companies of Acrux Limited are subject to the general corporate company tax rate of 27.5%.

Income tax benefit for the financial year was $0.010 million (2018: benefit $1.943 million). The change from the prior financial year 
is mainly attributable to the higher operating loss and the reversal of the deferred tax liability associated with the amortisation 
and impairment of Axiron® capitalised development costs.

(l) Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a legal or constructive obligation, as a result of past events, for which it is probable 
that an outflow of economic benefits will result and that outflow can be reliably measured.

(m) Employee benefits
Provision is made for employee benefits accumulated as a result of employees rendering services up to the reporting date. 
These benefits include wages and salaries, annual leave and long service leave. 

Liabilities arising in respect of wages and salaries, annual leave and any other employee benefits expected to be settled within 
twelve months of the reporting date are measured at their nominal amounts based on remuneration rates which are expected 
to be paid when the liability is settled. All other employee benefit liabilities are measured at the present value of the estimated 
future cash outflow to be made in respect of services provided by employees up to the reporting date.

Contributions are made by the Group to employee superannuation funds and are charged as expenses when the obligation 
to pay them arises.

Bonus

The Group recognises a provision when a bonus is payable in accordance with the employee’s contract of employment, and the 
amount can be reliably measured.

Share-based payments

The Group operates an Employee Share Option Plan, Chief Executive Option Plan and an Omnibus Equity Plan. The fair value 
of the options and performance rights are recognised as an expense in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 
in the period(s) during which the employee becomes entitled to exercise the options. The fair value of options at grant date is 
determined using a binomial option pricing model, and is recognised as an employee expense over the period during which the 
employees became entitled to the option (the vesting period). The fair value of performance rights at grant date is determined 
using a Monte Carlo simulation pricing model, and is recognised as an employee benefit expense over the period during which 
the employees became entitled to the performance rights (the vesting period).

Termination benefits

Termination benefits are payable when employment of an employee is terminated before the normal retirement date. The Group 
recognises a provision for termination benefits when entitlement to contractual benefits arises or when the entity can no longer 
withdraw the offer of non-contractual benefits.

(n) Comparatives
Where necessary, comparative information has been reclassified and repositioned for consistency with current year disclosures.

46

 47

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(o) Financial instruments
Initial recognition and measurement

Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the 
instrument. For financial assets, this is equivalent to the date that the group commits itself to either the purchase or sale of 
the asset (i.e. trade date accounting is adopted).

Financial instruments are initially measured at fair value adjusted for transaction costs, except where the instrument is classified 
as fair value through profit or loss, in which case transaction costs are immediately recognised as expenses in profit or loss.

Classification of financial assets

Financial assets recognised by the group are subsequently measured in their entirety at either amortised cost or fair value, subject 
to their classification and whether the group irrevocably designates the financial asset on initial recognition at fair value through 
other comprehensive income (FVtOCI) in accordance with the relevant criteria in AASB 9.

Financial assets not irrevocably designated on initial recognition at FVtOCI are classified as subsequently measured at amortised 
cost, FVtOCI or fair value through profit or loss (FVtPL) on the basis of both:

(a)  the group’s business model for managing the financial assets; and

(b)  the contractual cash flow characteristics of the financial asset.

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other receivables arise from the group’s transactions with its customers and are normally settled within 30 days. 
Consistent with both the group’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual cash flow characteristics 
of the assets, trade and other receivables are subsequently measured at amortised cost.

Impairment of financial assets

The following financial assets are tested for impairment by applying the ‘expected credit loss’ impairment model:

(a)  receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets.

The group applies the simplified approach under AASB 9 to measuring the allowance for credit losses for both receivables from 
contracts with customers and contract assets. Under the AASB 9 simplified approach, the group determines the allowance for 
credit losses for receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets on the basis of the lifetime expected credit losses 
of the financial asset. Lifetime expected credit losses represent the expected credit losses that are expected to result from default 
events over the expected life of the financial asset.

Financial Liabilities

Non-derivative financial liabilities include trade payables, other creditors and inter-company balances. Liabilities are recognised 
for amounts to be paid in the future for goods and services received, whether or not billed to the Group. Trade liabilities are 
normally settled 30 days from month end.

(p) Foreign currency translations and balances
Functional and presentation currency

The financial statements of each of the Group’s subsidiaries are measured using the currency of the primary economic environment 
in which that entity operates (the functional currency). The consolidated financial statements are presented in Australian dollars, 
which is the Group’s functional and presentation currency. 

Transactions and balances

Transactions in foreign currencies of entities within the Consolidated group are translated into functional currency at the rate 
of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction.

Foreign currency monetary items that are outstanding at the reporting date (other than monetary items arising under foreign 
currency contracts where the exchange rate for that monetary item is fixed in the contract) are translated using the spot rate 
at the end of the financial year. Except for any currency hedges, all resulting exchange differences arising on settlement or  
re-statement are recognised as revenues or expenses for the financial year.

46

 47

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(q) Goods and services tax (GST)
Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable 
from the Australian Tax Office. In these circumstances the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as 
part of an item of expense. Receivables and payables in the balance sheet are shown inclusive of GST.

Cash flows are presented in the Consolidated Statement of Cashflows on a gross basis.

(r) Rounding amounts
The Company and the Group have applied the relief available under ASIC Corporations (Rounding in Financial/Directors’ Reports) 
Instrument 2016/191 and accordingly, the amounts in the consolidated financial statements and in the Directors’ Report have been 
rounded to the nearest thousand or million dollars, or in certain cases, to the nearest dollar (where indicated).

(s) New and Revised Accounting Standards Effective at 30 June 2019
The group has applied all new and revised Australian Accounting Standards that apply to annual reporting periods beginning on or 
after 1 July 2018, including AASB 9 Financial Instruments (AASB 9) and AASB 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (AASB 15).

AASB 9 replaces AASB 139: Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement. The key changes introduced by AASB 9 in relation 
to the accounting treatment for financial instruments include:

• simplifying the general classifications of financial assets into those measured at amortised cost and those measured at fair value;

• permitting entities to irrevocably elect, on initial recognition, for gains and losses on equity instruments not held for trading 

to be presented in other comprehensive income (OCI);

• Introducing a new ‘expected credit loss’ impairment model (replacing the ‘incurred loss’ impairment model of previous 

accounting standard).

In accordance with the transition requirements of AASB 9, the company has elected to apply AASB 9 initially at 1 July 2018. The 
cumulative effect of applying the new standard is recognised in opening retained earnings as at 1 July 2018 and, as such, is not 
reflected in the 30 June 2018 statement of financial position.

The application of AASB 9 has not materially impacted the classification and measurement of the company’s financial assets 
and financial liabilities.

Further details of the company’s accounting policies in relation to accounting for financial instruments under AASB 9 are contained 
in note 1(o).

AASB 15 provides (other than in relation to some specific exceptions, such as lease contracts and insurance contracts) a single 
source of accounting requirements for all contracts with customers, thereby replacing all current accounting pronouncements 
on revenue. The core principle of AASB 15 is that an entity recognises revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services 
to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods 
or services. Under the previous accounting standard, AASB 118 Revenue, revenue from the sale of goods was recognised when 
the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods transferred to the buyer, and revenue from the rendering of services 
was recognised by reference to the stage of completion of the transaction at the end of the reporting period.

In accordance with the transition requirements of AASB 15, the group has elected to apply AASB 15 retrospectively to each prior 
reporting period presented in the financial statements, with the cumulative impact, if any, of initially applying the new standard 
recognised as at the beginning of the earliest prior period presented (i.e., as at 1 July 2017). 

The application of AASB 15 has not materially impacted the recognition and measurement of the group’s revenue from contracts 
with customers.

