Approximately 14 million Americans are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The federal government estimates that these addicts cost the U.S. economy $300 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity. Despite the enormous potential market, many biotech companies have shied away from funding research and development (R&D) initiatives to find a cure for drug and alcohol addiction. Your firm Drug Abuse Sciences (DAS) is a notable exception. It has spent $240 million to date working on a cure, but is now at a crossroads. It can either abandon its program or invest another $55 million today. Unfortunately, the firms opportunity cost of funds is 8 percent and it will take another five years before final approval from the Federal Drug Administration is achieved and the product is actually sold. Expected (year-end) profits from selling the drug are presented in the accompanying table.

Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
$0	$0	$0	$0	$12,500,000	$14,000,000	$15,700,000	$18,300,000	$20,400,000

What is the net present value of the project? Instruction: Enter your response rounded to the nearest penny (two decimal places). Use a negative sign (-) where appropriate. Should DAS continue with its plan to bring the drug to market, or should it abandon the project?