Question-and-Answer Session
Operator
(Operator Instructions) Your first question today comes from David Dean - Cormark Securities.
David Dean - Cormark Securities Inc.
I am wondering if you can give us some more information on what is going to go forward with the MEEI here. You said that all will be given certainly in September but what happens after that and when do you think the verdict will come in?
Robert Butchofsky
Well, the oral arguments are relatively short. We will have that argument early or middle month of September and then really the process is one that verdict will be issued as soon as the judge gets around to writing a verdict. I think when you look historically; the average time is probably 6 to 9 months following oral arguments before verdict comes out but it could be sooner than that, it could be later than that. So, we really will not have any idea until it comes out.
David Dean - Cormark Securities Inc.
Okay and just on the plugs here, what will the business model be if you guys decide that you cannot improve upon the design of the existing plugs and any move forward, something that is already commercialized, what happens then?
Robert Butchofsky
Well, we think we are advancing the designs of the commercial plugs so I think that is a very low probability outcome. We are in clinical studies. We are looking at retention and ease of insertion of plugs and I think we are making advances. So, we will continue to try and develop plugs that we think offer more meaningful benefits in current commercially available plug designs.
David Dean - Cormark Securities Inc.
Okay, so it sounded like you are well on your way to a better plug but if by chance that does not improve through, what happens then?
Robert Butchofsky
Well, we will cross that bridge when we get there, David. I do have confidence that we are advancing the technology and that seems that we are on the right track. So, well it is not completed yet. I feel confident that we are heading in the right direction.
David Dean - Cormark Securities Inc.
Okay and can you tell us what the contribution that you previously included within your R&D guidance further more?
Cameron Nelson
We were spending about 20% of our R&D budget on 0074 or lemuteporfin. Some of that money is obviously already been spent. We are reiterating our R&D guidance for the year. At this stage, I think we probably are spending a little bit more on the punctal plug program that we had planned on starting out for the year so no changes overall yet in the R&D forecast for the year.
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