48

 49

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(t) Accounting standards issued not yet effective
AASB 16 Leases

AASB 16 introduces a single lessee accounting model that will require a lessee to recognise right-of-use assets and lease liabilities 
for all leases with a term of more than 12 months, unless the underlying asset is of low value. Right-of-use assets are initially 
measured at their cost and lease liabilities are initially measured on a present value basis. Subsequent to initial recognition:

• Right-of-use assets are accounted for on a similar basis to non-financial assets, whereby the right-of-use asset is accounted 
for in accordance with a cost model unless the underlying asset is accounted for on a revaluation basis, in which case if the 
underlying asset is:

 − investment property, the lessee applies the fair value model in AASB 140: Investment Property to the right-of-use asset; or

 − property, plant or equipment, the lessee can elect to apply the revaluation model in AASB 116: Property, Plant and Equipment 

to all of the right-of-use assets that relate to that class of property, plant and equipment; and 

• Lease liabilities are accounted for on a similar basis as other financial liabilities, whereby interest expense is recognised in respect 

of the liability and the carrying amount of the liability is reduced to reflect lease payments made.

The Group has one operating lease that relates to office, laboratory and warehouse facilities.

The Group, after its initial assessment of the impact arising from AASB 16 anticipates that upon adoption of this standard:

• The Group’s Consolidated Statement of Financial Position will be grossed up (both assets and liabilities) to reflect the rights and 
obligations relating to the Group’s lease. For leased properties occupied by the Group, the Consolidated Statement of Financial 
Position will hold a depreciating non-financial asset and the associated payable under the lease. Refer to the current lease 
expenditure existing commitments Note 21 in the financial report for an indicator of the impact of the gross up.

• In the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income, net rental expense will be replaced by a ‘front-loaded’ net interest 

expense and a straight-lined depreciation expense.

2. Significant accounting estimates and judgements
Certain accounting estimates include assumptions concerning the future, which, by definition, will seldom represent actual 
results. Estimates and assumptions based on future events have a significant inherent risk, and where future events are not 
as anticipated there could be a material impact on the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities discussed below:

(a) Income tax
Income tax benefits are based on the assumption that no adverse change will occur in the income tax legislation and the anticipation 
that the group will derive sufficient future assessable income to enable the benefit to be realised and that it will comply with the 
conditions of deductibility imposed by the law.

Deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary differences and unused tax losses as management considers that 
it is probable that future tax profits will be available to utilise those temporary differences and unused tax losses.

(b) Impairment testing
The Group uses discounted cash flow models to determine that the capitalised development costs in the Group are not being 
carried at a value that is materially in excess of recoverable value. The models value each product by estimating future cash flows, 
risk adjusted as appropriate and discounting the future net cash flows for the risks specific to the assets as well as for the time 
value of money. The following approach and assumptions have been applied:

• Revenue from a product is estimated using current market data and projections of market volumes, product price and market 
share, adjusted for the impact of generics entering the market based on external analysis of the market effect of generics.

• The cash flow forecasts are over 11 years.

• The cash flows have been discounted using a post-tax rate of 12%.

• The Group recorded a non-cash impairment loss of nil (2018: $5.647 million) for the financial year.

48

 49

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(c) Employee benefits
Calculation of long term employment benefits requires estimation of the retention of staff, future remuneration levels and timing 
of the settlement of the benefits. These estimates are based on historical trends.

(d) Share based payments
The Group operates two employee share option plans and an omnibus equity plan for issuance of performance rights. The bonus 
element over the exercise price for the grant of options is recognised as an expense in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive 
Income in the period(s) when the benefit is earned. The value of the bonus element is calculated using a binomial option pricing 
model. The value of performance rights issued is recognised as an expense in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive 
Income in the period(s) when the benefit is earned. The value of the performance right is calculated using either a Monte Carlo 
or Black and Scholes simulation pricing model. These pricing models require the input of a number of variables including 
an estimate of future volatility and a risk free interest rate. Volatility is estimated based on the historical movements in the 
Company’s share price since listing on the Australian Stock Exchange. The risk free interest rate is the Reserve Bank of 
Australia’s cash rate at the options grant date(s).

3. Financial risk management and fair value measurements
The Group is exposed to a variety of financial risks comprising:

(a)  Interest rate risk

(b)  Currency risk 

(c)  Credit risk

(d)  Liquidity risk

(e)  Fair Values

The Board of Directors have overall responsibility for identifying and managing operational and financial risks.

(a) Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate as a result of changes 
in market interest rates.

The Group’s exposure to interest rate risks and the effective interest rates of financial assets and financial liabilities at 30 June 2019 
are shown in the table on the following page. Cash is the only financial asset or liability that is exposed to interest rate risk. A change 
in the average effective interest rate of 1% would change the net loss and equity of the Group by approximately $0.2 million  
(2018: $0.3 million).

Fixed interest 
rate maturing in:

Weighted 
average effective 
interest rate1

Floating 
Interest Rate

1 Year or less

Non interest 
bearing

Total carrying 
amount per 
balance sheet

2019  
%

2018  
%

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

2.5

2.1

148 

 – 

148 

869  18,000  27,600 

 – 

 – 

 – 

869  18,000  27,600 

4 

2,301 

2,305 

1  18,152  28,470 

261 

2,301 

261 

262  20,453  28,731 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

901 

968 

1,869 

731 

1,235 

1,966 

901 

968 

1,869 

731 

1,235 

1,966 

Financial Instruments

(i) Financial Assets

Cash

Receivables 

Total Financial Assets

(ii) Financial Liabilities

Trade Creditors

Sundry Creditors and Accruals

Total Financial Liabilities

1.  The weighted average interest rate is calculated by dividing interest income for the year over the average cash balance held.

50

 51

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(b) Currency risk 
Currency risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in 
foreign exchange rates. The Group is exposed to currency risks due to revenue and costs denominated in US dollars and Euro. 
Currency risk management strategies are regularly reviewed.

Bank accounts denominated in US dollars are maintained in order to facilitate receipts and payments. US denominated cash 
reserves at 30 June 2019 totalled A$0.003 million (2018: A$0.2 million). A change of 10% in the AUD/USD exchange rate at 
30 June 2019 would result in an immaterial change the net profit and equity of the Group (2018: immaterial).

The balance of receivables at 30 June 2019 includes the right to receive US$0.01 million (2018: US$0.02 million) of USD denominated 
royalties and EUR0.11 million (2018: EUR0.06 million) of EUR denominated royalties in relation to the fourth quarter of the 2018/19 
financial year. A change of 10% in the AUD/USD and AUD/EUR exchange rate at 30 June 2019 would change the consolidated net 
profit/(loss) and equity immaterially (2018: immaterial).

The Group does not enter into forward exchange contracts. At balance date, there were nil (2018: nil) forward exchange contracts. 
The accounting policy for forward exchange contracts is detailed in Note 1(p). 

In future periods, amounts of revenue are expected to be received, and costs are expected to be incurred, in foreign currency. 

(c) Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk that one party to a financial instrument will cause a financial loss for the other party by failing to discharge 
an obligation. The maximum exposure to credit risk of recognised financial assets at balance date, excluding the value of any 
collateral or other security, is the carrying amount of those assets, net of any provisions for impairment of those assets, as disclosed 
in Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Cash reserves form the majority of the Group’s financial assets at 30 June 2019. Acrux Limited is a Pooled Development Fund. 
The Pooled Development Fund Act restricts the investment of cash reserves to deposits with an Australian bank licensed to take 
deposits. This policy is also followed for all cash held by the other companies within the Group.

Credit risk for receivables from contracts with customers is managed undertaking credit checks for all new customers. Outstanding 
receivables are regularly monitored for payment in accordance with credit terms. 

For credit risk management purposes, the group applies credit risk rating grades to its financial assets. The credit risk rating grade 
is the group’s rating of credit risk based on the risk of a default occurring on the financial instrument. The group’s credit risk 
rating grades are outlined in the following table:

Credit risk rating grade Criteria applied by the group

Basis of recognising allowance for credit losses

Low risk (performing)

The counterparty has an external ‘investment 
grade’ credit rating (if available) of BBB or higher, 
or otherwise is assessed by the group to have a 
strong financial position and no history of past due 
amounts from previous transactions with the group.

Life-time expected credit loss (for receivables from 
contracts with customers and contract assets)

12-month expected credit losses (for other 
financial assets subject to impairment testing)

50

 51

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(d) Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that an entity will encounter difficulty in meeting obligations associated with financial liabilities.

The financial liabilities of the Group at the balance date are all expected to mature within three months of the balance date. 
The Group has sufficient cash reserves, $18.152 million (2018: $28.470 million), to settle these liabilities and to fund operating 
expenditure for at least 15 months based on current cashflow forecasts. The Group does not have an overdraft or loan facility. 
The maturity profile of the Group’s cash term deposits is actively managed and compared with forecast liabilities to ensure that 
sufficient cash is available to settle liabilities as they fall due.

(e) Fair values
The fair value of financial assets and financial liabilities approximates their carrying amounts as disclosed in the Consolidated 
Statement of Financial Position and notes to the consolidated financial statements. Financial assets and liabilities measured 
and recognised at fair value have been determined by the following fair value measurement hierarchy:

Level 1:  Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: 

 Input other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly 
or indirectly.

Level 3: 

Inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data.

4. Revenue

Revenue from Contract with Customers

Revenue from licensing agreements

Other revenues

Interest

Grant revenue – R&D tax incentive1

Foreign exchange gain

Total revenues from non-operating activities

Total revenue from continuing operations

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

631 

2,687 

579 

4,072 

4 

4,655 

5,286 

671 

 – 

74 

745 

3,432 

1.  R&D tax incentive includes 2018 rebate which was received and accrued in the 2019 financial year. An amount has been accrued for the 2019 financial year. 

52

 53

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 20195. Loss from continuing operations

Loss from continuing operations before income tax has been determined after the following 
specific expenses:

Employee benefits expense

Wages and salaries

Superannuation costs

Other employee benefits expense

Total employee benefits expense

Depreciation of non-current assets 

Plant and equipment 

Total depreciation of non-current assets 

Amortisation of non-current assets 

Buildings

Capitalised research and development 

Total amortisation of non-current assets 

Total depreciation and amortisation expenses 

Impairment losses

Rental expense on operating leases

Foreign exchange loss

(a) Research and development related costs
The Company incurs the following expenditure, which is related to product research 

and development including direct costs and indirect management and overhead costs.1

Employee costs

Laboratory costs

Facility costs

Other costs

Research and development related costs

1.  This differs from the classification of research and development costs pursuant to AASB138 which only comprises direct costs.

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

4,217 

397 

430 

5,044 

316 

316 

3 

107 

110 

426 

 – 

313 

 – 

4,108 

314 

298 

4,720 

226 

226 

3 

389 

392 

618 

5,647 

303 

192 

4,557 

5,070 

1,049 

241 

10,917 

4,190 

3,921 

943 

1,525 

10,579 

52

 53

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 20196. Income tax

(a) Income tax recognised in profit or loss:
Current tax

Deferred tax

(Over)/under provision in prior years

Income tax (benefit)/expense attributable to profit or loss

2019  
$’000

 – 

(10)

 – 

(10)

2018  
$’000

–

(1,789)

(154)

(1,943)

(b) Reconciliation of income tax (benefit)/expense
The prima facie tax payable on loss before income tax is reconciled to the income tax 
(benefit)/expense as follows:

Loss before tax from continuing operations

(8,335)

(16,125)

Prima facie income tax payable on loss before income tax at 27.5% (2018: 27.5%)

(2,292)

(4,434)

Add/(subtract) tax effect:

Non-deductible expenses

Research and development tax incentive

(Over)/under provision in prior years

Effective change in tax rates

Tax losses utilised not previously brought to account

Tax losses not brought to account net of deferred tax liability reversed in relation  
to the amortisation and impairment of Axiron® capitalised development costs

Parent entity net adjustment and tax losses and temporary differences not brought to account

Income tax (benefit)/expense attributable to loss

(c) Current tax 
Opening balance

(Over)/under provision in prior years

Provision for current year

Prior year refund received

Tax payments

Current tax (assets)/liability

3 

(1,120)

–

–

–

3,337 

62 

2,282 

(10)

(51)

 – 

 – 

 – 

51 

 – 

66 

 – 

(154)

(288)

–

2,917 

(50)

2,491 

(1,943)

1,136 

(154)

–

36 

(1,069)

(51)

54

 55

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(d) Deferred tax
Deferred tax relates to the following:

Deferred tax assets

The balance comprises:

Accruals and provisions

Leasehold improvements

Patent expenses

Exchange differences

Tax losses/research and development tax offset

Deferred tax liabilities

The balance comprises:

Exchange differences

Intangible assets

Prepayments

Accrued interest

Net deferred tax assets/(liabilities)

(e) Deferred tax assets not brought to account
Temporary differences

Tax losses

7. Dividends

(a) Dividends paid and declared
Nil dividends were paid during the financial year (2018: nil)

(b) Franking account
Balance of franking account on a tax paid basis at financial year-end adjusted for franking credits 
arising from payment of income tax and dividends recognised as receivables, franking debits 
arising from payment of dividends and any credits that may be prevented from distribution in 
subsequent years:

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

205 

138 

1,102 

3 

914 

2,362 

 – 

(471)

 – 

 – 

(471)

1,891 

136 

146 

786 

9 

820 

1,897 

 – 

 – 

5 

11 

16 

1,881 

(194)

16,059 

15,865 

(157)

12,722 

12,565 

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

 – 

–

43,835 

43,887 

54

 55

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 20198. Loss per share

Loss from continuing operations

Loss used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share 

2019  
$’000

(8,325)

(8,325)

No. of  
shares

2018  
$’000

(14,182)

(14,182)

No. of  
shares

Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in calculating basic earnings per share 

166,577,711 

166,521,711 

Effect of dilutive securities:

Employee Share Options and Performance Rights

 – 

 – 

Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary shares used in calculating diluted earnings per share 

166,577,711 

166,521,711 

Basic loss per share (cents)

Diluted loss per share (cents)

9. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash at bank

Deposits at call

10. Receivables

Receivables from contracts with customers

Allowance for credit losses 

Other receivables

Allowance for credit losses 

 (5.00)

 (5.00)

 (8.52)

 (8.52)

2019  
$’000

152 

18,000 

18,152 

2019  
$’000

198 

–

198 

2,103 

–

2,103 

2,301 

2018  
$’000

870 

27,600 

28,470 

2018  
$’000

155 

–

155 

106 

–

106 

261 

(a) Impairment of receivables from contracts with customers and other receivables
The group applies the simplified approach under AASB 9 to measuring the allowance for credit losses for both receivables 
from contracts with customers and contract assets. Under the AASB 9 simplified approach, the group determines the losses 
for receivables from contracts with customers and contract assets on the basis of the lifetime expected credit losses of the 
instrument. Lifetime expected credit losses represent the expected credit losses that are expected to result from default events 
over the expected life of the financial asset. The group determined there to be to no expected credit loss as at 30 June 2019.

56

 57

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201911.  Other current assets

Other current assets

Prepayments

12. Plant and equipment

Leasehold improvements

At cost

Accumulated amortisation

Total leasehold improvements

Plant and equipment

At cost

Accumulated depreciation

Total plant and equipment

Total plant and equipment

(a) Reconciliations
Reconciliations of the carrying amounts of plant and equipment 
at the beginning and end of the current financial year: 

Leasehold improvements

Carrying amount at beginning

Additions

Amortisation expense

Plant and equipment

Carrying amount at beginning

Additions

Depreciation expense

2019  
$’000

487 

487 

2019  
$’000

1,151 

(1,124)

27 

1,593 

(714)

879 

2018  
$’000

179 

179 

2018  
$’000

1,151 

(1,121)

30 

1,213 

(398)

815 

906 

845 

Notes

12 (a)

12 (a)

30 

–

(3)

27 

815 

380 

(316)

879 

27 

6 

(3)

30 

751 

290 

(226)

815 

 57

56

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201913. Intangible assets

Intellectual Property

At cost

Accumulated amortisation

Capitalised development

Estradiol

External development expenditure capitalised

Accumulated amortisation

Axiron®

External development expenditure capitalised

Accumulated amortisation and impairment losses

Net carrying amount

Total intangible assets

(a) Reconciliations
Reconciliations of the carrying amounts of intellectual property and capitalised 
development at the beginning and end of the current financial year: 

Intellectual Property

Carrying amount at beginning

Amortisation

Capitalised development

Estradiol

Carrying amount at beginning

Additions

Amortisation

Axiron®

Carrying amount at beginning

Additions

Amortisation

Impairment losses recognised

Notes

13 (a)

13 (a)

13 (a)

2019  
$’000

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,071 

(375)

696 

 – 

 – 

 – 

696 

696 

 – 

 – 

 – 

803 

 – 

(107)

696 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

2018  
$’000

1,200 

(1,200)

–

1,071 

(268)

803 

23,171 

(23,171)

–

803 

803 

–

–

–

911 

 – 

(108)

803 

5,928 

(281)

(5,647)

–

The remaining useful life of Estradiol Capitalised Development is approximately 6 years.

Further details of the impairment loss please see note 2(b) of the financial report.

58

 59

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201914. Payables

Current

Trade creditors

Sundry creditors and accruals

15. Provisions

Current

Employee entitlements

Non-current

Employee entitlements

Aggregate employee entitlements liability

16. Contributed equity

(a) Issued and paid up capital
Ordinary shares fully paid

(b) Movements in shares on issue
Beginning of the financial year 

Issued during the year: 

– Employee performance rights 

Less Capital Raising Expenses

Fair value of shares issued on exercise of employee 
share options

Contributions from share issues

At reporting date

(c) Share options and performance rights
Employee Share Option Plan

2019  
$’000

901 

968 

1,869 

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

731 

1,235 

1,966 

2018  
$’000

547 

518 

81 

628 

35 

553 

2019

2018

No. of shares

$’000

No. of shares

$’000

166,577,711 

95,873 

166,521,711 

95,873 

166,521,711 

95,873 

166,521,711 

95,873 

56,000 

 – 

 – 

56,000 

6 

 – 

 – 

6 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

166,577,711 

95,879 

166,521,711 

95,873 

The Group operates two Employee Share Option Plans. During the financial year no options were exercised (2018: Nil). Nil new 
options were issued under the plans during the financial year (2018: Nil). Options hold no participation rights, but shares issued 
on exercise of options rank equally with existing shares. At 30 June 2019, 1,000,000 options were held by key management personnel 
(2018: 2,000,000).

Omnibus Equity Plan

The Group operates an Omnibus Equity Plan, approved by shareholders at the 2017 Annual General Meeting. During the financial 
year 1,604,000 performance rights were issued under the plan (2018: 4,836,000). Performance rights hold no participation rights, 
but shares issued on exercise of performance rights rank equally with existing shares. At 30 June 2019, 5,330,000 performance 
rights were held by key management personnel (2018: 4,485,000).

The closing market value of an ordinary Acrux Limited share on the Australian Stock Exchange at 28 June 2019 was $0.185.

58

 59

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(i) Movement in the number of share options held under Employee Share Option Plan 
are as follows:

Opening balance

Granted during the financial year

Exercised during the financial year

Lapsed during the financial year

Closing balance

(ii) Details of share options exercised during the financial year:

Proceeds from shares issued

Fair value as at issue date of shares issued during the financial year

(iii) Details of lapsed options

Key management personnel

Employees

Lapsed during the year

(iv) Movement in the number of performance rights held under Omnibus Equity Plan 
are as follows:

Opening balance

Granted during the financial year

Exercised during the financial year

Lapsed during the financial year

Closing balance

(v) Details of performance rights exercised during the financial year:

Proceeds from shares issued

Fair value as at issue date of shares issued during the financial year

(vi) Details of lapsed performance rights

Key management personnel

Employees

Lapsed during the year

(d) Capital management

2019  
No.

2018  
No.

2,000,000 

4,774,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

(1,000,000)

1,000,000 

(2,774,000)

2,000,000 

$'000

$'000

 – 

 – 

2019  
No.

 – 

 – 

2018  
No.

1,000,000 

–

1,000,000 

2,330,000 

444,000 

2,774,000 

2019  
No.

2018  
No.

4,836,000 

1,604,000 

(56,000)

(149,000)

 – 

4,836,000 

 – 

 – 

6,235,000 

4,836,000 

2019  
$'000

 – 

6 

2019  
No.

 – 

149,000 

149,000 

2018  
$'000

 – 

 – 

2018  
No.

 – 

 – 

 – 

When managing capital, the Directors’ objective is to ensure the entity continues as a going concern and optimises returns 
to shareholders and benefits for other stakeholders. During 2019 financial year, the Board paid dividends of nil (2018: nil). 

The amounts and ratio of future dividends have not been determined.

60

 61

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201917. Share based payments
(a) Employee Share Option Plans
Details of the options granted are provided below:

Grant date

Expiry date

22-Jul-15

22-Jul-18

22-Jul-16

22-Jul-19

Exercise 
price

 $1.11 

 $0.96 

Balance at 
beginning 
of the year

Granted 
during the 
year

Exercised 
during the 
year

Expired 
during 
the year

Balance 
at end of 
the year

Exercisable 
at end of 
the year

1,000,000 

1,000,000 

2,000,000 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

(1,000,000)

 – 

 – 

 – 

1,000,000 

1,000,000 

(1,000,000)

1,000,000 

1,000,000 

The weighted average remaining contractual life for share options outstanding at the end of the period was 0.06 years.

The fair value of the options granted on 22 July 2016 was 19 cents per option at the date of grant. Fair value was determined using 
the binomial option pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Exercise price: $0.96 

Grant date: 22 July 2016

Expiry date: 22 July 2019

Share price at grant date: $0.78

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 12 month period: 44%

Expected dividend yield: nil

The fair value of the options granted on 22 July 2015 was 23 cents per option at the date of grant. Fair value was determined using 
the binomial option pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Exercise price: $1.11 

Grant date: 22 July 2015

Expiry date: 22 July 2018

Share price at grant date: $0.94

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 12 month period: 64%

Expected dividend yield: 8.99%

60

 61

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019(b) Omnibus Equity Plan
Details of the performance rights granted are provided below:

Grant date

Expiry date

26-Oct-17

25-Jan-18

23-Nov-18

04-Feb-19

14-Nov-24

25-Jan-25

01-Jan-23

04-Feb-26

Balance at 
beginning of 
the year

4,000,000 

836,000 

Granted 
during 
the year

Exercised 
during 
the year

Expired 
during 
the year

Balance 
at end of 
the year

Exercisable 
at end of 
the year

 – 

 – 

 – 

 – 

800,000 

804,000 

 – 

 – 

4,000,000 

1,000,000 

(56,000)

(112,000)

 – 

 – 

 – 

(37,000)

668,000 

800,000 

767,000 

668,000 

200,000 

 – 

4,836,000 

1,604,000 

(56,000)

(149,000)

6,235,000 

1,868,000 

The weighted average remaining contractual life for share options outstanding at the end of the period was 3.77 years.

The fair value of the performance rights granted on 14 November 2017 was 9 cents per performance right at the date of grant. 
Fair value was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Grant date: 14 November 2017

Expiry date: 14 November 2024

Share price at grant date: $0.17

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 36 month period: 63%

Expected dividend yield: nil

Risk free rate: 2.24%

The fair value of the performance rights granted on 25 January 2018 was 11 cents per performance right at the date of grant. 
Fair value was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Grant date: 25 January 2018

Expiry date: 25 January 2025

Share price at grant date: $0.17

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 60 month period: 64%

Expected dividend yield: nil

Risk free rate: 2.45%

The fair value of the performance rights granted on 23 November 2018 was 19 cents per performance right at the date of grant. 
Fair value was determined using the Black and Scholes simulation pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Grant date: 23 November 2018

Expiry date: 1 January 2023

Share price at grant date: $0.19

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 36 month period: 68%

Expected dividend yield: nil

Risk free rate: 2.31%

62

 63

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019The fair value of the performance rights granted on 4 February 2019 was 8 cents per performance right at the date of grant. 
Fair value was determined using the Monte Carlo simulation pricing model. The following inputs were utilised:

Grant date: 4 February 2019

Expiry date: 4 February 2026

Share price at grant date: $0.18

Expected price volatility of the Company’s shares calculated using the movement in the share price over a 12 month period: 78%

Expected dividend yield: nil

Risk free rate: 1.82%

2019  
$'000

2018  
$'000

(c) Expenses recognised from share-based payment transactions
The expense recognised in relation to the share-based payment transactions was recorded 
within share options expense in the statement of comprehensive income were as follows:

Options issued under the Employee Share Option Plans

Performance rights issued under the Omnibus Equity Plan

Total expenses recognised from share based payment transactions

18. Reserves and accumulated losses 

Notes

18 (a)

18 (b)

Share based payment reserve

Accumulated losses

(a) Share based payment reserve
(i) Nature and purpose of reserve

This reserve is used to record the value of equity benefit provided to employees 
and Directors as part of their remuneration. Refer note 16 for details.

(ii) Movement in reserve

Balance at the beginning of year 

Employee share option expense for the year (including adjustment 
for service conditions not met)

Employee performance rights expense for the year

Employee share options previously expensed, that lapsed during the year

Balance at end of year 

(b) Accumulated losses
Balance at the beginning of year

Employee share options that lapsed during the year

Net loss attributable to members of Acrux Limited

Accumulated losses at reporting date

–

284 

284 

2019  
$'000

639 

(74,582)

581 

 – 

284 

(226)

639 

(66,483)

226 

(8,325)

(74,582)

57 

171 

228 

2018  
$'000

581 

(66,483)

1,215 

–

228 

(862)

581 

(53,163)

862 

(14,182)

(66,483)

 63

62

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201919. Cash flow information

(a) Reconciliation of the cash flow from operations with loss after income tax:
Loss from ordinary activities after income tax

Non-Cash Items 

Depreciation and amortisation 

Share options expense

Unrealised foreign exchange (gains)/losses

Impairment losses

Changes in assets and liabilities 

Decrease in tax liabilities

Decrease/(Increase) in trade and other receivables 

Increase in other current assets

Increase/(decrease) in payables

Increase in employee entitlements

Increase in deferred tax assets

Net cash (outflows)/inflows from operating activities 

(b) Reconciliation of cash
Cash at the end of the financial year as shown in the statement of cash flows is 
reconciled to the related items in the statement of financial position is as follows:

– Cash at bank

– At call deposits with financial institutions

Closing cash balance 

2019  
$'000

2018  
$'000

(8,325)

(14,182)

426 

284 

 – 

 – 

51 

(2,040)

(308)

(86)

70 

(10)

(1,613)

(9,938)

618 

228 

(74)

5,647 

(1,187)

5,271 

(88)

147 

128 

(1,789)

8,901 

(5,282)

152 

18,000 

18,152 

870 

27,600 

28,470

(c) Credit stand-by arrangement and loan facilities
The Group has credit card facilities with financial institutions available to the extent of $120,000 (2018: $120,000).  
As at 30 June 2019 the Group had unused facilities of $112,798 (2018: $108,631).

20. Non-controlling interests
The Group holds nil (2018: nil) non-controlling interests at balance date.

64

 65

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201921. Commitments

Lease expenditure commitments

Operating leases non-cancellable and contracted for but not capitalised in the accounts:

– Not later than one year 

– Later than one year and not later than five years

Aggregate lease expenditure contracted for at reporting date

2019  
$’000

324 

677 

1,001 

2018  
$’000

315 

994 

1,309

The operating lease relates to office, laboratory and warehouse facilities for which the lease was renewed by Acrux DDS Pty Ltd 
for a period of 4 years from 1 June 2018, with options to extend for a further two periods of 3 years each. Acrux DDS Pty Ltd does 
not have an option to purchase the leased asset at the expiry of the lease period.

22. Key management personnel compensation
Details of Key Management Personnel compensation are contained within the Remuneration Report section of the Director’s 
Report. A breakdown of the aggregate components of Key Management Personnel’s compensation is provided below:

Compensation by category:

Short-term employment benefits

Post-employment benefits

Equity

2019  
$

2018  
$

1,547,091 

1,732,040 

107,971 

174,310 

109,798 

179,885 

1,829,372 

2,021,723 

23. Loans to key management personnel
There were no loans made to Key Management Personnel during the financial year.

24. Related party disclosures
Wholly owned group transactions
Loans

Loans were made between Acrux Limited and its subsidiaries under normal terms and conditions. The aggregate amounts receivable 
from controlled entities by the parent entity at the end of the reporting period was $126,388 (2018: $105,503). 

Non-interesting bearing loans were made by Acrux Commercial Pty Ltd to its subsidiary, Fempharm Pty Ltd. The aggregate amount 
receivable from Fempharm Pty Ltd at the end of the reporting period was $59,389 (2018: $40,023). 

Other transactions with Key Management Personnel and their personally related entities

Any payments made to Key Management Personnel during the financial year, other than remuneration entitlements, related to the 
reimbursement of business expenses incurred on behalf of Acrux Limited and its subsidiaries.

64

 65

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201925. Auditor’s remuneration

Amounts paid and payable to Pitcher Partners for:

(i) Audit and other assurance services

– An audit or review of the financial report of the entity and any other entity in the Group

– Taxation compliance and consulting

– Other non-audit services

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

95 

58 

–

153 

112 

32 

 –

144 

26. Segment reporting
The Group operates as a single operating segment. Internal management reporting systems present financial information 
as a single segment. The segment derives its revenue from developing and commercialising products using unique technology 
to administer drugs through the skin.

Geographical segment information

Revenue

Australia

Switzerland1

Germany

United States

Other

1.  Axiron revenue is receivable from a Swiss subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company. 

All assets are located in Australia.

Product information

Revenue by product group/service

Axiron

Lenzetto 

Other

2019  
$’000

583 

–

311 

50 

270 

1,214 

2019  
$’000

–

581 

633 

1,214 

2018  
$’000

745 

2,231 

245 

129 

82 

3,432 

2018  
$’000

2,231 

327 

874 

3,432 

66

 67

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201927. Controlled entities

Parent Entity

Acrux Limited

Subsidiaries of Acrux Limited

Acrux DDS Pty Ltd

Acrux Pharma Pty Ltd

Acrux Commercial Pty Ltd

Subsidiaries of Acrux Commercial Pty Ltd

Fempharm Pty Ltd

28. Parent entity details

Country of incorporation

2019

2018

Percentage owned

Australia

Australia

Australia

Australia

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Australia

100%

100%

Summarised presentation of the parent entity, Acrux Limited, financial statements:
(a) Summarised statement of financial position
Assets 

Current assets 

Non-current assets1

Total assets 

Liabilities 

Current liabilities 

Non-current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity 

Share capital 

Profit reserve

Accumulated losses

Share based payments reserve 

Total equity 

(b) Summarised statement of comprehensive income
Loss for the financial year

Other comprehensive income for the financial year

Total comprehensive income for the financial year

Parent entity

2019  
$’000

2018  
$’000

7,355 

7,112 

14,467 

375 

22 

397 

8,304 

8,855 

17,159 

866 

8 

874 

14,070 

16,285 

95,879 

7,390 

(89,838)

639 

14,070 

(2,279)

 – 

(2,279)

95,873 

7,390 

(87,559)

581 

16,285 

(10,871)

 – 

(10,871)

1.  Investment in subsidiaries are recognised initially at cost and subsequently carried at the lower of cost or recoverable amount. If the carrying value exceeds the recoverable 

amount, an impairment loss is recognised in the profit or loss of the parent which can subsequently be reversed in certain conditions. 

66

 67

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 201929. Contingencies
There were no contingencies at 30 June 2019 (2018: Nil).

30. Subsequent events
In June 2019, Acrux submitted an ANDA to seek approval from the FDA to market its generic version of lidoncaine 2.5% 
and Prilocaine 2.5%. On 19 August 2019 the Company announced that the FDA had accepted the ANDA for review.

31. Company details
The registered office of the company is:

Acrux Limited 
103 – 113 Stanley Street 
West Melbourne VIC 3003

68

 69

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements continuedFor the financial year ended 30 June 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Directors’ Declaration

The directors declare that: 

1.  In the Directors’ opinion, the financial statements and notes thereto, as set out on pages 20 to 68, are in accordance with the 

Corporations Act 2001, including:

(a)  complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001, and other mandatory 

professional reporting requirements;

(b)  as stated in Note 1(a) the consolidated financial statements also comply with International Financial Reporting Standards; and

(c)  giving a true and fair view of the financial position of the Group as at 30 June 2019 and of its performance for the year 

ended on that date.

2.  In the Directors’ opinion there are reasonable grounds to believe that Acrux Limited will be able to pay its debts as and when 

they become due and payable.

This declaration has been made after receiving the declarations required to be made by the Chief Executive Officer and  
Chief Financial Officer to the Directors in accordance with section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001 for the financial year  
ending 30 June 2019.

This declaration is made in accordance with a resolution of the Directors.

Ross Dobinson 
Non-Executive Chairman 

Geoff Brooke 
Non-Executive Director

Melbourne 
Dated this 23rd day of August 2019 

Melbourne 
Dated this 23rd day of August 2019 

68

 69

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Independent auditor’s report  
to the members of Acrux Limited

70

 71

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   Report on the Audit of the Financial Report  Opinion   We have audited the financial report of Acrux Limited “the Company” and its controlled entities “the Group”, which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2019, the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies, and the directors’ declaration.   In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of the Group is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including:  (a) giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2019 and of its financial performance for the year then ended; and  (b) complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001.   Basis for Opinion   We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants “the Code” that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.   We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Corporations Act 2001, which has been given to the directors of the Company, would be in the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report.  We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.   Key Audit Matters   Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial report of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial report as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.  70

 71

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   Key Audit Matter How our audit addressed the key audit matter Assessment of impairment of Intangible Assets  Refer to page 40 consolidated balance sheet, note 2(b) on page 49 and note 13 on page 58.   The Group has $0.7 million ($0.8 million as at 30 June 2018) of capitalised development costs as at 30 June 2019 after impairment loss. We view intangible assets in relation to capitalised development costs to be a Key Audit Matter due to the management judgement required in making Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model assumptions such as discount rate, growth rate, foreign exchange rate and forecast cashflows.   Our procedures included amongst others: • Critically evaluating management’s DCF model methodology and their key assumptions utilised;  • Testing the mathematical accuracy of the DCF model and assessing forecast cash flows to external data; • Performing sensitivity analysis around the discount rate, growth rates and foreign exchange rate used in the DCF model; • Understanding and evaluating management’s processes and controls around the impairment of intangible assets; and • Assessing the appropriateness of the disclosures included in Notes 2 and 13 to the financial report in respect of impairment testing and sensitivity analysis.                  Independent auditor’s report  
to the members of Acrux Limited continued

72

 73

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   Key Audit Matter How our audit addressed the key audit matter Recoverability of Deferred Tax Assets   Refer to note 1(j) on page 45, note  2(a) on page 49 and note 6 on page 54.  The Group has $1.9 million of deferred tax assets recognised at 30 June 2019 ($1.8 m at 30 June 2018) relating to timing differences and Research and Development offset incurred by the subsidiary Acrux DDS Pty Ltd.   The ability to recognise the deferred tax assets is dependent upon the probable generation of sufficient future taxable profit in order for the benefits of the deferred tax assets to be realised, in accordance with AASB 112. These benefits are realised by reducing tax payable on future taxable profits.  We view the deferred tax assets as a Key Audit Matter due to the management judgement required in forecasting future taxable profit. Management’s assumptions include but are not restricted to: • Ongoing profitable contract research and development activities; • Successful commercialisation of generics; and • The number of competitors in the market, market share and royalty rates.  Our procedures included but were not limited to:  • Reviewing and assessing management’s key assumptions relating to the forecasts of future taxable profit and evaluating the reasonableness of these assumptions; • Undertaking sensitivity analysis around the forecast cashflows in order to challenge management’s assumptions;  • Understanding and evaluating management’s processes around the recognition of deferred tax assets; and • Assessing the appropriateness of the disclosures included in Note 6 in respect of current and deferred tax balances.          72

 73

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   Other Information – The annual report is not complete at the date of the audit report  The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Directors Report which was obtained as at the date of our audit report, and any additional other information included in the Company’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2019, but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon.  Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and accordingly we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.   In connection with our audit of the financial report, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial report or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.  When we read the other information not yet received as identified above, if we conclude that there is a material misstatement therein, we are required to communicate the matter to the directors and use our professional judgment to determine the appropriate action to take.  Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report   The directors of the Company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Act 2001 and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.   In preparing the financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the ability of the Group to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.   Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report   Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material  Independent auditor’s report  
to the members of Acrux Limited continued

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Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report.   As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:   • Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.  • The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.  • Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control.  • Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.  • Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.  • Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. • Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Group to express an opinion on the financial report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the Group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.   We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.   We also provide the directors with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.  74

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Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019  ACRUX LIMITED  AND CONTROLLED ENTITIES ABN 72 082 001 152  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ACRUX LIMITED    An independent Victorian Partnership ABN 27 975 255 196 Pitcher Partners is an association of independent firms Level 13, 664 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008  Melbourne  |  Sydney  |  Perth  |  Adelaide  |  Brisbane|  Newcastle Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation An independent member of Baker Tilly International   From the matters communicated with the directors, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial report of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.   Report on the Remuneration Report  Opinion on the Remuneration Report   We have audited the Remuneration Report included in pages 29 to 36 of the directors’ report for the year ended 30 June 2019. In our opinion, the Remuneration Report of Acrux Limited and its controlled entities, for the year ended 30 June 2019, complies with section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001.   Responsibilities   The directors of the Company are responsible for the preparation and presentation of the Remuneration Report in accordance with section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Remuneration Report, based on our audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards.      S WHITCHURCH        PITCHER PARTNERS Partner         Melbourne    23 August 2019      Shareholder information

Additional information required by Australian Securities Exchange Listing Rules and not disclosed elsewhere in this report, 
as at 19 August 2019: 

Shareholders 
The Company has 166,732,711 ordinary fully paid shares on issue, held by 5,856 shareholders, and 5,940,000 performance rights 
outstanding held by 30 people. The Company does not have any other equity securities on issue. Only the holders of ordinary shares 
are entitled to receive dividends as declared from time to time and are entitled to one vote per share at shareholders’ meetings. 
No voting rights attach to the share options or performance rights. 

All fully paid ordinary shares are quoted on the Australian Securities Exchange. No other equity securities of the Company are 
quoted on the Australian Securities Exchange. The Company has not had, and neither is there currently, any on-market buy back. 

Distribution Schedule
The following is a distribution schedule of the number of holders of fully paid ordinary shares in the Company within the bands 
of holding specified by the ASX Listing Rules: 

Category

1 to 1,000

1,001 to 5,000

5,001 to 10,000

10,001 to 50,000

50,001 to 100,000

100,001 and Over

Total 

Number of 
Shareholders

1206

2005

956

1215

241

233

5856

Securities 

651,776

5,877,782

7,768,959

28,877,761

17,483,016

106,073,417

166,732,711

2,238 shareholders hold less than a marketable parcel of fully paid ordinary shares (being the Company’s main class of securities), 
based on the market price at the date set out above. 

Substantial Holders 

Name 

Samuel Terry Asset Management Pty Ltd

DDH Graham Ltd 

Number of fully paid ordinary shares

10,232,371

9,767,196

Under the ASX Listing Rules “Substantial Holder” means, in general terms, a person who either alone or with their associates 
has an interest in 5% or more of the voting shares of the Company.

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 77

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Twenty Largest Holders of Fully Paid Ordinary Shares in Acrux Limited

Shareholder 

J P MORGAN NOMINEES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED 

DDH GRAHAM LIMITED 

MR PAUL COZZI 

MNM CAPITAL PTY LTD 

ASHWOOD RIVER PTY LTD 

CITICORP NOMINEES PTY LIMITED 

DURBIN SUPERANNUATION PTY LTD 

MR IAN VICTOR LANCINI & MRS DEBRA ANN LANCINI 

HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED 

MR CHRISTOPHER MURRAY ABBOTT 

ASIA UNION INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED 

NEWECONOMY COM AU NOMINEES PTY LIMITED 

MR MICHAEL SCOTT SYLVESTER & MRS RECHAELLE SARAH SYLVESTER 

HISHENK PTY LTD 

ADAM JAMAL 

MR DAVID ANDREW SLOBOM & MRS LINDA JANE SLOBOM 

MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA SECURITIES (NOMINEE) PTY LIMITED 

MS LINLIN LI 

MR GARY LESTER HANIKERI 

BNP PARIBAS NOMINEES PTY LTD 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Number of fully 
paid ordinary 
shares

12,723,804

9,767,196

3,500,000

2,759,672

2,600,000

2,075,577

2,060,000

2,045,000

2,009,589

1,600,000

1,500,000

1,486,300

1,450,000

1,400,000

1,218,727

1,218,513

1,214,942

1,193,000

1,150,000

1,079,894

Percentage of 
total capital

7.63

5.86

2.10

1.66

1.56

1.24

1.24

1.23

1.21

0.96

0.90

0.89

0.87

0.84

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.72

0.69

0.65

Market Listing 
Acrux Limited is quoted on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Share prices can be obtained from most Australian national 
newspapers and from the ASX website (www.asx.com.au). The shares of the Company are not quoted on any other stock exchange.

The following are the share prices for the end of each quarter of the financial year ending 30 June 2019: 

54,052,214

32.44

Quarter ended 30 September 2018 – 22.0 cents

Quarter ended 31 December 2018 – 18.0 cents

Quarter ended 31 March 2019 – 18.5 cents

Quarter ended 30 June 2019 – 18.5 cents

The closing share price on 19 August 2019 was 19.0 cents

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Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019 
Shareholder information continued

Pooled Development Fund 
The information set out below is of a general nature only and may vary from person to person (dependent on their circumstances). 
Any shareholder or prospective shareholder should obtain their own taxation advice, rather than relying on this summary. 

Acrux Limited is a Pooled Development Fund (PDF) that has been registered under the Pooled Development Fund Act 1992 (“the PDF 
Act”) since 7 July 1999. A PDF is a company that is resident in Australia, and is registered and regulated by the PDF Registration 
Board in accordance with the PDF Act. 

Shareholders in the Company will be entitled to concessionary tax treatment in Australia for income and capital gains derived 
in connection with their shareholding. The concessionary tax treatment should be available to investors that hold their interests 
directly and indirectly through non-corporate trusts and partnerships. 

Gains realised by an investor on the disposal of shares in the Company will not be included in the investor’s assessable income 
in Australia. This is because: 

• Where the gain on sale would be ordinary income of the investor, the gain will be treated as exempt income; and 

• Where the gain on sale would be a capital gain it is specifically excluded from the capital gains tax provisions of the Tax Act. 

Equally, an investor will not be entitled to any deduction or capital loss on the sale of the Company’s shares. Shares held in a PDF 
cannot be held as trading stock. Accordingly, share traders cannot treat PDF shares as trading stock. 

Unfranked dividends received by an Australian resident shareholder from the Company will be exempt from tax in the hands of the 
shareholder. Franked dividends will also be exempt from tax unless the shareholder elects to treat the franked dividend as taxable.

Broadly, Australian resident shareholders who hold the Company’s shares at risk (in accordance with the Tax Act) for 45 days 
or more may elect to treat franked dividends paid by the Company as assessable income, and claim the tax offset available in 
respect of the dividend. The tax offset will be equal to the franking credit attaching to the dividend received. Where the tax offset 
available exceeds the shareholder’s highest marginal tax rate, the shareholder may be entitled to receive a refund of tax in respect 
of the excess franking credit.

Australian corporate tax entities are entitled to benefit from the franking credits attaching to the franked portion of the dividends 
paid by the Company, irrespective of whether the corporate tax entity treats the dividend as exempt income or elects to treat it 
as assessable income. Accordingly, an Australian corporate may credit its franking account with franking credits attaching to a 
dividend from the Company regardless of whether or not they have elected to treat the dividend as exempt or assessable income. 

Dividends paid by Acrux to non-residents will not be subject to withholding tax regardless of whether or not they are franked 
or unfranked. 

Should the Company cease to be a PDF, each shareholder will be deemed to have sold their shares immediately before the 
Company ceased to be a PDF and to have acquired the shares at their market value immediately after the Company ceased to be 
a PDF. Any gain or loss realised on the sale after that time, calculated by reference to the deemed acquisition cost, will be subject 
to the general provisions of the Tax Act and any such gain may be included in the shareholder’s assessable income. 

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Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Glossary

Term 

Abbreviation

Description 

Abbreviated 
New Drug 
Application 

ANDA

Active 
Pharmaceutical 
Ingredient

API

Addressable 
market

Axiron®

Bioequivalence/
Bioavailability

Competitive 
Generic 
Therapies

CGT

Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) are termed “abbreviated” because they are 
generally not required to include preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) data to establish 
safety and effectiveness of a generic drug product. Instead, generic applicants must 
scientifically demonstrate that their product is bioequivalent (i.e., performs clinically in 
the same manner as the innovator drug). Once approved, an applicant may manufacture 
and market the generic drug product to provide a safe, effective, low cost alternative. All 
approved products, both innovator and generic, are listed in FDA’s Approved Drug Products 
with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations (Orange Book).

Also known as drug substance. A substance used in a finished pharmaceutical product, 
intended to furnish pharmacological activity or to otherwise have direct effect in the diagnosis, 
cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or to have direct effect in restoring, 
correcting or modifying physiological functions in human beings.

Sales value for a pharmaceutical product and dosage form. The data is obtained from 
IQVIA for products for which an Acrux product will directly compete when approved.

Brand name for Acrux’s testosterone replacement therapy solution product that was formerly 
licensed globally to Lilly. The Axiron® trademark is owned by Eli Lilly.

Bioequivalence studies compare the bioavailability of the proposed drug product with that of 
the Reference Listed Drug (RLD) product containing the same active ingredient. Bioequivalence 
is defined as the absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent to which the drug 
(active ingredient) becomes available at the site of drug action when administered at the same 
dose under similar conditions.

The FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (FDARA) created a new pathway by which FDA may, 
at the request of the applicant, designate a drug with “inadequate generic competition” 
as a competitive generic therapy (CGT). At the request of the applicant, FDA may also 
expedite the development and review of an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for a 
drug designated as a CGT. FDARA created a new type of 180-day exclusivity, different from 
180-day patent challenge exclusivity, for the first approved applicant of a drug with a CGT 
designation for which there were no unexpired patents or exclusivities listed in the Orange 
Book at the time of original submission of the ANDA.

CMO 

A CMO is a company that serves other companies in the pharmaceutical industry on a contract 
basis to provide services that include product scale and commercial drug manufacturing.

Contract 
Manufacturing 
Organisation 

Estradiol

Evamist®

Ellavie®

Food and Drug 
Administration

FDA

Gedeon Richter

Generic 
medicine

In-vitro 
Permeation 
Testing 

IVPT

Estradiol is a form of estrogen, a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries. Estrogen 
is necessary for many processes in the body.

Brand name for Acrux’s unique estradiol spray product in the United States. The Evamist® 
trademark is owned by Lumara Health.

Alternative brand name for Acrux’s estradiol spray product. The Ellavie® trademark is owned 
by Acrux.

The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation 
and supervision of prescription, over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs (medications), 
vaccines, biopharmaceuticals and veterinary products in the United States.

Gedeon Richter Plc., headquartered in Hungary, is a major pharmaceutical company in 
Central Eastern Europe, with an expanding direct presence in Western Europe. Richter’s 
consolidated sales were approximately EUR 1.4 billion, while its market capitalization 
amounted to EUR 3 billion in 2018. The product portfolio of Richter covers almost a range 
of therapeutic areas, including gynaecology, central nervous system, and cardiovascular 
areas. Richter is a significant player in the female healthcare field worldwide.

A generic medicine is a medicine that provides the same quality, safety and efficacy as the 
original brand name product and which undergoes strict scrutiny before it is licensed and 
given market approval by national regulatory authorities.

In-vitro permeation testing studies across biological membranes for formulations that are 
applied to the skin are vital to guide product development and establish product bioequivalence. 
IVPT is a critical tool for understanding drug delivery into the various layers of skin and can 
aid in formulation selection. 

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 79

Acrux Annual Report 2019Acrux Annual Report 2019Glossary continued

Term 

Abbreviation

Description 

In-vitro 
Release Testing 

IVRT 

IQVIA

Lenzetto®

New Drug 
Application

NDA

Onychomycosis

Orange Book

PIV

Paragraph 
IV filing or 
Paragraph 
4 filing

Pharmacokinetic PK

Pooled 
Development 
Fund

PDF

Product-Specific 
Guidance 

PSG 

Measurement of drug release from complex dosage forms intended for topical application 
is important for some drug product bioequivalence testing. IVRT allows for targeted and 
systematic drug development and guides the establishment of therapeutic equivalence. IVRT 
involves subjecting the drug formulation to a set of conditions that will induce drug release 
across a membrane and quantitating the amount of drug released under those conditions. 
In development, it is an essential test in assessing differences between formulations, 
predicting the timeframe of API release, and modelling in vivo behaviour.

IQVIA, formerly Quintiles and IMS Health, Inc., is a US based multinational company serving 
the combined industries of health information technology and clinical research. IQVIA 
provides, on a subscription basis, an analytics platform that lets you analyse pharmaceutical 
industry-leading sales data from over 90 countries in a standardised and comparable way. 

Brand name for Acrux’s unique estradiol spray in the European Union. The Lenzetto® trademark 
is owned by Gedeon Richter.

New Drug Application. When the sponsor of a new drug believes that enough evidence on 
the drug’s safety and effectiveness has been obtained to meet FDA (or other national health 
regulator) requirements for marketing approval, the sponsor submits to the regulator a new 
drug application (NDA). The application must contain data from specific technical viewpoints 
for review, including chemistry, pharmacology, medical, biopharmaceutics, and statistics. 
If the NDA is approved, the product may be marketed in the in that country.

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails that may involve any 
component of the nail unit, including the matrix, bed, or plate. Onychomycosis can cause 
pain, discomfort, and disfigurement and may produce serious physical and occupational 
limitations, as well as reducing quality of life.

The publication Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations is 
commonly known as the Orange Book and identifies drug products approved on the basis 
of safety and effectiveness by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and related patent and exclusivity information.

A type of ANDA submitted during the patent term of the originator product. The filing 
asserts that either the patents supporting the originator product are invalid or that they 
are not applicable (“not infringed”) to the product that is the subject of the ANDA.

Pharmacokinetics is defined as the study of the time course of drug absorption, distribution, 
metabolism, and excretion.

Refer to separate section in the Annual Report for an overview of PDF or the following website 
www.business.gov.au/assistance/pooled-development-funds

To further facilitate generic drug product availability and to assist the generic pharmaceutical 
industry with identifying the most appropriate methodology for developing drugs and generating 
evidence needed to support ANDA approval, FDA publishes product-specific guidances 
describing the FDA’s current thinking and expectations on how to develop generic drug 
products therapeutically equivalent to specific reference listed drugs.

RLD

An RLD is an approved drug product to which new generic versions are compared to show 
that they are bioequivalent.

Testosterone is a naturally occurring sex hormone that is produced in a man’s testicles.

Transdermal is a route of administration wherein active pharmaceutical ingredients are 
delivered across the skin for systemic distribution. Examples include Axiron, Evamist 
and Lenzetto.

Topical is a route of administration wherein active pharmaceutical ingredients are applied 
to, or affect a localised area of the body.

Reference 
Listed Drug 

Testosterone

Transdermal

Topical

80

Acrux Annual Report 2019Corporate Directory 

Acrux Limited and Subsidiary Companies 

103-113 Stanley Street  
West Melbourne  
Victoria 3003  
Australia 

T: + 61 3 8379 0100 

www.linkedin.com/company/acrux 

www.acrux.com.au 

Australian Stock Exchange code “ACR”

Information about the Company, including disclosures to the Australian Stock Exchange, 
can be found on the Company’s website. 

If you require further information about Acrux, please contact Deborah Ambrosini, 
the Company’s Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary on +61 3 8379 0100. 

Share Registry 

Link Market Services  
Level 13, Tower 4 
727 Collins Street 
Docklands 
Victoria 3008  
Australia

Australia Toll-free: 1300 554 474 (Australia only)  
International: +61 1300 554 474 

F: (02) 9287 0303 
F: (02) 9287 0309 (for proxy voting) 

E: registrars@linkmarketservices.com.au 

W: www.linkmarketservices.com.au

Acrux Annual Report 2019

 81